Paige Bueckers goes #1 + WNBA draft winners and losers

Summary

No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show Episode: Paige Becker Goes #1 + WNBA Draft Winners and Losers
Release Date: April 15, 2025
Hosts: Zena Keita, Sabrina Merchant, Ben Pickman

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1. Introduction to the Draft Night

The episode kicks off with Zena Keita welcoming listeners to the latest edition of "No Offseason," focusing on the monumental 2025 WNBA Draft. The primary highlight is Paige Becker from UConn being selected as the number one overall pick by the Dallas Wings.

2. Venue and Atmosphere

[06:32] Ben Pickman: Ben provides an insider’s view of the draft venue at the Shed at Hudson Yards in NYC, highlighting its significant expansion compared to previous years. He remarks, “The draft is just this, like, very fun event because at its core, you're just watching people realize their lifelong dreams” ([06:32]).

[08:24] Zena Keita: Zena emphasizes the growing momentum of the WNBA and how the larger venue reflects this growth, stating, “It feels very apropos for that to be the venue for this year specifically” ([08:24]).

3. Top Draft Picks and Team Analysis

a. Dallas Wings and Paige Becker

Paige Becker’s selection by the Dallas Wings is dissected thoroughly. Ben discusses the immediate impact she is expected to have both on and off the court, quoting Greg Bibb, Wings’ CEO: “On the court, she's transformative. Off the court, you're going to feel the impact she can do for Dallas on day one” ([20:35]).

Sabrina adds, “I like the Paige Calder shot right after she was taken and said I hope this is also a good night for my UConn teammates” ([19:47]).

b. Seattle Storm and Dominique Malanga

Seattle Storm’s second pick, Dominique Malanga, is lauded as a strategic fit to bolster their rebounding statistics and perimeter defense. Ben notes, “This is a pick for their future” ([25:01]).

Zena observes, “Dominique feels like the best fit in my opinion, especially with those around her” ([25:35]).

c. Washington Mystics and Guard Picks

The Washington Mystics focused on strengthening their guard lineup with three of their first four picks. Ben explains, “They recognized that they needed some backward help, and they went out and did that with three of their first four selections” ([31:16]).

Sabrina adds assurance for the drafted guards: “If you were selected by the Washington Mystics, you should feel very good about your prospects to eventually play in the WNBA” ([32:41]).

d. Chicago Sky and Haley Van Lith

Chicago Sky’s selection of Haley Van Lith is analyzed for potential team dynamics, especially her previous partnership with Angel Reese. Sabrina expresses reservations about the fit: “I don't really love Haley Van Lith in a place where like, she doesn't have the ball in her hands as often” ([35:57]).

Ben counters, highlighting the learning opportunity: “She's given an opportunity here in Chicago to really learn from Courtney Vandersloot” ([34:34]).

e. Connecticut Sun and Anissa Morrow, Saniyah Rivers

Connecticut Sun’s picks, Anissa Morrow and Saniyah Rivers, are discussed as pivotal for their rebuilding efforts. Ben predicts Morrow could lead all rookies in rebounding, while Sabrina notes, “Anissa Morrow can definitely be that player” ([40:06]).

4. Notable Moments and Players

a. Fashion and Georgia Amore

The draft night wasn't just about basketball; fashion moments stood out, particularly Georgia Amore’s choice to wear flats, showcasing her authentic style. Sabrina praises her decision: “She decided to wear flats as the shortest player in the draft... rewarded with this just complete, authentic trueness to herself” ([12:52]).

b. Paige Becker's Team Impact

Paige’s dedication to her UConn teammates resonated deeply. Zena ties this to her familial ties within the team, mentioning how Nika Mule returned to support her: “Nika Mule, who was drafted last year, came back to support her teammate because they said they wanted to be there for each other” ([20:35]).

5. Surprises and Potential Losers

a. Incomplete Grades for New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx

Ben critiques the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx picks, citing incomplete strategies and external factors affecting player arrivals. He states, “New York clearly has a plan... it's just like New York clearly has a plan” ([45:21]).

b. Sedona Prince Not Drafted

The discussion shifts to Sedona Prince, who faced challenges due to her injury history and off-court allegations, leading to her not being drafted. Ben summarizes, “Teams were weighing her upside along with her injury history and allegations” ([50:47]).

6. Unrivaled Basketball League and WNBA Tensions

A significant part of the conversation centers on Paige Becker signing a lucrative deal with the Unrivaled Basketball League, surpassing her WNBA rookie salary. Ben discusses WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert’s response, noting her mixed feelings and acknowledgment of Unrivaled’s innovations ([54:24]).

Sabrina remarks on the potential impact: “Unrivaled is finding opportunities to compensate support players in a way that the WNBA has not been able to figure out yet” ([56:35]).

7. Future Topics and Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with teasers for upcoming discussions on the new era of the WNBA, featuring retiring legends and emerging stars like Diana Sue Bird and Candace Parker. The hosts also hint at an interview with Washington Mystics GM Jamila Weidman, promising insights into her leadership and vision for the team.

Zena wraps up by encouraging listeners to follow the show, engage on social platforms, and stay tuned for more in-depth analysis and interviews.

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Notable Quotes:

• Ben Pickman [06:32]: “The draft is just this, like, very fun event because at its core, you're just watching people realize their lifelong dreams.”

• Sabrina Merchant [19:47]: “I like the Paige Calder shot right after she was taken and said I hope this is also a good night for my UConn teammates.”

• Zena Keita [20:35]: “Dominique feels like the best fit in my opinion, especially with those around her.”

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This episode provides a comprehensive breakdown of the 2025 WNBA Draft, highlighting key picks, team strategies, and emerging tensions within the league. Hosts offer insightful analysis, backed by insider perspectives and notable quotes, making it an essential listen for fans eager to understand the future landscape of women’s basketball.

Transcript

[Zena Keda]

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[Zena Keda]

Hello everyone and welcome to no off season presented by MassMutual. I'm Zena Keda.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I'm Sabrina Merchant.

[Ben Pickman]

And I'm Ben Pickman.

