WEBVTT - ‘It’s About the Fit’ with Jordan Robinson 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:02.560 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we've got 0:00:02.600 --> 0:00:05.600 our popcorn ready and a spot on the couch primed. 0:00:05.960 --> 0:00:10.160 It's almost WNBA Draft time. Baby. It's Monday, April fourteenth, 0:00:10.200 --> 0:00:12.600 and on today's show will be previewing tonight's draft with 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:15.840 Jordan Robinson, host of The Women's Hoop Show. We talk 0:00:15.880 --> 0:00:18.720 about the importance of where a player goes versus when 0:00:19.120 --> 0:00:22.000 the top needs for teams drafting early, and the college 0:00:22.000 --> 0:00:25.000 players choosing to stay in school instead of entering the draft. 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:28.960 Plus a game Cock on the Move, Love Crown's a Champion, 0:00:29.280 --> 0:00:32.280 and love in basketball in real life. That's all coming 0:00:32.400 --> 0:00:41.360 up right after this. Welcome Backslices, Happy Monday. Here's what 0:00:41.400 --> 0:00:45.840 you need to know today. Let's start with the WNBA. 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:49.000 In tonight's draft, thirty eight players will hear their names 0:00:49.000 --> 0:00:51.440 called the Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, 0:00:51.720 --> 0:00:54.440 though just sixteen were invited by the league to attend, 0:00:54.760 --> 0:00:58.520 including projected number one pick Page Beckers and National Championship 0:00:58.600 --> 0:01:02.040 runners up from South Carolina Sanaiah Fagan and Tahina Pow Pow, 0:01:02.480 --> 0:01:06.839 plus Notre Dame Sona citron USC's Kiki Eriefen TCUs Hailey 0:01:06.959 --> 0:01:11.080 van Lith and French phenom Dominique Maloga. Before any names 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:14.080 are called, players will walk the Orange carpet with a 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:17.080 live show hosted by Hannah O'Flynn and one of last 0:01:17.160 --> 0:01:21.440 year's most fashionable rookies, Los Angeles Sparks Rikia Jackson. You 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:24.200 can catch that on the WNBA's YouTube channel and in 0:01:24.200 --> 0:01:27.840 the WNBA app starting at four thirty pm Eastern. Then 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:30.280 a full slate of ESPN show is beginning with an L. 0:01:30.360 --> 0:01:34.000 Duncan hosted SportsCenter Live from Hudson Yards at sixth Eastern, 0:01:34.280 --> 0:01:37.160 followed by WNBA Countdown at seven and the Draft at 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:40.520 seven thirty. Much more on the WNBA Draft with Jordan 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:44.080 coming up later in the show. More WNBA news. The 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:47.520 league is announced its inaugural Rivalry Week, presented by new 0:01:47.520 --> 0:01:51.000 partner Ally Financial. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will 0:01:51.000 --> 0:01:54.000 face Angel resind the Chicago Sky in prime time to 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:57.280 tip off Rivalry Week in August, with other featured matchups 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:00.760 including New York and Minnesota in a WNBA five Finals rematch, 0:02:00.960 --> 0:02:04.240 and Atlanta and their new acquisition Britney Griner facing her 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:08.160 old Phoenix Mercury squad to college hoops, where another big 0:02:08.240 --> 0:02:11.120 name looks to be on the move. Flashy South Carolina 0:02:11.160 --> 0:02:14.720 guard Malaysia ful Wiley has entered the transfer portal. Ful 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:17.440 Wiley helped Don Staley's Game Cox to the Final four 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:20.440 this season and last year she was the SEC Tournament 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:23.160 MVP as a freshman, helping the Game Cocks to a 0:02:23.160 --> 0:02:26.480 thirty eight no season in a national championship win. Meantime, 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:30.200 this year's National Championship winners, Yukon, celebrated their victory with 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:33.880 a parade in downtown Hartford yesterday. Thousands of people were 0:02:33.919 --> 0:02:36.880 on hand to watch the team, along with local businesses 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:39.720 and media outlets, march down the streets of the capitol 0:02:39.840 --> 0:02:42.760 before speeches in front of the Excel Center, the huskies 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:47.440 second home, gino Oriama Pagebeckers and Asy Fudd addressed the crowd, 0:02:47.720 --> 0:02:50.760 and Fudd returning next year to Yukon got the crowd 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:53.799 fired up for more. Lastly, i's youma say, Yukon Nation, 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:56.240 you guys are the best and let's run it back 0:02:56.280 --> 0:03:03.400 next year. If Azy plays anything next year like she 0:03:03.440 --> 0:03:06.400 did this year, they've got a real shot at it. 0:03:06.480 --> 0:03:09.240 To Hockey. Team USA defeated Canada two to one on 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:12.800 Sunday the World Championships behind goals from Lee's deckline