← No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
Chicago Sky turn the page with Tyler Marsh, WNBA Draft Lottery preview
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- [00:00]
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- [04:55]
Zena Kada
For the Athletic. I'm Zena Kada and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Welcome back to the Athletic Women's Basketball show where we are here to talk all things women's hoops. Before we get started on anything, make sure you subscribe to this pod and the content online. You don't want to miss out on all the breakdowns, all the interviews, everything that's going on between this pod and online now. Today we have a special two part episode. In the first part of our conversation, Ben and Sabrina are going to sit down with the Chicago Skies newest head coach, Tyler Marsh. You may recognize him from the Las Vegas Aces where he was an assistant under Becky Hammond. And before joining the WNBA as an assistant coach, he was also in the NBA as a player development coach with the Toronto Raptors and an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers. In the second part of our conversation, I'm going to break down that conversation with all of you to see what their thoughts were on Tyler Marsh. And we got to talk about something big happening this week, the WNBA lottery. So Ben and Sabrina, take it away.
- [06:10]
Ben
All right, so, Tyler, people are learning a lot about you this week since you've been hired by the Chicago Sky. And the one thing that's really stood out to me is that your son's name is Jackson and not in fact Champ. Is he going to have a new nickname when he joined the sky or does that title moniker carry over?
- [06:28]
Tyler Marsh
Let's hope it carries over. But no, I think that, you know, I'll leave that up to, to, to our players to determine. Champ was a name given to him from, from the Aces. So if, if that carries over, awesome. If sky want to come up with another one to add to the collection, we're open to that as well too. But Champ was certainly synonymous with, with what our experiences were in Vegas. So that'll always be a special one.
- [06:53]
Sabrina
You talk about that carryover and you kind of talked about it in your press conference like that you had options and that also you were transparent with the Aces about like it needing to be the right fit in the right situation, I guess. Why did you think you were ready now to, to be a head coach?
- [07:07]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, I think that I've been privileged to learn under some amazing coaches over the last three years. I've been able to learn this league. And you know, now is a time that, not just from a, from a kind of a tactical standpoint, but just from a relational standpoint. I think that I connect well with people and that was something that was a big part of the search with Chicago and certainly an area that I felt connected to. And I got a similar feeling from, you know, in talking to our gm, talking to Jeff throughout the process that I got from speaking to Becky, our first time, our first conversation prior to joining the Aces. And there was a lot of alignment and connection in terms of how we viewed treating people and communicating and things like that and, and so that made me feel comfortable that. That not only that I was ready, but that this was the right step to take in this moment in time.
- [07:51]
Sabrina
When you talk about those steps, like, when did you really think you could be a WNBA head coach? Like, when was a dream or a goal or something, you stepped back and said, like, this could happen one day.
- [08:01]
Tyler Marsh
Honestly, it probably wasn't until other people started telling me, you're close. Your name is circulating, you're close. And I've just always been someone who's kind of just been planted or in the role that I'm at and doing the best job that I can for the people that I'm working for and with and around. And so I gave everything that I had to the Aces and to Coach Hammond and to the players in that organization. And, you know, when the time was right or when those opportunities came, then I would take a look at it. But it was nothing that I was actively pursuing and seeking out because I was in such a great place there in Vegas. So, again, to your point, it was. It had to be the right fit. And it was a tough decision, obviously, to leave Vegas. But, you know, I'm excited for this next step.
- [08:47]
Ben
When you look at the roster here in Chicago, obviously big names that stand out. Angel Reese, Camila Cardoso. So just thinking angel right away, like, what do you feel like the next step looks like for her after this rookie season?
- [08:57]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, I think for her and Camilla, it's only steps forward, moving forward. It's understanding that your rookie year is behind you, and now it's time to improve each and every year. And I think that one of the things, as you've seen Asia Wilson, like, she's every year it's something new that she's adding to her game, and that's the trajectory that we want Camilla and Angel to be on as well. And I think, you know, for me, it's about extending their game to where they're multidimensional, and it could be having them facilitate more, having the offense kind of flow through them a little bit more. And so we just hope to build a standard of excellence moving forward that we're just continuing to get better night in and night out.