[Zena Keda]

Today on the show, the 2025 WNBA Draft is in the books and as Predicted Paige Becker's out of UConn was the number one pick. She's headed to the Dallas Wings. But what else happened? Who were the big winners and losers of the night? What was the vibe on the ground and in the building? Now we're recording this late Monday night. I just got home from the inaugural Golden State Valkyries official draft event. It was just for the media, where we were inside the building as we watched the entire ESPN broadcast on a big screen alongside other members of the media. But as you heard at the top, I am joined by Sabrina Merchant and our colleague Ben Pickman. Ben, you were in the building at the Shed at Hudson Yards in nyc. That is a very long name for a building. Now that I just said that out loud. But at the Shed, this is a larger venue than it was last year. Give us the inside scoop. What was it like at the Shed at Hudson Yards and nyc?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean, you kind of hit the headliner first. It was a much bigger venue than in past years. This is the, I think the fourth or fifth draft that I've been to in person. And the first few were at a small studio in the West Village called Spring Street Studios. And very quickly, the WNBA outgrew that space. Last year, the league held the draft at bam Brooklyn Academy of Music, which is an old theater in a very nice theater in Brooklyn, but also felt very crammed and everyone was on top of each other. The space this year was very spacious. It had separate floors for the draft, and there's usually kind of like a cocktail mixer happy hour with sponsors and agents and other kind of types of people before the draft. So it had plenty of space for everybody to schmooze. It had a much, much bigger media workroom and press room and press area than in past years. And so it just felt a lot more comfortable. The actual, like, stage and reception and waiting area where they were seated felt a little bit bigger. There was just more room to breathe. Yeah, and the draft is just this, like, very fun event because at its core, you're just watching people realize their lifelong dreams. Right. Like, for all the basketball and analysis that we're going to talk about on this show, like, that is literally what is happening here. Like, these players have had dreams of making the W for many of them since they were kids. And those dreams are being realized in real time. And so you see so many of the emotions. And yeah, there's obviously like a, Is this player a good fit? How are they going to translate? Some of these players might not be on rosters in three weeks, four weeks, five weeks time. Like, that's just the hard reality of the WNB draft. But you see so much like, positive energy on draft night. That's one of the prevailing emotions, whether it's, you know, tonight or in past drafts that I've attended.

[Zena Keda]

And that's so fitting that you get a bigger space. Right. As the WNBA is just gaining and women's basketball just gaining all this momentum. It. It feels very apropos for that to be the venue for this year specifically. Sabrina, you and I were similar in that we both watched a broadcast. And I gotta ask both of you, so Serena, you watch this at home? And I watched it too. Did it feel like it was, like, awkwardly quiet sometimes when the broadcast was going? Like, it felt as if the audience was listening to the broadcast?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, I mean, I think that's part of it. Right. Like, Ryan and Rebecca and Andrea are talking in the room for the television production, but also everyone in the room can also hear them. Right.

[Zena Keda]

And so that is awkward to me. I felt like I was like, literally asking other media members in the room, like, does the NBA do it like that? Have they done it like this in the past? It just felt so weird for them to be, like, fully analyzing Paige Becker's as she's just sitting there with the rest of her draft class.

[Sabrina Merchant]

They hosted the event for all of us, for the people in attendance and the people not in attendance. So it is a big role that the ESPN crew fulfills.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. Yeah, no, I was like, I feel like there should be a DJ somewhere for the people in the room to not have to, like, listen to any of this.

[Ben Pickman]

But for you, there was a dj. Xena, there was a DJ in the room, I should say, but they weren't super loud. And during the broadcast, you were listening to the broadcast, so you're right on this.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Everyone is a commercial break dj? Is that what we're talking about?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, kind of.

[Zena Keda]

Pretty much.

[Ben Pickman]

Pre. Pre. Festivities.

[Zena Keda]

Got it. Okay. Got it. I just felt that was so interesting. But, Sabrina, when you look at this draft, you know, sitting at home, what were some of the things that stood out to you in terms of how they, like, kind of entered into it? Because there's a 30 minutes before the. After the actual draft and then the actual full draft. And, you know, you got to see clips that you usually do as folks analyze the players right before they're picked and after they're picked, et cetera. What was it like for you watching it?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, well, I would say the most Surprising thing actually did happen pre draft, which is when Georgia Amore came to the WNBA Countdown set with Russell Westbrook, because Russell Westbrook was her stylist for the event. Nothing could have prepared me for that moment of learning that that was why Russell Westbrook was there and that they got on a zoom together in November to start this process of planning her outfit, which, I mean, I. I think honestly, they did a great job covering this draft. The fact that they did not further dive into and ask, how did you get connected on this zoom in November to make, you know, make this particular outline?

[Zena Keda]

It's still something that I don't know.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Did you figure out malpractice? No malpractice.

[Zena Keda]

We're going to have to figure it out because it is crazy. I think that was one of my big fashion moments was that Russell Westbrook was on the scene because he's a designer.

[Sabrina Merchant]

George Amore was wearing Honor the Gift. Yeah.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah. So cool. I thought that was one of the big moments. Speaking of that, like, was there any fashion moments, Ben, you were in the building that kind of threw you off. We didn't have a Rekia Jackson outfit change moment. We did, but. Oh, wait, we did. Who?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Paige Beckers changed outfits.

[Ben Pickman]

Paige Beckers.

[Zena Keda]

Oh, my God. Paige Beckers did change outfits.

[Sabrina Merchant]

She was in a similar color palette. It was, like, very black, sparkly. So you'd be forgiven if you didn't quite notice the difference.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, well, then forgive me, because I definitely didn't. It's very different than what Rekiya did. I mean, Rekiya went from completely different sides of the color spectrum. And also vibes. Like a suit versus a. Anyways, this year is for Paige, so I didn't know that Paige switched it up. I was gonna give away a Rekia Jackson, like, fashion award award because, like, you know, who did it best? You know, between a few people, I think Kiki Iriafen looked stunning in her gold beaded Nigerian garb. I mean, absolutely beautiful dress. Sonia Citrone girl. If she doesn't want to play basketball anymore, I know coach would hire her. She was wearing this coach suit and she was wearing it. It looked amazing on her. But there were so many great fashion moments. Paige. To me, between Paige and Isaiah James, I felt like they just walked off a world tour. Like they had already finished a musical tour. And then they came back and they were like, oh, yeah, let me get drafted to the wnba. It was just like fitting outfits for stars for you guys, beyond the fashion and beyond Russell Westbrook, because that was huge.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I Have to add about Georgia Amore, though, I want to point out.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I. I wrote this on the Live blog, but I just. I needed to say it again. The fact that she decided to wear flats as the shortest player in the draft.

[Zena Keda]

Yes, I thought this was.

[Sabrina Merchant]

And specifically told Russell Westbrook, like, we need to style me in flats is so perfect. And I'm glad that she was rewarded with this just complete, authentic trueness to herself by being drafted 6 overall. Good for Georgia.

[Zena Keda]

Now, for the fashion lovers that are listening to this and before you go and, like, try and look up Georgia Amore's outfit. No, she's not wearing ballet flats. She just wore, like, flat boots that went with it. Not heels is what we're referencing. But, yes, it was very Georgia Amore. It felt very much true to her style. And, like, shout out to Russell Westbrook for finding the smallest person in the draft, you know, to outfit for this event. That was really cool. I'll say this before we get going on other guests and things that surprise me. My number one surprise, I was trying to figure out, where's coach Tara Vanderveer? I kept seeing Lindsey Gottlieb, and I'm like, Kiki area fed with the Stanford, didn't she? For four years. Where was coach Tara? Did you guys notice Coach Tara? Or three years. Excuse me. Did you guys. Was Ben. Was she there?

