yo what's good everybody we are back for
another episode of the best damn w show
episode yeah i'm i'm not jay y'all i'm
i'm not jay i am his evil twin
though i am producer wally i am producer
wally i am i will be hosting for
tonight uh
But I do have my,
I got my good sister Lo with me.
You know what the fuck going on.
And I got my good brother Nick Andre
in the building.
Respectfully.
Respectfully.
That's funny,
you can hear Jay laughing in the
background.
Yes, that's the part that got me.
That's the part that got me, man,
because I fucking went through that shit.
I was like, yo,
Jay is fucking crying in this shit.
That's hilarious.
But of course,
we got a great episode for y'all.
But of course, before we get started,
how we been today?
How's our day been?
Ladies first.
Um, I'm black and I'm blessed.
The day has been a long day.
As y'all can still see,
I have my scrubs on from work.
Um, so yeah, but we, we,
we getting right to it.
Uh, you know,
I'm blessed to be above ground.
So another day is a good day.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Same here, man.
Blessing black.
I'm honestly ready for the weekend.
I ain't gonna hold you.
It's already been a week.
It's only Tuesday.
I know.
I'm ready.
Okay.
I am here.
I'm definitely here.
I feel,
I think we all feel the same way.
Like I don't know what to,
what was with today, but yeah,
today felt long as shit.
Uh, you know,
I already have a long week with, uh,
when my girl's birthday,
my girl's birthday is tomorrow.
We're doing, she'll be.
Then we're throwing her a party on Friday,
which means I have to leave work early.
I have to cook.
I have to pick up food.
I have to do everything.
come friday by friday so yeah it's about
to be an interesting week oh yeah just
real quick how's everybody's juneteenth to
be on the topic of being black
My Juneteenth was great.
I had a Juneteenth party.
Y'all know what to expect from me,
so my Juneteenth was great.
We had the Blackest Gathering.
I was drinking D'Ussé,
the Blackest drink that I have in my
house.
It was just a Black-ass time,
and I enjoyed myself thoroughly.
Don't get my back into that.
Right.
If I know anybody that's going to
celebrate Juneteenth hard,
it's going to be low.
I'm going to celebrate that shit.
And me and my baby have matching shirts.
Or not matching, but Juneteenth shirts.
I saw that.
I love it.
One, I had to work.
Let's start there.
But...
for, as far as the weekend goes,
I ain't shit typical weekend for me,
except we went, uh,
went on a good dispensary run on Sunday.
So like I said,
like I told y'all shout out to being
the first time at a dispensary boy.
Woo.
Racked up.
They give you all type of discounts.
What?
First store, first store,
fifty percent off.
I was like, yes, let's do it.
Fifty percent off.
Low, you muted.
I was saying fifty percent is crazy.
That is mad.
What you get,
flour or edibles or something?
Pretty much flours and pre-rolls.
Yeah.
So...
Pre-rolls are for them quick nights.
Where did y'all go?
Because it's not legal where you are,
is it?
No, we went to Michigan.
So they do it in Ohio too.
They do it in Ohio too,
but I think it's a limit.
I think it's like Chicago where you have
like a limit.
So we went to Michigan.
I mean, shit, four hours up,
four hours back, quick turn of burn.
So when y'all go,
y'all just literally get as much as you
can because it's such a far commute.
Yeah.
See, you don't mind driving though.
He said four hours there, four hours back.
Good.
But Wiley don't mind driving, so.
I don't mind driving at all.
Y'all know me.
I will hit the road in a heartbeat.
The closest is within,
I'm not going to lie to you,
within five minutes of my house is three
dispensaries.
Okay.
within five minutes it's three
dispensaries within five minutes of my
house oh wow yeah it's a lot here
okay look nick finally back because nick
was right nick you was breaking up a
little bit bro yeah i was i was
yeah it was i don't know what was
going on you know this internet be shaking
but i'm back right but yeah the in
the area that we went it was it's
pretty much a
pretty much an empty shopping plaza,
but all the, it's like three,
it's like three or four dispensaries right
next to each other.
We just went dispensary to dispensary.
Then of course you got, you got your,
as you drive through,
like that little area that we went,
it's like,
it's at least like eight to ten
dispensaries,
like right in that little area.
Like you drive up the street,
it's like three or four more.
You drive the other way,
it's another like two more, so.
We was like, look,
we just going to go to each one.
Every time we go back,
we just going to go to all the
other ones and see what first-timer
discounts we can get.
Yeah.
But Wally be driving with his highest gas,
boy.
Who you telling?
I be right in the house when we
dance.
Right.
Hey, my car do well on the road,
so shit, one fill up, I'm good.
Man, I fill up twice a week,
so I be in the house.
i've been saying but you you drive yeah
you drive yeah you be driving your ass
off it ain't no like just go to
work and then get back in the car
like like i'm driving a couple hundred
miles a week damn jesus yeah pretty sure
but
With all that being said,
shout out to everybody that's rocking with
us at the moment.
Shout out J-Lens, J-Dub.
Yes,
we are early because Liberty and Aces play
in an hour.
So we about to give y'all what y'all
need and get up out of here.
that being said we are celebrating of
course this is the thirtieth anniversary
of the uh of the wnba hey y'all
real quick while you want to um promote
or um what's it called oh yeah my
bad yes my bad thank you sir um
qr code is up hit the link tree
for for all the socials the sub stack
Go on, follow us on social media.
Follow, you know,
subscribe to the Substack.
Subscribe to the YouTube page.
Please like, share, subscribe.
As Jay always say,
get us in the algorithm.
Yes, appreciate you, my good brother.
No problem.
Just FYI,
we might be like probably the most hated
podcast in the land, but hey,
we still here.
Hey, we, man.
Dog.
We got motion.
That's all that is.
It's crazy because that clip of Izzy
versus Angel,
I muted it so I didn't see it,
but my stepmom actually texted me two days
ago and was like, you're viral.
I see it on Facebook.
I'm like, it made it to Facebook?
I forgot to tell y'all that.
Wow.
He texted me a screenshot of it.
It was like, you're viral.
I was like, yeah,
people was mad as shit at this.
And she was like, why?
And I tried to explain this to her
and I was like, you know what?
Nevermind.
Just nevermind.
It's crazy to start on one platform and
make it to a completely different platform
that you did not post on.
Correct.
Like do we even have a Facebook?
No, no.
No.
Insane.
When she sent it to me,
I forgot all about it because I think
Jay or one of y'all posted it on
the main page.
I wasn't directly getting the stuff.
When she said it, I'm like, wow.
That's kind of crazy.
That's nuts.
That's crazy.
Motherfuckers was tagging me.
I'm like, I didn't even say nothing.
What the hell?
Once I got tagged, I was like, oh,
this is why they so mad.
Got it.
Got it.
yeah it is what it is i love
angel i love izzy i don't like angel
fans that are stands and it's just clear
right we we've made that clear um but
yes thirtieth anniversary of the wmba uh
before we even get to the actual game
uh which great game great game uh
With it being thirty years, Lo,
I will start with you.
What does this mean to you when it
comes to the WNBA?
I mean, it means a lot to me,
especially remembering as a little girl
watching the tip between the Sparks and
New York.
So it just means everything to me because
I've been steadily watching this league
for thirty years, essentially.
And it's been through a lot of ups
and downs.
And I remember times where I would talk
to WNBA and people would tell me to
shut up or nobody watches that shit.
to now being at the level it is
again.
And I say again,
because people forget that when the WNBA
first started,
it was popping like David Stern had the,
and Val had the WNBA popping.
I mean, it was sold out.
The stadiums were sold out.
The games weren't NBC.
So it was glad to see it kind
of come full circle.
And it's glad to see the,
the league essentially survived through,
you know,
years that when they had a drought and
years where people weren't as engaged in
years where the,
the media dollars weren't really put
behind it as much.
So I'm happy at the place where the
league is at.
