STrib: Kadi Sissoko Finally Ready to Show Off Her Talent

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Kadi Sissoko finally ready to show off her talent for Gophers

Kadi Sissoko, who impressed in U practices, finally will play in a game.

www.startribune.com

Kent Youngblood:

Kadi Sissoko started opening some eyes not quite a year ago. Her left knee finally healthy, her college career still on hold as she sat out a transfer year, she started taking part in practices with the Gophers women’s basketball team late last season.

And nobody could guard her.

“Oh, man, last year on scout team,” coach Lindsay Whalen said, remembering. Sissoko, a native of France who came to the Gophers via Syracuse, is 6-2. Long, lean, quick. Able to play, probably, four offensive positions. At times capable of guarding all five. As the Gophers prepared for a Big Ten Conference opponent Sissoko would play on the scout team, usually taking the role of the other team’s best player.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve attended one of those practices and came away impressed with Sissoko, how she stood out. Whalen and her staff saw it, too.

“We couldn’t stop her,” Whalen said. “We could never stop her.”

 

[Shades]

And now, finally, she gets to play. Sissoko thinks her best spot is at small forward.

So do I! I hate small ball. They’re not a mid major team. But as long as they struggle recruiting prominent posts and have better luck recruiting abundantly available guards, they might have no choice.

But she could move to the four in a smaller lineup.

Sigh

 

[Gophers112233]

So do I! I hate small ball. They’re not a mid major team. But as long as they struggle recruiting prominent posts and have better luck recruiting abundantly available guards, they might have no choice.



Sigh

do you not approve anything Lindsay does with this program if that is the case don't follow them... they were shorthanded only had 7 players.. so Lindsay played players where she needed too..

if you don't like it nobody is forcing you to follow the team or be a fan of this program..

 

[thatjanelpick]

do you not approve anything Lindsay does with this program if that is the case don't follow them... they were shorthanded only had 7 players.. so Lindsay played players where she needed too..

if you don't like it nobody is forcing you to follow the team or be a fan of this program..

Not that you asked for it, but my advice is that judicious use of the "ignore poster" feature makes this a much more pleasant place.

 

[Mulligan]

Not that you asked for it, but my advice is that judicious use of the "ignore poster" feature makes this a much more pleasant place.

But then we'd miss out his amazing insights.

 

[Shades]

do you not approve anything Lindsay does with this program if that is the case don't follow them...

Hmm... this must be bball_crazy’s second account. I don’t do cheerleading. I do critical analysis and always have, and nothing I said in this thread was outrageous. Others have said the same without being harassed. How come we can be honest about Borton and Stollings coaching, but when it comes to Whalen, we’re expected to approve of everything she does even if we don’t. She’s not going to get better with a bunch of yes people kissing her butt.

they were shorthanded only had 7 players.. so Lindsay played players where she needed too.

This makes no sense. I don’t even think you understood my post. I was agreeing with Kissoko that she should playing where she’s most comfortable, at the SF. But that’s not likely to happen this season since they’re abundant at guard and mediocre at post. I made this post before the game today, but you thinking you needed to point out to me that Whalen was forced to play big when that’s how I want her to play just goes to show the cogwheels in your head aren’t quite clicking together right.

if you don't like it nobody is forcing you to follow the team or be a fan of this program.

I may be the biggest fan on this board because I actually want them to be good. I’ve been wanting that for years. I’m talking elite good, not just on the bubble to make the tourney good. I’ve been following women’s basketball long and thoroughly enough to know what it takes. If you don’t like my opinions on basketball, I don’t care. But what Ido care about is when people try to bully me into trying to leave. I will report you because this type of behavior isn’t typically tolerated on message boards.

 

[bball_craz_31]

Hmm... this must be bball_crazy’s second account. I don’t do cheerleading. I do critical analysis and always have, and nothing I said in this thread was outrageous. Others have said the same without being harassed. How come we can be honest about Borton and Stollings coaching, but when it comes to Whalen, we’re expected to approve of everything she does even if we don’t. She’s not going to get better with a bunch of yes people kissing her butt.



This makes no sense. I don’t even think you understood my post. I was agreeing with Kissoko that she should playing where she’s most comfortable, at the SF. But that’s not likely to happen this season since they’re abundant at guard and mediocre at post. I made this post before the game today, but you thinking you needed to point out to me that Whalen was forced to play big when that’s how I want her to play just goes to show the cogwheels in your head aren’t quite clicking together right.



I may be the biggest fan on this board because I actually want them to be good. I’ve been wanting that for years. I’m talking elite good, not just on the bubble to make the tourney good. I’ve been following women’s basketball long and thoroughly enough to know what it takes. If you don’t like my opinions on basketball, I don’t care. But what Ido care about is when people try to bully me into trying to leave. I will report you because this type of behavior isn’t typically tolerated on message boards.

Sorry If I have something to say, I'll say it on here. Acting like a victim is not a good color on you btw. No one says critique can't happen when warranted. However you ONLY critique. You have nothing positive to say...EVER. They literally won yesterday and you instead comment about how Sissoko shouldn't be playing PF. She literally played SF the majority of yesterday's game so what's the problem?

Oh and your comment about Whalen not recruiting forwards. You mean like Mershon (if given wavier) or Laura Bagwell-Katalinich? Or in 2021 The 6'2 forward from Michigan. 2022 Heyer and Holloway? How hasn't she recruited forwards?

No one said you have to cheer everything or act like Whalen perfect. But you have nothing positive to say about any player or coach on this team...well until they leave like Pitts and suddenly you are their biggest fan.

Look at where Arizona and South Carolina are right now. Guess what! In Arizona's second season under Adia Barnes, they went 4-26. Dawn Staley went 14-17 in her second year. Whalen went 16-15. Maybe give her time to build up a program Borton and Stollings pissed into the ground. We all would love to see them get to that elite level. That doesn't mean we hate on them and complain every step of the way up to that point.

Mark my word, you had nothing to say about the win yesterday, if they lose Sunday to Drake, you will have PLENTY to say. you only care when they lose cause it helps your narrative of Whalen was a bad hire.

Are you really saying Whalen has done nothing in her first two years and one game that there has been anything she has done positive? Like Arizona State win? Syracuse win? 2022 recruiting success?

Nothing? Just critques?

 

[Mulligan]

"Others have said the same without being harassed. How come we can be honest about Borton and Stollings coaching, but when it comes to Whalen, we’re expected to approve of everything she does even if we don’t. She’s not going to get better with a bunch of yes people kissing her butt."

Poor you is being "harassed" because you're basically a one-trick pony. You are so positive Whalen shouldn't have been hired and miss very few chances to remind us over and over. Fact is, someone with her credentials as a player; her connections to coaches like Geno and Miller; and her status as a Gopher legend was well worth the shot for a program that desperately needed an unusual hire. And, oh ya, her love of the U pretty much guarantees she's not going to bail when people come calling.

But thanks for your efforts to get her better because I'm quite sure Whalen appreciates some guy's comments on GH and checks consistently to see what she could have better.