and 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:15.280 Megan Keller. The US improved to three to zero in 0:03:15.320 --> 0:03:18.320 group play, with one final group play match tomorrow against 0:03:18.360 --> 0:03:22.000 Switzerland at one pm Eastern. Canada closes group play today 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:25.880 at one pm Eastern against tournament host Chechia. Quarterfinal games 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:29.400 are on Thursday. In the NWSL, the Orlando Pride in 0:03:29.480 --> 0:03:32.400 Kansas City Current ran their win streaks to four straight 0:03:32.480 --> 0:03:36.000 to start the season with wins this weekend, Orlando defeating 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:38.560 the Seattle Rain one nil on Saturday behind a goal 0:03:38.560 --> 0:03:41.720 from Barbara Banda. Also on Saturday, Kansas City besting the 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:44.960 San Diego Wave two nil with tallies from Debinia and 0:03:45.000 --> 0:03:49.040 Low Labanta. Also of note, Midge Purse back in action 0:03:49.200 --> 0:03:52.000 for the first time since her acl injury in March 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:53.920 of last year. She was back on the field for 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:57.000 Gotham FC on Sunday, entering in the seventy third minute 0:03:57.160 --> 0:04:01.320 and putting on the captain's armband. Gonzales had a brace 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:03.920 and Gotham earned the three to one victory over the 0:04:03.960 --> 0:04:08.640 North Carolina Courage to Volleyball. Love Volleyball has its first 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:12.840 ever champion crowned yesterday afternoon in Louisville. The title match 0:04:12.920 --> 0:04:15.640 was the culmination of a postseason that featured all six 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:18.400 teams in the league, and a pair of underdogs made 0:04:18.480 --> 0:04:22.160 the most of that opportunity. Fifth seeded Love Austin and 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:26.360 sixth seeded Love Omaha. Both teams finished the regular season 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:29.880 with five and eleven records, well behind top seeded Atlanta 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:33.800 and second seeded Houston, but no matter. In Friday semis, 0:04:33.920 --> 0:04:37.279 both underdogs fell behind but clawed back to come out 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:42.320 on top, Austin upsetting Atlanta and Omaha upsetting Houston. Sunday's 0:04:42.400 --> 0:04:46.520 championship match saw Austin emerge victorious, beating Omaha in straight 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:49.720 sets behind a dominant effort at the net with sixteen 0:04:49.800 --> 0:04:54.120 blocks and forty three combined points from former Texas Longhorns 0:04:54.160 --> 0:04:59.040 Madison Skinner and Logan Eggleston. Finally, Sports Illustrated has announced 0:04:59.040 --> 0:05:03.320 a new six spor competition, the SI Women's Games, set 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:06.159 to take place this fall and air on SCRIPTS. The 0:05:06.200 --> 0:05:09.440 competition will take place in Oceanside, California, over the course 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:15.160 of five days beginning October twenty eighth. It'll feature basketball, volleyball, tennis, gymnastics, 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:18.919 flag football, and combat sports. Team Americas will take on 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:23.640 Team World, with athletes facing off in individual and team competitions. 0:05:25.560 --> 0:05:28.200 All right slices. A quick note on the WNBA's current 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:31.160 draft eligibility rules. This is info that should help you 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:33.520 understand why college players you might have been watching all 0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:36.960 season are or aren't able to enter the draft process, 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:39.839 why one and done's don't happen in the women's game, 0:05:40.160 --> 0:05:44.000 and the differences between domestic and international rules. So first, 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:47.760 the rules for domestic prospects per the current CBA. A 0:05:47.800 --> 0:05:50.400 player is eligible if they graduate from a four year 0:05:50.440 --> 0:05:53.440 college within three months of the draft, or are four 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:57.000 years removed from high school graduation, or turn at least 0:05:57.040 --> 0:05:58.960 twenty two years old during the year in which the 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:02.800 draft takes place. The rules are much simpler for international prospects, 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:06.200 which are defined as any person born and residing outside 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:08.680 the United States who participates in the game of basketball 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:11.880 as an amateur or a professional. Those players are eligible 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:14.279 if they're at least twenty years old during the calendar 