August 20, 2025 • 52 mins
On this episode of Full Circle, Lexie Brown and Mariah Rose check in on Q4 of the WNBA. The Lynx have already clinched their playoff spot, but the race is getting tighter for the rest of the league. They cover the MVP race, the Aces rebounding from their slump, and how injuries are impacting the Fever with news breaking of Sophie Cunningham’s injury.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Full Circle is an Iheartwoman's sports production in partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all,
welcome back to another episode of the Full Circle Podcast.
(00:20):
I'm Mariah Rose, and I'm here with Lexi Brown.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Lexi, how you everybuddy?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm good.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
We are in Q four officially of the WNBA season.
I think every team has like nine or ten games left.
We have nine starting today. We are in Chicago. Yeah,
you know, just out here vibing, guys. I'm still eleven
points away from a thousand.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
That was two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
We need Lexi to get her a thousand.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
That two weeks ago, guys, two weeks ago, I've gotten
four straight dnps. You know, two weeks ago, I thought
it was very a very obtainable goal to get my
life eleven points, even before like the very end of
the season, like the last few games.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
But now I don't know. I'm not so. I'm not
so sure. But well that's out of your control, right.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
But outside of that, vibes are good. I feel great,
I'm healthy, I'm living life still.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
How are you doing. I'm doing great.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I can't believe we're already in Q four. I feel
like the season flew.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I feel like, yeah, Q three, we didn't even acknowledge
that we were in Q three. So if you guys
are not keeping up with the Q ones, we have
forty four games, so every eleven games was another quarter,
so we didn't really tap in during Q three. For
us personally, we had a very rough Q three, So
that's probably why we kind of like, we're like, all right,
(01:46):
let's just get to Q four and figure this out.
But there's a lot of teams moving around up and down,
positive negative like this last few weeks of the season,
like we said, is going to be so exciting.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So where do where do we want to start?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
First?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
We want to start with first.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Let's start Okay, well we'll set the scene. So obviously,
as Lexi so beautifully highlighted by calling it Q four,
we have four weeks left in the regular season, so
the playoff race is tightening. The Links have already clinched
their playoff spot, which duh, they have been running through
this season with no hurdles, and the real drama is
(02:26):
within the two to five spots and the battle for
six to eight with five teams fighting for just three
playoff berths, so like to clinch. Okay, I've split the teams, Lexi.
I don't know if you like like doing it this way.
I've split the teams into tiers, Okay, So like we'll
talk about the first couple of tiers that really are
(02:47):
in battle right now. So tier one we have the
Minnesota Links obviously clinch the playoffs. They're three and zero
against New York, which is wild still doing well without
a FISA colliear Djna is fitting in seamlessly. Uh, Lexi,
(03:08):
what have been your takeaways with the Links?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Obviously? I feel like we're saying literally.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
About them over and over now.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
We really don't even have anything. I don't have anything
else to add about the Links. We all have been
watching them dominate this entire season, and their cohesiveness is
so hard to defend, and it's hard to scout against
because you never know which one of them is going
to pop off and go for thirty because that's exactly
what they've been doing. Came up, will go for thirty,
(03:32):
and then you're like, all right, let's shut down Kmack. Okay,
here come Corney going for thirty. Okay, let's shut down
Courtney Alana Smith going wake.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Up one day, go for thirty.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
You know, Bridget Carlton, will you know hit five threes
and you'll look up and be like, when, when the
hell does she get twenty points? It's because she's a
knockdown shooter.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I think that as good as they're playing, this has been.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Very, very bad for her fees VP birth because we
have a lot of players, not a lot, I'll say
two players creeping up on her in the MVP race.
But the way that the Links have just been dominant
without their best player has been impressive. But I do
feel for a fee because now I'm like, I don't
(04:17):
we thought it was a runaway MVP and it absolutely
is not anymore. But like you mentioned, they are three
and zero against the Liberty, with their most recent wins
eighty to eighty six and eighty three to seventy one.
They play today actually in New York. Kennedy Burke is back,
but Stewie is still out. I predict that I don't know,
(04:38):
it's hard to beat the team four times. So just
based on the law of averages, the Liberty at home
could maybe steal.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
One, but they have five losses.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
The Links they don't lose often, no matter what the
law of averages say, so I think this is going
to be a really important game for the Liberty.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I think the Links.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Now remember last year when the Celtics were like so
ahead of everybody, they just started doing shit like with
their lineups and their defenses and their coverages.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I can see like.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
The Links maybe doing something like that, getting all of
their bench players ready for the playoffs, throw some new
schemes in, maybe run some new offenses that they haven't
ran before. Like, they have a whole month to really
just get ready for the playoffs because they're going to
be the number one seed unless something crazy happens, which
I don't predict that happening, but they are absolutely going
(05:31):
to be the one seed.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
So it's gonna be fun to just watch.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
What the Links do with this last month of season
that really doesn't matter to them at all, but they
can do something really special with this record, because I
can't remember the last team that lost five or less games,
So we'll see if they can carry that into the postseason.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
We'll see.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Speaking of the Liberty.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Stewie is practicing, but she's still listed US out. They're
targeting a return before August twenty seventh. We talked about
Emma coming to the Liberty and how awesome that is
and how, oh my god, this great team is just
getting greater or lucky for them, thank god, she's stepping
up big keeping them afloat. Their recent wins have only
been against losing teams, or they've they've lost some winning
(06:16):
teams as well, but like recently they've they've been weird. Lexie,
can you make some sense as to what's going on
with the liver injuries?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
I mean, I think as simple as that, I think
Sabrina has taken a lot of the pressure scoring wise.
You know, JJ has been in and out, and she's
the type of player that she's like a rhythm player.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
She's a rhythm shooter. She's a rhythm scorer.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
And because she's a center, shist to depend a lot
on her guards getting her the ball. So that's that's
why I'm glad I'm not a post player, because having
to depend on other people to get me the ball,
even at zigar position is frustrating. So I can't even
imagine what it's like for a post acclimating a new
player like Emma also takes time. But like you said,
she's come in and made her mark early. But once
(07:02):
they get healthy, I mean, I think they're going to
be fine. You know, toash Cloud, I think, you know,
as good as she started in the season, she kind
of was in and out with injuries, and I think, again,
she's a new player on a new team, and I
think she spoiled the Liberty fans at the beginning with
her energy and how seamless she seemed to fit in
with that team. But then you know, the ups and
downs of a season come along, and being a point guard,
(07:24):
you know, the ship goes with you, and she's new,
she's new to this team, so they're just still trying
to figure it out.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
But I'm not worried.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
The only thing I'm worried about them is them falling
out of the top four, which is possible, but obviously
they're going to be a playoff team and once they're healthy,
they're going to be scary. So if they do happen
to fall out of the top four, that is not
a team I want to see first round in the playoffs,
with the with them having a chip on their shoulder,
not having home court, advantage and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, I still have them as a tier Tier one team,
so hopefully they get it together.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
But they are not in second place anymore. No, they're not.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
The Atlanta Dream are twenty two to twelve and now
second in standings. They're seven and one in the last
eight games. Ryan Howard is back, Alicia Gray has been
being strong BG coming off the bench. Some Jordan Canada
is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Let's see.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Shout out to the Dream because I you know what,
I think people forget that the Dream have had been
like very like solidified in the top of the league,
like in the early two twenty tens, like Angel mccattree days.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I remember being in high school going to Eastern.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Conference finals back that was back when they had conferences
guys Eastern Conference Finals, watching Angel mccawtrey with a Dream
like they've always been like a really really good organization.
They just haven't been able to, you know, finish the
job with any championships.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
So, you know, growing up in Atlanta, it.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Is awesome seeing the Dream, you know, having this type
of season their games, even though they're in a small arena.
They do be lit, they're packed, they're fun. I really
do enjoy playing in Atlanta. We've got to play them
twice last week, so we're one of We gave them
their one loss in the last eight games, but we
literally played them in Seattle, and then two days later
(09:18):
played them in Vancouver, which shout out to Vancouver.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
That game was so much fun that it was so fun.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
I did not play in either one of those games,
but what I did get to do in Vancouver was
they had like Maybeline is their w BA Toronto or
w BA Canada.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
It's like one of their big sponsors.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
So they had like this beauty suite set up in
the hotel. So I got to go and get my
makeup done and do some content with the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Canada And then I assumed I wasn't gonna play that night,
so I kept the makeup on during the game.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
I got to look real beautiful, gorgeous. During the game.
