Howdy,

So it took a little longer than expected to get around to transcribing, writing and posting Part II of last week's Sun Fan Forum Q&A (sorry, Rosie).

Life happens, you know.

 

 

 Part I focused on Sun past.

Part I focused on Sun past.Part II is about Sun present.

Part II is about Sun present.One fan brought up center Chante Black, who he felt was too timid as a rookie last season.

One fan brought up center Chante Black, who he felt was too timid as a rookie last season."We have found, over the course of the NBA and the WNBA, that most young post players at that age really don't grow and mature into their bodies until they're about 23 or 24 years old," Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. "We felt that she did get better in some areas. ... I understand when you say there are things you want (her to do more of). ‘You say, ‘come on, be more aggressive. Be more of this.'

"We have found, over the course of the NBA and the WNBA, that most young post players at that age really don't grow and mature into their bodies until they're about 23 or 24 years old," Connecticut coach Mike Thibault said. "We felt that she did get better in some areas. ... I understand when you say there are things you want (her to do more of). ‘You say, ‘come on, be more aggressive. Be more of this.'"The first thing I asked her in our postseason meeting was, ‘how much do you love basketball, because if you love the game, you'll go and work on some of the other things we've asked you to do. But you're not going to be what we would like you to be' - and hopefully she wants to be - ‘without a little bit more passion.' I think she tried to play safe a lot last year, although I don't know if that's the right term."

"The first thing I asked her in our postseason meeting was, ‘how much do you love basketball, because if you love the game, you'll go and work on some of the other things we've asked you to do. But you're not going to be what we would like you to be' - and hopefully she wants to be - ‘without a little bit more passion.' I think she tried to play safe a lot last year, although I don't know if that's the right term."Assistant Scott Hawk, who works with the post players, added his take about Black.

Assistant Scott Hawk, who works with the post players, added his take about Black."Six (foot)-five athletic post players are at a premium and nine teams passed on (drafting her)," Hawk said. "So she's got some stuff to work on. She's knows it.

"Six (foot)-five athletic post players are at a premium and nine teams passed on (drafting her)," Hawk said. "So she's got some stuff to work on. She's knows it."She's a vastly intelligent human being. Me talking to her, I keep it quick because she might say something that will confuse me. And she's a hard-working kid. I think she does want to be better, but it takes time."

"She's a vastly intelligent human being. Me talking to her, I keep it quick because she might say something that will confuse me. And she's a hard-working kid. I think she does want to be better, but it takes time.""It's very difficult for me to explain to you what it's like to play against the Asjhas (Asjha Jones) and the Whits (Tamika Whitmore) and the DeMya Walkers of the world every day. It's a physical challenge to say the least. Coming in out of college, it's an awakening."

"It's very difficult for me to explain to you what it's like to play against the Asjhas (Asjha Jones) and the Whits (Tamika Whitmore) and the DeMya Walkers of the world every day. It's a physical challenge to say the least. Coming in out of college, it's an awakening."UConn senior center Tina Charles was another topic of conversation. She was a reason why the Sun traded Lindsay Whalen and the second pick in April's WNBA Draft to Minnesota for Renee Montgomery and the No. 1 pick.

UConn senior center Tina Charles was another topic of conversation. She was a reason why the Sun traded Lindsay Whalen and the second pick in April's WNBA Draft to Minnesota for Renee Montgomery and the No. 1 pick. "I think Scott is the most eager person in the world to see Tina walk through the door," Thibault said. "I think she's going to a have a great presence immediately on the defensive end of the court because she's a great rebounder. She can block shots.

"I think Scott is the most eager person in the world to see Tina walk through the door," Thibault said. "I think she's going to a have a great presence immediately on the defensive end of the court because she's a great rebounder. She can block shots."On offense, there are very few post players that run the floor like she does. She sprints to get to the other end, and that's a big part of what we want to do offensively. So I think she's going to have an impact. I don't have any picture in my mind right now about what the statistical part of it will be. I just know that she's going to have a positive impact on us winning because she's a winner."