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:16.960 year in which the draft is held. Worth noting, while 0:06:16.960 --> 0:06:20.479 international players become eligible at a younger age, they're impacted 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:24.159 by the quote unquote prioritization rule added to the CBA 0:06:24.320 --> 0:06:27.080 ratified in twenty twenty. This is meant to keep players 0:06:27.120 --> 0:06:30.120 in the States and available for their WNBA teams, not 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:33.320 missing long stretches to play with their national teams. To 0:06:33.320 --> 0:06:35.440 read more about that and why there are calls to 0:06:35.480 --> 0:06:38.680 adjust the prioritization rule in the next CBA, check out 0:06:38.680 --> 0:06:41.160 a recent Front Office Sports story done by friend of 0:06:41.200 --> 0:06:43.400 the show Annie Costable. We'll link to it in our 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:45.760 show notes. All right, we're going to take a quick 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:48.640 break when we come back. It's Jordan Robinson. We caught 0:06:48.680 --> 0:06:51.440 up with our last Thursday to chat all things WNBA 0:06:51.560 --> 0:07:03.039 Draft Us. Now a returning champ, she's hosted the newly 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:06.360 renamed podcast, The Women's Hoops Show, formerly known as Queens 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:09.160 of the Court. She also does biweekly WNBA chats as 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:11.240 part of the new br Creator program, and she's a 0:07:11.280 --> 0:07:13.800 host for the Women's Sports Network. Oh and she's also 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:16.480 co authoring a book on the history of women's hoops. 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:20.720 I'm just tired reading it. It's Jordan Robinson, welcome back. 0:07:21.880 --> 0:07:25.120 Thanks for having me back. Yes, I am always tired. 0:07:25.160 --> 0:07:27.560 After my bio. That just means I got a lot 0:07:27.560 --> 0:07:30.240 of tax forms to fill out because it's tax season. 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:30.920 That's all that means. 0:07:30.960 --> 0:07:32.920 And you're getting paid, and you get paid. 0:07:33.040 --> 0:07:34.120 Yeah, I love it. 0:07:35.240 --> 0:07:38.400 We are both a little punch drunk as a result 0:07:38.600 --> 0:07:42.040 of our recent escapades at the Final Four, and no 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:45.040 rest for the wicket because the WNBA Draft follows up 0:07:45.320 --> 0:07:47.640 right after everyone thinks we get a break, No, sir, 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:50.360 we are still out here working and trying to get 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:53.480 ready and keep up with all the news. So there's 0:07:53.520 --> 0:07:55.640 so much to talk about. There's so much intrigue this year, 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:58.800 especially with players pulling out just weeks before the big 0:07:58.840 --> 0:08:01.640 event at Hudson Yards, Manhattan. So before we even get 0:08:01.640 --> 0:08:04.360 to the players who are eligible to be selected, let's 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:06.320 have a brief chat about a couple of the women 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:08.720 who will not be in New York City, starting with 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:11.240 Olivia Miles. So, I want to get your take on 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:14.640 this Notre Dame star for going the draft and instead 0:08:14.720 --> 0:08:17.800 entering the transfer portal and closing out her career at TCU. 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:23.200 WHOA. I feel like shocked wasn't even the right word 0:08:23.320 --> 0:08:27.400 because it was a two punch. It was I'm not 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:30.920 going into the draft, and especially with someone who was 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:33.480 like for sure a number two pick, like we all 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:35.920 know it's page And then it was going to be 0:08:35.960 --> 0:08:38.760 a Livia Miles, so you kind of already knew where 0:08:38.800 --> 0:08:41.320 you were going, what your future was going to look like. 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:44.240 It was pretty solid. So then she says, nah, I 0:08:44.280 --> 0:08:46.680 don't want it, don't like it. Then I'm going to 0:08:46.920 --> 0:08:50.360 enter the transfer portal. And then that's when my eyebrows 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:53.880 were like scathed off by the hot take of that. 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:59.000 I am very curious as to why. I mean, I 0:08:59.040 --> 0:09:01.480 think she was just on TikTok Live the other day 0:09:01.480 --> 0:09:04.120 saying her and Hannah Hidalgo are good. I think those 0:09:04.120 --> 0:09:06.760 were a lot of rumors of maybe they just weren't 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.120 getting along, maybe it wasn't enough shots, especially how we 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:14.320 saw how that last game went against TCU, did not 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:20.480 have their best game together or separately. But going to 0:09:20.679 --> 0:09:26.600 TCU where they make this historic run led by Haley Vanlyth, 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:29.920 a lot of those seniors are gone. So I just 0:09:29.960 --> 0:09:33.760 don't see the picture, the full picture of why she 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:38.160 chose that school. Mark Campbell has been recruiting his tailoff. 