2021 Recruiting - WBB

The more I think about it, the more surprised I am about Latasha Lattimore choosing the Longhorns. Looking over the Baylor roster:
  • Only 9 players
  • Only 2 true paint players (N Smith and Egbo) - freshman F Kendra Gillespie (#58 in 2021 class) is described in a 2018 ESPN scouting report as a “Deceptively athletic perimeter prospect” but that was from 2018 so she might have grown into a PF
  • Only 3 players taller than 6’: Smith (6’2”), Egbo (6’3”) and Gillespie (6’2”)
I’m trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth but wow. Vic doesn't have the experienced post players Baylor does this season but the depth disparity is huge.
 
DFW_Horn said:
The more I think about it, the more surprised I am about Latasha Lattimore choosing the Longhorns. Looking over the Baylor roster:
  • Only 9 players
  • Only 2 true paint players (N Smith and Egbo) - freshman F Kendra Gillespie (#58 in 2021 class) is described in a 2018 ESPN scouting report as a “Deceptively athletic perimeter prospect” but that was from 2018 so she might have grown into a PF
  • Only 3 players taller than 6’: Smith (6’2”), Egbo (6’3”) and Gillespie (6’2”)
I’m trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth but wow. Vic doesn't have the experienced post players Baylor does this season but the depth disparity is huge.
Click to expand...
You make some good points, BUT, Baylor’s future is very clouded on a number of levels. Conf question marks, future roster, new coach etc. They lose Smith, Lewis and possibly Egbo this year. Our future is bright with the three freshman, Matharu and Femme and Kobe. Latasha is a VERY SMART young lady!!!
 
DFW_Horn said:
The more I think about it, the more surprised I am about Latasha Lattimore choosing the Longhorns. Looking over the Baylor roster:
  • Only 9 players
  • Only 2 true paint players (N Smith and Egbo) - freshman F Kendra Gillespie (#58 in 2021 class) is described in a 2018 ESPN scouting report as a “Deceptively athletic perimeter prospect” but that was from 2018 so she might have grown into a PF
  • Only 3 players taller than 6’: Smith (6’2”), Egbo (6’3”) and Gillespie (6’2”)
I’m trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth but wow. Vic doesn't have the experienced post players Baylor does this season but the depth disparity is huge.
Click to expand...
Prior to her decision, I thought the depth charts would favor Texas over Baylor if Lattimore wanted the chance to compete for extensive playing time this coming season, and possibly even win a starting job.

At Baylor, Egbo and Smith are senior returning starters at Baylor, and that wasn't likely to change. Perhaps they were telling Lattimore that she would play PF, and they would slide Smith down to SF. But, Baylor also has 3 guard transfers, including Kamaria McDaniel who i think has the size to play SF (if she's fully recovered from her ACL injury); all are probably expecting to be starters this coming season.

At Texas , Lattimore could see time at both Center and PF. She'd be competing with one returning starting frontcourt player (Ebo with limited starts and games played at Texas), and several who are unproven at the D1 level (Masudi, Gaston, Johnson, and possibly Moore). If Moore is 6'1 or shorter, she might best suited for SF if she can handle the ball well enough.
 
Moooooo said:
If Moore is 6'1 or shorter, she might best suited for SF if she can handle the ball well enough.
Click to expand...
I'm a bit suspicious of that 6' 1" listing for Moore. Prior to Vic, it seemed the heights listed for the players were always pretty accurate - I remember Mide shrinking from 6' 5" (the height she was listed in high school) to 6' 3" at Texas. Aaliyah has repeatedly said she is 6' 3" in interviews and I could understand a 6' 1" player trying to get an inch and say they are 6' 2" but 6' 3"?
 
Seems like there are more and more teams who don't play with a true back to the basket Center (like Iowa State) on the floor. That's where I think Lattimore can really help us (over Ebo) defensively in that she can guard other teams' stretch PF's who float out to the perimeter, and even some taller wing players.

Hopefully, her length and versatility will cause mismatches for our opponents, as well.
 
I’m at a total loss at where all these front court players CAN play. Ya’ll have made a lot of great comments and it’s a fun exercise. But until I see Moore move away from the basket, I am thinking her body type is more power forward. And Lattimore being long and slim might be a better inside/perimeter player. Femme.....is she a stay at home post player or ? Kinda know what Gaston and Ebo and Johnson are capable of. I want to see all of em in uniform to determine what metrics are true and which ones have been exaggerated. Having said all that, it never is all about size......it’s .....can they play. If they can play, Coach will have a spot for em. Somebody sneak into practice and give us a scouting report.
 
flash34 said:
I’m at a total loss at where all these front court players CAN play. Ya’ll have made a lot of great comments and it’s a fun exercise. But until I see Moore move away from the basket, I am thinking her body type is more power forward. And Lattimore being long and slim might be a better inside/perimeter player. Femme.....is she a stay at home post player or ? Kinda know what Gaston and Ebo and Johnson are capable of. I want to see all of em in uniform to determine what metrics are true and which ones have been exaggerated. Having said all that, it never is all about size......it’s .....can they play. If they can play, Coach will have a spot for em. Somebody sneak into practice and give us a scouting report.
Click to expand...
I only got to see Femme play once but I’d say she’s a stay at home post at this point. She’s a better runner than Lauren or Precious (the last time I saw them) and has some muscle but didn’t show anything outside of the paint - of course that could’ve been the system and role the JUCO coach wanted her to play.
 
