WNBA Draft Watch: Should Betts or Miles go No. 1 overall?

Summary

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No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show

Episode Summary: WNBA Draft Watch – Should Betts or Miles Go No. 1 Overall?

Release Date: April 9, 2026
Hosts: Zena Keda, Layshia Clarendon
Produced by: The Athletic

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the biggest storylines ahead of the 2026 WNBA Draft, particularly weighing whether Lauren Betts or Olivia Miles deserves to be the top overall pick. Zena Keda and Layshia Clarendon discuss recent major WNBA moves (including Angel Reese’s blockbuster trade), a surprising Washington Mystics front office shakeup, and break down which college prospects most shifted their stock during March Madness. The hosts blend inside analysis, personal anecdotes, and playful banter as they consider how tournament performance shapes draft destinies, what NBA-to-WNBA rebuild comparisons get wrong, and the intricacies of fitting prospects into specific pro systems.

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Major WNBA News & Trades

Angel Reese Traded to Atlanta Dream

[02:20–08:01]

• The Chicago Sky have traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for two first-round picks (2027, 2028) and a second-round swap.
  • Reese led the league last season in double-doubles, points, and assists for Chicago.
  • Immediate fanfare with merch dropping and Reese signaling excitement for the new start.

Layshia (on the trade):

• “My first thought was, hell yeah, exciting. Like, I’m ready for the spice... Oh, and second thing was, good fit for her.” (04:00)
• “Her ceiling’s so high because offensively she’s still so raw... If she can extend that game to three, like, she’s going to be scary.” (04:50)

Key Points:

• Atlanta’s mix with Alicia Gray, Rhyne Howard, and possibly Nas Hillmon or Brittney Griner sets up intriguing post pairings.
• Reese gets to play her natural forward spot among talented guards, opening up her offensive possibilities.
• Mental well-being and chemistry matter: Atlanta could be a better fit for Reese’s growth after reported tension in Chicago.

Zena:

• “There was some tension... she had to serve a half-game suspension for what the team called statements detrimental to the team. So, yeah, it’s likely that this was good for both sides.” (07:28)

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Washington Mystics Front Office Shakeup

[08:01–15:10]

Key Events:

• The Mystics parted ways with GM Jamila Wideman after one year due to “strategic and directional differences.”
• Head coach Sydney Johnson will now assume full control of basketball operations in 2026.

Zena:

• “I just feel like Washington didn’t deserve you, Jamila. They didn’t deserve you. They didn’t deserve what you were building...” (09:35)
• “Maybe that perspective – the NBA rebuild typically is a longer process than the WNBA. Maybe that’s why ownership wanted to move faster.” (10:40)

Layshia:

• “You’re kind of like, whoa, after a year, like, damn. Particularly after those picks – we saw two all-star rookies for the squad. The vision was building for the future.” (11:30)
• “I would say it’s enough [time]. And I thought she was evaluated positively. So I don’t know what happened internally…” (12:58)

Big Picture:

• The combine-coach-and-GM model returns (formerly common in the W), raising questions about power structure and long-term planning.
• Players may prioritize free agency opportunities and paychecks given the league’s financial growth.

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WNBA Draft Watch: Whose Stock Changed?

Recency Bias & Tournament Performance

[18:15–19:32]

• Discussion of recency bias in draft evaluations: March Madness performance can vault or drop a player's stock.

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Players Who Raised Their Stock

[19:32–24:41]

Lauren Betts (Stanford):

• “Her footwork was impeccable, her strength... How dominant she looked… The ability to pass out [of the paint]... is such a valuable skill.” – Zena (21:38)
• “She’s in her big girl era now... because it’s only gonna raise like times 5, 10 when you get to the W.” – Layshia (19:40)
• Betts’ play forced GMs and fans to use her as “the measuring stick” for other post players.

Olivia Miles (Notre Dame):

• “Her size, you cannot teach size. And she’s really smart. Her floor, her court vision is bar none.” – Layshia (20:40)
• Showcases Chelsea Gray-esque point guard skillset, playmaking, and rebounding.
• Marketability now matters: Miles’ style and showmanship make her GM catnip.

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Players Whose Stock May Have Slipped or Raised Questions

[24:47–41:00]

Azzi Fudd (UConn):

• Did not perform to expectation in the Final Four.
• “If you were looking to draft her as your number one pick to build a team around, that game would have showed, like, ugh, maybe not, right? But... she’s still a really good piece. She’s a great shooter.” – Layshia (28:09)
• Zena and Layshia agree: She’s a strong “1B” star, not a “1A” franchise anchor, but the right system could boost her ceiling (perhaps “the next Naphessa Collier”).

Ashlyn Jackson (Duke):

• Streaky tournament finale (hot Elite Eight, cold thereafter) raised consistency questions.
• “She’s a Jazz Thomas comp for me... Her consistency behind the three-point line will be crucial in training camp.” – Layshia (34:07)

Cody McMahon (Ohio State):

• High-volume, versatile scorer, but “tweener” (is she a G or F?) and shot inconsistencies may ding her draft appeal for some GMs.
• “It’s all about fit. It’s better to go lower in the draft to a good fit than go high and get cut in three days.” – Layshia (37:41, 38:56)
• Fouling and turnovers in key tournament moments noted: “She just, she fouls out. She’s turning the ball over.” – Zena (39:17)

Medina Okot:

• Not yet ready for the league—hesitancy against top-tier posts suggested further development needed.

Marta Suarez:

• Mixed reviews: inconsistent but valuable due to 3-point shooting and emotional leadership potential.

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Hosts’ “GM” Picks: Who Should Go No. 1?

[42:04–48:47]

Layshia’s Pick: Olivia Miles

• “Olivia Miles. Okay, yeah, I’m going for it.” (42:04)
• Envisions a perimeter pairing with Paige Bueckers that creates dual playmaking threats—“Getting Paige off the ball... is beneficial for her ability to catch it with a live dribble.” (43:21)

Zena’s Pick: Lauren Betts or Awa Fam

• Considering both, with an edge for Betts: “Having a big like that is so rare to develop from a young age... Also the marketing, Lauren’s amazing, and she’s stateside, people know her.” (44:41)
• Also floats Awa Fam for her modern, versatile skillset and synergy with a strong guard.
• Mentions fit with teams and how international preferences (e.g., Dallas) might sway picks.