[Ben Pickman]

I didn't see her, but I wasn't that surprised by that. Usually, coaches who are invited are the coaches of the players, like, immediately immediate coaches of the players. And that is often the table with whom they sit. Right. So Haley Van Lith, for instance, was sitting with Mark Campbell, the head coach at tcu. She was not sitting with Kim Mulkey, and I don't even think Jeff Waltz was in attendance, for instance.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, she had multiple options in comparison.

[Sabrina Merchant]

To be fair, Joni Taylor was there for Sarah Ashley Barker, who started her career at Georgia. So it is an option, you know?

[Ben Pickman]

Right.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. Okay. What was else? Something else that, like, kind of surprised you guys.

[Ben Pickman]

What I would say is watching the draft in person is a very different experience than watching it on tv because you're very much, like, in this bubble where the picks just keep on flowing. And, you know, I watched the first couple picks in the main room in the audience, kind of feeling the energy. And then I went up to the media room and just kind of was part of these press conferences for much of the rest of the night. Watching these moments happen largely on screen and then hearing players as they funneled into the room. So. So it's kind of a different experience than even what Sabrina is doing. Fully watching it. Like, I'm not really hearing the telecast at a certain point. I'm often just looking up at it. I wrote a story about Paige Becker's tonight and kind of her night. And I talked to the Wings president and CEO as well for that story. Like, I just kind of got in a bunker. And so it's like I feel right now as we tape this podcast on late on Monday night, like I'm fully starting to just digest like the run of show. Like one of the moments that sticks out to me. Sure, it's the players late in the draft, Chen and Griffin who get called up from the audience from UConn. But also seeing Aja Sivka when Chicago took her, like looking up out of the corner of my eye and seeing how emotional her dad was when she was talking about her dad. Like, that is a moment that even watching the telecast, having gone upstairs for that moment, that will stick with me from this draft night.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, no, between Aja Sifka's father just like trying to hold back tears and Madison Scott's mom also, I was just like, those two kind of knocked me out. Even Holly Rowe was like, she got emotional on Madison Scott's mom. It was just. It goes back to what you're talking about, Ben, that at the end of this, at the core root of this, this is a life changing night. And it's interesting cause I was at the Valkyries event and that's the exact same thing that the Valkyries GMOhemignan said that a question was asked about how was it for her to have her very first pick as a GM for the Valkyries. And she was just like, thank you for asking that question. Like, it's unreal to be able to change people's lives. People like you don't know that you meet for the first. Like you're meeting for the first time you didn't know two days ago and you're now about to change their lives, the lives of their, their families, their schools, et cetera. So it is really cool. So let's talk about some of the lives that were changed tonight. And let's just run down the first round of draft picks. So. Well, to no one's surprise, Paige bickers out of UConn goes to the Dallas Wings. Then at the number two spot, France showed up Dominique Malanga out of the team, Leon as well, Femino out of France goes to Seattle Storm. Oh, Azy Magbagor. And Dominique Malanga we're gonna, we won't dive too, too deep. And Necke and Neca Gumake of course. I mean this is, this is a big time pickup for Seattle. Then Washington Mystics like we're clearing the board with three in that first round. First up at number three was Sonia Citron out of Notre Dame. Then at number four they got Kiki Iria Fenn from usc. And before they got their sixth pick at number which was Georgia Amore in her honor, the gift fit from Kentucky. The Golden State Valkyries surprised a lot of folks in getting Juste Josite from Leon Asfel Ephemeral who's also a teammate of Dominique Malanga, a 19 year old out of Lithuania. She's actually born in D.C. but has pretty much lived in Lithuania her whole life, has played in Euroleague her since she was 13, 14 years old. So the Valkyries pick them up or pick her up. And then at number seven, Connecticut sun, they got this pick from Phoenix via New York. There's, there's a lot of picks that got moved earlier on. So the Washington Mystics got that their sixth pick from Atlanta via Dallas. Connecticut sun got their seventh pick from Phoenix via New York and they got Anissa Morrow from lsu. Connecticut sun went again at number eight, they got that pick from Indiana. They got Sinai Rivers from NC State, Los Angeles Sparks in that big Kelsey Plum trade from Seattle they got the ninth pick and picked up Sarah Ashley Barker out of Alabama. And then the Chicago sky from Connecticut got Aja Sifka from the Slovenia at number 11, Chicago sky again got a pick from Minnesota Lynx recently and they picked up Haley van lith from TCU. And that number 12 Dallas wings from New York via Phoenix got Isaiah James out of NC State. Now that is very. That was like a lot of things going on. So hopefully we on the YouTube incorporate pictures to ensure that everyone's visually learning as much as I'm also saying all these things. But ultimately Beckers, Malonga, Sonia Cetron, Kiki Iriafen, Juste Josite, Georgia Amore, Anissa Morrow, Saniya Rivers, Sarah Ashley Barker, Aja Sifka, Hayley Van Lith and then Aziah James, Ben, Sabrina. Everybody knew that Paige was going number one. Everybody knew Dallas has had the number one pick since last December. So was there anything about what happened around Paige tonight? Surprising at all?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I like the Paige Calder shot right after she was taken and said I hope this is also a good night for my UConn teammates. And then two of them ended up getting selected at the End of the third round.

[Zena Keda]

Yes.

[Sabrina Merchant]

That was really what stood out to me more than anything, because she got supremely choked up when talking about her team, how much they matter to her. So for her to be able to share in that moment with Caitlin Chen, with Aubrey Griffin, I thought was very cool.

[Zena Keda]

Can I just tie onto that moment real quick? I think there's something to be said about not only did she do that for her teammates in speaking about them, but Nika Mule, who was drafted last year, came back to the draft this year to support her teammate because they said they wanted to be there for each other. So the UConn lineage runs deep, but particularly around Paige. That familial tie, I mean, those ties are strong. Go ahead, Ben.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, And Aaliyah Edwards was there too. And it brought me back to last year at the draft. And I actually asked Paige Beckers about this after this year's draft. I said I was sitting in the audience last year in 20, I guess, 14, and Paige was a few rows ahead of. In front of me, of me as Caitlyn Clark, 2024, as Caitlin Clark was getting called out, she was there to support Nica Mule and Aaliyah Edwards. And I just remember, like, it took Paige a while to find her seat. Like, I think someone had taken her seat and they had to seat her just any which place, like in the back of the theater, like by schlubs like myself. So I asked her about just like how that experience was compared to this year, and she talked about last year. She was really there in a supporting cast role. And I kind of thought that like, like that might have been the last time that she's ever played a supporting cast role, considering the year that she has had and that what she will play in Dallas. And so it definitely was cool to see her teammates, both current and former, come back and support her. Some of the things that stuck out to me, though, from Paige Becker's night and when people from Dallas were talking about with her, I mean, I talked to Greg Bibb, the president and CEO of the franchise. He acknowledged that on the court, she's transformation, she's transformative. And off the court, like, you're going to be able to feel the impact that she can do for Dallas on day one, that she is a needle mover. And already we are starting to see that from a business perspective. They sold out their season tickets just a few days after they won the lottery back in November for the second straight year. You know, they're headed into this new arena downtown. You Got to believe like they're going to load up on partnerships even more than they did last year. They just announced a new local TV reel deal as well. Like the business of the Dallas Wings are changing and people are well aware of that. Some actual kind of news and notes on the transaction. It seemed like pretty much from moment one, day one. Once the ping pong balls fell in their favor, the Dallas wins were picking were taking Paige Beckers. Both Greg Bibb and the gm Kurt Miller were pretty clear about that. And Kurt Miller also confirmed that they were never going to trade the number one pick. He was very clear about that. It was always going to be Paige. She was always going to be the selection. And sure enough, she was on Monday night.

