2024 Year-End Superlatives

Summary

No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show Episode: 2024 Year-End Superlatives
Release Date: December 31, 2024

No Offseason wraps up 2024 by celebrating the standout moments, performances, and personalities in women's basketball. Hosts Zena Keda, Chantelle Jennings, Sabrina Merchant, and Ben Pickman delve into their year-end superlatives, highlighting what made the season memorable both on and off the court.

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1. Players That Brought the Most Joy

The hosts kicked off their superlatives by discussing the players who brought them the most joy to watch throughout the year.

• Ben Pickman selected a team of five WNBA players plus a coach:

  • Courtney Williams (06:56) for her outstanding playmaking and vibrant personality.
  • Niara Sabali (06:38) for her infectious energy and ability to ignite the crowd.
  • Alyssa Thomas (07:50) admired for her dominance despite not being a traditional shooter.
  • Ryan Howard and Alicia Gray (07:20) for their dynamic on and off the court relationship.
  • Temifag Benle (08:50) from the Indiana Fever, noted for her radiant presence and positive aura.
  • Coach Latricia Trammell (09:09) for her storytelling and positivity.

• Sabrina Merchant chose the Oregon State Beavers (09:54), highlighting their joyful gameplay and vibrant presence on social media despite the looming changes in the PAC-12 conference.

• Chantelle Jennings favored local talents like Kayla Padilla from USC and Rekia Jackson from the WNBA (11:02), appreciating their smooth playing styles and entertainment value.

• Zena Keda highlighted players like Camila Cardoso, Kate Martin, and Asia Wilson (12:22), praising their growth, playful interactions, and genuine love for the game.

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2. Best Game of the Year

When it came to the most thrilling game, the hosts had varied favorites:

• Sabrina Merchant pointed to the National Championship Game (14:59), not just for the high-level competition but also for its historic viewership surpassing the men's title game.

• Chantelle Jennings highlighted Game One of the WNBA Finals between Minnesota and New York (16:24), citing unforgettable moments like Courtney Williams' four-point play and stunning overtime victory.

• Ben Pickman emphasized the same game, particularly Courtney Williams' game-changing four-point play (17:34), describing the crowd's electrifying reaction and the historic significance of the moment.

• Zena Keda added the Team USA vs. France matchup (17:34), reminiscing about the intense competition and the emotional victory securing their eighth consecutive gold medal.

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3. Best Quote of the Year

The conversation then shifted to memorable quotes from the season:

• Chantelle Jennings gave an honorable mention to incidents where players directly call each other out post-game, specifically mentioning Aces Sparks (18:56). Her top pick was Cheryl Reeve's remarks after Game 5 of the WNBA Finals (19:25), which were packed with impactful statements about the game and its players.

• Zena Keda shared Asia Wilson's candid remark about Kalia Copper (20:03):
  "If your kids are in the car, listen to this podcast. Cover their ears. That bitch."

• Sabrina Merchant recounted Dawn Staley's humorous take during a press conference (20:02):
  "I told our coaches, someone taught me you lie to get laid."

• Ben Pickman offered additional notable quotes, including Cheryl Miller's witty comment on the WNBA TV rights deal and a humorous interaction involving Alicia Gray and WNBA comms (22:07).

---

4. Best Individual Performance

Recognizing standout performances, the hosts celebrated individual excellence:

• Sabrina Merchant lauded Caitlin Clark for breaking the NCAA Division I scoring record (24:06), highlighting her 49-point game that captivated fans and set new benchmarks.

• Chantelle Jennings praised Niara Sabali for her pivotal role in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals (24:50), where her performance off the bench was instrumental in securing the championship for her team.

• Ben Pickman spotlighted Arique Gumbawale for an extraordinary half with 34 points at the All-Star Weekend (25:18), noting her unparalleled scoring display against top competition.

• Zena Keda nominated Nafisa Collier for her consistent excellence throughout the playoffs (25:54), emphasizing her defensive prowess and scoring ability.

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5. Most Memorable Reporting Moments

The hosts shared their standout moments from covering the season:

• Zena Keda cherished moments when listeners recognized the show, reflecting on the impact of their work (31:12).

• Sabrina Merchant recounted covering Candace Parker's retirement during the Liberty's first day of training camp (31:29), capturing Brianna Stewart's shocked reaction:
  "Effective immediately." (34:24).

• Chantelle Jennings reflected on covering the final PAC-12 tournament (36:11), capturing the emotional closure of the conference and memorable interactions with long-time broadcasters and coaches.

• Ben Pickman shared the experience of interviewing Brianna Stewart right after Candace Parker's unexpected retirement announcement (33:39), highlighting the raw emotions and unfiltered reactions.

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6. Resolutions and Closing Thoughts

As the year concluded, the hosts shared their aspirations for the upcoming season:

• Sabrina Merchant simply wished for "more good basketball" (40:53).

• Ben Pickman humorously mentioned plans to utilize a tack board purchased during the finals in 2025 (41:06).

• Chantelle Jennings opted out of making resolutions but shared memorable personal experiences from the season (41:15).

