WEBVTT - The Shootaround: Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:03.239 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're cleaning 0:00:03.279 --> 0:00:06.640 bird shit out of our eye and remembering well, life 0:00:06.720 --> 0:00:10.200 comes at you fast. It's Monday, May twelfth, and truly 0:00:10.280 --> 0:00:13.039 shout out to that bird yesterday that shipped directly into 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:15.960 my eyeball. That's got to be double the good luck. No. 0:00:16.760 --> 0:00:19.239 On today's show, we'll be continuing with the shoot around 0:00:19.320 --> 0:00:22.920 our team by team WNBA season preview, getting you slices 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:25.560 ready for tip off with all the stars, steaks, stats 0:00:25.560 --> 0:00:28.720 and stories, a little history, a little lore, a little gossip, 0:00:28.800 --> 0:00:31.639 and a little more. Today we're info dumping on my 0:00:31.800 --> 0:00:35.919 Chicago Sky and producer Mish's Washington Mystics. So break out 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:38.000 your note, Pats. It's all coming up right after this 0:00:52.360 --> 0:00:54.920 Welcome back, Happy Monday. Before we get to the Sky 0:00:54.960 --> 0:00:56.880 and the Mystics, here's what you need to know today. 0:00:58.880 --> 0:01:01.560 Let's start with the end and the game. I told 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:03.800 y'all I was out in La to attend last week 0:01:04.080 --> 0:01:07.480 Angel City FC versus the Utah Royals, and let's talk 0:01:07.520 --> 0:01:11.160 about the good stuff. First, legendary forward Kristin Press scored 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:14.319 less than thirty seconds after subbing into the second half, 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:17.919 her first goal at home at Bemo Stadium since tearing 0:01:17.920 --> 0:01:20.920 her ACL in June twenty twenty two, and it was 0:01:20.959 --> 0:01:24.520 in absolute bete. She juked a defender in the box 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:26.640 and then put the perfect lefty touch on it to 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:29.720 curl it up and in over Royals keeper Mandy McGlynn. 0:01:30.240 --> 0:01:32.200 Angel City went on to win the game two nothing 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:34.800 thanks to a goal by Alyssa Thompson in the ninety 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:37.600 seventh minute, her fourth on the season that ties are 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:40.280 for third most in the league. The game, like most 0:01:40.319 --> 0:01:44.880 ACFC games, was an incredible game day experience full of celebs, 0:01:44.880 --> 0:01:48.280 including New Los Angeles resident Kelsey Plumb and her La 0:01:48.320 --> 0:01:52.120 Sparks teammate Deerica hamby John Lovett from the Crooked Media Pods, 0:01:52.160 --> 0:01:54.920 one of my favors, in particular Pod Save America, Friend 0:01:54.960 --> 0:01:58.320 of the Show, comedian Aaron Foley, team owner Lily Singh, 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:00.680 and Will Ferrell, who I got to chat with and 0:02:00.720 --> 0:02:03.360 thank for the very meaningful and very powerful doc Will 0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:06.480 and Harper. I also thanked him for as less meaningful 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:09.960 and less powerful but always entertaining Harry Carey impression. I'm 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:13.480 a Cubs fan, I couldn't resist. While ACFC got the win, 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:15.960 the final score was the last thing on most people's 0:02:15.960 --> 0:02:18.080 minds by the end of the game, because fans and 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:21.079 players alike were waiting for an update on ACFC defender 0:02:21.200 --> 0:02:24.200 Savvy King. She's a twenty year old defender second pick 0:02:24.200 --> 0:02:26.880 in the twenty twenty four NWSL draft by BFC, but 0:02:26.919 --> 0:02:29.480 she's been a starter all season after joining Angel City 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:32.040 in February. You may have seen this story, but in 0:02:32.080 --> 0:02:35.120 the seventy fourth minute of the game, Savvy King collapsed 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:37.640 on the field. Medical staff raced out to a ten 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:40.600 tour and immediately I saw them frantically waving their arms 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:43.840 to the sideline, and then I was terrified as I 0:02:43.880 --> 0:02:47.280 watched this one trainer sprint to the sideline to retrieve 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:49.960 what appeared to be an AED machine. This is the 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:53.480 defibrillator device that's used to revive someone who's experiencing