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Bench Mob ENT WNBA Collab Episode · The Stop and Pop

0:02
SPEAKER_02: Welcome back.
0:03
SPEAKER_02: Welcome back for another collab episode.
0:07
SPEAKER_02: The Stop and Pop Bitch Mob Entertainment Podcast.
0:10
SPEAKER_02: We out here collabing, bro.
0:11
SPEAKER_02: This is not the Kendrick and Drake beat.
0:14
SPEAKER_02: We more on that J. Cole energy, man.
0:16
SPEAKER_02: We out here trying to be great together.
0:18
SPEAKER_02: We lovers, not fighters.
0:20
SPEAKER_02: Jared, my guy, how are you doing?
0:23
SPEAKER_02: I'm good, Tony.
0:23
SPEAKER_02: How are you doing today?
0:25
SPEAKER_02: I'm hot, bro.
0:26
SPEAKER_02: What is it looking like down in D.C.?
0:27
SPEAKER_02: It's hot up here in D.C.
0:29
SPEAKER_01: It's 87 degrees right now.
0:31
SPEAKER_01: I got this hoodie on, but I'm inside right now, so I'm good.
0:33
SPEAKER_02: Hey, I'm on the porch, and this porch ain't got no AC.
0:37
SPEAKER_02: The fan ain't working.
0:38
SPEAKER_02: Oh, boy, I'm going through it.
0:40
SPEAKER_02: I feel like I'm on an episode of Roots, bruh.
0:46
SPEAKER_02: So before we get started, I know you just came from a Mystics game.
0:49
SPEAKER_02: I've been reading up on it.
0:50
SPEAKER_02: They have a lot of some key departures that happened this season.
0:54
SPEAKER_02: How do you see a Mystics going?
0:56
SPEAKER_02: Because I saw people saying they project them to finish last.
0:59
SPEAKER_02: You actually got to see them literally within like the last hour or so.
1:03
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, I went to go see them for a preseason game against the Minnesota Lynx.
1:08
SPEAKER_01: Honestly, they looked good, and it was up by, I want to say, a good 13 points at one point.
1:13
SPEAKER_01: By the end of the second,
1:14
SPEAKER_01: going to about third quarter,
1:16
SPEAKER_01: they started to lose the lead and was tied up for a while.
1:21
SPEAKER_01: But then it's preseason, so you got to give everybody minutes.
1:25
SPEAKER_01: So everybody just kind of, I don't want to say fell apart, but they lost the lead.
1:30
SPEAKER_01: They ended up losing the game.
1:31
SPEAKER_01: But I feel like they played good.
1:33
SPEAKER_01: A lot of people saying that they're going to be probably in the lottery.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: It's possible.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: Honestly,
1:41
SPEAKER_01: I feel like Shakira Austin,
1:43
SPEAKER_01: she's going to probably take that step up as the next star on that team.
1:47
SPEAKER_01: With Alayna Del Don out, Tasha Cloud gone.
1:51
SPEAKER_01: But she didn't look too good this game, but I feel like she's nursing a hip injury right now.
1:56
SPEAKER_01: She was questionable before the game started.
1:59
SPEAKER_01: So for her to play and then play through it, she didn't play much.
2:02
SPEAKER_01: She only had probably about five points.
2:04
SPEAKER_01: She only practically played like 15 minutes, but I feel like she's still gotta work through that injury.
2:11
SPEAKER_01: But as far as it being a lottery pick, I'm not sure.
2:15
SPEAKER_01: I mean,
2:16
SPEAKER_01: we gotta see how opening day goes when they finally set the lineups,
2:20
SPEAKER_01: set the rotations,
2:21
SPEAKER_01: and then they play against the Liberty.
2:23
SPEAKER_01: That's gonna be a hard matchup, but we're gonna see how they play.
2:28
SPEAKER_02: That's a hard one to open up with against the Liberty, man.
2:32
SPEAKER_02: As you mentioned too,
2:33
SPEAKER_02: like Shakira Austin,
2:34
SPEAKER_02: I've seen her,
2:35
SPEAKER_02: a lot of people put her down as possibly being most improved player of the year as
2:39
SPEAKER_02: a candidate.
2:40
SPEAKER_02: Cause you know, last year she dealt with some injuries.
2:42
SPEAKER_02: She started off the season dealing with some injuries.
2:45
SPEAKER_02: So hopefully she can get healthy.
2:47
SPEAKER_02: And we see her flourish.
2:49
SPEAKER_02: And like you mentioned,
2:50
SPEAKER_02: Elena Delegon,
2:51
SPEAKER_02: she's not going to be there this season more than likely in talks of retirement.
2:56
SPEAKER_02: What were some of the biggest free agents offseason moves that you had looking at
3:02
SPEAKER_02: the beginning of the season?
3:02
SPEAKER_02: Because it was a lot of movement this offseason.
3:07
SPEAKER_02: It felt like we was having an NBA free agency.
3:11
SPEAKER_02: It was this one got signed, this one got signed, that one got traded.
3:14
SPEAKER_02: It was busy.
3:15
SPEAKER_02: So what was the big ones for you?
3:16
SPEAKER_01: I feel like the biggest one for me was the Storm.
3:19
SPEAKER_01: I feel like them getting Skyler Diggins-Smith and they got Nika Agumake,
3:25
SPEAKER_01: you know,
3:26
SPEAKER_01: former MVP,
3:27
SPEAKER_01: Skyler Diggins,
3:27
SPEAKER_01: six-time All-Star.
3:29
SPEAKER_01: Agumake is also an eight-time All-Star.
3:32
SPEAKER_01: So I feel like, you know, ultimately they are the best team this offseason.
3:39
SPEAKER_01: with all the moves that they made.
3:41
SPEAKER_01: And I also feel like the Mercury made a lot of moves as well.
3:43
SPEAKER_01: They got Natasha Cloud from the Mystics,
3:46
SPEAKER_01: and then they also got Colleen Copper,
3:50
SPEAKER_01: and she was the Finals MVP in the 2021 Sky Team.
3:55
SPEAKER_01: So I feel like those are two teams that are really going to make a move, really make some noise.
4:01
SPEAKER_01: And Storm didn't make the playoffs last year,
4:03
SPEAKER_01: so I feel like they're going to make a push to the playoffs this year.
4:07
SPEAKER_01: But who do you think made the best moves this offseason?
4:11
SPEAKER_02: I had those two on my list, too, especially being that for the Mercury, you also get back DT.
4:18
SPEAKER_02: You get back Brittany Griner,
4:19
SPEAKER_02: a second year,
4:21
SPEAKER_02: not dealing with coming back from everything that she went through.
4:24
SPEAKER_02: So it's a second year, full offseason, full training camp, full preseason, all of that.
4:29
SPEAKER_02: So I'm pretty sure she's coming back extremely focused, extremely ready.
4:34
SPEAKER_02: Probably going to be in that conversation for DPOY.
4:36
SPEAKER_02: She's probably going to be in a conversation, get some MVP votes, depending on how many wins they get.
4:41
SPEAKER_02: Kalia Copper,
4:42
SPEAKER_02: you add that to the mix,
4:43
SPEAKER_02: a former MVP who actually can get buckets,
4:45
SPEAKER_02: who's efficient,
4:47
SPEAKER_02: to help with an agent,
4:48
SPEAKER_02: Diana Taurasi.
4:49
SPEAKER_02: Then you add Natasha Cloud.
4:53
SPEAKER_02: I love that sign-in.
4:54
SPEAKER_02: I love that for them.
4:56
SPEAKER_02: I'm a huge Skylar Diggins fan.
4:58
SPEAKER_02: Skylar Diggins being back in the league is always, always good things.
5:04
SPEAKER_02: So I'm looking forward to seeing that.
5:06
SPEAKER_02: I think that's a –
5:09
SPEAKER_02: Those two teams, I think you could add into that conversation.
5:11
SPEAKER_02: You let me know what you think on this.
5:13
SPEAKER_02: They become a part of the...
5:18
SPEAKER_02: Super teams.
5:19
SPEAKER_02: Because you got, obviously, the Aces, the Liberty.
5:22
SPEAKER_02: But I think with those sign-ins, those two become super teams now.
5:27
SPEAKER_02: That's just, you let me know what you think.
5:29
SPEAKER_02: Because if you're talking about Kalia Copper,
5:31
SPEAKER_02: Natasha Cloud,
5:31
SPEAKER_02: Diana Taurasi,
5:32
SPEAKER_02: and Brittany Griner on the squad,
5:34
SPEAKER_02: I view that as a super team.
5:36
SPEAKER_02: Then you're talking about Skylar Diggins, Megan Goumeke, Jewel Lloyd, who's still there.
5:40
SPEAKER_02: They bring in Mueller from Connecticut in the draft.
5:46
SPEAKER_02: Those might be.
5:48
SPEAKER_01: Yeah,
5:49
SPEAKER_01: I think you could call them super teams,
5:50
SPEAKER_01: because especially the Storm,
5:52
SPEAKER_01: when they got gloom and chaos,
5:54
SPEAKER_01: I was like,
5:54
SPEAKER_01: whoa,
5:54
SPEAKER_01: whoa,
5:55
SPEAKER_01: whoa,
5:55
SPEAKER_01: hold on,
5:55
SPEAKER_01: hold on,
5:56
SPEAKER_01: hold on.