Of course,
it's a few things that I would like
to fine tune.
But overall,
like the women are getting the shine that
they deserve.
And I'm appreciative for that.
Absolutely.
Yeah, I think it's great, honestly.
I mean,
to see the league celebrate thirty years,
you know,
just being able to still be successful and
also elevate throughout the time,
you know, it's been really great to see.
It was really great to, you know,
see all the legends get honored on both
the Sparks side and the Liberty side,
like whether it was Lisa Leslie,
Teresa Weatherspoon, Rebecca Lobo,
and then other players that you may not
even know.
I'm sure a lot of people may have
not heard of the name Kim Hampton or
other players as well who really played
well throughout those early days in the W.
It was really big, honestly.
We've seen the league just continue to
flourish.
There was a time where,
even for me as well,
when I got into the W,
you try to talk about the WNBA,
people weren't really interested or really
in tune to what was going on until
now you see
Now,
a lot of people are more into the
W. And even though, you know,
there's a lot of crazy stands and
everything,
but there are some people who do want
to go back in time and, you know,
revisit the history of the W from the
first game in ninety seven to, you know,
Washington, like other great players,
you know, over time,
whether it's Diana Taurasi,
Candace Parker, Maya Moore, whoever,
you know,
who have also been able to pave the
way on their own.
Right.
So it's just good to see, you know,
the league be able to celebrate thirty
years, you know,
and just see how much the league has
evolved over time.
And I just want to say this really
quickly.
Me and Kate,
I kind of talked about it on the
ninety four fifty,
but I think that the league in general
has kind of done a piss poor job
with celebrating the overall thirty years.
Like,
I feel like it should be more like
heavily marketed,
like it should be more out there that
this is thirty years of the WNBA.
And I feel like, yes,
it was nice that they had this experience
in terms of the Sparks versus New York.
which was the first game, you know, ever.
Like, I love that,
but I think that league-wide, like,
it needs to be more emphasis placed on
this league surviving for thirty years
because this shit was about to fold
low-key.
So, you know what I'm saying?
Like, it just needs to me, like,
and especially because of the monumental
moment that we're at right now,
it's just lacking a little bit for the
thirtieth year celebration.
Like,
Bring the legends out,
educate the new fans,
the influx of fans that came in twenty
twenty four,
educate them on the pillars of the game.
The people that allow these women to make
millions of dollars now, you know,
like they are the forefront or they are
the foundational pieces of the league.
And I think that.
they're not getting enough shine as they
deserve because you know,
they were in the trenches for real in
the trenches.
Um,
so that would be my only issue really
with celebrating the overall thirtieth,
like independent media like us and other
podcasts, you know, we talk about it,
but from a media,
like a mainstream media standpoint,
I just feel like they haven't really
talked about it as much as they should.
No, I agree with you.
Yeah.
I agree with you.
Uh, yeah.
Um,
Folks being confused.
Sorry.
Folks being confused about how the W is
celebrating thirty years and the first
game was twenty nine years ago.
They spent the first year.
Well, it's it's the thirtieth season.
Like, that's what we're not understanding.
I get it.
Yes.
Like, technically,
it is twenty nine years,
but it's the thirtieth season.
Like.
Like, you got to realize, like,
the NBA and WNBA are totally different.
Like, there's, like – like, it's really,
like, solely in, like, one year,
one summer.
Like, an NBA, like, you're going from,
like, the fall of, like, late one year,
then going into the winter.
Exactly.
So it's a little bit different.
So, yeah,
it is technically twenty-nine years,
but it's the third season of the W.
So that's why they're celebrating thirty
years.
Yeah.
And then also, like, with –
Just like Lo,
watching this from the birth of it,
it's been dope to see just on the
strength that you watch these players
throughout college and then you finally
get a lead.
The entire time it's like, man,
it'll be dope to watch these women have
their own league.
And that's not...
And that's not saying that they already
didn't have one because there was a
women's basketball league.
ABL, yeah.
But for the WNBA to form the way
they marketed, hell, they were on, hell,
Rebecca Lobo, Don Staley,
and Lisa Leslie was on an episode of
Martin.
That's how far they went to help promote
this.
And for it to flourish,
and like you said,
even though it was damn near dead in
the water,
but for it to pretty much rise out
of those ashes and to become what it
is today, it's been dope to see.
And to see the players that we now
have and then look forward to the players
that are coming in, that'll be coming in.
You couldn't ask for a better product.
You couldn't ask for a better product.
I'm glad you brought that up because
people would just be acting like women's
basketball just wasn't lit until more
recently.
You talked about like
like all those players being on an episode
of Martin.
Hell,
I remember it might be like maybe a
year ago.
I was watching an episode of a one-on-one
and I forgot Lisa Leslie was on there.
I'm like, I mean, hell, like, I mean,
like we've seen players being at the
forefront.
I mean, now I'll be real.
Like, yes,
the game is elevated as more recently,
but these players have been out here like
that.
You know what I'm saying?
Like,
it's just a lot of people just weren't
paying attention.
But I also think it's context to it
because we live in a social media era.
They didn't have that back then.
We had newspaper magazines and TV.
That's it.
You know what I'm saying?
And so that's why a lot of people
don't remember or know this,
but that's why that Olympic team was
literally going around on tours throughout
the country.
to spark interest before the WNBA started
so that they could see what cities were
more, you know,
acceptable to it or what cities really
came out and showed out for it.
And so they had to really,
it was really boots on the ground.
Like it wasn't as easy as just putting
a clip on social media and be done
with it.
Like these women had to travel the
country, you know what I'm saying?
Right.
And I think honestly,
like we definitely have to give Cheryl
Swoops a lot more praise.
Like, I mean,
obviously we know that she was the first
player to sign with the W, but,
I don't think people realize even at the
time like how risky it might have been
because at the time the WNBA and the
ABL were starting around like the same
time.
And a lot of people were going more
so towards the ABL,
which I want to say was probably more
money or whatever it is.
But Cheryl Swoops was the one that
actually took a chance on the W.
She was the first one to actually sign.
And then when Cheryl Swoops signed,
that became a trickle effect.
And obviously Rebecca Lobo joined.
Lisa Leslie and then you know obviously
they had a draft they had like Tina
Thompson as the first pick so like it
was really Cheryl Swoops honestly that
really you know set the tone honestly for
the league if you ask me because once
she signed I think that's when everybody
started to see because obviously Cheryl
Swoops was on fire like she won a
national championship with Texas Tech she
won the gold medal with Team USA so
when you look at one of the faces
of women's basketball at that time signed
with this league you know that's what
became the trickle effect so I think that
we definitely have to give her a lot
more praise and more respect when it comes
to that
And then on top of that, being pregnant,
like within that first, you know,
within that first year and feeling that
pressure, like, oh my gosh,
like they just put all this money behind
me to support this league.
And, you know,
I'm supposed to be getting it off the
ground and now I'm pregnant.
Literally.
Yeah.
But also if you really want to,
if you really want to get a,
get a good feel about it,
Nick wrote an article about this.
I did.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's a series I got going on right
now.
Make sure y'all tap in.
with that i mean it's it's actually really
dope because i really like wanted to dive
into like a lot of um there's a
lot of stories about like the early w
days like i wanted to touch on like
Like, the article's not out yet,
but I wanted to touch on, like,
Shemequa Holesclaw because Shemequa is one
that doesn't really get her just due.
There's, like,
a lot of other teams and stuff that
don't get their just due.
Like, just really, like, celebrating,
like, the early years of the W because,
like, you hear about, like,
the main stories, like,
the Comets winning four titles,
the Sparks and whoever.
But, like,
there's a lot of stories that don't get
talked about in the early days of the
W. So, I'll tap in with that.
Absolutely.
But...
We'll move on to the game that happened.
We had the Sparks and the Liberty.
Sparks won.
Ninety-eight to ninety-seven.