sudden 0:02:53.520 --> 0:02:57.079 cardiac arrest. Now, King was surrounded by trainers the whole time, 0:02:57.120 --> 0:02:59.840 but at one point we could see one individual who 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:02.720 look like they were doing CPR and chess compressions on 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:05.840 her before she was ultimately taken off the field on 0:03:05.880 --> 0:03:08.520 a cart. Now, for the entire ten minutes that she 0:03:08.680 --> 0:03:11.880 was down, the crowd was completely silent, the players from 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:15.960 both teams were visibly emotional. It was really terrifying to 0:03:15.960 --> 0:03:19.880 witness this in person, and it immediately reminded me of 0:03:19.919 --> 0:03:23.560 those awful, awful minutes watching NFL player Damar Hamlin when 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:26.160 he was revived on the field in twenty twenty two. 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:28.079 If you remember, he suffered a blow to the chest 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:31.560 that caused cardiac arrest, and my mind immediately went there. 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:33.720 I was so glad to see her get put on 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:36.480 the cart, so glad to hear her taken to the hospital, 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:39.200 and the NWSL confirmed after the game that she was 0:03:39.200 --> 0:03:42.520 in stable condition at the hospital. Then they issued a 0:03:42.520 --> 0:03:45.520 statement on Saturday saying in part that she'll be undergoing 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:49.040 more evaluation and that quote league protocols were followed from 0:03:49.080 --> 0:03:52.280 both a medical and game operations perspective. We are grateful 0:03:52.320 --> 0:03:54.200 to the Angel City medical staff as well as to 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:58.240 local paramedics, who handled this difficult situation seamlessly. As always, 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:00.600 the NWSL will review and de term and if changes 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.320 to that protocol need to be made end quote yeah, 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:05.440 I mean shout out to the medics and the trainers 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:09.120 who acted in that moment with incredible speed and bravery 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:11.680 and potentially saved her life. I don't know that, we 0:04:11.720 --> 0:04:13.880 don't know exactly what happened, but it certainly seemed like 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.279 a very dire situation. After the game, some players and 0:04:17.320 --> 0:04:20.480 coaches questioned why the match was allowed to continue, and 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:25.120 Utah coach Jimmy Kunratz, who has undergone multiple heart surgeries himself, 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:28.560 said in his postgame press conference quote, in those moments, 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:30.560 I'm not sure if we should have continued the game. 0:04:30.839 --> 0:04:34.000 You're emotionally, not only them, but also our players were 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.560 just scared. That's not the right situation to be in. 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:38.839 But in the end we played on. That's the decision 0:04:38.920 --> 0:04:41.479 other people have taken, which is fine. It was a 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:44.600 really tough moment. End quote. We'll link to a story 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:46.680 from the Athletic in our show notes that dives into 0:04:46.760 --> 0:04:49.800 the decision to continue the game. In the meantime, we're 0:04:49.880 --> 0:04:51.800 sending all of our best to Savvy King and her 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:56.000 recovery to hockey. Game three of Minnesota Frost Toronto scepters 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:58.880 a high scoring affair in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with the 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:01.200 Frost grabbing this set seven five win and taking a 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:03.760 two games to one lead in the five game series. 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:06.640 Two goals apiece for michaela Cova and Brooke mcquig in 0:05:06.680 --> 0:05:10.120 the win for the defending Walter Cup champs. The Frost 0:05:10.160 --> 0:05:12.599 had evened the series with the Scepters on Friday Night, 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:15.359 winning five to three behind a monster night from Lee's deckline, 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:18.920 who had two goals and an assist. Polarizing Frost player Brita. 