5:56
SPEAKER_01: This is too much right now.
5:58
SPEAKER_01: But I feel like that's kind of like the trend now with the WNBA.
6:02
SPEAKER_01: A lot of these teams are starting to try and get these big stars to team up and kind of compete.
6:09
SPEAKER_01: Because the Aces and the Liberty kind of pretty much ran through the conference
6:12
SPEAKER_01: through the whole season to play it off.
6:14
SPEAKER_01: So you got to do something to kind of make some type of balance.
6:19
SPEAKER_01: And I don't know,
6:22
SPEAKER_01: if they can stay healthy,
6:23
SPEAKER_01: then I definitely think this is going to be those four teams that we named in
6:27
SPEAKER_01: conference finals.
6:29
SPEAKER_02: Oh, for sure.
6:29
SPEAKER_02: I think those are going to be the top teams.
6:33
SPEAKER_02: I think it was good,
6:34
SPEAKER_02: too,
6:34
SPEAKER_02: when you look at – it wasn't any big additions per se,
6:38
SPEAKER_02: but the Liberty keeping their people,
6:40
SPEAKER_02: John Quayle Jones keeping Stewie.
6:43
SPEAKER_02: I didn't think there was any chance that they were leaving, but still, you never know.
6:48
SPEAKER_02: Offseason happened.
6:49
SPEAKER_01: I was scared about Jones leaving, though.
6:51
SPEAKER_01: I was – because she – I think she –
6:54
SPEAKER_01: She became a free agent,
6:55
SPEAKER_01: and then they was talking about maybe signing her to a one-year deal or something
6:59
SPEAKER_01: like that.
7:00
SPEAKER_01: I wasn't too sure what they was going to do.
7:01
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, I hope she doesn't leave.
7:03
SPEAKER_01: I just went to the finals.
7:06
SPEAKER_02: That's where I think that's where it was going to, you feel me?
7:09
SPEAKER_02: You just had a final strip.
7:10
SPEAKER_02: That's kind of hard to leave that unless you go to a team where you can guarantee,
7:15
SPEAKER_02: which is no guarantee in the W,
7:17
SPEAKER_02: that we're going to get back outside of my aces,
7:19
SPEAKER_02: though.
7:20
SPEAKER_02: Barring any injuries, knock on wood, I don't see the Aces not getting back to the finals.
7:26
SPEAKER_02: That's just me.
7:26
SPEAKER_02: And we're going to go into who we have making the playoffs, our prediction and all that.
7:30
SPEAKER_02: But I think on the free agency side,
7:32
SPEAKER_02: the Liberty signing back their people,
7:34
SPEAKER_02: the Connecticut Sun signing back Dewana Bonner,
7:37
SPEAKER_02: Breonna Jones.
7:38
SPEAKER_02: That was huge, especially Breonna Jones.
7:40
SPEAKER_02: She had an injury last year.
7:42
SPEAKER_02: that ended her season early I think if she was healthy you might have seen them
7:47
SPEAKER_02: actually in the finals they might have been able to beat the New York Liberty um to
7:51
SPEAKER_02: get there so that was my thoughts on that but I think you mentioned the two biggest
7:58
SPEAKER_02: ones but those teams Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty retaining their players I
8:03
SPEAKER_01: think was huge yeah I agree with that definitely but um
8:07
SPEAKER_01: I'm not going to lie, I felt like nobody was going to beat the Liberty last year.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: Once they got everybody in free agency,
8:15
SPEAKER_01: I was like,
8:16
SPEAKER_01: nah,
8:16
SPEAKER_01: I thought they were going to win the championship,
8:18
SPEAKER_01: honestly.
8:19
SPEAKER_01: I thought they was going to knock off the Aces.
8:21
SPEAKER_01: But, you know, I mean, the Aces are nice.
8:23
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, even though Stu got the MVP, Aja, she felt like she deserved it.
8:29
SPEAKER_01: She got defensive player of the year as well.
8:32
SPEAKER_01: But that's another conversation for another day.
8:37
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I just think they – watching it last year, you know, I'm in the tri-state area.
8:43
SPEAKER_02: So I'm excited for the Liberty.
8:46
SPEAKER_02: Like, oh, they making some moves.
8:48
SPEAKER_02: It's going to be a really great season.
8:51
SPEAKER_02: But –
8:53
SPEAKER_02: I think they needed that year of getting – because,
8:56
SPEAKER_02: you know,
8:56
SPEAKER_02: they kind of had little bumps and rolls throughout the season.
9:00
SPEAKER_02: And you could see they was getting the chemistry together.
9:02
SPEAKER_02: They was figuring out each other how to get Stewie involved,
9:05
SPEAKER_02: how to get John Quell involved,
9:07
SPEAKER_02: how to get Sabrina to get her shot,
9:10
SPEAKER_02: Johansson off the bench going crazy.
9:14
SPEAKER_02: There was a lot of moving parts to figure out.
9:18
SPEAKER_02: So I started the Aces because, I mean, that's a well-oiled machine.
9:22
SPEAKER_02: Everybody –
9:23
SPEAKER_02: Everybody knows.
9:26
SPEAKER_02: Asia Wilson, Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea.
9:31
SPEAKER_02: Everybody knows, and they've been through the fire already.
9:34
SPEAKER_02: So it was like, all right, we know what we need to do.
9:37
SPEAKER_02: We know what everybody needs.
9:38
SPEAKER_02: We know everybody's spot.
9:39
SPEAKER_02: And Becky Hammond, I think the players are great, yes.
9:43
SPEAKER_02: But I think that's the biggest X factor, the biggest thing that has changed that organization.
9:48
SPEAKER_02: Because Bill and Bear was there.
9:50
SPEAKER_02: And they had playoff runs, but they didn't actually win nothing.
9:53
SPEAKER_02: He didn't embrace the three-point.
9:56
SPEAKER_02: Becky Hammond coming from San Antonio under Coach Pop.
9:59
SPEAKER_02: You know she's going to have an advantage.
10:01
SPEAKER_02: You trained under Coach Pop.
10:03
SPEAKER_02: You trained under Yoda.
10:05
SPEAKER_02: You trained under Yoda.
10:07
SPEAKER_01: People were saying that Becky should have coached in the NBA.
10:10
SPEAKER_01: That's how good she is.
10:11
SPEAKER_02: Hey, I think she should have definitely got a job in there, but she did.
10:15
SPEAKER_02: Sadly, this is what kind of happens sometimes with our sisters and the females we know.
10:20
SPEAKER_02: Hey, you're not going to give me the opportunity?
10:23
SPEAKER_02: I'm going to go make my own opportunity.
10:25
SPEAKER_02: I'm going to go make my own table.
10:27
SPEAKER_02: Fine, I don't get to see the table.
10:28
SPEAKER_02: I'm going to have my own table.
10:31
SPEAKER_02: And if she decides to stay, she's going to go down as probably one of the greatest WNBA coaches ever.
10:40
SPEAKER_01: ever i definitely agree wasn't it wasn't there talks about her like leaving aces
10:47
SPEAKER_01: this upcoming season to nba team like there was rumors about that she was like nah
10:51
SPEAKER_01: i'm not leaving i'm i'm good right here where i'm at she she's embracing where
10:56
SPEAKER_02: she's at she's staying there and that's who i think that's the scary part even if
11:00
SPEAKER_02: let's say the aces don't win this year
11:03
SPEAKER_02: being that you have the constant of Becky with Aja Wilson,
11:09
SPEAKER_02: and everybody is still under contract,
11:11
SPEAKER_02: at least for another two years,
11:12
SPEAKER_02: with Kelsey Plum,
11:14
SPEAKER_02: Chelsea Gray,
11:15
SPEAKER_02: and you got Jackie Young,
11:17
SPEAKER_02: who just signed an extension last week.
11:22
SPEAKER_02: They're going to be in that conversation.
11:24
SPEAKER_02: They might not win because the league got better.
11:28
SPEAKER_02: Point blank player, the league got better.
11:30
SPEAKER_02: But they're going to be in that conversation year after year after year.
11:36
SPEAKER_01: You know who I thought the Liberty should have got, though?
11:38
SPEAKER_01: I thought the Liberty should have got Nika Mall from UConn.
11:42
SPEAKER_01: But, you know, Storm got her.
11:43
SPEAKER_01: But I feel like Liberty should have got her.
11:45
SPEAKER_01: She could have been kind of like that defensive guard in the starting lineup.
11:50
SPEAKER_01: I feel like they need a little more defense to really push them over the edge.
11:55
SPEAKER_02: Hey, we'll see what happens this year.
11:56
SPEAKER_02: Maybe they'll be able to run it back this year and they figure something out
12:00
SPEAKER_02: schematically to see how the hell they are.