No Clear #1:

• Both hosts stress that without a generational talent like Paige Bueckers, the 1–4 spots on the draft board could go in any direction, further complicated by ongoing free agency and potential trades.

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Notable Quotes

• “There’s no clear number one pick this year. That’s what has all this frenzy about 1–4... There’s really good pieces, but no one franchise player where you’re like, everybody knows...” – Layshia Clarendon (19:58)
• “The ability to have a player [like Olivia Miles] who—right now Arike [Ogunbowale] is not a point guard, she’s a more volume scorer—if you actually bring in more of a point guard...I think there’s opportunity for them to be combos with each other...” – Layshia (43:21)
• “If you don’t fit [the system], you could easily find yourself on the outs... Better to go lower in the draft to a good fit than go high and get cut in three days.” – Layshia (38:56)
• “I feel like Azzi has an opportunity to be underestimated as a piece and blow up to be a star.” – Zena (32:44)

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“Match That Player” Game

[51:08–52:33]

To close, Zena gives Layshia a lighthearted quiz matching standout NCAA names to clues highlighting their specific traits:

• Sarah Strong: Most complete young star at a powerhouse.
• Mikayla Blakes: Elite scoring, even on under-the-radar teams.
• Hannah Hidalgo: Energy, defense, and stuffing stat sheets.
• Flau’jae Johnson: National champion, media persona.

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Episode Structure & Timestamps

• [02:15] – Show begins
• [02:20–08:01] – Angel Reese trade analysis
• [08:01–15:10] – Mystics’ GM change and structural implications
• [18:15–24:41] – Players whose stocks rose: Betts, Miles
• [24:47–41:00] – Players with questionable or dropping stocks: Fudd, Jackson, McMahon, Okot, Suarez
• [42:04–48:47] – Draft predictions and GM perspectives
• [51:08–52:33] – Player-matching quiz/game

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Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation is honest, analytical, and accessible, mixing deep-dive scouting with personal stories and offbeat references.
• Both hosts stress that this year’s draft is loaded with talented “pieces” rather than anointed franchise faces, making team fit, recency bias, and organizational strategy unusually decisive.
• Off-court factors—culture fit, mental space, and even marketability—now matter as much as skills.
• The episode underscores the breakneck pace of the women’s basketball news cycle and the rising stakes (both financial and competitive) across the WNBA.

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For Newcomers:
This episode offers a rapid-fire, up-to-the-moment synthesis of how teams and players arrive at the WNBA’s biggest decisions—with a sharp eye on both the statistics and subtle factors that shape success. Whether you follow the college pipeline or just want insight into what drives draft wars and roster building, this discussion delivers expert opinion, inside reporting, and plenty of personality.

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Transcript

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[Zena Keda]

Hello and welcome to no Off Season. I'm Zena Cato.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I'm Lazia Clarindon and today on the

[Zena Keda]

show now that the dust has settled on March Madness. We've got our eye on the WNBA draft next week. Some of those same players who have advance through the tournament will now be waiting through the draft to hear their names called. Now the question is, what impact did the tournament have? Because, yeah, champions have been crowned, but players, fortunes and futures have also changed. So we're going to dive into the question, which players raised their stock and which ones might have seen it slip. But first, we got to get into some of the big news that's been going on around the association and not the ncaa. We're talking about the wnba. The Chicago sky are sending Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for first round picks in 2027 and 2028. They also get the right to swap second round picks with Chicago in 2028. And look, this is a huge move. This is a big move. Not just from the basketball side, right. Angel led the league last season in double doubles. We know she's a rebounding queen. She also led her team in points and assists. She can be a franchise, a franchise player. But now you're talking about going to a franchise that has franchise players. Obviously Alash had. We don't know what's going on with free agency. Right. But Alicia Gray, Ryan Howard, and now it's a question of where does angel fit into this mix? All we know is lots of folks are excited about this, including angel herself. Literally, Layja, as soon as the announcement was made, I think, you know, angel had merch set up. Like you could buy merch immediately. There's a lot of folks that are excited about this, but I just wanted to know what was your first reaction when you heard about the trailer?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Angel's so smart. Also, like the merch, the way these players now. Yeah, brilliant, first of all. So I just think about her one going from a huge market in Chicago to also a big market in Atlanta. So love that for her. Cannot wait to see what she does in the South. My first thought was, hell yeah, exciting. Like, I'm ready for the spice. I was like, give it to me. Like, we don't have to wait for these people to sign. Right? Because they're happening right now. Oh, and second thing was good fit for her. Like, the first thought was like, oh, this is a good move. 1. There's so many unrestricted free agent post players though. I think about how does she fit with a Nas Hillman? If I'm Nas Hillman, I'm like, yes, that's right. Am I resigned? You know, like, you kind of look at the post players, they have Brianna Jones, Brady Griner, Nas Hillman. So who knows, are they all resigning? Right? We don't know. Maybe this is Nas has an opportunity to go somewhere else. If not, I absolutely want to see what they look like in practice because the two of them with that high motor and energy is really exciting also. That's a really good four player rotation, post rotation, if they do keep them. And we've seen Brittney Griner, right, not play a ton of minutes later in her career, right? She's happy to just like play her low minutes come in Libre Jones do what she does. So I'm really fascinated to see what they do from the post perspective. But everything you just said about Angel Reese being a franchise player, the only player to average 12 rebounds back to back years, like crazy. What she's done and the way she's translated to this league has been remarkable. And her ceiling so high because offensively she's still so raw, like she still has such a way she does not hit the outside shot consistently. Being able to knock down like a really consistent, you know, 15, 18 foot footer and then if she can extend that game to three, like she's going to be scary. I think that's the thing about her right now is like it's heart, it's hustle and it's grit and it's skill in her rebounding. Like don't let people. I watched her when she played against the Valkyries in person and as soon as the ball went up, like I watched her get a position like she already was using her lower body, like she knows where that bowl is going off. So rebounding, we know she is who she is. But offensively I'm like, oh my God. Like we could be watching the making of a real star who's just gonna keep developing and getting better and better and it's already doing so many good things, right?