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:21.760 Curl Selemi was suspended for that Game two after an 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:24.080 illegal head check on Toronto's were not a fast in 0:05:24.120 --> 0:05:28.120 Game one. This was Carl Selem's third suspension of the season. 0:05:28.880 --> 0:05:33.240 Interesting note, so one of Carl Selemi's Frost teammates, Taylor Heisei, 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:38.120 liked a Jackson Jill's Instagram post announcing curl Sleme's suspension 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:42.840 very intriguing. Plenty of others have had thoughts on curl 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:46.320 Slemi being a repeat offender this season, including Alyssa Turner 0:05:46.360 --> 0:05:49.400 of the Icegarden dot Com, whose opinion column argues that 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:52.200 a one game suspension was not enough. We'll link to 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:54.440 that story in the show notes. We'll also link to 0:05:54.440 --> 0:05:57.680 the league's official explanation video of the punishment. We do 0:05:57.720 --> 0:06:01.000 really appreciate how transparent the PWHL are about these issues 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:03.800 to the other series, The Ottawa Charge up one game 0:06:03.839 --> 0:06:06.840 to none on the Montreal Victoire heading into Sunday's Game two, 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:10.839 which turned out to be the longest game in PWHL history, 0:06:11.120 --> 0:06:13.960 Catherine Dubois scoring at fifteen thirty three of the fourth 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:16.479 overtime to lift the Victoire to a three to two 0:06:16.480 --> 0:06:18.919 win and even the series at a game. Apiece and 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:23.480 Renee Deben made sixty two saves in the win for Montreal. 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:27.360 In fact, Roade Slice Dana Holtbert on Blue Sky quote 0:06:27.400 --> 0:06:29.880 the epic in Quebec took over five and a half 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:33.680 hours with four overtimes at Sarah, Spain. Please give a 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:36.359 good game to both Debn and Phillips, the goalies in 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:40.640 this game. End quote done. Good game, Debn, Good game, 0:06:40.680 --> 0:06:43.839 Gwyneth Phillips. The series shifts to Ottawa for the next 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:46.320 two games, with Game three tomorrow night at TD Place. 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:50.440 Speaking of hockey, Slice, Ava g reached out to ask 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:52.839 why the Athletic and the ESPN app don't have the 0:06:52.839 --> 0:06:56.359 PWHL on their scores tab. We've actually mentioned this before. 0:06:56.640 --> 0:06:59.080 ESPN claims adding new leagues to the app is far 0:06:59.120 --> 0:07:01.800 more complicated than one might think, but we are told 0:07:01.800 --> 0:07:05.240 to ask is in so maybe hopefully they're working on 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:07.880 it behind the scenes for next season. Also, the great 0:07:07.880 --> 0:07:10.720 Meg Linahan not just the host of the full Time podcast, 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:13.080 but also the women's sports lead at the Athletics, so 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:14.840 I reached out to her and she let me know 0:07:14.880 --> 0:07:17.520 they're pushing for it there too, but she doesn't think 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:21.480 the site's stats provider currently supports them. In the meantime, 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:24.160 Alex says you could check out an app called flash Score, 0:07:24.520 --> 0:07:30.280 which has scores for all of the leagues PWHL, WNBA, NWSL, PVF. 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:32.400 We'll link to it in our show notes. Thanks for 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:34.800 the question, Ava, and also shout out to your cute 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:38.360 pup Zuggie. To Volleyball News, the twenty twenty five Pro 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:43.720 Volleyball Federation season is over and the Orlando Valkyries are champions. 