12:04
SPEAKER_02: Because as I mentioned,
12:06
SPEAKER_02: when it came to the finals,
12:09
SPEAKER_02: even without Chelsea Gray ended up getting injured,
12:12
SPEAKER_02: Kelsey Plum,
12:13
SPEAKER_02: Jackie Young,
12:14
SPEAKER_02: even Sidney Colson coming in some games.
12:16
SPEAKER_02: Sid was giving them the – Yeah, Sid was balling.
12:21
SPEAKER_02: business and making jokes while she's doing it.
12:22
SPEAKER_02: Shout out to Sydney Coast and Jersey right there.
12:25
SPEAKER_02: Shout out to Sydney for real.
12:27
SPEAKER_02: Looking at it though,
12:29
SPEAKER_02: outside of everything we just mentioned,
12:30
SPEAKER_02: any other storylines that you're looking forward to this upcoming season?
12:35
SPEAKER_02: Like, of course, everybody, Caitlin Clark, everybody's talking about the Liberty, your Mystics.
12:43
SPEAKER_02: What are some other storylines that come to your mind when you see this upcoming season?
12:47
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
12:49
SPEAKER_01: Honestly, one of the stories I was looking at is Angel Reese and Camila Cardozo playing together.
12:54
SPEAKER_01: They played against each other in college,
12:57
SPEAKER_01: and I think they said they played against each other since high school.
13:01
SPEAKER_01: So now for them to play with each other is going to be a whole different dynamic.
13:05
SPEAKER_01: And both of them are beasts in the post.
13:08
SPEAKER_01: They rebound the basketball.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: Unfortunately, Cardozo's going to be out for some time for shoulder injury.
13:14
SPEAKER_01: But Angel Reese was balling the last two games she played in.
13:17
SPEAKER_01: Everybody was kind of knocking her for going to the Met Gala and everything.
13:20
SPEAKER_01: And then having the game the next day.
13:22
SPEAKER_01: It's like, come on, man.
13:24
SPEAKER_01: She can do it.
13:25
SPEAKER_01: It's no problem.
13:26
SPEAKER_01: We've seen Dennis Rodman go to Vegas during the finals.
13:28
SPEAKER_01: It's a pretty easy game.
13:30
SPEAKER_01: It's okay.
13:31
SPEAKER_01: It's not that serious.
13:35
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, man.
13:36
SPEAKER_02: And she performed well.
13:37
SPEAKER_02: That's the thing.
13:39
SPEAKER_02: We could have that conversation if she's not performing.
13:41
SPEAKER_02: And it's like, all right.
13:43
SPEAKER_02: Kobe said, you got to keep the main thing, the main thing.
13:45
SPEAKER_02: But it's obvious that she is keeping the main thing, the main thing.
13:49
SPEAKER_02: And she went for her birthday.
13:50
SPEAKER_02: Honey, leave Angel Reese alone, please.
13:52
SPEAKER_02: Y'all bother her.
13:54
SPEAKER_02: Y'all bother her all throughout college.
13:56
SPEAKER_02: Leave her alone, man.
13:58
SPEAKER_02: She went for her birthday,
13:59
SPEAKER_02: showed up,
14:00
SPEAKER_02: showed out,
14:01
SPEAKER_02: did her thing at the Met Gala,
14:03
SPEAKER_02: came back and got buckets.
14:05
SPEAKER_02: Caleb Williams, shout out to the whole Chicago Bears.
14:07
SPEAKER_02: They pulled up.
14:09
SPEAKER_02: Man, we here.
14:11
SPEAKER_02: We love you, Angel.
14:12
SPEAKER_02: Keep doing you.
14:13
SPEAKER_01: We love you.
14:14
SPEAKER_01: We look forward to seeing you.
14:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah,
14:18
SPEAKER_02: one of the other storylines for me that I'm looking forward to is seeing how the
14:23
SPEAKER_02: rest of the teams figure it out.
14:24
SPEAKER_02: Because I feel like we mentioned,
14:25
SPEAKER_02: you know,
14:25
SPEAKER_02: Aces,
14:26
SPEAKER_02: the Liberty,
14:26
SPEAKER_02: the Sun,
14:28
SPEAKER_02: they're going to be the top teams.
14:29
SPEAKER_02: You got the Mercury should be good.
14:31
SPEAKER_02: I want to see who fills it out afterwards.
14:34
SPEAKER_02: I'm looking at Dallas Wings.
14:37
SPEAKER_02: You know, we're going to have Sato was out till after the Olympics.
14:42
SPEAKER_02: That's a huge piece to miss.
14:45
SPEAKER_02: How did that affect them?
14:47
SPEAKER_02: Do they still make the playoffs?
14:48
SPEAKER_02: Do they fall and they're a lower seed in the playoffs?
14:51
SPEAKER_02: Because last year, the Wings was a fourth seed.
14:55
SPEAKER_02: But no, Satu, I don't know about that.
14:56
SPEAKER_02: Atlanta Dream, Young Squad, they had Tina Charles.
15:02
SPEAKER_02: Tina Charles didn't play last year, but Tina Charles is still Tina Charles.
15:06
SPEAKER_02: I think Tina Charles with that surrounding cast where she don't have to be an MVP
15:11
SPEAKER_02: level player,
15:12
SPEAKER_02: but with Ryan Howard and
15:14
SPEAKER_02: And the rest of the cast that they have at Atlanta,
15:17
SPEAKER_02: I think they're going to be an exciting young team to watch where they finished
15:20
SPEAKER_02: fifth last year.
15:21
SPEAKER_02: I think they finished in that same range, four or five.
15:25
SPEAKER_02: And then it's really like who's going to get those last two spots, the seventh and the eighth seed.
15:32
SPEAKER_02: The Lynx got the sixth seed last year.
15:33
SPEAKER_02: The Mystics was seventh seed last year.
15:35
SPEAKER_02: A lot of people don't see them being that high.
15:37
SPEAKER_02: Chicago made it.
15:41
SPEAKER_02: We'll talk about the elephant in the room because everybody's been talking about it, rightfully so.
15:46
SPEAKER_02: Do the Fever make the playoffs?
15:48
SPEAKER_02: I really want to see that.
15:49
SPEAKER_02: Do the Fever make the playoffs?
15:50
SPEAKER_02: Does Kaitlyn Clark, Aaliyah Boston get it done and get them in the playoffs?
15:56
SPEAKER_02: That's going to be a huge storyline.
15:59
SPEAKER_02: We've already seen the Kaitlyn Clark effect.
16:01
SPEAKER_02: Finally, finally the flights are approved and improved league-wide.
16:11
SPEAKER_01: What should have been a long time ago.
16:14
SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
16:14
SPEAKER_02: I'm not saying she's the GOAT of the WNBA.
16:17
SPEAKER_02: I'm not saying she's the GOAT of college women's basketball.
16:19
SPEAKER_02: But her impact and what she's doing.
16:23
SPEAKER_01: The Clark effect.
16:25
SPEAKER_02: She's helping speed up the process.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: We're not new to this.
16:29
SPEAKER_02: We've been locked in with women's sports.
16:31
SPEAKER_02: The WNBA has been growing over the last three to five years.
16:35
SPEAKER_02: Every single year has been getting better.
16:37
SPEAKER_02: But when you add a Kaitlyn Clark impact,
16:40
SPEAKER_02: who has such a following, it speeds up the process.
16:44
SPEAKER_02: Like, hey, Kaitlin's here now.
16:46
SPEAKER_02: There's certain things we just got to change.
16:49
SPEAKER_02: We got to improve.
16:50
SPEAKER_02: Like, Kaitlin Clark is here.
16:52
SPEAKER_02: We have teams selling out.
16:55
SPEAKER_02: Selling out.
16:56
SPEAKER_02: Selling out season.
16:57
SPEAKER_01: The Mystics haven't announced that they're going to move their game against the
17:00
SPEAKER_01: NUFE with the Capnolan Arena.
17:02
SPEAKER_02: We have teams having to switch their arena because they're selling out so many
17:06
SPEAKER_02: tickets because Caitlyn is coming to town.
17:08
SPEAKER_02: Caitlyn's coming to town, y'all.
17:11
SPEAKER_02: Caitlyn's coming to town.
17:13
SPEAKER_02: That's literally the effect that she's having.
17:15
SPEAKER_02: I do want to say,
17:16
SPEAKER_02: though,
17:16
SPEAKER_02: for those,
17:17
SPEAKER_02: and I'm pretty sure you've seen the prices,
17:19
SPEAKER_02: for those that are spending those thousands of dollars to go see her against the
17:23
SPEAKER_02: Liberty and to go see her against the Aces,
17:27
SPEAKER_02: you guys are really committed because...
17:31
SPEAKER_02: no disrespect to the fever those two games are going to be a blowout the liberty
17:36
SPEAKER_02: gonna spank that and the ace is going to kudos to y'all for supporting and you just
17:46
SPEAKER_02: want to see caitlin but those are the two best teams in the league and i think
17:52
SPEAKER_02: They purposely,
17:53
SPEAKER_02: knowing that the Tick is going to be disliked,
17:56
SPEAKER_02: knowing that she's a rookie coming in and she has all this allure with her,
18:00
SPEAKER_02: I don't think by any chance they're not going to come ready those two games.