[Zena Keda]

It's so true. And you, you mentioned the Brie Jones aspect and you're absolutely right. Brittney Griner was coming in and playing not limited minutes, but less minutes than we've obviously seen her play in Phoenix. And I can just only imagine if Bree Jones and Brittney Griner to be true fives and you let angel be that versatile forward that she is the person that was taking the ball off the rim coming up the court, setting up the offense, even sometimes for Chicago. But you put her around guards where she can actually be a forward, right? She can go off on the wing, she can sit in the mid Range post. She can, you know, operate on the block. Like that is exactly what angel has needed, especially shooting outside to open up the inside for her. So Atlanta feels like regardless of where they end up with free agency, the pieces that they might get back feel really, really good in terms of, you know, where angel could land. And it's important to note that's the basketball aspect of it. There is this also aspect of just like pure, like joy and being in a better mental place with Atlanta in comparison to Chicago Sky. There was some tension between at the end of the season that we remember she had been vocal about her frustrations with the team and you know, the investment into, you know, locking in not only from the organization, the coaching staff, you know, everyone being locked into wanting to win and wanting to be excellent. I think I remember, I think she might have like quoted what Valkyries had done in how they had kind of elevated their organization so quickly and so she had to serve a half game suspension for what the team called statements detrimental to the team. So, yeah, it's, it's likely that this was actually good for both sides.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Yep.

[Zena Keda]

That they're able to turn the page, move forward. Um, and I think this is really great that she's gonna get that fresh start. Um, now another piece of news from the W. This week. The Washington Mystics have parted ways with general manager Jamilah Weideman after just one season. I got thoughts, but I'm gonna let you go first. Lajah. Now the context of this. According to a team source who spoke to the athletic, the move came down to strategic and directional differences. Now head coach Sidney Johnson will assume full control of basketball operations for the 2026 season. Now let's think about what happened in the course of a year with the Washington Mystics. Of course, the draft picks were phenomenal. Sonia Citron, Kiki Ariafan, Georgia Amore. Georgia hasn't played, of course, because she had an injury torn acl. But you could see the future being built. Then. Middle season, middle part of the season, Britney Sykes is fade away to the Seattle Storm bring in. And you also have J.C. sheldon come join the team. Aaliyah Edwards comes and joins the team. It feels like Jamilah Wideman was building for a long term future. And I feel like maybe Washington wanted something a little bit more urgent. In my opinion, from what I know about Jamila Wideman and even just the conversation we had with her on this podcast and how she talked about different things. First of all, she talked about a lot of things that had nothing to do with Basketball because she's brilliant off the court. I just feel like Washington didn't deserve you, Jamila. They didn't deserve you. They didn't deserve what you were building and what you were seeing for the future. I'm very curious as to what the directional differences were, because I really think there were pieces being put in place in Washington that made you go, mm, I can see this. I can see how they're rebuilding. And I also feel like there might be something to be to the notion that Jamila Wideman is someone that has been in the wnba, but NBA space as well. And I feel like the NBA rebuild typically is a longer term process than the WNBA rebuild. And maybe that's because more. There's more supreme talent in every class of the WNBA than there is in the NBA. So it's, it's a little bit easier to find talent sooner. And that's why maybe GMs are like, we need to get going, we need to get going. But I think maybe that perspective and that kind of pathway is, was influencing Jamila and they were like, no, we need to move faster. Um, we, we want a tournament. We want a championship. With Elena 2019, it was. I think we need to get back. What are your thoughts?

[Lajah Clarendon]

A few. Well, first, that hurt me because Elena Delladon, that was over me and the Connecticut Sun.

[Zena Keda]

So I was like, I'm sorry.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Yes, I was there.

[Zena Keda]

Washington's thinking about, we need to get back. Maybe, maybe Connecticut doesn't want that back.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I saw your face and I was like, connecticut's gone. It's over. I just, I don't have a championship. My life is not complete.

[Zena Keda]

I'm sorry.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I'm sorry. So every episode's rose to me. I didn't want to live. My bad friend. My bad. I only played for, you know, 11 years. Poor me. Similar to you. Like, Jamila's a phenomenal person. So first of all, I was like, interesting because from a character perspective, from a, like, you know, we all know there's people in, especially in the past years in the W, you're like, oh. Like, how did they keep that job that long? Jamila's not one of those people, right? You're kind of like, whoa, after a year, like, damn. Particularly after those picks she brought in. Like, we saw two all stars, rookie all stars for the squad. I actually chatted with her at one point when the Valkyries played out her this season. So it was, it really seemed like the vision was building for the future. I think you make an interesting point with the NBA vs. WNBA rebuild of like, how. How quickly do they think they can win? Particularly, I don't know if it was off season free agency moves of, like, there's more money to be had. We could win now by recruiting different types of folks. Um, but I've surprised from knowing the person that she is. And it wasn't like a. Usually parting ways or like, yeah, like, what was the. The actual difference? Like what? I don't know that we're going to get an answer to what it really was at the end of the day, but I was really shocked when I saw that alert pop up and really surprised.

[Zena Keda]

Do you think, yeah, like in a year, from your experience, like, is that enough time to evaluate a GM in a year?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Yes.

[Zena Keda]

Okay.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I would say it's enough. And I thought she was evaluated positively. So I don't know what happened internally, but I think you're having enough conversations within a year to say, to know. Especially if it was directionally, like, look, at the end of the day, you work for the ownership group. So the ownership group's like, this is where we want our money to go and you're not on board. It's like that part. We're not aligned. Right. Like, if you want to rebuild for three to five years and they're like, we want to win out, you know? So I think GMs are having enough conversations with enough moving parts to know, like, is there alignment or misalignment? And it could be that simple. Right. Jameela's a phenomenal person. It could not be personal character traits. It could just be like, we have different visions and it's time to part ways because those visions don't align anymore, you know?

[Zena Keda]

Right. And so now I'm curious. There's a free agency, like, probably the most ridiculous free agency that the W's had ever in 30 years of existence. And the head coach is now the gm, essentially. What. How does that impact things? And we've seen this. Don't get us wrong, that used to

[Lajah Clarendon]

be more of the norm firm in the W to have the coach be the gm. Also, because people were saving money so they didn't have to pay two separate full salaries. It just gave you a little more on top, you know, or like, do both jobs. So it's actually more weird now. I think they're like, oh, why is the coach the gm? Because there's too much power consolidated in one person. Right. I can't go talk to my GM about my coach, or I can't go talk to my coach about my gm. They're the same person. And that's actually an issue, I don't think. I think in this case, Sydney's having to do both because they just, you know, got rid of their gm. But it's not a good look in terms of just needing that separation and having more cleaner roles. Yeah, I think it does throw a little bit of a wrench. Anytime someone's like, what's going on internally with that org, it makes you question, like, what's really happening from a player perspective. There's just going to be so much money. I think at the end of the day, when people are getting paid, they're going to go wherever. Like, it's going to be the Courtney Williams. Like, I'm getting my money. What, like, you want me to show up and play where cool, period, tomorrow. You know what I mean? Like, check is clearing.

