WEBVTT - Free Agency Feels with Khristina Williams 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:03.040 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're talking 0:00:03.080 --> 0:00:06.480 three hundred days of sunshine, two hundred parks, one hundred 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:08.760 and fifty breweries, and a lot of ways to get 0:00:08.840 --> 0:00:12.920 high in those nearby mountains. Of course, we're already planning 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:15.880 our trip to see the newest NWSL team in Denver. 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:18.960 It's Friday, January thirty first, and on today's show, we'll 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:22.240 be talking with Christina Williams, women's basketball insider and host 0:00:22.320 --> 0:00:24.680 of In Case you missed It, With Christina Williams right 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:27.680 here at Iheartwomen's Sports, we'll talk about the chaos that 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:31.280 is WNBA free agency, get her takes on the biggest moves, 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:34.520 and her prediction for the next big free agent to sign. Plus, 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:38.160 the tempo is speeding up, the TEMVP is staying in Kansas, 0:00:38.320 --> 0:00:40.559 and my city gets a good one back. It's all 0:00:40.600 --> 0:00:55.160 coming up right after this Happy Friday slices. Here's what 0:00:55.200 --> 0:01:00.600 you need to know today in WNBA news, Courtney Vat 0:01:00.680 --> 0:01:03.400 maybe headed back to the place her pro career started. 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:06.600 Sources tell the Chicago Sun Times Danny Costable that the 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:09.600 fourteen year vet is poised to rejoin the Chicago Sky 0:01:09.920 --> 0:01:12.000 after she helped the New York Liberty to the franchise's 0:01:12.040 --> 0:01:15.679 first WNBA championship last season. Now, no deal can officially 0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:18.319 be signed till tomorrow, but Vandersuit has already changed her 0:01:18.560 --> 0:01:22.160 very brief Instagram bio to read Chicago Sky. The five 0:01:22.240 --> 0:01:24.480 time All Star was drafted third overall by Chicago in 0:01:24.480 --> 0:01:27.760 twenty eleven. She played her first twelve seasons here in 0:01:27.800 --> 0:01:30.200 My City and help lead the franchise to its first 0:01:30.280 --> 0:01:33.560 WNBA title in twenty twenty one, alongside Candice Parker and 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:36.920 Kalia Copper. But you might know neither of those two 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:39.679 gals are still in Chicago. The roster she's joining is 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:42.000 entirely different from the one she last played with in 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:44.520 Chicago in twenty twenty two. There's a new GM, a 0:01:44.560 --> 0:01:47.560 new head coach, and some young, hungry post players like 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:50.680 Angel Reese and Camila Cardoso who do stand to benefit 0:01:50.680 --> 0:01:52.800 from the play of a strong veteran point guard. 0:01:52.920 --> 0:01:54.720 So this is a very intriguing move. 0:01:55.120 --> 0:01:57.520 Plus who knows, maybe we'll have a sighting of Court's 0:01:57.600 --> 0:02:01.360 wifey and three point assassin Ali Quid. Feels like she 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:03.280 straight up irish Goodbye. 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:05.040 The league, but you never know. More. 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:08.280 WNBA News the Toronto Tempo expansion team, set to begin 0:02:08.360 --> 0:02:11.240 play in twenty twenty six, has hired Monica Wright Rogers 0:02:11.280 --> 0:02:13.840 as its first ever general manager. Rogers has been the 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:17.160 Phoenix Mercury's assistant GM since January of twenty twenty three, 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:19.680 and prior to that, she held various coaching and staff 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:21.920 roles at the women's college level as well as in 0:02:21.919 --> 0:02:23.600 the MNBA League office. 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:25.040 Rogers was also a two. 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:27.160 Time champ with the Minnesota Links during her playing career, 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:31.520 playing seven seasons total, and most importantly, she's a legend 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.360 out of Forest Park High School in Prince William County, Virginia, 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:36.840 the very same county where meche Cross people up in 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:40.560 high school ball. More WNBA news, a Nashville group is 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:42.920 putting in a bid for a WNBA team with a 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:46.240 name that's tough to top. The chairman of the NHL's 0:02:46.320 --> 0:02:48.840 Nashville Predators and his wife have teamed up with a 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:52.000 celeb filled investor group including Kandas Parker, Hall of Fame 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:55.440 QB Peyton Manning and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill