← No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
The WNBA’s Most Intriguing Players + NCAA Transfer Portal Updates
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- [00:01]
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- [01:18]
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- [01:44]
Zena Keda
There to watch them.
- [01:45]
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- [02:52]
Shantel Jennings
Love.
- [02:52]
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- [05:07]
Zena Keda
Hello everyone and welcome to no off season presented by MassMutual. I'm Zena Keda.
- [05:12]
Ben Pickman
And I'm Shantel Jennings.
- [05:14]
Zena Keda
Today on the show, before the WNBA season kicks off in a few weeks, we are picking our top three most intriguing players for the upcoming season. Who are the players you need to know about who are poised to make A big difference. Ben and Sabrina are going to join me to run through it all. But first, Chantel is here with us. What's up, Chantel?
- [05:34]
Ben Pickman
Been a while, hey, Xena. It has. I know. I'm climbing out of my post Final Four hole and like, becoming human again. So it's good to be here.
- [05:43]
Zena Keda
What does life look like after the Final Four but before the next college season?
- [05:48]
Ben Pickman
Oh, well, I'm. I'm taking a little time time for myself here. I mean, we'll talk about the transfer portal today, but it's like the news never stops. Movement never stops. Like, there's so much to track this off season with the house settlement revenue share. The transfer portal, it feels like college hoops is changing by the day. So it's like, you know, there's no rest for the weary here, Xena.
- [06:09]
Zena Keda
Okay.
- [06:10]
Ben Pickman
We just keep pushing forward.
- [06:11]
Zena Keda
I see. I. I do hope that you did take a little bit of time to rest because it was a crazy culmination to the season. But as you mentioned, there's still so much going on. And as soon as the season ended, of course, some trotted off to the WNBA draft. But there are many that are trotting off to new places, new faces and new schools. So that's why we got you here today. We're gonna do a little NCAA transfer portal corner. We've seen your messages, folks. We've seen your DMs, your blue sky tweets or whatever you wanna call them. We've seen you guys ask, like, I can't wait for you guys to talk about what's happening with Mylasia, what's happening with Olivia, what's happening, et cetera. But before we get into any of that, we gotta back up a little bit and talk about the transfer portal overall. Give us a brief explainer, Chantelle. What is the actual transfer portal? Like, physically? What does it look like? How does it work? It's not like a door that people show up and they just open up another one and they're in another school. Like, how does this even work? How long does it all last? Give us all background.
- [07:11]
Ben Pickman
So it's basically like an Excel spreadsheet online, sort of, except with more security, I would say. That's run by the ncaa. It's like a compliance database. And if you are at a school and you want to transfer, you enter your name into this. I'm sure it's a little more complicated than that. You have to go through compliance at your school, but you go into this portal and then coaches are Literally on it, just like refreshing it constantly and waiting for new names to pop up. And there's sort of third party sites that have aggregated this information now too. But like it's just a portal for coaches and they can get some ext info on players. There are different tags you can put. So do not contact means that programs cannot contact that player. Most players are just, you know, they don't have that tag. But the ones who do sort of have a sense of where they want to go and they want to be more in the driver's seat of who they're reaching out to versus having coaches reach out to them. But it's existed in this form since 2018, and over the years there have been different legislative changes and rule changes. This year the window is shorter. So it's about a 30 day window. So it opened on March 24, it closes today, April 22, when our listeners might be listening to the show. So athletes can jump into the portal during that time in order to not lose a season of eligibility and have automatic eligibility at their next school. But you know, there's pros and cons to it. There's. It's different for every sport. College football actually has two windows. So they have one right around the college football playoffs and then a 15 day window during spring football, which is something I think a lot of college basketball coaches would like to see. Maybe more than one window so that it's not right smack dab in the middle of like the sweet 16. But otherwise, yeah, it's just like a big spreadsheet.
- [08:48]
Zena Keda
It's so funny. Cause when I think portal, I think something like technical, like someone's gonna, you walk into a space and you're zapped into a new jersey and you walk out.
- [08:57]
Ben Pickman
Stranger things, the portal. You're like, yes, exactly.
- [09:01]
Zena Keda
You go into the upside down and now you're at this new school. But yes, it is a spreadsheet. Okay, got it. And I know we've talked about this before too on the show, but you jump into the portal during that 30 day window. But you can make your choice pretty much whenever. But you want to make it quickly because a lot of these students have to get to their schools to potentially start summer classes to transfer credits. Like they've got to be in a little bit of a hurry, especially at this point of the year when summer is approaching. And then you have to start the new academic year well, and then you.
- [09:34]
Ben Pickman
Have to consider roster spots, scholarship spots. It's not like every college basketball team has an unlimited number of Scholarships and roster spots for players. And so you see some people making quicker decisions simply because it's like, it's all in flux. Right. Because there's certain teams that are like, oh, they don't have any spots open to pull any transfers. And then it's like, oh, they lost, like, five players to the portal. So now they do. And so it's always in flux. But that's another part of it, obviously, the academic part of it. Getting settled. Making your decision quickly, I think is something a lot of athletes really want to do. But then you also have to consider, like, there are the formalities of, like, if you want to stay on scholarship, you have to go to a program that has scholarships available and roster spots available.
- [10:11]
Zena Keda
So, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Remember, guys, these are student athletes. I know sometimes that's kind of gets lost in the void. Students first.
- [10:20]
Ben Pickman
Then it's the Yale basketball alumna, right. Reminding us of this.
