Imprensa americana avalia positivamente a temporada de Iziane. Jogadora preocupada com o calendário do próximo ano.
Novamente, o Seattle Times apresenta uma análise interessante.
O jornal dá notas às jogadoras da equipe e faz previsões para o papel delas na próxima temporada.
Iziane ganhou um B. Mesma avaliação tiveram Betty Lennox, Natalia Vodopyanova e Francesca Zara.
Atrás da brasileira, aparecem:Alicia Thompson, a técnica Anne Donovan (C+), Sue Bird (C), Suzy Batkovic (C-) e Jannel Burse (B-).
Acima, apenas Lauren Jackson e Simone Edwards, que ganharam o A.
Sobre Iziane, as palavras são generosas:
Iziane Castro Marques
"Tem todos os atributos para ser uma estrela na liga. Só precisa de desenvolvimento. A velocidade de Izzy é ideal para a transição ofensiva planejada pelo Storm. Iziane trabalhou duro para aprender a defender as melhores alas da liga. Contudo, sua inexperiência apareceu no jogo 3 dos play-offs."
Sobre o futuro de Izzy, a jornalista diz que o mais provável é que ela retorne como titular no próximo ano.
No entato, o futuro de Iziane é o assunto de uma outra reportagem do jornal.
O buxixo é um só: o que a WNBA fará no ano que vem, quando o Mundial do Brasil ocorrerá em setembro?
Assim o futuro é incerto. Não só para Iziane, mas para todas as atletas internacionais da WNBA, como Lauren Jackson.
A Austrália já avisou que quer Lauren desde março, quando começa sua preperação.
A matéria lembra que Iziane teria certa vantagem, já que a Confederação Brasileira, ao contrário das demais, não penaliza as jogadoras que se atrasam na apresentação à seleção em função de compromissos externos.
Existe a possibilidade ainda de a WNBA abrir um hiato no calendário como fez em 2004, para os Jogos de Atenas. O fator complicador é que haverá mais um time em 2006: Chicago.
Iziane comenta: "Se a WNBA não fizer nada em função do Mundial, terei que pensar, porque é o meu país. Será um evento muito importante para nós. Especialmente por que o basquete feminino não é tão grande lá. Será importante para todas as jogadoras brasileiras estar lá."
Iziane afirma ter questionado Donna Orender, presidente da associação de jogadoras da WNBA, sobre o problema. A resposta teria sido: "A nossa liga é a nossa liga".
"Só faltou um 'O resto é o resto'".
Indefinições a parte, Iziane têm destinos certos nas férias: Havaí, Miami e Brasil.
As matérias originais, abaixo:
Storm grades, forecast
The Storm will hold exit interviews today with players, some of whom are departing for their offseason lives as early as tomorrow. An expansion draft to bring Chicago into the current 13-team league will bring some changes to Seattle's roster, but the core should return. Here's a breakdown of how each player's season went and a glimpse at their future, plus an evaluation of coach Anne Donovan:
Suzy Batkovic, center
Didn't arrive from Europe until June 3. Played in 29 games, averaging 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds coming off the bench. Had trouble adapting to American-style post play, constantly committing the same reaching foul when rebounding. Would like to be a starter, but needs improvement on defense to be one.
Final grade: C-.
Next year: Batkovic wanted to start and does so overseas for more money. She could opt to solely play on the international scene but should be protected by Storm in the expansion draft and return next season.
Sue Bird, guard
Spent 25 games in a face mask with her second broken nose in as many seasons and a fractured right orbital bone. Still, Bird took on a stronger leadership role and led the league in assists, averaging 5.9 on a career-low 176 total. But her offense (9 points, 4.3 assists) and defense was horrible in the playoffs.
Final grade: C.
Next year: Under contract to return.
Janell Burse, center
At times Burse was a seamless fit to replace veteran Kamila Vodichkova inside. At other times she left Seattle without options. The yo-yo play made the Storm's interior defense the worst it's been since the early years, even though Burse drastically improved her play to average a career-high 10 points and 5.8 rebounds in 34 games.