Amazing.
Again, amazing game.
Shout out to Nneka Ogumike with that
knockdown three for the game winner.
The Liberty start out like they normally
do.
They had a good start.
They were up ten in the first quarter,
and then the Sparks kind of got it
together, tightened up on defense.
Ray Burrell comes in as a good spark,
and they kept it close enough to where
they can get back in the game and
eventually win it.
But, Lo, I'll start with you.
What are your thoughts with this game and
how everything went?
I mean,
I think like kind of like you said,
the Liberty got out to a hot start.
You know,
I was scoring the Sparks by ten in
the first quarter.
But I think I was most impressed with
the Sparks resiliency, to be honest,
because they were down seventeen points in
the third quarter and coming back to win
on a buzzer beater by NECA on that
specific day with the specific energy that
was going throughout.
I'm not going to call it.
What is it?
I was about to call it crypto,
but I don't I never call it that.
But the arena, you know, NECA was staples.
So NECA was super emotional after winning
the game.
And honestly, for me,
that was a special moment just because
NECA is the epitome of just...
excellence in all that she does and I
talked about it a little bit on social
media but she wears many hats and lead
with such grace like she's just
intellectually brilliant she's gotten
better at her craft every single year um
she leads by example being the president
of the WNBA PA she's averaged fifty
percent shooting from the field her entire
career the last fifteen years like
I believe she's the only player to ever
do that in the WNBA,
but Nneka is just like a gem.
She seems to be,
I don't know her personally,
but she seems to be an even better
person than she is player.
And for her to hit that buzzer beater,
wearing the number thirty in, you know,
at a home Sparks game was just poetic
to me.
But to be honest,
both teams have been inconsistent all
year.
I don't expect a lot from the Sparks
just because I don't believe in what
they're doing offensively.
over there but New York I hold them
to a higher standard and I get it
they're not fully healthy they're getting
people back Sabrina just came back from
you know back injury has been out most
of the season but to have sixteen
turnovers and allow sixty points in the
paint
Like,
that's how you lost the game right there.
I think it's just very shocking
considering that the Liberty sit at the
second best defense in the league right
now.
So the fact that they were just letting
layup after layup and post move after post
move, it just was very interesting.
Overall, though, Stewie played well,
eighteen points, ten boards.
Sabrina only had two points in twenty one
minutes.
And I'm going to give her grace because
she's coming back from back surgery.
And I think this game,
like game number five for her.
Right.
Four or five.
It's going to take time.
It's going to be weeks before she gets
back to, you know,
who we have seen her be.
I've been seeing comments on social media
talking about how we really need to have
a conversation about Sabrina.
And it's like when Sabrina was healthy in
the off season and came back that next
year, she was hooping.
Like she was hooping at like an all
WNBA level.
So I don't know what the hell y'all
talking about.
Like,
She just came back from a major injury
and it's going to take her time to
get her legs back under her.
She's also learning to play with newer
players in terms of Satu still stepping in
and, you know, other things like that.
So I'm impressed with the Sparks overall,
especially when your best player in KP had
a stinker.
She only had twelve points,
shot five for fourteen from the field.
When she has a stinker like that and
you're still able to get away with a
win.
That's a that's a good day for me.
That's a good day for me.
What you got, Nick?
Yeah,
I feel like Nneka hitting that game-winner
was the perfect story, honestly.
You talk about one of the greatest players
in Sparks' history.
It's the third-year anniversary of the
first-ever W game between the Sparks and
the Liberty.
Just for her to be able to hit
that game-winner.
It's like you said,
they were down early on in that game,
and it really took them time to really
find a way to climb back.
Luckily, they outscored the Liberty,
fifty-five of the forty-two in the second
half,
and just really found a way to come
together and be able to close the contest.
Nneka being able to hit that game winner
was huge for them and I mean it's
like you said though I mean it's like
Nneka does wear a lot of hats and
I don't know if we give her it's
like I think we acknowledge it but I
don't know if we really understand like
how impactful she is to this league like
being able to you know what is she
like the WNBA president or something like
that like being able to be that exactly
and then of course you know still
continuing to play at the high level that
she's playing at like her longevity has
just been amazing like
And it really stood out to me when
she was in Seattle these past couple
years,
like just continuing to play at a high
level.
I honestly kind of feel like in a
way,
like her career kind of rejuvenated in a
way out there, honestly,
because even before she even got to
Seattle, you know, the Sparks,
they were kind of like on a downhill
side.
You know,
they were really trying to figure out what
was next for them.
She ends up leaving, goes to Seattle,
plays next to Skyler,
Jewel for a year and then other players
and just found a way to just thrive
playing next to him and then just playing
about playing at a high level on both
ends.
And now coming back to the Sparks team,
I mean,
I know that they've been
inconsistent but you know necka necka is
just such a great player honestly i think
that she deserves way more flowers than
what a lot of people give her honestly
but overall great game from the sparkles
like you said i mean they didn't really
play particularly well kp didn't play the
play particularly well but when you look
at it from the liberty side like the
liberty have it in ways struggled to like
close out games like you look at this
game against the sparks you look at the
game against the mix the mystics which i
mean we'll definitely dive into a little
bit later
Like,
they've got to find a way to close
these games, especially as a veteran team,
a championship team.
Like,
you've got to be able to put the
kids to bed, honestly.
Like, just like y'all said, I mean,
they were up seventeen points in the
second half.
Like,
y'all need to find a way to keep
your foot in the gas and just be
able to find a way to close that
game out, if you ask me.
Um, and I get it, you know,
I know that, you know,
there's a lot of new changes.
Obviously Sabrina's Sabrina's now back.
I believe they're two and three now with
her in the lineup.
Um, and it's,
and it honestly sucks in a way,
because I mean,
even though now Sabrina's back,
but now you put, um, what's her name?
Pauline the steer.
I think that's how you pronounce her name.
Um, now she's,
now she's coming off the bench without
beer.
She actually played a really good game in
that game against the Sparks coming off
the bench.
But now it's like the lineup has to
change now, especially, you know,
when New York was kind of finding the
rhythm because like the early season was
kind of a struggle.
But then you started to see them,
you know, kind of slowly progress.
I think at one point they won like
six,
seven in a row or something like that.
So now with Sabrina coming back and then,
of course,
now you add Satu to the starting lineup.
Like now there's a lot of changes and
now everybody has to now adjust and adapt
to what's going on.
So I guess you can give them some
type of grace,
but they got to find a way to
find some type of consistency.
And I think.
that's like,
I feel like injuries have kind of been
one of their biggest issues over the past
couple of years.
Like whether Sabrina out, um,
even last year,
like Stewie had missed some time,
John Quayle had missed some time.
So being healthy and finding consistency
is definitely, you know,
one of the biggest keys for them,
but overall great win for the Sparks, man.
You know, it's like I said, I mean,
NECA just hitting that game where like,
that was like the perfect,
I feel like that was like the perfect
ending to that story.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Right.
I was about to say,
shout-out to the Sparks.
Jalen said DeMarco got to go.
Already?
Right.
I'm not going to go that far.
Honestly, I like DeMarco.
I like where he's going, too.
Exactly.
I think he's still trying to – because
I want to say this is probably his
first year covering coaching women,
I want to say.
So I think he's trying to adjust from
that aspect.
But I like what he's doing out there.
I think it's just taking some time.
finna say y'all know who y'all know my
who my problem is when it comes to
the liberty so i i who is it
who is it not a lot absolutely she's
been better now she's been better she has
been better you know you know me i'll
be like yo you are too you are
way too tall to be standing out here
we go
I will say, though.
I will say.
The unicorn is getting back in shape and
she's getting better too.
She is.
But I will say, boy,
she is going to let that thing fly.
I'm telling you.
She gets the ball.
She's going to let that thing fly, boy.
She was jacking it up over.
But they had such a good start, though.
So I get it.