[Zena Keda]

Now, I asked folks on Blue sky and X to comment any questions they had because I knew I was gonna be talking to you guys. Interestingly enough, people on X just liked it. Blue sky people actually follow directions. I don't know if that's an indication on social platforms, but thank you guys for your questions. Let's dig into them. One of the questions that we got out of Blue Sky, Michael Coley also shout out to Michael. He's always supporting us on, on Blue sky and sharing our stuff. So thank you. But Michael asked, you know, I know people always ask what team had the best draft, but I'd love to know who had the best draft in terms of winning right away, AKA this year. And I would say that that would be very accurate for the Dallas Wings. Uh, Ben, Sabrina, would you guys agree with that?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, I don't think any player is going to impact winning as much as Paige is this year.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, even what Ben is just mentioning of what Bib said of just being able to immediately get on the floor and be ready to play and be a decision maker, be someone that can defend and, and score on multiple levels. Like this is what Paige brings and this is what you saw in the championship. Now, someone we didn't see recently in terms of the NCAA championship, but we've been talking about a lot is Dominique Malonga. And I feel as if in the last week everything's blown up. I mean, of course, Ben, your wonderful quote. Hi, I'm Ben.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Do you.

[Zena Keda]

Have you heard about Dominique Malanga and obviously the stories you've written online and Mike Vorkanov also wrote a piece about Dominique Malanga that's live on the site. Meet the new number two that's in Seattle. And when you look at Seattle, one of the stats that stand out for me is that they are. I think 11th in offensive or, excuse me, opponent rebounding in general, which I thought was pretty surprising considering the height and the length that they have on that team. But they also are pretty low in the league in terms of their opponents offensive rebounding and opponents paint points in the paint. Now that might be an indication on their perimeter play, people being able to get past their perimeter defenders. But I'm sure it's something that Dominique Malanga can help with in terms of the size that she brings, et cetera. When I think about who fits really well with their team, Dominique feels like the best fit in my opinion, especially with those around her. Ben, talk to me about how Dominique is going to fit into the Seattle Storm franchise. That's just on the cusp of being a contender.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean Seattle is a place where I think she can both play in the present but also develop like she's not going to have to play big minutes right away. Presumably they're still going to roll with Ezzy, Magma Gore and Neko Gumake in their front court and they'll be able to kind of work Dominique Malanga in as they see fit and allow her to learn under the tutelage of both of those all star caliber bigs. And this is really not necessarily just a pick for the present. She's 19 years old, but this is a pick for their future future. You know, I think the Seattle Storm had a very good night overall. But I will say on this pick in particular, like one of the big winners, international players, three international players in the top 10. It's really, you know, it's the most in, we'll call it the modern era of the WNBA. Like technically 1998 and 2000 had three, but that's kind of in this expansion draft entry to the WNBA era. So this is a different kind of story. Another big winner of the night. Asphalt Lyon, the club in France where both Yoshite and Dominique Belonga played at two of the top five picks in the WNBA draft is a pretty big deal. That's a club that's owned by Tony Parker. He's the, you know, he runs that club. The former San Antonio spurs guard. Their head coach currently is a former Chicago sky assistant coach who is very familiar obviously with the wnba. For multiple years he worked under James Wade before going back to France. Like it was a big night for, for international basketball, you know. Another player, Kosu, goes to Minnesota at 15. But yeah, love the Malanga pick. I think it was a very clear selection once, especially once Olivia Miles was not coming back and It's a great pick for the future, and it also should benefit them in the present.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. Now it feels as if, you know, a lot of people were saying, well, like now that Olivia Miles isn't in this draft, if it makes sense that Dominique Malanga is going to go to two. And then even Andrea Carter said that even if Olivia Miles was in this draft, if it made sense that, you know, Dominique Malanga would go as high as she did. Now, there were some players that were surprising in where they went, but I think there was a good point made by Rebecca Lobo that it's not about what number you go, but more so about the fit of the team. That being said, people still look at the numbers. When did you go? That is always something that people always have in the back of their mind. Why did you drop? Why did you go up? Sabrina, I have some questions in my DMs about. Whoa, you stay Yosite. That was not expected for the Golden State Valkyries. People were thinking that the Valkyries were going to choose Anissa Morrow. That was a surprise for me. Was it a surprise for you?

[Sabrina Merchant]

Not at all. I had Yoshite going to The Mystics at 4, actually, ahead of the Valkyries. And I specifically wrote in the last mock draft, the Mystics, if they want her, will have to take her here because Golden State will take her at 5 if she is available. And lo and behold, she was available at 5 and Golden State took her. It's interesting. When we got league expansion in the wnba, I think a lot of people were really excited for more college players to have a chance to land in these roster spots in the W. And, you know, the players that you're familiar with domestically that don't make the league, like the Taylor, Mike Sells or Monica Sonanos of the world, you know, getting to land on a WNB roster and Golden State sort of showing us like, no, we don't think that the domestic players are the ones who are missing out on the W. We think the international ones are the ones who are missing out on the W. You look at the Golden State roster and they have more than a half dozen European players on their roster, not even including Stephanie Talbot, who's also international, but she's from Australia. And these are players who have mostly played in the Euroleague and European leagues and haven't had an opportunity to come over to the W as often, you know, as you might infer from someone of their talent level. And I think it's just a very interesting way to build a roster, you Know, by taking advantage of this overlooked, untapped area of talent and bringing them over to the W. I think it requires exceptional level of relationship building. Right. Because historically it's been hard to get players to want to play year round and play away from their homes during the summers when they could just be taking some time off. It's not as financially profitable as it is to play in Europe. So for Golden State to make this splash in year one, to have all of these international players who have already committed to come play in Golden State again in a year with Eurobasket, when a lot of these players are going to have to go play for their international teams during June, I just think it's a fascinating approach to roster building, one that I did not expect when the WNBA added another team. I don't think it honestly creates a lot of lessons for Toronto and Portland because it's a very different route than every other team can take. But when there was a good European player at number five, it was of absolutely no surprise to me that that is where Golden State's option was.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, it definitely fit even their expansion draft approach. Right. It fit their theme so far. And also big guards. It looks like, you know, Golden State very much values big guards, big wings, scorers, all of which USITE is. But now, Ben, I'm looking at some of the players that were stateside, um, and I'm particularly looking at the Washington Mystics cleaned up, it feels like, with a Sonya Citrone, a Kiki area fan and a Georgia Amor. And I'm, you know, some people are thought, thought that Kiki might have gone over Sonya. Whatever. I, I don't know if you really care about the numbers here, but this is a great young core that they've now invited to come to training camp essentially because we don't know if they're going to make these teams or not. But still. Any surprises about how Washington utilized their three picks to kind of start the.