to 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:57.560 pitch for a franchise that would start playing in twenty 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:01.560 twenty eight and be named the Tennessee's Summit in honor 0:03:01.600 --> 0:03:05.000 of the late Pat Summit. Y'all, that's so good and 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:07.239 I will take any excuse to get down to Nashville, 0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:09.079 So go ahead and put that one through. W We're 0:03:09.080 --> 0:03:12.920 all in to softball and Athletes Unlimited where. The draft 0:03:12.919 --> 0:03:16.880 for the inaugural AU Softball League AKAAUSL took place on 0:03:16.919 --> 0:03:21.520 Wednesday night. The Bandits, Blaze, Talents, and Volts all filled 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:24.000 their first twelve roster spots and in the next few 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:25.960 months will round out their teams with one free agent 0:03:26.040 --> 0:03:28.440 signing and three picks from the AU College Draft in 0:03:28.480 --> 0:03:31.519 the spring. The first round of this draft was all pitchers. 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:35.840 The Bandits selected Lexi Kilfoil first overall, then the Blaze 0:03:35.840 --> 0:03:39.440 picked Carly Hoover, the Talents took Megan Ferremo, and the 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:42.560 Volts completed the round with Rachel Garcia. We'll link to 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:46.160 the full draft results in our show notes. And one 0:03:46.160 --> 0:03:48.160 of the folks drafted to play in the upcoming season 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:50.280 is utility player Maya Brady. 0:03:50.480 --> 0:03:51.480 Recognize that name. 0:03:51.920 --> 0:03:54.360 The Talents took her nineteenth overall in the fifth round 0:03:54.400 --> 0:03:57.000 of the draft. Brady's a lefty hitter and a menace 0:03:57.120 --> 0:03:59.839 at bat coming in with both skill and star power 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:01.680 behind her name. The twenty three year olds a two 0:04:01.680 --> 0:04:04.000 time first team All American and PAC twelve Player of 0:04:04.040 --> 0:04:06.400 the Year and ranks second all time in home runs, 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:10.320 runs betted, in total bases, and slugging percentage at UCLA, 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:14.200 one of college softball's most consistently excellent programs, and she 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:17.400 also happens to be the niece of NFL quarterback Tom 0:04:17.440 --> 0:04:19.800 Brady and former Major League Baseball All. 0:04:19.640 --> 0:04:20.920 Star Kevin Euclis. 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:24.599 On to pro soccer, the NWSL has officially awarded Denver 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:27.680 its sixteenth franchise. The club will begin play in twenty 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:31.040 twenty six. This is big news for Denver women's sports fans, 0:04:31.240 --> 0:04:35.080 as the Colorado Explosion of the American Basketball Association, who 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:37.240 played from ninety six to ninety eight, has been the 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.200 only professional women's sports team to previously call Colorado home. 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:43.440 The league chose Denver as its next expansion side partially 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:46.960 due to the grassroots movement for Denver FC, a community 0:04:46.960 --> 0:04:49.520 initiative that's been involved since the early stages of Denver's 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:52.120 pursuit of a pro women's soccer team, and of course, 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:54.160 the one hundred and ten million dollar expansion fee that 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:56.720 Denver was willing to play probably helped too that for 0:04:56.960 --> 0:04:59.400 Denver FC group was instrumental in getting members of the 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:02.320 ownership group involved, like Rob Cohen, the chairman and CEO 0:05:02.440 --> 0:05:05.479 of IMA Financial Group. Cohen's also a founding member of 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.800 the US Olympic and Paralympic Foundation and has been involved in. 0:05:08.720 --> 0:05:10.280 Denver sports for thirty years. 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:12.760 His Denver Sports Commission has helped bring events like the 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:15.800 Women's Final Four, Men's hockey Frozen Four, and various pro 0:05:15.880 --> 0:05:17.640 All Star games to the Denver area. 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:19.920 But this will be his first time owning a team. 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:22.120 He's got high hopes for the franchise. 0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:24.719 In the league's release, he said, quote, we believe that 0:05:24.760 --> 0:05:28.520 bringing NWSL to Denver will be impactful and transformative. Our 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.039 goal is to work closely with Denver's diverse communities to 0:05:31.040 --> 0:05:33.440 build a club that will operate with integrity and excellence 0:05:33.440 --> 0:05:35.680 from day one. We look forward to collaborating with our 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:39.200 community to make Denver NWSL an inclusive and special club 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:41.000 that all of Colorado. 