On the bench, you said, if I'm gonna be sitting here,
I'm pretty you.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Know, thank you. What I'm saying is so funny.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
You know, in the NBA they have like the guys
that they say, oh, y'all, you not playing today, so like,
just wear your regular clothes on the bench.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Sometimes I wish that I had they had that.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Conversation with me because I would much rather be sitting
there playing zero minutes in a fit than in my
damn jersey. Like, y'all let me know that. Oh you're
not playing tonight, you can stay right. I'm like, all right, guys,
it's been four games. Please, But like you said, we're
(10:37):
always staying ready. That's our job, we know, but it
would be nice to just be cute on the bench
instead of just sitting there.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
You look cute in your uniform.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yes, I'll be seeing you.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Thank you girls. But yeah, back to Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Your your proof of basketball play.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
I was like, let me go find some action pictures,
but far and wide for those. But anyways, back to Atlanta.
They look really good. Ryan looks back really healthy. Last
time we played them, like, which was like a month
over a month ago, she had a really big knee
brace on.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
That's going.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Now, she's moving well, she's shooting the ball well. And
then Leisha is just being herself. She's doing great. And
then yeah, we were able to steal a win against them,
which was really great. It was down to the wire
again versus the Dream.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Thought that that would be, you know.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Kind of a momentum builder for us, but then we
turned around and lost to Phoenix the other day. But
I think, like I said last week, Coach of the
Year could go to the Dream coach. He has them
hitting on all cylinders. NAS being in the starting lineup
has also been really good for them, my Caldwell stepping
up while Jordan Canada is out Pow pow coming in
(11:51):
giving them solid minutes. So they're a really well rounded team.
And they have a very underrated bench as well, led
by nos Helman who's now starting, but she's going to
be six Women of the Year. They're going to finish
top four. So shout out to the Dream. I know
you're happy about that because you.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Get to go. I'm so happy you get to go
stunt at the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Oh my god, it's going to be legendary.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Know that, you know that, But ain't no stunning if
if we're losing, So so Dream lock in because yeah,
I hate when I when I pull out a fit
and I'm at the game, especially in Atlanta, because those
teams actually care about Like I'm a I'm a I'm
a side sometimes Warriors fan, and that's like less serious
to me. But in Atlanta with our teams, if I'm
at the game in a fit, I'm posting, I'm.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Doing the most, and then we lose everyone's whole thing.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
So I would say the Dream Games, the Dream Games
feel like the club because it's like it's so games,
and so the Falcons games, it's a little dark in there,
like people are just in there chilling and vibing, like
it really gives club. And if you ever been out
in Atlanta, you'll know what I.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Mean by that, because it feels like a club in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Oh, Atlanta is so lit.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
All of our teams are the Brave, the Falcons, the
dream everybody, Like all of the games are insane. But
the energy in Atlanta is so underrated when our teams
are winning because we don't get a lot of that,
and I would love to have.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Yeah, when y'all are winning, y'all do the most.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
And when we're losing, the city is quiet.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, the Falcons were in the super Bowl. Wasn't wait?
Was that when the fuck? Yes?
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Yes, yep, Dad, Tom Brady, Yeah, I remember because my
mom was telling me She's like, oh my god, like,
can we because we're Patriots fans?
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Right, My mom was like, can they act like they
I didn't know that, yeah, Boston, you know, girl, we
were Patriots fans. So my mom was like, oh my god.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Everybody in Atlanta like, can we can y'all act like
y'all been here before?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Mom? They haven't. They're not like us in New England.
They don't understand. They don't understand.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
We were up like twenty seven to three and Brady
todm Brady and ruined my whole super band, and so
I hope that the same thing doesn't happen with my
number two, and then I get my heart broken. I
need I need momentum to continue and carry us through
the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I really do want to see new teams get to
the semi finals, like I obviously want the Link I don't.
I shouldn't say that because I'm still playing. I want
us to get to the finals, but the Links getting
to the finals seems very likely, but I would like
to see another team get there too. I mean, honestly,
if the Links don't get to the finals, I think
(14:37):
that would be very spicy and fun for the w
We've seen it happen before, so this playoffs is going
to be very interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
How many more t you have in your Tier one?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Tier one is done?
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Here one is done.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Well, we're only going to discuss Tier two and Tier
three unless you have something really important to say about
Tier four.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I can assume you know who those teams are.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
No, we can leave Tier four because we're getting into playoffs,
so it's time and like, no need to be a
dead horse. A Tier two are my potential contenders. Okay,
Tier one is like contenders, Tier two potential.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
We're starting with.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
The Las Vegas Aces, who are twenty one and fourteen.
They have won seven straight, which is their best stretch
of the season in the time that they needed it most.
Thank god, Jewel was moved to the bench July twenty seventh,
and the Aces.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Have been nine and one since.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
They have had some additions that have boosted their rebounding.
Asia had the first time for thirty twenty that we
already discussed thirty four versus Dallas, and now her MVP
case is heating up.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Sure is, man, I'm telling you you gotta hurry back.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Girl.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Asia is on that ass. Actually At is on your ass.
And then ASA's on AT's ass. But Fia, they coming
for you. I think that people wanted to dismiss the
Aces so early, and I thought that was very disrespectful
from the fans, from people who watched the w the
(16:27):
fact that Asia Wilson and Chelsea Gray, who is arguably
one of the best point guards to ever play, Jackie Young,
who I will throw in the conversation as very underrated,
with Kelsey Mitchell, this is still your core. Then you
have Juwel Lloyd, who is now your fourth option, who's
been a number one option, number two option on multiple
(16:48):
championship teams in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Why would you think that that.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Team was just gonna roll over and be like, you
know what, We're just gonna figure this out next year.
Like I said, when you bring in a player like
Jewel Lloyd, it's gonna take some time to figure out
where she's going to get her shot.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
But to be no, no, to be fair, it was
giving role over.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
It was it was it never.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
They had some games where what was it? How how
many did they be? It was something crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
That's to Minnesota, Lexi, And that was clearly that that
loss gave them a kick in the ass because they
have been a different team since that fifty point loss
at home was crazy, like they must have just had
they was just having a bad day or something, because
I've never seen anything like that before. But I feel
like the move of Jewel to the bench was the
(17:43):
best thing that could have ever happened.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Her minutes didn't.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
Really change, like she's still playing the same amount of minutes,
but she's getting her shots when she comes in with
the second unit. She's the priority on the floor. And
that's what coaches do. They manipulate things to be.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
To fit the majority.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Like they don't just pick and choose one or two
players that they're like, okay, well we're as long as
these two whatever, Like nothing else is going to change
because we got to make sure that these two are
good or these three are good. Like I'm sure Jewel
she said that she volunteered to go to the bench,
but I know, like inside Jewels like damn, like I
don't want to be coming off the bench. But like
her season has turned around also, But yeah, they're nine
(18:25):
and one since she was moved to the bench, and
she's been playing much much better coming off the bench
with that second unit being a priority as you know,
their spark off the bench. Kirsten Bell has filled in
that starting role beautifully.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
You know, people were really you.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Know, getting on her early in the season as well,
which I also thought was very weird, and she handled
it with so much grace and class and just kept
working and got her opportunity to be in the starting
lineup and they've been nine to one since.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
So I'm really happy for KB.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
I think that I said, when the Aces are good,
the league is at a better place, and they gone,
they can mess around and finish top four and get
home court advantage. And if anybody knows anything about the
Aces arena, that's a very hard place to win.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
So y'all doubted, y'all doubted, then.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Lexie, I have a question, So if if her minutes
jewels minutes have been pretty much the same since she
was moved to the bench, nine to one is.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
A big jump.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
So I'm curious, just getting a new look to start
the game, how is that is it? Because she's coming
up with the second unit and she could be more
of a priority with the second unit and like not
have to play I guess Batman and Robin Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
With in Asia Art something.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Like that, and I think just Asia, I mean Asia,
Chelsea and Jackie have just such great chemistry already, and
I think inserting Jewel kind of disrupted that a little
bit because they are very selfless players, Like you don't
win championships if you don't have selfless players on your team.
So I think they were going above and beyond to
(20:05):
get Jewel acclimated, to get Jewel her shots, and then
it was taken away from what they wanted to do.