[Ben Pickman]

Rebuild out in D.C. honestly, Zena, not really. Because if you look at the Washington Mystics roster heading into the draft, they barely had any guards on the roster. They had Jade Melbourne, who is one of the youngest players in the wnba, Brittany Sykes, who is kind of the veteran in the locker room, and Suge Sutton and everybody else on the team is a forward or a center. So it was pretty clear if you were going to look at their roster that they were going to need to hit guard early and often. And that is exactly what they did. Two of their first three picks are guards. You know, I think Georgia Amore is someone who everyone said, like, at worst, she's going to be a backup point guard in the league. And that is a perfectly fine pick to make.

[Zena Keda]

Absolutely.

[Ben Pickman]

At number six, Sonia Citron. I think Sabrina and I, from just talking to executives around the league over the last month, I think really emerged as the number three pick. And it was rare that you heard a bad word about her throughout the draft process. And as the draft approached, you know what was interesting is, like, someone like Shy Sellers, like, she ends up going to Golden State in the second round. You mentioned big guards. It wouldn't have been crazy to see her go in that number six spot. Like, I think we had thought that that was certainly a realistic possibility, Sabrina and I. She obviously lands in Golden State, which I think is a really good place for her where she'll have an opportunity to play. Washington elects to go with Amor instead and elects to go with some of the other guards who were still on the board. But I kind of like what the Mystics are doing. And an area fan, like, again, her and Aliyah Edwards, that was a comparison that one general manager made to me and said, they're very similar players. A little different in size, but similar skill set. So it's going to be interesting to see how they can kind of complement each other and bring the best out of each other. And then you have Shakira Austin in the front court. So overall, like, what Washington did with its first three picks, again, second round, and I know we should say, like, a lot of these players in the second round might not make teams, but they take Lucy Olson at the end of the second round, another guard who can score the basketball, like, there was clearly a trend. They recognized that they needed some backward help, and they went out and did that with three of their first four selections on Monday night.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I just want to caveat what Ben said about players making the Washington roster. They came into this draft with eight players signed to contracts. Keep in mind, you can bring 18 to training camp. So if you were selected by the Washington Mystics, you should feel very good about your prospects to eventually play in the wnba. Even if you're Lucy Olson, you know, getting selected at number 23 in this draft, like, this is a better opportunity than you could expect basically anywhere else. Getting selected at number 23.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. Wow. I'm just, like, thinking. I was thinking as I was watching the draft, I was like, the Wizards and the Mystics are just going to be a problem in a few years, and it's just going to be fun. Basketball Happening in the city of Washington, D.C. if they hit.

[Ben Pickman]

If they hit on these drafts, you know, if they hit on these drafts.

[Zena Keda]

If they hit on these drafts. You're right. You're right, you're right, you're right.

[Sabrina Merchant]

They could be in a few years. A lot of conditionals there.

[Zena Keda]

There you go. You're right. I think I'm just. Exactly. I'm just. I'm manifesting for them now. Speaking of guards and thinking of guards, that could be transformational for a team, at least for team's branding, for sure. Hayley Van Lith ends up going to Chicago, and first thing I'm looking and thinking about is Angel Reese. This is an opportunity for them to. For redemption. Right? This is Haley Van Lith, Angel Reese. They were teamed up at LSU before Angel Reese graduated, and Haley Van Lith made the transfer over to tcu. There's no Kennedy Carter signing as of yet, resigning to Chicago, and Dana Evans left and went to Las Vegas. So it feels as if the space is wide open for Haley to come in and make an impact. Were you guys shocked, or is this once again not surprising that Chicago chose Haley Van lith at number 11?

[Ben Pickman]

She's given an opportunity here in Chicago to really learn from Courtney Vandersloot, who, you know, seems like she's in the last chapter of her career and has just returned to the Chicago sky and free agency after the last two years with New York. And so I think that's a really good place to person to learn from if you're Haley Van Lith. Right. Another kind of smaller guard. They obviously have, you know, different games a little bit, but Vandersuit, you know, one of the most professional professionals around, is one of the things you can still say about her. And so in that regard, I do like the fit. Just having the opportunity to learn on the topic of angel, and then Sabrina can go more into it. You know, the very first thing that Haley Van Lith was asked about at her press conference was about her relationship with angel, and she said that angel had maintained contact with her this entire past year. Haley used the word mature relationship, and like a mutual respect relationship, that was part of the phrase that she used. She said they're both dogs in kind of the most complimentary way and just their intensity, how they carry themselves. So, you know, Haley seems like she said that she was excited to be in an environment with Angel Reese again. And certainly, like, you know, that is one of the headline selections of the night. Just kind of reuniting this pair, albeit it didn't Exactly. Work out at lsu. And so, sure, hopefully kind of a different context if you're a Chicago sky fan breeds a different result.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, I mean, Angel Reese basically tweeted the same thing. Right. Like we didn't do it right the first time and now we can run it back. I don't know. I'm not as high on this pick, I think, as some other people were. I don't really love Haley Van Luth in a place where like, she doesn't have the ball in her hands as often. And there's already a lot of ball handlers on Chicago in terms of like Courtney Vandersloot and Mariah Jefferson and like they even are probably going to run a lot of their offense through the post, which we saw was not a great fit for Haley van lith@lsu. And I realized she's a evolved player since then. But. But I don't know, I thought Chicago was going to target more shooting and off ball players with this particular pick. And Hayley Vanlith, not the best catch and shoot three point shooter, not an elite three point shooter by any means. So I'm happy to see that the work that she did to go to TCU to rewrite this chapter of her career paid off. She obviously deserves to be selected in the first round of the WNBA draft. This particular setting is a little strange to me.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, that's a good point. I didn't think about the other guard play and how much those guards are set up to be distributors and facilitators. And Haley is also that person. But usually she's a facilitator for her own offense and that's gonna require a lot more ball. Her on ball more so than off ball. Okay, good. This is why we talk to the experts, y'all. Uh, okay. We just talked about the Washington Mystics having eight people on their roster before we kind of shift conversation here. Connecticut. Connecticut. Okay. Connecticut was a team. And I'm gonna actually quote one of our other questions that came in from Blue Sky. Ookmill said the tagline for the sun pick was the they quote, were the first playoff team in NBA/WNBA history to lose all five starters in the ensuing off season. Ben, you're laughing, but it's true. Based on who they drafted tonight, which was Anissa Morrow at number seven and Saniya Rivers at number eight. And then I believe they got some in the.

