When the first draft of the game comes out, many spiders of media and media have the same tendency every year, where the players are stuck on the top names and never get to revisit other things that may pass as the season progresses. If No 13 Indiana wins at No. 11 Tennessee showed WNBA fans something last night, that fifth-year senior Grace Berger could get the same treatment.
Berger, who was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team three times, is one of the most consistent players in college basketball. He does a little bit of everything and is a steal in the fall 2023 draft if the team falls. Here are three reasons to consider first-round picks in next year’s WNBA draft.
She chose the middle of the shoot
People blame the death of the middle shooter, but Berger owns the most beautiful shots in the area. He doesn’t shoot many 3-pointers (he’s never had more than 2.0 3PA per game in four seasons), but Berger burns the game at such a high level for teams as a chip-and-dribble ball that finds his teammates or rising defenders who give the least of the day.
While it’s been a challenge at the rim for any player to make the adjustment from college to the pros, Berger scored 1,297 points per possession from that area. He uses his powers to paint that way which he could transfer to the next level.
I was still thinking about this story about Grace Berger yesterday. He uses the triple drop to get set up by three defenders in front of the defense from the other end. Cleanse the sin in the morning. pic.twitter.com/XQVojhavqz
— James Kay (@James_M_Kay) on March 22, 2022
Berger is going to have more threats on the perimeter if she is to blossom into a productive WNBA. He has the ball in his hands with this iteration of the Hoosiers running back, but he has experience with a lot of talent producing on the floor. Berger’s niftiness around the basket and in the rebound and roll should inspire teams to the bottom of the first round.
She is an overqualified secondary ball handler
As noted in the previous section, Berger starts many of the Hoosiers’ offensive plays. Given his skills, he will likely be used as a scorer off the bench to begin his professional career. That will force the ball off her. However, Berger, who currently averages 2.7 turnovers per game, could be good. If the task is to simplify reading and move the ball, Berger has proven that he can do it (Teri Moren’s system is built around that).
Berger is now averaging 5.7 assists per game and is someone who can run the block. What it could do for teams looking for strong playmakers in the second unit is something that shouldn’t be overlooked this April. A team like the Minnesota Lynx, who own the last pick in the first round, would benefit from having a player like Berger who can steady the ship while resting their starters.
The team that draws her knows what they have
The 2023 WNBA draft is considered to be the most important. There are many players who need time to develop and sharpen many aspects of the game.
No Berger.
The five-year guard is someone who is sitting on his future as a professional player. That area is the last lift at the end of the first round or the top of the second. The players in this game do not spend enough time properly on the floor, so that the players can be deployed in the players. Berger will likely have to extend her range from the outside but she doesn’t get lost on defense and her mid-range shot is a skill that is WNBA-ready.
Berger won’t be a star in the league, but if the team is only drafting for a star talent, there are missing features that go into roster building. Players like Berger have been overlooked too often and the organization would be wise to ensure that their consistency has come year after year.