I don't recall seeing this posted - Crown Scout assessment of Latasha:

“Lattimore has a massive wingspan that does a great job collecting rebounds wherever they may be, and along with her leaping ability blocks shot at a high level rate. Not enough has been said about this feature of her game and how it alters her opponent’s shooting, impacting how many more blocks she may have been able to gain. Not only dominating on the defensive end, she also makes a major impact on the other end of the floor. Mastering the pick-and-roll with Day-Wilson is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of her scoring, as she is also a very good back-to-the-basket finisher. Couple that with her ability to shoot from the short corner and drive from the perimeter and it becomes clear how all of this coming in a 6’4” package can be a really big deal.”

 
DFW_Horn said:
I don't recall seeing this posted - Crown Scout assessment of Latasha:

“Lattimore has a massive wingspan that does a great job collecting rebounds wherever they may be, and along with her leaping ability blocks shot at a high level rate. Not enough has been said about this feature of her game and how it alters her opponent’s shooting, impacting how many more blocks she may have been able to gain. Not only dominating on the defensive end, she also makes a major impact on the other end of the floor. Mastering the pick-and-roll with Day-Wilson is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of her scoring, as she is also a very good back-to-the-basket finisher. Couple that with her ability to shoot from the short corner and drive from the perimeter and it becomes clear how all of this coming in a 6’4” package can be a really big deal.”

Click to expand...

Very impressive assessment and video clip. I can't help but compare and contrast Latasha to Charlie. Charlie's freshman year was a puzzler for the #1 ranked player. She was very uncomfortable on offense, especially near the basket. Defensively, she was effective, but you never saw her leave her feet on the block like Latasha. With her height and limited quickness, you could tell she was coached to play defense with her feet on the floor...very similar to Jatarie White.

Charlie's back to the basket moves improved like night and day in year 2 after she received some good coaching. The WNBA obviously thought she could become even more effective with practice and experience. The Dallas Wings have her listed at 6'5" 188 lbs....she could become a real handful.

Although Latasha gives up an inch or two to Charlie, I don't think anyone will ever notice. She is simply more athletic and mobile. People get hung up on height (remember the Nancy Mulkey transfer frenzy?) as the most important aspect of a post player. It is easy to forget how much Stacy Stevens accomplished with her 6'1" frame that no force could move from her preferred position down low.

I don't know how much post Latasha will play, but she appears to have that all-important factor called "it" along with the physical tools to be very effective there. "....all of this coming in a 6’4” package can be a really big deal."

I can't wait to see Femme on the floor to see how she compares, since she is such a mystery at this point.
 
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Zig72 said:
Very impressive assessment and video clip. I can't help but compare and contrast Latasha to Charlie. Charlie's freshman year was a puzzler for the #1 ranked player. She was very uncomfortable on offense, especially near the basket. Defensively, she was effective, but you never saw her leave her feet on the block like Latasha. With her height and limited quickness, you could tell she was coached to play defense with her feet on the floor...very similar to Jatarie White.

Charlie's back to the basket moves improved like night and day in year 2 after she received some good coaching. The WNBA obviously thought she could become even more effective with practice and experience. The Dallas Wings have her listed at 6'5" 188 lbs....she could become a real handful.

Although Latasha gives up an inch or two to Charlie, I don't think anyone will ever notice. She is simply more athletic and mobile. People get hung up on height (remember the Nancy Mulkey transfer frenzy?) as the most important aspect of a post player. It is easy to forget how much Stacy Stevens accomplished with her 6'1" frame that no force could move from her preferred position down low.

I don't know how much post Latasha will play, but she appears to have that all-important factor called "it" along with the physical tools to be very effective there. "....all of this coming in a 6’4” package can be a really big deal."

I can't wait to see Femme on the floor to see how she compares, since she is such a mystery at this point.
Click to expand...
Another point in that comparison with Charli: ball handling. While that’s not high up on the list of traits needed for a big, Latasha is much more fluid when she’s dribbling/moving with the ball than Charli was, especially coming out of high school. I don’t know if she has the body type to put on the muscle Charli did but looking at her skill set, I don’t think you’d want her to.
 
Zig you took the words out of my mouth. Reading that scouting report immediately brought to mind Charlie's game. The only aspect missing was accuracy from the 3pt line.
 
Now if we could only get her listed on the roster. At the normal pace the texassports site updates WBB, maybe December?
 
Sangre Naranjada said:
Zig you took the words out of my mouth. Reading that scouting report immediately brought to mind Charlie's game. The only aspect missing was accuracy from the 3pt line.
Click to expand...
And perhaps the free throw line...we don't know yet. Charlie's team leading free-throw %, especially with how often she was fouled, was awesome.
 
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