And at the end of the day, the heart and
soul that team is Asia. So I think that there
was a there had to be a conversation because Age's
been on a tear for the last like two months,
and Jewel coming off the bench, She's been on a
tear coming off the bench, and they just seem like
(20:26):
they just have better synergy now. And Jackie just has
been doing Jackie things, like she's had twenty five point games,
like very quiet, but that's like her personality, quiet assassin
so and Chelsea head of the Snake, being the point
god that she is.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
So I think that not.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Many coaches would have done that put a player like
Jewel on the bench, even if she asked to go
to the bench. I think some coaches would have been like, no, no, no,
like you're Jewel Lloyd, You're gonna stay in the starting lineup.
But Becky was like, you know what, cool, Let's see
what this looks like. And even when they started winning,
like she just kept her there like it wasn't like
(21:04):
an experiment Like I felt like when it first happened,
people thought maybe she was being punished because she wasn't
performing like people expected her to, or it was just
going to be for a game or two, But no,
this seemed to be like a very strategic move by
the Aces, and it's worked nine to one ever since.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
So watch out.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
They're peaking at the perfect time, which is great before playoffs.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
So yeah, shout out to Vegas.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
The other teams I want to discuss in Tier two
are obviously the Mercury. You spoke about them a little
bit and you played them, but they're four and two
in their last six. Their defenses back to elite form,
their second in defensive rating at continues to have this
triple double dominance twenty career, most all time, and they
(21:54):
lost the season series to Atlanta, which dropped them to
number five in the rankings, which is crazy that something, So.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
That's why every game matters. But LEXI, what's going on
in Phoenix?
Speaker 4 (22:07):
So Phoenix? So yeah, we just played Phoenix. We just
lost to them. They just go as At goes. At
is literally their point guard, their starting point guard for
the majority of the season was out our game, so
At pretty much ran the point guard position for most
of the of the game. And yeah, she got another
(22:28):
triple double, her fifth this season, and she has the
most triple doubles in league history at twenty.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Guess who guess what the next highest is? Just guess
fifteen or guess waits lower than that much lower?
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Yeah, ten four four, and it's Sabrini and Escu has four.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
So in like At still has time.
Speaker 4 (23:03):
At has many years left. And it's so funny. I
saw a post.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I saw a post four twenty triple doubles is crazy
and can we put? Can we? And then okay, we're
not evenna talk about the NBA.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
But like every time I bring up triple doubles, I
always talk about Russell Westbrook because what he did for
all those seasons is outrageous.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
But okay, At with their twenty triple doubles.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
People, somebody posted a video of her playing at Maryland
because if you guys don't didn't know, she has two
torn labrums, which is in her shoulders, which is why
she kind of has that like funky shot, which actually
watching yesterday, her shooting form is like kind of back
to normal now. So I don't know if like she
has just internalized all of the pain that she has
(23:51):
felt in her shoulders and it's just like fit, I'm
gonna shoot normal again, or like they're feeling better. But
I was watching her shoot free throw the other day
and she kind of like has like a regular shooting
form now.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Which could be very dangerous and terrifying to the entire
league if at gets a regular jump shot going, which
she has been shooting the ball very efficiently this season.
People put up highlights of her at UMD before she
had the shoulder things, and I'm like, I was her
teammate my freshman year when she was a senior.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Like she's been playing like this forever.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
And people have just continuously just overlooked her as a player,
as a defender, as a passer, as a rebounder. So
it is nice seeing her finally get some recognition in
her flowers. I think that she is currently right behind
Feet in the MVP race. She's top fifteen in scoring, second,
in rebounding, first, and assist, and she has the highest
(24:48):
assist total since twenty twenty, which was Courtney Vanderslut, but
that was a twenty game season because of COVID, so
the next highest was the year before in twenty nineteen,
which was also Slute, which was nine point one. And
At is at like nine point one right now. If
At is able to get that assist number to ten
and she finishes this season averaging like what is it sixteen,
(25:11):
ten and ten right now, I.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Don't see how you can. I don't see how you
don't give her the MVP. I'm sorry, Like I.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Don't a triple double that has never happened before. Your
team is top four.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
In the league right now, like you're head of the
snake of the top defense.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
I feel like this year the voting is going to
be very sticky. I feel like all the voters are
gonna have different ways of approaching it.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
It's going to be interesting because now Asia is only
a point under Fee and scoring, she's out rebounding Fee.
She has more steals than Fee. She they have the
same number of assists.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
So.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Age Asia overtakes fee and scoring, then that's going to
be very sticky for those two. But if as He
finishes the season with a triple double and they finished
top four, I think Phoenix is gonna have to finish
top four for her to like really really have a
really good chance. If they mess around and finish top two,
I think that you have to give her like a
(26:22):
really legitimate chance of winning MVP. And then the only
thing about Asia is that we've seen her MVP type
numbers like we've seen it, so as amazing as she
is playing right now, it's still not the MVP numbers
that we have seen her previously. So that's where it
gets sticky for me as someone who's looking at MVP.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Feel the same way about All Star.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
You create a baseline for yourself, and that's what happens
when you're great. You create a baseline for yourself. You
gotta exceed it or match it to be considered for
the same things.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
I believe we discussed this last week.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
She's getting the not to bring up the MMBA and
but the Yoki treatment of I mean, you always do
this exactly exactly are we supposed to award with you exactly.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
And that's the price of being great unfortunately. But this,
you know, I had my my MVP people.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
I think Kelsey and Leash deserve conversation still.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
But I think it's a three person race right now. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Speaking of Kelsey Mitchell, we have a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
We have a lot to talk about when it comes
to Indiana, fever, injuries everywhere, Katley Clark still out, McDonald
Colson done for the year, Sophie Cunningham has an MRI
pendang before we get into Kelsey Mitchell and the insane
thing she's done that I'm going to describe to you
guys in.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Just a minute.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
I will wanted to ask Lexi about because there have
been a lot of talks surrounding Sophie Cunningham and her
injury and regarding officiating and as well as Sophie is
a podcast now where she discussed their game against Pagebackers,
which I watched and saying that Paige got a lot
(28:22):
of calls and whatnot. I'm curious from your perspective because
I talked about this on my TikTok about WNBA officiating
and how WNBA officiating is a little unique in the
sense that in the NBA, I believe in the MLB
or the NFL.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
I think it might be all three.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
But regardless, the refs are only allowed to ref those games,
whereas in the WNBA and in a lot of college sports,
they're allowed to ref college and different types of basketball,
and that can be a mixed page for referees are different, yes,
and so there is some validity to what she's saying,
But also I know that when it comes to refs,
(29:01):
refs are humans, so any ref is going to make
a mistake. LEXI as a player in the w what's
your view on this RERAF situation?
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Yeah, I mean, I think that you made the best point.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
The fact that they can bounce between w and college
can be a bit problematic at times because there are
so many different rules in the WNBA versus college. I
don't know if you guys saw I think it was
Tina Charles. I forgot whose podcast she was on, but
she basically said that all the players now are like
(29:31):
really soft and they would not even be able to
stand a chance and a few years ago with the
physicality of the league, which.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
I kind of agree with. I'm not calling anybody soft
because if y'all see me play. I do not like contact.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
That's why I don't go to the lane often because
it is an extremely physical game. Our league is extremely physical.