• Zena Keda aimed to improve her memory, acknowledging the hosts' collective forgetfulness over the year and expressing gratitude towards the listeners and team members for their support and dedication (41:29).

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7. Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Courtney Williams on Minnesota Nice:
  "I ain't ever heard that." (20:03)

• Dawn Staley on Deception:
  "Someone taught me you lie to get laid." (20:02)

• Cheryl Reeve after Game 5 of the Finals:
  [Cheryl's remarks packed with impactful statements] (19:25)

• Asia Wilson on Kalia Copper:
  "If your kids are in the car, listen to this podcast. Cover their ears. That bitch." (20:03)

• Brianna Stewart on Candace Parker's Retirement:
  "Effective immediately." (34:24)

---

Conclusion

The 2024 episode of No Offseason serves as a heartfelt reflection on a year filled with exhilarating games, unforgettable performances, and impactful moments in women's basketball. The hosts celebrate the growth and passion within the sport, emphasizing the community's role in its continuous evolution. As they look forward to 2025, their commitment to showcasing and nurturing women's basketball remains steadfast, promising even more engaging content for fans and followers.

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Thank you for tuning into No Offseason. Stay connected for more insights and stories from the world of women's basketball as we continue to celebrate and grow the game together.

Transcript

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[Zena Keda]

For the Athletic. I'm Zena Keda and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball Show.

[Chantelle]

Oh.

[Zena Keda]

Welcome to the last episode of 2024 of the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. I don't even have to tell you why we're here. You know why we're here. We talk about women's basketball, all things women's hoops. I feel like Barbie. You probably could repeat it back to me. I try to. I try to switch it up a little bit every so, but it gets a little bit convoluted. But the point is, we're here to talk about women's basketball, but really today we're here to close out the year. All right, I got Ben, I got Chantelle, I got Sabrina. Once again, party is all here. And we are just going to put a little bit of bows on the year for women's basketball. We've been blessed with amazing basketball all year, on the pro game, in the college game, around the world. And now we're going to talk a little bit about what made us happy, things we remembered all the above. Okay, let's jump right into it. All right, now, before we get into these questions, we're just. It's going to be superlatives, our end of the year yearbook, essentially, of women's basketball. And I'm going to ask all of you. Ben, Chantelle, Sabrina, let me know what you think. I may ask for an explanation. Some of them might be direct. Men may not need an explanation. The first superlative is player that brought you player or players that brought you the most joy to watch this year.

[Ben]

So I have a team of five players that I put together, all WNBA players for my All Joy superlative team. I'm going to rattle through the names.

[Chantelle]

We're going to see the reaction.

[Zena Keda]

Showing off.

[Ben]

I have a coach, too. I have a coach, too. Five plus one.

[Sabrina]

Of course you do.

[Chantelle]

Do you have some assistance?

[Ben]

I don't. I don't.

[Sabrina]

Assistants, too.

[Chantelle]

Were you on the yearbook? On the bench? Ben, don't forget.

[Ben]

I was not a yearbook team person.

[Zena Keda]

I was going to say, you don't.

[Ben]

Even know where my yearbooks are.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. All right, Go ahead, go ahead.

[Ben]

Okay. Some of the people on my All Joy team in the wnba. Number one, Courtney Williams. An amazing quote, a great personality, a big time shop maker. Do I need to say more about Courtney Williams? I don't really think so. Niara Sabali makes my All Joy team because there's just like an energy that always, like I always feel when she enters the game. Most times it's gonna go well. Sometimes it might not go as well, but you know, something is going to happen. And it was kind of amazing to see how fans really rally behind her after game five. It's just like a spark of life every time she enters. Alyssa Thomas is on my All Joy team. Not necessarily because she plays with the same kind of smiling, like radiant energy as some of the other players I mentioned. Mostly this is personal, but as someone who, when he plays pickup basketball, not exactly a shooter out there, I get a lot of joy watching Alyssa Thomas thrive and dominate competition because she literally cannot shoot the basketball. And that she is able to be so good just brings me so much joy to watch just how she dominates. I think it is inspiring for the generation of players who play pickup and cannot shoot three pointers. That's number three. Player four is actually going to be a two parter. It's Ryan Howard and Alicia Gray. Their relationship in all forms and fashions. Just like dynamic on the court, off the court. Always a fun quote. A really fun pair to kind of be around and watch. And number five, I'm going to go to the Indiana Fever. But not a player you are expecting. Well, I guess I should say formal Indiana Fever. Formally it's Temifag. Benle makes my all joyless. Such a random selection. I know, but someone who plays again a ton of energy on the floor coming into the WNBA seem to be this radiant light when talking to everyone. Media, players, coaches, people just like wanted to be around her.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ben]

The English accent is amazing. Love everything about Temmie's aura. I think she could read the dictionary to me. There you go. Harvard grad. I know. Xena, an Ivy League player.

[Zena Keda]

You must like. That's my list. It's fine. She wore the wrong colors for four years. She's okay though. I love that that you know, we get. We move past it and I'll just.

