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StevenHW
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 10983 Location: Sacramento, California
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Posted: 11/09/21 6:15 pm ::: The Athletes Unlimited league |
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From Mechelle Voepel's column on ESPN's website...
https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/32583530/athletes-unlimited-basketball-everything-know-new-professional-women-basketball-league
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A handful of current and former WNBA players, including the Washington Mystics' Natasha Cloud, will compete in Athletes Unlimited Basketball, which will feature 44 players in a monthlong season...
All games will be at the same location in one city. The league's first season will be played Jan. 26-Feb. 26, 2022, at the Athletes Unlimited Arena at the Sport Center of Las Vegas, which is about 2 miles away from the Las Vegas Strip. |
_________________ "The more I see of the moneyed classes, the more I understand the guillotine." -- George Bernard Shaw
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StevenHW
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 10983 Location: Sacramento, California
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StevenHW
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 10983 Location: Sacramento, California
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 1428
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Posted: 11/09/21 8:30 pm ::: |
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Thank you for posting about this! I'm looking forward to it and hope there will be a way for us to watch.
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NoDakSt
Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 4929
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Posted: 11/10/21 12:21 am ::: |
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This is the league that Rita promoted in Certified unscripted.
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 5430 Location: Fayetteville
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Posted: 11/10/21 9:45 am ::: |
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Is this more of a potential, eventuual G-League or something along the lines of a Big3 type league? |
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NYSports56
Joined: 03 Jul 2018 Posts: 1138 Location: New Jersey, USA
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Posted: 11/18/21 12:47 am ::: |
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(From the article) There are no owners, general managers or specific teams. Instead, the players start on four different teams that wear uniforms of different colors and have assigned captains. Players compile points based on their teams' results and their individual statistics. At the end of each week, the top four players in the points standings become captains and repick their teams." |
That's an interesting and fun way to do things, but I'm not sure a format that emphasizes stat compiling will lead to very good basketball. I'll definitely give it a try as a novelty if it's televised, but in the absence of one of my favorite players participating, I don't think this will maintain a long-term interest for me.
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johnjohnW
Joined: 11 Aug 2020 Posts: 1901
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Posted: 11/18/21 8:11 am ::: |
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NYSports56 wrote: |
Quote: |
(From the article) There are no owners, general managers or specific teams. Instead, the players start on four different teams that wear uniforms of different colors and have assigned captains. Players compile points based on their teams' results and their individual statistics. At the end of each week, the top four players in the points standings become captains and repick their teams." |
That's an interesting and fun way to do things, but I'm not sure a format that emphasizes stat compiling will lead to very good basketball. I'll definitely give it a try as a novelty if it's televised, but in the absence of one of my favorite players participating, I don't think this will maintain a long-term interest for me. |
I think it would benefit them to lean into this aspect and have the games be outdoors. A nondescript empty college gym will make this very dull. It's a gimmick, be flashy.
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awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014 Posts: 4266
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Posted: 01/18/22 12:15 am ::: |
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A lot of players who were playing overseas who left in mysterious circumstances or under the always vague personal reasons are now being reported as playing in this league. It does not affect AU since it's not intended to be FIBA-certified, but I do wonder if any of the players used a little deception to get out of their contracts. |
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 24414 Location: London
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Posted: 01/18/22 2:35 am ::: |
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awhom111 wrote: |
A lot of players who were playing overseas who left in mysterious circumstances or under the always vague personal reasons are now being reported as playing in this league. It does not affect AU since it's not intended to be FIBA-certified, but I do wonder if any of the players used a little deception to get out of their contracts. |
I've been noticing that too. Great that these players have a league in the US to play in and make some money outside of the WNBA season, but it does feel like the reasons for their availability are often being rather glossed over. Several of them haven't stayed home specifically to be in this league, or eschewed Europe because they had other, better things to do in the US. With a bunch of them they've flamed out overseas for some unknown reason, so they're back in the US and have nothing better to do than make a few bucks in this AU league.
