These are just some of the WNBA players who have had impressive, eye-opening rookie seasons.

Add to that list Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Not since Parker—who went on to be the first and only player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season—has a rookie impacted the League and everyone and everything around it as much as Clark.

Call it the Caitlin Clark Effect.

SLAM 252 featuring Caitlin Clark is available now.

Record-breaking performances. Game sell-outs across the country. Fans packing up and traveling wherever she goes. More eyeballs than ever on the W. Clark has been the talk of the W.

But there’s a flip side to it, too. Heated arguments and debates on sports talk shows and across social media are nonstop, all about Clark and her effect on the League. Is she getting too much press? Is she being painted as the WNBA savior when there are other players who have been here holding up the League for so long? Depends on who you ask—and the time of day you ask.

One could argue that never has so much pressure been put on a player coming into the League. Expectations were high from the jump, even while Clark was still in college at Iowa. There, she set the NCAA Division I scoring record with 3,951 total points. A lightning quick point guard with fast hands, she also became the Big Ten’s all-time assist leader (1,144) and hit the most three- pointers in a single season with 201. So, coming into the League, all eyes were expectedly on her.

But, ironically, Clark has not said much about the hype and fanfare surrounding her first season in the W. She appears to have chosen, instead, to just play her game and seemingly be content with breaking record after record after record and helping her Indiana Fever team do the same. All the while, she is assisting in a brand of excitement for women’s basketball, the likes of which haven’t been seen in a while.

The list of WNBA records broken by Clark is long and exhaustive. There are almost too many to name. They include setting the WNBA single-game assist record (19) against the Dallas Wings, recording the first triple-double for a rookie in WNBA history against the New York Liberty, and breaking the record for most assists in a season by a rookie.

You can’t leave out tying the rookie single-game three-pointers record—Clark made seven of those early in the season in the Fever’s game against the Washington Mystics. Other records include 21 games with at least 15 points and 5 assists, the most ever in a single WNBA season, and becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record 400 points, 100 rebounds and 150 assists in a season.

Clark was also named to the WNBA All-Star Game in July and finished with 10 assists, the most by a rookie in the prestigious game’s history.

This unbelievable rookie season has also included a not-so-great statistic: She recorded the most turnovers in a debut game in WNBA history, with 10 in the Fever’s opener against the Connecticut Sun. She also has the most turnovers in a single season by any player in WNBA history. There’s definitely work to be done in that department, but overall, the Caitlin Clark Effect can’t be denied.

And it has extended beyond just her individual game.

The Fever clinched its first playoff spot since 2016 and currently sit at No. 6 as we head to print. In addition, the WNBA announced that the 2025 All-Star Game will take place in Indianapolis. The 21st WNBA All-Star Game, set for Saturday, July 19, 2025, marks the first time that Indy will host the League’s midseason showcase.

The Fever—already on an upward trajectory after last year’s acquisition of No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston, along with Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and NaLyssa Smith—have soared to new heights with the addition of Clark. This starting five earned a playoff spot after going on a hot streak following the Olympic break, rattling off seven wins in eight games. Collectively, they have transformed into a team whose ceiling keeps rising.

Hot shooting from Hull has landed her in first place in the League in three-point percentage (49.2 percent). Mitchell, who has been on her own personal tear this summer, is fifth in three-pointers made this season (96) and ninth in points per game. Clark is the assists leader, averaging 8.5 per game and is first in the League in three-pointers made at 111. Boston is fifth in field-goal percentage (52.8 percent) and eighth in blocks per game (1.3).

In August, the Fever led the entire League in scoring (89.7 ppg) and hit a season-best 100 points in a win against the Chicago Sky on August 30. Indiana also knocked down the most three-point field goals in the month with 72.

On August 16, the Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury 98-89, marking the first time since the 2015 regular season that Indiana has swept its regular-season series with Phoenix. Less than two weeks later, Indiana toppled the Sun, 84-80, for the first time since 2021.

The team’s success has also extended to its coach, Christie Sides, who formally entered the Coach of the Year chat and was named WNBA Coach of the Month for August after guiding the Fever to a 5-1 record. Sides is the first head coach in franchise history to earn the honor.

Clark has racked up accolades League-wide as well. In August, she was named both WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month and WNBA Rookie of the Month. It was the third time she earned Rookie of the Month honors, having also received the recognition in May and July, while marking the first time she was named Player of the Month. She was recently recognized as the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time in her young career, and she also leads her rookie class in scoring, assists, steals, free-throw shooting and minutes played. And on September 13, she broke the WNBA’s all-time assists record, previously held by the legendary Ticha Penicheiro.

The player many call the female Stephen Curry has been under the microscope since before she entered the League, and the heat has been turned up all season long. Whether you agree or not, whether you’re a fan or not, Clark has dealt with the pressure, lived up to the expectations (even exceeded them in many ways) and has cemented her name in the sport after only one year as a pro.

The Caitlin Clark experience has only just begun but it’s already in full effect

Buckle up.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Simply Undeniable: Caitlin Clark Covers SLAM 252 appeared first on SLAM.