I get it.
I get it because of the way that
the game started and the fact that they
–
They caught lightning in the bottle early.
So I get it, but also it's like,
hey, y'all are definitely... Absolutely.
Y'all are taller than them.
Go down there and fucking move them out
the way and get you an easy bucket.
I'm not gonna lie to you.
When everyone's healthy...
They're going to be a good team because
they're very lengthy and they can switch
on everything.
They can.
You know,
and a lot of the centers are having
a hard time guarding JJ because she's
actually been more on the perimeter this
year than I've.
And she was on there a lot last
year.
But that girl,
that lady is just camped out there.
And so it's forcing the centers to,
to step out a little further than they
would like.
And then JJ so skilled that she can
put the ball on the floor and take
you to the cup.
She can step back and shoot the three.
Like she can do it all as if
she's a guard when she wants to play.
So I think that when they get everyone
back healthy,
because bet Naja has been in and out
of the lineup as well.
So when they get everyone back healthy,
I think that after the all-star break,
they should be clicking and they'll be
playing a lot better.
The other thing about JJ being on the
perimeter a lot, it's like,
I get it because she is so skilled,
but in a way,
I'm not really a big fan of it,
too, because it's like,
I don't want her to be camped out
there way too much, honestly,
because like you said,
it'd be John Quill can literally play
anywhere on the floor whenever she's
assertive.
So, like,
I wouldn't mind having moments where,
okay, cool, she can spot up,
she can space the floor, but then also...
you know,
have moments where she is and pulls her,
her will down low.
So it's just all about just showing more
of the versatility.
It's like, like I said, I mean,
I get it, you know what I'm saying?
Especially when you have somebody of that
caliber, but I don't know.
It's like, to me, like, yes,
she can space the floor,
but let's be real.
She's not that big of a threat as
far as a shooter, respectfully.
Like, I mean, don't be wrong.
I mean, she, she can shoot the ball,
but like not at a high clip like
that.
jaylen's you're correct it does turn into
i don't know i mean i would like
to see her in the paint more like
you as well but i think that this
is just how the game is changing and
i hate it like i hate it like
i literally hate it uh it's changing it
to the nba like even yesterday i think
it was the indiana game within like the
first quarter they had already put up and
i'm like what the that's crazy
and now they got maisha hines i was
shooting threes and that's like i'm like
yo or the i'm sorry the first half
but still it used to be fourteen threes
a whole game you know what i'm saying
or less so i think it'd be different
if you was hitting them moving in go
ahead i'll say it would be different if
they were hitting them like y'all not even
y'all not even making yeah i mean this
is unfortunately the way that the game is
is trending so yeah unfortunately
uh but again shout out shout out to
the sparks for for that uh for that
great comeback and win uh we'll move on
to hey y'all just real quick let me
ask lo this real quick we're talking about
i mean just real quick i mean since
we're talking about the history of w who
do you think are like the top five
players in sparks history i got i got
a list but i want to know what
you think the top five i'll say if
you want me to go first i'll go
first but
The top five.
That's hard, but just off the top,
just off the top and just like, nah,
I'm going to miss somebody.
I know that already, but of course, Lisa,
I'm going NECA.
I'm going Candace.
I'm going, I'm going, um,
why can I think of her name?
Uh, um, she was just there too.
Um,
They used to call her D-Nasty.
Delisha.
I'm going with Delisha.
And I need one more.
I'm going to go Point Guard.
We pretty much got the same list almost.
I'm going to go Point Guard.
I'm going to go Tamika.
See, that's the thing.
I got the first four.
I got Candice, Lisa, Nneka, Delisha,
but that's the thing.
I don't know.
I'm still trying to choose between either
Tamika or Mwadi Mbika.
Okay, that's fair.
I mean, that's tough, honestly.
I mean, that's the thing.
Like,
I don't know who I want to choose
between those two,
but people forget how good Tamika Dixon
was.
Like, she was there.
Was a dog.
Exactly.
Like, she was there during, I mean, hell,
I mean,
she was there for the first game ever,
so.
Yeah.
And she was able to help them win
titles, so shout out to her.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's crazy.
We got basically the same list.
And that was,
that's off the top of the dome for
you.
That was off the top, yeah.
Nick done put me on the spot, y'all.
Man.
But to the next set of games,
and actually they doubled up on us.
So we had the Dream and the Fever,
had a good double up.
And the Dream came out on top both
games.
First game was on June, June, June, June,
June, June, June, June, June, June, June,
June, June, June, June, June, June, June.
set a record franchise record in scoring
one, thirteen to ninety six.
Both games seem to kind of have the
same feel where fever go up,
fever go up early and then somewhere they
they forget how to play defense.
They forget exactly what they were doing
on the court.
So, Nick, I will start with you.
As far as when it comes to the
Atlanta and the Dream, like I said,
we had two games.
I will let you give your take on
both games.
Go ahead.
Yeah,
I'm going to give a lot of credit
to Angel Reese because I think she played
phenomenal in those two games.
I mean,
she averaged nineteen and a half points,
nine and a half rebounds,
shot fifty three and a half percent from
the floor.
Like and I think one thing that I
loved is that
And I get it, you know,
especially being with this new team.
You know,
Atlanta is a team that also wants to
space the floor and really, you know,
beat you from the perimeter at all five
positions.
And, I mean,
obviously Angel's been able to do that on
occasion,
but we all know that's not necessarily her
game.
But I think one thing that I saw
from these past couple games is that Carl
is allowing her to just kind of play
her style of game, which is, you know,
impose her will inside,
rebound at a high level,
score at a high level inside.
And just her hustle and her energy and
her motive was really,
It's really one of the bigger reasons why
they were able to win both of those
games.
I mean, like you said,
while you're meeting both of those games,
you know,
Indiana had the momentum on their side.
You know,
they had the lead in the first half.
But, you know, luckily, you know,
Atlanta was able to make those adjustments
in the second half of both games and
just find a way to come out on
top.
Honestly,
I think Andrew Reese played a huge role
in that.
If you ask me, I mean, I think.
Angel Reese pretty much outplayed
Indiana's front goal players like Aaliyah
Boston.
Oh, absolutely.
Uh,
Monique Billings or whoever else you want
to throw out there.
Like just being able to just like,
just bring that energy and that hustle
really played a role, honestly.
But, uh, I mean, and also, I mean,
I'll give credit to another play as well.
Like,
Jordan Canada had twelve points and twelve
assists in a second game in Atlanta.
Ryan had a really strong game as well.
You know, both matches.
Same thing with Alicia.
Nas Hillman as well.
And also, I mean,
back back to the whole Jordan Canada
thing, because I mean,
I know that I touched on a couple
of weeks back with all the hate and
everything.
It's like.
I understand in a way because, you know,
this is Jordan's third year with the team.
And, you know, her first couple years,
she hasn't really been healthy.
You know,
she's been in and out of the lineup.
So I get it from that perspective.
But if you know Jordan Canada,
you know the value that Jordan Canada
brings to that team.
Like, Jordan Canada is an elite scorer.
She's an elite playmaker.
You know,
obviously setting the table for others.
Probably one of the best perimeter
defenders in the league, if you ask me.
Hello.
So, like,
there's a lot of tangibles that Jordan
Canada brings to that team.
That should not be swept under the rug
if you ask me.
And I think,
especially with her being healthy to start
the season,
I think that we've been really able to
see that at a high level.
So I give her a lot of credit.
So a lot of people that have been
hating on Jordan Canada,
y'all gotta chill with that because she
brings a lot of value to that team.
And I think that we've seen it throughout
this early season.
But as far as Indiana side,
this is the thing about Indiana.
When it comes to the offense,
It's like, yes, they can be better,
but I'm not really too concerned with the
offense because they have a lot of high
IQ players.