- [09:39]
Ben
And then, you know, so much of your background in Vegas, like Jackie Young credited you with basically changing her life there in Las Vegas. So guard development is a big part of this. You look at the sky and do you see Kennedy Carter being a big part of what you're doing in the future? And like, how.
- [09:52]
Tyler Marsh
If so to your first part, I'LL say that, you know, oftentimes that we. We hear about what coaches do for players, and we don't speak enough about what players do for coaches. And so I think it's important for people to know that Jackie and Asian, that really, that whole roster did so much for me, that it was just. I was just doing my part and trying to give that back to them. So it was a mutual influence that we had there and a mutual partnership there in regards to Kennedy. She's a great player. She was a huge catalyst to what last year's team was able to do and accomplish. And obviously, she's slated to be a free agent this year. And so, you know, once those talks open up, we'll, you know, we'll take a look at it. But the focus thus far has been on the players who are. Who we know are under contract to coming back this year. And that's kind of where the communication has been thus far. And then we'll work on putting the.
- [10:47]
Sabrina
Other pieces around them along those lines. Like, when you think about the transition, you know, you rattled off so many of your mentors. Nick Nurse, you know, Becky Hammond, you mentioned, Adrian Griffin, you know, Rick Carlisle, Nate Bjorkren, like, all these different coaches you. You worked under, you know, you're obviously moving over to this, to the head chair. What's the biggest thing you think you. You don't know the answer to or that, like, you're trying to learn or you're curious about it, and how will you go about then trying to figure out those answers?
- [11:16]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, I think for me, one of my, I guess, better attributes as an assistant coach is being able to figure out and understand my head coach and how they like things and what, you know, how to do things the way that they want them done. And so I think a big part of it is to answer your question is to going from the person that puts out fires before they reach their head coach and now entrusting other people to put out fires before it reaches me. And so I think that'll be an adjustment in itself. But, you know, I'm looking forward to putting together a staff that I can. That I can trust and that the players can trust and connect to. To where those. Those fires are minimal. And that's. That's one of the great things that we had in Vegas as well. I think that, you know, along with the collection of talent that was put together, it was a. It was a staff. As you're seeing, Natalie Nikase get her chance in Golden State to be a head coach as well. Like, we were just. We were so connected as a staff and so in tune together that we were a unified front. And we were all there for the players, but we were also all there for Becky, too. And so, you know, that's what I hope to create here in Chicago as well.
- [12:15]
Sabrina
You know, you mentioned Natalie and I asked her this question on her introductory press conference, too, but you guys were both so hands on during warm ups. Like, it was something that everyone in every arena was struck by. Right. Like, how much of a sweat you guys would get in. Like you were playing. How are you approaching pregame warmups or thinking about the warm up period and how hands on generally, I guess, do you plan on being.
- [12:34]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, that's going to be. That's going to be tough to relinquish for me personally, but I plan on being pretty hands on. Not in a way that kind of overshadows or demeans my staff and the responsibilities that they have, but I do want my players to be able to feel me and feel that presence as well. And so there will be, there will be moments where I'll be, you know, a little more hands on than maybe the typical head coach.
- [13:00]
Ben
Just speaking of Natalie, you know, you guys are sort of going through this process together, transitioning from assistants to head coaches. I'm just wondering, like, what your conversations have been like during this time and, you know, sort of how you've talked about, like, having to go through these new building processes after being in Las Vegas for so long.