My biggest issue last season was the freedom of movement,
and I think Kyle and Clark brought a lot of
attention to that because of how aggressive players were with
her off the ball. But I feel like every elite
shooter and guard gets that same type of physicality. But
(30:10):
I think she just brought it to the forefront, which
I thought was great because for me, I was like yeah,
because I it bothers me, like when players are able
to like grab you and lean on you and prevent
you from moving freely. I think this season the injuries
have been very tough on everybody. They've been really sad. Again,
(30:33):
I feel like the league has always been physical. I
think you that's more attributed to the frequency of games,
the traveling, the heavy minutes that a lot of these
players are playing. So for me personally, I need all
the help I can get from the referees, so I'm
not going to shit on them so freely. But I
(30:56):
do think that there's like a few nuances in our
game that, like the refs don't always get it right,
like take transition, take fouls in the law of verticality,
and offensive fouls and illegal screens. But I think like
that's in the NBA as well. A lot of those
calls are like judgment calls, and like you said, they're human,
they're not always gonna get it right. But it has
(31:18):
been like crazy, especially watching our team, like we don't
get any foul calls, like none actually, so as a
as watching my teammates, who you know, we have a
very point or paints in the point type of team,
so we're always in the lane, we're always trying to
get layups, and we're always just getting like bumped and
(31:40):
hit and whatever.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
And we have really elite finishers on our team.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
But sometimes like they are getting hit and they are
getting foul but because you expect them to make those shots,
they don't always get the calls. But then people are like, Okay,
well do I need to fall down? Well no, because
that's that's how injuries happen when you don't have good
body control. So it's a given take, you know, with
the refs, I would never want to be a ref,
So I mean, I always have a lot of respect
(32:06):
for referees because they do, like deal with a lot
of nonsense from us as players, from fans, from the coaches,
Like I don't have the patience for that job.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Like I don't know how they do it.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
That's why I try to be as nice of them
as I can, even when I'm frustrated.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
But sometimes they're rude.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
They are rude sometimes, but I'm like, Okay, you just
got custed out ten minutes ago by that player, so
I'm sure you're like, I don't want to hear anything
from y'all anymore. But there has been like a lot
of there's been a microscope on the refs this year
and every year before the season starts, we have this
big meeting with the head of refs and they tell
us the points of emphasis and the things that they're
(32:47):
focusing on. And it's always so funny because the things
that they show us are not the thing, Like it
doesn't ever match. We're like, they didn't y'all say that y'all
were paying attention to this this year, and then y'all
never do. So I hope I don't get fined for
any of anything I just said, but if I do, oh, well,
like whatever it is, what it is, It's what I
see all.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Venmou, thanks, thank you.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Also, you love to talk about who Lexi always calls
the most underrated player in the league, Kelsey Mitchell, who
was carrying the fever through this broken period. And by broken,
I don't mean that by shit eight, I mean like
literally bodies broken thirty eight point game with thirty four
in the second half to lead the largest comeback and
franchised history. Seeking your reaction and all this.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
I mean, I don't have a reaction because y'all, I'm
like her biggest fan, and she knows that too. We've
played each other since college. She came and played, she
came and played at AU and just we got drafted together.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
Did we get drafted together? I think so. I don't
remember if it wasn't the same year, it was one
year apart. But that's my girl.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
So even seeing everybody so high for her on the
interwebs the other day, I was like, finally, guys, finally
she's getting this recognition she deserves.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
And I think that that game.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
You know, even though it was against Connecticut, like like
we said earlier, everybody's like in a must win situation
like that was a huge win for them, because especially
against teams like Connecticut and the Dallases and the Chicagos,
like they have nothing they like, they don't they're not
playing for anything anymore, like they're playing for, you know,
(34:37):
to get ready for next season, to tweak some things
like And when I say they're not playing any for anything,
like they're not in playoff contention, like that doesn't mean
like they're less important or whatever, like they're just they're tearful, right,
So those wins are the ones you have to win
because them losing more games or winning more games is
not gonna affect your position, but you winning that game
(34:57):
is going to affect your position.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
So for her to put the team.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
On her back like that on the road in overtime,
like that was like vintage Kelsey Mitchell right there. And
I shouldn't even say vintage because like she ain't gonnawhere
like she's she's she's like that been like that. Yeah,
So what place are they in? They're in fifth place,
sixth place, sixth place, I think sixth.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Then yeah, so they're nineteen and.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Sixteen and sixteen, So I mean praying for Sophie hope
that it's nothing serious for her sake and for the
fever's sake, because and for the fever like how also,
I do want to give us real quick shout out
to my girl Kyra Lambert, who just was signed to
a hardship contract.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
She was my teammate at Duke.
Speaker 4 (35:47):
And went through some very brutal knee injuries and has
been killing it overseas for the last few years and
this is her first opportunity in the w And I
was so happy when I saw that post on Instagram,
and so shout out to my girl Kira. She was
my point guard at Duke, my little freshie, so shut yeah.
(36:10):
So seeing her overcome her knee injuries and playing overseas
and staying the course and being ready when her number
was called, like that's amazing. So shout out to my
my little dukie Kira.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
For the fever. So make sure y'all show her some love.
Speaker 4 (36:27):
I don't know if she's still on the team or not,
but she was on the team last week, so and
then I'm sure she'll stay stick around if Sophie does
end up being hurt. But prayers up to the fever
like they need they need some they need some good
juju over there because they've been good juju.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
They've been going through it.
Speaker 4 (36:45):
So let's let's send some positivity to the fever and
shout out to my girl, Kelsey Mitchell.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Next, moving on to Tier three, these are the teams
that are in the mix, okay, And I'm gonna kind
of speed through the first three unless you have like
a call out for them, because like we've talked about
them and like nothing's really changed. But the Golden State
Valkyries eighteen and sixteen. Their eighteen wins are the most
(37:12):
ever for an expansion team in year one, they're eight
and fource is the All Star Break despite losing Kayla.
They're still playing with the chip on their shoulder, not
just happy to be here, okay. And then we got
the Sparks that are sixteen and eighteen, three and three
in their last six they kind of cooled things after
their post All Star break run. They're half a game
behind Seattle but have a series lead. And then we've
(37:36):
got Washington sixteen and eighteen as well. They're rookie duo
Sonya Citron and Kiki Ria Finn are thriving post Syke's
trade and moving on to the Storm on the other
end of that which Lexi is going to give us
our full.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Storm up up date, but.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
A little up and downs to the All Star break
losing streak was snapped, okay, but like you said, a
little bit of a momentum killer with Phoenix and then
since the Britney Sykes trade, just looking for a little
bit of a you know, check in how that's going,
and y'all are in a little bit of danger, okay,
(38:18):
after being in the top six for most of the season.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
So Lexie, what's happening?
Speaker 4 (38:22):
Yeah, I think that again, Like it's just an identity crisis.
We lead the league and paint points, I'm pretty sure,
but we don't. We still are not shooting a lot
of outside shots. We're still in the bottom of the
league in rebounding. Defensive and offensive. Sykes has been a
(38:44):
great addition, Like she's just offensive firepower. Defensive, she's amazing.
You know, her IQ was very high on both sides
of the ball. So as just adding a player an
all start that this late in the season, Like, there's
gonna be ups and downs when you do that, Like
(39:04):
I said before, like I'm not even like in the
rotation at all anymore, which you know, for me, it's
like disappointing. Like this whole season in general for me
has been very disappointing, and then for us to be
in this position that we're in, and I just feel like, oh,
I think I could have helped a little bit, But
you know, here we are Q four, Like nothing is
(39:27):
going to change, like dramatically, Like that's the that's like
not a realistic thing to feel as a player, as
a pro. So you know, I'm just showing up, you know,
to do my job at this point and just being
the teammate, best team, and I can be staying locked in,
you know, knowing all the plays, knowing the scouting reports.
I think that's something that just continues to keep me engaged.
(39:48):
This next stretch of games. We're on the road for
the next five, all very winnable games for us, and
like there must must win games at this point. So
we have the Sky tonight, we have Dallas, the Mystics,
the Fever, and then we finished in Minnesota, and even Minnesota,
I mean we're one of the teams that we're able to,
you know, steal one from them. I think that we
(40:12):
have to at least win like four, three or four
of these next five games on the road, and we
have not been very good at home either. Like it's
just been again inconsistency. That has just kind of been
the word of the year for our team. But you
just have to make it to the playoffs and just
(40:33):
start getting your shit together at the right time, and
then everything can change for you. When I went in Chicago,
we finished in sixth place and ended up winning the championships.
So getting to the playoffs is the battle is the
hard part. I don't think anybody expected us to be
in this position. But it's okay because we're not out
(40:56):
of the playoffs. We are still very much in the playoffs.
But if we do have like a tie situation with
the Sparks, we will lose that because we lost the
series with the Sparks and we I think we lost
if we know, we lost our series with the Mystics
as well, So we kind of have to pull away
(41:17):
because if we get into any type of tiebreaker situation
with the Sparks or the Mystics, we will lose the tiebreaker.
And that's not a position you want to be in,
is not being in control of your own destiny.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
So these next five games are so I say it
every week this game is pivotal.
Speaker 4 (41:38):
This game is important. Like it's been like that that
the entire season. So it's been it's been a very
up and down. Oh but positive news. We brought Zaya back,
so I was very happy about that. We signed her
for the rest of the season. So I got I
got one of my one of my girls back, So
that was that. Really, that actually made me super happy
(42:01):
when they told us that they had signed z I
had to come back for the rest of the season
because you know, that was a really hard moment for her.
And I think she deserves to be on a roster,
this roster because she put a lot of the work
in starting from you know, even before training camp she
was in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
So positive Zaia. Another positive. The way Dom is playing
has been unbelievable. So we need good vibes too.
Speaker 4 (42:27):
Shit, you know, I was trying to send send the
vibes to the other team, send some to us too.