[Ben]

Sneak it in my head. Coach Latricia Trammell, former head coach of the Dallas Wings seemingly always positive. Am amazing storyteller. Always a fun chat LT my all joy team head coach. There it is. That's my superlative to open the show.

[Sabrina]

Off the champagne gif of lt I think was it what on draft night. Do you guys remember this? It was like yes. The most perfect content ever.

[Chantelle]

So good. Just downing that thing while everybody else.

[Zena Keda]

Way to kick it off, Ben. Like this is going to be hard to follow. I mean hell, you have a whole team. I'm thinking now I'm like, can I step it up? I'm going to go with you, Chantel. Next player or players that brought you the most joy this year.

[Sabrina]

So I did not put together a full team. I just picked a team. I'm going with the Oregon State Beavers of last season. I think there was something particularly joyful about America's team last year that it was like we were all watching the ship go down the Pac 12 and it was like during the tournament no one had transferred yet. But you kind of knew. Like this team is so talented. These players aren't going to the West Coast Conference. Like everything's going to be disbanded. Everything's going to be broken. I hate football. I hate the PAC12 networks for never figuring something out to keep this conference alive. But you would just watch this team and you were like, they play with so much joy. They're so fun. They're putting out all the tiktoks. Like, you just, like, talk about a team that was, like, living in the moment, living their best lives. You all knew it was gonna be over. We all knew it was coming to an end, but it was like, we enjoyed the journey while it lasted. So they're my all joy team. Go Beeves.

[Zena Keda]

And you know, I think that that joy, the residue is still there because you're still cheering for them on their respective teams. Now you're like, I know you're not in the black and orange, but it's.

[Sabrina]

Not the same thing. It's just they were so. Yeah. And my love for the PAC 12, like, as someone that lived on the West coast for 10 years in PAC 12 territory and, like, watch the demise of the PAC 12 networks.

[Zena Keda]

But wait, it's not the same thing. But aren't you still, like, cheering for.

[Chantelle]

Them to succeed because of what, America's team anymore?

[Zena Keda]

No. Okay.

[Sabrina]

Yeah. They're just players in America.

[Chantelle]

Yeah.

[Sabrina]

Not the same.

[Zena Keda]

Dang.

[Chantelle]

That's exactly right.

[Zena Keda]

It's a tough world out here. Okay. All right. But no, that's awesome. They absolutely did bring joy. And it's so interesting to think too. Like, we're already in the next NCAA season, but, yes, we still absolutely had that moment earlier in this year. All right, Sabrina, as I keep thinking. Go ahead. Players that brought you joy this year?

[Chantelle]

Yeah, I mean, I. I just kept this local because I have the most fun watching basketball in person. And forgive me for picking two players from Los Angeles, but I really loved watching Kayla Padilla this year for usc. Just. I don't know why, like, just a great guard, LA based product. Obviously that speaks to me, but I loved juju and the Nerds and she was the nerd who resonated with me the most. So Caleb Dia and Rekia Jackson, you know, just a baller out in la, hopefully for a long time to come. One of the smoothest players I think, to watch in the wnba. Just a joy.

[Zena Keda]

That's good. Okay, well, while you guys have been thinking, I wasn't able to get a starting five, but I was able to get four and a coach. So I like that ad, Ben. I really like the way you put that down. Number one, Camila Cardoso. You want to talk about somebody that, like, kills me, like, I am half the time watching games, laughing because the facial expressions, the just like the different things she does on the court, not only from the growth she had on the court this season you saw over the course of the year, but the. The social media posts of her going through the life of her, you know, WNBA life. Her telling Alexa to shut up and stop singing songs. It was just always hilarious content. She's fun. Alicia Gray, that all star skills competition and then three point shooter. I mean, you couldn't get a more adorable player to win that thing. She was just. It was just great. So much fun watching her. Kate Martin had a lot of fun watching her. She brought me a lot of joy, the love. Even seeing her get drafted to the Valkyries. You see the apparent love that her vets had for her in Las Vegas. I just love their dynamic. The whole team, like, very much clearly loved her. And that one picture of Kelsey Plum being like, yeah, after Kate Martin blocked Liyuru, and it's like, mom's giving us snacks. Like, that's what that picture gave off between the two of them. Love that. And then Asia Wilson, like genuine basketball joy. Watching her just go the f off all season long casually. So much fun to watch. And then I think my joy coach Teresa Weatherspoon, she was like the Kennedy Carter whisperer. She was. I mean, you. You could tell she wanted to be on the court with her players as well. And I'll say Camilla and Kate both cover my. From college to pro. Uh, even the way Kate Martin got drafted was brought joy. Sitting in the sands, going to support Caitlin Clark. All right, Ben, you kicked that off real strong. Let's keep this going.

[Ben]

Zena, it feels like your fifth player up, by the way, has to be Ellie the elephant. Uh, I feel like we just need to mention Ellie's superlative, so we'll just slide her into your fifth spot in the starting lineup.