- [10:24]
Zena Keda
Yes, students first. But you talk about scholarships. That's free money to go to school. Where does the. How does money play into this? That's not necessarily scholarship dollars in terms of, like, nil and boosters potentially paying for student athletes to show up at these schools.
- [10:40]
Ben Pickman
Yeah. So the house settlement has been pushed back a little bit. So we have a little bit of a window here where there's, you know, like I said, it's going to be in flux probably for a good portion of the summer. But there's nil money, which can come from different deals that are being made. And then obviously revenue share is going to become a big part of this and sort of what that looks like. I don't think anyone really knows so far. Like, I talk to coaches and everyone's kind of waiting to see who moves first on this. Like, Georgia came out and sort of said, this is what we're going to do. And other schools have followed at least quietly, saying, like, this is what we're going to do. But I talked to other coaches and they're saying, you know, internally, I've been told that we're going to get as much as the men's team is getting for our revenue share. But they haven't publicly said that. And I'm like, okay, but why not? Why haven't you publicly stated this? So it'll be interesting. But, yeah, so there's the revenue sharing, there's the nil money. All of those are sort of revenue streams for these athletes. And then obviously, on top of the scholarship, which they'll be getting for going to school.
- [11:35]
Zena Keda
Okay. Now let's get into some of these players because of course we've already seen some big names, you know, land at new schools. What are some of the bigger names that we've already discussed or and have already made their decision and committed somewhere new.
- [11:49]
Ben Pickman
Cody McMahon was really the first player to surprise a lot of us. The Ohio native, she's from Centerville, I believe she had gray shirted at Ohio State, so basically enrolled early, sat out like was a part of the team, but couldn't actually do a lot of the stuff with the team. Like she felt like a Buckeye through and through, like forever. So I was really surprised to see her jump into the portal. She landed at Ole Miss, which is a good fit. I think it'll be interesting to sort of see how it changes her defense, especially in this last year before the wnba, what that does for her draft stock. Tenaya Latson, a huge name to jump into the portal. The nation's number one scorer. She became someone who instantly was like, okay, Tanaya sort of feels like a domino, right? Like where she goes can sort of impact where other players go. Ended up at South Carolina. Interesting fit, I think, simply because how that will change her role. Sort of what she's played at FSU the last few years as someone who's taken a ton of shots and played a lot of minutes. And obviously the South Carolina system doesn't have. Hasn't had that featured guard that we've seen in recent years. And so it's always been a big. It's always been a big. And it's always been sort of more, you know, in the 20 to 26 minute range, right? Like everyone's playing a little more even minutes. No one's playing like 35 minutes a game for the Gamecocks. And so I'm curious how that's going to also change the Gamecocks, right? And we saw perhaps a domino effect of this. Mylesha Folweily enters the portal. We don't know where she is headed as of Monday afternoon, but I think she's a player that a lot of people are really curious to see go another player we talked about. Kate Coval, the talented freshman big from Notre Dame did a big piece on her earlier this year, but she had talked a lot about the support and family environment that she had found at Notre Dame with so much turnover on that roster. And we'll get to Olivia Miles shortly here. Like, what you're seeing is that these aren't just decisions based off of minutes. Because if that were the case, USC wouldn't look the way it does. Notre Dame wouldn't look the way it does because so many minutes were opening up there and yet players were leaving. And, you know, I think in the early days of the Portal, everyone was like, oh, if a bunch of players leave a program, that must sort of be red flags. I don't think it is as much anymore. I don't feel that way. Like, I look at different programs like ucla, which lost six players to the Portal. I don't necessarily say, like, oh, this is a program we really need to start, like, looking at closely inherently because of portal numbers, because it's like everyone sort of has different reasons. And where you're looking at it, it's like, Kate Covel, for instance, Go back to Notre Dame is she ended up at lsu. We've written a lot and had the podcast about her family. Her older brother's at lsu. Like, this is a fit that makes sense to me. She wants to go and work with the big coaches there, work with Simone Augustus, work with Bob Starkey. That makes sense to me. And also be close to family. And so I think you can kind of look at all of these different programs and say that it's just sort of like, nature of the business now. Like, these programs are going to turn over and it's going to be really rare to have a program like UConn where the only player jumping into the Porter portal is Cadence Samuels. But I'd say the last name that we should mention, obviously is Olivia Miles. I think when we've talked about her on the podcast, it was like, is she gonna stay or go? Meaning is she gonna stay at Notre Dame or is she gonna go pro? We should have said, is she gonna stay or go pro or Portaling, because the option was C and she landed at tcu, which is, you know, a program that in recent years has sort of made its living on transfers. And so, yeah, it's just been a really active time for the quote, unquote, postseason.
- [15:10]
Zena Keda
You know, I know you mentioned that having a lot of players leave a school isn't necessarily, in your mind, a red flag. And you did mention Kate Covel. I would say Notre Dame is still going to be on my list in terms of I got to figure out what's going on in South Bend because the amount of school players that left. Maybe not Kate Cove, because I think you're right. Her story does align with where she ended up and landed, but a lot of players leaving in what seemed like a right on the cusp championship Contender. I want to circle back though to Mylasia Full Wiley because she's probably the biggest name that we don't know where she's going to go. You and I had this conversation about Ta'niya Latson signing. Committing to South Carolina would have an impact on Malaysia Faweille, who was poised to be the guard star. The way that she plays, the flair with which she plays, everything about her game was very ball dominant and would require her to be the focal point from a guard position which didn't really fit the South Carolina system. Then you insert someone like Danai Latson, which also is a ball dominant type of guard. Very much like my leisure Fort Wylie. So we like I was there, like this is probably going to end up with Malaysia leaving. It makes sense that not having two of them on the same team would make sense. But now it's a question of like, where can Malaysia go in which her type of play is appreciated. Not that it wasn't appreciated in South Carolina, but elsewhere that it can also be appreciated and also put on a pedestal a little bit.