18:04
SPEAKER_02: Just, just.
18:06
SPEAKER_01: I want to ask you something about that.
18:08
SPEAKER_01: So I'm pretty sure you heard about the whole Diane Taurasi situation with Caitlyn.
18:14
SPEAKER_01: Do you feel like she was hating on her,
18:16
SPEAKER_01: or do you feel like she was being truthful with what she was saying?
18:20
SPEAKER_02: I think she was being truthful in what she was saying,
18:22
SPEAKER_02: especially being you got to look at the history of Diana Taurasi.
18:25
SPEAKER_02: This has been DT her whole career.
18:28
SPEAKER_02: If this was, this was like, she's never done anything like this.
18:31
SPEAKER_02: She celebrated other rookies.
18:33
SPEAKER_02: Then I cool.
18:34
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like,
18:34
SPEAKER_02: all right,
18:35
SPEAKER_02: we might have to have a discussion of her hate in,
18:38
SPEAKER_02: in this instance,
18:38
SPEAKER_02: but I don't think she's wrong.
18:39
SPEAKER_02: And you know what she was saying in her assessment coming in as a rookie is not
18:44
SPEAKER_02: many rookies that have come in and dominated and been the best player off rip.
18:49
SPEAKER_02: I E Candace Parker.
18:50
SPEAKER_03: Mm-hmm.
18:52
SPEAKER_02: There hasn't been many like that where you come in and you're the MVP of rookie season,
18:56
SPEAKER_02: and that's not typically how it happens.
19:00
SPEAKER_02: So I get where she was coming from.
19:02
SPEAKER_02: I don't think it was hate.
19:04
SPEAKER_02: And I forget the player, but it was a whole montage where they had people's experiences with DT.
19:10
SPEAKER_02: And it was a rookie that came in.
19:11
SPEAKER_02: I think it was Ryan Howard, and she said,
19:15
SPEAKER_02: She dapped up before the game.
19:17
SPEAKER_02: It might've not been Ron Hart, but it was a list of players that had the same similar story.
19:22
SPEAKER_02: Rookie, she came and she said, I love your game.
19:24
SPEAKER_02: I love what you did at whatever school she went to.
19:27
SPEAKER_02: Soon as the game started,
19:30
SPEAKER_02: She pulled up to shoot a mid-range.
19:32
SPEAKER_02: DT elbowed her in her ribs.
19:34
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I heard about that.
19:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:36
SPEAKER_02: Walked over and was like, welcome to the league.
19:38
SPEAKER_02: This is DT, y'all.
19:40
SPEAKER_01: That's how she is.
19:41
SPEAKER_02: This is Diana Tarazi.
19:43
SPEAKER_01: DT's a killer.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: She's a killer.
19:44
SPEAKER_01: She's a GOAT.
19:45
SPEAKER_01: So it's like, why would you think a GOAT is hating on a rookie?
19:50
SPEAKER_01: She's giving her the game.
19:51
SPEAKER_01: Like, no, you're going to have to adjust.
19:53
SPEAKER_01: And she even said, greatness is going to translate no matter what.
19:56
SPEAKER_01: but it's going to be a learning curve.
19:58
SPEAKER_01: She's going to have to learn the game.
19:59
SPEAKER_01: The game is more physical than college.
20:03
SPEAKER_01: Today, I was watching the Mystics.
20:05
SPEAKER_01: Aaliyah Edwards was on the ground most of the game.
20:09
SPEAKER_01: She was getting knocked down a lot.
20:10
SPEAKER_01: I was like, you know the physicality?
20:11
SPEAKER_01: It's going to be something she's got to get used to as any rookie.
20:15
SPEAKER_01: Everybody has to get used to the next level of physicality, of speed, of talent.
20:19
SPEAKER_01: Not everybody has the same talent as you, as strong as you in college and in high school.
20:26
SPEAKER_01: You know, the big league playing against adults now.
20:30
SPEAKER_02: I think that's the, that's going to be a learning curve for Caitlin Clark too.
20:34
SPEAKER_02: I think she's aware of that though.
20:35
SPEAKER_02: But I mean, even in the first preseason game,
20:38
SPEAKER_02: You saw they were more physical.
20:40
SPEAKER_02: You saw she kind of struggled inside the paint, which we saw a little bit in college.
20:46
SPEAKER_02: I think that's one of the things that she has to continue to work on and add.
20:50
SPEAKER_02: That's the thing I think also that people got to remember,
20:52
SPEAKER_02: like as great as Caitlin Clark is,
20:56
SPEAKER_02: what DT and others have been saying,
20:59
SPEAKER_02: the Cheryl swoops of the world,
21:02
SPEAKER_02: she still has some room for improvement.
21:05
SPEAKER_02: that's the thing where it's also is scary.
21:07
SPEAKER_02: Cause it's like, you're at this level already.
21:10
SPEAKER_02: But if you add this, you're unstoppable.
21:15
SPEAKER_02: Like she gets into the paint.
21:16
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes the Florida game is in there.
21:19
SPEAKER_02: The finishing at the rim.
21:20
SPEAKER_02: Isn't really there.
21:20
SPEAKER_02: The creativity of up and under.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
21:22
SPEAKER_01: I was going to say how creativity around the rim is not like all that.
21:26
SPEAKER_01: Like most of the time, it's just like straight line drives floaters.
21:29
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you know, three pointers.
21:31
SPEAKER_01: It like, it seems like, but I was watching, you know, some college games and everything.
21:35
SPEAKER_01: A lot of times she's just kind of like crossover, dribbles left, pulls up from the side.
21:40
SPEAKER_01: And that's mostly what she's done.
21:42
SPEAKER_01: I mean,
21:42
SPEAKER_01: it goes in,
21:43
SPEAKER_01: so it works,
21:43
SPEAKER_01: you know,
21:44
SPEAKER_01: but you're going to have to change it up when we get to the big league because
21:48
SPEAKER_01: scouting reports is all about you.
21:49
SPEAKER_01: They're going to figure that out.
21:51
SPEAKER_01: They're going to run you off that line,
21:53
SPEAKER_01: and you're going to have to go into the bigs,
21:54
SPEAKER_01: and you're going to have to get creative.
21:57
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and that's the thing, too, especially if they make the playoffs.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: We know it's the playoffs.
22:01
SPEAKER_02: I got to just focus on you.
22:03
SPEAKER_02: You and solely you.
22:07
SPEAKER_02: The thing is where I think it helps her while she still,
22:10
SPEAKER_02: you know,
22:10
SPEAKER_02: is working on her game to get more creative,
22:13
SPEAKER_02: to have better finishing.
22:16
SPEAKER_02: Her playmaking and her vision and having a player like Aaliyah Boston and some of
22:22
SPEAKER_02: the other pieces that they have on that squad.
22:26
SPEAKER_02: She's still going to have a successful season.
22:27
SPEAKER_02: I still think she's going to have a good season.
22:29
SPEAKER_02: It's just going to be like, this is the thing when you talk about greatness.
22:32
SPEAKER_02: This is where it kind of like is nitpicking.
22:34
SPEAKER_02: For example, when you look at Bron, as great as Bron is, imagine if Bron made his free throws.
22:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
22:40
SPEAKER_02: imagine if ron shot 80 he would have been got that scoring record he would have got
22:44
SPEAKER_02: that three seasons ago okay so every every great athlete it doesn't mean that
22:49
SPEAKER_02: you're hating every great athlete has stuff that you could probably improve you
22:54
SPEAKER_02: could probably if you're nitpicking oh yeah you could do this a little bit better i
22:58
SPEAKER_02: think the same could be said with caitlin clark i want to ask you this before we
23:01
SPEAKER_02: give our our playoff picks and award predictions
23:05
SPEAKER_02: Now,
23:06
SPEAKER_02: it's rumored and believed that based off of how she plays at the beginning of the
23:10
SPEAKER_02: season will determine if she's on the Olympic team.
23:14
SPEAKER_02: Would you put Kaitlyn Clark on that Olympic team?
23:20
SPEAKER_01: I would, but for me, it would be based off the fact that we all know she was the best player in college.
23:29
SPEAKER_01: We know that.
23:30
SPEAKER_01: And we know eventually her skill set is going to transfer into
23:35
SPEAKER_01: the WNBA.
23:37
SPEAKER_01: Why not bring her along with the USA team
23:41
SPEAKER_01: So,
23:41
SPEAKER_01: first off,
23:42
SPEAKER_01: help her skill set because,
23:43
SPEAKER_01: you know,
23:44
SPEAKER_01: playing with those stars alongside them every day in the Olympics is going to help
23:49
SPEAKER_01: her development.
23:50
SPEAKER_01: But also, it's going to bring more people to watching USA Basketball for women because she's there.
23:57
SPEAKER_01: And she's been on it before, you know, when I was 17, you know.
24:00
SPEAKER_01: But with the adults now,
24:02
SPEAKER_01: with all the other stars,
24:03
SPEAKER_01: you're going to have all the eyes watching her,
24:06
SPEAKER_01: all of them,
24:07
SPEAKER_01: with that team.