[Zena Keda]

Thank you. Okay. I feel like that one needed a lot more explanation. Some of these other ones, let's. Let's roll through. Okay. Best game from this. This year. Best game. Chantel, you ready?

[Sabrina]

Sort of, I guess. I feel like this is gonna wrap a little bit with. With something that we'll hit later because it's also probably one of the best reporting experiences. There's a little tease for you. I mean, I think the best game was the national championship game. Not necessarily because of the basketball that was played. I think in the first half when it was close, Caitlyn was going on a bit of a heater. And you're like, is she really going to pull this off? But I think just being in that environment and sort of realizing how historic it was and waiting after the game like what are the numbers for this game going to be? Like how many people tuned in for it? And then knowing that it was the first time it ever out drew the men's national title game. I think just having covered that game and like knowing we were there like that for me feels really memorable. And the 40 minutes, maybe not as much but I think also sort of just all of it like Dawn Staley getting really emotional after the game and crying. It was just such this epic moment. And I think it's not as often when you're reporting on those moments where it's going on and you're like this is going to be something. This is a turning point. It doesn't require hindsight to realize that.

[Zena Keda]

And there was so much underlying narratives all the way throughout that game. South Carolina undefeated Caitlin Clark season. Like there was just like so much there. Oh, great choice. Way to kick that off. Sabrina, I'm go to you next best game.

[Chantelle]

I would say game one of the WNBA finals between Minnesota and New York. I realize it was not determinative of who ended up winning the title but just in terms of you know, the back and forth the Courtney Williams four point play, you know I could do without some of the reviews but then like the Nafeesa Kali or Fade away to win it at overtime. Just perfect collection of really great moments and just set the stage for what was very iconic series. I think in WNBA lore.

[Zena Keda]

My favorite game is somewhere in there. I can't pick which one. I mean they all like all five were amazing games. I'm also I'm sliding in Team USA versus France. That one was fun personally for me because I could have won it either way. Cheering for France or Team usa I could have won either way but it was just great competition for both. And Chantelle, you were there. Having had the men go up against France as well. I think there was just so much competition it being in Paris and then them winning gold. What was that? Eight now eight in a row. Like that's unbelievable. So between the finals and Olympics those were my one of my favorite games.

[Chantelle]

Ben.

[Ben]

Yeah, Sabrina and I are aligned here. With all due respect to Sabrina Ionescu's game three game winning three pointer, I think the moment I will remember most is just Courtney Williams the four point play. Like watching a crowd that had waited all year, if not more than that, for this moment to fall as stunned and shell shocked and quiet as you can possibly imagine. And to see, like, the few people there cheering for the links, to see their bench, the energy that they had in that moment after the shot, like, that's just a moment that's gonna stick with me and is when I think back on the finals, like, it's the one that is just the coolest that we were there. I remember talking to Sabrina throughout the whole comeback, and we were floored that it happened. And when it did, it was like, wow. Like, this is pretty. Pretty cool that we are watching this historic moment in real time.

[Zena Keda]

Unreal. The shows, guys, if you want to go back and listen to them, the shows during that finals were so much fun because we were living it with the fans. Of course you guys were covering it, but, like, the deflation in the arenas, it was so palpable. And you got to be a part of just seeing greatness, be able to, like, basically generate that. All right, let's keep going. Best quote of the year in women's basketball.

[Chantelle]

So I'll start with an honorable mention. I just love when players directly call out one another post game. And I've mentioned this on the podcast a few times over the course of the year, but the Aces Sparks is just one of my favorite things to watch. And Aaron McDonald straight up saying, Kelsey Plum doesn't like to play defense. Post game was just. Just a great time to be alive. So that's.

[Sabrina]

That's.

[Chantelle]

That's my honorable mention. But my. My winner for best quote just has to be every single thing Cheryl Reeve said after Game 5 of the WNBA Finals.

[Zena Keda]

Oh, that's good.

[Chantelle]

Just 15 minutes worth of banger after banger, you know, and you.

[Zena Keda]

You prompted that. Like, you were the one that asked the question that allowed her to kind of unleash it all.

[Chantelle]

I mean, there's just. There's so many good moments. I think. I think my favorite was probably when someone was listing all of the things Nafisa Collier had led the postseason in. And Cheryl goes free throws. Probably not. Which she actually did. I want to point out she did because it was a rant in the previous series for Becky Hammond about how many free throws and fees Collier was getting. But anyway, just. You want to just take 15 minutes of your time to watch that. It's a. It's a good moment. Good moment.

[Zena Keda]

There you go.

[Chantelle]

Yes.

[Zena Keda]

Cheryl Reeves, I thought you were going to say, and this is going to be mine super quick. It's very direct. I love when players forget that they're players. They forget all media training, and they're just in the moment Asia Wilson being asked one word for Kali Copper today after Team USA won the gold medal match. And I am quoting what Asia said. If your kids are in the car, listen to this podcast. Cover their ears. That bitch. Period. And she literally was like, walk away. That's it. Like, she just knew. And that was so true because Kalia Copper's performance was surreal. And that's. That's that on that. Okay, that's my favorite quote. Chantelle, what about you?