- [16:43]
Ben Pickman
Yeah, I mean I think it's. If you get into the business of like making these guesses and stuff and where someone's gonna go, I think there's a lot of fits where she makes sense. Like she's a two way player, she's exciting. I think they're, you know, at South Carolina there were times when it felt like maybe she got pulled quickly after mistakes and it's like maybe this is just someone who needs to play through the mist a little bit more. But also maybe, you know, this was stuff that they had talked about in practice. Like we're not in every South Carolina practice, so we don't know. But I could see her like you talk to coaches across the country about Malaysia and I remember we did this. I forget if it was at the beginning of the season. Just like scouting top players for this year, scouting the top 25 players coming into the year. And every coach that I asked about, Mylesha was just like effusive in their praise of her ability, her athleticism, her speed, her quickness. She makes the kind of plays that are game changers and that are electrifying. And for programs, you know, South Carolina is a program that has a ton of eyes on it because of what they've done in recent seasons with the national championships and all of the talent that Don Staley has brought into South Carolina. Malaysia is the kind of player that because of who she is and the talent that she has, like wherever she goes, that program is going to have eyes on it. Like, she could end up somewhere. Right. Totally random. That we're not expecting. And we're going to watch that team next year because my Lasha Full Wiley is on it. Like, I don't know. I think this could be really interesting. Like, there are a lot of programs in the sec, like, Power Conference teams make a ton of sense. Winston Gandy went to Grand Canyon. I'm not saying that's a place that would make a ton of sense because they're not a power conference school. But, like, she has a relationship with the coach. Perhaps that would be a potential landing spot that she's thinking about. There are programs across the country that have ample minutes available that are, you know, in need of talented, excellent guard play. You know, I think of a school like usc, like, that's. That's a program that needs some. Some guards. That's a program that suffered some exits to the portal. I think of, you know, and I'm not exactly sure off the top of my head, you know, the roster and scholarship numbers for all these schools. But, like, yeah, like, I think across the sec, there's a bunch of programs that have sort of seen it up close, seen her up close, the skill, the talent, the electrifying moves, and sort of been on the opposite end of those highlight reels that go viral on Twitter and they might be thinking of them, like, be kind of nice to have that about our team, you know, so it'll be interesting to see where she does land up. Sarah Williams, I'm really curious to see where she goes. Obviously, former Big Ten defensive player of the year, she can move the needle a lot. Gianna Neepkins at Utah, great three point shooter. I think she could be a team, a player who elevates teams a lot, but my laser Full Wiley feels like a player that literally, it doesn't matter where she. Where she ends up next year, we're going to watch that team.
- [19:25]
Zena Keda
I absolutely agree with that. And I know with the Sarah Williams aspect, there's been the murmurs, the rumors of UConn being interested in her. Of course, players have been following her on Instagram, so a lot of tingles are popping up in terms of where she might end up. But yes, I think Malaysia and Sarah Williams are gonna be the biggest dominoes. You wrote a piece that everyone should check out. When Mylasia commits to a place, we're gonna have a bigger piece on the winners and the losers. Tell us a little bit about that before we get out of here.
- [19:56]
Ben Pickman
Yeah, Just looking at the programs that, like I said, no coach is caught off guard now when 1, 2, 3, 4 players go into the Portal, and you reload that way by either bringing in freshmen or bringing in transfers of your own or sort of making do with what you had. And so I took a look at programs that have sort of won this transfer portal season or lost based off of both internally, what they gained and what they lost to the Portal. And so there are some programs that feel like really obvious picks here, and then there are some picks that I made. I'll.
- [20:27]
Zena Keda
I'll.
- [20:27]
Ben Pickman
I'll tease one right now. Like, I think Washington is a big winner here. Tina Langley did well in the Portal this year to bring in players around Eladin, like, they are filling out. And it's not just these teams where it's, you know, Ole Miss, like, landed Cody McMahon, like, yes, good job. That is, you got someone everyone wanted. And the Portalista, as coach yo goes by, did it again. Like, we shouldn't be surprised. She's. She's made a living there for sure, but I think, like, a program like Washington where you're sort of in the back of the Big Ten, and she added pieces that'll help them compete, eat better in their second year in the Big Ten. So that's just a little preview of. Of what's to come at the Athletic.
- [21:03]
Zena Keda
Okay, well, we'll definitely have to go check that out. Thank you, Chantelle, for breaking us down into the Portal, into the Upside Down. No joking. I'm just gonna name it that for myself. All right, guys, don't go anywhere. I got Sabrina Merchant and Ben Pickman joining me for the next block. Stay tuned. Now let's turn our attention to the WNBA season that is literally right upon us. It's tipping off in just a few weeks on May 16th. And we're going to go back and forth between Ben and Sabrina on the most intriguing players. And I know you're like, intriguing. What does that mean? You know, sometimes we always talk about the best players or the most improved players or we have these particular labels, and it often goes to just the stars. But. But for the purposes of what they're doing on the stat sheets, and it doesn't encompass all of the ways in which a star or the compliment to a star or any type of player across the board can help a team get better, help a WNBA season be more interesting. It's the intriguing players. Not only could they be potentially stars, but they also could be a game changer for their league, for their team for their season. All right, let's jump in. So we are gonna go through this round robin style in no specific order. Sabrina, let's start with you. Who are you watching closely this season as it starts up, and who do you think is poised to make a big difference this year?