They've shown whenever they are
disciplined and they are running the
half-court sets,
they can get a lot of quality buckets,
especially when you have great playmakers
like
caitlyn clark like alia boston like um you
know raven johnson as well which is coming
into the game in the second unit like
even in that game in the second game
um in the second game that was in
atlanta like they ran the ball through
alia boston a lot and with them running
the ball through alia boston like yes it
does slow down the pace but you're also
able to get quality looks like kelsey
mitchell was able to cut back door for
buckets same thing with sophie cunningham
was able to get quality looks on the
perimeter same thing with caitlyn clark so
yes it does slow the game down but
you're able to get high percentage shots
just playing like that
And I think in the second half of
that game, they shot away from that.
And that's why Atlanta came back.
And that's what they ended up, you know,
blowing the game open.
Because Indiana was up like double digits
in that second game, I want to say,
like in the first half of that second
game.
And, you know,
with them just not being able to play
with that same style in the second half,
I think that's what cost them, honestly.
Now, I will say...
I will give Kaylin Clark credit because
she did have a really good performance in
that second game,
even despite the turnovers.
But when you look at that game,
or at least in the two games,
so Kaylin Clark, Aaliyah Boston,
and Kelsey Mitchell,
they combined for seventy five points in
the first matchup.
And then the second matchup,
they only had fifty five points.
So that's a twenty point difference.
And I want to say they lost the
game by like twenty points,
something like that.
So, you know, like obviously those three,
those are like those are the players that
have to bring it on a nightly basis.
I mean, I'm talking about collectively.
I think like Aaliyah Balls had like
fifteen points in the second matchup.
And even A.B.
honestly hasn't really been at her best.
I mean, she's had moments here and there,
but.
It's not the Aaliyah Boston that we know
her to be.
It's not the same Aaliyah Boston that we
saw in our rivals.
Obviously, she has to step up her game.
Obviously,
Kelsey Mitchell has to find a way to
be more consistent.
I give a lot of credit to Atlanta
because I think that these two wins were
very impressive if you ask me,
especially considering that in the first
matchup that they played a couple weeks
back, Indiana outplayed them.
I give credit to Atlanta.
I think that
I think Atlanta has stuff to work on,
but I think they're contenders.
I'm going to just say it.
I think that their defense is only going
to get better when Bree Jones gets back.
They are starting to click defensively,
and I think that's the biggest thing for
them because they have an array of talent
on the offensive end.
And I also want to give credit to
Angel because within these last two weeks,
I would say two weeks or so,
Within these last two weeks,
you could see her game literally growing
and you can see her literally developing
in real time.
Offensively,
we already know what she can do on
a defensive end and what she does on
the boards.
But offensively, like last game,
she was aggressively looking for her shot.
She was decisive in her moves.
She was patient before making her moves,
reading the defense and knowing how to
react.
And I think
that's been one of the biggest things with
Angel.
She tries to play bully ball and kind
of just, you know,
puts her shoulder and you throws it up
and hopes for a foul.
But this time she was actually, you know,
giving you some footwork,
taking her time and seeing if the double
team was coming or who was open.
You know what I'm saying?
Very underrated passer.
So I think that we are seeing her
improve in real time.
And I respect that.
And I just wanted to shout her out
for that.
And just in general,
like kind of like what Nick said,
piggybacking off of what he said about
Jordan Canada.
Yeah.
Like I told y'all, shut y'all asses up.
Like,
how many point guards can give you a
double-double?
She has the most double-doubles for point
guards this year.
Twelve and twelve.
Not to mention, she had no turnovers, too.
Hello?
Twelve and twelve.
Jordan Canada is responsible for
thirty-three percent of the dream scoring.
Like, in terms of setting the players up.
And again, I'm rarely wrong.
Just early sometimes.
But I told y'all,
Jordan Canada was going to be fine running
the offense.
Like,
I just don't understand where all this
unwanted hate came from.
Like, she's organizing the offense.
She's getting her teammates involved.
She's a menace on the defensive end.
She calls her number when it's needed.
Like,
she's one of the best point guards in
the league.
So I really just don't understand the
overrated or the, oh,
we need a better point guard, you know.
because I just don't get it.
Like,
I don't get exactly what people want over
Jordan.
Like,
she's giving you everything that you can
ask for a point guard to do, period.
Exactly.
And then also protecting the ball well
while doing that.
You know what I'm saying?
Hell,
Kaitlyn had five turnovers herself like a
couple games ago.
So, you know,
she had five in the third quarter in
that second game.
Oh, yeah, that's what it was.
That's what it was.
It was five in the third quarter.
So, she had seven turnovers,
but you have five.
Yeah.
Five in one quarter?
Five in one quarter is crazy.
It is crazy.
Look, most players get yanked.
That's what I'm saying.
That's her average this season in a game.
You did that in a quarter.
But most players get yanked after the
second or third turnover.
Like, all right, come sit down.
Exactly.
Get your bearings together.
And especially at that time, because,
I mean, at that time,
Atlanta already got control of the game
and they're going up double digits.
Right.
And that's that's literally when they
start taking over.
But, yeah, just overall,
I think I just also wanted to shout
out Rye and Alicia Gray just because,
you know,
they've been playing well the last week or
so.
And I know I spoke about their
inconsistency about two or three weeks ago
or probably two weeks ago.
But they've played well in the last couple
of games.
They shot the ball decent.
Everyone, it's really a win by committee.
Like all the starters had double digits
over there in Atlanta.
So they're just playing good basketball.
Of course, they have things to work on.
Like sometimes they come out a little slow
like they did in this game.
but they have showed me a lot of
resilience throughout the season.
And again,
this is a team that has their core
still together,
but Angel's a big piece that came in
and they're still trying to get her
acclimated.
And then they still have to add Bree
Jones into the mix.
And I think it'll be helpful because that
puts Nas back on the bench.
So that gives that score and punch that
you need off of the bench when Bree
Jones gets back, you know, back playing.
So I think overall Atlanta is looking
great on the Indiana side.
I mean, it starts on a defensive end.
That's really all I got for them.
Like it starts on a defensive end.
Caitlin has to do more off ball.
She just stands around.
And does nothing out there.
Like, literally just standing around.
And I think that they're actually – I
won't say they're better when she's off
ball, but they're better.
And we've talked about it ad nauseum on
this podcast.
They're better when Aaliyah Boston is
running the charge,
when she's getting the ball in the high
post and making decisions from there.
Whether it's, you know,
in the pick and roll with Kaitlyn.
Whether it's, you know –
a high low to whoever that's in the
paint.
I think that a big thing that people
aren't talking about is that four spot
that Natasha Howard had last year.
Indiana is really lacking that this year.
Like they're trying to figure out who's
the best, you know,
the best person to put there between Mo
Billings and Myisha Hines.
And like,
it's just not working.
They're not consistent.
Neither of them are consistent enough.
My should knock down a few threes the
other day, but like,
she's just not consistent enough.
And I think they're really missing that
four position because right now they're
really just relying on Caitlin,
Kelsey and AB.
Right.
Yeah.
Cause I mean, that's, that's,
that's just not their style of game is,
I mean, I mean, I get it.
I know that my Shahan is knocked down
a couple of threes more recently,
but that's, that's not her game.
Like,
You know what I'm saying?
Like,
you talk about a player like Natasha
Howard who really provides that,
who's been that throughout her career.
Like, you know,
being able to be an elite three-level
scorer, but then also, you know,
be able to bring some type of effort
on the defensive end with a length and
a size.
So, I mean, and I get it.
I mean,
I know that Myesha Hines-Allen is a very
impactful player whenever she's assertive.
Same thing with Monique Billings.
But they just don't bring to the table
what Natasha Howard brings.
And, I mean, hell,
you're seeing her right now with Minnesota
playing next to Olivia Miles and other
players.
So, yeah, they're definitely missing that.