You're like, you know a lot of these positive vibes
over here, but you know, the hunt for a thousand
points is still going strong.
Speaker 3 (42:41):
Guys. You know now, I don't want to.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Put pressure on myself to I wish I didn't look
sometimes I'm like, Damn, I wish I didn't look and
see that because now.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
I'm like, I have to get these eleven points. But
last time we were in Chicago.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
But it's not your fault. It's not last time in Chicago.
I did score twelve points. So but the Chicago team
is very different than the Chicago team we played a
month ago. Like Ariel Atkins wasn't playing, Mikayla wasn't playing,
Angel wasn't playing. They have a new point guard, SEVG,
(43:15):
so like we can like throw that whole game away
because this is not the same team that we played
a month ago.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
So I'm hoping that we come in.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
Ready and punch him in a mouse because the faster
they punched him in the mouse, the better chances that
I get to play are, you know, So a man
like I want us to win, but I also want
us to get some leads so we can go get
some run because I haven't played in light two weeks.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
So yeah, well, LEXI I'm hoping that that that happens
for you tonight. You're in Chicago right now tonight, yep, yes, okay,
we're praying whole full circle thing. Last thing I want
to ask you about before we dip up out of here.
Is obviously a little CBA check because the rumor mill
is spinning. People are saying that y'all were offered this
(44:06):
hell of money that's like ten xing what the minimum
is now, and you guys said it was a slap
in the face, said no, And people are throwing numbers
out there. I don't know where they're getting these numbers
from or the valid validity to them, which is why
I'm asking a WNBA player and somebody who is involved
in these meetings and conversations myself straight to the horse's mouth.
Speaker 4 (44:28):
Yeah, I mean what the people are reporting is technically true,
like yeah, they are offering ten x minimum style, like
they are offering a lot of money. But what a
lot of people are still failing to comprehend is the pie. Okay,
we still want bigger slice of the pie.
Speaker 3 (44:50):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (44:51):
So the current CBA they have, you know, salary cap
increases already in place. There's like revenue markers that you
have to hit to like activate more money, and like
all of these you know, stipulations and restrictions on how
to activate more money for the players when all we
(45:11):
want is just a bigger percentage of the money that
the league is making that the.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
Teams are making.
Speaker 4 (45:17):
So yes, would it be nice to agree to those
salaries that are much higher than the ones that we
have now. Yes, But like we're going to go five
years down the line, we're gonna find ourselves in the
same exact situation that we're in right now, seeing the
league continuing to grow, make more money, adding more teams,
(45:37):
and now the pie that used to be a little
pie is a huge pie. But we're still getting the
same tiny slice that we had when there was a
small pie instead of our slices increasing as the pie
gets bigger. So that's like, that's the drama with the
CBA guys. It's not the slap in the face.
Speaker 3 (45:55):
Is not the money.
Speaker 4 (45:56):
Like, we are so blessed and grateful to be able
to play professional basketball for a living.
Speaker 3 (46:01):
I don't want anybody to ever think that.
Speaker 4 (46:03):
This league is full of players that are ungrateful and
sticking their nose up at four five hundred K minimum
salaries and things like that. That's not like, that's that's
the point. They're trying to confuse people and get people
to question what we're doing as the players and the
Players Association, but yeah, it's a good start, Like that's
(46:27):
a good start, but we're going to find ourselves in
the same situation in five years when the league continues
to grow and we're still like not feeling like we're
getting an equal share of the pie. So that's what
that's what that slap in the face is is them
basically being like, Okay, we hear you, and we're going.
Speaker 3 (46:46):
To ignore you, but here's more money.
Speaker 4 (46:49):
But we know what we ask for, we know what
we want, so hopefully we can. There's no there's been
no other conversations about anything else other than salaries, and
that's that's a little frustrating because we're in August now,
so there's so many things to be addressed in the
CBA and the fact that we're still stuck on salaries
is like it's tough because there's.
Speaker 3 (47:11):
So many things in a CBA.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
So to make sure that we're understanding what you're saying.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Basically, obviously the money, that the number that was being reported.
Speaker 3 (47:22):
Is correct, it's like accurate.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
Is it's correct that it was a larger number.
Speaker 1 (47:28):
However, the issue isn't the number and the salary that
you guys are grateful for the money and the opportunity
and the salary. The issue is, you guys, are not
asking for a dollar figure. You're asking for a certain
percentage point of the piece of the pie, and that
that percentage point is reflected so long as the league grows,
so that you're not stuck with this number that you
(47:50):
agree to now, but if that changes in a couple
of years, you're back right here having the same conversation exactly.
Speaker 3 (47:59):
It feels like it's a it's simple, but you start.
Speaker 4 (48:01):
Throwing big numbers out and you know, people started saying like, well,
why would you not accept that? But really, like, no,
it's not about the like it is about the money,
but it's a little deeper than that.
Speaker 3 (48:13):
So I did see that post and the way they like,
but like the caption was long. The caption kind of
I couldn't tell if they were being like snarky or not,
Like I.
Speaker 4 (48:23):
Forgot what what page wrote it, but like I couldn't
tell if they were like genuine genuine about it or not.
Speaker 3 (48:30):
I couldn't tell, but like they did.
Speaker 1 (48:32):
Excel all of it has felt Yeah, I'm like these.
Speaker 3 (48:40):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I read the caption and I was like Okay, well
they got the facts right, but like the way they
worded it, the way it was delivered was kind of
odd to me. So it was delivered like you guys
were scoffing at the idea of making ten x. And
it's not about the number again, and it's also about
setting yourself up for the future and not just jumping
(49:01):
for joy at the first number you're presented.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
But that's also how a negotiation works. Like, obviously, if
you're being offered that number that feels.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
Like, oh my god, it's so much bigger, they should
just agree.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
That means that there's something further going on to where
they're trying to get exactly, you know.
Speaker 4 (49:16):
And you guys exactly, And it's just like there's gonna
be more teams, there's gonna be more games, the season
could be longer, Like there's just so many there's like
we haven't even touched on that player.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Oh my gosh, breaking news. I just got a notification.
Speaker 3 (49:33):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (49:33):
This is reported by bleacher Report. Sophie Cunningham is out
for the season with a knee injury.
Speaker 4 (49:39):
Oh no, Yeah, there's a curse on the Indiana fever
right now. That's really sad. That's really sad. So how
many injuries is that?
Speaker 3 (49:54):
Was that? Four injuries?
Speaker 1 (49:55):
Indiana Fever have dealt with injury concerns throughout the season.
Speaker 2 (49:59):
They were dealt well with another blow on Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Indiana has announced that guard Sophie unnehamp will missed the
remainder of the twenty twenty five campaign with the right
knee injury that she suffered during Sunday's contact against the
Connecticut sign They didn't say the exact jury, but.
Speaker 3 (50:13):
It has to be serious.
Speaker 4 (50:15):
They said, the whole season or regular season, the remainder
of the season.
Speaker 2 (50:22):
WNBA season.
Speaker 3 (50:23):
Goodness, So what is that?
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (50:26):
Caitlin, Sydney, Sophie Arry. That's four players, four players dB
lefts five.
Speaker 3 (50:40):
Man. That's that's really bad. That's not good.
Speaker 4 (50:45):
Well, prayers out to Sophie because you hate to see
anybody go down, especially with a knee injury, which has
been plaguing women's basketball for years and years and years.
Speaker 3 (50:58):
Oh, I hate that. I don't want to and the
show like.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
That, but dang, I know, but I had to say it.
Speaker 4 (51:04):
Since we're here, my gosh, Okay, well, guys, I hope
you guys enjoyed this this week's episode, it was a
little bit this is a fun, a little all over
the place, but it was really fun. If you guys
get a chance, send some positive and healing vibes across
the entire league please as we finish these last nine
(51:24):
to ten games and get into playoffs. And thank you
for tuning in. We will see y'all next week for
another episode of Full Circle.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
Bye bye, thanks for listening to Full Circle. We'll be
back next week with more basketball for the Girls, by
the girls.
Speaker 3 (51:42):
We want to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and tell us
what you want us to talk about. Full Circle is
hosted by Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer
is Jesse Katz. Our supervising producer is Grace Fused. Our
producer is Zoe Danglab. Listen to Full Circle on America's
number one podcast network, iHeart, open your free iHeart app
and search Full Circle with Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose
(52:05):
and start listening.
Full Circle is an Iheartwoman's sports production in partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all,
welcome back to another episode of the Full Circle Podcast.