- [22:36]
Sabrina Merchant
Yeah, so my first pick is actually somebody who I think would belong on a best player list too. But I think her season is just gonna be super, super important for, you guessed it, the local team out here, the Los Angeles Sparks, and that is Kelsey Plum.
- [22:50]
Zena Keda
Just the.
- [22:51]
Sabrina Merchant
The arc of what has happened to her since leaving Vegas, coming to Los Angeles just informs so many things. You've got number one. The Sparks traded the number two pick together. So as we're looking at Dominique Malanga, we're looking at Kelsey Plum and thinking, was this a worthwhile trade for the Los Angeles Sparks? Right, right. Also, the Sparks have traded away their 2026 first round pick. So they are very much in the camp of we need to make the playoffs now. And so Kelsey Plum's success is of massive importance to not only the Los Angeles Sparks, but also the Seattle Storm, who own that pick for the 2026 draft, the Seattle Storm, who coincidentally also already have Dominic Belonga. So I think just in terms of Seattle shorting Los Angeles future, what Kelsey can do for the Sparks, this is a team that hasn't made the playoffs in four years, is very eager to get back into the national conversation of the wnba. It's a big market. They haven't been able to really tap into the overwhelming boom that has happened with women's basketball over the last couple seasons because the team just hasn't been as good. But I think seeing what Kelsey can be outside of the Aces system, outside of playing with Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young and Asia Wilson, what does that look like? Again, I'm just fascinated to know what she looks like as more of a number one option, if she can lead the Sparks back to the postseason, how she plays with Derek Hamby again, you know, after they were such good partners on the Las Vegas Aces. There's just so many things in terms of the present of the Sparks, the future of the Sparks, future of the Storm, that just fascinate me about. And it all sort of comes back to how well does Kelsey Plumb perform this year.
- [24:20]
Zena Keda
I love that pick, especially for what you mentioned about how does Kelsey Plumb look outside of the Aces. I think she was always a star within that quartet in Las Vegas. However, it's not even just being a star on the court. How does her brand blossom off the court in Los Angeles as the leader of this team? Yes. Great. Great pick. All right, Ben, your go. One for one. Let's see where we're going.
- [24:43]
Shantel Jennings
I mean, I love that we didn't tell each other who we're picking here. And this speaks to how well we know each other because the first person on my list is the other big name player in that three team transaction. It is Jewel Lloyd who is of course backfilling, replacing Kelsey Plum on the Las Vegas Aces. Right.
- [25:00]
Zena Keda
Love this.
- [25:01]
Shantel Jennings
Yeah. I mean, again, a lot of the same things that Sabrina mapped out of a star player moving into a new role. And this is Jewel Lloyd's first opportunity to for a different team other than the Seattle Storm. And specifically, like the last two years of her career, she had the highest usage rate of her career and she had to do so much for every bit, you know, of the Seattle Storm organization from helping to design the practice facility and being involved in that process to leading an offense and leading the team more broadly. But what we saw last year was not a great year from Jewel Lloyd. And yes, you know, an all star in Olympian, but she shot just, just 27.4% from three last season. It's her lowest total since her rookie year. She shot a career low 36% from the field. Like she takes a lot of mid range 2 point attempts. Not exactly the most popular shot or most efficient shot in basketball more broadly. And so of course now she's joining a team with three other legitimate all stars stars. I mean, the highest level, Asia Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. Chelsea Gray obviously graded unrivaled. You know, Asia Wilson, a historic season last year and so. And Jackie Young, a great player in and of herself. Like, how does Jewel Lloyd fit with those players? She seems super excited to be with the Las Vegas Aces. All four of those players share the same representation. I think that is, you know, important as well as a piece of context. Seemingly workouts are going well this off season, but like, is she going to be the difference to get Las Vegas back to, you know, the very top of the mountain here in the wnba because I think sneakily people are kind of sleeping a little bit on the Las Vegas Aces heading into this year. It's not that far off from them being, you know, WNBA champions and being this dynasty in the league. So Juloid could be the difference in them getting back to the title or if she doesn't fit in as well, you know, maybe the Aces are again, just a semifinalist and out.
- [26:52]
Zena Keda
Yeah, this Feels like a very understated major move that the Las Vegas Aces just picked up, Jewel Lloyd. I mean, we'll see what happens. But yes, the Aces are known for performing well when there's a chip on their shoulder and a target on their back. We'll see what happens. I love this synchrony between the two of you here, Jewel Lloyd and Kelsey Plum. All right, let's go to round two for most intriguing player. Ben, I'll let you start this time.