24:07
SPEAKER_01: And then you're going to,
24:08
SPEAKER_01: Other people want to see the other players on this team.
24:11
SPEAKER_01: They're going to be like, oh, wow, who's that?
24:14
SPEAKER_01: I want to pay attention to her when the season's starting.
24:17
SPEAKER_01: I feel like it would be better for them to do that, but it's not my call to make.
24:22
SPEAKER_01: But I feel like it would be a good idea to do that.
24:26
SPEAKER_02: I think it would be, if she earns it, I think it would be a good idea.
24:31
SPEAKER_02: Let's say she has a slow start.
24:35
SPEAKER_02: Maybe you don't want to put on a team and take it from somebody else that is more deserving.
24:42
SPEAKER_02: But to what you mentioned, imagine Caitlin Clark at the Olympics and she catches fire.
24:52
SPEAKER_02: She hits five straight threes from the logo.
24:56
SPEAKER_02: Bruh, that only elevates the game.
24:59
SPEAKER_02: And the crazy part, too, that's different with the WNBA season is
25:04
SPEAKER_02: They have to put a pause in between the season to do the Olympics.
25:08
SPEAKER_02: So imagine she balls out.
25:10
SPEAKER_02: The Olympics is done.
25:12
SPEAKER_02: They are back in the season.
25:13
SPEAKER_02: The season isn't done.
25:15
SPEAKER_02: Now you might have more eyes like, yo, let me watch this second half of the season.
25:18
SPEAKER_02: Caitlyn was out here tweaking.
25:20
SPEAKER_02: Let me go check out some more fever games.
25:23
SPEAKER_02: And the thing is,
25:24
SPEAKER_02: too,
25:24
SPEAKER_02: it'll bring more eyes,
25:25
SPEAKER_02: but you get to see other athletes,
25:27
SPEAKER_02: too,
25:28
SPEAKER_02: that don't think Kelsey Plum and Asia Wilson,
25:32
SPEAKER_02: Diana Taurasi,
25:33
SPEAKER_02: if she's on the team.
25:36
SPEAKER_02: Let me go check out this player.
25:37
SPEAKER_02: Let me go check out this player when I come back.
25:38
SPEAKER_02: Let me go check out this player.
25:40
SPEAKER_02: And I think also, if I'm her, whoever her agent is, Nike, I'm lobbying to get on that team.
25:48
SPEAKER_02: Because you are going to learn so much.
25:53
SPEAKER_02: They on the same team now.
25:55
SPEAKER_02: So all that, the competitiveness, all of the, hey, Rook, you got to get ready.
26:01
SPEAKER_02: you're on the same team now so if i'm caitlin if i do make it to that squad and i'm
26:06
SPEAKER_02: on the usa team i'm swagger jacking all these stuff oh how how dt do this how
26:12
SPEAKER_02: kelsey palm do this oh how asia wilson be doing this
26:18
SPEAKER_02: I'm sitting here as a sponge.
26:19
SPEAKER_02: Y'all don't even got to play me on the set because it's like real talk.
26:23
SPEAKER_02: In the next four years, I'm going to be starting on this squad.
26:25
SPEAKER_02: I'm good.
26:26
SPEAKER_01: They got Anthony Davis when he was playing with the USA team with Braun and KD and all of them.
26:32
SPEAKER_01: He didn't play much, but what was he doing?
26:35
SPEAKER_01: Learning, taking down knowledge.
26:38
SPEAKER_01: It helped him when going forward in the league.
26:42
SPEAKER_02: That's why I think it's a win-win.
26:43
SPEAKER_02: If she does play, it's a win for the league and it's a win for Kayla Clark.
26:48
SPEAKER_02: it blows your brand up even more.
26:52
SPEAKER_02: Don't think her shoes not going to sell.
26:54
SPEAKER_02: She ended up doing that.
26:55
SPEAKER_02: Like all this is a win for, win for both sides, the league.
26:59
SPEAKER_02: And then Caitlin Hart, her brand and her game only expounds better.
27:04
SPEAKER_02: And they get to put it into work immediately.
27:07
SPEAKER_02: It's not an off season.
27:09
SPEAKER_02: You got a couple of months before the season start.
27:10
SPEAKER_02: She might come back, go crazy.
27:12
SPEAKER_02: We talk about fever in the playoffs.
27:13
SPEAKER_02: Like,
27:15
SPEAKER_02: I want to see it long as it's not a situation where somebody per se,
27:21
SPEAKER_02: let's,
27:22
SPEAKER_02: I don't know who,
27:23
SPEAKER_02: let's say somebody has a crazy first half 25 and eight,
27:27
SPEAKER_02: they go off and they decide not to pick her to have the Caitlin.
27:32
SPEAKER_02: That's the only thing I hope doesn't happen.
27:34
SPEAKER_02: Mentioning the playoffs.
27:35
SPEAKER_02: Who's your, who's your eight teams that you think make it into the playoffs?
27:40
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
27:41
SPEAKER_01: So, of course, we got, you know, the Liberty, the Aces.
27:45
SPEAKER_01: I got the Storm.
27:46
SPEAKER_01: I got the Mercury.
27:49
SPEAKER_01: I got the Sky.
27:52
SPEAKER_01: I got the Wings, barring, you know, Tess who comes back at a decent time.
27:58
SPEAKER_01: And I think I got the Fever.
28:01
SPEAKER_01: I think I'm going to put the Fever in there.
28:03
SPEAKER_01: I feel like the combination of Leah Boston in, Kaden Cargill is going to be good enough to get them in.
28:09
SPEAKER_01: Probably like an AFC.
28:11
SPEAKER_01: um yeah i feel like they're gonna make it i feel like they have just enough talent
28:16
SPEAKER_01: to get there i feel like to make the players i think you need probably like two
28:21
SPEAKER_01: really good players in the wma to get to the playoffs but you know take you over
28:24
SPEAKER_02: the top you're gonna need a bomb squad for sure looking at the roster you talk
28:31
SPEAKER_02: about obviously rightfully so caitlyn clark and aaliyah boston but you got
28:38
SPEAKER_02: You have Lexi Hull,
28:40
SPEAKER_02: you got Kelsey Mitchell,
28:41
SPEAKER_02: Katie Lou Samuelsson's coming back this year to play,
28:43
SPEAKER_02: Nelissa Smith.
28:45
SPEAKER_02: So the other pieces there,
28:47
SPEAKER_02: and of course the KG vet that's been there,
28:51
SPEAKER_02: Erica Willer,
28:52
SPEAKER_02: who's been great in supporting her.
28:54
SPEAKER_01: I was about to say, she's taking Kayla on her wing right now.
28:56
SPEAKER_02: She's been great in making sure that she's supporting her and not hating like,
29:00
SPEAKER_02: oh,
29:01
SPEAKER_02: somebody here to take my job or anything like that.
29:02
SPEAKER_02: She didn't take that perspective.
29:05
SPEAKER_01: You know, they've been playing together, though.
29:07
SPEAKER_01: They started together last game.
29:09
SPEAKER_02: So I think she's taking the right viewpoint,
29:13
SPEAKER_02: and I think some of the things that we mentioned,
29:15
SPEAKER_02: she's going to help in her game of like,
29:18
SPEAKER_02: hey,
29:18
SPEAKER_02: look for this.
29:19
SPEAKER_02: Hey, Kaitlin, you should try this, that, and the third.
29:21
SPEAKER_02: And I just want to give a shout-out.
29:23
SPEAKER_02: Shout-out to Leilani Correa.
29:26
SPEAKER_02: For those that do not know, that –
29:29
SPEAKER_02: She came from, I believe, Florida.
29:32
SPEAKER_02: She came from Florida.
29:33
SPEAKER_02: But I know personally that's Gary Linton.
29:37
SPEAKER_02: Take Coach.
29:38
SPEAKER_02: That's one of his players that he big up when we talked about college basketball.
29:43
SPEAKER_02: He'll watch out for her.
29:44
SPEAKER_02: So she makes that roster.
29:46
SPEAKER_02: She plays.
29:47
SPEAKER_02: I think she's going to be a nice addition piece for them coming off the bench.
29:52
SPEAKER_02: How I see the playoffs going.
29:54
SPEAKER_02: My ace is going to be in the number one seed.
29:55
SPEAKER_02: I see the Liberty being the second seed.
29:58
SPEAKER_02: I really think the Storm, granted, you know, you have the conversation of chemistry, of course.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: But I think the Storm get the third seed.
30:13
SPEAKER_02: I think with, you know, Nekomu, Goumeke, Skyler Diggins, Yul Loy.
30:21
SPEAKER_02: I think,
30:21
SPEAKER_02: and of course,
30:22
SPEAKER_02: you got to remember,
30:23
SPEAKER_02: I don't want to say her name wrong,
30:25
SPEAKER_02: but she was a force on the defense.
30:30
SPEAKER_01: I think you're talking about, yes, yes, yes.
30:31
SPEAKER_01: I'm not pronouncing the name out much either, but.
30:34
SPEAKER_02: Mad beggar?
30:34
SPEAKER_02: If I said, J-Roll, you watch this, I apologize.