In their second season, AU features top women’s basketball talent worldwide, including Lexie Brown, Natasha Cloud, Odyssey Sims, DiJonai Carrington, Courtney Williams, Taj Cole, Evina Westbrook, and Destinee Walker.

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The innovative women’s professional basketball league comprises 44 of the country’s best women’s basketball players. The players compete both on teams and as individuals throughout a five-week season. Athletes earn points on team wins and individual performance, and the top four point earners become team captains for a week. The player leaderboard adds extra flare and excitement to the league because team captains can draft their teams. 

AU complements the WNBA and offers WNBA players an opportunity to stay in the United States year-round. Like many AU players, Smith could have chosen to play overseas. She opted for AU, “so [her] family could see [her] play again,” per Insider. 

Further, AU provided Smith with a much-needed “break.” 

“I went straight from college straight to the WNBA; then it would’ve been straight to overseas,” Smith said. “So I knew, like, as soon as the WNBA ended, I was gonna do AU because it gives you some time to prepare” and then “go compete at a high level.” 

Unlike the WNBA, Athletes Unlimited is built upon an athlete-centered model. Instead of sharing profits with owners, players split league profits or compete on behalf of non-profit organizations through AU’s Athletes Causes program. Additionally, players are empowered to decide on uniforms, roster formation, and league rules.

Only in its second season, AU is making its wave in the women’s basketball world by increasing the visibility of women’s basketball in the United States, uplifting its athletes, and offering the game in a unique format. 

When WNBA stars compete overseas, it’s nearly impossible for fans to follow their path. However, as Smith said, “after the WNBA season, a lot of players go overseas, but you don’t get to really watch them. AU you gives you that opportunity to keep watching and keep following your favorite players.”

The second AU season will take place in Dallas from Feb. 22 to Mar. 26. All 30 games will be accessible to audiences worldwide, including five contests on CBS Sports Network.

The post Allisha Gray and NaLyssa Smith Join 15 WNBA Players on Athletes Unlimited Roster appeared first on SLAM.

The 12

Our 2022 USA Women’s World Cup Team to chase a fourth consecutive gold medal in Sydney!

#USABWNT x #FIBAWWC pic.twitter.com/WnewsZsuw1

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) September 20, 2022

Ariel Atkins and Jewell Loyd are the only other Team USA players besides Wilson, Gray, and Stewart that will play in the World Cup that also played on the Tokyo Olympics teams. Plum will play on her second World Cup team after leading Team USA to Olympic gold with the 3×3 group. Stewie will play on her third World Cup team after winning World Cup MVP in 2018. Wilson and Loyd were members of the 2018 World Cup team.

The World Cup team will be the first in over 20 years not to feature Sue Bird or Diana Taurasi on the roster.

The two WNBA and UConn legends led Team USA to five of its seven consecutive Olympic gold medals and a combined nine World Cup medals. Sylvia Fowles and Tina Charles will also be left off Team USA due to retirement or moving on from national team obligations. Brittney Griner is another notable absence while the United States looks to negotiate her release from Russian prison due to illegal drug possession.

“After we won gold, [Bird] was like, ‘All right, it’s your turn now,'” Wilson told ESPN about Bird passing the Team USA torch, per ESPN. “I’m like, ‘Huh?’ When you really think about it, it’s me and Stewie. Everyone’s gone.”

“I don’t know who’s going to be talking in the timeouts now,” Wilson followed up. “We’ll be figuring it out. But, no, it’s a great thing. They’ve laid a great foundation for us to step in as the next-gen to carry the torch. I am probably terrified, but I’m excited as well just to get back out there with other greats. Let’s go get this gold.”

Shakira Austin, Kahleah Copper, Sabrina Ionescu, Brionna Jones, and Betnijah Laney are Team USA’s newest members for the Olympics or World Cup. Austin is the youngest member of the team and the only player to make it amongst her rookie class and college phenom and defending national champion Aliyah Boston.

The USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee selected the roster, which Connecticut Sun president Jen Rizzotti chairs.

“We’re in a little bit of a transition,” Stewart said. “But it really gives an opportunity for young players to come in and show what they’ve got and help take USA Basketball to the next level — and understand that everybody wants to beat us.

“Nobody wants us to win gold. And still, our goal every time that we are playing is to win the entire thing.”

God is so great to meI made the USA World Cup Team bro….BLESSED

— Shakira Austin (@Theylove_kira) September 20, 2022

Boston, Diamond DeShields, Stefanie Dolson, Rhyne Howard, NaLyssa Smith, and Jackie Young are amongst the most significant final cuts from the women’s national team roster.

“We have been eagerly anticipating the 2022 FIBA World Cup and welcome the opportunities and challenges this competition presents as we face the world’s best teams,” 2021-24 national team head coach Cheryl Reeve said in a news release. “The U.S. roster features some of our game’s brightest stars, and I’m excited to lead this team with the goal of winning a fourth consecutive World Cup for the USA. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who was part of our highly competitive training camp and hope to work with many of them again in the future.”