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.120 Can rally behind. End quote. 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:44.679 The club plans to build a new stadium and training 0:05:44.720 --> 0:05:47.360 facility for the team. Also worth noting that in the 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:51.480 press conference announcing the Denver expansion team, NWSL Commissioner Jessica 0:05:51.520 --> 0:05:55.240 Berman hinted that way more NWSL expansion could be on 0:05:55.320 --> 0:05:58.160 the way. Quote the men's leagues that are in and 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:01.320 around thirty teams, we see no reason we can't be 0:06:01.400 --> 0:06:04.680 that size end quote, which you know, I have a 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:07.320 couple questions about that, but we'll save them for another time. 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:11.760 More ONWSL twenty twenty four. NWSL MVP tem Wa Chiwenga 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:14.119 agreed to a three year contract extension with the Kansas 0:06:14.160 --> 0:06:17.600 City Current this week. Stellar news for KC because Chiwenga 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.240 lit up the league in her first NWSL season and 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:23.000 scored twenty one goals, becoming the first player in league 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:25.720 history to eclipse twenty in a season and winning her 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:28.720 the Golden Boot. She also set a record streak of 0:06:28.760 --> 0:06:30.680 eight straight matches with a goal and put one in 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:33.680 the back of the net against all thirteen NWSL teams 0:06:33.680 --> 0:06:37.239 in the regular season. Per a team press release, Tweinga said, quote, 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:39.200 this year, we hope to bring the trophy home for 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:41.680 the fans for KC. My team has been good to 0:06:41.720 --> 0:06:43.719 me and they treated me well last season. My teammates 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:46.120 are kind, my coach is amazing and my KC community 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:47.880 has been incredible all the support. 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:49.080 It feels like home here. 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.359 That's why I decided to extend my contract with the 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:55.480 KC current end quote. Even more ONWSL, sisters Alyssa and 0:06:55.520 --> 0:06:58.320 Giselle Thompson have both agreed to contract extensions with Angel 0:06:58.400 --> 0:07:01.920 City FC through twenty twenty. Forward Alyssa signed a three 0:07:02.000 --> 0:07:04.800 year extension, while defender Giselle agreed to a two year deal. 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:07.520 Alyssa's are thirteen caps for the US women's national team 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:10.160 and was recently called up to the January national team camp. 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:13.720 More soccer movement and signings. Per Tom Gary of The Guardian, 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:15.800 Crystal Dunn is expected to have a physical with the 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:18.720 French club Paris cen Jerman later this week. That news 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:20.800 coming on the heels of the announcement that she's parting 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:24.600 ways with Gotham. Also, Brazilian player Adriana is on the 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:27.160 move after the Orlando Pride announced that it's transferred her 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:29.560 to the Saudi Women's Premier League for a transfer feed 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:31.960 that is among the top three in NWSL history. 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:33.960 Now I didn't know that Saudi. 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:36.760 Arabia had of women's Premier League, and now I have 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:39.440 a few more questions that we'll also wait for another 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:42.400 time to college Vibes, where it's the end of an era. 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:45.920 On Wednesday, Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook announced he's retiring. 0:07:46.200 --> 0:07:48.800 During his twenty five seasons with the Cornhuskers, he led 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:51.080 the team to four NCAA titles and a total of 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:54.680 twelve Final Four appearances. Cook also helped Nebraska elevate the 0:07:54.680 --> 0:07:57.360 profile of women's volleyball. The team has sold out three 0:07:57.400 --> 0:08:00.960 hundred and thirty seven consecutive regular season home matches. That's 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:03.800 a streak dating back to two thousand and one. Last year, 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:06.360 the team set the women's sports record for biggest confirmed 0:08:06.400 --> 0:08:09.560 attendance when ninety two thousand and three fans attended an 0:08:09.560 --> 0:08:12.920 outdoor match between Nebraska and Omaha. Former Nebraska player and 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:15.560 assistant coach Danny bus Boom Kelly, who's been the head 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:17.840 coach at Louisville for the last eight seasons, is set 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:19.600 to take over the Nebraska program. 