[Sabrina Merchant]

They got Rhea Marshall in the second.

[Zena Keda]

Round and they got Raya Marshall in the second round. Thank you. Let me finish the question. Assuming they'll continue to make Mabry stay, which is this interesting dynamic that developed last year and going into this season or last off season. Um, how do they look? Open the floor.

[Ben Pickman]

Well, if you're a rookie, this is a good place for you because as you outline, this is a team that appears to be rebuilding, has some roster spots and it's just looking to inject itself with talent and doesn't exactly have highest expectations this year. And Anissa Morrow was asked about that straight away when she sat down at her press conference that, you know, she recognized that she has an opportunity in front of her that she can take advantage of. Like, if you told me that Anissa Morrow, I mean, she'll probably lead all rookies and rebounding, I think that's a safe bet considering how much she's going to have to do. But it also wouldn't be shocking if frankly she let all rookies in scoring. Like, I know that's a little bit of a hot take, but she's going to get a lot of looks, right? Like, and I know there are other scorers, someone like Paige Beckers might be the odds on favorite to lead all rookies in scoring, but like Anissa Morrow can't score and someone's got to put the ball in the basket, right? And like, what do they say? Like if the team averages what, 80 points a game, like somehow you got to get to 80, right? Or if you get 100 points a game, see, somehow you got to get to 100, right? Like someone's going to have to be a 15, 20 point score on this team other than just Marina Mabry. And Anissa Morrow could definitely be that player. And the same is true with Sani Rivers, like another really good fit for her. Like, she is a player that super athletic that people were really high on, but she has an obvious hole in her game and that she's not a very good shooter. And so this is an opportunity for her to. She's going to have the basketball in her hands a lot and in theory it's going to be okay if she misses shots. Like Connecticut is going to ride with her whether she converts from deep or not. And that is the kind of place you want to be in if you're a young player who's looking to get developmental opportunities. So in regards to those picks, like, if I'm those players, I'm pretty happy with the landing spot I ended up in.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, no, it's interesting that of course Connecticut sun are going to go over like go through a, an identity shift. They're under new coaching and but what they were known for for so long was their defense, especially with Dijonay Carrington at the helm of that and I I look at Sinai Rivers being like the next iteration of that and then of course Dijonay also helping with the transition offense, Sinai Rivers also being a person that can help with that for the Connecticut sun. So it could be a really good fit. Looking throughout the rest of the draft all arounds, are there any players that seem like they're a really good fit? One of the ones that I noticed and I tweeted about was Michaela Timpson. KK Timpson out of Florida State going to the Indiana Fever. Indiana just lost Temifag Benle in the expansion draft to the Valkyries. KK Timpson is a rim runner. She is a shot blocker. She's incredibly athletic, little bit smaller than Temmie was, but plays played well in the pick and roll with T. Latson at Florida State. Feel like this is a really good fit in terms of her filling in that hole. Were there any others players that you guys were like as soon as you name you saw heard their name go out, you're like ooh, good for them. They found a good home.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I like Serena Sundell in Seattle a lot. I mean I've been hyping up Serena Sundel for a few weeks here, so should come as no surprise that I was happy to see her drafted, albeit much later than I expected it to happen. Going into Seattle, team that doesn't have a ton of guard depth right now, I mean they have Skylar Dagan Smith, Lexi Brown, Gabby Williams is kind of a guard maybe, but to come in there and be a backup point guard right away. A little bit of a spacer next to Skyler Smith. Skylar Dickensmith I think is a good spot for her and I also like that Seattle drafted Madison Conner because Seattle was the worst three point shooting team in the WNBA last year. I think they shot about 29% on threes and Madison Conner led the NCAA in three point makes. She shot about 45% on threes. So again, third round pick, you don't really expect to make a roster. But Seattle is another one of these situations where they've had a lot of off season injuries. Nica Mule Jordan Horston out for the season. There are opportunities to potentially make some noise in training camp and I like those two fits. Even if they are third rounders to potentially make that opening night roster.

[Zena Keda]

A lot of people talking about Serena Sundell might be a steal having gone so low. And I really love that her brother plays for the Seattle Seahawks. Thought that was pretty adorable to learn. Ben, what about you? Any players that stood out to you in terms of their potential fit for where they were drafted?

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean, I'm going to go with a player who plays a very similar role to those that Sabrina just mapped out, and that is Tahina Powpow going to Atlanta at number 18. Again, Sabrina mentioned some things about Seattle not being a very good three point shooting team. That was true of the Atlanta dream last year. And their new coach, Carl Smesko comes from FGCU where they took a ton of threes every single year. Barely even knew that two pointers were part of basketball. So really like this fit for Tahina Papow. You know, she was the NCAA leading scorer from three point range in, in 23:24 that season. If she can come in and make shots like she's playing her role and she can do that well, right, like, that is what they're going to ask for her to be a floor spacer, to be kind of a secondary ball handler or primary ball handler when she comes in off the bench. Like, again, they're not going to ask a ton of her right away. You have Jordan Canada, you have Alicia Gray, you have Ryan Howard, you have plenty of playmakers. But if Pow Pow can defend something. She worked a lot out at South Carolina and she gives a lot of credit to, to the South Carolina coaches for helping her improve that aspect of her game. And she can make three pointers like she has an opportunity to stick with the dream. And so in that regard, for a second round pick, I think that's a pretty good fit for her.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. Now, we talked a little bit about, you know, Chicago. Haley may not be the best fit, um, but I was curious if there were any other pairings, decisions that teams made where players were drafted that you felt were like, ooh, somebody lost in this situation. I hate to use the word losers because I just feel like no one really lost tonight. People were drafted, their dreams were made true. But was there anyone that were like, this ain't gonna work out the way we might think it should work out?