The Women’s World Cup runs Sept. 22-Oct. 1 in Sydney. Team USA starts group stage play against Belgium on Wednesday at 9:30 P.M. E.T.

The post Team USA Announces 2022 Women’s World Cup Team appeared first on SLAM.

Team Update: Interim Head Coach Carlos Knox will not be retained for the 2023 season.

https://t.co/5BxpfILADv pic.twitter.com/RJpaacS3zF

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) August 31, 2022

Knox was tapped as the interim head coach this season on May 25 after Indiana fired Marianne Stanley. Knock recently returned to the organization as an assistant coach on December 1, 2021. When he took over, Indiana was 2-7; they ultimately finished the season with a 5-31 record, tied for the most losses in WNBA history, the worse in Fever history, and the worse in the League.

“We thank Carlos for stepping into this role last season and for helping our young, talented team continue to improve. We took important steps forward this year, but the expectation for this team and this franchise is sustained success on the court. We are working hard to build a coaching staff that will deliver on that expectation,” Fever Interim General Manager Lin Dunn said.

Interim GM Lin Dunn said she was still evaluating the coaching staff after the regular-season ended. She said she wanted to do her research and said that exit interviews with players and support staff before making any decisions. Last season, the Fever focused on the long-term future of the franchise as they looked to develop around No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith and No. 10 pick Queen Egbo, who was named to the W’s All-Rookie team.

Despite that highlight, Indiana finished the season on an 18-game losing streak and averaged a League-worst 78 points per game. Since 2017, the Fever has worse the winning percentage (45-147, .234) of any team in the W, NBA, NFL, or NHL. The Fever hopes to win the top pick in next spring’s 2023 WNBA Draft.

Last season was about building for the Fever’s future, with seven rookies on the roster. Plenty of them showed promise, including No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith and No. 10 pick Queen Egbo, who was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team. But it didn’t translate to wins. The team lost 18 straight games to finish the regular season and averaged a league-worst 78 points per game.

Since 2017, the Fever has had the worst winning percentage (45-147, .234) of any team in the WNBA, NBA, NFL, or NHL. 

The post Indiana Will Begin Head Coach Search After Deciding to Not Retain Carlos Knox appeared first on SLAM.

Rhyne went CRAZY this season @howard_rhyne is your 2022 Kia @WNBA ROY pic.twitter.com/ZP9Dcblhti

— WSLAM (@wslam) August 25, 2022

Howard led the Dream (14-22) to a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings. The former Kentucky All-American averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 36.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc. She was the only rookie to be nominated to the 2022 All-Star Game. She also made history after she became the sixth rookie to score 30+ points in her first four games.

Howard earned 53 votes out of a possible 56 votes she could’ve gotten from WNBA media members and broadcasters. Howard also headlines the All-Rookie team that features NaLyssa Smith, Queen Egbo, Shakira Austin, and Rebekah Gardner. Austin received two ROY votes, and Smith received one. Howard is the second Dream player to win the RY after Angel McCoughtry received it in 2009.

Howard entered the WNBA after a legendary career at Kentucky. Her accolades include earning First-Team All-American honors twice and winning the Freshman of the Year award from the WBCA, USBWA, and SEC. Her SEC accolades include earning the back-to-back Player of the Year awards, four All-SEC nominations, including three First-Team nods from 2019-2021, and an All-Defensive team nod in 2020.

The post Rhyne Howard Crowned the 2022 Rookie of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

Cheryl Reeves is the head coach of the World Cup team and will be joined by Mike Thibault, Kara Lawson, and Joni Taylor as her assistant coaches.

The training camp will take place September 6-12 in Las Vegas. An intrasquad Red-White game will headline the camp on Sept. 10 before the final roster comes out for the FIBA World Cup that runs Sept. 22-Oct. 1 in Sydney, Australia.

The following is a complete list of expected training camp participants: Ariel Atkins, Shakira Austin, Boston, Kahleah Copper, Elena Delle Donne, Diamond DeShields, Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, Myisha Hines-Allen, Natasha Howard, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu, Brionna Jones, Betnijah Laney, Jewell Loyd, Kayla McBride, Angel McCoughtry, Arike Ogunbowale, Kelsey Plum, Aerial Powers, NaLyssa Smith, Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, Courtney Williams, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young.

Invitees will report “pending the conclusion of their WNBA seasons and the progression of the national team selection process,” USA Basketball said in a release.

“I am looking forward to welcoming this amazing group of athletes to a productive training camp as we prepare for the 2022 FIBA World Cup,” national team coach Cheryl Reeve said in a release. “These athletes will report to camp having just completed their WNBA seasons, and it says a lot about their competitive drive and commitment to USA Basketball that they will come to Las Vegas prepared to participate at the highest level.”

Atkins, Chelsea Gray, Loyd, Stewart, and Wilson won gold with Team USA in Tokyo. Alisha Gray, Dolson, Plum, and Young — members of the gold-medal-winning 3×3 team — will be headed to Vegas. Wilson, Stewart, Delle Donne, Loyd, Plum, and Young were members of Team USA’s World Cup team that won gold in Spain in 2018.