0:09:39.040 --> 0:09:43.560 Players have been saying high praise about him. Yeah, but 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:46.040 I don't know what the other pieces are. If your 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:48.959 goal is to be at the Final four and win 0:09:49.000 --> 0:09:51.840 a national championship, compete against a team like Yukon. So 0:09:51.880 --> 0:09:54.080 I just I don't see it. I don't see it. 0:09:54.200 --> 0:09:56.560 Yeah, I mean I thought the same way you did. 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:00.000 I wondered if it had anything to do with Hannah. 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:03.080 You know, my brain always goes to, you know, whether 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:04.880 there's tension in a locker room where you have a 0:10:04.880 --> 0:10:08.920 player who has said some pretty despicable things about queer people. 0:10:09.200 --> 0:10:11.480 I don't know anything about Olivia Miles sexuality or anybody 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:13.120 else in that Notre Dame locker room, but I do 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:15.960 wonder if there's anything there, because she's not the only 0:10:16.000 --> 0:10:18.120 Notre Dame player that is in the transfer portal and 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:23.040 electing to go elsewhere. I figure with TCU, Hailey Vanlith 0:10:23.200 --> 0:10:26.520 sure put up a good advertisement for reinvigorating a career 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:29.880 there and again very high praise from Mark Campbell. With 0:10:30.000 --> 0:10:32.559 Sedona and Haley and other folks leaving, it does feel 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:35.520 like an interesting place. But maybe there's some other hunting 0:10:35.559 --> 0:10:37.760 being done in the transfer portal that we're unaware of 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:40.319 that hasn't been announced yet. And it also does seem 0:10:40.320 --> 0:10:41.960 like a lot of people talked about the kind of 0:10:42.000 --> 0:10:45.160 financial backing that TCU has to try to lowar people. 0:10:45.520 --> 0:10:48.439 So maybe Olivia is just like, listen, I've got enough 0:10:48.559 --> 0:10:50.840 cachet that I can go where I want, get paid 0:10:51.200 --> 0:10:53.720 and then wait till that new CBA is in effect, 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:55.800 see if the rookies are getting paid a little better, 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:57.640 and make my way out. But yeah, that was the 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.520 head scratcher for sure, Easy Fid. Coming back to Yukon, 0:11:00.880 --> 0:11:02.560 it was sort of a toss up. You weren't sure. 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:05.640 But the way she's been playing, how high is her ceiling? 0:11:05.960 --> 0:11:08.000 If she plays a full year like she did down 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:10.360 the stretch, especially in that title game. 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.000 It is going to be such a fight for that 0:11:14.120 --> 0:11:16.640 number one draft pick next season. And I think that's 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:20.080 what I'm so excited for November, so we can start 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:24.120 having those conversations and see how it moves between her 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:29.959 and Bets and maybe Flage. So many people fut around 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:32.480 and found out that is like my favorite thing that 0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:35.120 I have learned over this past weekend. The sign I 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:39.359 wanted on a shirt. She was balling out of control, 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:43.520 and I think there were some wagms like dang, we 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:46.240 gotta wait one more year, But then also we get 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:48.800 to wait one more year so she can just sharpen 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:51.040 those skills even more I saw that she was a 0:11:51.040 --> 0:11:54.360 part of the roster for the Kelsey plum Dog class, 0:11:54.400 --> 0:11:57.200 So there's even more things that she's going to be 0:11:57.200 --> 0:12:00.080 able to grow at. I don't know what else she 0:12:00.120 --> 0:12:02.480 needs to because the shot is looking great. She was 0:12:02.520 --> 0:12:05.719 out there crossing people over from South Carolina like these 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:09.360 are really good defenders. So a full year it was. 