← No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
Angel Reese's Comments, WNBA Awards & Cheyenne Parker-Tyus on Motherhood
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Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by grainger for the one who get it done. Hello everyone and welcome to no off season. I'm Zena Keda.
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D
I'm Sabrina Merchant.
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C
And I'm Ben Pickman.
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A
And today on the show it is our WNBA Mock Awards. We are going to put a fun spin on some awards that we created before we get into our official predictions for next week. And then Ben will be joined by 11 year WNBA veteran Cheyenne Parker Tyess. Cheyenne shares her insights on returning to the court two months after giving birth. Mamas are different. Balancing motherhood with her playing career and her decision making to join the Las Vegas Aces. But first, the drama continues in the wnba. There is just literally never a day where you can just go to sleep, wake up and there's not something a brewing around the association. And this time I'm thinking about brewing. I'm not thinking about the storm, but I am thinking about the sky. The Chicago sky season has been unexpected and a bit disappointing despite some significant off season acquisitions and high expectations for their young core of players like Angel Reese and Camila Cardoso. I know Sabrina, you felt pretty highly on them going up into this season. And Angel Reese recently aired out her frustrations over the sky's need to quote unquote get great players. In a Chicago Tribune story that published on Wednesday, Sabrina, give us a breakdown of Angel's comments. And then what could this mean for the sky going forward?
- [03:18]
D
Honestly, Angel Reese provided a great sort of obituary of what the 2025 Chicago sky season was that they put too much on the plate of Courtney Vandersloot as sort of an older point guard, didn't have enough capable playmaking behind her. Angel said she doesn't trust the playmakers other than Courtney to be, you know, the leaders and point guards of the team next year. She said she wants Tyler Marsh to coach them harder. She said lack of talent isn't an excuse. You look at a team like the Golden State Valkyries, they play hard every night, they're outperforming their expectations, she said. Why would free agents even want to come here? It's not like we're offering them things that other teams cannot. So said a lot of the quiet parts out loud, Angel Reese did. And when you think about fans wanting honesty and transparency from their athletes, like this is. This is what they're talking about. I mean, I feel like her teammates are probably not super thrilled with the way they were portrayed, considering angel said the only cornerstones of this franchise are herself and Camila Cardoso. But I mean, everything she said, other than the fact that she wants the sky to, like be aggressive in the offseason, which I feel like this season should be an example of maybe being a little bit more patient, everything she said is pretty much on track, I think, you know, in terms of where the holes in the roster are, how the organization hasn't put itself in position to succeed. But she did say all of this and, you know, really call out the organization and her teammates with five games left in the regular season and had to go back in the locker room and address all of those teammates afterwards. So the timing is a little different from where you would expect most stars to make a statement of this sort. And also, like when you're Angel Race, obviously you mean a lot to the Chicago sky in terms of marketability and the star power that you've brought to this team. And she is a two time All Star. She's also a player who's never played in the playoffs. So it's hard to have this level of demanding accountability when, hey, like, what have you done for the Chicago Sky? Right.
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B
Right. Yeah.
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A
And I think it's worth saying, so this all started with her being asked about, in referencing to what the future would be like, basically saying that, you know, she wants to be Competitive, but if things don't pan out, that she is willing to leave. Ben. She went on after they beat the Connecticut sun on Wednesday night. She was asked about these comments. She did say that she was frustrated. She apologized to her teammates, said that some of her comments were misconstrued. What was some of the fallout of these comments? You know, how did the coach respond? How did the team respond? What were some of the things that were taken away from this?
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C
I mean, I think that's what we're gonna have to wait and see. Xena. Right. Like, the fallout is a little bit tbd. It is about who maybe comes back next year, who doesn't come back next year, what players end up joining. The Chicago sky angel, as you said, was apologetic after the game and said she did apologize to her teammates. And I think Sabrina is right to call out the timing of these comments because, you know, she's by no means the only player to ever have frustrations with her teammates. But to air out her frustrations the way they that she appeared to at the end of the season when she had to go back in the locker room with games to play, I think is what kind of caught my eye and caught my ear and I think the ears of some people around the league. But to her point about, like, wanting to have a more competitive team, I mean, the stat that I was thinking about as we recorded this or in the lead up to this podcast was Chicago has 30 losses as of Thursday night. They have lost 10 of those games by 20 or more points. That is pretty crazy. And that is the same number of losses, the 10 number that they have by fewer than 10 points. So they basically get blown out in significant ways as much as they lose these close games. And the Chicago sky, nobody has played in a fewer. What turned out to be fewer close games this year. They've played just one game that ended up with single possession. So, like one game which they either won or lost by three points or fewer. Like, they haven't been in a lot of these games and they have lost a lot of these games very big. Who can falter for being frustrated for those reasons?
- [07:08]
A
Yeah, and I think that's what it kind of lands to is what Sabrina mentioned. She's saying the quiet part out loud now. The awkward part about this is like, is she lying? No, there's some facts to what she's saying. It's just that it's unprecedented for someone to be so direct and to be so vocal. And I think that's why, you know, she ultimately, as you mentioned being apologetic, Ben, saying that, you know, she has to be better with her language. And it wasn't just the message and how it was, you know, construed and how it was shared. All right, that is fair. You know, she has the opportunity to apologize to her teammates, et cetera. But let's get into the meat of what she's saying, which is I don't think we have the tools around us. And we literally, we just talked about this recently about Chicago and what Chicago needed. And I remember, Sabrina, I was, we were talking about shooters, right? And like, if you look on paper, Ariel Atkins joining this team, you know, Rebecca Allen joining this team, Kia Nurse joining this team, these seem like capable three point shooters, people that can handle the ball, people that can help an offense and generate some points, yet it hasn't panned out. And so thinking about the next steps in terms of what Chicago can do, Ben, you alluded to this. This is still a little bit tbd. But I'll ask both of you, Sabrina, starting with you, like, what are the options for Chicago in the future if you bring in that sort of talent and it doesn't pan out, what's to blame? What can change? How can you ensure that if you bring in more three point shooters or better ball handlers, that it won't end up being a very similar situation?
