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[junker-town]

Diamond DeShields is skilled, but she’s still the WNBA Draft’s biggest mystery

DeShields transferred from North Carolina to Tennessee, and then left to play in Turkey.

Diamond DeShields is a 6’1 guard with quick handles, excellent touch around the rim, and the size and awareness to be one of the best backcourt rebounders in the WNBA.

She didn’t take the traditional route to become a first-round pick. Instead, she transferred from North Carolina after her freshman year to Tennessee, then skipped her redshirt senior season to play in Turkey after it didn’t appear she’d be eligible for the draft.

Her journey has left some question marks around the league though, and for those reasons she is projected to be selected No. 6 overall to the Dallas Wings in our mock draft.

DeShields has been years ahead of her peers from the jump. In 2010, she won a FIBA Under-18 gold medal as the youngest player on Team USA at 15 years old. Yet, in just 14 minutes per game, she averaged the 14th-most points in the tournament at nine per game on 59 percent two-point shooting.

She’s been on every WNBA team’s radar for years.

Why should fans be excited about DeShields?

Her frame is exactly what you’d want in a premier guard, with slightly above average height and long arms. She’s lightning quick, and get to the rim in just a few dribbles with long strides to cover space, and she’s terrific finishing through contact.

FlyBasketball Highlights 2018 | Diamond DeShields (@DDDeshields )#WatchUsFly #TeamFly #FlyPlayers #FlyBasketball #KBL pic.twitter.com/ZrLOw0PTDD

— FlyBasketball (@FLYBSKTBLL) March 28, 2018

Her final season at Tennessee, she averaged 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a block, and a steal in 33 minutes. She can do a bit of everything, and is most productive as a slasher to the hoop, where she gets to the foul line five times per game. She shoots 80 percent from the line too.

Wherever DeShields ends up, she’s going to take over a starting guard spot and demand the ball frequently. She averaged six points, four rebounds, and three assists for Cukurova in a top Turkish league this past season.

How coaches and analysts see DeShields’ stock and WNBA fit

Chicago Sky head coach Amber Stocks:

Skill is a broad term we often use to just identify talent on the court. But competitive character, managing through the mental and emotional burns of the season is a skill. Some players are able to do it at a different level. Looking at the intangibles is good not just when you’re looking at the 40 minutes of a game, but everything that goes into being a talented player and having a high character team ... the locker room ... the practices ... the intangibles there are just as important.

ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo:

Diamond is really interesting because she’s so talented, everyone knows the potential she brought at North Carolina and Tennessee. I think the positives are that she has a year of playing professionally under her belt. She’s playing in a good league, having the chance to play with good teammates against good competition can only help her.

I think a negative could just be the uncertainty with Diamond. I think because she started at one school, transferred to another and seemed like she was coming back ... and then I think most people were surprised that she decided not to play ... there’s an uncertainty about her. It’s not as easy to watch her play in person, although some coaches have gone overseas to do that in terms of their scouting, but I think there’s a bit of ‘What exactly are we getting with Diamond DeShields?’

Should fans be worried about DeShields?

If there’s one thing to be concerned with, it’s that DeShields struggles from three-point range. In an era where more WNBA shooters are firing from range than ever, it’s important to spread the floor with weapons, and she isn’t there yet.

Her release on shots from range isn’t nearly as fluent as her mid-rangers off-the-dribble. She shoots with a slight hitch, which may explain 28 percent three-point shooting in college, and 25 percent shooting overseas. He limited range may be what limits her from being selected in the top five of this season’s stacked draft.

What else is there to know about DeShields?

She’s the daughter of former MLB player Delino DeShields, and sister of 2010 No. 8 MLB pick Delino DeShields Jr.

[abdullah-aytekin]

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[abdullah-aytekin]

Türk Basketbol Tarihinde önemli günlerden biri daha 🇹🇷🏀 EuroCup Women Finali rövanş maçında iki temsilcimize ve oyuncularımıza başarılar dileriz. 🙏🏼 - another great day for Turkish Basketball🇹🇷🏀 We wish success to both Turkish Teams and our @flybsktbll players in Eurocup Women Final second leg. 🙏🏼 ・・・ #eurocupwomen #final #finals #agu #ydu #final2017 #2017 #kadınlarbasketbol #abdullahgülüniversitesi #yakindoguuniversitesi @yakin_dogu_universitesi @ydu_melekleri #türkiye #eurocupwomen #final #agreatday #welovethisgame🏀 #basketball #basketballneverstops #basketballunitesus #flybasketball #flyfamily #teamfly #tanishawright #sinemataş #gizemsezer #BellonaAGÜ . . . . #SaudiArabai #Riyadh #Jeddah #UniteArabEmirates #ArabEmirates #Dubai #Abudabi #Kuwait #Qatar #Bahrain #Istanbul #Bosphorus #GTS #GuestTravelServices (at Caferağa Spor Salonu)