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:46.360 Orlando beat the India ig Nite three sets to one 0:07:46.360 --> 0:07:49.040 to secure the title and the one million dollars in 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:52.360 bonus money that came with it. Opposite hitter Britney Abercrombie 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:54.200 led the way with thirty one of her team seventy 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:56.880 points in those four sets. Also got to give a 0:07:56.960 --> 0:07:59.880 huge shout out to Abercrombie for being named opposite Hitter 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:04.520 of the Year and PVFMVP on Saturday before the final match, 0:08:04.800 --> 0:08:07.880 both honors well deserved, as Abercrombie set league records with 0:08:07.920 --> 0:08:10.600 four hundred and sixty two kills, forty three point six 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:13.560 kills per set, twelve hundred and eight attacks, and five 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:17.680 hundred three points Dominance to Hoops where the New York 0:08:17.760 --> 0:08:21.000 Liberty playned the WNBA's last preseason game tonight at Matthew 0:08:21.040 --> 0:08:23.920 Knight Arena on the University of Oregon campus. It'll be 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:27.480 a homecoming for former Ducks niar Aesabili and sabrinian Escu, 0:08:27.760 --> 0:08:30.200 who never really got to say a proper goodbye as 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:33.880 Nunescu's senior year was interrupted by COVID, no senior night, 0:08:34.080 --> 0:08:37.640 no ncaattorney. So when New York takes on the Toyota 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:41.040 Antelopes of the Women's Japan Basketball League tonight, it will 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:43.600 be a chance for the Oregon Faithful to finally give 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:47.200 Sabrina her flowers for an incredible career with the Ducks. 0:08:47.480 --> 0:08:49.480 And she hooked them up too, because she brought her 0:08:49.480 --> 0:08:53.120 Liberty squad to Rennie's Landing a bar on campus on 0:08:53.240 --> 0:08:56.080 Saturday night, buying fans beer and hanging out in advance 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:58.640 of tonight's game. Pretty cool. You can catch that one 0:08:58.679 --> 0:09:01.960 live at seven pm Eastern tonight on WNBA League Pass 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:06.160 for zero dollars and zero cents. More hoops and more 0:09:06.240 --> 0:09:10.560 heartbreaking WNBA cuts Ole miss guard forward Madison Scott, drafted 0:09:10.640 --> 0:09:14.000 number fourteen overall by the Dallas Wings, has been waved. 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:17.000 Also last week, the Indiana Fever waved the number twenty 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:20.720 overall pick Bree Haul out of South Carolina. Finally in 0:09:20.720 --> 0:09:26.360 hoops more Chicago baby news A baby vander Quiggs. Chicago's 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:29.720 Sky supercuple Courtney vander Slute and Ali Quigley announced the 0:09:29.800 --> 0:09:33.120 arrival of their little girl, Jana Christine vander Slute Quiggly, 0:09:33.400 --> 0:09:36.280 born on April eighth. Vander Slute returned to the Sky 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:38.880 this season after two seasons with the Liberty, including winning 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:41.360 a title with them last year, and Quigley played for 0:09:41.360 --> 0:09:44.000 the Sky from twenty thirteen to twenty twenty two. One 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.959 of my favorite sports moments ever was watching vander Slute 0:09:48.000 --> 0:09:50.880 absolutely lose her mind cheering for Quigley in her final 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:53.680 All Star three point contest in Chicago over All Star Week, 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:55.680 and a couple of years ago, it was her record 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:59.920 fourth three point contest win, and just watching Courtney go 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:03.559 was so fun. The sweetest couple. We're so happy for them. 0:10:04.200 --> 0:10:07.360 To the Diamond, where college softball conference championships took place 0:10:07.360 --> 0:10:11.520 over the weekend, including an unprecedented double champ So bad 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:15.040 weather in Athens, Georgia resulted in the cancellation of Saturday's 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:18.800 SEC Softball Championship game between Oklahoma and Texas A and M. 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:21.880 And because it was deemed a no contest, the Sooners 0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:24.840 and Aggies are co champions of the twenty twenty five 0:10:24.960 --> 0:10:28.160 SEC Softball Tournament, first time they've been co champions since 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:30.839 it began in nineteen ninety seven. Sunday night, the live 0:10:30.920 --> 0:10:33.960 NCAA Tournament selection show took place on ESPN two, and 0:10:34.000 --> 0:10:37.240 the sixty fourteen field is set for the first time 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.640 in program history. Texas A and M was named the 0:10:39.720 --> 0:10:44.040 number one overall seed in the twenty twenty five NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma, 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:47.480 winners of the last four College World Series, are right 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:50.520 behind them at number two. In fact, the SEC bost 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:53.200 seven of the top eight national seeds for the tournament. 