- [08:43]
D
Well, that's the tricky part because Angel Reese wants this to be a swift process. Right. She is saying we need to bring in great players now if, you know, the direction of the organization doesn't change. Maybe I don't want to be here going forward. And I look at the sky and I see a team that kind of needs to take a little bit more time to be a little bit more discreet. And like, how they, they build a team going forward because, you know, they traded away the rights to draft Sonia Citron to bring in Ariel Atkins. And who knows if Ariel Atkins even returns to the team in free agency. And they traded away, like, swap rights in 2027. So it's hard to even plan to tank for another year because you don't control your traffic the next year. So on the one hand they've like boxed themselves into a corner if they kind of have to get better now. But sometimes you just have to, you know, accept the sunk cost. And like, I look at a team like the Sparks where they tried to be good this year because they owe their 2026 draft pick and like, has it worked yet?
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A
No.
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D
They're probably going to miss the playoffs and you've sacrificed even more future assets to try to be better in the present and it didn't work. So I think you kind of just have to rip off the band aid in Chicago and accept that like this is a team that unfortunately doesn't have the resources like as an organization to attract the best players yet they don't have the championship equity within the locker room to be good right away. So just accept your lumps. Try to find some young undervalued players, you know, players who the WNBA general managers have missed on the first go round like they did with an Atlanta Smith, you know, like they did with rehabbing Courtney Williams value a couple of years ago. Try to do that and sort of build a culture because I just don't think they can be competitive this quickly. Maybe that's not good enough for angel, but I think it's the only way that really makes sense for this team right now.
- [10:21]
A
Well, it will be very interesting to see how they build around angel or if Angel's still in that conversation to build around. And that's going to be something we'll have to see in the off season this season. But for now we're putting that to bed. Hopefully Chicago's putting that to bed. Maybe the wind helps smooth some things.
- [10:40]
D
Over, but they seem pretty happy on Wednesday night. You know, that was a good team.
- [10:43]
A
I'm trying to tell you, Sabrina, I'm telling you. I'm sure everyone around the league fans were watching every body language, high five huddled be like what's good with the Chicago? Is it beef? What's good? How are they doing? What's up? But it did seem like the vibes were high. They were high fiving. They were, you know, there was connectivity out there. But again, these are pros, right? They're going to do their job. They're going to show up and do their job. But ultimately I, I will say this from an opinion perspective. This is not journalistic, you know, thoughts here but my opinion, angel said what needed to be said about her organization. I don't know about her teammates, but she definitely said what needed to be said about her organization. And for those of you I read the comments under the story for this headline, it is fascinating the amount of people that go off script in terms of utilizing words like classless and utilizing words that have nothing to do with with basketball in order to describe Angel Reese and as someone that's like kind of in the public eye and experiences similar language, whether it's thrown at me or has seen it, I've seen it thrown Others, like, be ashamed that that's what you use as fodder for whatever you think about this player. Many players have done this before. She will not be the last. It does not give you the green pass to just say and utilize whatever derogatory terms you want to use to talk about Angel. Do better. Some of y'.
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All.
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A
Y' all gotta do better. Okay, let's move on to things in which people are doing better, and that's why we're giving them awards. All right, it's award season, and next week, we're gonna go over some of the official WNBA categories in which people are gonna get awards. But we thought it'd be fun to make up our own categories and hand out some additional hardware. Now it's gonna be virtual hardware. We don't actually have anything created, but that could be something in the budget for next year. But let's start with one about role players. And this is a fun one, guys, because I feel like role players can be assessed in different ways. Right. Sometimes you think role players, you immediately think of six women of the year, and that's not necessarily the case, in my opinion. I think role players are people that do anything and everything for their team. They play the role that's necessary on that given night. But I'm curious as to how you guys evaluate this. I've got my pick, but I'm going to start with you, Ben. What do you have for role player of the wnba?
- [13:06]
C
Well, I think I'm going to call this award. And not every award we're going to make up needs one of these names, one of two things, and maybe Sabrina, if you have a thought. I'm either thinking about this as the Atlanta Smith player who is out of the league, who's now come back in the league and become a consistent part of the league award. That's a very catchy title. I'd like to see anyone come up with that acronym and. Or the Odyssey Sims Hardship Queen Award. And I think either case, whatever one we want to go with. The player that I'm shouting out here is Haley Jones of the Dallas Wings, who was a player who was waived at the end of training camp by the Atlanta Dream. Obviously was a. I think the 6 pick in the draft a couple years ago. She was unsigned for a little period of time, then ended up spending a little bit on the, you know, cup of coffee on the Phoenix Mercury, on a hardship deal, really just like a week filling space, filling a role as needed, then had to sign another hardship deal with the Dallas Wings. And eventually signed a rest of season deal with them and has started the last 13 games entering Thursday night for the Dallas Wings. And Haley Jones is really having a career year playing almost the same number of minutes as she played last season in Atlanta. She's averaging almost eight points per game. She's averaging a career high nearly four rebounds per game. She's far more efficient as a shooter, 45.3% up from sub 40 seasons in her first two years with the dream she's beloved in the Atlanta locker room. Overall she's just been a really important piece for the Dallas Wings, a key contributor to them and I think has had a really nice year and really changed the trajectory of her career with how she has played especially in the second half of the season. So you want to call this the Atlanta Smith Long Acronym Award or the Odyssey Sims Award for best player who signed a hardship and then stuck around on their team. Either case, Haley Jones is gets the nod for me there.
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A
Oh, I love that. I love that line of thinking. I think it's very similar to what I'm also thinking but gotta check in with Sabrina. What are your thoughts for role player award?