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:11.960 It was a tease in this championship game, in this 0:12:12.040 --> 0:12:14.880 March tournament for us as fans to be able to 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:17.680 watch her do what she did at a high level 0:12:17.960 --> 0:12:20.400 for a full year. And she also deserves that. I 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:23.319 think she kind of robbed for a lot of her 0:12:23.360 --> 0:12:26.360 college career, so it didn't surprise me that she just 0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:29.200 wanted one more year in college and to be able 0:12:29.240 --> 0:12:32.520 to be confident play with the you know, a Sarah 0:12:32.520 --> 0:12:35.200 Strong for one more year. Heck yeah, sign me up 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:35.520 for that. 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:38.360 I was gonna say, they have a really good shot 0:12:38.400 --> 0:12:40.480 of repeating with the kind of talent that they already 0:12:40.520 --> 0:12:44.680 have those youngsters. So uh, you mentioned Flage Flage Johnson, 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:48.000 the Queen of Nil, the mayor of LSU. She was 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:50.200 slowed down a little bit by injury late in this season. 0:12:50.559 --> 0:12:52.520 She'll be back for another year with the Tigers. What 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:54.880 can she do for her draft stock if she stays 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:57.640 healthy and has another year building on what was a 0:12:57.640 --> 0:12:59.240 good year for her when she was healthy. 0:13:00.480 --> 0:13:05.280 The thing about Flage is that she is nice. Like 0:13:05.320 --> 0:13:06.920 you know, there's not a lot of players that you 0:13:06.920 --> 0:13:11.680 can say is just nice. It's smooth her handle her shot, 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:14.080 but sometimes it could be a little inconsistent. And I 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.480 think she would say that about her game too. I 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:20.520 think getting more consistent and also getting stronger. I think 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:22.200 I want to see her in the weight room. I 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:24.760 want to see her getting Anne one after Ann one 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.880 to get ready for the w because we know that 0:13:27.960 --> 0:13:30.440 once you get to that level, you got to be 0:13:30.520 --> 0:13:33.679 able to hold your own, hold your weight and not 0:13:33.720 --> 0:13:36.760 get knocked around. So if she's going to be driving 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:39.160 into the paint, I think that's something that she wants 0:13:39.200 --> 0:13:41.760 to work on. But I think Flage is so smart. 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:45.240 She knows the business side. She's making over a million dollars, 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:48.920 so it's not that part. She loves basketball. She respects 0:13:48.960 --> 0:13:52.079 the game. She respects the WNBA, and you've seen her 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:54.880 talk about it. She's like, ah, I can go out, 0:13:55.000 --> 0:13:57.680 but I just don't think I'm ready yet. Like I 0:13:57.720 --> 0:14:01.280 think I'm really good, but I know that the WNA 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.560 players are great, so to have that sipe of self 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:08.080 awareness is really commendable. And I think that she is 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:10.200 going to keep working hard in the off season to 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:13.520 make sure that she just has all her eyes dotted 0:14:13.640 --> 0:14:17.600 her t's cross before she enters the draft next year. 0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:21.600 Lauren Bett's coming back to UCLA tonight LATS and staying 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:24.080 in school, but going to South Carolina, which is to 0:14:24.080 --> 0:14:26.720 be fascinating a handful of others that we are not 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:28.360 going to see till next year. So let's get to 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:30.080 the draft and the players who are going to be 0:14:30.160 --> 0:14:32.640 up for selection on Monday now. Earlier in the show, 0:14:32.920 --> 0:14:36.720 I explained the rules around eligibility for domestic and international players, 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:38.160 but I would love it if you'd give a little 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:40.960 context around how the w draft might be a little 0:14:40.960 --> 0:14:43.360 different from other sports. So if we've got newer fans 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:45.560 coming in, can you tell us a little about how 0:14:45.560 --> 0:14:48.040 it's different in terms of how the players selected actually 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:52.080 might not always make a roster or see playing time, 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:54.320 unlike a lot of other drafts where we expect the 0:14:54.320 --> 0:14:57.520 top picks to be stars or contributors right away. 0:14:58.720 --> 0:15:01.480 And with other sports it's all picks, Like it's not 0:15:01.600 --> 0:15:04.680 even topics. It's like when you get drafted rounded. 