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:22.280 We got a lot of Caitlin Clark news this week. 0:08:22.320 --> 0:08:25.160 First ahead of her jersey retirement ceremony this weekend at Iowa. 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:28.040 Clark and her foundation are given twenty two thousand dollars 0:08:28.080 --> 0:08:31.240 a piece to four Iowa organizations, the University of Iowa 0:08:31.360 --> 0:08:35.160 Children's Hospital, Coralville Community Food Pantry, Boys and Girls Club 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:38.280 of the Corridor, and the East Central Region of Special 0:08:38.320 --> 0:08:41.480 Olympics Iowa. In a statement about the donations, Clark said 0:08:41.480 --> 0:08:44.080 it's important for her to be connected with the Iowa community. 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:46.800 Quote one of my favorite things about Iowa City is 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:49.440 the way the community is connected and how everyone supports 0:08:49.480 --> 0:08:52.080 each other end quote. Look At ahead to next month, 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:54.720 there was some speculation that Clark might participate in the 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:58.360 three point contest at MNBA All Star, just like Sabrina 0:08:58.360 --> 0:09:00.960 and Escu did last year, competing against Steph Curry, but 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:03.560 Clark's representatives put an end to those rumors this week, 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:06.520 telling ESPN that Clark wants her first three point contest 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.360 to come at the WNBA All Star Weekend in Indianapolis 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:09.880 this summer. 0:09:10.280 --> 0:09:13.240 While Clark is out, it is still possible that Yenescu 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:13.760 will be in. 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:16.440 She told the Associated Press this month that she'll be 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:19.120 at the MNBA All Star Weekend, but declined to say 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:21.239 whether she'll be taking part in any of the activities 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:23.400 now worth noting that Ynescu is one of the six 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:26.520 players not competing in the Unrivaled one on one tournament, 0:09:26.840 --> 0:09:29.640 which is the same weekend as MNBA All Star. You 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:31.679 figure she wouldn't want to miss it unless she had 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:32.360 a good reason. 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:33.840 Keep you updated on that. 0:09:34.640 --> 0:09:38.040 Finally, one last piece of Caitlin Clark news. The Fever 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:40.959 announced that they'll play a pre season exhibition game against 0:09:41.000 --> 0:09:44.280 the Brazilian national team at iowa's Carver Hawkeye Arena on 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:46.840 May fourth, So Clark will be back playing in the 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:49.280 arena that saw so many of her magical college moments. 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:53.160 Very cool to unrivaled basketball. We've got action tonight at 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:56.320 seven to fifteen pm Eastern Meish's ROSEBC takes on My 0:09:56.559 --> 0:09:59.800 Phantom BC, with both squads looking for win number two 0:09:59.840 --> 0:10:02.600 of the season. Then it's the battle of the unbeatens 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:06.400 Lunar owls BC and Lace's BC playing at a fifteen 0:10:06.480 --> 0:10:09.240 Eastern or whenever the first game ends. You can catch 0:10:09.280 --> 0:10:12.760 both those games on TNT. Finally, Hockey News. The top 0:10:12.800 --> 0:10:15.320 fifteen college hockey teams in the country all hit the 0:10:15.360 --> 0:10:18.720 ice tonight, headlined by number one Wisconsin facing number six 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:22.840 Minnesota Duluth and number two Ohio State playing number three Minnesota. 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.240 Both of those get started at seven pm Eastern, and 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:27.360 we'll link to tonight's full schedule of games in our 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:27.960 show notes. 0:10:28.480 --> 0:10:29.600 Also shout out to the. 