- [15:05]
D
Yeah, I was just a little bit more straightforward here. There was no caveats, just a player who is not an all star who I've liked in their position this year and that's Sammy Wickham. I have just loved watching Sammy Wickham, who is one of the older players in the league, had a bit of a down year last year in Seattle. Obviously the vibes were very weird on that Seattle Storm team last year but sort of found herself again in Phoenix. I think it's very funny that, you know, Phoenix is this team that has made its way with a bunch of undrafted rookies this season and Sammy Wickham at one point was a 29 year old rookie in the WNBA and she has, you know, been such an important part of this team. Her two player game with Alyssa Thomas is literally one of my favorite things to watch in the wnba. Just a player who can shoot the ball like hell like her release is. I think I saw somebody on Blue sky describe it as like she just sort of like decides that she needs to get rid of the ball going to the basket. Like it's just like she's trying to dump it away. And she's just been remarkably successful both with at on the court and off the court. She's had to play some point guard there. Just a really, really fun player to watch and brings a lot of joy to that Mercury team. And I love the fact that there's a player born in the 80s who's still killing it. You know, in the WNBA, we love.
- [16:13]
A
To bring up age in the W, but it's real. I mean, I think the WNBA has like harnessed the most amount of long, long playing, longevity type players than in any other league. They've done a phenomenal job with that. And so I like Sammy Whitcomb as a pick. That's awesome. I really, really like Haley Jones as a. I would say that I was kind of in between the two. I was really struggling with this. Like, I liked Lexi Hull as an option. I even thought about Monique Akowakani as another option. Just people that have come in and done exactly what it is that their, their teams have needed. But I ended up being in the very same vein of the Atlanta Smith long acronym award or the Odyssey Sims, you know, hardship award. And that was with me, Kyla Charles. Kyla Charles. Coming in to the Golden State Valkyrie. It's over from the Dallas Wings, who literally got that opportunity because she kicked the Valkyries butts when she the Dallas Wings, as Natalie Nicase loves to say, but literally has come in since going into the starting lineup for the Valkyries 4 0. She has played defense if they needed it. She has rebounded it if they needed it. She shot outside if they needed it. She has done everything that a role player should do. And so that was absolutely phenomenal for her to be able to come in and do what they needed, especially amidst the amount of injuries that the Valkyries have sustained over the course of the year. But I like the vibe you were going, Ben, so I'm gonna go with that for. For sure. All right, let's keep it going. We got a lot of wars to go through. So next up, role players. I'm going to talk about the mamas of the team, the people that play the role of taking care of the team, looking out for folks, making everything feel good, right? These are the players that amplify leadership and compassion both on and off the court. Mine's easy. I got to go with de' Erica Hamby. I think she's the mama of the league, right? Everyone talks about this. She is someone that players go to just to get their perspective. She's been a 6 player in the WNBA. She's been a role player in the WNBA. She'S a mama herself. She knows what it feels like to, you know, be in a situation which you feel uncomfy and you want to make sure that you feel supported. She's been through that herself. And so she provides that to others. And then on top of that, you know, you were talking about leadership both on and off the court. She is MVP caliber. Like the way that she shows up on the court in terms of her scoring, her rebounding. I had a conversation with someone that said, you know, the main reason we don't talk about Derick from what she does on the court is because it doesn't look as pretty as maybe a Nafisa's game or an Asia's game, but it's effective and she does a lot for her team in terms of playing the right role that's necessary and then also keeping them together, keeping them level headed. She's got some got some people that can pop off on the sparks and she keeps them pretty level headed throughout the game. So definitely my choice for mama both on and off the court. Sabrina, who you got for mama on the court? We're off.
- [18:55]
D
I mean, I feel like this is a little obvious considering she is the president of the players union, but I feel like NECA has a very mom like role. You know, not just in Seattle, but everywhere around the league. I mean, I used to hear stories back in LA of her making sure that everybody had their boarding passes and like their bags tagged when they had to travel. You know, she literally is making sure people have everything they need when they're on the court, when they're traveling, you know, when they're at practice, she's obviously the one everybody calls and they have questions about CBA and all sorts of things. So maybe not a literal mother like Dericka Hamby, but I think in the role that she plays, you know, for everyone in the league, literally everyone in the league, I think NECA has that, that mom energy.
- [19:30]
A
I don't know how I did not even think about that when she was literally the one that had to wake up the stud buds to get to the meeting during All Star weekend. That is such a mom thing to do. And she was so calm about it. Her voice was so soothing. Ah, duh. That's a great pick. Thank you for that. Okay, let's keep it going. Next award. Best game moment. WNBA has already had some really electric moments. They've delivered highlights, they've delivered record breaking performances. It's been some competition, some buzzer beaters. It's been everything. So Ben, I'm gonna start with you this time. Choice for best game or best moment this season.
- [20:06]
C
Okay, so best moment for me or like best individual player performance was Sammy Whitcomb's first half earlier this season, July 7th against the Dallas Wings. She has 22 points in the first quarter. She was the first player this season to score 20 points in any quarter this year. She scores 29 points in the first half. That is, that was a career high and route to then scoring 36 in the. And it would have been more. I felt bad for her because she missed two free throws in the first half against the Dallas Wings in that game. And you know what, had 31 and a half like that is pretty, pretty crazy and truly like a once in a lifetime performance. So Sammy. Seeing a player like Sammy Wickham, as Serena said, like go off in that way was like, I couldn't believe what I was watching. That is definitely the individual performance that I will remember the most, especially for a player who, you know, maybe doesn't get the accolades. I can go back to team, but I'll. I'll let you guys go on individuals and other moments first.
- [21:07]
A
No, that's a great one. It actually reminds me of Lexi Held's similar performance this season against, I believe, the Valkyries, where she was also a flamethrower. Not in the same way as Sammy Whitcomb, but really impressive there. I have to go with Paige Becker's 44, mainly because it came out of nowhere. I mean, you score that many points towards the end of the game, especially in a clutch situation. It didn't end up in a win. Of course it rivals with that Kelsey Plum bank shot to end up winning that game between the Sparks and the wings, but that 44 point performance was sublime. Uh, Sabrina, what about you?