[Sabrina]

So I actually had to pull this one up so that I can make sure to properly quote it. But I'll take us back to the Final Four in Cleveland. Don Staley walks in ahead of their Final Four. I believe it was out of the Final Four. And you know, these are usually not like super loosey, goosey press conferences. I will say, though, I think at this point in the season, everyone's like, little tired. But Don looks out and she goes, I have a brief question because you guys are writers. I just posted a tweet and we had a long discussion in our coaches meeting. Our players were in the locker room lying or laying down. And everyone in the. In the press room says lying. And she says, oh, I told our coaches, someone taught me you lie to get laid. Right? Everyone in the press conference was like, what? Like, did Dawn Staley just start out her Final Four press conference with that joke? And she did. With stand up.

[Zena Keda]

That's amazing. That's a good one.

[Sabrina]

Unexpected, hilarious. I mean, a grammar joke. Just 10 out of 10, no notes.

[Zena Keda]

And she pulled y'all in. I mean, the delivery was amazing.

[Sabrina]

Great storytelling, good timing.

[Zena Keda]

Wow.

[Sabrina]

No notes.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, that's a good one. That's a good one. All right, Ben, close us out.

[Ben]

I mean, that is a great pick, and I'm really glad you brought it up. And as you told that story, Chantel, I remembered exactly my reaction being in the room. Such a great call by you with that choice. I have two honorable mentions. One is gonna go to Cheryl Miller. No, no one is going to Cheryl Miller. For when she was talking about the WNBA TV rights deal and just an all time great line when talking about the $2 billion deal that the NBA signed her, saying a 2 is nice and 8 would be better. And she had this incredible, like, just like her thoughts were so strong and forceful. And that was just the line of that press conference. Something that sticks out. Similarly, All Star Weekend, I'm going to give a shout out here to Atlanta dream PR guy Liam Branley, who after Alicia Gray won the skills challenge, Ron Howard, the head of WNBA comms asked if Alicia wanted to take photos with the trophy after the skills challenge and before the three point shootout. And Liam told Ron, we will be back here in 30 minutes calling his shot with Alicia Gray. And she was. And that I think was a hilarious moment to all those in the press room. But my winner overall and this is super inside baseball. I, Chantelle, will appreciate this one is during the WNBA finals, I actually asked Courtney Williams if she knew the definition of Minnesota Nice. And she said, she said, I ain't ever heard that. She had no idea about what Minnesota nice meant. And that to me just sticks out for whatever reason. Chantel, as a Minnesotan, what do you think about Courtney Williams not knowing about Minnesota Nice? Even what the phrase means, never hearing it before.

[Sabrina]

I mean, she's a transplant, so. And she's Courtney Williams, so I give her a pass. But that's okay.

[Zena Keda]

Shout out to Courtney Williams. Being honest on that and not trying to, like, make up something on the spot. I respect that. Best individual performance. Sabrina, you want to take it first?

[Chantelle]

It's a lot of options here. I'm trying to. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to be like something that I just got to witness in person or something that was big and stood out for, you know, obvious reasons. Like, I can't keep using things that happened in Sparks Aces games. No matter how much joy they gave me over the course this year. I really should stop doing that. So I'm going to, I'm going to deflect for a second. I think individual performance, honestly, like Niara SABALI In Game 5, the WNBA Finals, just super cool to come in off the bench, a lineup that we had never seen over the course of the entire season. To just be the reason that you were able to lift your team from the jaws of, like, defeat into the first championship in franchise history was very cool.

[Zena Keda]

That's a great one. When I think about Niara Sabli, there were questions on is she going to. Is she gonna be part of the team that's gonna like the group that's gonna be going to the Valkyries? Maybe like the resounding message after that game was she ain't going nowhere. Like, she solidified her spot with the Liberty. I feel like after that game. And that was really cool to see. Also very, very cool to see her sister in the crowd supporting her the whole way. Ben, I'm gonna go to you next. Best individual performance.

[Ben]

Yeah, best individual performance. I saw again All Star weekend in Phoenix. It was Arique Gumbawale's. Second half against Team USA. She scored 34 points in the half, 21 in the third quarter. Like if you want to watch a score get buckets against the best players in the world. Like we talk about individualism. Like if you get 34 and a half in an all star game, you are trying to get yours. And she did just that in a way that no one has ever done before. Just an amazing showing of basketball greatness there. Ricky Agumawale, best individual performance of the year.

[Zena Keda]

Dancing with the ball. That's what you said last podcast. Dancing with the ball. Loved the way you said that. Yes, that was a beautiful one. That was actually my honorable mention, my pick. Best individual performance, Nafisa Collier throughout the playoffs. Like it was beautiful basketball. I know Kobe would be so proud. Move, counter moves. The defense, unbelievable defense. Like I could go on and on. She was just like the quintessential basketball player throughout the entire playoffs. And then obviously like starting out the playoffs, unstoppable scoring. I don't even how many points over the first two games. Just phenomenal scorer and also defender and I just love a two way player. So if he's the Collier, that's my best individual performance. Chantel, close it out.