30:38
SPEAKER_02: I will learn it throughout the season because we are going to have multiple episodes,
30:42
SPEAKER_02: but talking about it.
30:44
SPEAKER_02: But Ezzy on the defensive side, she's going to be in that conversation for DPOY.
30:49
SPEAKER_01: I believe she's going to be in the blocks that year, right?
30:51
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
30:52
SPEAKER_02: So I think they'll be fine.
30:54
SPEAKER_02: They're going to be a top three team.
30:57
SPEAKER_02: I have the kinetic sun.
30:59
SPEAKER_02: Everybody returning,
31:00
SPEAKER_02: walking triple-double,
31:02
SPEAKER_02: Alyssa Smith,
31:04
SPEAKER_02: the top floor general and one of the top floor generals in the league.
31:09
SPEAKER_02: You have Dewana Bonner returning.
31:12
SPEAKER_02: Everybody talks about DT respectfully, but Dewana been in the league for a minute, too.
31:17
SPEAKER_02: And she's still – I've loved her since she was at – she was with the Murky with DT.
31:26
SPEAKER_02: If she didn't play with the Mercury when it was DT, that was a loaded squad.
31:32
SPEAKER_00: That was a crazy squad.
31:34
SPEAKER_02: That was a loaded squad.
31:37
SPEAKER_02: If she was on one of her own squads, she would have been averaging 20 flight every single year.
31:47
SPEAKER_02: Super versatile.
31:50
SPEAKER_02: I love her game.
31:52
SPEAKER_02: I got the Mercury.
31:54
SPEAKER_02: We already mentioned all their pieces.
31:57
SPEAKER_02: I think Atlanta Dream comes in at six.
31:59
SPEAKER_02: I think the Wings, they will be the seventh seed.
32:03
SPEAKER_02: Satu will be back after the Olympics.
32:04
SPEAKER_02: I think they were able to go on a little run then.
32:06
SPEAKER_02: I think Arike and the rest of the squad will be able to hold it down until then.
32:10
SPEAKER_02: And I think the AFC, I was going back and forth with the Fever.
32:15
SPEAKER_02: I think it's going to be a fight at the end of the year.
32:19
SPEAKER_02: Closed games is going to matter.
32:23
SPEAKER_02: I think...
32:25
SPEAKER_02: Just from the experience, they was in the playoffs last year.
32:28
SPEAKER_02: Nafisha Collier and the Lynx with Courtney Williams, that signed in this year.
32:35
SPEAKER_02: Kayla McBride, they drafted Elisa Peely.
32:40
SPEAKER_02: I think they make it.
32:41
SPEAKER_02: I think they get in.
32:43
SPEAKER_02: I think the Fever, literally, if they make it, I want no argument here.
32:48
SPEAKER_02: I think it's going to be a fight for that AFC.
32:52
SPEAKER_02: I love it because the league is...
32:55
SPEAKER_02: 20 times better this season and it just keeps keeps getting better i like this
32:59
SPEAKER_02: season too we haven't seen we've seen some people get cut that we you know
33:03
SPEAKER_02: obviously wouldn't want to get cut but it hasn't been too many of the bigger names
33:10
SPEAKER_02: like we saw last year like people that were drafted as rookies in the next year
33:14
SPEAKER_02: getting cut we didn't see as much as that this year um
33:19
SPEAKER_02: They're expanding team with Golden State.
33:23
SPEAKER_02: So I think they're heading in the right direction.
33:27
SPEAKER_02: We're not going to see this many cuts.
33:30
SPEAKER_01: I think they're trying to get four more teams or five more teams by 2028.
33:38
SPEAKER_02: So if you had to choose, where are you putting those squads at?
33:42
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so we got Golden State now.
33:45
SPEAKER_01: I would say bring a team to Florida.
33:49
SPEAKER_01: okay gotta have one down there um probably gotta bring one to new orleans um man
34:00
SPEAKER_01: bring back the comics bring back the monarchs bring back the shock he bring those
34:05
SPEAKER_01: teams back like those were good squads they won championships you know why i never
34:11
SPEAKER_01: understood why the comments just kind of like dismantled or they was or they kind
34:15
SPEAKER_01: of like went to another franchise
34:18
SPEAKER_01: Did they?
34:18
SPEAKER_01: Because I know the Silver Stars became the Aces.
34:22
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
34:23
SPEAKER_02: I don't know the history on that,
34:24
SPEAKER_02: but the comments starting off,
34:27
SPEAKER_02: I remember those early days,
34:29
SPEAKER_02: younger,
34:29
SPEAKER_02: watching those games.
34:35
SPEAKER_02: I think those were Cheryl Swoop, Cynthia Cooper.
34:38
SPEAKER_02: Those were some... That was the first dynasty.
34:43
SPEAKER_02: For sure.
34:44
SPEAKER_02: That was different.
34:46
SPEAKER_02: And shout out...
34:48
SPEAKER_02: Not to mention,
34:48
SPEAKER_02: because during that time,
34:50
SPEAKER_02: Teresa Weatherspoon was one of the key faces of the league during that time.
34:55
SPEAKER_02: That's going to be a factor huge with Chicago Sky.
34:58
SPEAKER_03: Mm-hmm.
34:59
SPEAKER_02: That's going to be a huge factor.
35:00
SPEAKER_02: We talk about Becky Hammond, Teresa Weatherspoon.
35:02
SPEAKER_02: She was in the league, too, doing a great job in the NBA.
35:06
SPEAKER_02: So I think for sure she's going to be in that conversation of helping that team out.
35:11
SPEAKER_02: For you, end off the show with some of our awards picks, who we think is going to win the finals.
35:17
SPEAKER_02: Who's your MVP this year?
35:19
SPEAKER_01: Aja Wilson.
35:21
SPEAKER_01: I think Aja Wilson is going to get it again.
35:24
SPEAKER_01: I think it's kind of going to be like the –
35:26
SPEAKER_01: The jokage effect where they're like, all right, we feel like we should have got it last year.
35:29
SPEAKER_01: But we got MVP fatigue and everything, but we got to give it to someone else.
35:34
SPEAKER_01: So they gave it to Stuby last year.
35:37
SPEAKER_01: So this year, Asia's going to get it.
35:41
SPEAKER_02: I don't have no disagreement with you right there.
35:44
SPEAKER_02: My dark horse would be Alessa Thomas.
35:47
SPEAKER_02: She go average a triple-dub again this year.
35:50
SPEAKER_02: They –
35:51
SPEAKER_02: Top three team, they somehow figure out to be a top two team.
35:55
SPEAKER_02: That's a dark horse for sure.
35:57
SPEAKER_02: Where did she finish last year?
35:58
SPEAKER_01: She finished third last year, right?
35:59
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, third last year.
36:01
SPEAKER_02: I mean,
36:02
SPEAKER_02: I don't think I have to ask,
36:03
SPEAKER_02: but just for the viewers and listeners,
36:06
SPEAKER_02: we're going to get a year,
36:07
SPEAKER_02: Kaelin Clark.
36:08
SPEAKER_02: Kaelin Clark, we all know that.
36:09
SPEAKER_02: We all know that for sure.
36:13
SPEAKER_02: So the better question is, who do you think is going to end up in second, getting second place votes?
36:17
SPEAKER_02: Um...
36:18
SPEAKER_02: I'm going with Rekia Jackson.
36:19
SPEAKER_02: I think she's going to get some second place votes.
36:22
SPEAKER_02: With Ogumike not being there,
36:24
SPEAKER_02: she's going to have a big opportunity to really flourish,
36:26
SPEAKER_02: really get some buckets,
36:28
SPEAKER_02: really have some major minutes.
36:31
SPEAKER_02: So I think Rekia Jackson, probably get some second place votes over with the Sparks.
36:36
SPEAKER_01: Well, I can't remember.
36:37
SPEAKER_01: I was going to say probably Cameron Brink would be in the conversation.
36:40
SPEAKER_02: I like Raquel Jackson more so getting that second place because of her offensive
36:45
SPEAKER_02: game is a little bit more polished.
36:46
SPEAKER_02: That's true.
36:47
SPEAKER_02: Cameron Brink.
36:48
SPEAKER_02: Cameron Brink.
36:50
SPEAKER_02: I can see her being on maybe an all-defensive team, possibly.
36:54
SPEAKER_02: She's even mentioned herself that she's trying to get her offensive game.
36:57
SPEAKER_02: She said on draft night she knows she has to work on her offensive game.
37:00
SPEAKER_02: Last preseason game, I saw she made one of her two three attempts.
37:06
SPEAKER_02: So she started stretching the floor.
37:07
SPEAKER_02: She adding that.
37:09
SPEAKER_02: I like what the Sparks are doing towards the future, having those two.
37:15
SPEAKER_02: Kind of reminds me of what they had when it was Candice Parker and Lisa Leslie,
37:18
SPEAKER_02: and then they had the Agumake sisters.
37:20
SPEAKER_02: They got a little similar, same type of thing going on with the two of them.
37:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah,
37:25
SPEAKER_01: we see the kind of players that they go for,
37:26
SPEAKER_01: the kind of style that they like to implement with their team.
37:30
SPEAKER_02: Who will be your DPOY this year?
37:33
SPEAKER_01: So, at first, I had Cameron Brink for it.
37:38
SPEAKER_01: But I was like, I think I'm going to go with...
37:40
SPEAKER_01: i'm gonna go with britain grinder i feel like she's gonna come back you know full
37:43
SPEAKER_01: up season new squad they're gonna really take off and i feel like you know she's
37:48
SPEAKER_01: gonna really block a lot of shots and grab some boards and she's she's so tall like
37:52
SPEAKER_01: like i'll be looking out like this girl is tall like how could you stop her i'm
38:00
SPEAKER_02: very intrigued to see how that goes um her being
38:05
SPEAKER_02: dominant hopefully this season because i think that's the x factor for them if
38:09
SPEAKER_02: she's able to be dominant because as you say nobody should be able to in their
38:14
SPEAKER_02: right mind stop her especially one-on-one schematically if you want to do doubles
38:20
SPEAKER_02: and she passed it down to her they pass it down to the polls y'all want to you know
38:24
SPEAKER_02: drop down make sure it's somebody they're hedging you want to go from behind you
38:29
SPEAKER_02: want to double on the catch make sure she's passing it out see how she does off a
38:33
SPEAKER_02: double team
38:34
SPEAKER_02: hey schematically you might be able to figure something out maybe yeah but 101
38:39
SPEAKER_02: which i think she should see some more 101 matchups with the sign is the kalia
38:44
SPEAKER_02: copper natasha cloud dt still being there you're not gonna be able to double her
38:49
SPEAKER_02: it's gonna be hard to do that they might shoot your face off so i don't know if
38:53
SPEAKER_02: that's gonna work
38:55
SPEAKER_02: I definitely had it in the conversation,
38:57
SPEAKER_02: but I think this year it's going to be Alyssa Thomas getting DPOY or Ezzie McBigger.
39:06
SPEAKER_02: One of those two, I think, get DPOY.
39:09
SPEAKER_02: Coach of the year for you.
39:11
SPEAKER_01: Coach of the year.
39:14
SPEAKER_01: Man.
39:16
SPEAKER_01: Would it be cliche if I say Teresa Witherspoon?
39:21
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
39:23
SPEAKER_01: You know, like, you know, her first year, you know, new squad.
39:26
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, she's a good coach because she coached with the Pelicans before.
39:31
SPEAKER_01: And I remember Zion was going the whole rant how, like, he loved her as a coach.
39:36
SPEAKER_01: And, like, she's like his big sister.
39:39
SPEAKER_01: And I feel like she's going to have kind of like that Becky Hammond effect on Sky.
39:44
SPEAKER_01: She's really going to come in.
39:46
SPEAKER_01: She's going to implement her style,
39:48
SPEAKER_01: take what she learned from the NBA,
39:50
SPEAKER_01: put it to the WNBA,
39:51
SPEAKER_01: and really take off.
39:53
SPEAKER_02: If she make the playoffs, I think she's definitely going to be in that conversation.
39:56
SPEAKER_02: I think Noelle Quinn over with Seattle Storm.
40:02
SPEAKER_02: I think they're going,
40:03
SPEAKER_02: like I said,
40:04
SPEAKER_02: I got them as a top three seed,
40:05
SPEAKER_02: but I wouldn't be surprised if they figure out somehow being a top two,
40:10
SPEAKER_02: maybe even a number one seed.
40:13
SPEAKER_02: I'm a huge, huge, huge.
40:19
SPEAKER_02: Skylar Diggins fan, man.
40:21
SPEAKER_02: She's a winner.
40:22
SPEAKER_02: She figures it out.
40:24
SPEAKER_02: And you add,
40:25
SPEAKER_02: I think,
40:28
SPEAKER_02: more of the Mamba mentality,
40:32
SPEAKER_02: more of who I would call the Black Mamba of the WNBA,
40:37
SPEAKER_02: more than DT,
40:39
SPEAKER_02: Jewel Lloyd.
40:39
SPEAKER_02: They call her Gold Mamba.
40:42
SPEAKER_02: I would, like, respectful to DT.
40:46
SPEAKER_02: I've always said I think Jewel Lloyd is more of that killer, that Kobe.
40:53
SPEAKER_02: Especially last season, that reminded me of that Kobe season where it was the – Just her.
40:57
SPEAKER_01: Because she let the league score.
41:02
SPEAKER_02: Now she gets some help.
41:03
SPEAKER_02: Oh, my.
41:04
SPEAKER_02: Skyler Diggins setting her up to get some easier baskets.
41:06
SPEAKER_01: Bro, I went to the game last year.
41:08
SPEAKER_01: They played against the Mystics.
41:10
SPEAKER_01: Bro, she was cooking.
41:13
SPEAKER_01: Cooking.
41:13
SPEAKER_01: I was like, nah, they can't guard, huh?
41:17
SPEAKER_01: hooking them.
41:17
SPEAKER_01: Every single possession, bucket, bucket, bucket, bucket.
41:20
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, nah.
41:21
SPEAKER_02: Nah.
41:22
SPEAKER_02: That's what I'm saying.
41:23
SPEAKER_02: You have a Skylar Diggins to make it easier for you.
41:29
SPEAKER_02: All the best scorers, of course, can go get their own bucket.
41:31
SPEAKER_02: They can do it one on three and in and out, step back, contested jumper.
41:37
SPEAKER_02: But imagine you getting Skylar Diggins and you got Nika and Guma K there too also.
41:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's going to be it.
41:47
SPEAKER_02: It's going to open up.
41:48
SPEAKER_02: It's going to open up for Jewel.
41:50
SPEAKER_02: And Skylar, in her own right, could have a season where we're talking about she averaged an 18-10.
41:55
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
41:57
SPEAKER_02: She really could lead the league in assists.
42:00
SPEAKER_01: She had several years where she was like 18-8 around that.
42:05
SPEAKER_01: And that was playing with Diana and BG.
42:09
SPEAKER_01: But, you know, Diana liked to have the ball in her hands a lot.
42:12
SPEAKER_01: So for Skyler to still get hers, we're playing.
42:15
SPEAKER_01: I'm not saying Diane's a nut or anything like that.
42:18
SPEAKER_02: She's going to be able to still get hers.
42:21
SPEAKER_02: I can't wait to see it this season.
42:27
SPEAKER_02: Like I said, I'm a huge, huge, huge Skyler Diggins, Diggins-Smith fan.
42:31
SPEAKER_02: That's her last name, right?
42:32
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Diggins-Smith.
42:34
SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
42:35
SPEAKER_02: Respect.
42:36
SPEAKER_02: I don't want to disrespect that.
42:39
SPEAKER_02: If I was your husband, say that Smith.
42:41
SPEAKER_02: Say Smith, please.
42:43
SPEAKER_02: Add that Smith to it, please.
42:46
SPEAKER_02: Who's your pick to win it all?
42:51
SPEAKER_02: We end off the show with that one.
42:52
SPEAKER_02: Who's your pick to win it all?
42:54
SPEAKER_02: I personally did not get into the six women of the year yet because they're still figuring out lineups.
43:02
SPEAKER_02: I don't know
43:03
SPEAKER_02: who guaranteed is going to be off the bench,
43:06
SPEAKER_02: that's something that we can revisit probably halfway point,
43:09
SPEAKER_02: look at it and see what it look like.
43:11
SPEAKER_02: But who's your pick to win it all?
43:14
SPEAKER_02: What's your final prediction?
43:15
SPEAKER_02: Who's in it?
43:21
SPEAKER_01: I want to say the Aces are going to win it,
43:23
SPEAKER_01: but I feel like it's either going to be the Liberty or the Storm against them in
43:27
SPEAKER_01: the finals.
43:30
SPEAKER_02: And you got the Aces beating whoever, are those two making it?
43:33
SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
43:34
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
43:34
SPEAKER_02: All right.
43:35
SPEAKER_02: We on the same page with that.
43:36
SPEAKER_01: I love it.
43:38
SPEAKER_01: You know what's funny?
43:39
SPEAKER_01: The Aces were so good, they had Kenneth Parker as their team last year.
43:43
SPEAKER_01: They didn't even need her.
43:45
SPEAKER_01: They didn't even need her to play, which is crazy.
43:48
SPEAKER_01: So you're going to have the same squad all over again?
43:52
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
43:53
SPEAKER_02: And the crazy thing is, too, I think she's content in her post-career, by the way, for those as well.
44:02
SPEAKER_02: I have the Aces facing the Storm.
44:04
SPEAKER_02: They're going to be the third seed.
44:05
SPEAKER_02: They'll be at the Liberty to get into the finals.
44:08
SPEAKER_02: Aces will beat the Storm, and that'll be beautiful for Seattle.
44:12
SPEAKER_02: Seattle, we're talking about expansion.
44:14
SPEAKER_02: NBA need to get a team back over there, too.
44:16
SPEAKER_02: A whole other episode, a whole other discussion.