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:07.520 Date in the NFL, you're like still going to start. 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:11.440 Yeah, you're still there's still an ESPN camera, Like it's 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:14.360 day three of the draft and somebody is still filming 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:17.280 you after you're getting drafted. But once you get past, 0:15:17.480 --> 0:15:20.720 like especially a draft like this where it was gonna 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:23.040 be loaded, but all those names that you mentioned, kind 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:27.680 of going into next year, after probably eight in this 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:31.840 first round, it's it's looking a little questionable. You don't 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:35.080 even have a lot of the top contender teams even 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.840 in the first round, barely even in the second round, 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:40.880 because they're like, we got our crew, don't even bother 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.480 don't even try to come to these training camps. 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:46.680 Yeah, we're bringing everybody back. Good luck to every We're good. 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:50.240 We're good. But last year, last year's draft, you know, 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:53.400 I read somewhere that it was not even fifty percent 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:57.080 of the players that got drafted made a roster. So 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:59.600 when you think about your decisions and when you are 0:15:59.800 --> 0:16:04.440 a college player, you used up all your eligibility, you 0:16:04.560 --> 0:16:07.520 used up all your transfers, and you're like, Okay, this 0:16:07.680 --> 0:16:10.880 is kind of the next step because this is what 0:16:10.960 --> 0:16:15.120 I've worked for, Let's try. And that's what the draft 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:18.920 kind of is. It is an audition. And what I 0:16:19.080 --> 0:16:21.720 say over and over about the WNBA Draft more than 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:24.560 any other sport, is that it's not even about the order. 0:16:24.720 --> 0:16:27.760 It's about the fit. It is about the team that 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:30.680 you go to. Because you could be seventh pick and 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:33.680 someone could say, oh, well, there was six picks better. No, 0:16:33.800 --> 0:16:36.240 but you went to the perfect team that needed your 0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:40.160 position that you had the best chance to make a team. 0:16:40.600 --> 0:16:44.040 So it's not even about going top three. Yes, we 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:47.040 know money is different in those top picks on your 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:51.040 rookie contract, but it's about where can I go that 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:54.000 they need my position, that I can be a backup 0:16:54.040 --> 0:16:57.560 to a superstar there that even if I don't make 0:16:57.600 --> 0:17:00.400 the team, if I go into training camp and the 0:17:00.560 --> 0:17:03.560 GM and the coaches know me and they know how 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:06.840 I play, you go play overseas you might get called back. 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:11.239 So it's this very much audition type of mentality that 0:17:11.280 --> 0:17:13.400 you want to make sure that your name is in 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:17.400 those rooms when decisions are being made, when rosters are 0:17:17.400 --> 0:17:22.320 being discussed, no matter what order you fit into. 0:17:22.640 --> 0:17:26.040 Right, And I think thankfully there are a few more options. 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:29.119 In addition to overseas, you could play athletes unlimited. I 0:17:29.200 --> 0:17:33.000 ran into Donna or under in the Final four area, 0:17:33.040 --> 0:17:36.280 and she's launching a new league that's supposed to be 0:17:36.320 --> 0:17:40.119 made a September kind of this upshot league is what 0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:41.600 I believe she said it was going to be called. 0:17:41.600 --> 0:17:44.280 That gives another opportunity. So we are seeing at least 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.320 more places for Buible to continue to hone their craft 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:48.439 and be available if there's an injury or if a 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:51.080 roster spot opens up. But yeah, it's pretty wild. So 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:53.920 if you're excited about some of your college faiths, they 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:57.080 might not make the rosters. It might not make the rosters. Okay, 0:17:57.240 --> 0:17:59.840 a lot can change day of There could be some 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:02.639 prize picks that shake things up. But let's talk about 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:05.960 some of the projections. As of no pagebackers, no doubt 0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:09.120 number one pick, and also no real talk anymore about 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:11.720 her wanting to avoid Dallas or force them to trade 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:13.800 away the number one. How much of that do you 0:18:13.800 --> 0:18:16.639 think was media and how much might have actually been 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:18.960 pages desired to think about going elsewhere. 