- [13:17]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, it's funny, we've. We've talked a little bit about, like, the, the interview process and things of that nature, but outside of that, we haven't really had a whole lot of communication. I think that we're a little bit worried about stepping on toes when it comes to figuring out what our staffs are going to look like or. I know she's got an expansion draft to think about, so I can't give her any tidbits on there either. And so I want her to be successful, but don't want her to be too successful against, against us. And so I know she feels the same way. She's as competitive as I am. And so, but no, we're, we're. We're rooting for each other. She was a great support system as I was going through my interview as well and helping prepare for that. And so, you know, we want nothing but the best for each other. So it'll be, it'll be interesting. We got competition committee meetings this week in New York. So it'll be. It's going to be a little bit of a weird feeling with. With her, myself, and Coach Hammond, and so. But I'm looking forward to it.
- [14:11]
Sabrina
You mentioned Becky. Just, like, what is the biggest thing that you feel like you learned from that experience that you're now going to apply to, to this job in Chicago.
- [14:19]
Tyler Marsh
Man, is that you can. Is. It is the balance of you can be professional and you can have fun. She knew she had the perfect balance of when to turn up the heat and when to kind of pull the reins back and just let her hair down, so to speak. And so, you know, she is someone who I will go to the ends of this earth for. Like, she created a space for staff and for players to be themselves and to be authentic and to who they are and to do the job. And so, you know, her trust in me to be able to do that for her, you know, it's something that I always cherish, and our relationship is something that will always mean a lot to me.
- [15:01]
Ben
It's funny because it's not just Natalie you're fighting for assistant coaches with. It's also Becky. So there's a lot of competition here.
- [15:07]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, for sure. It was weird going from. I was in assistant coaching interviews with her, helping to find the next, you know, someone to replace Natalie, and then next thing you know, I'm. I'm out the door, too. But I wish nothing for the best for that organization, too. They were so great to me over the three years, and it's an organization full of great people, top to bottom, and so I wish the best for them. Again, not too much against the sky, but just in their own right.
- [15:32]
Sabrina
And just as we close this out and we appreciate you making a little bit of time on your press conference day, just stylistically, like, when we, you know, look into the mirror ball and think about the start of next season, just how do you want the Chicago style to play? What do you want your group to represent, and what do you want, you know, fans to think about, you know, as next season approaches, for. For what you guys can be?
- [15:53]
Tyler Marsh
Yeah, I think if you looked at this, at this past year's team, their. Their fearlessness and their will to compete is something that kind of jumped off the screen at you. And so we want to continue to build upon that. We have the youthfulness to. To. To get up and down, to. To play energetic, to play fast, and we. We want to keep those aspects of the game, but we also want to. To be disciplined. We also want to Be able to grind out games that may be low scoring and in the trenches when you need to get a dig deep and get a stop late in the game. We want to surround our young pieces with some veteran talent and some veteran leadership that can, they can, they can continue to provide that, that professionalism on and off the court. So we just want, we want a balanced and consistent attack of you that, you know what Chicago sky team you're getting night in and night out. And so it starts with, with myself and the staff and then finding the, you know, the complementary pieces to put around the, the young talent that we already have.
- [16:50]
Ben
Do you have a number of threes you want to get up every night, man?
- [16:55]
Tyler Marsh
Yes and no. I don't want to, I don't want to throw that out there too early, but I don't think we'll go quite into the. The native. It's 40 plus a game than Phoenix, but hopefully we can get somewhere. Somewhere close. But shooting is definitely an aspect that we want to add to this team and all it's going to do is be able to keep teams honest on angel and Camilla inside and allow them more space to work inside. So I'm looking forward to that.
- [17:23]
Sabrina
Awesome. Well, we know you are a very busy man now in Chicago and we appreciate you making a little bit of time. I think on behalf of Sabrina and I, we look forward to checking back in with you later both to see how the sky transition is going and also to see if Jackson has a new nickname that, you know, your new players have bestowed upon him in Chicago. So appreciate you making time.