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:56.920 Fourteen of the league's fifteen teams made the Ncuba tournament, 0:10:57.200 --> 0:10:59.839 with only Missouri getting left out. We'll share a link 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:02.240 to the sixty fourteen field and the schedule in our 0:11:02.240 --> 0:11:06.880 show notes. Want to send out a quick shout out 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:09.920 to the boss Lady Laura Correnti, founder of Deep Blue 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:13.040 Sports and Entertainment, who announced she's expecting a baby with 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:16.640 her husband this November. Kingratz goes out to Laura, We're 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:18.800 gonna take a quick break when we come back. How's 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:22.800 my Chicago Sky looking entering the twenty twenty five WNBA season. 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:25.840 We'll discuss the deets you need to know stick around 0:11:34.480 --> 0:11:37.480 Welcome back Splices. The first of today's pair of previews 0:11:37.559 --> 0:11:41.200 is my hometown squad, the Chicago Sky, who finished with 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:44.679 a thirteen and twenty seven record last season, losing Angelries 0:11:44.720 --> 0:11:47.280 to injury in early September and missing the playoffs for 0:11:47.320 --> 0:11:50.480 the first time since twenty eighteen. Here's your need to 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:53.439 know Sky history. Founded in two thousand and five, the 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:55.880 team played its first season in two thousand and six. 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:59.000 They've made the finals twice, losing to the Phoenix Mercury 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:01.959 in twenty fourteen and beating the Phoenix Mercury in twenty 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:05.079 twenty one to capture their first and only title. Great 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:09.880 players in Sky history are plenty, including Candace Dupre, Sylvia Fowls, 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:14.720 Christy Tolliver, Epiphany Prince, Tischa Pennicero, Ruth Riley, Swin Cash, 0:12:14.760 --> 0:12:19.000 Elena Deladon, and Candace Parker. Colia Copper, who's still active 0:12:19.000 --> 0:12:21.800 in now playing with the Mercury, was Finals MVP when 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:25.000 the Sky won that title. Twenty twenty five tagline for 0:12:25.040 --> 0:12:28.400 the team, the Sky's the Limit. Let's talk additions and 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:31.640 losses for this team. They lost Marina Maybury via trade 0:12:31.640 --> 0:12:34.480 midway through last season, and she was responsible for forty 0:12:34.480 --> 0:12:37.199 six percent of their three point attempts before the trade. 0:12:37.240 --> 0:12:40.000 They also sent another sharpshooter, Dana Evans, to the Las 0:12:40.120 --> 0:12:42.640 Vegas Aces and assign and trade over the off season, 0:12:43.000 --> 0:12:45.200 and they chose not to re sign last year's leading 0:12:45.200 --> 0:12:49.080 scorer Kennedy Carter. They did add quite a few contributors, though, 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:53.000 including bringing back two time WNBA champion, five time All Star, 0:12:53.280 --> 0:12:56.680 and seven time WNBA assists leader Courtney Van der Slut, 0:12:56.960 --> 0:12:59.680 who spent the first twelve seasons of her career in Chicago. 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:02.440 They also added former All Star Kia Nurse and free 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:06.080 agency as well. Making the Sky Nurses fifth WNBA team. 0:13:06.280 --> 0:13:09.480 She most recently played with the Sparks last season. The 0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:12.960 Sky acquired WNBA champion and two time All Star Ariel Atkins, 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:16.640 the Washington Mystics leading scorer last season, via trade, same 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:19.920 with three point threat Rebecca Allen acquired from Connecticut. They 0:13:19.960 --> 0:13:22.480 also made a change at coach, hiring new head coach 