Delle Donne and McCoughtry didn’t play in Tokyo due to injuries but were contributors to the 2016 Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro. McCoughtry had appeared in three WNBA games in two years due to knee injuries and is currently a free agent after the Lynx bought her contract out before the season started.

This will be the first Team USA roster that won’t feature Sue Bird, and Sylvia Fowles is retiring. Tina Charles, Diana Taurasi (season-ending quad injury), Skylar Diggins-Smith (personal reasons), Napheesa Collier (played one week of basketball after giving birth in May), and Brittney Griner, who is controversially imprisoned in Russia due to drug possession and smuggling charges.

The post Aliyah Boston Headlines Invitees Tor Team USA Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

For the first time since 2019, the WNBA invited the top 12 prospects to a live WNBA Draft show in New York City. Many mock drafts had Stanford guard Lexie Hull projected to go in the second round. So when the Indiana Fever selected the 2021 NCAA Champion sixth overall, she wasn’t in the building.

Hull hoped she’d land in Indiana after having productive pre-Draft conversations with the team, who were looking for someone with competitiveness, someone who works hard every possession and someone who “hates to lose,” she learned.

“My entire time at Stanford, those were the things I loved to do,” Hull said to the media on May 15.

She finished her college career as a three-time Pac-12 champion and a two-time Pac-12 All-Defensive team member. Although Hull believed the Fever would be a good fit, she had no idea she’d be their sixth pick.

“I was just shocked and happy to be able to spend [the WNBA Draft] with my family,” Hull says. “It was a great moment I’ll remember forever.”

After months of WNBA experience, Hull is leaning on fellow rookies to make the best of her first professional season.

“Having five rookies on the team, I definitely love it because we’re growing and we’re going through this process together,” Hull says. Among the five rookies are first-round picks Emily Engstler and NaLyssa Smith.

As of press time, Hull has appeared in nine games for the Fever and averaged 7.6 minutes and less than 2 points per game. It is a different role than at Stanford but she knows that’s part of the process. “Every team you’re on, your role is different. I’m just trying to learn as much [as I can] along the way,” Hull says. “I think that’s something that all the rookies here are really excited about, just the growth we’ll be able to have and the impact on the game will come.”

WSLAM 2 is available now. Get your copy here.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Lexie Hull is Embracing Her Opportunity with the Fever appeared first on SLAM.

BREAKING: The @IndianaFever announced today that Marianne Stanley will no longer hold the head coaching position. Stanley, who was in the final year of her contract, is replaced by assistant coach Carlos Knox, who will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

— Terrika (@SheKnowsSports) May 25, 2022

Assistant coach Carlos Knox will take over as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Indiana has struggled and finished at the bottom of the standings in back-to-back seasons during her Indiana coaching tenure. Through nearly three seasons, Stanley led Indiana to a 14-49 record.

However, Indiana’s struggles aren’t just a Stanley problem. Indiana hasn’t experienced a winning season since 2015, with the franchise owning the worst winning percentage (.256) since 2017.

“I want to thank the Simon Family and the Fever organization for the opportunity to lead this team over the past two and a half years. I look forward to the next chapter in my basketball journey, as well as being able to spend more time with my family.” Stanley said,

The Fever has undergone several changes in 2022, starting with Hall-of-Famer Tamika Catchings, perhaps the greatest player in Fever history, stepping down as the Fever’s vice president and general manager in February. The Fever ended up filling Catchings’s role with Lin Dunn, who has taken over the front office roles on an interim basis. Dunn coached the Fever from 2008-2014, highlighted by its lone championship run in 2012.

Dunn’s first move was to trade Teaira McCowan to the Dallas Wings for draft picks, ultimately picking four players in the 2022 WNBA Draft, including drafting NaLyssa Smith as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft.

Most around the W expected Indiana to continue their rebuild towards success. So Dunn firing Stanley comes as a surprise, especially when the Fever has been competitive through their losing season. The Fever had a four-point lead with seven minutes to go against the Chicago Sky, but Chicago’s veteran presence helped them outlast the young Fever, eventually picking up a 95-90 win.

As the Fever continue to play hard and show they’re developing at a reasonable rate, Dunn’s decision to dismiss Stanley is an indication that Dunn will likely be making aggressive moves in an attempt to turn the Fever’s fortunes around.

“With this new group of players, it is time for our organization to go in a different direction. This was a difficult decision, and we wish Marianne the very best in the future,” Dunn said.

Indiana returns to action on Friday against the Los Angeles Sparks.

The post Marianne Stanley Out As Indiana Fever Head Coach After 2-7 Start appeared first on SLAM.

Howard erupted for 17 points in the first-quarter of action to start her historic evening, the most a rookie has ever scored in the first quarter in WNBA history. She shot 9-18 from the floor and knocked down three triples from downtown.

Howard has 83 points through her first four games, averaging a whopping 20.8 points per game for the Dream.

In a matchup where we saw the first two picks of the 2022 WNBA draft go head-to-head with Howard and NaLyssa Smith, who left the game with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Before tip-off, Howard told reporters how proud she was of Smith and all her success.