(00:20):
I'm Mariah Rose, and I'm here with Lexi Brown.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Lexi, how you everybuddy?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm good.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
We are in Q four officially of the WNBA season.
I think every team has like nine or ten games left.
We have nine starting today. We are in Chicago. Yeah,
you know, just out here vibing, guys. I'm still eleven
points away from a thousand.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
That was two weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
We need Lexi to get her a thousand.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
That two weeks ago, guys, two weeks ago, I've gotten
four straight dnps. You know, two weeks ago, I thought
it was very a very obtainable goal to get my
life eleven points, even before like the very end of
the season, like the last few games.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
But now I don't know. I'm not so. I'm not
so sure. But well that's out of your control, right.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
But outside of that, vibes are good. I feel great,
I'm healthy, I'm living life still.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
How are you doing. I'm doing great.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I can't believe we're already in Q four. I feel
like the season flew.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
I feel like, yeah, Q three, we didn't even acknowledge
that we were in Q three. So if you guys
are not keeping up with the Q ones, we have
forty four games, so every eleven games was another quarter,
so we didn't really tap in during Q three. For
us personally, we had a very rough Q three, So
that's probably why we kind of like, we're like, all right,
(01:46):
let's just get to Q four and figure this out.
But there's a lot of teams moving around up and down,
positive negative like this last few weeks of the season,
like we said, is going to be so exciting.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So where do where do we want to start?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
First?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
We want to start with first.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Let's start Okay, well we'll set the scene. So obviously,
as Lexi so beautifully highlighted by calling it Q four,
we have four weeks left in the regular season, so
the playoff race is tightening. The Links have already clinched
their playoff spot, which duh, they have been running through
this season with no hurdles, and the real drama is
(02:26):
within the two to five spots and the battle for
six to eight with five teams fighting for just three
playoff berths, so like to clinch. Okay, I've split the teams, Lexi.
I don't know if you like like doing it this way.
I've split the teams into tiers, Okay, So like we'll
talk about the first couple of tiers that really are
(02:47):
in battle right now. So tier one we have the
Minnesota Links obviously clinch the playoffs. They're three and zero
against New York, which is wild still doing well without
a FISA colliear Djna is fitting in seamlessly. Uh, Lexi,
(03:08):
what have been your takeaways with the Links?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Obviously? I feel like we're saying literally.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
About them over and over now.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
We really don't even have anything. I don't have anything
else to add about the Links. We all have been
watching them dominate this entire season, and their cohesiveness is
so hard to defend, and it's hard to scout against
because you never know which one of them is going
to pop off and go for thirty because that's exactly
what they've been doing. Came up, will go for thirty,
(03:32):
and then you're like, all right, let's shut down Kmack. Okay,
here come Corney going for thirty. Okay, let's shut down
Courtney Alana Smith going wake.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Up one day, go for thirty.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
You know, Bridget Carlton, will you know hit five threes
and you'll look up and be like, when, when the
hell does she get twenty points? It's because she's a
knockdown shooter.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I think that as good as they're playing, this has been.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Very, very bad for her fees VP birth because we
have a lot of players, not a lot, I'll say
two players creeping up on her in the MVP race.
But the way that the Links have just been dominant
without their best player has been impressive. But I do
feel for a fee because now I'm like, I don't
(04:17):
we thought it was a runaway MVP and it absolutely
is not anymore. But like you mentioned, they are three
and zero against the Liberty, with their most recent wins
eighty to eighty six and eighty three to seventy one.
They play today actually in New York. Kennedy Burke is back,
but Stewie is still out. I predict that I don't know,
(04:38):
it's hard to beat the team four times. So just
based on the law of averages, the Liberty at home
could maybe steal.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
One, but they have five losses.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
The Links they don't lose often, no matter what the
law of averages say, so I think this is going
to be a really important game for the Liberty.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I think the Links.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Now remember last year when the Celtics were like so
ahead of everybody, they just started doing shit like with
their lineups and their defenses and their coverages.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I can see like.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
The Links maybe doing something like that, getting all of
their bench players ready for the playoffs, throw some new
schemes in, maybe run some new offenses that they haven't
ran before. Like, they have a whole month to really
just get ready for the playoffs because they're going to
be the number one seed unless something crazy happens, which
I don't predict that happening, but they are absolutely going
(05:31):
to be the one seed.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
So it's gonna be fun to just watch.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
What the Links do with this last month of season
that really doesn't matter to them at all, but they
can do something really special with this record, because I
can't remember the last team that lost five or less games,
So we'll see if they can carry that into the postseason.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
We'll see.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Speaking of the Liberty.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Stewie is practicing, but she's still listed US out. They're
targeting a return before August twenty seventh. We talked about
Emma coming to the Liberty and how awesome that is
and how, oh my god, this great team is just
getting greater or lucky for them, thank god, she's stepping
up big keeping them afloat. Their recent wins have only
been against losing teams, or they've they've lost some winning
(06:16):
teams as well, but like recently they've they've been weird. Lexie,
can you make some sense as to what's going on
with the liver injuries?
Speaker 4 (06:26):
I mean, I think as simple as that, I think
Sabrina has taken a lot of the pressure scoring wise.
You know, JJ has been in and out, and she's
the type of player that she's like a rhythm player.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
She's a rhythm shooter. She's a rhythm scorer.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
And because she's a center, shist to depend a lot
on her guards getting her the ball. So that's that's
why I'm glad I'm not a post player, because having
to depend on other people to get me the ball,
even at zigar position is frustrating. So I can't even
imagine what it's like for a post acclimating a new
player like Emma also takes time. But like you said,
she's come in and made her mark early. But once
(07:02):
they get healthy, I mean, I think they're going to
be fine. You know, toash Cloud, I think, you know,
as good as she started in the season, she kind
of was in and out with injuries, and I think, again,
she's a new player on a new team, and I
think she spoiled the Liberty fans at the beginning with
her energy and how seamless she seemed to fit in
with that team. But then you know, the ups and
downs of a season come along, and being a point guard,
(07:24):
you know, the ship goes with you, and she's new,
she's new to this team, so they're just still trying
to figure it out.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
But I'm not worried.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
The only thing I'm worried about them is them falling
out of the top four, which is possible, but obviously
they're going to be a playoff team and once they're healthy,
they're going to be scary. So if they do happen
to fall out of the top four, that is not
a team I want to see first round in the playoffs,
with the with them having a chip on their shoulder,
not having home court, advantage and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, I still have them as a tier Tier one team,
so hopefully they get it together.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
But they are not in second place anymore. No, they're not.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
The Atlanta Dream are twenty two to twelve and now
second in standings. They're seven and one in the last
eight games. Ryan Howard is back, Alicia Gray has been
being strong BG coming off the bench. Some Jordan Canada
is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Let's see.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Shout out to the Dream because I you know what,
I think people forget that the Dream have had been
like very like solidified in the top of the league,
like in the early two twenty tens, like Angel mccattree days.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I remember being in high school going to Eastern.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Conference finals back that was back when they had conferences
guys Eastern Conference Finals, watching Angel mccawtrey with a Dream
like they've always been like a really really good organization.
They just haven't been able to, you know, finish the
job with any championships.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
So, you know, growing up in Atlanta, it.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Is awesome seeing the Dream, you know, having this type
of season their games, even though they're in a small arena.
They do be lit, they're packed, they're fun. I really
do enjoy playing in Atlanta. We've got to play them
twice last week, so we're one of We gave them
their one loss in the last eight games, but we
literally played them in Seattle, and then two days later
(09:18):
played them in Vancouver, which shout out to Vancouver.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
That game was so much fun that it was so fun.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
I did not play in either one of those games,
but what I did get to do in Vancouver was
they had like Maybeline is their w BA Toronto or
w BA Canada.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
It's like one of their big sponsors.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
So they had like this beauty suite set up in
the hotel. So I got to go and get my
makeup done and do some content with the WNBA.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Canada And then I assumed I wasn't gonna play that night,
so I kept the makeup on during the game.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
I got to look real beautiful, gorgeous. During the game.