- [17:41]
Tyler Marsh
Awesome. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
- [17:43]
Zena Kada
Okay, Ben, Sabrina, welcome to the Breakdown. I loved what you guys did after the conversation with Stephanie White. Getting some thoughts around what is she going to do with this young up and coming roster in this new space back home for her as a second coming in Indiana. Very similar but different vibes with Tyler Marsh in that he also has a young and up and coming roster filled with great talent and now is going to a new spot in Chicago having to find his grounding. What was the conversation like? What do you guys think of his approach?
- [18:23]
Sabrina
I mean, the first thing that kind of jumped out to me was just the reality that I think he was going through all day during his presser of moving into the head coach chair. Right. Like we had asked him explicitly about what was the biggest thing he has to learn or thinks he has to learn and he kind of talked about, you know, that in Las Vegas he was the person who put out fires on the staff. And now, like, the question is, you know, trying to snuff out those fires before they even get to him. He talked about the workouts he does on court and how important those have been in Las Vegas and how important player development is and how he still wants to, like, have his hands dirty and still be involved maybe more than some other coaches. But also he doesn't want to step on the coaches. The toes rather of his assistant coaches. Right. Like that, I think, is something he's really going to have to manage and balance. You know, it helps that Jeff Pagliacco, the GM of the Chicago sky, also has a player development background. And there seemed to be a lot of talk about the alignment between the two of them. But overall, I think this is going to be a situation in which a lot of learning takes place. Not just from a player perspective, but also from Tyler's perspective as a first year head coach going to this new organization.
- [19:30]
Ben
You know, it's interesting how young Tyler is. I think he's only 36 years old, but. But he really has been putting in all of the steps you would expect someone to get to this point as a head coach. Like, he talked about in his introductory press conference how he and his now wife met when he was a prep school coach in North Carolina making $500 a month and living in this house with like seven or eight other high school kids. And like, she has stuck with him through all of that. And Zena, you'd mentioned some of his stops prior to getting this Chicago sky job where he, you know, worked in the NBA G League. He was a player development coach in the NBA, obviously was one of the front facing assistant coaches in Las Vegas. And it's really heartwarming to hear how much the players on the Aces meant to him in terms of getting him to this point. Like Jackie Young saying that she, he basically changed her career. And he's sort of echoing that like, they all changed my career too. And just for him to be at this point where we've seen a lot of these introductory press conferences, we're going to see a lot more for head coaches. But when he said that, like, he really didn't think that he was in line to be a head coach until other people told him, I kind of believe that because I remember talking to him earlier this season just like, you know, when do you think, you know, you're going to be off this bench? Like, when are you going to be leading your own bench? And he's like, oh, it's not my time yet. And, like, this was, like, back in July, you know, So I genuinely believe that this sort of just happened because of all of the openings, because of the great work that he and Natalie did in Las Vegas alongside Becky Hammond. And, yeah, like, he's. He's a young coach, but I think you look at all the steps he's taken to get to this point, and it makes sense that Chicago would want him in this role, like Ben mentioned, because of the player development background, because of that alignment with Jeff Paglioka. So there's gonna be so many different types of faces we see on WNBA vengeance next year, and someone this young, someone like this enthusiastic about the role is gonna be pretty fun.
- [21:10]
Zena Kada
Not only the enthusiasm, but the thoughtfulness. Right. Some of the things that you mentioned, Ben, of the things he wants to ensure that he does as a head coach while also minding the space that he creates for his assistant coaches to thrive. When you think of everything that's gone on in Chicago and the drama that has been around this team, based on your conversation, that press conference, what do you think Tyler Marsh has that allows him to be the coach that can hopefully kill all that noise and essentially make this a destination players want to be, stay, come to and thrive and be successful in?