“I applaud her for everything she’s done,” Howard said of Smith before the game. “I’m very proud of her. Just to see her out here excelling in her dream is just great, and I love that for her. But going against her, it’s all business on the court, but afterwards, it’s all love.”

The Dream will be back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to the Fever on Tuesday at 7 pm.

The post Rhyne Howard Makes WNBA History After Scoring 33 Points In Fourth Game appeared first on SLAM.

When Smith left the game, she was working with a season-high 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 6-16 shooting from the floor, including knocking down three triples. The Fever ultimately fell short to the Dream, 85-79.

According to James Boyd of the IndyStar, Fever Coach, Marianne Stanley did not indicate how severe the injury was.

“It’s swollen,” Stanley said of Smith’s ankle.” But I don’t know how serious it is right now.”

Meanwhile, fellow rookie Rhyne Howard finished the game with 33 points, including a WNBA rookie record of 17 points in the first quarter. Howard shot 9-18 from the floor, including 3-8 from beyond the arc. The former Kentucky Wildcat added three rebounds, there steals, and two assists in 32 minutes of action.

The Fever will host the Dream again on Tuesday at 7 pm.

The post NaLyssa Smith Leaves Game Against Atlanta Dream With Right Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

The 26th annual WNBA Draft was held at Spring Studios in New York and was broadcasted on ESPN. The 2022 WNBA Draft was the first in-person W draft since 2019.

Kentucky legend Rhyne Howard went No. 1 overall to the Atlanta Dreams. NaLyssa Smith of Baylor went second off the board to Indiana followed by the Mystics’ decision to draft Shakira Austin third overall out of Ole Miss.

FIRST ROUND:

No. 1 Atlanta Dream: Rhyne Howard — Kentucky

No. 2 Indiana Fever: NaLyssa Smith — Baylor

No. 3 Washington Mystics: Shakira Austin — Ole Miss

No. 4 Indiana Fever: Emily Engstler — Louisville

No. 5 New York Liberty: Nyara Sabally — Oregon

No. 6 Indiana Fever: Lexie Hull — Stanford

No. 7 Dallas Wings: Veronica Burton — Northwestern

No. 8 Las Vegas Aces (From Minnesota): Minnesota Lynx

No. 9 Los Angeles Sparks: Rae Burrell — Tennessee

No. 10 Indiana Fever: Queen Egbo — Baylor

No. 11 Las Vegas Aces: Kierstan Bell — Florida Gulf Coast

No. 12 Connecticut Sun: Nia Clouden — Michigan Sun

Second Round

No. 13 Minnesota Lynx: Khayla Pointer — LSU

No. 14 Washington Mystics: Christyn Williams — UConn

No. 15 Atlanta Dreams: Naz Hilmon — Michigan

No. 16 Los Angeles Sparks: Kianna Smith — Louisville

No. 17 Seattle Storm: Elissa Cunana — NC State

No. 18 Seattle Storm: Lorela Cubaj — Georgia Tech

No. 19 Los Angeles Sparks: Olivia Nelson-Ododa – UCon

No. 20 Indiana Fever: Destanni Henderson — South Carolina

No. 21 Seattle Storm: Evina Westbrook — UConn

No. 22 Minnesota Lynx: Kayla Jones – NC State

No. 23 Las Vegas Aces: Aisha Sheppard — Virginia Tech

No. 24 Connecticut Sun: Jordan Lewis — Baylor

Third Round

No. 25 Indiana Fever: Ameysha Williams-Holiday — Jackson State

No. 26 Phoenix Mercury : Maya Dodson — Notre Dame

No. 27 Los Angeles Sparks: Amy Atwell — Hawai’i

No. 28 Minnesota Lynx: Hannah Sjerven — South Dakota

No. 29 New York Liberty: SIka Kone — Mali

No. 30 Dallas Wings: Jasmine Dickey — Delaware

No. 31 Dallas Wings: Jazz Bond – North Florida

No. 32 Phoenix Mercury: Macee Williams — IUPUI

No. 33 Seattle Storm: Jade Melboure — Australia

No. 34 Indiana Fever: Ali Patberg — Indiana

No. 35 Las Vegas Aces: Faustine Aifuwa — LSU

No. 36 Connecticut Sun: Kiara Smith — Florida

RELATED: After an Illustrious Career at Kentucky, Rhyne Howard is Ready for the WNBA

The post 2022 WNBA Draft: Complete Results of Every Pick appeared first on SLAM.

Smith is a 6-2 forward who plays bigger than that, with a wingspan that allows her to make life uncomfortable at the defensive end for 4s and 5s alike. Her ability to finish at the rim has been pro-ready since she stepped on the floor to replace injured teammate Lauren Cox and carried her Bears to the 2019 title.

But in Mulkey’s system, the many talents of Smith weren’t necessarily on display. Mulkey likes her bigs playing at the rim, period. The offense is simplified. And quite frankly, it worked well. However, NaLyssa Smith is capable of doing the kinds of things that make for superstars at the next level, not just the latest center to occupy space for Baylor. So the initial conversation she had with Collen—a tinkerer and players’ coach—reflected a new reality for the certain lottery pick.