- [21:42]
D
I had Paige on the list. Um, you know, a couple Sparks game winners too. Rekia Jackson and Kelsey Blum. But I think if I think of a moment and it's kind of like a, like sort of a, a wistful moment is like when Caitlyn had those series of threes against New York and like sort of got in Stewie's face and was like, hey, you know, it just makes me sad to think about all of the time we missed out on Caitlyn and Stewie this year. But I really enjoyed that moment.
- [22:08]
A
Oh, that was such a good moment. I agree, I agree. And then honorable mention, WNBA All Star, like the whole weekend just like best had nothing to. I mean, the funny thing is like, that probably was the worst game of.
- [22:22]
D
The entire season, but a great moment with the shirts.
- [22:25]
A
Great moment with the shirts. Great moments throughout the weekend. Great mic'd up moments. I mean, probably the best mic'd up Moments of the season so far, so very much appreciate that.
- [22:35]
C
Do you know which team, though, like, was in the middle of so many of the best games this season? And I. Dallas just. It feels like Sparks to me. The Los Angeles Sparks are like the most fun team in all of these moments throughout the season because the sparks, like the 104, 102 double overtime game against Seattle at the start of August, the really close game, I want to say, was another one possession game like a week later against the Seattle Storm. Overall, la, nine games decided by one possession or fewer, seven and two in those games. And a crazy stats number as it relates to the Sparks. Sabrina, this is a classic arbitrary number, but 15 and 1, when they would score at least 87 points in a game, I don't know how many other teams scored arbitrary.
- [23:21]
D
It's just showing that they're good on.
- [23:22]
C
Athletics because they're good on offense and terrible on defense.
- [23:25]
B
Terrible on defense.
- [23:26]
C
So many great moments. Shout out to the Sparks for, you know, entertaining a lot of players.
- [23:31]
D
Yeah, like, pages 44 is totally inflated by the fact that it came against the Sparks. It's like a regular, like 36, 38.
- [23:37]
A
Yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right. No, I do love the Sparks, and I keep the lights bright out in Hollywood because it is constantly something fun. And I was like, looking at my schedule, like, I kept finding myself on Friday nights watching really stressful Sparks games. And I'm like, did I undo this on purpose? Like, what. What's happen with this schedule where I am consistently going into my weekend very stressed because of really fun, close games with the Sparks? Okay, now let's turn our attention to something more fun, and that is bench celebrations. There have been tons of bench celebrations over the years, and so we wanted to give these things a reward. I think I'm gonna cheat. I keep cheating a little bit. But the Valkyries, dude, Caitlin Chen has been on a roll with these celebrations. We've seen the Sprinkler. We've seen Stone Cold Steve Austin. A little bit X rated, but we're good for the millennial generation. We have seen the Spider man meme pointing at who's who when all the threes are going up. I mean, we've seen everything off of that benchmark.
- [24:35]
D
Money for Kate too, right?
- [24:36]
A
Oh, money for Kate. We've seen the finger roll when VB goes in the paint. Like when Tip goes in the paint sometimes, man, it's been fun watching them. They've been. I'm like, are you Coordinating it feels like NCAAs, right? Like, it feels like a lot of fun. And this is hilarious to me because when I started the season with the Valkyries, on the very first day for press conferences, we asked the team, like, how are you guys gonna build camaraderie? And I remember Tip and Kate Martin being kind of like, well, we don't need to be best friends in order to be good at basketball. Like, paraphrasing. But that's basically what they were saying. Like, you know, we could play and we're fine. And now look at them having a great time, loving to be around each other. Besties, you know, kick that out the way they have done a great job of just bonding. And clearly their bench celebrations are a reflection of that. Sabrina, what you got here?
- [25:25]
D
I mean, I think you nailed it. Like, it's gotta be the Valkyries. It's not even close. I think it's interesting that the two players who I associate most of the celebrations weren't on the team to start the season. Caitlin Chen and Leticia Amihir. You know, like, maybe they were in training camp, but, like, they missed a good part of the early, you know, season, and they just come back and very much played their role. I mean, I can't imagine how often Caitlin Chen was actually on the bench during college. Like, she played a lot of minutes, so it was a new experience for her.
- [25:49]
A
Right, right, exactly, exactly. No, that's a really great point. She's like, this is all. This is a new role for. But she is doing a phenomenal job leading the pack. Ben, what about you?
- [25:59]
C
Yeah, I'm going to broaden it and cheat this category to a broader bench conduct award in my mind. And there's two bench conduct moments that I would like to make particular light of. One of them was a game earlier this season between the Mercury and the New York Liberty, when I actually saw Nate Tibbets, the head coach of the Mercury, hand over his play card and his game plan to one of his assistant coaches, thinking he had been thrown out of a game, only to later learn that he was not thrown out of a game. Thought he was getting a second tech, and he was not. So I've never seen a coach do that before. That is a moment on the bench to set in my mind. But in terms of bench conduct, the moment I wanted to call out is, again, Natasha Cloud and Izzy Harrison getting a fine warning on the bench for wearing a hat and beret, respectively. That is my overall bench conduct award winner for that unusual moment and unusual rule came to light in this 2025 season.
- [26:50]
A
That's a good one. I completely forgot about that one. I'm not even gonna lie to you. I still don't understand what the problem was, but did you get that breakdown?
- [26:58]
C
Ben, you're going to have to keep asking it. It's just a uniform violation. Xena.
- [27:03]
A
Got it. Okay. All right, well, let's close it out. You got one last one. And this one, I think. You know, this week particularly, we have seen some really good examples of the players being able to have fun with social media. And we want to have a best admin account. This is basically the team social account that has strong engagement. They've got great value in their content, and of course, they make us kiki every time we see them. So, guys, I struggled with this one. I'm not gonna lie. Cause I feel like a lot of the content I love is coming straight out of the players accounts versus the team accounts. But who's kept it spicy between the two of you guys, who do you think, Sabrina?