- [21:46]
Sabrina
I mean, he talked a lot about accountability. He talked a lot about selflessness. Obviously, I think he is someone who pours into his players. Teresa Weatherspoon poured into her players as well. You know, there is a quiet confidence to Tyler Marsh as well. He's not often the loudest voice, and I think it will be interesting to see just how his voice grows in the locker room, in media sessions and all different kinds of forums now that he is a head coach. But he is someone who I think is pretty universally well respected around the WNBA because he is someone who has put the work in, as Sabrina was saying, at all different levels. Now, you know, everything, frankly, sounds really good on a press conference day, right? Like, it's exciting. Everyone's smiling. There are all these photo ops he's doing, all these interviews. It's all great on paper. And a year ago, Teresa Weatherspoon, when she was introduced just over a year ago, everything sounded great then. And Kalia Kopper was at that press conference with her, and, oh, how much has changed for the Chicago sky just a year later? So, look, this is one of those examples where, you know, to use a cliche, the proof is really gonna be in the pudding here. We're gonna have to see just how much Runway he gets, just how much, just what he's being evaluated on and. And what kind of judgments are important, Right? Because, like, this is still a team that I think is retooling, it is rebuilding. You know, they're not a championship contender right away. I think they're hoping, obviously, to be there going forward. And, you know, I think if you're Tyler, you accept this job hoping and believing that you have some Runway to both learn yourself and also help your players learn and develop, too.
- [23:19]
Zena Kada
From what he mentioned to you all, what do you think he is judging himself on for next year? You know, in terms of success, what success will look like?
- [23:29]
Ben
I think that comes in the growth of Angel Reese and Camila Cardoso. Those were the two players that came up the most often, both in his press conference and when he talked to me and Ben, just, you know, he likened it to Asia Wilson. Right? Like, Asia Wilson was great as a rookie. She was rookie of the year. She was an All Star. And then she comes back and just adds to her game every single season. And what he wants is to see those two young franchise cornerstones continue to add to their games. Right. They're going to help them out by adding more spacing. We saw how much Chicago struggled once Marina Mabry was traded to Connecticut. Like, they just didn't have any sort of room on the court for angel and Camilla to operate, really, in the second half of the season. So, you know, roster construction is going to play a part in that. But he wants them to, you know, be more efficient in their scoring. He wants them to develop more in terms of where they can score on the floor, how they can operate as facilitators, maybe even hubs on the offense. So I think the growth of those two, like, that's what's going to determine Chicago's future, and that's ultimately what's going to determine how long Tyler Marsh is a part of that future.
- [24:26]
Zena Kada
All right, so what do you all think? The first matchups between Becky Hammond and Tyler Marsh, or, you know, let's add Natalie Nakase in there, too. Like, what do you think those matchups are going to look like when they hit, go up against each other?
- [24:42]
Sabrina
I think it'll be warm, and they're gonna, like, you know, certainly have some nice pregame moments, some hugs and some conversations. I mean, I would love to be a fly on the wall this week. There were a WNBA GM and coach meetings, as Tyler talked about in New York City. Like, I would love to be a fly on the wall in those meetings for a number of reasons. But one of them is just to see like the three of them kind of sitting next to each other or sitting in the same room, all representing different teams. I mean, I think it was interesting to hear Tyler talk about to us. Like he said that he was a part of some of those assistant coach conversations. To backfill Natalie's role initially with the Las Vegas Aces this offseason and then his own head coaching cycle took off. Like, you know, I think there will be both like sharing of information but also a kind of respectful, professional guardedness that you have to have as well as, you know, a high level coach who is just, you know, one of the 13 now head coaches in the WNBA.
- [25:35]
Ben
I think Becky and Las Vegas are going to take those games really seriously. I think you're going to see, I think you're going to see Jackie Young come out with a vengeance against the Chicago Sky. I think you're going to see that same thing against the Golden State Valkyries. Like, it's not just Becky who's going up against Natalie, Nikasi and Tyler Marsh again. It's all of those Aces who know Natalie and Tyler and are like, hey, we're really happy for you. You got this new job. But we're still the Las Vegas Aces. I would expect some, some high level performances from the Aces in those matchups, especially at the start of the season next year.