“I remember explaining to her how I just want to spread the floor,” Smith says. “I want to spread the floor and make things more available for me, how I want to shoot the ball a lot more than I did last year. Because last year, I remember I was in the post, mainly. This year, I wanted to expand my game to the three-point line and the free-throw line extended.”

This was great news to Collen, whose free-flowing offensive schemes helped earn her the 2018 WNBA Coach of the Year honors with the Atlanta Dream, before an offer too good to refuse took her to Waco this past spring. Collen had an advantage coming in—she’d spent a lot of time breaking down film of Smith in her role with the Dream, knowing there was a good chance Atlanta would be in this year’s lottery. But even so, there were unanswered questions inherent in the system Baylor had been playing.

“I just really wondered, honestly wondered: How good can she be on the perimeter?” Collen recalls. “How good is her handle? Because you just didn’t see it. You saw these explosive moments. You’re on an alley-oop, you bought an offensive rebound on a turnaround pull up, like actions around the rim.”

So, armed with goals that not only would benefit the Baylor Bears but are set to change Smith’s trajectory, the two of them got into the gym for summer workouts. And that’s when Collen got a chance to get to know the real Smith, the one who has to be on any shortlist for 2021-22 NCAA Player of the Year, and whose season has WNBA talent evaluators dreaming of selecting her in April.

The good news is that playing the kind of versatile big role that the League demands is nothing new for Smith. In fact, it was a departure from her entire basketball life to get marooned in the paint for three years at Baylor. 

“I kind of played like the 3 for my whole life,” Smith says. “So back at AAU, I was bringing up the ball, shooting threes, free-throw line extended baseline jumpers. It’s nothing that’s really new to me, right? It’s just, freshman to junior year, I just wasn’t in that position…Coach Kim [Mulkey], she put me mainly on the block, because she felt like that’s where I could excel the most. So coming into this new offense, because of Coach Nikki, it’s more freedom.”

The daughter of Rodney Smith, who once played a versatile guard/forward role for University of Texas-San Antonio, and high school sprinter Nikki Smith, NaLyssa has always been the kind of player who can crush opponents in a variety of ways.

Usually, the story for collegiate superstars comes down to being asked to do it all. Smith, frankly, has a higher ceiling for how much she’s been able to accomplish already without getting the opportunity to show her entire repertoire.

The elite recruit came to Baylor for the 2018-19 season and performed admirably as a reserve big behind future pros Lauren Cox and Kalani Brown, averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Yet a better sense of her immediate impact comes in two ways: her rate stats, where she finished the season grabbing a higher percentage of rebounds than either Brown or Cox, and her performance coming off the bench in the title game against Notre Dame, scoring 14 points on 7-9 shooting in a contest decided in the final moments, after Cox left the floor in obvious pain.

Simply put, the Baylor Bears don’t win a championship without Smith stepping up, unexpectedly, when they needed her.

“I always feel like you’ve got to always be one step ahead,” Smith says, when asked how she was so prepared for the bright lights. “Like, you can’t wait until the day comes for you to want to shine. So I’ve always been in the gym, always working…transitioning from high school to my freshman year—that’s where I put in the most work I ever did in my life, because I just knew it was gonna be a big transition. So I just knew I had to be ready for that moment. When the moment did come, I feel like I was ready for it.”

All of which speaks to how effectively she’s navigating this transition, too. Collen is asking her to do a lot more, but it isn’t affecting her efficiency one bit. In her first 10 games, her overall shooting percentage actually rose from 56.1 to 57.1, and that understates the work she put in—hitting trail threes, stretching opposing defenders out along the baseline, with a touch inside 15 feet that Collen said compares favorably to any big she’s ever coached.

Nor is it affecting the other major goal that Smith and Collen set out in their first meeting: averaging a double-double.

“The points are going to come,” Smith says, “but the rebounding is really where I feel like, that’s where I’m going to take it to a new level this year.”

She’s not wrong. Smith averaged 8 rebounds as a sophomore and 8.9 as a junior. Through her first 10 games this season, she’s checking in at 13.2 rebounds per, leading the country in rebounding—again, with an offense that often pulls her away from the hoop. Well, grab 30.5 percent of the defensive boards, and you can make up for it, although she’s improved on her offensive rebounding numbers, too.

There’s leadership skills here for Smith, some by example, like the effort it takes to be such an elite rebounder, and other, less box score-driven ways.

Take Sarah Andrews, a sophomore guard and elite playmaker, who’s become close with Smith. Not a day goes by, Andrews says, when they aren’t on FaceTime together, talking basketball and life.

It’s allowed Andrews to flourish Andrews said she decided she wanted to go to Baylor the night Smith took over the 2019 championship game. Andrews figured she’d rather be on Smith’s team than have to play against her.

“I think you just see Lyss handling the ball more overall, like, you see in our game, just flourishing,” Andrews says. “And, you know, it’s something that I do enjoy to watch. I see her developing her game fully for the next level, honestly.”