- [27:43]
D
I mean, I. I'm with you. I think the players are the ones that are most memorable. Like, Asia Wilson is just on an absolute heater. Like, anything Asia posts is so funny. But I think that's also reflective of the fact Aces are very good on social. Like, the Las Vegas Aces team account always makes me laugh. They're always very good at promoting their players. Like the. The MVP turning into, like, the IV for the four for Asia's fourth mvp, I think is a very good note that they've done this week. All of the little things, like, you know, who would you want to be your emergency contact and things of that nature. Like, I crack up on all that stuff. So I think the Aces do a very good job of just keeping people involved and, like, letting you in on their personalities. It helps that they have a lot of big personalities on the Aces, but I think, like, they have a good way of bringing that out. So.
- [28:24]
A
Yeah.
- [28:24]
D
Yeah. Maybe it's aided by the fact that, like, I associate the Aces videos with Asia Wilson, but it all comes together.
- [28:31]
A
And also, you know, we might have a little recency bias. Cause that team video was hilarious. I highly recommend.
- [28:37]
D
How much Miami Heat gear can Asia Wilson keep wearing?
- [28:39]
A
Yo, Bam.
- [28:40]
D
It's my favorite thing. Every video, there's some IV gear.
- [28:44]
A
He's gonna have to lock up his closet. He's gonna show up at the season and be like, what in the. I have no shorts. I have nothing. I've got nothing left left. Ben, what about you? What are you thinking?
- [28:54]
C
I mean, look, runaway here is anything the lynx did that just involved Natisha Heidman and Courtney Williams. They were given the ultimate gift at the midway point of viral players and you know, really on social. I will remember the stud buds, obviously, like they are the biggest character this season. And honorable mention for me, Golden State Valkyries for the vi, the violet Raven mascot unveiling. I thought birdwatcher's night and the lead up to it, the cracking of the egg, the round glasses reve all the figure, the bird watching figure who was present at the game. I thought all that was very fun. That will stick out in my mind as a lasting memory from this season too.
- [29:31]
A
I like that. I like that I'm gonna make an honorable mention here. I know I didn't officially choose one. I think both of your choices were great. I ain't gonna lie to you. One of the funniest videos I have seen this season came out this week and that was Phoenix Mercury's Kalia Copper's bobblehead video. They nailed her. I mean, literally talking about her bust down. Literally following her like she didn't even know that this concept was being made while she's in the videos with this bobblehead, they got the coaches involved. I mean, yeah, it was, it was a very good piece of content. Just being able to make fun of a player but also being able to promote the bobblehead night as well. So love that piece. Let's close this out. Hope you enjoyed the mock awards. If there were some awards that you would want to give out, please send us your awards. We'll try and think maybe for next year, maybe in our next episode we might do some honorable mentions and throw them out there. But we'd love to hear what you guys think about our awards. Right now. Stay tuned for a conversation with aces forward Cheyenne Parker Tyus. Talk about stepping up. It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments.
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I'm pleased to be joined by an 11 year WNBA veteran, Cheyenne Parker Tyes. Now, Cheyenne signed with the Las Vegas Aces as a free agent last off season after spending her first decade with the Chicago sky and Atlanta Dream. And Cheyenne is here, but also her two month old son is with us. Yoshua not speaking on this podcast unless you do hear some noises. But Cheyenne, welcome to no off season. How's everything going with you?
- [32:36]
B
Thank you, everything's going great. Just enjoying the journey.
- [32:40]
C
So you know C.P. as we mentioned, we're talking to you at this pretty important moment in the WNBA calendar and also in your respective life. Yes, the playoffs are less than two weeks away and the Aces, your new team, are playing as well as anyone. But as I just mentioned this past July 1st, you gave birth to your son, your second child, and you've spent the past few months not only adjusting to having a newborn again, again, he's right on your lap as we speak, but also training to get back on the court. So the place I wanted to start is just as kind of general as we can. Can you just like take us through a day in your life and just explain the balancing act that, you know, every day is like for you right now as you work your way back to the court?
- [33:19]
B
Yeah, you know, this life has been super busy, but a lot of fun. It's been a grind just getting back, you know, it takes two days, it takes a lot of hours out of the day, but it's been worth it. I've enjoyed every moment of it. You know, just having to nurse and pump in between workout sessions or learning the plays, spending extra time after practice to do cardio just to make sure that I'm, you know, back where I need to be in order to step foot on the court.
- [33:49]
C
What has it been like? I mean, you mentioned nursing and pumping in between workouts. You're obviously, you know, with your baby right now. Like, how do you split your time? Can you just paint a story of just like what I don't know, a two hour block is like for you?
- [34:02]
B
I mean, in the mornings, you know, I try to wake up earlier before heading into the gym so that I can pump and make sure he has milk while I'm, you know, away at the gym. And then after practice, you know, even during practice, sometimes I start bulging because, you know, he get, you know, he's hungry, like probably every two hours. So I have to make sure that he is fed. You know, right after practice, I try to race home so that I can either pump or feed him. It just depends on if he had already had the pumped milk that I made for him. And then also I have a three year old that I can't forget about. So I try to spend a lot of time with her, whether it's us playing, doing makeup together, or doing something silly like she enjoys making slime, which is just like glue and some other chemicals, but she really enjoys that. So just just doing stuff, being hands on, trying to make sure that I'm spending as much time as I can with both my babies while also like grinding and making sure that I'm doing everything I can to get back in shape as well.
- [35:07]
C
I remember, you know, a few years ago we spoke last at length when you were playing for Bologna in Italy, a Euroleague club. And we were in the weight room there around Christmas time. And I think it was just around your daughter Naomi's first birthday. And I remember that trip because around that time, it was the first time she was dealing with the flu. And I think your mom, Verna had also maybe had come down with the flu. And one of the things I remember you talking about was just how important your mom was in helping support you and obviously your partner as well. Like, I don't know, how important has your family been? What role have they played? And maybe teammates too? Because I remember then like, you know, you're, you're passing Naomi off to a staffers on the bench or teammates are watching her as you warm up. You posted videos of like you doing squats but rocking her at the same time. Like, what has that been like this time around too?