On a separate note, I cannot see that abbreviation without either thinking that there's something Australian involved, or that it's being played in an Alternate Universe. |
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 22482 Location: NJ
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Posted: 01/18/22 9:28 am ::: |
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2022 Athletes Unlimited Basketball Roster
Pos. Name Hometown University Current Team
G Ciara Andrews Glenside, Pa. Saint Joseph’s Univ. ‘16 –
G/F Antoinette Bannister Jacksonville, Fla. East Carolina Univ. ‘17 –
C Kalani Brown Slidell, La. Baylor Univ. ‘19 Hatayspor (KBSL-TUR)
G Lexie Brown Suwanee, Ga. Duke Univ. ‘18 Chicago Sky (WNBA)
G Kirby Burkholder* Bridgewater, Va. James Madison Univ. ‘14 Santurce (BSNF-PUR)
G Marjorie Butler Knoxville, Tenn. Univ. of Georgia ‘16 –
G/F DiJonai Carrington San Diego, Calif. Stanford Univ. ‘20⁴ Connecticut Sun (WNBA)
G Essence Carson* Paterson, N.J. Rutgers Univ. ’08 –
G/F Brittany Carter St. Louis, Mo. Ball State Univ. ‘14⁵ Keltern (DBBL-GER)
G Natasha Cloud* Broomall, Pa. St. Joseph’s Univ. ‘15 Washington Mystics (WNBA)
G Taj Cole Richmond, Va. Univ. of Georgia ‘19¹ Unicaja Málaga (LF2-ESP)
G Sydney Colson* Houston, Texas Texas A&M Univ. ‘11 –
F Drew Edelman Sunnyvale, Calif. Univ. of Southern California ‘16² Hollywood Wonder (WUBA)
C Nikki Greene Diboll, Texas Penn State Univ. ‘13 Angers (LFB-FRA)
F Kiki Harrigan* Pembroke Pines, Fla. Univ. of South Carolina ‘20 Seattle Storm (WNBA)
G Rebecca Harris Belleville, Ill. Univ. of Illinois ‘08 Dynamo NPU (SuperLeague-UKR)
F Isabelle Harrison Nashville, Tenn. Univ. of Tennessee ‘15 Dallas Wings (WNBA)
F Tianna Hawkins* Washington, D.C. Univ. of Maryland ‘13 Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
G Ariel Hearn Memphis, Tenn. Univ. of Memphis ‘16 Sherbrooke Suns (Big V-AUS)
G Grace Hunter Raleigh, N.C. North Carolina State Univ. ‘20 –
G Briahanna Jackson Tampa, Fla. Univ. of Louisville ‘17 Club Aztks (LMBPF-MEX)
G/F Meme Jackson Murfreesboro, Tenn. Univ. of Tennessee ‘19 Santurce (BSNF-PUR)
G Tyce Knox* Humble, Texas Texas A&M Univ. ‘17 –
F Jessica Kuster* San Antonio, Texas Rice Univ. ‘14 –
F Takoia Larry South Bend, Ind. Texas Wesleyan Univ. ‘14 –
F Jantel Lavender* Cleveland, Ohio Ohio State Univ. ‘11 Indiana Fever (WNBA)
C Akela Maize Greensboro, N.C. North Carolina State Univ. ‘18 La Glacerie (LF2-FRA)
F Lauren Manis Franklin, Mass. College of the Holy Cross ‘20 Cegledi (NB I/A-HUN)
G/F Danielle L. McCray Olathe, Kan. University of Kansas ‘10 Poznan (EBLK-POL)
F Danielle M. McCray West Palm Beach, Fla. Univ. of Mississippi ‘16 Hannover (DBBL-GER)
C Imani McGee-Stafford Los Angeles, Calif. University of Texas ‘16 –
G Laurin Mincy* Newark, N.J. Univ. of Maryland ‘15 –
G Kelsey Mitchell Cincinnati, Ohio Ohio State Univ. ‘18 Indiana Fever (WNBA)
F Chelsea Phillips Long Beach, Calif. Park Univ. FSV Rijeka (Premijer Liga-CRO)
F Toccara Ross Davenport, Iowa Iowa State Univ. ‘09 Pioneras de Delicias (LBE-MEX)
G Tina Roy Kaplan, La. Univ. of South Carolina ‘16 –
C Mercedes Russell Springfield, Ore. Univ. of Tennessee ‘18 Seattle Storm (WNBA)
G Odyssey Sims* Irving, Texas Baylor Univ. ‘14 Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
G Antoinette Thompson Fort Worth, Texas Texas Christian Univ. ‘12 Saarlouis (DBBL-GER)
G Destinee Walker Orlando, Fla. Univ. of North Carolina ‘19³ Niki Lefkadas (A1 National-GRE)
G/F Becca Wann-Taylor Chesterfield, Va. Univ. of Richmond ‘14 –
G Courtney Williams* Folkston, Ga. Univ. of South Florida ‘16 Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
G Dominique Wilson Powder Springs, Ga. North Carolina State Univ. ‘17 Wroclaw (EBLK-POL)
G/F Ty Young* Wilmington, N.C.