- [26:03]
Zena Kada
It's hilarious that we're recording this the morning after Klay Thompson came back to the Golden State warriors and Steph Curry put on a show for the entire NBA. Of course not wnba, but it is hilarious, you know, thinking you come back, we're going to show you what you left. And so I definitely think the Aces are going to put on a show for Tyler and Natalie. Very exciting stuff. Just to see the growth of her assistant coaching staff growing in this league, becoming head coaches. Really happy that you guys got to sit down and talk with Tyler. And it's perfect timing because his team, the Chicago sky, are one of the four teams that are going to be a part of this week's major event, the WNBA draft lottery. Now the draft is a little bit different in the wnba and I'm going to let Ben and Sabrina kind of walk us through it. But it is important to remember four teams participate this year. It's going to be the Los Angeles Sparks, the Dallas Wings, Tyler Marsh's Chicago sky and the Washington Mystics. Sabrina, how many of those teams have coaches at the moment?
- [27:12]
Ben
The Chicago sky have a head coach in Tyler Rush. So one out of the four got it.
- [27:16]
Zena Kada
Got it, got it. Just wanted to double. Triple. Triple check. Interesting. And by the way, at the time that we're recording this, there was a new hire in the wnba, the Atlanta Dream. Is that correct, Ben?
- [27:29]
Sabrina
Yeah. They have hired Carl Smesko, the longtime head coach at Florida Gulf coast, to be their newest head coach.
- [27:35]
Zena Kada
Okay. Expect a lot of threes coming out of Atlanta. We'll see how that that translates. But anywho, four teams going to be in the draft lottery. One team has a coach. Not particularly important. But hey, you might be wondering, wait, how do the Golden State Valkyries fit into those four teams? You didn't mention them. Sabrina, where do the Golden State Valkyries fit into the draft lottery?
- [27:58]
Ben
I mean, the short answer is they don't. They are not a part of the draft lottery. They are guaranteed the number five pick in the first round and every subsequent round of the 2025 WNBA Draft. But yeah, they are not in the mix for the number one pick.
- [28:10]
Zena Kada
Okay, that's super helpful. Cause I know that that's been a question of everyone on their mind of like, what does that look like? They are involved in the expansion draft. But that is on December 6th, folks. We are focusing on November 17th when this WNBA draft lottery comes. So Ben, break it down to me. How does this work?
- [28:30]
Sabrina
Yeah, so the draft lottery will be on Sunday, Nov. 17. It will air at 5pm Eastern on ESPN. It will air after TCU and NC State's women's college basketball game. And usually the draft lottery is sandwiched kind of around before, during or after a college game. The four teams taking part, as you said, Xena, the Sparks, the Wings, the Sky, and the Mystics. And unlike the NBA, which is kind of based off only one year's results in terms of the literal ping pong balls, the WNBA's lottery odds are based on the two year cumulative records of the four teams that did not make the playoffs in the most recent season. So this is where we start to get a little bit tricky because on paper, the Los Angeles Sparks have the most assigned combinations. They have 442 out of the 1,000 combinations. And they are guaranteed at least the third pick, right? They can't fall below number three. Dallas and Chicago are next. They both have a combined 31 and 49 record over the past two seasons. Each of them has 227 chances out of the 1,000. However, and here's where things get really interesting. The Dallas Wings own the pick swap rights of the Chicago Sky. So you know, if the sky finish above the Dallas Wings in the lottery. Dallas, because of an offseason trade in February 23rd that saw them move Marina Mabry to the Chicago sky, acquired a pick swap for this year's upcoming draft from the Chicago Sky. So in practice, the Dallas Wings have 227 chances to get that number one pick of the pick they own. And then if Chicago gets number one, Dallas is going to swap with Chicago and leapfrog and get that number one pick. So basically.
- [30:15]
Zena Kada
Oh, wow. Okay.