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:32.880 Sixth rank Cornell squad, who just claimed its seventeenth Ivy 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:37.800 League title LGR Plenty of p WHL action this weekend, 0:10:37.800 --> 0:10:40.400 including the league best Montreal Victoire visiting the New York 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:44.560 Sirens on Sunday. Victoire Superstarbarrifeleet Poulan just netted a hat 0:10:44.559 --> 0:10:47.840 trick against Ottawa on Wednesday. She's the first p WHL 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:50.560 player in history to score two hat tricks. We'll put 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:56.000 the PWHL schedule in our show notes. We got to 0:10:56.040 --> 0:10:57.839 take a quick break when we come back. We caught 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:00.280 up with Christina Williams yesterday to help us make of 0:11:00.320 --> 0:11:11.480 a wild WNBA free agency window, joining us now the 0:11:11.520 --> 0:11:13.360 host of in Case you missed it right here on 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:17.480 Iheartwomen's Sports Network, a WNBA Insider, Women's hoops newsbreaker and 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:20.440 take Maker, and twenty twenty one Forbes thirty Under thirty 0:11:20.440 --> 0:11:23.160 Sports honoree. She's done work for athletes unlimited, sn y 0:11:23.320 --> 0:11:26.640 MSG Networks and founded had launched Girls Talk Sports TV. 0:11:26.800 --> 0:11:29.120 She loves a thigh high boot and a big furry jacket. 0:11:29.160 --> 0:11:31.200 It's Christina Williams. What's up, Christina. 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:33.600 Hey, Sarah's good to be back and I love that. 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:37.480 I do love a good furco in THI So, I mean. 0:11:37.360 --> 0:11:39.200 That's clear from your insta. 0:11:39.800 --> 0:11:42.840 So much to talk about as this wild WNBA free 0:11:42.880 --> 0:11:45.280 agency stretch rolls on, I want to start by getting 0:11:45.280 --> 0:11:47.080 your reaction to the moves that have already been made 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:48.920 before we look at how they might affect some of 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:50.520 the big names that are still out there. 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:53.920 So, Britney Griner to the Atlanta Dream eleven years her 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:56.240 whole career in Phoenix, why do you think now was 0:11:56.280 --> 0:11:58.000 the time that she wanted to test free agency? 0:11:58.480 --> 0:12:02.040 I think that this move definitely maybe signals whether or 0:12:02.040 --> 0:12:05.960 not Diana Tarazzi plans on retiring after twenty plus seasons 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:08.440 with the Phoenix Mercury. I think that it could be 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:10.800 an end of an era for the Phoenix Mercury. So 0:12:10.800 --> 0:12:13.079 I think that now is the perfect time for a 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:16.240 player like Britney Brinder to go out and explore something different. 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:19.439 Heard I at least have heard that she wanted out 0:12:19.440 --> 0:12:21.480 of Phoenix back in twenty twenty one, prior to being 0:12:21.520 --> 0:12:24.040 detained in Russia, that she wanted to go play with 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:27.960 Asian Wilson with the Las Vegas Aces, and that was 0:12:28.000 --> 0:12:29.880 one of the teams that she spoke to during this 0:12:29.920 --> 0:12:33.600 free agency period before ultimately landing with the Atlanta Dream. 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:35.840 And so I think that is a good thing for 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:38.720 the Atlanta Dream as well. They just fired to be sure, 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:41.240 right in the off season they had a fifteen to 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:44.320 twenty five record, And so I think that this is 0:12:44.360 --> 0:12:45.840 great for the end of the Dream to get a 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:48.960 defensive anchor in Brittany Briner, who is thirty four years 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:50.560 old but still has a lot left to give to 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:52.800 the game. And so I think that this is a 0:12:52.800 --> 0:12:55.199 good fit for the Atlanta Dream to add an edition 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:55.959 of Britney Brinder. 0:12:56.200 --> 0:12:58.600 Yeah, she's a ten time All Star, two time champ, 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:01.480 eight time blocks later, and last year she still had 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.720 really good stats. She was putting up numbers. But I'm 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:07.520 curious about the fit in terms of style, slower paced 0:13:07.559 --> 0:13:10.120 from Grinder. She really relies on post ups. Do you 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:11.600 think that's a fit with how the rest of this 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:12.640 Atlanta team thrives. 