Five Out: Game Five coming, Sabrina Shows Out, voter transparency and what the Aces do next…

Stars were born, a fun SUNday in Uncasville and how do the Aces extend A'ja Wilson's championship window? Andrew’s thoughts on women’s hoops for October 7, 2024.

(AP Photo/Ian Maule)

Dearest Gentle Reader,

I’ve missed our Monday morning meetups. For the last month, I’ve been preparing for a wedding and Chauny has graciously stepped in to handle what is becoming one of the pre-eminent (and also one of the only but that’s beside the point) Monday columns in the world of women’s basketball. I’ve written some pieces here and there but, for the most part, it’s been a lot of reading, watching and planning for a wonderful October day. So a shout to Chauny and a shout to you, the reader. Let’s talk ball. Here’s what’s coming up on NCS this week.

Tuesday: Luxury Tax returns with Maryland superstar Shyanne Sellers joining the show.

Wednesday: The Legendarium returns to kick off a fall full of historical profiles. We head to the University of Texas to look into what created the original Team of Destiny and the first undefeated run in NCAA women’s basketball history.

Thursday: For those that would rather listen than read, The Legendarium Podcast comes out with testimony from Hall-of-Famers from Clarissa Davis to Jody Conradt.

Friday: Our NCAA season previews continue. We started last week by running through the Mid-Majors and now we go conference by conference beginning with the Big East.

Saturday: The NCS Awards come out. None of us have official WNBA votes (at least, not yet) but we go through our regular season votes and picks for the top honors in the league.

Be sure to tap into our YouTube as well where we are doing live postgame of shows throughout the WNBA Playoffs. Now…to the column.

Sorry, Chauny. Sabrina Ionescu is here and the New York Liberty are Finals bound.

I’ll say this for my esteemed NCS colleague. She is an ethical hater of Sabrina Ionescu to the bitter end. No Oregon hats, seafoam jerseys or NY Post draft day clippings can sway her. But after four years of taking hits on behalf of Sab, it’s time to get my lick back.

At long last, the number one pick has arrived.

Now let me preface with this: Chauny’s argument has always been that Sabrina’s marketing as a Caitlin Clark type figure entering the league didn’t match the on court production. If you’re getting a shoe ahead of someone like an A’ja Wilson (which has been a discussion for years), the success should be immediate and not a four year slow burn. Which, fair.

HOWEVER!

I think Sabrina’s a unique case that deserves a bit more litigation. In her second ever professional game, she dropped 33 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists before a grade 3 ankle sprain effectively ended her rookie campaign in 2020. Admittedly, her 2021 season was a bit rough. Even with a patchwork roster (just five of the fifteen players from that team are still in the WNBA), the team made the playoffs before her final shot against the Phoenix Mercury was meme’d into oblivion. In a Vanity Fair article she said that she felt external pressure to return to the floor early, not allowing a loose bone chip behind her ankle to almost trigger a second reconstructive surgery.

By 2023, she was a WNBA 2K cover athlete which naturally (and understandably) drove some people crazy. What had she done, besides have a stamp from a now departed Kobe Bryant, to warrant this? For those just getting to the W this year, it’s worth noting that much of the early season ‘reality check’ discourse around Caitlin Clark was rooted in a belief that she’d have the same issues Sabrina had. We’d seen this movie before so why would it be any different? Mostly because, as we’ve learned, Caitlin Clark is different. But this isn’t about CC right now…

In the year of our lord 2024 there isn’t much of a debate anymore. The triple double Queen out of Oregon we thought we were getting in 2020 is indeed here and making a turn into superstar status. Her Game 4 performance, after being trapped and clamped in Vegas two nights prior, was a message to the world: Sabrina is here. Even with that dud on Friday, she’s averaging roughly a 20-5-5 this playoffs. She opens the floor for Breanna Stewart, is the primary ball handler in pick-n-roll with Jonquel Jones and has expanded her game to be a three level scoring threat. I’d love to see her be able to impose her will offensively when the three isn’t falling but that’ll come in time. The reality is that she’s a key cog on a championship contender. I felt that was her ceiling but now, she may be destined for more.

As are the Liberty, who went from a talented team with chemistry issues to the very juggernaut they ran up on last year. Stewart took some things personally in the offseason and is playing like it. Jonquel Jones, while still liable to disappear on some possessions, was a force in the paint while making several huge three pointers. And that’s before you get to the rotational and bench players who overwhelmed Vegas’ beleaguered starters.

So Chauny, you had a good run. But it is finally #SeaFoamSZN. So put your Ellie cap on and take a seat next to Spike. We’ll see you in the Finals where all are still welcome.

SUNday Funday in Uncasville. Let’s play a Game 5.

I’d like to think that a previous column of mine, effectively calling Connecticut frauds, sits printed out and taped to a whiteboard in Mohegan Sun Arena. While I doubt I’m that important to the organization, they could, in theory, replace that column piece with a new one.