- [35:56]
B
So my mom, she was, you know, the first month when I first had him, she was there. We're in Vegas now, she's not here. It's just Been my husband and I. But Kevin, my husband, he's kind of taken a step further in his growth where he's just been like, holding it down, taking care of baby and toddler at the same time, allowing me to either get my nap or get my treatment or my massage or whatever it is I need to do, you know, to maintain being a professional and effective professional at that. So it's definitely. It takes a village, you know, even when, you know, some mornings Naomi, she'll wake up and she's like, can I go with you?
- [36:36]
A
Can I go with you?
- [36:37]
B
And it's like, I feel so. So I'm like, okay, let me text, you know, the trainer, Ciara, she. One of the trainers, she's like, amazing. She's like, please bring her. You know, I'll hang out with her. And she, you know, just takes Naomi to do whatever it is she had to do. She just takes Naomi along with her while I'm doing my workouts and training. So. And Naomi's been enjoying that and just like, just being around and being able to hang out. So we've been just like, finding a way, you know, whether that be the staff being super supportive and helpful and then Kevin and then obviously my. She's gonna be coming to once I actually start playing, which is fairly soon here.
- [37:17]
C
But yeah, we'll get to that in a second. But I guess I have to ask, who on the Aces is either most excited to babysit and. Or the best babysitter.
- [37:26]
B
So I would probably say Jewel. She. She really enjoys Naomi. Her and Naomi have. Have clicked and hung out and like, passed out stickers to all the team and stuff like that. So she's definitely built a nice bond with Jewel. But as far as, like, babysitting, I don. She offered. She was like, if you ever need a night out, I'll watch Naomi. And I'm like, thank you. But Naomi's a handful.
- [37:51]
A
She.
- [37:51]
B
She probably runs circles around Jewel.
- [37:55]
C
Amazing. You know, we. We talked about it. Jewel obviously being a new off season acquisition to this team, much like you. Can you just explain for people, like, why did you end up signing with Las Vegas? What was the appeal of this situation? Knowing that, you know, you were pregnant, that you were due over the summer, and, you know, everything else.
- [38:14]
B
I think the biggest reason that I signed with the Aces was because I really appreciated how invested they were in me from the jump when our very first conversation, they expressed how much they, you know, felt that, you know, my presence on the team was valued. And I don't know, I just really, it just. I just really hit it off with Becky and. And her mindset, her mentality, her championship pedigree. It all was just super, like, appealing to me. Especially, like, the point in my career where I am now, I want to win a championship. Like, that's one of those things. Like, I have to get a championship before I hang it up. You know, I think that's the biggest thing that kind of appealed to me with the signing period. Like, all the other teams that were interested, I'm like, I don't want to bother, like, even going through the process of having that conversation. You know, I'll talk to this team because it's a team I want to play for and let them know, like, hey, I'm pregnant, but I have every intention on coming back and, you know, this season better and stronger than I was before. So, like, that's just been my kind of my mentality since signing with them.
- [39:19]
C
I do have to ask, though, you know, obviously, Derick Hamby, one of the other moms in the WNBA a few years ago, you know, alleged discrimination after Las Vegas traded her while she was pregnant with her second child. Like, how much did that factor in? Did you have conversations with Becky or team president Nikki Fargas or others with the organization as you were making your decision to eventually sign with Las Vegas?
- [39:40]
B
The one thing that I appreciate was just the transparency and the honesty. You know, when I did tell them, they were honest, that they still did want me, you know, and they would do their best to make it work. But at the end of the day, this is a business, so it wasn't like, it wasn't easy to get that transaction done because, you know, being on the roster means I'm available, but I'm not available because I'm pregnant. So it was definitely, like, a tough decision, I feel like, for them. But I appreciate that they were that invested in me as a player and willing to wait for me to have my child and come back, because it could have went another way, you know. So, yeah, I don't take that lightly at all. It means a lot. It also is a part of, like, my motivation to want to get back and play for them because. And play with them because, you know, no, it's not an easy thing. It's not an easy conversation. It's not an easy decision to make when, you know, when making your team and building your team and even throughout the season. I could have easily gotten traded, you know, or waived or anything. Anything could have happened. So I just. I appreciate the loyalty. I appreciate the trust and just the investment mindset that they have in me.
- [40:48]
C
What do you hope, I don't know, to accomplish in the final few games of the regular season and into the playoffs? What do you hope your role will be? What do you hope to then bring on the court? And I guess, do you want to break any news about when you are returning? I guess I should ask that question too.
- [41:02]
B
So, I mean, my mindset right now is like, I'm just here to be the biggest supporter and have their back. You know, they're rolling really well right now. I'm not here to disrupt anything as far as, like, the good chemistry. Like, my biggest thing is to be their biggest support and biggest cheerleader. If they do need me, I'm here. Like, that's the type of, like, mentality that I'm having for the rest of this season. And, like, I know what I can BRINGING When I'm 100%, obviously just having a baby. I'm not gonna be my best 100%, but the percentage that I have will definitely be good enough to, you know, play that backup role this season. I'm super thankful that it's not very much pressure on me. You know, the blessing in it is just like, I had the baby and I'm able to step back, step back on the court. Like, that's like the biggest. So just giving myself grace and also taking the baby steps, no pun intended, that's needed to getting back, which is, yes, very soon. I'm looking forward to dressing out this game tomorrow. I won't get in, but just to be able to warm up and be with the team in warmups, it will be exciting. And then I've been practicing. So, you know, the game plan is to sprinkle me in those last couple games to just at least get some minutes so that when the playoffs do come, if they need me, they'll have me as an option. But, you know, we'll see.