Final grade: B-.
Next year: Should be protected by team to return.
Iziane Castro Marques, forward
Has all the attributes to be a star in the league; she just needs development. Izzy's speed is ideal for the Storm's planned transition offense, and she worked hard to learn to defend the league's best small forwards. However, her lack of experience showed in Game 3 of the playoffs.
Final grade: B.
Next year: Should return to her starting role.
Simone Edwards, center
Playing with a sprained ankle much of the season, Edwards fought hard to retain her spot on the roster by doing the little things and keeping herself ready. Her minutes dwindled to a career-low 201 from 810 in 2001. But she may have shown enough to at least stay in the league, if not as the Storm's last remaining original player.
Final grade: A.
Next year: Most likely won't be protected by Storm.
Lauren Jackson, forward
Stubbornness was Jackson's only opponent as she struggled with the demanding leadership role early. She returned from offseason reconstructive surgery on her right ankle and displayed a more well-rounded player. However, her three-point average plummeted to 28.8 percent from a league-best 45.2 in 2004. A sprained lower back hindered her effectiveness in the postseason.
Final grade: A.
Next year: Should re-sign with the Storm, but did commit to Australian national team for some international competition that could conflict with the WNBA.
Betty Lennox, guard
Despite tearing ligaments in her left wrist and missing six games in August, Lennox improved her production for a second consecutive season, averaging 12.4 points. She's the clutch player needed on every roster, even if she rushed and missed a possible winning shot in Game 2 of the playoffs. Improved her leadership skills, but needs consistency to be part of the team's "Big Three."
Final grade: B.
Next year: Should be protected and re-sign with Storm.
Alicia Thompson, forward
Thompson is another player on the Storm bench who had to train herself to remain mentally ready for when Seattle needed an offensive spark or defensive stop. Thompson was consistently ready. But she's not a quick-footed player, which could hold her back as the league evolves.
Final grade: C+.
Next year: Most likely won't be protected.
Natalia Vodopyanova, forward
Vodopyanova had a four-game stretch in July where she really added to the team's chemistry on the court. She slipped back to deep bench but could be a solid reserve next season. She bodies up on defense and has a good shooting range for a 6-foot-3 player.
Final grade: B.
Next season: Should return as a successful experiment.
Tanisha Wright, guard
This versatile guard is the future of the team as long as she stays the course laid this summer. Replacing both Bird and Lennox when the starters were injured, Wright gained confidence in every game that she played, averaging 8.5 points in the final six regular-season matchups and showing glimpses of promise in stretches during the postseason.
Final grade: A.
Next season: Under contract to return.
Francesca Zara, guard
Another successful pickup by the Storm via free agency. Although not her natural style, Zara learned to be vocal in running the team from her position, but the WNBA has moved away from the traditional point guard role of strictly passing, and Zara could have shot more of the opening looks she had.
Final grade: B.
Next season: On bubble, not to be protected.
Anne Donovan, coach
A championship banner is not the ideal tarp to reconstruct a team, but Donovan seemed to hold up the facade, matching last season's 20-14 record, securing second place for the second consecutive postseason, and becoming the first woman to win 100 games in her career. But her champion disguise crumbled in the postseason when a veteran Houston team easily took away the Storm's sole successful move — the pick-and-roll. The Storm was exposed as too inexperienced to find an alternative quick enough to repeat its championship run.
Final grade : C+.
Next season: Could lose one of her assistant coaches, will have stronger team because of stinging first-round playoff loss.
Jackson's return "up in the air"
The 2006 FIBA World Championships in Brazil are scheduled for Sept. 12-23, which would be during the WNBA Finals if occurring this season. Jackson, a native Australian, would have a conflict because her national team would want her and other Australians training together well before competition begins. She's already planning to be with the national team for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March.
Fellow Australian Olympian Suzy Batkovic, Brazilian forward Iziane Castro Marques and Russian rookie Natalia Vodopyanova are other Storm players who could face a choice. But Brazil doesn't penalize players for fulfilling outside obligations that make players late for training with the national team, giving Castro Marques some leverage.