On the bench, you said, if I'm gonna be sitting here,
I'm pretty you.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Know, thank you. What I'm saying is so funny.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
You know, in the NBA they have like the guys
that they say, oh, y'all, you not playing today, so like,
just wear your regular clothes on the bench.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Sometimes I wish that I had they had that.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Conversation with me because I would much rather be sitting
there playing zero minutes in a fit than in my
damn jersey. Like, y'all let me know that. Oh you're
not playing tonight, you can stay right. I'm like, all right, guys,
it's been four games. Please, But like you said, we're
(10:37):
always staying ready. That's our job, we know, but it
would be nice to just be cute on the bench
instead of just sitting there.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
You look cute in your uniform.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yes, I'll be seeing you.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Thank you girls. But yeah, back to Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Your your proof of basketball play.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
I was like, let me go find some action pictures,
but far and wide for those. But anyways, back to Atlanta.
They look really good. Ryan looks back really healthy. Last
time we played them, like, which was like a month
over a month ago, she had a really big knee
brace on.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
That's going.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Now, she's moving well, she's shooting the ball well. And
then Leisha is just being herself. She's doing great. And
then yeah, we were able to steal a win against them,
which was really great. It was down to the wire
again versus the Dream.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Thought that that would be, you know.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Kind of a momentum builder for us, but then we
turned around and lost to Phoenix the other day. But
I think, like I said last week, Coach of the
Year could go to the Dream coach. He has them
hitting on all cylinders. NAS being in the starting lineup
has also been really good for them, my Caldwell stepping
up while Jordan Canada is out Pow pow coming in
(11:51):
giving them solid minutes. So they're a really well rounded team.
And they have a very underrated bench as well, led
by nos Helman who's now starting, but she's going to
be six Women of the Year. They're going to finish
top four. So shout out to the Dream. I know
you're happy about that because you.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Get to go. I'm so happy you get to go
stunt at the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Oh my god, it's going to be legendary.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Know that, you know that, But ain't no stunning if
if we're losing, So so Dream lock in because yeah,
I hate when I when I pull out a fit
and I'm at the game, especially in Atlanta, because those
teams actually care about Like I'm a I'm a I'm
a side sometimes Warriors fan, and that's like less serious
to me. But in Atlanta with our teams, if I'm
at the game in a fit, I'm posting, I'm.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Doing the most, and then we lose everyone's whole thing.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
So I would say the Dream Games, the Dream Games
feel like the club because it's like it's so games,
and so the Falcons games, it's a little dark in there,
like people are just in there chilling and vibing, like
it really gives club. And if you ever been out
in Atlanta, you'll know what I.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
Mean by that, because it feels like a club in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Oh, Atlanta is so lit.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
All of our teams are the Brave, the Falcons, the
dream everybody, Like all of the games are insane. But
the energy in Atlanta is so underrated when our teams
are winning because we don't get a lot of that,
and I would love to have.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
Yeah, when y'all are winning, y'all do the most.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
And when we're losing, the city is quiet.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, the Falcons were in the super Bowl. Wasn't wait?
Was that when the fuck? Yes?
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Yes, yep, Dad, Tom Brady, Yeah, I remember because my
mom was telling me She's like, oh my god, like,
can we because we're Patriots fans?
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Right, My mom was like, can they act like they
I didn't know that, yeah, Boston, you know, girl, we
were Patriots fans. So my mom was like, oh my god.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Everybody in Atlanta like, can we can y'all act like
y'all been here before?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Mom? They haven't. They're not like us in New England.
They don't understand. They don't understand.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
We were up like twenty seven to three and Brady
todm Brady and ruined my whole super band, and so
I hope that the same thing doesn't happen with my
number two, and then I get my heart broken. I
need I need momentum to continue and carry us through
the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I really do want to see new teams get to
the semi finals, like I obviously want the Link I don't.
I shouldn't say that because I'm still playing. I want
us to get to the finals, but the Links getting
to the finals seems very likely, but I would like
to see another team get there too. I mean, honestly,
if the Links don't get to the finals, I think
(14:37):
that would be very spicy and fun for the w
We've seen it happen before, so this playoffs is going
to be very interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:59):
How many more t you have in your Tier one?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Tier one is done?
Speaker 3 (15:03):
Here one is done.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Well, we're only going to discuss Tier two and Tier
three unless you have something really important to say about
Tier four.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I can assume you know who those teams are.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
No, we can leave Tier four because we're getting into playoffs,
so it's time and like, no need to be a
dead horse. A Tier two are my potential contenders. Okay,
Tier one is like contenders, Tier two potential.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
We're starting with.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
The Las Vegas Aces, who are twenty one and fourteen.
They have won seven straight, which is their best stretch
of the season in the time that they needed it most.
Thank god, Jewel was moved to the bench July twenty seventh,
and the Aces.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Have been nine and one since.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
They have had some additions that have boosted their rebounding.
Asia had the first time for thirty twenty that we
already discussed thirty four versus Dallas, and now her MVP
case is heating up.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Sure is, man, I'm telling you you gotta hurry back.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Girl.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Asia is on that ass. Actually At is on your ass.
And then ASA's on AT's ass. But Fia, they coming
for you. I think that people wanted to dismiss the
Aces so early, and I thought that was very disrespectful
from the fans, from people who watched the w the
(16:27):
fact that Asia Wilson and Chelsea Gray, who is arguably
one of the best point guards to ever play, Jackie Young,
who I will throw in the conversation as very underrated,
with Kelsey Mitchell, this is still your core. Then you
have Juwel Lloyd, who is now your fourth option, who's
been a number one option, number two option on multiple
(16:48):
championship teams in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Why would you think that that.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Team was just gonna roll over and be like, you
know what, We're just gonna figure this out next year.
Like I said, when you bring in a player like
Jewel Lloyd, it's gonna take some time to figure out
where she's going to get her shot.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
But to be no, no, to be fair, it was
giving role over.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
It was it was it never.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
They had some games where what was it? How how
many did they be? It was something crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
That's to Minnesota, Lexi, And that was clearly that that
loss gave them a kick in the ass because they
have been a different team since that fifty point loss
at home was crazy, like they must have just had
they was just having a bad day or something, because
I've never seen anything like that before. But I feel
like the move of Jewel to the bench was the
(17:43):
best thing that could have ever happened.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Her minutes didn't.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
Really change, like she's still playing the same amount of minutes,
but she's getting her shots when she comes in with
the second unit. She's the priority on the floor. And
that's what coaches do. They manipulate things to be.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
To fit the majority.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Like they don't just pick and choose one or two
players that they're like, okay, well we're as long as
these two whatever, Like nothing else is going to change
because we got to make sure that these two are
good or these three are good. Like I'm sure Jewel
she said that she volunteered to go to the bench,
but I know, like inside Jewels like damn, like I
don't want to be coming off the bench. But like
her season has turned around also, But yeah, they're nine
(18:25):
and one since she was moved to the bench, and
she's been playing much much better coming off the bench
with that second unit being a priority as you know,
their spark off the bench. Kirsten Bell has filled in
that starting role beautifully.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
You know, people were really you.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Know, getting on her early in the season as well,
which I also thought was very weird, and she handled
it with so much grace and class and just kept
working and got her opportunity to be in the starting
lineup and they've been nine to one since.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
So I'm really happy for KB.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
I think that I said, when the Aces are good,
the league is at a better place, and they gone,
they can mess around and finish top four and get
home court advantage. And if anybody knows anything about the
Aces arena, that's a very hard place to win.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
So y'all doubted, y'all doubted, then.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Lexie, I have a question, So if if her minutes
jewels minutes have been pretty much the same since she
was moved to the bench, nine to one is.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
A big jump.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
So I'm curious, just getting a new look to start
the game, how is that is it? Because she's coming
up with the second unit and she could be more
of a priority with the second unit and like not
have to play I guess Batman and Robin Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
With in Asia Art something.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Like that, and I think just Asia, I mean Asia,
Chelsea and Jackie have just such great chemistry already, and
I think inserting Jewel kind of disrupted that a little
bit because they are very selfless players, Like you don't
win championships if you don't have selfless players on your team.
So I think they were going above and beyond to
(20:05):
get Jewel acclimated, to get Jewel her shots, and then
it was taken away from what they wanted to do.
And at the end of the day, the heart and
soul that team is Asia. So I think that there
was a there had to be a conversation because Age's
been on a tear for the last like two months,
and Jewel coming off the bench, She's been on a
tear coming off the bench, and they just seem like
(20:26):
they just have better synergy now. And Jackie just has
been doing Jackie things, like she's had twenty five point games,
like very quiet, but that's like her personality, quiet assassin
so and Chelsea head of the Snake, being the point
god that she is.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
So I think that not.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
Many coaches would have done that put a player like
Jewel on the bench, even if she asked to go
to the bench. I think some coaches would have been like, no, no, no,
like you're Jewel Lloyd, You're gonna stay in the starting lineup.
