Indiana women’s basketball landed its fifth newcomer of the offseason when it announced the addition of freshman Valentýna Kadlecová.
Kadlecová, a 6-foot guard from Kadan, Czechia, was formally added to the roster in August but has been committed to Indiana head coach Teri Moren since at least June, according to this interview conducted by her club team, DSK Levhartice Chomutov. We hit the film room to learn more about her game.
Kadlecová’s been a staple in the Chomutov lineup for the past four seasons but ZBL tape is hard to come by. Luckily, she also has extensive international experience and FIBA games are more accessible. This analysis is based on Kadlecová’s play at the 2024 FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket Division B competition.
Kadlecová led Czechia with 12.1 points per game as the team went 6-1 and secured promotion to Division A with a third-place finish.
Czechia’s primary offensive threat, Kadlecová plays confidently and likes to shoot. She attempted 14 or more field goals in five of seven Euro games and connected on 36% of her 89 attempts at the event.
The guard is best from the midrange and gets to her spots consistently. Kadlecová has the speed to attack the basket but prefers pull-ups from the high post. She’s a threat to shake any defender when facing up from the wing.
Kadlecová is not afraid to push in transition and passes on the break well. She finished second on the team with 3.0 assists per contest and has a knack for finding cutters from the elbow after defenders start guarding her as a shooter.
Defensively, Kadlecová has great length (her wingspan is impressive, even for 6-0) but doesn’t play on the ball a ton. Gushing about a Big Ten recruit’s athleticism feels trite at this point but yeah… she has reach!
The main reservation we have with Kadlecová is how her game translates to Indiana’s style. While playing with Czechia, she had the green light from anywhere on the floor. She can connect from way beyond the arc, and even banked in a three from near halfcourt versus the Netherlands, but is also susceptible to cold streaks.
In the Bronze Medal match, Kadlecová scored 16 points and dished out six assists while subsequently shooting 2-for-9 from the perimeter. Is that mixed bag worth it? Her Czech teammates, who defeated Iceland to earn promotion to Division A, will say definitely. Coach Moren, on the other hand…
Given how much firepower Indiana’s returning, Hoosier wings need to understand passing up good shots for great ones. We love the confidence with which Kadlecová plays, though.
Projecting how an international player’s game will translate is tough. Teri’s hit on about half of her overseas recruits in recent years but every player’s timeline is different. Kadlecová’s body of work assures she’ll contribute but it’s hard to say when that’ll happen.
Right now, I’d say the newest Hoosier probably comes off the bench for Yarden Garzon or Sydney Parrish to start the year. Playing time will come with proof that Kadlecová can make high-percentage plays and defend.