- [42:28]
C
Just kind of being, you know, a supplemental piece, playing, playing your role, we should say too. You're. You're not that far removed. 2023, an All Star season with the Atlanta dream. And I guess I wanted to add too, because, you know, the 2022 season, that's, you know, the year after, a couple months after you have Naomi. You play in every single game team that season. And I remember you talked a lot then about the goal or the message that you were kind of sending Lee. Why that, you know, you can be both a, you know, a great mom and a new mom and adjust to Being a parent and also being a, you know, a high level professional athlete, I guess. Is there a similar message or a different message or some kind of learning or piece of motivation, maybe you've touched on it, that, that you're trying to send or get out there this time around as you kind of return and deal with this for the, for the second time.
- [43:16]
B
I would say this time around, the biggest thing that I would probably portray to the public is just like being a professional athlete should not, I guess, affect or stop a player from wanting to compete. I think that it's been a stigma for so long that, oh, once you have a baby, you're done or you have to be done. And I guess the biggest thing that I want to portray is like, it can be done. You know, it's not easy by any means. Being a mom is not easy, period. So throwing in being a professional athlete, obviously, yes, it's a challenge, but that's kind of, it's, it's also kind of an edge. Like, I look at it in an aspect where right now, physically, I don't have my game shape wind, obviously, because I haven't played in a game, but physically I feel better than I did last year at this time. And that's just to say that having a baby doesn't, like, doesn't end all. It actually enhances in a way. Like, I can't really explain it until the fans see what I mean, but it just brings like another level of strength and another level of motivation because now I have two little ones that I want to show, you know, mommy has the strength and the power to do anything I set my mind to. Pretty much, you know, just having that confidence and that belief and being able to achieve those things. So that's kind of what I would want to portray to the public after having another child is just like, yes, I can be a pro and a mom at the same time. Just like a mom that does another profession, they're able to do that. And like, I look at it in.
- [45:02]
C
The same light, you know, you, I, I guess mentioned obviously the strength that you have and the message that you want to get across. You talked about the support system that you have behind you. And obviously from a, I don't know, a policy perspective, there are also supports there that help support you as a mother in this league. And I wanted to just ask a couple questions just about the cba because I'm sure this is a topic that you've thought a lot about. Obviously the last agreement that was signed in 2020 significant strides were made in terms of, of, you know, parental support, full paid maternity leave. But as someone who probably looks at these policies, thinks about these CBA policies on a daily basis, are there things that matter to you most in terms of parental policies, family planning, that the you want players or the union to prioritize going forward or that you want to see changed in this next agreement?
- [45:56]
B
There were two things that I mentioned throughout the process when I was asked that being once I became a mom, I realized like, oh, these things are important. One of them being the per diem. Something as simple as that. You know, just being able to feed myself and my caregiver who's, you know, a part of helping take care of my little one. So just having enough per diem for them, like I have to eat, but I have to also feed the person that's helping me take, you know, take care of my baby while I'm playing or practicing. And then also just like the living arrangements, you know, they, they provide a two bedroom for all the players. But I really feel like if you're a parent, if you're a mom, you're gonna need that extra bedroom. Because whether you have more than one child, they may need their own room, or you have a nanny or a caregiver, they may need their own room. So just having that extra bedroom, I think just little things like that to support our moms in the league. And then a real simple one, just having a designated family room, you know, that's private and intimate for maybe a nursing mother or a mom that just has a baby that's past their bedtime. Cause the games are late sometimes, you know, so just having like a private, intimate room in the arenas for moms, that's not something that's very common. So those are the three things that I mentioned when I did talk about like ways that can be better for the moms in the cpa.
- [47:26]
C
We should say too on that last one. I mean, that was something that unrivaled, I know, really prided themselves on last year with, you know, both Fee and Stu, Stewie being moms and you know, co founders of league, they not only had a kids room and a nursery room, they also had a nursing room. As you're, as you're talking.
- [47:43]
B
That's awesome. I heard about that. And, and you know, that just goes to show like Fee and, and Stewie, they're both moms. So they, they thought that through like this is going to be needed for players who are moms. And I think that a lot of Times things get overlooked and not necessarily acknowledged for moms because it's just, like, lack of understanding, lack of even being able to relate. Like, oh, well, we have a mom that needs this or a mom that may need this. Just not even realizing the necessities of moms just because it's hard for them to relate, like, whoever's making these rules or not making these rules. So it's, I think, just kind of informing, you know, and that's why I've wanted to talk about it more and get the story out there more of just being a mom, because it's, like, not talked about. So it's like, no one knows. Like, oh, we should consider this, or we should consider this, Things like that.
- [48:38]
C
What has the community of player parents in the WNBA been like? Is there a text group? Is there a phone group? Are you getting friends? Are you. Yeah. What. What has that been like this summer?
- [48:48]
B
That's something that I feel like is lacking because it's such a small number. You know, me being who I am, I'm super, super, super extrovert. So I've reached out to the moms in the league. You know, I've never been kind of, like, shy or too private because. Because in my opinion, I just feel like, you know, we have to be there for each other. Like, we have to have each other's back in a sense. Like, when I first got pregnant with the second one, I did, I reached out to de' Erica because I know she had a second child, and her and I were close enough where I could ask her certain questions, like, okay, what's it like? Were you able to bounce right back? Like, is it a difference? I'm a year older now. Like, does your body react different? Like, just things like that? And she was really transparent and honest with me and gave me a lot of great feedback, you know, And I just feel like there should be like, a. A mom group in the league or something where we can have each other's back and just have, like, a support system because, you know, sometimes it can feel a little isolating. And like I said, there's not many.
- [49:49]
C
Of us, but, you know, as you said, you're trying to get the word out and continue to talk about the ability to do both at a high level. Obviously, as we talk through this conversation, we'll get you out of here with this one. I mean, you mentioned it. You've been watching from the bench, or. I don't know how much you have watched or been able to watch as you have juggled a Newborn and also studying film and studying your team. But can you just give us one behind the scenes Aces story that makes you smile, that for you exemplifies what this team's energy is, what the mojo behind the team is that you might not have experienced otherwise but you've just as this observer seeing it all has caught your eye and your ear for whatever reason.