[Zena Keda]

I don't care.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I think you're gonna see a bunch of that because there's money. There's real money to be had now, like, in a way that there never was in our league.

[Zena Keda]

It feels like it. I again, I feel, you know, 11 years in the league, Laysha, I don't want to, like, throw it in your face that now there's like, tons of money to be had, but it's very true. People are just going to be grateful for the opportunity to play in this league right now because not only for the money, but everything is aligned. The. The momentum is aligned. There's a great moment, like just. Just a great moment right now happening in women's basketball. Whether you have a GM or not, people are going to slot in where they want to get in. And the good news is we know that Washington will have those picks. They are on rookie steel contracts. They are locked in. What we don't know is who is going to be around them. And that's going to be up to Sidney to help figure out that decision. Let's transition from the WNBA news right now and talk about a few players that are looking to be the W in a just a week. Oh, my gosh, the draft's coming up. Don't go anywhere.

[TurboTax Announcer]

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[Zena Keda]

Coffee.

[TurboTax Announcer]

You'll know your dedicated expert is handling it, looking for every last deduction to get you the best possible outcome and every dollar you deserve. File with confidence. Visit turbotax.com Only available with TurboTax Full Service Experts Real time updates only in

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[Zena Keda]

All right, so we just finished the tournament, and I can't believe women's college basketball is already over. It just. It was a long season. It was a very long season. It feels like. But it feels like the Final Four just was like a splash in the midst of all of that. It feels like the tournament was a splash in the midst of all of that. And what happens sometimes, Lajah, is that folks look at the tournament and they kind of use. They have a little bit of recency bias, right? You look at the performances of folks in the tournament and you kind of forget everything Else that happened before then. But this happens even with scouts, right? With GMs as folks are evaluating how do you perform on the biggest stage at the end of your careers. These are the types of things that they utilize, these games, these performances to help evaluate. Hmm. Where should we have them on our draft board? And so we want to talk a little bit about how some folks stories may have changed for the better, potentially for the worse, as a result of how they played in the tournament this year. So as we look ahead to the WNBA draft, I wanna ask you, Lay, who do you think raised their stock the most based on their play in the tournament?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Ooh, I think Lauren Betts is up there for me and she won it, of course. But I talked about this on the one of our last pod episodes, particularly her playing through physicality. For me, like that one of the number one translation problems with people in the WNBA is like their ability to handle the physicality. And so I think for her, I was really impressed about her ability to be like, okay, Lauren, like, she gets. She's in her big girl era now. Like, she's not playing. She knows, right? Like, because it's only gonna raise like times 5, 10 when you get to the W. U. Who's someone else who played? Olivia Miles is up there for me. Like, she just. I think she's okay. There's no clear number one pick this year. And I think that that's what also has all this frenzy about the 1 through 4 is like, there's no Paige Beckers. There's really good, good pieces, like, really like, pieces who could help change a team. But there's no one franchise player where you're like, everybody knows. Brittney Grind is going number one. Everybody knows, right? Like Paige is going number one. Jewel Lloyd is going number one. That there's not that player. There's Az Fudd, who's a really good shooter, playmaker, smart person. There's a Watham who's gonna. Who could come in and change a team. There's Lauren Betts, who's huge and showed us she has the ability to get out and defend like that. For me, raised her stock. Also guarding. Because when you have bigs who are like, you know, you look at your big fives, you're like, are they slow? Are they mobile? Can they move? I think Bree Jones oftentimes was a player we looked at who's like, don't sleep on Brie Jones. Like Brianna Jones. She will get out and hard head and guard. So like, can Lauren Betts be that Kind of Bree Jones player who can continue to develop offensively. I, she's kind of a comp for me. But I think people are sleeping on Olivia Miles in terms of her Chelsea Gray comp. To me, like her size, you cannot teach size. Right. Like, and she's really smart. Her floor, her court vision is bar none. Like the way she rebounds as a guard, like she plays a complete game. She gives you so much from the point guard position. So I think Olivia Miles has played. We'll make predictions in a little bit, but you can, you could see where I'm leaning there with my, you know, point guard bias.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, no, I, I think the Lauren Betts one in terms of like who raised their stock the most is a really good thing. And you know what's so funny? It's not only that Lauren Betts played phenomenally. Her footwork was impeccable, her strength, her upper body strength. Getting folks off of her was just remarkable. How strong she looked, um, how solid she looked and how dominant it. I like, you know, I make the joke about the hair flip, hair flip, like that's how she played throughout this tournament. Just really unbothered. And also the, the ability to pass out the, that is huge. You, you look at a team like, you know, a team like a Dallas that they're going to have to pick up a few more three point shooters, don't get me wrong. But having a guard like Paige involved in a pick and roll with Lauren Betts being able to pass out from it if they double down on her like that sort of versatility that maybe isn't necessarily from a forward perspective. She's not taking folks off the dribble like that. But being able to pass out of it is such a valuable skill that it's almost as effective as being able to triple drive or shoot. And Lauren Betts is, you know, if she continues to work on that little midi, the short roll, you know, jumper, she's a good screener, of course, like, and again, incredibly, incredibly adept at rebounding and scoring low. Huge. It's funny, it's that. But it's also how people playing against Lauren Betts either raised or lowered their stock, right? Like, I'm not even thinking about just, just like, you know, folks that are about to graduate. I'm thinking about how, how we gave respect to Duke for how they played Lauren Betts, right? How we gave respect to Kyla Oldacre from Texas for how she played against Lauren Betts. How we looked at Mariam Daudah and Medina Oka and Is like, ooh, y' all need to buck up a little bit because of how they played Lauren Betts. Like, that's how you know you're a player with some influence. It makes and forces you to look at other players like, are you good? Are you doing what you're supposed to be doing? Are you strong enough? Is that's. That's how you know you're really doing something. So I love that Lauren Bettsman.

[Lajah Clarendon]

That's a great point. I love that. Like, she's a measuring stick for a W player. Cause you can be. Yeah.

[Zena Keda]

Yes, exactly. And the Olivia. The Olivia Miles one is really cool, too, because I love Olivia Miles for everything you just laid out. But one thing I love Olivia Miles for, for sure. The showmanship. The showmanship. Like, it's one thing.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Chelsea Gray.