[Sabrina]

I'm gonna bring us back to college for a game that I was at Caitlin Clark's game against Michigan when she broke Kelsey Plum's NCAA Division 1 scoring record. And it just, I think we talked about it on the pod after that game, but like she was just on a different planet. She had a layup first, then hit a 3, then pulls up from 35ft in transition to hit the shot that breaks the record. And after the game is like, you guys knew I was gonna take a logo 3, right? Like honorable mention for quote probably. But I think just she had 49 points that night, which also broke Iowa's scoring record for an individual game. Breaking Megan Gustafson's record of 49 points.

[Chantelle]

Actually broke Hannah Stolke's record. That was set three days before.

[Sabrina]

Yeah, that's true. I had forgotten about that long lived scoring record. Hannah. But yeah, I think just that performance, it was like I forget exactly. She was nearly perfect in the first quarter. Maybe she missed one. I can't remember exactly, but it was sort of like it felt like a Disney movie where it was like she can't miss and then she hits that shot to get that record. Like it was perfect.

[Zena Keda]

That's a great one. And also to clarify, NAFisa Collier had 80 points in the first two playoff games. Of this season, set the WNBA record for that, too. And I mean, Caitlin Clark, man, the amount of records she set this year, definitely amazing individual performance overall.

[Ben]

Should we shout out Asia Wilson, Audi Crooks in the NCAA tournament? I mean, we could keep going.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah. There's so many, right?

[Ben]

Yeah.

[Zena Keda]

Right, right, right, right there. That's what's so hard about this.

[Sabrina]

But referees in the WNBA finals really.

[Chantelle]

Making a name for themselves.

[Sabrina]

You know, really being seen. Really being seen.

[Zena Keda]

They superlatives, best and worst. Yeah, okay, maybe. Okay, let's move on. Let's move on. Let's close it out here. Most memorable reporting moment for me, the one that sticks out for me was during the finals, Courtney Williams saying that she was in, like. I think Holly mentioned something about being in her bag with the moves and everything. And she said she was in her Birkin bag and she was in Target center. And that was like, ah, that's not. It's not quite. It's not quite a good look for your. Your main sponsor there. Not quite the support you want to give your main sponsor. But that was a funny moment for me. I'm still trying to think. I'm gonna let y'all talk first if there's anything else that comes to mind. But that one was a pretty good one of Courtney Williams being in her Birkin bag, not her Target bag. Chantel, I'll start with you this time.

[Sabrina]

I mean, I think I have a few different ones. I'll just, like, rattle off a few right here. And since we're looking back at the full year, we can kind of say it. I mean, I think the final four overall, Ben and Sabrina can speak to this as well. Like, it just felt epic. It felt different. You knew that you were watching something historic. So I think when you're in those moments, that's really, really cool. As a Minnesotan who helped out with some of the coverage of the WNBA finals, like, as someone who grew up here and like, historically, Minnesota sports professional, like, are not good except the links. Like, but like, to see 10,000 plus turnout for a links game and like, you know, outside of that run from 11 to 17 for the links, like, you just sort of expect Minnesota sports franchises to just, like, whiff. So to, like, be a Minnesotan and having not been able to be there during that 11 to 17 run, like, to be in Target center for those games three and four, like, that was really, really cool. Just as someone who grew up here and has always paid attention to Minnesota sports, and then I think probably a personal moment that I'll just remember from the last year of reporting, I went out to Palo Alto before Tara Vandever broke the all time WINS record, which has now been broken by Gino Auriemma as we're talking about like short lived records that have existed in women's college hoops. And it was just one of those moments where like I went, we were, we had dinner at her house and while I was there she was like, oh, come into the backyard. And she's like telling me about redwood trees. And it was just this moment of me being like, my job is so weird. Like I'm in Tara Vandiver's backyard right now and she's talking to me about redwood trees. But I think that's something that'll definitely stay with me for a long time.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. As you just mentioned, like all these amazing memories, I'm realizing I definitely misread this reporting moment. These are like sentimental things too. Like, I mean, obviously I'm thinking like things that were funny in the midst of like reporting, but no, thank you.

[Sabrina]

No, those are good too.

[Zena Keda]

Well, sure, but I like the, the route you went and just talking about incredibly special moments of reporting on women's basketball. A lot of thoughts just popped into mine. Ben, I'll go to you next. Like what was your most memorable reporting moments in your experience of reporting on the league?