But also another thing, too, because,
you know,
people are –
continuously trying to like call out
stephanie white and everything you know
saying she's a bad coach she said this
and this and that and i think to
myself i'm like do y'all not realize like
with stephanie white at the helm like they
were one win away from the wmba finals
They were literally pushing the Las Vegas.
I mean, hell,
they weren't even healthy last year.
You know what I'm saying?
They weren't even healthy last year.
You know what I'm saying?
Their starters were like Odyssey Sims,
obviously Leah Boston, Natasha Howard.
Kelsey Mitchell also went down in that
game five with the cramps.
And they were still pushing the Aces.
So if that doesn't show you good coaching,
then I don't know what does, honestly.
And I get it.
Obviously, not a fully healthy team.
You do have to adjust.
And I'm not going to say that Stephanie
White has been perfect throughout this
season,
but she's still a better option than
what's out there, if you ask me.
I don't know who else is out there.
For instance,
if they were to fire Stephanie White,
there's nobody else out there,
in my opinion,
that would really turn the team around.
The same energy they give to Stephanie
White is the same energy that Lynn Roberts
deserves.
I agree.
Nobody ever talks about her.
She just skates on by, being mid, mid,
mid, mid, mid, just skates on by.
Nate Tibbets, too.
We're going to be real, buddy.
Yep.
So...
One player I wanted to call out on
the fever, and that's Lexi Hall.
Because, sweetheart,
what have we been doing here?
Because you have not been productive.
And you're in the starting lineup,
which you're hindering the team because
you're not being productive enough to help
create for everybody else on the squad.
But the thing is, they need her defense.
I wanted to call that one out.
That's the thing.
She's one of the only...
I had something pinned in my head.
Can you hear me, Wiley?
I should have wrote it down just so
I could remember.
I don't think they hear you.
Just yapping.
I don't think they hear you.
Yeah, we can hear you now.
He was talking all over the low.
No,
we were asking you to hear us because
we was talking and you was just going.
Oh,
my bad because my phone was ringing and
so I had my earbuds was just going.
It's all good.
I was just saying that with Lexi,
you know,
they have to keep her on the floor
because she's one of their best defenders
and they can't defend.
And the thing is,
she's not even playing great defense,
but that's what they have.
You know what I'm saying?
That's what they have.
So they have to kind of keep her
on the floor,
even though she's not really contributing
offensively,
just simply because they don't have a lot
of defensive players out there.
Yeah, and that's the thing.
They're kind of juggling with that wing
position because it's like Lexi Hull's
bringing the defense,
but also Sophie Cunningham's bringing the
offense,
especially with her shooting at a high
level.
But it's like you said,
you would think a player like Lexi Hull
could thrive being able to shoot the ball
at a high level,
playing next to both Kayla Clark,
Aaliyah Balls, and even Raven Johnson,
too, with certain liners,
but
I don't know.
Like,
that's honestly always been her thing,
though,
is that it's her inconsistency from the
perimeter.
Like, she has, like,
she's had seasons where she actually shot
the ball well.
But then she's also had seasons where she
can't buy a basket.
And I just don't understand why.
Like, I mean,
I feel like she could get a lot
of quality looks.
But I don't know.
It's just, you know,
I think her trying to find that
consistency shooting the basketball is
going to really help Indiana,
especially offensively,
if she can knock down shots.
But, you know,
we'll just have to see if she can
be able to find her shot.
Yeah,
I'm actually looking at the numbers now
because Aaliyah Boston,
like from the eye test,
it doesn't look good.
Just based on how she's been playing the
last couple of games.
But I mean, according to the stats,
I mean, she's playing pretty good.
Sixteen point six points, eight points.
eight point six rebounds and two point six
assists per game.
I'm looking now just to compare it to
what it was last year.
She's averaging less minutes this year,
but she's averaging more points,
more about a little bit more rebounds.
Her shooting percentage is down.
That's why.
Okay.
She's shooting a three better,
forty two percent.
But her shooting percentage,
she's usually at fifty plus percent.
She's at forty eight right now.
So, yeah, I guess it's like for us,
like for us,
we had higher expectations just because we
saw this past year in arrival.
Exactly.
I mean,
like you look at what you look at
what she did in arrival.
She was one of the top players in
the league and she was killing it,
honestly.
And now it's like it's like you said,
I mean, the numbers don't look bad.
Like,
but when you look at it on the
floor, like, yes,
she is still making an impact.
I'm not going to say that she's been
bad, but I don't know.
Like to me,
like we expected more dominance from a
player like Aaliyah Boston.
Like, you know what I'm saying?
Like, like, I mean,
I think you said this before, too.
Like, I think like you said,
she was like one of the best post
players in the league besides Asia or
something like that.
Yeah.
So the best back to the back.
Yeah.
Exactly.
So it was like I said to me,
I don't think she's been playing horrible,
but it's just not up to the standards
or expectations that we had on her because
of how well she's like she's continued to
progress over the years.
Absolutely.
I think it's because we're used to seeing
her improve each year.
And granted,
we see her step out and shoot the
three a lot more this year.
So she has improved in that aspect.
But like,
I think I was just expecting to feel
her impact a little bit more this year.
And again, it's only what,
We still got half a season, you know,
left essentially.
So she could turn it up.
You know,
some teams turn it up after all-star
break.
She could turn it up.
I mean,
I think Indiana is a playoff team
regardless.
I think they'll get their act together.
But, I mean,
they got some things to work on for
sure.
Cause you also say that,
cause I know that she was hurt like
towards the end of arrival season.
Do you think that that might be still
lingering?
That's what people were saying that it
could be, you know,
her leg injury could still be kind of
lingering.
But she's missing a lot of chippies too.
Like that's that we,
that we're used to her making.
So I'm not sure,
but we all know that Aaliyah Boston is
the hardest critic on herself, you know,
harder than anyone could ever be on her.
So I'm sure she also wants to play
a little bit better than when she's
playing.
not a hundred percent honestly i mean it's
like you said i mean you know we're
still early in the season there's still a
lot more basketball to be played um and
it means like you said i mean especially
like you know coming back from also
breaking me you start seeing teams and
players turn things up a notch so maybe
that might be the case for alia boston
but it's like i said i mean she's
not playing horrible but to me like
especially like with how skilled and how
excellent she is at playing basketball
like i i just i just expect more
from her that's just me right yeah but
But, I mean,
we can dive into this next team since
you're the homer here.
The Washington Mystics have actually been
playing really good basketball as of
recently.
I think they're ranked eighth right now.
I think they're the AC right now,
I want to say, in the WNBA.
But grabbed two really big wins.
First one was against the Liberty on the
road.
And then on Sunday,
they were able to grab a win against
the Lynx.
That's actually probably the more
impressive thing is that they're finding
ways to win on the road, honestly.
And obviously Sonya Citroen has been,
you know, one of the,
one of the focal points behind their
success so far.
Same thing with Kiki Iria Finn,
Shakira Austin and others.
So I'll go and give it to you
though.
Like what has been your thoughts on the
Mystics as of recent?
I don't think it's a coincidence that the
Mystics have beaten two tough opponents
because in their last five games,
they've been locked in defensively,
and I think that's been the biggest
difference.
When I looked it up in the last
five games,
they've been ranked third in overall
defensive rating.
So they went from like eight or nine
to like third.
And I think that's really been the biggest
difference.
We're also seeing bench scoring in one of
the last games.
I think it was against Minnesota,
actually,
where Cody McMahon came off the bench and
scored, I think,
fifteen points or something like that.
She's looked pretty good.
And it's really just I'll call them the
big three.
But I'm even leave Shakira out of this
respectfully.
What do they call them?
Kitron, Kiki.
Yeah, something like that, yeah.
Yeah, like Kiki and Sonya.
I mean, they have just showed out.
They have played better than I anticipated
them playing this early in their career.
Sonya is a superstar,
and she's going to be good in this
league for a very long time.
Kiki is a superstar,
and she's going to be good in this
league for a very long time.