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:16.480 I mean, Carl, the coach who's newly highed, really said 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:20.640 that he was looking for the outside game, the shooting 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:24.160 but I think that she adds that defensive anchor when 0:13:24.200 --> 0:13:26.920 we talk about defending the paint. And obviously Brittany Grind 0:13:27.000 --> 0:13:29.040 is Britney Grind and she's gonna get a bucket word 0:13:29.040 --> 0:13:31.520 no matter where she is. But then she's surrounded by 0:13:31.520 --> 0:13:34.719 guards like Jordan Canada, Alisha Gray, and so I think 0:13:34.760 --> 0:13:37.679 that this is the perfect merits in terms of having 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:40.599 versatility on the team and we talk about winning. She 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:44.640 comes in with championship experience, She's won gold medals, she 0:13:44.679 --> 0:13:46.199 knows what it takes to win. So I think that 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:49.160 having that veteran presence is much needed. I know last season, 0:13:49.760 --> 0:13:52.440 the Dream had Tina Charles on the team, and Tina 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:54.480 Charles did a great job with helping them get to 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:56.679 the playoffs. But I think that you want to get 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:58.680 that extra push. I think that Brittany Grinder is the 0:13:58.679 --> 0:14:01.800 player that you bring in with those guards and Ryan Howard, 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:04.760 she's next up in atl And so right now several 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:07.480 of those players are in unrivaled in Miami, and so 0:14:07.679 --> 0:14:10.120 you know they're talking to each other, getting to know 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:12.040 one another, and I think that it would be a great. 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:15.240 Bit fishing together. As we saw in the video where 0:14:15.280 --> 0:14:18.880 Britney announced where she was headed. Okay Grinder out Alyssa 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:22.280 Thomas in Thomas another superstar who spent her whole career 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:23.840 in one place. She was drafted by New York but 0:14:23.920 --> 0:14:25.800 traded the same day to Connecticut. So she's been with 0:14:25.840 --> 0:14:29.160 the Sun since day one. Why the move for at? 0:14:29.360 --> 0:14:31.720 I think that when we talk about the Connecticut Sun 0:14:31.880 --> 0:14:34.040 and what the team has looked like this past six 0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:36.800 years for the Sun, I think that their window to 0:14:36.880 --> 0:14:40.200 winning a championship closed, and I think that that first 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:43.120 Domino started with John Paul Jones going to the New 0:14:43.160 --> 0:14:45.480 York Liberty when she was a free agent. And you know, 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:48.640 if you're to wanna bonn her, Alyssa Thomas, even Brianna Jones, 0:14:48.880 --> 0:14:51.320 you're looking at that like man, she left somewhere else 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:54.560 and won. And so I think that because that window 0:14:54.560 --> 0:14:57.520 to winning a championship closed, Stephanie White is now coaching 0:14:57.760 --> 0:15:00.000 with the Indiana Fever. I think it's time to break 0:15:00.160 --> 0:15:01.720 up the court and see what they can do and 0:15:01.760 --> 0:15:04.080 how they can contribute on other teams. I think that 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:07.080 one thing is important to note that as of today, 0:15:07.360 --> 0:15:10.600 there's no official trade that has been made that can't 0:15:10.640 --> 0:15:14.440 happen until Saturday on February one, And so once that 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:18.040 trade is completed, Natasha Cloud, Rebecca Allen and that number 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:20.880 twelve pick is expected to be going to Connecticut. And 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:25.320 then Ty Harris is also included in that Elisa Thomas trade. 0:15:25.360 --> 0:15:27.880 So if that trade were to be completed, I think 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:31.520 that it makes Connecticut better. They get a championship point guarded, 0:15:31.560 --> 0:15:34.720 Natasha Cloud, a three and D shooter, and Rebecca Allen 0:15:34.800 --> 0:15:37.400 and the number twelve foot pick if they're looking to rebuild. 0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:39.800 But then you look at the you look at the 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:43.280 Phoenix Mercury. Zawana Bonner is also a free agent tea 0:15:43.360 --> 0:15:46.600 made a Melissa Thomas her fiance. She's played with the 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:50.640 Mercury in twenty fourteen, won a championship with that team, 0:15:51.040 --> 0:15:53.440 and this past season, if you all were paying attention, 0:15:53.920 --> 0:15:56.920 Phoenix Mercury honored that twenty fourteen championship team and Juana 0:15:56.960 --> 0:16:00.160 Barner was present for that and she talked about what 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:03.840 it was like playing with Diana Torossi. So whether Diana's 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:06.720 Rossie looks to close the chapter, she comes back another 0:16:06.720 --> 0:16:09.400 season and want to play with Dowana Bonner and try 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:11.240 to make another run for it. I think it'll be 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:13.920 interesting to pay attention to. But I think that this 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:15.880 trait is good for a Listen. We saw how vocal 0:16:15.960 --> 0:16:18.400 she was in the off season about wanting a play 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:21.280 for an organization that invest in their athletes. We see 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:23.720 what Phoenix has done with their facilities that has been 0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:26.920 a big talking point for free agents in this offseason. 