That’s the part that’s always been on Smith’s radar, too: finding ways to become the best—in high school, in college, and then, she hopes, the top overall pick in 2022. 

There’s competition for that spot: Rhyne Howard of Kentucky was the early leader among WNBA talent evaluators, and both Naz Hillmon of Michigan and Mississippi’s Shakira Austin have their supporters as well. All of which makes Smith’s evolution this season—or really, her return to what her game has always been, now with professional refinement—so important. It’s essentially a one year head start with a WNBA coach in her corner. You see it in moments like her game against Maryland, one of the elite teams in the country with future pro Angel Reese in the middle. Maryland won, but Smith was the dominant force in the  game with 30 points and 15 rebounds.

“I think she’s showing and having moments where you say, Wow!” Collen says. “I don’t think anyone could watch the versatility of her game against Maryland, and not be like, OK, that looks like a number one pick. So I think she’s gonna show moments of it. It’ll be when she shows the consistency of it. Then there will be less question marks on whether she’s one or two in my mind.”

That is the final set of markers the duo laid down. Collen, at Big 12 Media Day, called her, flat-out, “the best player in the country.”

So as Smith envisions what that moment will be like next April—all dressed up, her parents and her brother, Rodney Jr, by her side, her future laid out before her and a WNBA team’s hat handed to her—she sees it as that final, unequivocal answer to everyone who ever questioned her.

“I probably won’t even sleep that night,” Smith says. “Because when something big happens, it’s hard for me to sleep. So I know the night before draft night, I just know I might not sleep because I’m gonna be so anxious…I feel like draft night, that’s when it’s really going to hit me—that my time is coming, finally.” 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Top WNBA Draft Prospect NaLyssa Smith is Ready to Seize the Moment at Baylor appeared first on SLAM.

Green is the defining color on the women’s side, too, where Oregon and all-world standout Sabrina Ionescu look primed to hang their first-ever championship banner.

MEN’S TOP 10

1. MICHIGAN STATE

If point guard Cassius Winston isn’t the best player in the nation, the other guy is otherworldly. Winston leads an experienced MSU team that also features Joshua Langford and Xavier Tillman. And you know Tom Izzo’s squad will play great defense every night (or hear about it at high volume).

2. KANSAS

It was a busy offseason for the Jayhawks, but the hard work certainly paid off. The NCAA cleared big man Silvio de Sousa to play. Isaiah Moss transferred in from Iowa. Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson decided against heading to the NBA. It will take a while, but this will be a dangerous team.

3. KENTUCKY

Yeah, the five-stars (Tyrese Maxey, Kahlil Whitney) are coming to Lexington, but so is Bucknell transfer Nate Sestina. And Ashton Hagans is a first-rate point guard who’s returning. There are other holdovers, too, which means Johnny Cal won’t have to start from the jump this year.

4. LOUISVILLE

There are quick turnarounds, and then there’s Louisville. The program was a giant wreck when Chris Mack took over. One great recruiting class later, and the arrival of St. Joe’s transfer Fresh Kimble, and the Cards could well win the ACC and reach the Final Four. Now that’s fast.

5. DUKE

There’s not much new at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, where Coach K welcomes another batch of freshmen prodigies to launch his annual assault on the ACC. But this year is a little different, because talented sophomore PG Tre Jones is back to help Vernon Carey Jr, Wendell Moore, Cassius Stanley and Matthew Hurt get comfortable, and Zion Williamson isn’t around.

6. FLORIDA

The biggest news in Gainesville came during the summer when former Virginia Tech big man Kerry Blackshear Jr joined the band. He gives the Gators some needed inside pop, while skilled guard Andrew Nembhard leads the perimeter attack, and newcomers Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann fill in everywhere else.

7. MARYLAND

This is the season Terps fans have been waiting for. There is talent all over the roster, beginning with PG Anthony Cowan but also including forward Jalen Smith. The freshman class includes a bunch of big men, and sophomore wing Aaron Wiggins has serious potential.

8. GONZAGA

Here’s the definition of a perennial powerhouse: lose three players early to the NBA and still grab a top 10 rating. The Zags added grad transfers Admon Gilder and Ryan Woolridge for the backcourt and expect Corey Kispert to blossom up front. A bunch of four-star newcomers, led by center Drew Timme, will help.

9. NORTH CAROLINA

What do you do when the top five players from your team leave? You get creative. Ol’ Roy Williams grabbed a couple of grad transfers (William & Mary’s Justin Pierce and Charleston Southern’s Christian Keeling) and a five-star late signee (guard Cole Anthony) to blend with holdovers in a potent concoction.

10. VILLANOVA

The Wildcats have the titles (2016 and 2018), and now they have the recruiting pop, thanks to a great class that includes guard Bryan Antoine (who may redshirt following shoulder surgery) and forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. They’ll work well with returning stalwarts Collin Gillespie, Saddiq Bey and Jermaine Samuels to keep ’Nova elite.