When you're talking about Kiki,
you can see the improvement from last
year.
She's stretching the floor more this year.
She's already taken more threes so far
this year than she did all of last
year,
which is just creating more space for
Sonia and Shakira to operate.
She's reading defenses coverages better,
and I think that's been one of the
biggest things.
She's not holding on to the ball as
long.
She's adjusting based on what the defense
is giving her.
She's decisive in her moves.
And I think another big thing about Kiki
in general is just her late-game
confidence.
In several games that the Mystics have
won,
Kiki has hit very big shots or grabbed
a big rebound to kind of seal the
deal for them.
And I think just with time and her
just maturing and just, you know,
the game essentially slowing down for her,
we can just see her growth, like,
And this is all I ever asked for,
like with these players,
like with Kiki and even Sonya, right?
You can literally see their improvement
from the previous year.
Like you can tell that they work on
their craft.
And it's just nice to see because the
Mystics have a very, very, very,
very young core.
And I think Sonya is showing everyone that
she can be that go-to player.
She can be the star of the team.
And again, this isn't a contender.
Do I think that they'll beat some teams
and shake shit up?
Absolutely.
But I think they have a great foundation.
And like I said, Sonya,
one of my favorite things about Sonya is
just her shot selection.
She rarely takes bad shots.
Like she gets to her spot.
She knows how to go downhill.
She can catch and shoot.
She finishes with contact at the rim.
Like it's really not a lot of negatives
in Sonya's game, to be honest with you.
And I think right now that big three
with Shakira added in there,
they're just clicking on the right
cylinder.
I'm not too happy about the point guard
position.
I've been very adamant about that.
I've been very vocal about that.
even going back to last year getting
Georgia Amor I just wasn't sold because I
thought she was overrated at Kentucky I
think she played well within her system
but I didn't see her game translating to
the WNBA much so to get her as
high as they did was head scratching and
then to turn around and draft Rory Harmon
and this is no disrespect because I think
Rory's a feisty player I think that
you know, she works hard, she plays hard,
but the league is changing where guards
are five, ten now and five,
eleven and six feet, six, one.
And so where we see smaller guards being
able to dominate or smaller guards being
able to
fit into WNBA systems I think that's going
to quickly change because everyone's just
getting taller hell you see Dom six six
you know bringing the ball down now and
you so we were seeing the the change
of the guard as they say where it's
no longer going to be little guards you
know what I'm saying I think the last
little guard we're probably going to have
is Hannah and after that
I don't know.
But I'm just not a fan of small
guards in the WNBA anymore just because of
how big everyone is in general.
And so I think that in the offseason,
they're really going to have to take a
long look at the point guard situation and
figure that out so that Sonya can focus
on, you know,
being that go-to player and main player.
So I'm happy with what they're doing now.
and um it's good foundational pieces i
still wanted you to come there but you
know it is that's funny um i'll say
this like sky fans i told y'all
Like, you know what I'm saying?
Because they wanted to be on my ass
whenever they traded the third overall
pick.
They were saying, oh, well,
this draft is not going to be that
great and everything.
And now, look,
Sonya Citron is hooping in D.C.
And Chicago could have had that.
Did you think she was going to be
this good this quick?
i did not gonna lie i did and
i think honestly i mean we we just
didn't really see like her full like her
full potential at notre dame especially
when you're playing next to olivia miles
and hannah hidalgo like she was the third
option on the team like she was more
of a spot of shooter now look she
did have some golden moments like i
remember there was a game that they played
against um nc state she hit like a
clutch bucket the fourth overtime so you
know we like we've obviously seen the
confidence in sonja citron but we just
weren't able to really see her as like
the real focal point on the offensive end.
And I think now over the past couple
of years,
we've seen that with the mystics and she's
really taken advantage of it.
Honestly.
I mean, her and Kiki together, like,
like that's a bright future for them.
Honestly.
I mean,
I know that Shakira has played well as
a recent, but just don't just,
just really those two in particular,
honestly,
like they just play with a lot of
confidence.
Like they both came out the gates from
the rookie year on and just, you know,
shown that they can compete in this league
and they're not slowing down anytime soon.
Honestly, I mean, hell, I mean,
Sonya hit that game where I think it
was like a week or two ago.
So one player a week.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
As well.
One player a week as well.
So I really liked the missings.
And I mean,
and I definitely agree with you when you
talk about the point guard position,
because I mean,
I even talked about it too.
Like they wanted to put Georgia a more
as the starting point guard, but I'm like,
to me, when you look at the Mystics,
your best players is your winging,
your post players.
So it's like you're going to need a
guard that's going to really initiate the
half court.
And Georgia Amor is good,
don't get me wrong,
but we've always known her to be a
scoring point guard,
whether she was at Virginia Tech or even
a couple years ago when she was at
Kentucky.
So I knew that that wasn't really going
to fit out really well.
And then even Rory Harmon as well.
I love Rory Harmon.
I love the competitiveness that she brings
to the table,
but she's just not that type of point
guard, honestly.
So
That's going to be one of the bigs.
I think they have another point guard.
I don't remember her name off the top
of my head,
but I know that she's been playing well
as a reason.
I can't remember her name exactly,
but that's going to be like one of
the biggest.
The girl from overseas?
I think so, yeah.
I can't remember her name off the top
of my head,
but that's going to be probably one of
the biggest things is, you know,
finding a quality point guard who can
really run that team, honestly,
because like I said, I mean,
You're going to have a lot of times
where you're running the game through your
post players, especially with Kiki,
Shakira, all sitting there.
Of course,
you put in Lauren Betts into the system.
So, you know,
you're going to have the need.
You're going to need a solid point guard.
Now, look, like,
I will give credit to other players as
well.
Like,
I think Cody McMahon had a really strong
showing against the Lynx the other night
as well.
Like,
I really love the confidence that she's
brought to this team.
Career high.
Yeah, career high, so.
It's really only a matter of time before
the Mystics really show us that they're
one of the top teams in the league.
Honestly, yes,
it's going to still take some time.
They're going to go through some learning
curves,
but what I've been seeing so far has
been really incredible from the Mystics,
man.
Don't start it, Steph.
I told you to come with your homework.
If you're coming, come with your homework.
I'm staying out of that.
I'm staying out of it.
Nick,
I think you were talking about Felicia
Lopez
I think that is, yeah.
Flores, Flores, Flores.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Alicia Flores.
I'm with y'all when it comes to George
A. Moore.
Like you're just from a short one,
one short person to another.
you're you're a little vertically
challenged for the position especially
like you said the way this game is
starting to transition where your point
she also can't defend no she cannot no
she cannot and she picks the ball up
a lot i'm like as a point guard
you have to keep your dribble ma'am like
you and you pick it she picks it
up in the bed the most terrible spots
um
I feel like Lauren Betts needs more time
on the floor.
That's just me.
and probably because I've,
I've got to see her.
I got to see her quite a bit,
you know, within the last few months.
So, and I think she, she's a,
she's a pretty good center.
She's some, again, I,
especially with this young core,
I think that she,
she's a good piece to,
to incorporate in to,
to play alongside Kiki and, and Sonia.
But again, I'm not the head coach.
Here we go.
I just think they just upgrade over
Georgia a more,
or do I need to give more grace,
especially with her coming back from a
knee injury?
I mean, listen, that's true.
We do have to consider her coming back
from a knee injury.
However, comma, I just don't see it.
Yeah.
For either of those players, to be honest,
I don't think,
You're not trying to build a contender or
a team.
You're not even trying to get foundational
pieces and then bring Deja in.
I'm just so sorry.
Like another small guard that's like,
I mean, yeah,
stay in the league that you're in.
I think it's best suited.
respectfully i'm not saying the thing is
i'm not i don't think she's a bad
player i think that she's i think that
she can hoop i just think that i
just think that it's levels to it the
wmba project b upshot whatever whatever
the league like it's levels to it and
it's just at in terms of a wmba
level god bless
I mean,
and we've talked about this before.