Because the Sun are absolutely for real.

The issue in years past with Connecticut was their superior talent leading to high achieving regular seasons and spectacularly frustrating playoff losses. Since 2017, the Sun have finished no lower than second in the Eastern Conference. But that run has resulted in zero championships even as contemporaries like Washington, Las Vegas and Chicago have held ticker tape parades.

In those playoff flameouts there’s been concerns over bench scoring or a third bucket getter in crunch time. This season, every concern has been addressed and the proof is in the pudding. For the first time since Jonquel Jones brought an MVP trophy to Uncasville in 2019, the Sun have the look of a championship team. With their backs against the wall, Stephanie White coached a masterclass in the second half as Ty Harris (who deserved Most Improved Player votes and it’s criminal she didn’t even get one) went thermonuclear.

Whether it’s Harris, Marina Mabrey or DeWanna Bonner, there is now more offensive versatility, shooting and creativity than ever. Couple that with a now trademark suffocating Sun defense and you see what the Lynx are having real trouble. Even with Napheesa Collier trying to demand the ball possession after possession in the second half, Connecticut never wavered. In prior years, the season would be over already. But this team is special in a lot of ways. Game 5 in Minnesota is guaranteed to be a classic and this is what we should spend the day and week on. All of the other stuff can be secondary. Real hoops is on our screen. Enjoy *that*.

The Aces three peat bid has been thwarted. Now how will the front office help A’ja Wilson?

Let’s get this out of the way early. Criticizing A’ja Wilson for not demanding more touches down the stretch of the fourth quarter is not a personal attack on the unanimous MVP. While blanketed by an elite Liberty defense, I was, like others, surprised to see Wilson not doing more to say “eff it. I’m taking over.”

You can call it tired legs from an Olympic year (understandable), exhaustion from a mentally taxing season (fair) or even running out of gas after two straight titles (legitimate!) but it still is fair to wonder why that GOAT level takeover gear didn’t show itself in an elimination game against your rival.

Those defending A’ja have a very cogent point: her guards didn’t help her out at all. The Aces went 7-30 from three point range while Jackie Young went 1-10 from the field, Kelsey Plum had 17 points on 16 shots and Chelsea Gray…well if we’re extending injury grace to Sabrina, we can do it here too. But Father Time is undefeated and I wonder if this is a sign of breakdown for a Point Gawd that has battled injuries since her days with the Sparks

What’s funny is that the theme of Vegas’ season actually applies to both sides of this argument. A’ja can’t do it all and it has required GOAT level takeovers to stay somewhat competitive. When you see it in the regular season it’s fair to want it in the WNBA semifinals while also realizing that she can’t 40-20 them out of every matchup, especially this one.

So what comes next?

There’s a lot of questions about this roster moving forward. Kiah Stokes doesn’t look like a starter anymore, Megan Gustafson may not be the solution, the Plum/Young combo runs too hot and cold while Alysha Clark turns 38 and Chelsea Gray is susceptible to body breakdowns. With all that in mind, Vegas still has A’ja and as long as she’s healthy the championship window is open. Do they move pieces? Will we see KP or someone else in Golden State next year? Will the Aces splash cash on someone like a Satou Sabally? And what of Gray who, along with head coach Becky Hammon, was a player that took the Aces from a good team that couldn’t get over the hump to a two time WNBA champion? Are Syd Colson and the Legion of Friends at the end of the Vegas bench enough? Was Hammon even really giving them a fair shot when they’ve looked pretty good in the limited minutes they’ve been given?

There’s plenty to critique about how Vegas handled this attempted three peat run and their general vibe this whole year. But this type of scenario is where dynasties are made and organizations test their mettle. If the Aces are truly standard bearers in this league, I anticipate they’ll figure it out and be right back here next year.

A lack of voter transparency is another example of the league setting up players for failure.

Recently, I furiously typed out a column about how the WNBA has failed Caitlin Clark and that players, instead of uniting as labor, seem more interested in leaning into the divisions caused by the ruling class (W leadership, its media apparatus and its’ owners). As awards season is upon us, another example of the league failing its players reared its ugly head.

The issue of voter transparency is somewhat debated among journalists in the space. Some believe, especially this year, that anonymity is a way to keep reporter’s honest in their picks and safe from the harassment of fanatics on social media. On the flip side, I and many others believe that it’s a privilege to be able to have that vote and if you can’t feel comfortable standing on it publicly you shouldn’t have it in the first place. For the most part, W awards discourse isn’t super egregious. There’s not many people (at least relative to what I’m about to discuss) that were losing their minds that DiJonai Carrington was not the Defensive Player of the Year.