- [30:16]
Sabrina
The Dallas Wings, I think the number, the math is they have a 45.4% chance of getting the number one pick, whereas the Sparks have just a 44.2%. Washington then has a 10.4% chance of getting the Number One pick. So Dallas kind of is the favorite because of some off off season maneuverings. Past off seasons. Even though the Sparks enter with the most ball combinations with their name on it, so to speak, I'm really happy.
- [30:41]
Zena Kada
You just broke that down. Cause I, I would have been so confused if Chicago got the number one pick and then Dallas was like, we're here instead. That would have been very confusing. So. Okay, very helpful to understand. Now, one thing, I'll say, the balls are interesting too. Like four balls are drawn to create a four digit combination. Like, I can't remember. I'm trying to think of previous draft lotteries. Like, has it been where they've picked numbers that did not show up? Like, how does that work?
- [31:11]
Ben
No. So each of the four balls is given a number, 1 to 14, and like they all come out and every one of those combinations is assigned to. Okay, one of the teams. So I think the way it works is if you do the combinations of 1 to 14 for four different numbers, you get a thousand and one combination. So they just knock out 14, 14. 14, 14. And then the rest applied one of the teams.
- [31:32]
Sabrina
Yeah.
- [31:32]
Zena Kada
Okay, perfect. So already previously assigned in terms of numbers. Okay, so let's talk about the impact of the draft lottery and just how much one team can completely change the trajectory of their team by being positioned well in this draft. In your opinion, Sabrina, I'll start with you. Who benefits the most from getting the number one pick?
- [31:57]
Ben
Well, this is going to be a very biased answer on behalf of myself living in Los Angeles, but I think the Los Angeles Sparks benefit the most from getting the number one pick. You look at the young core that they've assembled with Cameron Brink and Rikia Jackson, a nice front court of the future. What they really need and did not have for Basically the entire 2024 season is any good guard play. And when you look at the 2025 draft, the star of this draft is going to be Paige Beckers. And lo and behold, there is your guard to fill in alongside what the Sparks are building. So I think, you know, the Sparks haven't made the playoffs in four years. They're obviously eager to get back. These other teams have been in the playoffs much more recently than LA has. So in terms of just vaulting to the next stage of team building, yeah, la, LA really needs Paige Beckers is the way I'm going to put it.
- [32:40]
Zena Kada
Okay. Ben, do you agree?
- [32:42]
Sabrina
I mean, I'll make the case then for the Dallas Wings here. You know, Dallas two years ago was a top four seed in the WNBA before playoffs, before they, you know, struggled this past season and let go of head coach Latricia Trammell. They have Satu Sabali, who's an unrestricted free agent, who is, you know, probably the biggest free agent out there. And so getting the number one pick and the opportunity to draft Paige Beckers could potentially be a big, you know, swaying point or a big selling point to get her to try and stay. They have Ari Gumbawale, who is, you know, one of the best scoring guards in the league. And so to pair Gumbawale and Beckers in a backcourt is a really appealing combination if you're the Dallas Wings. And, you know, like Sabrina talked about with the Sparks, there is another marketability appeal too, where the Dallas Wings are moving into a new arena or expected to move into a new arena. And from Arlington to downtown Dallas, which is a big change. So they will be kind of marking this new transition in the history of their organization. And so having someone like Beckers and maybe Sabalina Gumawale as your core, that's a really formidable trio and something they can build around. I think big picture, though, what is so interesting about this lottery to me and maybe Sabrina you agree with this is, you know, we've obviously been tracking the coaching carousel so closely. I wonder, you know, getting the number one pick is a huge selling point for a prospective head coaching candidate. Each of these jobs look so much more appealing if the lottery balls fall in your favor. You know, does someone decide, oh, I don't want to go to coach the Dallas Wings, I would rather coach Los Angeles Sparks if the Sparks get the number one pick or vice versa. Or if Washington jumps up, does someone say, okay, now I'm ready to take the Washington job because I know I'm going to get the number one pick? Like, that's one of the kind of most interesting fallouts of just what's going to happen on Sunday afternoon, Sunday evening. It's just how does it impact the coaching carousel? Because I think that is the thing that is a little understated but is as telling as anything else.