[Ben]

Yeah, I mean, others that Chantelle didn't mention. I mean I think the Final Four is a good one. Being at Caitlin Clark's first regular season game in the wnba and just like the thousands of people who showed up at the Mohegan Sun Casino like hours early, just like wandering the halls, wandering like every part of that casino, waiting to enter the arena. And then I think there was a moment pregame in which the sun like game ops team did the bandwagon cam like right away either pre game or early in the first quarter. And it was like, oh yeah, this is what like the kind of Caitlin Clark mania is going to be like where, yeah, fans and teams are going to be like poking fun at it and just like leaning into the Caitlin Clark effect in all different forms and fashions. But then being there, the turnovers, obviously the environment that's up there, the WNB finals as a whole is up there. But if I'm going to go with like a little bit of a more kind of light hearted moment too, that was super memorable was the first day of WNBA training camp was April 28th. And that was the day I think that Candace Parker retired and I was at Liberty practice on their first day, and I got a text from Sabrina that I think just said, like, Candace in all caps. And it was literally right before the Liberty's first media availability of the season was about to start, like a minute or two before. And I saw it on my watch and I checked my email real quick and they had sent out their release and, like, nobody had time to process it or react to it or think about it. And, you know, I felt like we had a professional obligation at that moment, right in front of Brianna Stewart, to ask Brianna Stewart about her reaction to Candace Parker retiring. And there's this. I'm not one when I do a lot of interviews to, like, record them on my phone. Like, for various reasons, I tend to just like leave my recorder there and capture the audio. But I felt like this was a moment that deserved a video exception. And so I took my phone out and asked the question and got Stewie's reaction. And I highly encourage everyone to look it up because, like, if you want to see someone who is totally, totally shocked and at a loss for words, I mean, she was like, her mouth was a gape, like, totally wide open. Her being like, what? Like, right now she's not playing anymore. Like, effective immediately.

[Zena Keda]

And then Sabrina came in too. Like, Sabrina Unescu came in.

[Ben]

There's so many questions in that moment that Stewie had. And then she gave a really good answer about. About reflective answer about Candace Parker. But for me, just like asking Stewie about an all time great retiring and her being totally surprised because it literally happened a minute or two earlier and setting up the question that way, like, this just happened. I'm sorry, but, like, I have to ask. That is definitely an exchange that will stick with me. And you know, I kind of joked with her about it too. The next time about, like, I have no surprises this time around, but that was just a moment that's going to stick with me from this WNB season two.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, that was fun.

[Chantelle]

I remember the effective immediately. Like, just the way Stewie said it. Like, not plug the season. Effective immediately.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, she was shocked and it was funny because she kind of looked at you like she didn't believe you.

[Ben]

At first I thought, like, was I being punked? Like, I definitely.

[Sabrina]

Yeah, that would be such a bad.

[Ben]

Joke leading up to it being like, is Sabrina lying? Did I read this release wrong? Am I getting something wrong? Because, boy, it would have been like, horrible to mess that fact up in that moment.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, yeah, that's. That's a good one. That's. Those are great memories. And I Think you're right. The overall coverage. And Chantel, you mentioned this, too. The overall coverage of these tentpole moments were. Were very memorable. Just how much regard was giving to the coverage of the Final Four, I'm thinking about, like, the ESPN Big Three going off with Elle Duncan and Shanae Agui McKay and Andrea Carter, like, just that, like, moment in time of them covering the. The tournament was super fun. The coverage of the WNBA Finals, seeing how many people across the world were watching the game and commenting on it like that was super memorable. Sabrina, I don't think I'm taking anything away from you when I say that, but I'm sure it's probably somewhere in that realm with your most memorable reporting moments.

[Chantelle]

Well, I loved covering the finals because, like, all of us were there together. I got to see, like, everybody on this podcast as well as Ashley Young, our social extraordinary person at the Athletic, which is just. It's really fun to get to do this in person, like, record the podcast in person. I would say like a singular, like, event that was memorable to me, which is very Inside the Weeds is. I asked John Quail Jones two questions this season about, like, going deep into her memory about things that had happened in 2016 and things that happened to her in college. And both times she told me, like, I don't have a good memory. I have no idea, like, what this answer would be. But then the second time I asked her, she was like, why do you always ask me these memory questions? And I was like, how do you remember that? But not to the other things that I'm trying to get at.

[Zena Keda]

That's funny.

[Chantelle]

But then I would say another super memorable reporting moment, which I think goes in line with, like, the big tent polls we were talking about was being at the last Pac12 tournament in Las Vegas. I guess it's not technically the last PAC12 tournament because the conference will still exist in some shape or another. But just being there with, like, a bunch of people who had played in the conference at one point or another, a bunch of people whose jobs were changing, you know, for, like, jobs are eliminated, essentially because the network was going away and getting to write about the end of this conference. But also its big celebration with all of these teams that were really excited about their hopes in March. It was nice just to talk to the broadcasters and the coaches who had spent so much of their lives as part of this conference. And I think the last women's basketball event that ever aired on the PAC 12 network was USC UCLA in a semifinal. And it's just Mackenzie Forbes saying, like UCLA sucks, like right as it cuts to commercial.

[Zena Keda]

That's funny.

[Chantelle]

Which I learned afterwards because obviously I wasn't watching on TV as this was happening. But yeah, just being there, like, you know, with all these people who have been part of the conference for so long and Tara Van Der Veer who ended up retiring and like Lindsey Gottlieb who coached at Cal and then usc and like Mary Murphy who's been a broadcaster there for so long and getting to experience all of it together and like, it was weirdly emotional event, but also just awesome to be a part of that really sticks out in my memory.

