WBB: Taylor Woodson to Portal

Clearly, you don’t follow our women’s basketball team and know nothing about Taylor Woodson. 

No need to be a dick

At least it can’t be worse than the men’s team 

This year they've lost four girls unless I'm missing someone. Elise Stuck, four year player likely getting a handshake.. Taylor Woodson, probably the biggest portal loss KBA's had.

Taylor Williams, very intrigued to know what happened. While nothing to write home about, is a decent bench option in the front court considering the roster was thin there and unsure what Michigan is capable of in the transfer portal, would be nice to have. Also odd that if her grad degree is a two year program, she wouldn't stick it out for that. 

Cam Williams, similar musings. Year five on the way, so she just might be ready to move on? She entered her name in the portal last year and came back. I didn't love her game, seemed foul prone and only much of an offensive threat to score with any volume against the mid to lower teams on the schedule (minus the big game against Kansas) That being said, think you could do a lot worse than her and would have loved her on the roster as the the first/second big option off the bench. 

Of the Williams I'd want Cam back more, but don't think I would necessarily want both back (portal options pending). I doubt they kill it in the portal to the point of getting two bigs that would have completely taken both of them of a role. Do think there was a world though in which the two additions would have pushed Taylor Williams out of any significant PT if Cam was back. Or even if one was really good, you'd have portal player, Cam + Chyra taking a good chunk of front court minutes. 

You can't tell with the seniors these days because the COVID year exception made it very easy to start grad school with a boost. Two of Michigan's starters this year came from the portal, as did Taylor Williams.

This is unexpected. Woodson was playing her way into increased minutes and it seemed like a given she'd be starting or first-off the bench in the front court next year.

I don't think I'd say WBB is on an upward trajectory. KBA has already taken it to a new level. She is so far and away the best WBB coach Michigan has had that Michigan's national reputation has changed completely.

She has access to better recruits now, and the next challenge is to build to a Final Four and a real national title threat. Can she take that next step? It's possible. She has won 20 every year here, except for the second COVID year, when they made the Sweet Sixteen after a short season. This year was her seventh NCAA bid with Michigan, but the first time she has lost in the first round.

Woodson was a top-100 player, with a very good group coming in. But it's a process. What's surprising is that with Phelia back for a senior year and all the talent coming in, Woodson was in a great place to be part of something.

It just doesn't make sense for her to leave. I'd be interested to hear why.

Cosign 100%.

I wasn't a fly in the room but the incoming class is kinda getting a "Fab Five" hype of its own.

I can empathize with the thought of, "I'm busting my butt and improving but I'm gonna get passed by someone younger than me?"  Some people don't just want "increased roles"; they don't want to spend their upperclassmen years as a 6th/7th banana.

It's impossible to know, but there may have been too much "rebuilding year" talk.

I'm just hoping it's homesickness.