0:16:26.960 --> 0:16:29.360 Go into teams where they invest in their athletes. So 0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:32.320 I think that she'll be happy to be with Khalia Copper, 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:36.720 who was also down unrivaled as well and pitching you 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:39.720 know why why players should come to Phoenix, And I 0:16:39.720 --> 0:16:41.960 think that'll be a good next chapter for Alyssa. 0:16:42.440 --> 0:16:44.360 Yeah, we kind of joke about it, but that whole 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:47.240 playing in a rec center and practicing next to kids, 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:50.160 you know, birthday parties might be something that Connecticut needs 0:16:50.200 --> 0:16:52.480 to look into as these players get spoiled and unrivaled 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:54.240 and see what's going on in these places that have 0:16:54.280 --> 0:16:55.320 the newer facilities. 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:57.160 You know, it's interesting. 0:16:57.200 --> 0:17:00.560 I've seen a lot of people grade Connectic get high 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:03.480 on this trade and it feels like you're losing Alyssa 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:07.199 Thomas and probably Dewanna Bonner as well. Like, is that 0:17:07.359 --> 0:17:09.520 just more of a grading on a curve of like, 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.119 if you're going to lose those people, at least do 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:15.760 you get this talent and an opportunity to build, Because 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:18.320 to me, it feels like that's a loss. That's a loss, 0:17:18.359 --> 0:17:21.800 like you're losing to one, probably two of these greats. 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:25.520 Yeah, I mean Alyssa Thomas has been an MVP type 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:28.080 candidate player for the last few seasons of her career 0:17:28.160 --> 0:17:31.720 in Connecticut. This is someone who has helped lead Connecticut 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:34.639 to the semifinals multiple times, two finals. They have two 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:37.000 trips to the finals her tenure with the Connecticut son 0:17:37.280 --> 0:17:38.920 And so I think that, yes, it's a huge loss. 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:42.040 She's one of the star players of that franchise. Fans 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:44.800 loved Alyssa Thomas and what she was able to bring 0:17:44.840 --> 0:17:47.160 to the franchise these several seasons. So I think that 0:17:47.160 --> 0:17:48.840 it is a huge loss. But then you gained so 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:51.520 much in having Natasha Cloud. She won a championship in 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:55.560 twenty nineteen. Rebecca Allen is a hooper, like very good 0:17:55.560 --> 0:17:58.360 asset when you talk about getting a player who likes 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:00.679 to shoot threes and play deep, and it's good on 0:18:00.760 --> 0:18:03.280 both sides of the ball. So I think that Connecticut 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:06.160 if they are rebuilding. I mean, they get two good 0:18:06.240 --> 0:18:10.160 cornerstone players with experience with better experience, but I think 0:18:10.200 --> 0:18:12.159 it is a huge loss for the Connecticut side. I 0:18:12.160 --> 0:18:14.600 do also want to note that some of the things 0:18:14.600 --> 0:18:18.199 that I've been hearing regarding the Natasha Cloud situation, I 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:20.440 spoke to multiple people in around the league that said 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:23.600 that it could be possible that maybe it's not done 0:18:23.680 --> 0:18:28.119 yet and there's a possibility that maybe she could be 0:18:28.160 --> 0:18:31.680 traded to another team once this is complete. And I'm 0:18:31.720 --> 0:18:34.639 told that, you know, there isn't a grace period for 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.600 when players are traded from another team. They can be 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:40.600 traded again immediately, they just can't be traded back to 0:18:40.640 --> 0:18:41.760 the team that they came from. 0:18:42.000 --> 0:18:42.800 That's interesting. 0:18:43.160 --> 0:18:45.840 We felt for Tosh because she posted that video like 0:18:46.040 --> 0:18:48.720 hyping up the facilities, saying she'd never want to leave, 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:51.800 and as of now, the story is that she's headed 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:54.280 to Knedicut. But that's interesting that there might be another 0:18:54.320 --> 0:18:57.280 move still yet to come. If this trade goes through 0:18:57.320 --> 0:18:59.760 as is, the Mercury will have just five players under 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.480 common track. They'll have to rely on free agency and 0:19:03.320 --> 0:19:05.080