WOMEN’S TOP 10

1. OREGON

Come for Sabrina Ionescu and stay for the rest of the formidable Ducks, who made their first Final Four appearance last year. Ionescu is the nation’s best player, and she’ll get help from frontcourters Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally, along with sharpshooter Erin Boley, on the quest to win it all. 

2. BAYLOR

The Lady Bears will mount a national title defense with plenty of ammunition, particularly if Lauren Cox is back in time for the start of the season. Guards DiDi Richards and Juicy Landrum are terrors at both ends, and forward NaLyssa Smith should step up.

3. CONNECTICUT

By this time next year, the Huskies will have a new/old home: the Big East. For now, UConn will scoff at predictions of a drop-off and return to the Final Four for the 97th straight year, or something like that. Crystal Dangerfield and Megan Walker will lead the way. 

4. SOUTH CAROLINA

They don’t often do one-and-done in women’s ball, and that’s a good thing for Gamecock fans, who’ll get to enjoy a dynamite recruiting class for a few seasons. There’s a lot of young talent on the roster–hello, Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke–and Dawn Staley is the perfect coach to bring it together.

5. TEXAS A&M

Just about everybody is back in College Station, especially high-scoring guard Chennedy Carter, the nation’s runner-up in points. The Aggies haven’t made it to the Final Four since they won it all in 2011, but this loaded team looks ready to end that drought.

6. MARYLAND

All the Terps did was add the nation’s top high school point guard (Ashley Owusu) to a lineup that includes high-scoring Kaila Charles, sharpshooter Taylor Mikesell and 6-5 Shakira Austin. The Big Ten is officially on notice. The rest of you are playing for second place. 

7. STANFORD

From 2008-14, the Cardinals made six Final Four appearances. It might be time for another. No. 1 overall recruit Haley Jones joins guards Kiana Williams and DiJonai Carrington in a potent lineup that should be strong enough to challenge Oregon for the top spot in the Pac-12.

8. SYRACUSE

While ’Cuse fans will certainly miss Tiana Mangakahia, who’s taking the season off as she gets treatment for cancer, the Orange doesn’t need to fear. Digna Strautmane and a bunch of experienced returnees are around. This squad could be your ACC champs…and more.

9. OREGON STATE

OSU fans will spend the season clamoring for 6-9 redshirt freshman Andrea Aquino, and why not? But the key to the Beaver’s success—beyond a redwood-style front line that also includes 6-7 Patricia Morris—is the backcourt, which is led by junior point guard Destiny Slocum and has depth and versatility. 

10. MISSISSIPPI STATE

On paper, it looks like the Bulldogs are in trouble because of some critical losses, but Vic Schaefer has a lot of talent ready to embrace larger roles, like Andra Espinoza-Hunter and Promise Taylor, who defected to Starkville from Mississippi. The youngsters need to step up, but they can handle the responsibility.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 224

Michael Bradley is a Senior Writer at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @DailyHombre.

Photos by Ashley Walters and via Getty.

The post 2019-20 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Preview 🏆 appeared first on SLAM.

For a complete breakdown of each player, see the bios below.

Christyn Williams
Central Arkansas Christian Schools (North Little Rock, AR)
SG, 5-11
UConn

Williams, a three-time Gatorade State Player of the Year, helped lead her squad to a 36-1 record and the Class 4A state title this past season. She averaged 26.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Recognized by many as the top-ranked prospect in the Class of 2018, the 5-11 guard also claimed the Naismith and Morgan Wootten Player of the Year awards.

Charli Collier
Barbers Hill (Mont Belvieu, TX)
F, 6-5
Texas

Collier tallied 3,539 points and 1,406 rebounds during an amazing prep career, averaging a monster double-double this past season while leading her team to a 38-3 record and a trip to the Class 5A, Region 3 tournament semifinals. She averaged 30.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game. The 6-5 forward had originally committed to UConn before deciding to take her talents to Texas.

Destanni Henderson
Fort Myers High (Fort Myers, FL)
PG, 5-9
South Carolina

Henderson helped lead the Green Wave to a third straight state title after claiming the Class 7A state championship this spring. She averaged 15.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game for Fort Myers (14-15), who only finished under .500 because the team had to forfeit 11 wins. Nonetheless, the 5-9 guard heads to South Carolina with multiple titles under her belt.

Aquira DeCosta
St. Mary’s (Stockton, CA)
F, 6-3
Baylor

DeCosta is a walking double-double and she proved it this past season when she averaged 18.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks per game as a senior. She’s part of a monster recruiting class for Baylor that will feature five incoming freshmen all ranked among the top 30 players in the Class of 2018, including fellow 2018 SLAM All-American NaLyssa Smith.

NaLyssa Smith
East Central (San Antonio, TX)
F, 6-2
Baylor

Smith helped the East Central Hornets make their first appearance in the regional tournament since 1997 this past season. She averaged 23.4 points, 13.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. Aside from the impressive numbers, the San Antonio area native is also known for having been throwing down dunks since her sophomore year. Only a matter of time before she starts banging on the rim at Baylor.

Photos by Ricky Rhodes.

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