[Sabrina Merchant]

I kind of hate the Saniyah Rivers fit, actually in Connecticut. I really like Saniyah Rivers with a ball in her hands as a point guard. I know a lot of people have projected her as a wing at the next level. I don't really. I think that's where she's best suited mostly because again, she's not really much of a shooter at this point. I think the NC State offense really worked when she was running the show. And like Zoe Brooks was sort of a secondary playmaker. Aziah James was the play finisher. And you look at Connecticut, well, what do they have? They have ball handlers and Layla Lacan, J.C. sheldon, Lindsey Allen, like Diamond DeShields likes to have the ball in her hands. So it's a team where I think there's going to be less opportunities for her to play pure point guard. And I also think Rivers does really well with spacing around her and they have no shooting on this Connecticut team. Like especially drafted right after Anissa Morrow. It's like the first thing you think of is that Elisa Morrow is like not really a long distance shooter, just that pairing strange to me. So I love Sanai Rivers. I think she's like one of my favorite players in this draft. I just really did not like this particular landing spot for her.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, all right. Fair, fair. Ben, what about you?

[Ben Pickman]

I mean, one of my favorite things from this night is just looking at the teams that you can give an incomplete grade to. Like, I appreciate the New York Liberty for coming to play. I guess I don't know what the like. Right. Analogy is, but they're like, we hosted, y'all.

[Zena Keda]

Don't worry.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, I mean, literally, like the last pick of the night. Their one selection being a French player who, yeah, I got to assume is not going to come over this year and be part of training camp. It's just like New York clearly has a plan, obviously, like, they're in window mode. They want to build and they want to accumulate some assets for the future. You know, their gm Jonathan Cole, in a release that they pride themselves on embracing the global nature of the game and are proactive in assembling a deep group of international talent. It's like, yep, that is true. And that was clearly their approach. And I just would have loved to see what their war room was like. And the conversations were like as players were coming off the board. So that was one fun, one similar. The Minnesota Lynx. I mentioned Kosu, she was actually a player that people really like in Russia and she's been playing pro since she was 15 years old. Sheryl Reeves seemed to actually make it seem like she is going to come over this year. She said that they're going to have to figure out some of her kind of immigration status paperwork as it relates to coming over from Russia to the United States in this time, this political time. And Sheryl Reef did kind of allude to conversations between Trump and Putin. And she kind of made a light little joke about that, I should say. But, you know, we'll see what happens with Kosu. And if not, like the Minnesota links again, the other team in the finals, we'll call it an incomplete grade. Aubrey Griffin is a really nice story. I think a great moment on draft night. We'll see if she'll actually make this roster. I'm not betting it, but those were two kind of, I don't know, light stories. Light other teams that. Thank you for playing.

[Sabrina Merchant]

At least they showed up. Then Phoenix didn't even have a pick in this dress.

[Ben Pickman]

It's a great point.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I'm like, question the teams as I'm trying to, you know, write winners and losers. Like, oh, I can only get to 12 because Phoenix is literally not here.

[Ben Pickman]

Sabrina, what do you think their war room was like?

[Zena Keda]

From Phoenix. From Phoenix.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Did they have a war room is the question.

[Ben Pickman]

We'll have to get on that at the end. Athletic.

[Zena Keda]

Oh, yeah, that'd be interesting to know. Do they actually gather to see what happened? Do they watch it with popcorn where they were just like, oh, this is our competition next year with the or or. Who should we potentially invite? Training camp, who doesn't make it or, you know, what's going to be left over essentially, after all of these draftees go through it. I'll say the main big loser here. I. I'll use loser. I'll use loser. The big loser here is Yale. Yale. Yale. Women's basketball. Harvard got drafted. Princeton got drafted.

[Sabrina Merchant]

We're talking about Caitlin Chandra. Princeton.

[Zena Keda]

Correct.

[Ben Pickman]

Yeah, we'll allow that.

[Zena Keda]

Certainly Princeton counts. Absolutely. I think Caitlin got a degree from Princeton. Yep. Yale did not. So in the hyp, Yale did not show up for this draft. And yeah, so they. They lost in that category. Okay. So let's keep it moving. I don't want to be too somber. On that note. All righty. So when we think about.

[Ben Pickman]

We gotta talk about the LA Sparks, you know?

[Zena Keda]

Yeah. So we got a question from Questlova. Lovea just said that out loud for the first time. Uueslovaluva on Blue Sky. Can you speak on the Sparks and how their picks will support the team?

[Ben Pickman]

I'll lay out here, Sabrina, all you.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah.

[Sabrina Merchant]

So the Sparks, you know, rough draft season dating back to the lottery when they had the best odds and did not get the number one pick. So you go into this situation already without Paige Beckers. They ended up with nine and their second pick was at 21 and then 28. Gotta be honest. Don't love any of the selections here. Sarah Ashley Barker, I know was a bit of a draft riser, obviously had a great showing in the NCAA tournament. I'm always a little worried about players who put their best film when they're older than everybody else in college, you know, she was a fifth year senior this year and first three years were kind of iffy for Sarah Ashley Barker. I'm not like going to discount improvement, but are you getting better? Are you just bigger than all the 18 year olds you're playing against? Don't know. And then they had an opportunity in the second round to take Serena Sundell. Every time Kathy Engelbert got to the podium I'm thinking, all right, this is Sundel's time. And then it was somebody else's name who got.

[Zena Keda]

That's why she filmed. She might be the steal.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah, they took Saniyah Fagan in the second round, which I just don't really get the fit next to Cambrink and Ricky Jackson. I realized Sinai Fagan has played next to one other post player for the majority of her South Carolina career, which again another player who just hasn't had a lot of film up until her senior season because of all of the posts that she had to play behind in the rotation. But I don't know, you got Azrae Stevens, you got Derek Hamby, you got Cameron Brink, you got Ricky Jackson. Like where is Sanai Fagan supposed to fit in here? I don't really know. So just a strange draft for me.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, I hope that helps your question. Quest level, level. But as you said that it makes me also think of being bigger than everyone else. Sedona Prince, someone not invited to the WNBA draft and also not drafted in this WNBA draft and someone that's also significantly older and has had more experience than most people in this draft. Thoughts on Sedona Princess and what does her basketball future potentially look like? Ben?

[Ben Pickman]

I think we're going to have to see if a team elects to sign her to a training camp contract. WNBA franchises were kind of weighing a lot of different factors as it related to Sedona Prince. They were weighing her upside. Obviously she had a great year at TCU her last two years. Really the best two years of her college career against her age. She's 24 years old right now and her injury history. She had multiple significant injuries throughout her college career career and they're wearing all that against the history and the potential repercussions from multiple domestic abuse allegations. Allegations which she denied and her lawyer denied. So they were kind of weighing all of those factors as you know, they tried to determine whether to draft her. And we had a number of general managers kind of talk about that. You've got to take it all into consideration and you've got to take the domestic abuse allegations into consideration as it relates to her. You know, people acknowledge that there was everything that was happening off court and also that she was really productive. And it seems like, at least for now, teams have made the decision that for whatever reason they didn't think that she was worthy of a pick. Whether that is because of, you know, again the abuse allegations or because she's older and has an injury history. We don't really know those exact factors now without actually talking to, to team personnel. But that's kind of the state of play with her. We'll see if she makes a camp or if she, she goes on to play overseas somewhere and gets a big. It's a big tbd.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I will say that we spoke to most executives prior to the NCAA tournament which was one before she had this absolute stinker against Texas in the Elite 8 and 2 before any of those executives had a chance to speak with Sedona one on one once her season was over. So although I sort of came away from those conversations thinking she would get drafted, a lot has happened since that time that could have changed perspectives.