44:18
SPEAKER_02: But on the Aces front, when Candace Parker did play last year,
44:23
SPEAKER_03: Mm-hmm.
44:25
SPEAKER_02: She got a lot left in the tank.
44:27
SPEAKER_02: She wasn't averaging 25 or nothing like that, 20 and 12.
44:31
SPEAKER_02: But defensively, she was holding it down as an anchor.
44:35
SPEAKER_02: Her with Asia Wilson, with Alicia Clark, they was broad.
44:43
SPEAKER_01: That defense, they was rapid.
44:47
SPEAKER_01: Ken still had it when she was on Chicago.
44:49
SPEAKER_01: They won.
44:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
44:51
SPEAKER_01: Like, she still had it.
44:52
SPEAKER_01: Like I said, I think she's content with the... Hey, let me ask you something about that, though.
44:56
SPEAKER_01: When she went from Chicago to the Aces, did you feel like that was a KD move?
45:01
SPEAKER_01: I'm not trying to, you know, come at Candice or anything.
45:04
SPEAKER_01: I'm fine with it.
45:05
SPEAKER_01: But a lot of people were saying that they feel that was,
45:07
SPEAKER_01: like,
45:07
SPEAKER_01: a KD type of move because,
45:08
SPEAKER_01: like,
45:08
SPEAKER_01: how good of a player she is going to the Aces.
45:13
SPEAKER_02: I don't think so.
45:14
SPEAKER_02: Only in this regard.
45:17
SPEAKER_02: She wanted Chip before going to the Aces.
45:20
SPEAKER_02: Two.
45:22
SPEAKER_02: Exactly, with the Sparks.
45:24
SPEAKER_02: She didn't get beat by the Aces and then joined them.
45:30
SPEAKER_02: That KD thing is going to go down in history for our kids, kids, kids to be talking about.
45:36
SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
45:37
SPEAKER_02: The team that beat you, you went and joined.
45:39
SPEAKER_02: That's where I think a lot of people have the issue with the KD thing.
45:44
SPEAKER_02: I don't think the Candace Parker situation is the same.
45:47
SPEAKER_02: That is, I think,
45:50
SPEAKER_02: The Aces organization is the best-ran organization in the W.
45:57
SPEAKER_02: First team to have their own practice facility,
46:01
SPEAKER_02: having their own court and things of that nature,
46:04
SPEAKER_02: making sure that they had the fight.
46:06
SPEAKER_02: Real nice.
46:07
SPEAKER_02: The locker room, everything first class.
46:10
SPEAKER_02: So I think that's the situation where the Aces are like,
46:14
SPEAKER_02: hey,
46:15
SPEAKER_03: Mark Davis,
46:17
SPEAKER_02: who also was the owner of the Raiders,
46:20
SPEAKER_02: I'm going to spend this bread.
46:22
SPEAKER_02: I got no problem with it.
46:25
SPEAKER_02: I'll pay you.
46:27
SPEAKER_02: I'll pay you.
46:28
SPEAKER_02: And I think shout out to the Aces for actually going out and literally,
46:33
SPEAKER_02: hey,
46:34
SPEAKER_02: we're trying to win and we're trying to make sure our players are treated like the
46:38
SPEAKER_02: queens that they are.
46:39
SPEAKER_02: And they've done a superb job since then.
46:43
SPEAKER_02: Getting to Las Vegas,
46:45
SPEAKER_02: since Davis,
46:45
SPEAKER_02: Mark Davis being involved with the team,
46:49
SPEAKER_02: the ownership,
46:51
SPEAKER_02: first class,
46:52
SPEAKER_02: bro,
46:52
SPEAKER_02: first class.
46:54
SPEAKER_02: So I think I got Aces beating the Storm in the finals.
46:59
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
47:00
SPEAKER_02: When we close out, anything you think we might have missed?
47:03
SPEAKER_01: Hold on.
47:03
SPEAKER_01: We got to give Candice Parker another shout-out,
47:05
SPEAKER_01: though,
47:05
SPEAKER_01: because she was named the president of the Gators women's basketball.
47:08
SPEAKER_01: So shout-out to Candice Parker on that.
47:11
SPEAKER_01: Going to retirement and already going to work.
47:15
SPEAKER_02: Content with us.
47:17
SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
47:18
SPEAKER_02: I'm good.
47:18
SPEAKER_02: I don't want to go through the injuries no more.
47:22
SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
47:24
SPEAKER_02: I'm good.
47:24
SPEAKER_02: I'm on TNT.
47:26
SPEAKER_02: I hope we get to see her call some WNBA games, too.
47:29
SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
47:29
SPEAKER_02: Because she's so great at calling the NBA games.
47:31
SPEAKER_00: She really is good.
47:32
SPEAKER_02: It'll be light work.
47:34
SPEAKER_00: Candice is great at everything she does.
47:35
SPEAKER_00: Like, honestly, she's great at everything she does.
47:38
SPEAKER_00: Mm-hmm.
47:40
SPEAKER_02: No argument there.
47:41
SPEAKER_02: I am also excited too.
47:43
SPEAKER_02: Aces, Kate Martin on the roster, Diasia Fair on the roster.
47:48
SPEAKER_02: I think those rookies are going to have some of an impact this year, especially Diasia.
47:53
SPEAKER_02: walking Bucky from Syracuse, Kate Martin.
47:57
SPEAKER_02: If y'all don't know, she was on that squad in Iowa with Caitlin Clark.
48:01
SPEAKER_02: I think she's going to have a, a impact when she does play.
48:05
SPEAKER_02: And I think that also puts them in a situation where they could keep their guards fresh.
48:10
SPEAKER_02: The Chelsea grays, the, um, Kelsey plums and Jackie youngs.
48:15
SPEAKER_02: You can have a nice little rotation.
48:16
SPEAKER_02: Cause I know it was still some talks with Chelsea gray, um,
48:20
SPEAKER_02: think they said something she was they haven't announced it yet but i know she was
48:24
SPEAKER_02: dealing with the injury from last year so i don't know if she's fully healthy if
48:27
SPEAKER_02: she's going to start the season but when you have a diasia fair and you have a kate
48:33
SPEAKER_02: martin back there with sydney colson i bet she's deep now
48:40
SPEAKER_02: You in a nice position, man.
48:42
SPEAKER_01: Hey, Martin didn't know she was going to get drafted though, right?
48:46
SPEAKER_01: No.
48:47
SPEAKER_02: I love that for her because she just came to support Caitlyn.
48:50
SPEAKER_02: I don't even think I'm going to get drafted.
48:52
SPEAKER_02: I'm just here to support my teammate.
48:54
SPEAKER_02: And she ended up getting drafted.
48:56
SPEAKER_02: Makes the WNBA roster for the Aces, the champs.
48:59
SPEAKER_02: What great transition.
49:02
SPEAKER_02: I go from playing with Caitlyn.
49:05
SPEAKER_02: We make it to the championship.
49:08
SPEAKER_02: And now I'm with the reigning champs.
49:10
SPEAKER_02: WNBA championship.
49:12
SPEAKER_01: Just winning culture.
49:14
SPEAKER_02: Winning culture.
49:16
SPEAKER_02: I'm excited for the season.
49:18
SPEAKER_02: Trust and believe we will have more episodes.
49:20
SPEAKER_02: We are going to be then keeping y'all up to date.
49:25
SPEAKER_02: I don't know how often we're going to do it, but we're going to do it.
49:30
SPEAKER_02: Y'all are going to see the episodes.
49:31
SPEAKER_02: We're going to talk everything WNBA.
49:35
SPEAKER_02: Make sure we do our part to support it.
49:37
SPEAKER_02: If you haven't,
49:39
SPEAKER_02: Go to a game this year.
49:41
SPEAKER_02: Get League Pass.
49:42
SPEAKER_02: Get some merch.
49:44
SPEAKER_02: Something to support the W this year.
49:47
SPEAKER_02: It's going up.
49:49
SPEAKER_02: It's doing better.
49:50
SPEAKER_01: League Pass is only about $35 for the year.
49:53
SPEAKER_01: It's happening.
49:56
SPEAKER_02: It's happening, y'all.
49:57
SPEAKER_02: The growth, everything, the W getting this is just due.
50:02
SPEAKER_02: It's happening.
50:04
SPEAKER_02: Don't miss the train.
50:05
SPEAKER_02: You can still hop on the train.
50:06
SPEAKER_02: You can still hop on the bandwagon.
50:08
SPEAKER_02: We excited.
50:09
SPEAKER_02: Hot.
50:10
SPEAKER_01: Join us.
50:11
SPEAKER_01: Join us.
50:14
SPEAKER_02: It's still seats on the train, yo.
50:16
SPEAKER_02: Hey, y'all know the vibes.
50:19
SPEAKER_02: Like I said, we on the J. Cole time.
50:22
SPEAKER_02: No Kendrick, no Drake beef.
50:24
SPEAKER_02: We on J. Cole time.
50:25
SPEAKER_02: We out here collabing.
50:27
SPEAKER_02: The stop and pop.
50:28
SPEAKER_02: Benchmark E&T.
50:30
SPEAKER_02: Peace.