- [34:38]
Zena Kada
Hmm. Okay. Interestingly enough, I have a different team. I'm going with the Washington Mystics. I'm looking at them. I still remember that 12 game losing streak. I definitely think that, you know, Julie Van Lew is not a real rookie. Right. For last season. She has played overseas and definitely came in to be a presence in terms of a floor setter on the floor. But Ariel Atkins needs someone beside her setting the floor. Britt Bundles, Brittany Sykes dealt with some injuries. I definitely think they need some guard play there, especially to help out with Aaliyah Edwards and Steph Dolson and Shakira Austin, who hopefully, let's hope she can get healthy and stay on the floor next season. So I'm going to make the case for the Washington Mystics. They've needed a bolt and a jolt, particularly since Elena Deldon left their team. So interesting. We're all split here. I mean, only one team can win. So we'll, I guess we'll see this weekend. I'm curious, with this lottery and knowing there's an expansion draft coming, is there any impact on how this draft can change the decisions that front offices are making in the expansion draft if they get high lottery picks?
- [35:49]
Ben
Yeah, I think depending on where you land in the lottery and what player you could project to get with that pick in 2025, that might affect who you want to protect in the upcoming expansion draft. Like if you think about the Mystics, if they get the number two pick, let's say, and that's widely projected to be Kiki Iriafen at this point, if you're gonna add another young big deer front court, maybe you're not as insistent on needing to protect Stephanie Dolson at this point. Or I guess they already traded Maisha Hines Allen. But like you think about Sika Kone and Shakira Austin, like, are you gonna protect four young bigs in addition to also drafting Kiki? Maybe not. But if you get the rights to the number one pick, then all of a sudden Paige Becker's is a possibility and it's like, okay, well, we don't need to protect any of our guards. Like we could just kind of overload on front court players. So I think depending on where a team lands in the lottery, like that could affect who they end up protecting. It might be a minimal effect because not every team has that many players who are in such close consideration to protect. But I do think that like there could be a guard. Big delineation in terms of where you land in the lottery.
- [36:50]
Zena Kada
Makes sense. Okay, well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see where these teams end up in the draft lottery and also get ready because we're less than a month away from the expansion draft. I mean, this is, this is crazy how fast things are moving. Um, and oh yeah, there's NCAA games going on. Does anyone see what USC did the other night? Absolutely crazy. 124 to 39 versus Cal State Northridge. Not the point of this show, but I just needed to put that out in the atmosphere that Lindsey Gottlieb got her 300th win with her USC Trojan scoring 124 points.
- [37:28]
Ben
They also forced 43 turnovers. Yeah, that's more than one a minute.
- [37:33]
Zena Kada
Yeah. Oh, man, I can't imagine the film session you have after Cal State. I mean, like, I think you kind of just have to chalk it up to the fact that USC is usc. But when we get back, we're gonna have to talk about these pre conference matchups because some of these big teams are playing some competition that's not really showcasing. Are they capable of making a run in the tourney? And that's what fans really want to see right now. People are a little bit bored about it. I'm going to ask Shantel about it for now. I appreciate you guys tuning in. Ben, Sabrina, thank you for sitting down with Tyler. Really grateful for those kind of conversations and being able to get into the minds of folks around the women's basketball sphere. On behalf of Ben, on behalf of Sabrina, appreciate you guys tuning in. Please leave us comments, Let us know if you have anything you want us talk about, people you want us to talk to. We definitely want to hear from you. I'm Zena Keda thanking you for your ear and encouraging you to keep listening, keep learning, keep watching and keep loving the game. Because that's the only way we're gonna keep growing it. Until next time.
- [38:46]
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Tyler Marsh
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Zena Kada
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Tyler Marsh
Hey guys.
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Sabrina
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Tyler Marsh
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