In fact, I’d argue the biggest issues during awards season in the W are for the votes that, to be quite honest, deserve a bit of public shaming for. Whether it was last years infamous 4th place MVP vote of A’ja Wilson, someone voting Courtney Williams for DPOY this season or two voters putting Marina Mabrey at the top of their Sixth Woman of the Year ballot where she wasn’t even eligible, someone has to answer for it. Legacies and, more consequentially, things like contract incentives are decided by these votes. If you can’t be bothered to take it seriously, you shouldn’t have it. And if you don’t care, the people deserve to know as do the players.

What bothers me is that it then becomes a reflection on the players. Caitlin Clark shouldn’t have to answer for outrage over not being named unanimous Rookie of the Year the same way A’ja Wilson shouldn’t have to answer to those still referencing that 4th place vote over a year later. It allows the league and reporters to skate while we draw conclusions about a player, or her fans for that matter, being whiny about things that shouldn’t be in the dark. It’s the same problem we’re going to see with the WNBA expansion draft where player retention lists for each team won’t be made public. It creates a cloak-and-dagger closed-room environment that the players are expected to constantly act fine with. Then, when bad faith actors enter via other media related endeavors, players are naturally skeptical, closed off and fully ensconced in the belief that reporters are out to get them. To bridge these gaps, we need more face time and discussion, not less. It’s the only way to solve what has the potential to become a much bigger issue in the league moving forward.

All You Need is Love…

If you’re a consistent reader of No Cap Space you may have noticed I’ve been off Five Outs for the last month or so. To give you a personal peek behind the curtain, I’ve been preparing for a wedding to a lovely woman who puts up with me enough to allow me the privilege of being her husband. What has been a blessing throughout our years together is the growth she has helped me find and how that’s evolved my worldview as well as my writing on this sport. As I get ready to dive back into the consistent deadlines I’d been doing since before September rolled around, I’d love to share some lessons she’s taught me that may help us all heading into the college basketball year, the W offseason and into 2025.

For starters, there’s a delicate relationship between validation, boundaries and acceptance. Regardless of what it is, be it a tweet or an in person comment, emotion manifests in a plethora of ways. It can be hurt, concern or a worry of safety. The last two weeks I saw a lot of discussions regarding the perspectives of W players or even fans sharing the, good, bad and ugly of being at W games this year. It was disappointing to hear the testimonies as well as the responses that came after. Do I agree with the idea that you can guess a fanbases willingness to riot solely off a gut feeling? No.

However, validation of emotion and hurt doesn’t equate to agreement.

What’s been unfortunate is the lack of validation for those viewpoints this week. We seem to be under the impression that validating hurt means capitulating a point and declaring subservience to it. When the reality is, it’s just what the word is: validating the emotion.

When my wife and I have gotten into arguments (as couples every do at varying times and points), she’s helped me learn that validation of emotion is what opens the door to understanding and bridging gaps. I might not agree that not doing the dishes immediately when she asks me is worthy of being annoyed but, if that’s her reality, then it’s something I need to take into account. The same way I’d want my feelings validated when I see too many clothes on the floor. Those are rather Pollyanna-ish examples but logic will let you play that out as far as possible.

If you’ve been a part of a marginalized group for a long time, feel a certain arena vibe is home to you and then have a completely different experience in that same place, the feeling of concern is valid. It’s rooted in something real to that person and it’s okay to say “you know, that’s sucks that you felt that way and I’m sorry that it did.”

Sometimes, it doesn’t need to go any further than that.

Now that validation of emotion doesn’t have to come with zero backbone. An important lesson my wife has taught me is that boundaries are equally as important and validation shouldn’t compromise a value system.

While there needs to be more validation in the space, it doesn’t mean everyone needs to be browbeaten into agreeing with each other. Boundaries are sometimes a good thing. There are hard lines in this league — against racism, sexism, misogyny and homophobia, for example — that we can stand firm on.

To take an example from an earlier point, I can validate the feelings that drive the need to consistently cover A’ja Wilson and other Black women in this league. But I also believe that we still have to allow basketball debate — which can include the First Take-y sports talk that exists everywhere — to exist within the space. It’s validation with boundaries; a general respect but also a willingness to say “if we don’t agree on that value, it’s cool if we don’t interact anymore. No one is right or wrong and no one is forcing us to ingest each others views.”

Beyond that, the message is simple. You don’t have to agree with a point but when you validate perspective, there’s at least an opening to see the humanity in another person. Call it naive but as I danced with my wife this weekend I was overcome with gratitude about how much she’s helped me become a more complete individual who works to listen to others while still respecting their (and my) boundaries. Now, as I enter a new chapter of life, I’m here to extol some virtues she’s taught me.

Maybe it’s post nuptial bliss but I’d hope we all act a bit more like my wife heading into the college season. With a willingness to joke, talk our talk, have our boundaries but also be willing to look at a differing view and understand why that person got there instead of dismissing it outright. Hopefully it’ll mean that by next year, we won’t have to go through this again.

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