- [50:32]
B
There's like so many. But I would probably just talk about how the team has exemplified resilience and togetherness. A lot of times when teams lose, you know, a few games in a row, just throughout my experience in my career, they fold, they fumble, you know, they crumble, they play the blame game I like to call it instead of like self accountability and just figuring it out together. I think the best thing so far for me in this experience is just watching the team go through this adversity and staying together and really like really staying together. Not just like saying it but like really doing it. And it just shows. I mean it shows on the court. When they came up, you know, 12 in a row and you know there was a lot of, a lot of voices, a lot of things being said, a lot of opinions but to be able to block it all out and stay together in that locker room, it's been amazing to be a part of that and to watch that just come into fruition and I'm just like super geeked to be a part of it and I think that's why like I'm so ready to play with them and just to like be a part of that because like I said, I haven't seen that in my career and I'm just thankful to like be on that team.
- [51:48]
C
I think that is a good place to end it. It's well said the Aces have had to juggle a lot this season, but I think it is safe to say that no player on the Aces has had to juggle more than you, Cheyenne, knowing that you have a two month old, that you're working your way back to the court and in just a matter of days closing out the regular season and into the playoffs, you're going to be back on the court for the postseason for the Las Vegas Aces, obviously eyeing another championship. So Cheyenne Parker Tyus, thank you for your time today taking time out of your busy basketball and parenting schedule. We thank your newborn as well for joining us and staying relatively quiet during this conversation.
- [52:25]
B
Yeah, he just ate and now he's.
- [52:26]
C
Sleep a perfect angel during this conversation. So we look forward to your return back on the court and thank you for joining us on no off season.
- [52:33]
B
Thank you Ben. I appreciate that.
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Learn more@vertexinc.com such a great interview, Ben. Thank you so much for sitting down with Cheyenne. And now friends, it is time to set your screen. Presented by BetMGM. The Odds Boost token will have you locked in. Use your token to score a bigger payout if your bet hits. Guys, the postseason push has been popping. I'm actually very impressed with these games we've been seeing. It's been really, really competitive. Very curious. Where are you guys setting your screens this weekend?
- [54:44]
D
I've got my eye on Chicago, Las Vegas on Sunday. You know, just continuing to see what the sky are up to. But the Sky Aces game from last week or a couple weeks back when Candace Parker's jersey was retired was just really excellent. And I think the Skyfront court is like uniquely positioned to actually do some things defensively against Vegas, which not a lot of teams have been able to do anything defensively with Vegas of late. So as of recording this, Vegas is still on 12 game winning streak. They could be 13, you know, by the time you're listening to this. So maybe we're looking at 14 games by the time they play Chicago, which is a number that only I want to say four teams in WMA history have ever hit. So that's, that's something to keep an eye on.
- [55:19]
A
Okay, Ben.
- [55:21]
C
Yeah. I'm going with the New York Liberty at the Seattle Storm on Friday. Night 10pm Eastern the Seattle Storm clinging to their playoff life right now very much trying to maintain their place in the top eight. The New York Liberty, they have clinched a spot but let's just say they haven't been playing very well of late and they are running out of time to to prove that they can turn it around and or they're just going to need to wipe the slate totally clear severance style and get in that elevator and hope that they forget everything that happened in the regular season because things are not going very well for them in Brooklyn. And so this game has both a lot of stakes and two teams that are trying to turn it around. It should be a good one or a bad one. We'll see.
- [56:04]
A
Or a bad one for sure. I actually chose that New York Liberty at Seattle Storm for the same reasons in terms of what the Storm are trying to do in terms of the play playoffs. But one game that we have alluded to that I'm very excited for is Sunday's game. Dallas Wings are playing the Sparks and right now it looks like they're just going to be playing for bragging rights between the two of them. So I'm very excited for that matchup and just a rematch in general. Okay, that is all we've got for you guys today. We will be back on Tuesday with our actual WNBA award predictions and more of the in depth playoff postseason. Push all of that coverage that you guys know and love wherever you're listening. Play Please follow our show if you're watching on YouTube, subscribe there's a red button. I think it's red. It's gotta still be red. Please click that button. Tell your friends. Go click that button. You're only helping us, okay? And you're helping it get into the right ears of the right folks that want to hear about women's basketball. So go do that and head on over to our partner, the Yahoo Sports Hub for more content. Sports.yahoo.com womens-sports on behalf of the Athletic Cheyenne Parker Tyus, Ben Pickman, Sabrina Martinez Merchant and myself, Zena Kada, we want to thank you for listening and we'll see you next time. No Off Season is hosted by Zena Kada with Chantelle Jennings, Sabrina Merchant and Ben Pickman. It's produced by Tanika Burrell. Our executive producers are Andrea B. Scott and Cassius Fleming. Our theme music is by Marcus Bagala. Monica Compton is our video editor. Shannon Ryan is managing editor of women's basketball at the Athletic. Jesse Burton is our head of audio and Tim McMaster is director, director of Audio Operations.
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- [58:38]
A
Yes, Chef.
- [58:39]
D
This is so nice.
- [58:41]
C
Had a feeling you'd want 3% cash back on dessert.
- [58:43]
B
Ooh, tiramisu. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining.
- [58:47]
C
And entertainment with the Capital One saver card. Capital One what's in your wallet?
- [58:51]
A
Terms apply.
- [58:51]
C
See capitalone.com for details.
- [58:53]
D
Hey, I'm Trisha Hershberger, gamer, streamer, and Amazon Live host. I stream about tech, gaming, and the stuff I actually buy right here with my community. And Amazon Live makes it easy. Streaming, gameplay, scouting, new gear, chatting, and shopping all at the same time. That's my kind of multitasking. And it all happens on Amazon Live. Shop on Amazon Live by searching Amazon Live in the Amazon Shopping app and follow your favorite creators today.