[Zena Keda]

I'm sure a lot of teams continue to do their due diligence and ultimately internal conversations led to the decisions that were made today. So we will see. As Ben mentioned before we go there, one other thing that we should know for the week and we gotta talk about it. Paige Beckers signed a three year deal with the Unrivaled Basketball League. Of course that league launched earlier this year and was a crazy phenomenon, a striking success overall. And Unrivaled is going to pay Paige beckers more than $330,000 for essentially 10 weeks of basketball. And the reason why that matters and why that's interesting is because a rookie deal for four years is just 338 about thousand dollars. So yeah, there's questions about Paige being able to make just as much money in one year with Unrivaled. Does that put pressure on the wnba? Well, Sabrina, Ben, you guys were in the presser with the WNBA commissioner Kathy Engelbert when she was asked about about Unrivaled. Not particularly this question about Paige Becker signing with Unrivaled. But clearly this example of Paige is just another example of ways that Unrivaled is finding opportunities to compensate support accommodate players in a way that the WNBA has not been able to figure out yet, number one being money. How was Kathy's response to questions about Unrivaled and what was the main message?

[Ben Pickman]

She was actually asked point blank about Paige Becker signing this deal with Unrivaled. That is, as you mentioned, Xena, it is actually worth more than her entire rookie salary according to the people that I talked to about it. And in year one. In year one, yeah, Kathy, how should I put this? She seemed to conflate the news that came out this weekend on Sunday about Paige Becker signing this three year deal with the nil partnership that she had signed earlier this fall with Unrivaled. So it wasn't exactly a surprise. Just to back up even further that Paige is going to Unrivaled. She signed this unrivaled, Unrivaled partnership, had been promoting them like wearing their apparel for instance, throughout their debut season. And so Kathy Engelbert said that she thought it was already announced that Paige was signing a three year deal with them and that was not the case. So that was a little bit of a mix up in general. She just kind of pivoted and talked about how proud she was of Nafeesa Collier and Brianna Stewart for creating the league. She acknowledged that she had went down to Unrivaled. You know, she kind of said that it's a lot easier to do with 30 in one spot. Of course unrivaled has 36 players. Plus she talked about travel differences and the kind of footprint differences. So again she, she was not exactly glowing in her assessment of the new league. She said that the players played hard, that they had fun. She acknowledged that the court sizes are different, shock lock's different, shot clock's different, that a lot of their fans come in for games look like. She said we'll look to innovate at anything that works and see what we can incorporate our game. I will say if you're looking for ideas on how the WNBA can learn from Unrivaled, you're better off reading the reporting that I did not to plug my own story back in March than reading the transcript or re watching Kathy Engelbert's comments about how Unrivals could impact the wn.

[Zena Keda]

Now the question is is like how is Unrivaled going to play alongside the WNBA moving forward? Especially when this kind of tension is starting to become apparent to people beyond the annals of the executives. Right? Like we're starting to see it publicly. Like how is this going to blend.

[Ben Pickman]

Nicely well, this is a particularly interesting time in the relationship between Unrivaled and the WNBA because, because the other backdrop to all this is the ongoing CBA negotiation between the players and the league. And Unrivaled is obviously the players league. Right. All the players are shareholders in this league. You know, they are running the show and the player experiences everything for this league. And so in my mind, and again, this is me speaking at Kathy Engelbert, like, you have to kind of play this. You're walking this tightrope, you're doing this dance about how much credit do you want to give the players for innovating and changing player experience while you're, you know, involved in this ongoing negotiation that is high stakes and will shape the future of the league. So that to me seems to be some of the underlying dynamics at play. Again, that's me kind of reading into the situation and thinking about some of the context that that is going on here.

[Zena Keda]

Well, shout out to Paige for locking in some money early on in two leagues or ultimately. And and also congratulations to everyone that was drafted tonight or last night. At the time that you're listening to this, another generation is on the way. Remember guys, the journey just starts for these folks. They're not immediately signed to rosters. They have to go to training camp and fight for a spot. So do not be surprised if your fave is not rocking a jersey when the by the time the season comes because they do still have to get onto a roster. And last but not least, before we go, we're going to talk about this at another time, but Mylasia F. Wiley is in the portal. I talked about this with Chantelle Jennings that I thought this was going to happen. It did. We will keep you posted when new news comes about. That is it for today. We will be back with y'all on Friday talking about the dawn of a new era for the wnba with players like Diana Sue Bird, Candace Parker all in retirement, the baton is being passed. It's Caitlin, it's Paige, it's Angel, Camilla, Dominique and all the rest. These are the ones that are gonna have to step up. Who is going to outshine who? How will things change? And we'll talk to a major new exec in the space. Well, she's not new to basketball. She's been here for a while. But she is the new Washington Mystics GM Jamila Weidman. You do not want to miss that conversation. She is phenomenal. And if you are new here, hit that follow button wherever you're listening so you can Stay up to date with us and please come Find us on YouTube. Leave us comments wherever you're listening. We read them, we try to incorporate them as you saw today's show. But please, and if you're so kind, give us a rating. You know, like the five ones. Those five ones are wonderful. Anything less looks a little tacky. So, you know, give us the five. We appreciate criticism, but the five is great. Really helps new people find the show as well. And don't forget, as always, there's more to read and watch over at our partner, the Yahoo. Sports Hub. So check it out at sports.yahoo.com women-sports women because women is already plural. On behalf of the Athletic, I'm Zena Keda. Thanks for listening. We will 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 Perot. Our executive producers are Andrea B. Scott and Cassius Fleming. Our theme music is by Marcus Bagala. Brenna Haupt 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 our director of audio operations.

[Ben Pickman]

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[Sabrina Merchant]

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[Ben Pickman]

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[Zena Keda]

ACAST powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend. Hey guys. Welcome to Giggly Squad, a place where.

[Sabrina Merchant]

We make fun of everything, but most importantly ourselves.

[Zena Keda]

I'm Paige Desorbo.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I'm Hannah Berner.

[Zena Keda]

Welcome to the squad.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Giggly Squad started on Summer House when we were giggling during an inappropriate time.

[Ben Pickman]

But of course, we can't be managed.

[Sabrina Merchant]

So we decided to start this podcast to continue giggling.

[Zena Keda]

We will make fun of pop culture news. We're watching fashion trends pep talks where we give advice, mental health moments, and games. And guests.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Listen to Giggly Squad on ACAST or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Zena Keda]

ACAST helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Acast.com.