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:25.440 Gosh, I don't know. I don't blame the thought because 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:29.639 Dallas the receipts. They're not looking good for the front 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:33.359 office just as an organization. I love the city. I 0:18:33.400 --> 0:18:35.280 don't even know if it's really a city. 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:38.000 It's in Texas though, yeah. 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:41.760 It is in Texas unfortunately, but they are moving to 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:47.000 a bigger arena. You have Arique there who's excited about 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:50.680 you coming and has been tweeting and actively rooting for 0:18:50.920 --> 0:18:53.520 you in the final four as someone who went to 0:18:53.600 --> 0:18:57.679 Notre Dame. So this is there's excitement there. But I 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:01.159 think it's more of the track record of what the 0:19:01.320 --> 0:19:04.200 organization of the Dallas Wings have done. When you look 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:07.679 at the past of superstars wanting out, you think of 0:19:07.720 --> 0:19:11.120 a Skuyler, digg and Smith, you think of Eliz Cambage, 0:19:11.200 --> 0:19:13.720 you think of Alisha Gray was like, please get me 0:19:13.760 --> 0:19:17.439 out of here, Marina Mayby. So many stars have wanted 0:19:17.520 --> 0:19:21.440 out of that organization. And if it's my client, I'm like, Okay, 0:19:21.840 --> 0:19:24.320 what's going to change. What's going to change to make 0:19:24.359 --> 0:19:27.640 sure that my superstar is not disgruntled in a couple 0:19:27.680 --> 0:19:31.560 of years. So yes, if Los Angeles Sparks had that 0:19:31.640 --> 0:19:34.160 number one pick in the draft lottery, I don't think 0:19:34.200 --> 0:19:37.000 we would have been talking about this because it's La. 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:39.960 It's La, though, but not necessarily a franchise that hasn't 0:19:40.000 --> 0:19:42.240 been full of its own issues. 0:19:42.880 --> 0:19:43.880 I also said that. 0:19:44.040 --> 0:19:46.520 I said that as well, but I think it's as 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:50.479 much about the market. Yeah, yes, exactly, it's about the markets. 0:19:50.520 --> 0:19:53.080 I mean, if it was Seattle, we would have been 0:19:53.160 --> 0:19:57.440 like perfect. You know, this facility, the arena, the legacy, 0:19:57.600 --> 0:20:00.960 stepping into Sue's shoes, like it all seemed like a 0:20:00.960 --> 0:20:03.919 fit LA. We were like, well, it's La, good market 0:20:03.960 --> 0:20:06.080 for her, she's a superstar. We'll ignore some of the 0:20:06.119 --> 0:20:08.200 issues that they had. Dallas were like, it's. 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:12.560 Exactly, it's a little too many, little too many red 0:20:12.680 --> 0:20:13.600 lives popping up. 0:20:14.560 --> 0:20:16.199 But let's let's talk about how do you see her 0:20:16.240 --> 0:20:19.399 fitting in with the likes of Ari Ga Goomwala, Alyssa Thomas, 0:20:19.480 --> 0:20:20.520 d jn A Carrington. 0:20:21.600 --> 0:20:24.719 Oh, I think it's a great fit. I think they have. 0:20:25.280 --> 0:20:27.920 You know, first of all, Kurt Miller in his first 0:20:28.000 --> 0:20:31.080 year as a GM with Dallas, I love the pettiness 0:20:31.119 --> 0:20:33.840 of getting the number one pick over his ex team, 0:20:33.920 --> 0:20:36.239 the Sparks, and said, how you like them apples? I 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:38.520 love it, I love it. But he is also like 0:20:38.680 --> 0:20:44.320 building these hard nose group, like you have a Djna, 0:20:44.560 --> 0:20:46.679 you have an Alyssa Smith, but you still have a 0:20:46.760 --> 0:20:50.080 Tierra McCowan there who is put in work, taking up 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:54.560 space in the in the post and Arique. You know, 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:58.000 you had Asatu Sabli who was there, didn't not a 0:20:58.000 --> 0:21:00.560 lot of things happen, but she pieced and they're like, 0:21:00.560 --> 0:21:04.200 all right, we're gonna retool, We're gonna build things around this. 0:21:04.640 --> 0:21:07.479 Dallas last year needed a point guard. They needed someone 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:10.800 to run the show. Arique is better off the ball. 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:14.520 So Page coming in. She is a scoring point guard. 0:21:14.560 --> 0:21:17.320 She can get hers, she can go off. But remember 0:21:17.480 --> 0:21:20.920 as a freshman she was averaging almost six assists per game, 0:21:21.080 --> 0:21:22.760 and that's why she won Player of the Year, the 0:21:22.800 --> 0:21:25.320