- [27:20]
Shantel Jennings
Yeah. Second player is again another all Star, a multi time all star on my list who satisfies a lot of the same things I mapped out over. If she takes the leap, her team can really take the leap. And the question is, is she going to go up another level? And that is Ryan Howard of the Atlanta Dream. Again, two all star appearances in her first three seasons. We've seen Atlanta have a busy, busy offseason, adding Bree Jones and Brittney Griner to multi time all Stars to kind of surround Ryan Howard and Alicia Gray. The dream clearly want to take the next step and build, you know, this new era of the franchise. And the question is, or what I think is the determining factor in if they are able to top four seed or even better is is Ryan Howard going to be, you know, not just an all star level player but a legitimate top 10 player in the WNBA? Because if you look at her production through her first three seasons, it's pretty consistent year to year, right? She averaged around 16 points as a rookie, 17 and a half last year. 17 or 17 and a half and 23, 17.3 in 24. Her field goal percentage pretty consistent like, like her per 100 procession numbers very similar year after year. If she's able to take the leap, like the Atlanta Dream will be able to take the leap. And if she is just the kind of player she has been in through her first three seasons, which is a very good player, an all star, a multi time all star, then they're still just going to be, I think what they have been in the past. And Atlanta is looking to take this next step and it's with Carlos Mesco, a new coach, you know, can he bring the best out of Ryan Howard and lead Atlanta to kind of take the next step too?
- [28:57]
Zena Keda
Ryan Howard feels like a superstar that just kept getting blocked in the playoffs, just kept getting there, but not being able to take that next step. It's interesting you said Brian Howard. I also think Alicia Gray is an intriguing player alongside her. I think she blossomed a little bit. Especially people got to know her name, a WNBA all star last year. We'll see what happens down in Atlanta under some new leadership. Sabrina, we're going, we're doing really well here. What's your number, your number two pick here?
- [29:24]
Sabrina Merchant
Well, speaking of synchronicity, my number two pick was also Ryan Howard.
- [29:27]
Shantel Jennings
Good work, Sabrina. Good work.
- [29:29]
Zena Keda
There you go.
- [29:31]
Sabrina Merchant
Let's hope that this diverges for the third player. But you know, just, you know, going off of what Ben said, I think Atlanta obviously had this very noisy off season with the hiring of Carlos Mesco bringing in two star front court players. To me like this all works if Ryan Howard can be the perimeter superstar to allow Brie Jones and Brittany Griner to do what they do inside. Like when we talked to Carlos Mesco after he got hired, it was very much. He was brought in to help optimize Ryan Howard and Alicia Gray. And Alicia Gray is obviously a wonderful player too. Ryan Howard is only 24 years old. She's very much on the upward trajectory of her career. I think because she's been in the league for three seasons. She's as old as some players who were literally drafted this year. So it's, it just kind of masks how long she's been in the league because you know, she's already a two time all star. But like she is at the point of her career where she should be getting better. And like Ben said, she's kind of been the same player all three seasons but she has the capability to be like an outright superstar. I think, I think we all believe that that potential is within her. So to me like Atlanta only works if Ryan Howard is a megastar. And otherwise they're just another first round.
- [30:37]
Zena Keda
Out to me stamp that Atlanta only works if Ryan Howard is a megastar. I love. Very, very true. Okay, pick two for both teams winding up here. I love this. I love this.
- [30:50]
Shantel Jennings
Good work, Sabrina. Good work.
- [30:51]
Zena Keda
Great job. Great job, guys. All right, let's roll on to number three. Ben, hit me.
- [30:55]
Shantel Jennings
Okay. I'm cheating with my third pick, admittedly and I'm going to name three players, but it's really all in one bucket. What I'm going to go.
- [31:05]
Zena Keda
Those aren't the rules.
- [31:06]
Shantel Jennings
No, no. But that's okay. I'm going to the Minnesota Links and I'm picking their three young players of Diamond Miller, Alyssa Peely and Dorka Yuhas. I'll focus on Diamond Miller, but it's all under the same guise of Minnesota is this championship contender yet again having made the finals last year and their team is built on experience and veterans. And that seems to be the core that they are, you know, that this, this era is built around. And the question is, will any of those young players have roles on this year's team? Like are any of them going to develop into legitimate rotation players both this year and in the future? Right. Diamond Miller, I think is the headliner here. Number two pick in 2023 draft. As a rookie she started 32 games. She averaged 12 and a half points. She took more than 11 shots, more than 10 shots per game. Last year she really never like seemingly got settled in the rotation. She dealt with a right knee injury that really limited like her role. She played in just 21 games. She made just four starts. Like it wasn't a great year for Diamond Miller. And so now the question is like what is her role going to be this year? And it's the same thing with Dorka Juhas who played a lot as a rookie and didn't really play a lot last year, and Alyssa Peely who never really played a ton last year, averaging just six and a half minutes per game. Like again, this is a veteran team and we know that this is a very good coaching staff. It's will any of these players develop? Because it's not just a question of this year but next year with so many vets being free agents, like these are cost control players who are still under contract seemingly you would want to develop those players and have them be foundational pieces and. Or with two expansion teams coming into the wnba, like maybe these are players that either other teams take and, or like if they are the, the players left, you will need to rely on one of these three or all of these three in the next iteration of your franchise. So yes, I have bent the rules. I am sorry for that, but I think it is okay in this exercise of Minnesota's young trio, like what are we getting out of them in 2025?
- [33:15]
Zena Keda
I'll let you skirt the rules on this one. I think this is a very fair point because of course we saw Atlanta Smith go down in the WNBA finals for a bit and Dorothy Uhot's having to come in and play some significant minutes and that is going to be important that they have that depth at that position. And then Alyssa Pele had some great games last year, had some kind of breakout games once in a while. But we can't have her be a mascot. Essentially people that, you know, people that are cheering for her to come in and as a rookie and you know, make a few points. She needs to be A legitimate rotation player in her sophomore year. And I think Diamond Miller, she had a role before, you know, getting injured. Would you not say that, Ben?