[Ben]

Sabrina, you should, you should say you wrote one of the great leads, I would argue on theathletic.com all of last year or the most fitting ones at least. Do you want to say the detail you captured in that moment?

[Chantelle]

Because yes, I wrote a column about the last PAC12 tournament on the athletic and essentially what had happened, like the first day that I was there, all of the mascots were there and they had like this musical chairs game during one of the, the breaks in action. And it was, it was just oddly fitting that the, the ones who got eliminated first were like Tommy the Trojan and Joe the Bruin. And it was like literally the one who hung on the longest was the Oregon State Beaver. It was just too poetic. But yeah, I, I don't try to make things that deliberately on the nose, but I couldn't help it in that moment, like the musical chairs of the PAC12 conference and these poor little mascots hanging on for dear life to something. And that's why we no longer have America's team. And that's why this season of college basketball is a little bit different. The last one.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. I gotta go back and reread that. I don't, I don't remember that. That's a good, that's a good lead and also very great visual as well. Amazing memories, guys. Like, wow. I mean, again, I started with like a Birkin bag quote from Courtney Williams. Like, what a fail. Thank you for cleaning that up. And it makes me, as you guys were sharing all of your thoughts, it made it so easy for me to talk about my most memorable reporting moment. And for me, it was moments. The amount of times this year that someone came up to me and told me they loved our show. Me not wearing any athletic gear, me not wearing anything that like, you know, gave off that this is like people following us on social, recognizing our faces from either, you know, on our socials or on our social media assets and things like that. And just being like or the moment I was talking to my mom in a coffee shop and a lady recognized my voice from having heard it on the podcast. It. It will never fail to, like, be an honor to have you guys listen to us week in, week, week out, Trust us with our basketball opinions. Me, my basketball ignorance while I'm learning alongside these experts and just choosing us to go along with the ride. That absolutely was like, my most memorable reporting moments is like, we're doing something that people care about. People appreciate our voices in the space and we're helping grow the game, which is exactly what the whole point of all of this is. So, yeah, thank you guys for sharing those memories and allowing me to kind of remember at each one of those little moments. I went to a Warriors game. I was in the gym. I was at something at WNBA all star at WNBA finals and was reminded why we're doing this because people appreciate the content. Any last words to close it out, guys, as we talk about the end of the year? Any special resolutions?

[Sabrina]

It's more good basketball.

[Zena Keda]

I like it.

[Ben]

I'm used the tack board that you bought Xena in the WNBA finals to play all these games that should have been your most memorable moment was playing sports connections on the concourse. That's still in my apartment. I'm going to be use that in 2025. That's my word to you.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. But it was on the concourse. That's what I. That's where we got the most love. People loved us on the concourse. Sabrina, any resolutions for you?

[Chantelle]

I'm not really a resolutions person.

[Zena Keda]

I respect that.

[Chantelle]

Yeah.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. I respect that.

[Chantelle]

Yeah.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. For me, I'm gonna really work on my memory. This show has shown me how much I forget at all times.

[Sabrina]

You and jj, you and Jack.

[Zena Keda]

There we go. We're locked in. John, Cole, Jones and I were on the same page, but overall, I'm gonna first close out by saying thank you, Ben. Thank you, Sabrina. Thank you, Chantel, for the work you guys do out in the field. What you bring back to this site, what you bring back to the show, what you bring back to this audience. We are so appreciative of your expert, your intel, your relationships and everything that you provide the world of women's basketball. So giving you your flowers because you deserve them. And I also want to on behalf of Ben, Sabrina and Chantelle, thank you guys. Everyone that listens week in, week out, the people that want to learn and want to be a part of this space and want to continue to grow it. Like we are so grateful for your support and so now to close it out, want to wish you guys a happy New Year. Hope you guys celebrate safely, get ready for conference play because it's about to get crazy. But on behalf of Ben, on behalf of Sabrina, on behalf of Chantelle and everyone from the athletic, we want to thank you for your ear and as we've been doing all year, encourage you to keep listening, keep watching, keep learning and keep loving the game. Because that's the only way we're going to keep growing it. Happy 2025 folks. Until next year.

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[Marc Maron]

Hey folks, it's Marc Maron from WTF. It's been more than 15 years now and I'm still talking to all kinds of people in my garage every week. Sometimes it's Bill Burr, sometimes it's Ariana Grande. She just looks at me because she's always going like dad, it's not that big a deal. Yeah. I go, sorry, I lost my temper. I go, I still love you. You know Daddy has issues.

[Aura]

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[Chantelle]

Of death?

[Liquid IV]

Death Well, I don't know.

[Marc Maron]

I think about it all the time.

[Zena Keda]

How are we here already?

[Marc Maron]

Listen to WTF with Marc Maron twice a week on your favorite podcast app. Or get more WTF with a WTF subscription. Just go to wtfpod.com and click on WTF.

[Chantelle]

Acast helps creators launch, grow, and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com.