"On offense, there are very few post players that run the floor like she does. She sprints to get to the other end, and that's a big part of what we want to do offensively. So I think she's going to have an impact. I don't have any picture in my mind right now about what the statistical part of it will be. I just know that she's going to have a positive impact on us winning because she's a winner."Thibault discussed the change in Charles' passion for basketball.

Thibault discussed the change in Charles' passion for basketball."I didn't know her freshman, sophomore year, because Geno was really on her about things, how much she was going to love the game," Thibault said. "But she's really opened up as a person. I think there's a love for the game there the last year-and-a-half that you were kind of waiting to see. You can see it in her expression on how she bounces out onto the court."

"I didn't know her freshman, sophomore year, because Geno was really on her about things, how much she was going to love the game," Thibault said. "But she's really opened up as a person. I think there's a love for the game there the last year-and-a-half that you were kind of waiting to see. You can see it in her expression on how she bounces out onto the court.""My decision on Tina, when I knew she was over the mental hurdle, had nothing to do with playing in the Big East. It had to do with battling Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles and Asjha at (last fall's) USA basketball (camp) because you have to play (hard) every day.

"My decision on Tina, when I knew she was over the mental hurdle, had nothing to do with playing in the Big East. It had to do with battling Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles and Asjha at (last fall's) USA basketball (camp) because you have to play (hard) every day."If you're Chante Black and you're in the ACC, maybe every third game you play against a good post player. Maybe, and often not that many. Give me a long list of all the great post players in the Big East after Tina? So they go from that to a league (the WNBA) where every night they play somebody who was an All-American in college. It's a huge difference. The mental part of being ready to play every night is a very grueling thing for rookie players."

"If you're Chante Black and you're in the ACC, maybe every third game you play against a good post player. Maybe, and often not that many. Give me a long list of all the great post players in the Big East after Tina? So they go from that to a league (the WNBA) where every night they play somebody who was an All-American in college. It's a huge difference. The mental part of being ready to play every night is a very grueling thing for rookie players."

Special bonus quotes

 Found some unused notes from Kara Lawson that pertains to Connecticut's present.

Found some unused notes from Kara Lawson that pertains to Connecticut's present.Lawson played with forward DeMya Walker for Sacramento, which folded last fall. Walker was drafted by the Sun in December's dispersal draft.

Lawson played with forward DeMya Walker for Sacramento, which folded last fall. Walker was drafted by the Sun in December's dispersal draft.Walker suffered a patellar tendon tear five games into the 2007 season, then fractured the patella playing in Russia during 2008.

Walker suffered a patellar tendon tear five games into the 2007 season, then fractured the patella playing in Russia during 2008."Last year, she started every game," Lawson said, "and she's playing over in China right now doing really well. So her knee has really held up over the last 18 months."

"Last year, she started every game," Lawson said, "and she's playing over in China right now doing really well. So her knee has really held up over the last 18 months."Walker averaged 24 minutes, 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.

Walker averaged 24 minutes, 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.Thibault has said that Sacramento's doctors told Connecticut that Walker isn't at more risk than any other player.

Thibault has said that Sacramento's doctors told Connecticut that Walker isn't at more risk than any other player."If you said, ‘you can only take one player off your Sacramento team to go where you go,' I would pick DeMya every time," Lawson said. "She's got a tremendous intensity about her. She's a competitor. She doesn't back down from anybody. She's a great teammate. ... She's the first one to stick her nose in there if her teammate is being threatened."

"If you said, ‘you can only take one player off your Sacramento team to go where you go,' I would pick DeMya every time," Lawson said. "She's got a tremendous intensity about her. She's a competitor. She doesn't back down from anybody. She's a great teammate. ... She's the first one to stick her nose in there if her teammate is being threatened."Lawson is also happy that she'll get to see Zachara, Walker's four-year-old daughter.

Lawson is also happy that she'll get to see Zachara, Walker's four-year-old daughter."I'm excited to be reunited with Z," Lawson smiled. "I'm Z's ‘Auntie Kara.'"

"I'm excited to be reunited with Z," Lawson smiled. "I'm Z's ‘Auntie Kara.'"Thus ends Part II. Part III will be posted sooner than later.

Thus ends Part II. Part III will be posted sooner than later.Until then,

Until then, please use this to tide you over.

 

 

Vaya con dios....