[Zena Keda]

Chelsea Gray.

[Lajah Clarendon]

That's why I'm saying she's Chelsea Gray. Like, Chelsea has all the intangibles, but, like, she's fun to watch.

[Zena Keda]

She's fun to watch. And Olivia Miles is fun to watch. She very much feeds into, like, knows the moment of not only playing basketball, but playing the game like there's a game being had. And I think, you know, you can't deny in this day and age when there's money floating around, that GMs aren't putting marketing as a factor too.

[Lajah Clarendon]

That's what makes me wonder about az. Like, do you pass on Paige and az, Like, Cause the marketing side, how do you not have them be. Yeah.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah. Okay. Well, all right. Well, we talked a little bit about stocks being raised, but let's talk about stocks maybe slipping or stocks maybe being questioned. And this is where it's interesting because. Because when you think about stocks going up and down, sometimes, especially when people play this game in general on podcasts, like, it's like, ah, they're down. Shut them down. Cut them out. We're not talking about them anymore. And I don't know why I have this voice on to do that.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I don't know either. It's like, you check your profile. Like, stock's down six points today.

[Zena Keda]

I don't know. Is that like finance Bros Talk?

[Lajah Clarendon]

I don't know.

[Zena Keda]

I'm not sure what's happening. But point is, is that when we think about these players, quote, unquote, stocks going down, I don't think that's how we really want to frame it. I think it's more so things might have been. Eyes may have been opened or perspectives may have changed, even if slightly of, okay, interesting. That performance was not what We've seen throughout the entire body of work that we have seen of this player. Right. Especially when we're talking about folks that are getting ready for the WNBA draft. These are players that over the course of the year, there's a reason why they're in this conversation. Right. They have done something exceptionally well or multiple things exceptionally well. And then the tournament at the end of their collegiate careers showcases are you able to do it when it matters.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Right.

[Zena Keda]

And so GMs can't discount that. They can't ignore that. But it's not gonna be the whole story. Right. So we're more so saying if there's performances throughout the tournament that might have made GMs go, hmm, okay, noted, you know, noted that we saw this. And I think the one that you just mentioned, AZ Fudd, comes to mind. You know, Az Fudd did not perform the way that we typically know her to perform. And I would say less on just AZ particularly. But I look at the way that the UConn team played in that Final Four matchup against South Carolina, and they didn't quite have the same level of confidence that you typically would have. And I think that that's where more than anything I was looking at AZ stock of like, Paige had a level of steadiness and leveling for UConn that throughout their entire year, if they went up, if they went down, it still felt like they were pretty steady. Whereas you didn't quite feel that with, with UConn in these final, the final two games even. But with Azy, it just felt like she didn't show up in that moment. But when you think about what she's gonna be drafted for, it's like, eh, she's a shooter. She's a phenomenal shooter. She's a bucket in that regard, and she's gonna be a bucket wherever she goes. You're not looking to her to be a franchise player like you're looking at Paige to be. Right. You're not looking to her to necessarily be the emotional leader in that way. You're looking to her to be a solid two person. Right. A solid backup. So with that said, I do think that her performance at the end of the tournament may have raised some eyebrows. What do you think about that?

[Lajah Clarendon]

I think there's two points. One is, I think if you're maybe a rookie GM or you haven't had a lot of experience, the body of work question, that could be a learning curve. Right. I think those gms could fall more susceptible to the, the highs and lows. Of the tournament and the draft board changing. But I'm thinking about a Kurt Miller. He's a extremely seasoned general manager. He's a really good gm, actually built that Connecticut sun team. He signed me twice. He's obviously brilliant. So yes, he, he's smart. He knows how to be a gm. So he's not going to like, the number one pick is less going to be affected by that stuff because he's highly statistical. So it's going to matter on the system they're trying to build. It's going to matter on what do they do? Are they keeping our re gay? Like, what's the vision of that team? Right? So I think about that in terms of AZ Stock because it could maybe seem like AZ stock went up or down, but it's all going to depend on what they need because again, there's no clear number one pick this year for me with az. I thought I had questions mentally about her performance of like, oh, if you were looking to draft her as your number one pick to build a team around that, that game would have showed, like, ugh, maybe not, right? But like, that's not what Dallas would be drafting her for. I don't even think that's what Minnesota would be taken for. Right. They have to be sacalier. They just need a good piece. And AZ Flood is still a really good piece. She's a great shooter, extremely well coached. But I just had questions about like, oh, what is her mental toughness? Look, like what is in big moments. But I think what we saw with that UConn game was, yeah, like, she's not that person. That's not her. And I think that maybe just shined a brighter light. I'm like, oh, she's not Paige. And that's okay, right? Like, you need really good pieces. And I think there's at times, because she gets so much notoriety and even with nil money, it's like we automatically put that on people like that she is the star. She's that kind of player and she's just not. That's okay. I always call them like A list stars and B list stars, right? You have like your A list, like those your people, like you're gonna build, build your franchise. They want the moment that's the pages of the world, like Stewie's of the world, the Asians of the world, right? And then you have your own other people who are stars. They're just different. And she's not an A list star to build your team around. And so I think that we Just got a brighter light shined on that with az and it was just like, yeah, yeah, that's not who she is. So that's okay.

[Zena Keda]

You know. You know what, as you said that I on, there's often like this conversation I've now mentioned. I'm about to mention the NBA again today, but in the NBA, there's a lot of the 1A 1B stars.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Okay. Right.

[Zena Keda]

They say that a lot of 1A like. Like, if you're looking at OKC Shea Gildas Alexander is 1A, Jalen Williams is 1B. The same thing. Like, if you're looking at New York, 1A is Briana Stewart and 1B really, like, is A. Sabrina is a Jonquill. Like, right. We don't know. You could go through the gamut of WNBA teams and there's like a 1A, 1B. Like I would say in Atlanta.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Shoot.

[Zena Keda]

Actually, who's 1A, who's 1B between Alicia and Ryan? Who know.

[Lajah Clarendon]

But you know what I'm saying, It's B. Like, she's obvious the one A.

[Zena Keda]

Exactly, exactly. That's the point I want to get at is like, there are certain teams where it's like, there's a clear one A and there's. And the next tier is actually two.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Yes, you're the same tier.