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:26.000 Tyler Marsh in November after beloved former Hall of Fame 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:29.800 player Teresa Weatherspoon effectually known as t Spoon, was fired 0:13:29.840 --> 0:13:32.800 after just one season at the Helm. Marsh spent ten 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:35.000 years coaching on the men's side before joining the Las 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:38.120 Vegas Aces for the last three seasons as an assistant, 0:13:38.360 --> 0:13:40.760 helping them to titles in twenty twenty two and twenty 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.880 twenty three. Marsh has also hired former Atlanta Dream head 0:13:43.880 --> 0:13:46.520 coach Tanisha Wright as an assistant coach. Wright was let 0:13:46.600 --> 0:13:48.320 go by the Dream at the end of last season. 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:51.079 Some notable draft picks for the Sky this year include 0:13:51.080 --> 0:13:54.400 TCU standout Hayley van Litt at number eleven and Notre 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:58.319 Dames Matty Westbelt at sixteen. The team also took Slovenian 0:13:58.360 --> 0:14:01.560 player Aisha Sievka tenth overall, but the nineteen year old 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:04.120 doesn't look like she'll come to the WNBA this season. 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:07.000 As for the stars on this team, a few shining 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:10.040 stars alongside the quiet veteran Van der Slute, who's not 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:13.280 just a fan favorite but also a legendary dime dealer. 0:14:13.600 --> 0:14:16.240 Only eight times has the player averaged at least eight 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:19.280 assists per game in WNBA history, and she accounts for 0:14:19.440 --> 0:14:23.080 six of those eight. She's quiet, though she does her 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:26.160 work on the court. The biggest star not so quiet, 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.280 Angel Reese, the seventh overall pick in the twenty twenty 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:32.720 four draft. Reese is already a mini mogul after leading 0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:35.560 LSU to its first ever national championship in twenty twenty 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:38.920 three and averaging the most rebounds per game in SEC 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:41.720 history her senior year. She entered the w with a 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:45.080 question mark next to her name. Would her game translate? 0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:48.800 And she answered with a resounding yes. We'll get to 0:14:48.880 --> 0:14:51.440 the records that she broke in a minute. She did 0:14:51.480 --> 0:14:53.560 so in style, too, though, as one of the most 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:56.880 popular players in the league, attending met galas, hosting her 0:14:56.920 --> 0:15:00.000 own podcast, and hawking a ton of products from Reese's 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:04.080 pieces to McDonald's Kamilla Cardoso, also a star. A highly 0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:06.400 touted rookie in last year's draft, she was selected third 0:15:06.440 --> 0:15:09.120 overall by the Sky out of South Carolina. She missed 0:15:09.160 --> 0:15:11.080 the first six games of last season with the shoulder 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:13.200 injury and the last two games of the season as well, 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:16.480 but this year hoping for an injury free campaign. Her 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:19.640 game translated extremely well last season, in part thanks to 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:22.000 the preparation she did with the game Cocks in three 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.760 years of her college hoops under Don Staley and how 0:15:24.840 --> 0:15:27.080 battle tested she was. She was a big reason the 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:30.240 game Cocks won NCAA titles in twenty twenty two and 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.160 twenty twenty four. So what are the stakes for this 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:35.680 team after missing the postseason last year? Due to the 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.720 talent on this squad, I wouldn't be surprised if fans 0:15:38.800 --> 0:15:41.680 think a championship is attainable this year. As for me, 0:15:42.400 --> 0:15:43.640 I think a lot of things would have to go 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:45.080 right for them to compete with the likes of the 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.080 