- [33:53]
Shantel Jennings
No, she absolutely did. I think now the question is, you know, she had. She had a role in her rookie season. The question is now in year three, like, where does she fit into the. The general calculus of that franchise?
- [34:04]
Zena Keda
General calculus? You better say that, Ben. Okay, Sabrina, I didn't do very well in general calculus. All good. All good. Well, you did well adding those three into this conversation. Sabrina, let's figure it out. What's your third pick?
- [34:19]
Sabrina Merchant
Yeah, so I actually picked the player who was drafted after Diamond Miller in the 2023 WNBA Draft, and that is Matty Seacrest. Because I'm looking at the Dallas Wings and the guard room that they have assembled now with Arike Gumbawale, Paige Beckers, they added Dijonay Carrington and Ty Harris during the off season as well. I don't really know what's happening in that front court. And I look at how Paige Beckers succeeded at UConn. It was always with a very skilled, versatile big, whether that was Aaliyah Edwards, Sarah Strong, and I'm not seeing that really in what they have in Tierra McCowan or even Melissa Smith, who struggled pretty mightily in her last season in Indiana. So I look at a player like Maddie Segrist. Can she be this front court pick and pop compliment to what Paige Beckers is trying to accomplish in Dallas. Can she provide a little bit of versatility to space the floor, you know, to give Arike and Paige driving lanes to the basket? She was, I think, on track to maybe even being the most improved player last year before she got hurt and had to miss a big chunk of the season for the Wings. I want to know if that offensive efficiency is something that happened because she was on a bad team and just needed to soak up minutes, or if she can actually be a productive player on a really good team? Because, you know, most everything is going to change in the WNBA this off season, right? Everybody is going to be free agents. That's a veteran. After 2025, Maddie is on a rookie contract. She is somebody that Dallas has control over going forward. She and Paige can sort of be this inside, outside tandem moving forward. And I'm just fascinated to know if, like, if the player that we saw for stints last season in Dallas is a real building block going forward.
- [35:51]
Zena Keda
Now I'm curious. Maddie Segris, of course she played. She was a forward at Villanova and in that system, I felt her more so as a. Of a three guard, wing forward, more so than in the post, like, front court properly. She's about what, six one, six two.
- [36:11]
Sabrina Merchant
Would you say is listed at six two? Yeah.
- [36:14]
Zena Keda
Okay, so do you think that's enough size for what Dallas has traditionally had in terms of how they like to show up in the front court?
- [36:22]
Sabrina Merchant
Well, I mean, I think the way Dallas traditionally has been has really not worked out all that well with the. All those big budding centers. You know, I think having a little bit more mobility, a little bit more switchability, versatility. With Maddie, like, she scored everywhere at Villanova, let's be clear whether that was in the post, whether that was on the perimeter, like, she can do just about anything. And I think her measurements sort of profile her more as power forward in the W. Just like her. Her quickness to like the four, I think is gonna be her spot. But yeah, I mean, I think part of the beauty of Maddie is that you can put her in different spots on the court and expect her to find a way to get her shot off. But I think, yeah, power forward is probably how I would envision her.
- [37:00]
Zena Keda
The only reason I asked that question is because the. In the W, being a power forward at 6:2 is like, yeah, it can happen. And then you have to remember who you have to guard in the power forward position on the opposite side.
- [37:13]
Sabrina Merchant
And they gotta guard her too.
- [37:14]
Zena Keda
And they have to guard her too. True. And it's. It's guarding six, four players as well that are. That have that same agility and, and mobility. But I like this idea for Maddie Segris because, guys, she averaged like 29 points. 30, something like that, like in the 29, 30 point per range at Villanova. She is capable of putting the ball in. We've seen it at Dallas. And now this is an opportunity for her to really solidify a position for her amongst that starting lineup, but amongst the rotation in general, because, yeah, the guard room didn't even mention Isiah James. Of course, training camp still has. There's a lot of guards coming through those doors in Dallas, so Maddie makes sense to scoot on over to the bigs. They'll love you just the same. Okay, this is really good. I really like these intriguing players. I know those aren't the only intriguing players. Do we have any honorable mentions? Anyone else that you're like, off the top of your mind? Who else you wanted to talk about, Sabrina?
- [38:10]
Sabrina Merchant
My first honorable mention was Niara Sabali. You know, New York has going for this repeat this season. Right. Nyar Sabli was a huge factor in that Game 5 win over Minnesota in the WNBA final. And just the way the offseason has gone, you know, they lost Kayla Thornton in the expansion draft. Benjulaney Hamilton is going to be out for an extended period of time. Does this mean that New York goes in a very big direction and plays Niara Sablee in these bigger lineups or do they rely more on like Rebecca Gardner and Kennedy Burke and more veteran options to sort of fill in exactly what Lainie Hamilton and Thornton were doing? I think it's just a really interesting opportunity for Sabali to prove like if she is a full season player, right. If she can dazzle in more than just that individual moment, which admittedly very big moment in game five of the Finals. But what does she look like as a more full time rotation player with the Liberty?