[Zena Keda]

There's exactly, exactly. So looking at with az, Fudd, I'm wondering if she might end up being what Fee ended up being. Now, let's just be real. When Phi came into the league, I don't know that anyone knew she would become Phi. I don't like, it wasn't until. I mean, she performed incredibly early. Her very first game, I think it was that she played. She, like, dropped 20 points or something like that. It was like insane. Her rookie year, she played incredibly well in her first game, but it was kind of like it wasn't until that game that folks were like, oh, okay, Phiq's about to, like, cement herself as a name in the wnba and in a way that she is the team. Like, she can be that main person. And I think that that is where I'm curious of, like, AZ prove us wrong. Right. Like, in the sense that we're looking at her to be a piece of a team, which I think Nafeesa Collier also was potentially being. Looking to be a solid piece of a team and now has become a undisputed star of a team. Right. And I think that when you think about the fundamentals that are in Phi's game, and yes, Fee is also like 6, 3 so it's a little different than AZ. However, the fundamentals. Right. And they're coached by the same coach and instilled the same type of work ethic and standard in both, you know, Fi and azy. Like, I feel like maybe AZ has an opportunity to be underestimated as a piece and blow up to be a star. And what's fascinating is it. I think it will happen if she doesn't go to Dallas.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Mm.

[Zena Keda]

Like, if she ends up in another program, like, she could. I think this could. The same thing could happen. I'm making a prediction. I'm making a prediction. We'll see what happens. I love it.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I love it.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, let's keep it going. Other stars that, you know, their performances didn't pan out to what you would want to see right before the WNBA stocks slipped a little bit. A few that come to mind for me. Ashton Jackson from Duke.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I know. I love it.

[Zena Keda]

It was tough to see her go out that way, you know, especially after hitting that huge game winner to get to the elite eight. And then in the elite eight, going 0 for 8 from the floor, just like really struggled offensively, still defensively present. But I thought that was, you know, a performance I'm sure she would want to take back as a final taste in the mouths of the GMs and scouts and everyone watching.

[Lajah Clarendon]

She's a Jazz Thomas comp. For me, like, they're so.

[Zena Keda]

And not just because of the dudes connection.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I know. But like, I played with Jazz and I've watched. I did the ACC this year, last two years, so I watched. I watched her quite a bit play. I think consistency is the. The. The. It's always a thing for point guards. Right. And it's the hardest position that you have to be consistent at because you have the ball in your hands.

[Zena Keda]

Y.

[Lajah Clarendon]

But like, even her mannerisms, the way she plays, her. Her build is very Jazz Thomas to

[Zena Keda]

me, that's actually really true.

[Lajah Clarendon]

The way she plays defense are coached by two totally different eras and generations. But, like, I think she's that player who. I'm curious, could she. Because Jaz Thomas was like. Like, her game was never particularly flashy. Right. She got it done. Like, I loved that. Like, people said that about my game too, and I never took it in a bad way. I'm just like, yeah, I'm getting it done. Like, it' Olivia Miles. It's not the Chelsea Grace. Like, the path is going to get there. Right. Like, it's going to be pretty. It's not going to be behind the back.

[Zena Keda]

It's going to be official.

[Lajah Clarendon]

It's going to be on time, on target, okay. And so I, I, I like Ashlyn for like her. She knows how to win, right? She didn't finish very well that last game, but she's one of the winningest guards at Duke and you cannot underestimate that. This is something actually Kurt Miller used to say to me about, he was just like, you know how to win in games, right? You just find a way. And sometimes that's where stats, you literally do that. You're like, ah, yes, they matter, of course. But other times, these are the intangible things that GMs are looking at. It's just like, oh, I don't always know how you do it, but you want those players who just find a way to win. And Ashlyn Johnson finds ways. Jackson, excuse me, finds ways to win. And so I think her consistency behind the three point line will be important in training camp. Right? You think about people getting drafted and we're talking about that probably another episode is like, how do you perform in those high pressure, three and a half to six days you get before you play your first game? Like, that's gonna be the ultimate test. Um, but I agree with you that her, her inconsistency at times makes GMs go like, Ugh, where do she fall? In my point guard range when. Yeah, that's a position that we need people to be consistent at.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah, it's a, it's a good point and I think it's true. I mean, this is why I don't think Az Fudd's gonna fall very far. I don't think the likes of Ashland Jackson are gonna fall very far. I'm actually curious to ask you, Cody McMahon, what are your thoughts on, you know, how she played throughout the tournament? And because this is someone that looks WNBA ready, right? Like, Cody McMahon is six feet tall, but thick, strong and plays strong, has a crazy mid range game. That spin move in the paint is crazy. She could drive like crazy. But she also is like, is she a forward? Is she a guard? That is interesting. Like folks don't know quite where to place her. And I think, you know, she, I think she averaged like almost 19 points, 19 and a half in the, in the tournament. So she will be available for the 2026 draft.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Yeah, I think the biggest can think

[Zena Keda]

of players that were also miss Miss sized, like just in an interesting position, but high volume score, very skilled. Um, what do we, what do we think about Cody McMahon?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Mm. I think that everything you mentioned about her game that's positive and good is like, yes, right? Like, I think the 3, 4, sometimes the tweener can be like your best asset. But it's again, it's about the system

[Zena Keda]

you end up in.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Like, that's something that's so important, the coach and the system. Because like, like the 3, 4 could be versatile, right? Like, that means she could switch 3, 4. She could switch 2, 3, 4. And depending on the five that's in the game, right? Because sometimes the W is tiny, like Alyssa Thomas is your five. But she guarding her. I think the three point shot is the biggest thing for her, right? Like that getting more consistent. I think she shot 26% from three this year after maybe having one of her best years from three. So especially at that three, four. That's where, like, that's that skill set that takes you to the next level of like, because if you're a three, right, and you get a four switched on to you, you can step back, hit the three, right? She can obviously take fours off the dribble. Fours are getting much more mobile in the wnba. So like threes or fours. Or fours or threes. Like, you see Nas Hillman knocking down threes last year, like, and growing that part of her game because she knows that's important in the league. So that's my biggest question with Cody McMahon, but I think, I think her ceiling is high. I'll be curious on the system. It's all about fit. Like, that's the probably the most important thing about where you get drafted is like, do you fit that system, that coaching style? And if you don't, you could easily, like, find yourself on the outs versus, like, it's better to go lower in the draft to a good fit than go high and get cut in three days and be like, great.

[Zena Keda]

That's real.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I didn't get a real shot.