Liberty and the Lynx. This team's got new pieces that'll 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:50.440 need some time to mesh, and they need to adjust 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:52.760 to what expects to be a very different approach under 0:15:52.800 --> 0:15:55.880 new head coach Marsh playoffs are a goal, but I 0:15:55.880 --> 0:15:58.600 don't think they're ready to win it all. Let's talk stats, 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.160 because a couple of Sky players filled up the box 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.240 score last year, but the team has some pretty big 0:16:04.280 --> 0:16:08.120 statistical holes to fill. First, the good Angel Rees set 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.320 a new WNBA record for consecutive double doubles, notching one 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:14.720 in fifteen straight games and finishing with twenty six on 0:16:14.800 --> 0:16:17.840 the season, the most ever by a rookie. She also 0:16:17.880 --> 0:16:20.640 averaged a league record thirteen point one rebounds per game 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:23.440 and broke the league's single season rebounding record with four 0:16:23.520 --> 0:16:25.920 hundred and forty six rebounds before missing the end of 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:28.320 the season to injury and getting passed by the Aces 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:32.360 Asia Wilson. Despite missing early games to injury, Reese's classmate, 0:16:32.400 --> 0:16:34.920 Cardoso still came close to averaging a double double in 0:16:34.920 --> 0:16:37.560 twenty twenty four. Her nine point eight points were third 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:40.440 most among rookies and seven point nine rebounds per game 0:16:40.440 --> 0:16:44.960 were second among newcomers, behind only Reese. Also, per her Hoopstats, 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:47.160 Cardoso was one of just nine players in the league 0:16:47.240 --> 0:16:49.720 last year who averaged at least nine points per game 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:52.680 and seven rebounds per game while shooting at least fifty 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:56.240 percent on field goal attempts. Now, remember that good shooting, 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.760 because here comes the bad. The Sky attempted a league 0:16:59.800 --> 0:17:02.480 low fourteen point nine threes per game last season and 0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:06.399 averaged only four point eight. Makes the next closest team, 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:09.680 the Connecticut Sun, took at least eighteen threes per game, 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:13.200 and the league leading Liberty boasted twenty nine attempts per game, 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:16.879 draining ten plus per game. Now, the additions of Nurse 0:17:16.920 --> 0:17:19.560 Alan and Atkins should help them improve beyond the arc, 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:22.240 where new coach Marsh has given them the green light 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:26.200 to quote let it fly. Their issues weren't just from 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:29.560 deep though the team ranked eleventh in field goal percentage, 0:17:29.680 --> 0:17:33.160 twelfth in restricted area field goal percentage, and dead last 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:36.480 in free throw percentage. Their dominance on the offensive boards 0:17:36.560 --> 0:17:39.439 gave them second and third chances, but they need to 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:41.720 tighten things up when it comes to their shooting. Now. 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:43.800 I know what some of you are thinking, are all 0:17:43.840 --> 0:17:47.320 those numbers due to Angel Reese struggling to finish inside? No, 0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:51.400 but that's certainly part of it. Reese committed to working 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:53.879 on her layups over the offseason, working with Lisa Leslie 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:56.600 Wilett unrivaled, and she should also benefit from a much 0:17:56.600 --> 0:18:01.000 better offense, hopefully less clogged, less predictable, less dependent on 0:18:01.119 --> 0:18:04.520 her to make things happen inside since defenders will hopefully 0:18:04.560 --> 0:18:07.560 need to respect the perimeter guards this year. Now, with 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:10.080 Angel Reese on your squad, you're never short of stories. 