NFL
By: Stephen PridGeon-Garner
An all-impressive three-game road trip saw the Chicago SKY piece together some of their better basketball of the season.
These efforts, resulting in a 2-1 return, was a level of execution that is second-to-none especially as it pertains to their efforts late in games, regardless of the situation.
They’re the best in the fourth quarter, and it’s shown time and time again, as I spoke about in my most recent post.
Also during this stretch, they saw prized free agency signing Emma Meesseman continue ingratiating herself with the compilation of talents she’s been added to.
The 3-game roady saw the Sky with a collective concerted effort to get Money Meesse touches in her spots
She responded with:
💰 her most PTS, FGM, & FGA over any 3-game stretch this season
💰 T-2 for PITP with 12 per in this windowShe's found her blend of playmaking & scoring pic.twitter.com/078kE5Ti9V
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) June 13, 2022
She was on an absolute tear as it pertains to blending her functions into an all-encompassing pressure point. Already having one of the most well-rounded skill sets with an elite IQ to match, seeing the impact it has when she flips the switch to tap into each of those entities at once unlocks a different dimension for the Chicago Sky.
Her dynamics as a two-way connector unique to each player on the floor grow increasingly more effective, as she’s able to bend a defense in a way only a select few can, pulling strings in their favor as well via her want-to on the other end as well.
Meesseman Offensively
On this road trip, she averaged 17.7 points per game on 64.9%, on increased volume with 12.3 attempts from the field.
She’s done it in a multitude of ways that organically flow out of her typical positioning. Whether it’s punishing switches out of her screen and roll action, or via post ups:
They also ran some post-split action for her with “VanderQuigs” running screen action as well as with Copper over this trip. More of these actions please, they have the prerequisite talents as well as the acumen to keep defenses guessing in the organized randomness of that action.
Relocating, as a big.
This one is unique because her connecting ability (more to come) is on full display as well as her understanding of how to both play and force rotations.
She initiates with her gravity as a shooter, forcing the defender to close her airspace on the closeout.
Emma then drives that, and kicks it out.
As she does that, Copper cuts. Emma knows it isn’t there but the cut is key because it forces a rotation. Double down on the cut with a reversal pass and now you make the help shift, which is what her man does, then is in a catch-22 as that help is also responsible for nail help on this second drive from Evans.
As that happens Emma backpedals in relocation, and now is open for a good look in flow, even while late in the clock.
She’s also getting it done in off-ball movement, both via set plays like their signature flex and cross-screen actions, as well as via off-script and instinctually with 45s, backdoors, and slipping screens.
She’s frequently flashing to space as a release valve for any strong side action that garners extra help, as seen above.
Speaking to her, as she does better than anyone in the W, connecting. Even independent of her short-roll, and flash playmaking, her direct assists are more than effective. Notice the special pace and timing her passes have, it’s a joy to watch and a tell-tell sign for true playmakers.
Notice also the fair share of assists to Candace here too, as they have a magnetic synergy and feel for finding each other on the high low looks, playing connector for each other when the direct pass isn’t there for a guard, as well as hitting each other on cuts in a timely manner.
I recently asked coach Wade about Emma functioning as a pressure point in tandem with her elite playmaking ability, to which he dove into both that as well as the aforementioned relation with Candace:
I asked Coach Wade about Emma Meesseman's growing dynamic both as a two-way connector & how she's been finding the balance & flow in asserting herself within the offense for the Sky:
"It's no surprise to us. Someone with such a high IQ…"
@NutsAndBoltsSP pic.twitter.com/pJm6Wg2qkV
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) June 6, 2022
Fun Fact: The SKY are undefeated in games when Emma posts a point per play (points scored per play finished with a shot, free throw trip, or turnover) north of the 1.00 mark, which is extremely effective.
Her appropriate assertiveness and growing discernment of the necessary balance needed on a nightly basis is maybe the most invaluable dynamic for this rendition of the SKY.
Meesseman Defensively
On this end, Emma is an excellent communicator and is a master at a few of the most important aspects of defense: dictating, anticipating, and reacting.
She does each of these with a high IQ, assisted by both mobility and versatility to execute any scheme, detailing why she’s a rare two-way connector.
She unlocks the SKY defense.
Watch here as she picks up for Copper, almost taking on the Clark responsibility like a baton being handed off while disrupting up at the level of the screen, with activity, to thwart this empty corner action.
The next one ends in a bucket independent of their exchange, but watch Emma as she “scrams” Dana out of this post mismatch, kicking her out to the weakside.
Not only does she execute the scram switch, but look at the angle taken and hand activity in doing so, effectively taking away the line of vision for Delle Donne to even attempt to skip it out of there. Dictates in forcing a retreat dribble then that’s terminated. Just sound play, time and time again.
Here she’s up at the level again, with activity. Then contains the ball out in space on the switch, which eventually leads to what’s become a signature for her defensively in on-ball deflections.
Emma Meesseman is presently 3rd in SPG at 2.1 per
Her activity & anticipatory speed is second to none in general, however, it's how many on-ball deflections she causes that wrecks the most havoc
That consistent activity is what unlocks the Skys chaos causing defense #SkyTown pic.twitter.com/24reZbhgAS
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) June 14, 2022
She’s just so sound in rotations and understanding of what the offense is attempting to do, the processing and countering that in real-time, while also doing so with activity and putting her team in the most advantageous positions to garner stops.
Her ever-presence and activity are a key cog in why opponents are a -32 against their starting lineup this season, per PBP Stats.
Even more, the SKY are first in opponent free throw rate and third in foul rate (indicative of how disciplined they are in playing aggressively but not fouling), and fourth in points allowed per game (77.8).
Her presence is aligned directly with those rankings, as she is simply an ultimate winning piece, and her worth in added value is being proven more and more as she transitions out of the ingratiation stage, and into the “I’m here” phase as her many skills mesh and chemistry is built.
She’s leading the SKY in offensive and defensive win shares, and it should come as no surprise as they looking as formidable as ever with her versatility, accountability, and multiple efforts on the floor.