[Zena Keda]

You know, it's a really good point. And, and to, for clarity, she scored 19 and a half points throughout the season. Averaged about 14 points in the tournament. And looking at, you know, I looked at that last game against Minnesota, she was very efficient from the floor, but she turned the ball over a lot.

[Lajah Clarendon]

She fouled out, right?

[Zena Keda]

And she fouled out. She, you know, I like the fact that she wasn't like the game before that she was shooting threes and missing a lot. And you saw her switch her game, which I appreciated the adjustment for Cody, and I thought that could, you know, gain her some points from that regard. But she just, she fouls out. She's Turning the ball over. So I'm wondering if that also might have hurt her stock in front of some. Some GMs. Anyone else come to mind that you're

[Lajah Clarendon]

like, hmm, we were talking about Medina Okot, too.

[Zena Keda]

She didn't look ready for the W just yet. Yeah, because if you're turning and, you know, hesitating against Lauren Betts, you're going to hesitate against Asia, you're going to hesitate against V. Alana Smith, you're going to hesitate against these players that are excellent at playing around the basket and making you feel smothered when you're down there.

[Lajah Clarendon]

For certain, we had a mixed fuse. Marta Suarez, who thought, like, inconsistent at times, but I think her ability to knock down the three is what people take more of a chance on defensively. You know, like, she's. She's a gamer, she's tough. I think that ability to pick and pop just always makes you such an asset because you can space the floor and that she loves to shoot the three.

[Zena Keda]

I like the fact that she shoots the three and can drive.

[Lajah Clarendon]

She can play it.

[Zena Keda]

It's kind of like. It's like having a Chloe Bibby that can drive in terms of the build, the size, the competitiveness, and being able to also like, pop. Like, that's huge. And I think, you know, from what we've heard about Marta Suarez, seeing her throughout these schools, I particularly got to see her up close a lot at Cal, and then, you know, obviously watching her with TCU this year, having a bit more national coverage that way. She's a gamer, as you mentioned, and she's tough. And that's what Mark Campbell talks about of her being a emotional leader as well. And I can see her being one of these kids that goes to, you know, younger player, that goes to a team with a lot of rookies that kind of, like, shifts a vibe and shifts. You know, I feel like LA had that a little bit, Washington had that a little bit, and these, like, younger players that kind of turned the page of let's just go out there and get after it. So I feel like the performance wasn't great at the end, but there is something to be said about the character that she brings out to the floor as well. Okay, all right. All right. We gotta put our GM hats on now, Layjah. We've talked a little bit about socks going up. We've talked about socks being, you know, slipping a little bit. What. What would you say is your choice for the number one pick?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Olivia Miles. Okay, yeah, I'm going for it.

[Zena Keda]

I Want you to help me envision it. Number one pick means we're going to look at a purse player. Goddamn. We're looking at. Wait, wait, wait. Let me just break it down for you real quick. Olivia Miles, Brent Baccourt with Paige Beckers. Who's got the ball most of the time?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Depends on the time of the game, the moment of the game. Yeah, I mean they can both play.

[Zena Keda]

Yeah.

[Lajah Clarendon]

You have combo guards essentially. Right.

[Zena Keda]

So but we've had Caitlin Chen with Paige Beckers. Right, We've seen that. So we know that Paige can play off ball. She could be a two person. Absolutely.

[Lajah Clarendon]

For sure. The benefit of like a point guard not having to constantly bring the ball up is so important. Right. Because like Paige trying to be your main scorer. I watched her against the Valkyries in Valhalla last year and like she was missing Valkyries defense phenomenal last season. They scouted her really well. But like she had to do everything. She had the ball in her hand, she had to start the offense, then come off her pick and roll. So the ability to have a player who. And right, right now Arique is not a point guard. She's a more volume scorer than pages. So if you actually bring in more of a point guard and Olivia does like to shoot.

[Zena Keda]

Right.

[Lajah Clarendon]

So it's not a. This isn't a Courtney Vanders that we're talking about who's going to be dishing.

[Zena Keda]

Right.

[Lajah Clarendon]

This is a high vol shooter as well. But I think there's opportunity for them to be combos with each other. I'm really fascinated by it. I think getting Paige off the ball like is beneficial for her ability to like catch it with a live dribble. Right. To like loop her in a loop action. And now she's in a middle pick and roll instead of just standing there running head tap. Everybody knows what's coming. High on ball. That's what a lot of people call if you see that in the league or like a fist. So loop Paige up, get her a high on ball. Now you have Olivia on the wing so when you reverse the ball back you have another playmaker right on both sides. And I think that's the benefit of having like two scoring playmakers that I'm like, I won't put a pass, you know, like I know they need a pose so.

[Zena Keda]

Ah.

[Lajah Clarendon]

But yeah, I think Olivia Miles is. And then she could be in Minnesota too. I'm just, I'm gonna throw it out her as my number one pick though I'm not afraid to say that I'm Gonna say it.

[Zena Keda]

Okay. All right. All right. I like this. I like this a lot. Um, I'm trying to think here. I. I like this, and I'm gonna go with this. I don't know if you caught the live taping of Good Game with Sarah Spain during final. She had a taping with Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, and Sarah Spain asked the two of them if there was a UConn player that you could now play with any. Over the course of any. I guess it was, like, out of. Or maybe it wasn't even just UConn. It was just any player throughout the tournament in the Final Four. And Sue Bird said sarah strong. And she said sarah strong because she was like, I just can't imagine getting to play with a versatile forward like that. Now, that said, I really. I'm between Lauren Betts and AWA Fam. And the AWA fam aspect is very interesting to me because if you watch her play, it's like having a. More like. We now see what Dominic Malanga is now we've now seen what Dominic Malanga is after a full season in the wnba, after unrivaled. We've seen her pull out, start shooting the three, all of the above. Boom, boom, boom. Um, we've seen that. Imagine second half of the WNBA season last year. Dominique Malonga. That's all of fam and pick and roll with Paige. And we've seen Dominique Malanga with Paige in unrivaled.

[Lajah Clarendon]

So good.