- [38:57]
Zena Keda
Sabli's on a roll right now too. She's WNBA champion and then just won the Turkish Super League with her team. And Ben, you might have to correct me on this, the Fener Boss team out in Turkey as well. So shout out to Niara Sabley. Hopefully she'll translate all of that for the Liberty into the regular season. Ben, honorable mention on your end.
- [39:16]
Shantel Jennings
Yeah, I will go with another, I guess an international player also who is in the Euroleague final six and I should say Zena. It's Fenerbahce if we're going in our Turkish speaker pronunciation.
- [39:25]
Zena Keda
I knew I was wrong. Thank you. This is why I got to clear it up. Fenerbahce. Thank you.
- [39:29]
Shantel Jennings
Yeah, I'm gonna go with someone who is playing out in Scio in Italy, a little town that I have been to and seen play and that is Janelle Salon, the French player who is gonna be such big money on Janelle.
- [39:42]
Sabrina Merchant
Salon being in your top five, Ben. That's why I didn't pick her.
- [39:45]
Shantel Jennings
Yes, this was a safe bet on the board here. 23 years old, 6, 3 plays multiple positions internationally, has been playing pro since she was 17 years old. You know, multiple WNBA teams around the league tried to sign her this off season and the Golden State Valkyries ended up being the team that brings her in. She is a double digit scorer, a very good three point shooter and you know, in a list of most intriguing players. We don't exactly know how she's going to translate to the WNBA and this new system that Natalie Nicase and the Golden State Valkyries want to have, but she is certainly well positioned to play a big role and Again, she hasn't transitioned. And so, like, even, like, I'm not 100% sure how she's going to fit in and what they're trying to do, but if her international career is any indication, she's going to play a big role on this Golden State Valkyries team. And I think she'll be one of these rookies who, you know, was not drafted in this year's draft. But if you told me by the end of the season that she makes an all rookie team, I would not be surprised. In fact, I would pick that heading into the season, heading into this 2025 season. So she is the international player on my list. And as Sabrina said, this was probably the lock of this entry on my list.
- [40:56]
Zena Keda
Okay. Honorable mentions check out too. I am very intrigued, obviously, coming up on this WNBA season and we'll see how any of these. We'll have to circle back to this show by the end of next season to see how these picks all played out. All right, guys, don't go anywhere. We got a fun game in the next block. Okay? We're gonna try something out that is new here, and it's a little game. You may have heard of it. It's called Two Truths and a Lie. Okay, Sabrina, master soothsayer that she is, is going to give me and Ben three takes on this upcoming WNBA season. Two takes that she fully believes in and one that she does not. And then Ben and I will have to pick them apart to figure out what's real and what's bull. So, Sabrina, let's have them.
- [41:52]
Sabrina Merchant
Okay, three takes. Number one, Nafeesa Collier, will be the MVP of the 2025 WNBA season. Number two, the Phoenix Mercury, will miss the playoffs in 2025. And number three, there will be NBA participation at WNBA All Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
- [42:08]
Zena Keda
Ooh. Okay, after Ben, I'm gonna take that first one. After the performance that Nafissa Collier had in unrivaled, I feel like that is absolutely possible for her to carry that over into the WNBA season and to kind of have like a revenge tour after last year. I think Sabrina absolutely believes that Nafisa Collier will be a WNBA mvp. What do you think?
- [42:36]
Shantel Jennings
I think that is definitely possible. It is a very plausible prediction to make. Yes, this is gonna be the year's prediction.
- [42:43]
Sabrina Merchant
But these things are true or if I believe them.
- [42:45]
Zena Keda
Exactly, exactly. That's the difference, Ben. It's the difference. We're not trying to figure out if they're plausible or not. I think that Sabrina is taking that evidence that I Just laid out and she is thinking that is true. What do you think?
- [42:56]
Shantel Jennings
I want to, can I digest the other picks? I mean I think, I think, I think this could be her bluff. I think this could be her bluff here because it is a plausible prediction. But I think she will end up going somewhere else here.
- [43:10]
Zena Keda
Okay, let's keep rolling. Let's keep rolling this. She says that the Phoenix Mercury are going to miss the playoffs. Now Phoenix Mercury just got Alyssa Thomas. They have Kalani Brown. Now who else do they pick up in the off season?
- [43:25]
Shantel Jennings
Well, that's the good question, Xena. Because that is really the key to this argument, right? It is. They have Alyssa Thomas and they have Satus ably and they've surrounded her with Kalia Kopper.
- [43:35]
Zena Keda
Right?
- [43:36]
Shantel Jennings
Alyssa Thomas was on my list of most intriguing players and it was because you know, she's been an MVP candidate in each of the last three years. She's been top five. She's one of the most unique players in the league and she's going to a team where Kalia Kopper had a career high usage rate last year and Satusavo is another first team all W player. And you mentioned Kalani Brown. But I would challenge listeners to try and name, you know, more than four or five members of this year's Phoenix Mercury because that is a just one.
- [44:05]
Sabrina Merchant
More beyond the players you named.
- [44:07]
Shantel Jennings
Honestly, like I'm not gonna, we don't have to embarrass anyone on this show but it just speaks to if one of those players gets injured, if the fit doesn't click as much if Alyssa Thomas, her game is so unique and how she fits with two other stars who also have like unique games or just have proven established games rather so oh, this is a good take Sabrina because like 8th is strong. Missed the playoffs is like something has had to go wrong here. But I enjoyed this as a hot take. So I'm gonna say this is true. A take you believe in.