So the thing is,
if Deja was good enough,
she would be in the W. Like,
let's just keep it a buck.
If she was good enough... I mean,
we'll see in the next couple of years.
Maybe she'll make one of the expansion
teams.
As long as it's not on my team.
I'm trying to win,
not do high girl hoops.
Right.
But I'm...
Like I said,
I was high on the Mystics just from
the look at the roster,
how young they are,
and just on the strength that I felt
like they would be a fun team to
watch.
And they have started to hit their stride
a little bit, three-game winning streak.
So, hey.
I'm all for it in whatever,
however they look moving forward.
Hopefully they can continue this trend
moving forward throughout the season.
Again, still a lot of season left,
so we'll see how that goes.
Before we go to Fit Check,
I need them to shop Shakira around and
see what they can get for that contract.
I was going to ask you about that.
I never understood why they signed her for
a three-year deal or why they even matched
Toronto.
They should have just let her go to
Toronto.
They should have just let her go to
Toronto.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Worst case scenario,
they could have quartered her and saw how
Lauren Betts did off the bench just to
see if they needed to give her a...
an extension or a full contract after
that.
But when Lauren Betts actually gets
minted, she's producing.
I hate that they don't play her as
much as I would like because they are
so heavy in the front court.
But I think that before the trade
deadline,
they should look to see what they can
get for Shakira.
And whether that's a point guard,
whether that's somebody else that can
shoot, they should see.
And this is no knock to her because
she's playing great.
but they should see what they can get
from her for her i should say i
would honestly love to see shakira on a
playoff contender now to see like how she
could produce i mean not like being like
a top two or three option honestly i
mean just being a solid role player for
them like i don't know like i would
love to see her on like a playoff
contender right now who could possibly use
her i don't know so like who
damn it i didn't want you to ask
me that but uh oh let me see
i'm trying to think too yeah i don't
i don't i mean atlanta like she would
have been perfect she would have been
perfect in um for dallas she would have
been perfect that was yeah that was lana
smith out she would have been perfect
there she could still be perfect there now
honestly oh we don't want lana i'm so
sorry
I'm talking about like a trade.
I'm talking about like,
maybe like if it was like free agency
or something.
God, that look like, nah, nah, nah.
But that would have been,
that would have been literally perfect
because they paying Alana probably.
She made, she, she,
I think she was signed a million dollar
deal.
I think, I think she's at them.
They making about the same amount anyway.
So that would have been perfect.
I'm trying to think who else.
Phoenix is in the dumpster right now.
Phoenix, yeah.
We're not going to even go there.
The Spartans already got too many post
players anyways.
I would say Toronto,
even though they're not a contender right
now,
but she probably should have signed there.
They're competitive.
Yeah,
that would have been an interesting
dynamic.
I think, honestly,
her and Yara could have played well
together.
I agree.
I agree.
I know that they're running things.
I know they got Timmy starting, but
all these million dollar players out here
but yeah yeah we about to wrap this
up so we can get to this game
y'all but time for you look at so
i can shower oh yeah uh of course
time for you for everybody's favorite
segment best damn fit check
Oh, boy.
What are you in for today?
I'm trying to gather myself because off
the rip.
That's how you know some of this.
Oh, hell no.
Yo, why did Satu do this?
Why are we in Matilda's closet?
Bro, it is.
It's summertime, dog.
I know it's too hot.
Why are we in Matilda's closet?
I know Germany is out here flourishing in
the World Cup and all this stuff,
but why are we doing this?
What is going on here?
Like, there's a lot going on.
Like...
I don't understand.
That is such a German fit.
Like straight up.
It's a zero for me, dog.
Yeah, it's a zero.
I'm sorry.
This is nasty.
She's going to rack up all the zeros.
Yeah, it's bad.
I mean, now... Hold up.
And you followed this from last week's
fit.
Last week's fit, you...
Was nice, it was perfect, wasn't too much.
And then you, all right.
I don't get it.
I don't hate it.
I don't hate it either.
I'll give it like a six.
Yeah, I'm with you, six.
It's simple.
I'll give it.
Not too out the way.
Yeah.
I'll give it six, seven.
We got seven, seven.
Felicia, we're not doing this.
We're not doing this.
You said negative zero, I'm crying.
Very German.
We're not doing this.
Good old Jackie.
I felt like she's done this before.
Jackie always gonna have that stomach out.
That's one thing I know about her.
She always gonna have a crappiano on.
I'm over the school girl look,
but I'll give it a six.
I'll give it a six as well.
I don't hate it, but...
I don't hate it either.
And she tried to do a little pose.
Okay, Jackie.
Y'all know how I feel about school girl
look.
Why is it such a trend of the
W, though?
Like, everybody's doing it.
Like, not everybody,
but a lot of players are doing it.
I don't know.
I'm with BB, man.
I'm going to give it a five.
The bust down, bust down, though.
That wig on that scalp tight, baby.
Tight.
It is.
That thing laid, boy.
Clean part.
If you're going to wear it,
make sure that shit laid.
I love it.
I'm sick of looking at Jack.
Hey, it's summertime, Felicia.
It's hot out there in Vegas, man.
She look like she going to work.
Look, you said.
She is.
Very clean look.
I'm not mad at it.
Why does she kind of look like Caitlyn
here?
Kind of.
She kind of does.
Whoa.
It's the dark hair.
Yeah.
And then like the head shape too.
Sorry.
Yes.
Yeah.
I'm going.
I'm not a fan of the shoes,
so I'm going six.
I give a solid seven.
I'll go six as well.
You got a lot of sixes today.
It is.
A lot of sixes.
Cuz I mean, some fits ain't been bad,
but they ain't been great either.
You're right.
No.
Last but not least, Alicia Clark.
I'm going four.
I give her five.
It's not bad.
It's simple.
It's a simple look.
I think those are,
she got on some heels, Felicia.
I can tell you that.
I think with those wide type of pants
to wear open toe heels is kind of
insane.
Like the pants are too wide for open
toe heels.
They are.
I'll go five as well.
I mean, again, simple, not too crazy.
That tattoo must be of her dad.
I've never seen that before.
It must be newish.
Might be, yeah.
Ain't nobody get an eight or nothing.
Six, five, six.
Everybody's mid on the road.
That's funny.
Everybody's mid on the road.
But that's all I got for the best
damn fit check.
As we close this thing out,
I will leave it to y'all.
Do y'all have anything for the people
before we shut it down?
Man, subscribe everywhere.
YouTube, Substack.
We're working constantly.
Recovering a lot of hoops.
It's not too disappointing.
We've had enough.
Listen, dog.
I couldn't pass that one up.
I'm sorry.
Actually, you know what?
We're going to put that one on Felicia
because she's the one that sent it to
me.
Now Felicia's sending stuff.
I'm crying.
She hit me up immediately.
Felicia's setting that girl up.
I see what you're doing, Felicia.
Felicia got ulterior motives.
I'm crying.
Felicia, I appreciate it.
The Liberty Up.
You want to get this thing a bow?
but yes sir as always please like share
subscribe tell a friend tell a friend tell
a grandma and them to pull up hit
the QR code hit the QR code like
excuse me like Nick said get all the
socials YouTube please go and like the
page share this episode put us in the
algorithm as Jay always say hey y'all real
quick everybody make sure y'all pull up to
Chicago next month man it's gonna be a
time
It's going to be a time, man.
It's going to be a time.
W ain't stopping us, man.
It's going to be a fucking time.
It's going to be fun.
Damn, you threw me off.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Linktree.
Hit the QR code.
I don't have anything else.
We love y'all.
We appreciate y'all.
We will be back next week.
And hopefully Jay will be back next week.
Yes, Erski.
But we'll highlight y'all.
Y'all be safe.
Be Black.