_________________ LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!
Twitter: @TBRBWAY
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 67161 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 01/18/22 9:49 am ::: |
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I count 18 current or former WNBA players in that list
_________________ The truth is like poetry
Most people hate poetry
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Rock Hard
Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 5437 Location: Chocolate Paradise
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Posted: 01/18/22 12:20 pm ::: |
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pilight wrote: |
I count 18 current or former WNBA players in that list |
Some of names listed above I thought their pro basketball careers were dead and buried.😳
_________________ You can win, as long as you keep your head to the SKY! Be OPTIMISTIC!
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shontay33
Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 472
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Posted: 01/18/22 1:42 pm ::: |
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Richyyy wrote: |
awhom111 wrote: |
A lot of players who were playing overseas who left in mysterious circumstances or under the always vague personal reasons are now being reported as playing in this league. It does not affect AU since it's not intended to be FIBA-certified, but I do wonder if any of the players used a little deception to get out of their contracts. |
I've been noticing that too. Great that these players have a league in the US to play in and make some money outside of the WNBA season, but it does feel like the reasons for their availability are often being rather glossed over. Several of them haven't stayed home specifically to be in this league, or eschewed Europe because they had other, better things to do in the US. With a bunch of them they've flamed out overseas for some unknown reason, so they're back in the US and have nothing better to do than make a few bucks in this AU league.
On a separate note, I cannot see that abbreviation without either thinking that there's something Australian involved, or that it's being played in an Alternate Universe. |
They may not have “flamed” out. It may be a situation where the player signed for 1/2 the season or the team may have financial trouble. We are also still in a pandemic which may have been another reason for these 44 players to stay stateside.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 24414 Location: London
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Posted: 01/18/22 1:51 pm ::: |
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shontay33 wrote: |
They may not have “flamed” out. It may be a situation where the player signed for 1/2 the season or the team may have financial trouble. We are also still in a pandemic which may have been another reason for these 44 players to stay stateside. |
Absolutely true, may have been an unfair choice of words. |
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awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014 Posts: 4266
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Posted: 01/19/22 12:55 am ::: |
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It's a choice to list a player's current team as a team that they just left to join your league. It's a weirder choice to list a player's college as the one they have a bachelor's degree from even though they played elsewhere after grad-transferring.
I hope that the captains know which Danielle McCray that they are drafting. Too bad the other Courtney Williams is not in the league too.
Since plenty WNBA players also play overseas, it's not quite as intriguing to see some of the non-WNBA players play in this kind of environment as say seeing Mike James or Bobby Brown play in the NBA. That said, I am interested to see if Dominique Wilson can play her way into another training camp invite and Brittany Carter has played well in lower level leagues in Europe, but not made a jump so I wonder if she can prove anything here. |
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Milks26
Joined: 25 Mar 2021 Posts: 830
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Posted: 01/26/22 8:08 pm ::: |
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This is what's up! Sh*t live on youtube.
_________________ ~College WBB & the "W' need other tv networks covering the important stuff...Espn is beyond tired~
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 1428
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Milks26
Joined: 25 Mar 2021 Posts: 830
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Posted: 01/26/22 9:06 pm ::: |
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Lexie Brown
_________________ ~College WBB & the "W' need other tv networks covering the important stuff...Espn is beyond tired~
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 1428
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lynxmania
Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 10697 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: 01/26/22 9:41 pm ::: |
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I’ve been impressed with Taj Cole.
It’s fun to watch some names that sometimes get TCC or were cut in camp again.
_________________ "stormeo don't miss"
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 1428
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Posted: 01/26/22 10:02 pm ::: |
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lynxmania wrote: |
I’ve been impressed with Taj Cole.
It’s fun to watch some names that sometimes get TCC or were cut in camp again. |
Yep! Taj Cole (Va Tech) looked really good, as did Lauren Mincy (Maryland) and Briahanna Jackson (Louisville). I do hope scouts are watching.
Team Russell won the 1st matchup 80-71 with Lexie as the points total leader. (534). Game 2 is at 11PM eastern on CBS SportsNet!
Last edited by WfanFrJmp on 01/26/22 11:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 63972
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Posted: 01/26/22 11:01 pm ::: |
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xOmOW66y_Ew" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
_________________ Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 1428
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WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 1428
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Posted: 01/28/22 9:28 pm ::: |
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2 buzzer beaters and 1 OT has not been enough for Game 1 tonight! Team Russell and Team Carrington...Tipping off 2nd OT now! Let's gooo!!
Update: Team Carrington took the W and are now 2-0.
Side note: Y'all know how after W games end and the last frame is barely off the screen before they switch to who knows what random men's sport? Wellllll after AUhoops game 1, they went right to AU ads and a "documentary" about women's softball players. I still don't quite understand how the AU is structured and how they have all this great coverage and buy in (of course, they stand on the shoulders of other women's leagues but this is pretty great!
Game 2 is starting on Fox Sports 2 now (10PM EST)
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