- [44:47]
Zena Keda
Okay. Okay. Last take she had was that, oh.
- [44:52]
Shantel Jennings
I'm forgetting already that NBA players will participate in WNBA All Star Weekend.
- [44:56]
Zena Keda
I, this is where I feel like this is the bluff. I, I, I feel like every year this is talked about, it's been, it's been hammered on and those players are trying to enjoy their summers. Now where is the WNBA All Star.
- [45:11]
Shantel Jennings
This year is in Indianapolis.
- [45:14]
Zena Keda
Do we think that NBA players are going to Indianapolis for their summers?
- [45:17]
Shantel Jennings
That's a great point, Zena.
- [45:19]
Zena Keda
So I feel like Sabrina knows this and I think this is her lie and she made it. But, but the thing is, you're right, Ben. That would be too obvious of a lie like that. Be just so you know what? I think she actually believes this, which is crazy. If she thinks NBA players are gonna show up, we'll see. Let them call our bluff. But you might be right. She might actually not believe Nafisa Collier will be the mvp. It's too obvious. Yes. Okay, so we're choosing, we're choosing the Nafeesa Collier MVP is the lie. And Sabrina thinks that NBA players are going to show up to Indianapolis during the summer for All Star. And she also believes that the Phoenix Mercury are going to miss the playoffs. Sabrina, let us know.
- [46:09]
Sabrina Merchant
You know, I really thought the Phoenix one was going to be more of a challenge. I thought we'd have more faith in the Alyssa Thomas Khalil Copper trio. But no, you're absolutely right. I don't believe that Phoenix is going to make the playoffs. That's the take. However, I do believe that Nafisa Collier is going to win mvp. I don't believe I had this in my head that like maybe Tyrese Halliburton would do it for Indiana, you know, like that's a thought.
- [46:32]
Zena Keda
Yeah, that's a good one.
- [46:33]
Sabrina Merchant
They obviously wanted Caitlin and Sabrina so badly at NBA that maybe this would be like their show of goodwill. But no, I don't believe it.
- [46:39]
Ben Pickman
You're right.
- [46:39]
Sabrina Merchant
They're not gonna go out there summers to do that.
- [46:42]
Zena Keda
Okay, we were thinking that you were trying to be savvy here, Sabrina, but you were as you are, the Master Soothsayer. Oh, I'm so proud of myself for being able to say that. Sabrina the Master Soothsayer. Guys, look at us, we're winning here. Thank you, Sabrina. I want to think about the, you know, the FISA Collier though as mvp really quickly. What were your thoughts? I mean I'm thinking about her performance last year. Unrivaled, continuously, just bringing that in. What was your thoughts on that?
- [47:09]
Sabrina Merchant
Well, I think voters and I count myself obviously among them. So it's a little bit self serving, really love a narrative. Right. And you think about like Asia Wilson coming off of her, you know, finish in 2023 and just absolutely crushing the league in 2024 and if Isa Khali are to go through what Minnesota did during the finals in 2025 and then to have the season that she did under unrivaled where she wins the one on one championship but then also loses before the championship. Right. Like this is very much. I need to prove myself that I am the best player in the world and can win trophies in the best league in the world type of season for Nafeesa Collier. And I think Minnesota is going to be very good. So that all just sort of adds together for me, for the Lynx and for Nafeesa Collier. Obviously, I think Caitlin Clark is going to be in the discussion. Asia Wilson is going to be in the discussion. Depending on how, like, Seattle performs or, you know, what shakes out with the Liberty. I think there's a lot of other players who could make themselves part of, like the first team AllW and MVP conversation. But just again, all of the momentum that Fee has coming into this and the fact that I legitimately believe she is playing like the best player in the world right now makes me think that she's going to be the MVP this season.
- [48:10]
Zena Keda
Okay, I can't wait to get into MVP talks because I am wondering and we're not going to get into some.
- [48:16]
Sabrina Merchant
Games before we get into MVP talks.
- [48:18]
Zena Keda
I know, I know, I know, I know. But I can't wait to get in there because I am curious, and this is a preseason thought, but I'm curious if there will be a Candace Parker level, like Rookie of the Year, MVP caliber type of player potentially in Jarnell Salon.
- [48:34]
Shantel Jennings
Yeah, Jalal Salon.
- [48:35]
Ben Pickman
Right?
- [48:35]
Shantel Jennings
That's who you're referring to.
- [48:36]
Zena Keda
Maybe. I don't know. We'll see. We'll see what happens. We'll see what happens. Anyways. All right, that's it for today. We got some good stuff coming up in this preseason moment. It's a little quiet right now, so we're gonna be able to do a lot more. Just digging in, of course, into the Big east and Western Conference previews, some rivalry tracking. The WNBA came out with their rivalry weeks. I know y'all had some questions about some of those matchups. We're gonna get into the true rivals rivalries in the wnba, some big prediction pods, and we're also gonna dive deep into a few select teams, starting with the Dallas Wings this coming Friday. So y'all need to get ready. Lots of good content coming up. And if you're 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 a Comment wherever you're listening. We read them. And if you be so kind, give us a rating. Y'all, I fought through my tooth today, my teeth, to make sure that we could say things clearly, please. Five stars. It's worth it. Okay? And it also helps new people find the show 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 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 Perel. 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 Oper.
- [50:33]
Ben Pickman
As we head into the playoffs, it's.
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Shantel Jennings
Safe to assume there will be a.
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