"It's all up in the air at the moment, even the WNBA," said Jackson, whose one-year contract expired. "There's a lot going on at the moment. Next year is a really tough year for us [Australia]. We've got to win the gold medal. I love the WNBA. It just depends on what Basketball Australia's restrictions are."
While the competition could severely hurt the Storm — Jackson has been the leading scorer since her arrival in 2001 — the world-championship event really is a league-wide problem much like the 2004 Olympic Games. The WNBA had a monthlong hiatus last year to allow about 30 Olympians, including Team USA, to compete in the Games in August without hurting their WNBA teams. The break didn't hinder the league either. It set attendance records during the playoffs and most teams, like the Storm, were able to attract fans despite the start of football season.
The World Championships is a new problem as America prepares to defend its title. Australia, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Brazil are the other countries prequalified for the 16-team tournament, making its WNBA impact league-wide. Karen Bryant, the Storm's chief operating officer, said the WNBA has begun discussions but nothing is set to avoid conflict.
"If they say they are not going to do anything for the World Championships, then I have to think about it because that's going to be my country," said Castro Marques. "It's going to be a huge event for us, especially since women's basketball is not that big there. It'll be important for all [Brazilian] players to be there."
Castro Marques said the WNBA's players association has broached the topic but when the guard questioned new president Donna Orender about the championships, at an August game in New York, the response was "our league is our league."
The WNBA scheduling was odd this season to avoid Monday games, which have never been a good sell. The league could compact next season's 34-game schedule to prevent overlapping with the World Championships for the first time. In 2002, the World Championships were held in mid-September, after the WNBA playoffs. The 1998 worlds in Germany wrapped up before the league's second season started in June.
"We have no reason to believe she [Jackson] is not coming back," said Bryant, who didn't speak to Jackson yesterday. Bryant will attend league meetings in October.
The expansion draft to fold Chicago into the 13-team league could affect whether others on the Storm roster return. During an expected solemn day of exit interviews yesterday, veterans Alicia Thompson, Simone Edwards, Betty Lennox, Jackson, Castro Marques and Vodopyanova were vague about their return. Lennox wants a multiple-year deal, while Thompson and Edwards know their higher-priced salaries make them expendable.
"I would have liked to spend more time on the floor," said Vodopyanova through translator Maria Galagan. "I had a hard time. I wasn't playing. I don't want to come back and be seated."
Note
• Bryant said Storm revenues were up 35 percent from last season, though final figures won't be available until next week. After increasing attendance this season, the team hopes to average 10,000 by 2007.
Storm's offseason plans
After a team dinner last night, the Storm players started departing for their offseason destinations. Here's what each will be doing during the next eight months (key *=player under contract):
C Suzy Batkovic*: Returning to Australia before playing in Russia in October.
G Sue Bird*: Seattle is home base. Will make trips for appearances and visit family in New York before rejoining her Russian team in January.
C Janell Burse*: Joining family in Houston in dealing with Hurricane Katrina aftermath, though home 30 minutes outside New Orleans is still intact. Will play in Prague in October.
F Iziane Castro Marques: Vacationing in Hawaii, Miami and Brazil.
C Simone Edwards: Hosting a charity event in Jamaica in October; will play in either Spain or Italy in 2006.
F Lauren Jackson: Attending Tori Amos concert and having back examined, though it feels better; will return to Australia and play for the Canberra Capitals, the national team and an undetermined Russian team.
G Betty Lennox: Returning home to Independence, Mo., to rest both injured wrists; will play in a men's league tournament in Mexico at the end of September and three months in China beginning in November.
F Alicia Thompson: Traveling to Texas to visit family before playing overseas in January in an undetermined country.
F Natalia Vodopyanova: Joining her Russian team and possibly the Russian national team.
G Tanisha Wright*: Returning to Penn State to complete her degree in elementary education; will work out with a trainer.
G Francesca Zara*: Taking a 10-day vacation, then will join her Italian league team, which holds its championships in October.
Fonte: Seattle Times
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