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:14.679 Beyond the constant media battles debating Angel versus Caitlin, Beyond 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:17.560 the content creation and headline generating she did with her 0:18:17.600 --> 0:18:21.639 podcast and her endorsements. Beyond the nearly five million followers 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:26.080 on Instagram alone, Angel also sold tickets and put butts 0:18:26.119 --> 0:18:28.840 in seats. Last year, Producer Misch went to the Washington 0:18:28.840 --> 0:18:31.800 Mystic Chicago Sky game. They got moved to Capitol One Arena, 0:18:32.040 --> 0:18:35.080 a twenty thousand plus seat venue, and when Reese was 0:18:35.119 --> 0:18:39.119 announced in the starting lineup, the screams were deafening. Cardoso 0:18:39.160 --> 0:18:40.800 came off the bench in that game and during the 0:18:40.840 --> 0:18:43.680 dead ball she got more of the same. Both players 0:18:43.680 --> 0:18:46.640 carried over huge fan bases from college, and that makes 0:18:46.640 --> 0:18:49.800 sense considering the national championships they each brought to their schools. 0:18:50.119 --> 0:18:52.560 You also got van der Slute returning not only to 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:54.720 a team that she won a championship with, but a 0:18:54.720 --> 0:18:56.920 team that she used to plan with her wife, who 0:18:56.960 --> 0:18:59.440 I mentioned earlier in the show, Ali Quigley, who was 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:03.440 a knocked down three point shooter. Now Quigley has sat 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:06.840 out the last two WNBA seasons, and as I mentioned, 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:09.560 they've got a new baby to care for. But for 0:19:09.680 --> 0:19:13.760 my hoops and gay shit lovers, she's technically not officially retired, 0:19:14.320 --> 0:19:17.040 so you'd never know. Fun fact about the Sky. They 0:19:17.119 --> 0:19:20.360 finally dumped their lay mass excuse for a mascot, Sky Guy, 0:19:20.440 --> 0:19:23.879 near the end of last season, and introduced Sky the Lioness, 0:19:24.240 --> 0:19:27.000 sort of an Ellie the Elephant disciple. She was built 0:19:27.000 --> 0:19:30.600 by the same mascot designer now. Naming her Sky with 0:19:30.640 --> 0:19:32.560 an E at the end, which makes it tough to 0:19:32.600 --> 0:19:35.080 distinguish when you're talking whether you're talking about the team 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:39.520 or the mascot was a choice. Also, no one knows 0:19:39.520 --> 0:19:42.159 why her head is yellow and her body is blue. 0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:46.199 But whatever, Literally, anything is better than Sky Guy, and 0:19:46.240 --> 0:19:48.119 I'm going to give Sky the Lioness a year or 0:19:48.119 --> 0:19:50.920 so to really get into her groove. All right, me, 0:19:51.160 --> 0:19:53.760 I know you're sitting in the airport waiting to fly home, 0:19:53.840 --> 0:19:54.960 But what did I miss? 0:19:55.560 --> 0:19:58.560 I don't want to get you too excited, Okay, but 0:19:58.680 --> 0:20:00.840 I think that the sky might be problem this year. 0:20:01.040 --> 0:20:04.280 They've got just I know, yeah, I know it hurts 0:20:04.280 --> 0:20:06.160 me to say this to you, but they've got an 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:10.720 excellent mix of that rookie sophomore fresh energy and vets 0:20:10.720 --> 0:20:13.080 who've been there and done that in different situations. So 0:20:13.119 --> 0:20:15.800 there's just no doubt in my mind that they're gonna 0:20:15.840 --> 0:20:18.480 come out strong this season. I think angel Rees Camillacardos 0:20:18.520 --> 0:20:21.280 so obviously are gonna step their game up on both ends. 0:20:21.520 --> 0:20:24.800 But then you add Courtney Vanderslut's ability to orchestrate her 0:20:24.920 --> 0:20:28.360 championship experience to the mix. You've got Elizabeth Williams, She's 0:20:28.359 --> 0:20:31.520 a steady interior presence, then Rebecca Allen who can shoot 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:36.359 that thing, defensive lockdown capabilities, and then Ariel Atkins the 0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:40.520 same great perimeter defender, also a playmaker, also can shoot it. 0:20:40.840 --> 0:20:43.919 Rachel Banham can shoot, Hayley Ben Like, there's just up 0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:46.080 and down the roster. You got folks who can play 0:20:46.080 --> 0:20:49.119 the hell out of their roles. But I'm interested to 0:20:49.119 --> 0:20:50.760 see who the go to is gonna be on this 0:20:50.800 --> 0:20:53.439 squad though, because there isn't a Kennedy Carter esque player 0:20:53.600 --> 0:20:55.480 who can get them a bucket at will in my 0:20:55.560 --> 0:20:59.400 humble opinion, but on the flip, that might not matter 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:02.040 as much as it could on other squads because defensively, 0:21:02.680 --> 0:21:05.160 long story short, for this guy, they're going to be 0:21:05.240 --> 0:21:06.480 really really hard to score on. 0:21:06.840 --> 0:21:09.320