[Zena Keda]

Right? So that's what all of fam gives when you watch her footage. And I just. I don't know. That's too. That's like. That is too good of a combo of having an extremely adept guard that can score on their own, but also wants to set folks up being with a versatile big that can take it off the dribble. That is. That has a jumper that is really coordinated. That's. You know, and she's 6 4, so it's. She's quite. She's like in that Asia range. You know what I mean? Like, I can't put it past Kurt Miller to potentially get a big. So I would say I'm stuck between AWA and Lauryn and the Lauren thing. The only reason I would say Lauren over AWA is because Lauren's stronger. And having it big like that is so rare to, you know, to develop from a young age. And. And also the marketing, like, Lauren's amazing, and she's. She's stateside, she's bred here, and people know her, and it's Just, it's a great story and it's a great combo there. But alas, alas. So Minnesota has number two. Do you think AZ is going there?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Oh, I mean, it's all going to depend where. Yeah. People pick. Yeah, I do think Kurt's more likely to pick a post player, but also what's like happening in free agency conversations? Like, right, do they get a big. And then they can take a guard?

[Zena Keda]

Like, what if. What if Dallas gets neca?

[Lajah Clarendon]

Right, right. Go home.

[Zena Keda]

Oh, that's right.

[Lajah Clarendon]

So, yeah, that's the part. This is where there's just no clear one pick. It's all going to. It's like the draft boards are just going to be slice, slice, slice. And because free agency is happening now, now no one's already like, typically we'd already know where some people are going. Right. Because we. Free agency would have been open. It would be a little more obvious to slice lot to make predictions. But yep, we have no clue about who's actually what unrestricted free agents are what actually going to be signing with Dallas. The thing Kurt Miller does know how to do from a GM perspective is build a team from the ground up. Right. He. He did that with Connecticut. So he knows how to build talent and that it'll take, you know, the three to five years. He's. He's adept at that. And so I wouldn't be surprised at him putting that young crew together, letting them grow and knowing that they could be peaking in about three years. Time to grow and. But then you get a NECA and you can win now with Paige. Right? So it's like it just depends on what you get.

[Zena Keda]

And Jose Fernandez in Dallas loves those international players and Kurt knows that as well. So I don't know. We'll see what happens. But folks, if you're listening, let us know. Are we crazy? Is it AZ going number one? Olivia going number one. Lauren going number one. Let us know what you think, because we genuinely don't know.

[Lajah Clarendon]

We're just paid to speculate.

[Zena Keda]

We're just here to speculate. On the other side of this break, I've got a little game for Lajah to play. Lajah, I'm gonna see if you can guess that player.

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iOS mobile app think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give better deal. So bring us your bill. Walking, running, Hogo, sticking, teleport. If you can ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or flyin on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best Network based on RootMetric's best overall mobile network performance US 2nd Half 2025 all rights reserved. Must provide a very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply with

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no fees or minimums on checking accounts. It's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about. In a good way. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capitalone.com bank capital1NA member FDIC.

[Zena Keda]

Okay, we're gonna close this out today with a little game called Match that Player. I'm gonna give you a clue, Lajah, and you tell me who the player is. This is gonna be tough.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Okay, okay.

[Zena Keda]

The four players that you're gonna be choosing from are Sarah Strong.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Okay.

[Zena Keda]

Hannah Hidalgo, Mikayla Blakes, and Flaw J. Johnson. Okay, okay, okay.

[Lajah Clarendon]

I'm sweating. It's like it's not a test.

[Zena Keda]

It's not a test. I ain't gonna lie. It's gonna be tough, though. It's gonna be tough because some of these, you know, they could. They could overlap. It depends on your opinion too, sometimes, but I think we could all get to the same page on these. All right, all right, all right. First clue. I'm one of the most complete players in the country, impacting the game on both ends as a young star at a powerhouse program.

[Lajah Clarendon]

It's either Hannah or Sarah.

[Zena Keda]

Sarah. Sarah. Well done.

[Lajah Clarendon]

All right, all right.

[Zena Keda]

I'm happy you stuck with that. All right. Clue number two. I'm known for my scoring ability and can lead the nation in points even if my team isn't always in the spotlight.

[Lajah Clarendon]

Blakes.

[Zena Keda]

Mikayla Blakes. That's right. That's right. I wonder, folks, listening at home, how you're doing so far. Clue number three. I bring energy, defense, and intensity every night. And I can fill up the stat sheet and be.

[Lajah Clarendon]

There it is, There it is.

[Zena Keda]

And then the last one, of course, you know, now that you know that there's only one left. I'm a national champion with a big personality and my presence goes beyond just basketball. And that is, of course, our flaw. J.D. johnson. That was an easy one this week. We wanted to keep it light because, you know, it's been a crazy weekend. Okay, Literally this one weekend, we. We finish the national championship transfer portal opens. The WNBA free agency opens. We also had just the week, that week before an expansion draft. Folks are getting traded. People are getting fired. Like, what is happening? It's been a wild, wild week. So we hope that was nice and easy for you and we hope that you stay locked in this week because everything I just listed out, we were going to be talking about it. We've already talked about Angel. We talked about Jamila. We got the transfer portal that we got to break down. Sabrina and Chantel are obviously have your back on that one. But Lajah, I appreciate you having our back on this WNBA stuff because that is where we're going to be. So excited to use you all summer long. It's officially your time, Lajah. W season, baby. Let's go. I'm excited to have you for it and I'm excited for all of you listening. Make sure you are subscribed. Wherever you are listening, make sure you like and share our YouTube channel so that more people can find it as well. We would really appreciate that here at the athletic know all and until our next show, we appreciate you joining. So on behalf of Lajah Clarendon, I'm Zena Keda thanking you for listening and we'll See you next time. No Off Season is hosted by Zena Keda with Chantelle Jennings, Sabrina Merchant and Lajah Clarendon. It's produced by Tanika Burrell. Our executive producer is Andrea B. Scott. Monica Compton is our video editor and Charlie Charles Childers is our social video editor. Our theme music is by Marcus Bogala. Shannon Ryan is managing editor of women's basketball at the Athletic. Tim McMaster is our director of operations and Jesse Burton is global head of Ceres.

[Verizon Announcer]

Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT and T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. So bring us your bill. Walk in, running, pogo sticking, teleport if you can ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or fly in on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best network based on route metrics Best Overall mobile network performance US second half 2025 all rights preserved must provide a very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply with

[Capital One Announcer]

no fees or minimums on checking accounts. It's no wonder the Capital One bank guy is so passionate about banking with Capital One One. If he were here, he wouldn't just tell you about no fees or minimums. He'd also talk about how most Capital One cafes are open seven days a week to assist with your banking needs. Yep, even on weekends, it's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. What's in your wallet terms apply see capital1.com bank capital1 NA member FDIC

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