But Becky was like, you know what, cool, Let's see
what this looks like. And even when they started winning,
like she just kept her there like it wasn't like
(21:04):
an experiment Like I felt like when it first happened,
people thought maybe she was being punished because she wasn't
performing like people expected her to, or it was just
going to be for a game or two, But no,
this seemed to be like a very strategic move by
the Aces, and it's worked nine to one ever since.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
So watch out.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
They're peaking at the perfect time, which is great before playoffs.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
So yeah, shout out to Vegas.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
The other teams I want to discuss in Tier two
are obviously the Mercury. You spoke about them a little
bit and you played them, but they're four and two
in their last six. Their defenses back to elite form,
their second in defensive rating at continues to have this
triple double dominance twenty career, most all time, and they
(21:54):
lost the season series to Atlanta, which dropped them to
number five in the rankings, which is crazy that something, So.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
That's why every game matters. But LEXI, what's going on
in Phoenix?
Speaker 4 (22:07):
So Phoenix? So yeah, we just played Phoenix. We just
lost to them. They just go as At goes. At
is literally their point guard, their starting point guard for
the majority of the season was out our game, so
At pretty much ran the point guard position for most
of the of the game. And yeah, she got another
(22:28):
triple double, her fifth this season, and she has the
most triple doubles in league history at twenty.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Guess who guess what the next highest is? Just guess
fifteen or guess waits lower than that much lower?
Speaker 4 (22:51):
Yeah, ten four four, and it's Sabrini and Escu has four.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
So in like At still has time.
Speaker 4 (23:03):
At has many years left. And it's so funny. I
saw a post.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I saw a post four twenty triple doubles is crazy
and can we put? Can we? And then okay, we're
not evenna talk about the NBA.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
But like every time I bring up triple doubles, I
always talk about Russell Westbrook because what he did for
all those seasons is outrageous.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
But okay, At with their twenty triple doubles.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
People, somebody posted a video of her playing at Maryland
because if you guys don't didn't know, she has two
torn labrums, which is in her shoulders, which is why
she kind of has that like funky shot, which actually
watching yesterday, her shooting form is like kind of back
to normal now. So I don't know if like she
has just internalized all of the pain that she has
(23:51):
felt in her shoulders and it's just like fit, I'm
gonna shoot normal again, or like they're feeling better. But
I was watching her shoot free throw the other day
and she kind of like has like a regular shooting
form now.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Which could be very dangerous and terrifying to the entire
league if at gets a regular jump shot going, which
she has been shooting the ball very efficiently this season.
People put up highlights of her at UMD before she
had the shoulder things, and I'm like, I was her
teammate my freshman year when she was a senior.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
Like she's been playing like this forever.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
And people have just continuously just overlooked her as a player,
as a defender, as a passer, as a rebounder. So
it is nice seeing her finally get some recognition in
her flowers. I think that she is currently right behind
Feet in the MVP race. She's top fifteen in scoring, second,
in rebounding, first, and assist, and she has the highest
(24:48):
assist total since twenty twenty, which was Courtney Vanderslut, but
that was a twenty game season because of COVID, so
the next highest was the year before in twenty nineteen,
which was also Slute, which was nine point one. And
At is at like nine point one right now. If
At is able to get that assist number to ten
and she finishes this season averaging like what is it sixteen,
(25:11):
ten and ten right now, I.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Don't see how you can. I don't see how you
don't give her the MVP. I'm sorry, Like I.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Don't a triple double that has never happened before. Your
team is top four.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
In the league right now, like you're head of the
snake of the top defense.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
I feel like this year the voting is going to
be very sticky. I feel like all the voters are
gonna have different ways of approaching it.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
It's going to be interesting because now Asia is only
a point under Fee and scoring, she's out rebounding Fee.
She has more steals than Fee. She they have the
same number of assists.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
So.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Age Asia overtakes fee and scoring, then that's going to
be very sticky for those two. But if as He
finishes the season with a triple double and they finished
top four, I think Phoenix is gonna have to finish
top four for her to like really really have a
really good chance. If they mess around and finish top two,
I think that you have to give her like a
(26:22):
really legitimate chance of winning MVP. And then the only
thing about Asia is that we've seen her MVP type
numbers like we've seen it, so as amazing as she
is playing right now, it's still not the MVP numbers
that we have seen her previously. So that's where it
gets sticky for me as someone who's looking at MVP.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Feel the same way about All Star.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
You create a baseline for yourself, and that's what happens
when you're great. You create a baseline for yourself. You
gotta exceed it or match it to be considered for
the same things.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
I believe we discussed this last week.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
She's getting the not to bring up the MMBA and
but the Yoki treatment of I mean, you always do
this exactly exactly are we supposed to award with you exactly.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
And that's the price of being great unfortunately. But this,
you know, I had my my MVP people.
Speaker 4 (27:14):
I think Kelsey and Leash deserve conversation still.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
But I think it's a three person race right now. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Speaking of Kelsey Mitchell, we have a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
We have a lot to talk about when it comes
to Indiana, fever, injuries everywhere, Katley Clark still out, McDonald
Colson done for the year, Sophie Cunningham has an MRI
pendang before we get into Kelsey Mitchell and the insane
thing she's done that I'm going to describe to you
guys in.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Just a minute.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
I will wanted to ask Lexi about because there have
been a lot of talks surrounding Sophie Cunningham and her
injury and regarding officiating and as well as Sophie is
a podcast now where she discussed their game against Pagebackers,
which I watched and saying that Paige got a lot
(28:22):
of calls and whatnot. I'm curious from your perspective because
I talked about this on my TikTok about WNBA officiating
and how WNBA officiating is a little unique in the
sense that in the NBA, I believe in the MLB
or the NFL.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
I think it might be all three.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
But regardless, the refs are only allowed to ref those games,
whereas in the WNBA and in a lot of college sports,
they're allowed to ref college and different types of basketball,
and that can be a mixed page for referees are different, yes,
and so there is some validity to what she's saying,
But also I know that when it comes to refs,
(29:01):
refs are humans, so any ref is going to make
a mistake. LEXI as a player in the w what's
your view on this RERAF situation?
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Yeah, I mean, I think that you made the best point.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
The fact that they can bounce between w and college
can be a bit problematic at times because there are
so many different rules in the WNBA versus college. I
don't know if you guys saw I think it was
Tina Charles. I forgot whose podcast she was on, but
she basically said that all the players now are like
(29:31):
really soft and they would not even be able to
stand a chance and a few years ago with the
physicality of the league, which.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
I kind of agree with. I'm not calling anybody soft
because if y'all see me play. I do not like contact.
Speaker 4 (29:46):
That's why I don't go to the lane often because
it is an extremely physical game. Our league is extremely physical.
My biggest issue last season was the freedom of movement,
and I think Kyle and Clark brought a lot of
attention to that because of how aggressive players were with
her off the ball. But I feel like every elite
shooter and guard gets that same type of physicality. But
(30:10):
I think she just brought it to the forefront, which
I thought was great because for me, I was like yeah,
because I it bothers me, like when players are able
to like grab you and lean on you and prevent
you from moving freely. I think this season the injuries
have been very tough on everybody. They've been really sad. Again,
(30:33):
I feel like the league has always been physical. I
think you that's more attributed to the frequency of games,
the traveling, the heavy minutes that a lot of these
players are playing. So for me personally, I need all
the help I can get from the referees, so I'm
not going to shit on them so freely. But I
(30:56):
do think that there's like a few nuances in our
game that, like the refs don't always get it right,
like take transition, take fouls in the law of verticality,
and offensive fouls and illegal screens. But I think like
that's in the NBA as well. A lot of those
calls are like judgment calls, and like you said, they're human,
they're not always gonna get it right. But it has
(31:18):
been like crazy, especially watching our team, like we don't
get any foul calls, like none actually, so as a
as watching my teammates, who you know, we have a
very point or paints in the point type of team,
so we're always in the lane, we're always trying to
get layups, and we're always just getting like bumped and
(31:40):
hit and whatever.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
And we have really elite finishers on our team.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
But sometimes like they are getting hit and they are
getting foul but because you expect them to make those shots,
they don't always get the calls. But then people are like, Okay,
well do I need to fall down? Well no, because
that's that's how injuries happen when you don't have good
body control. So it's a given take, you know, with
the refs, I would never want to be a ref,
So I mean, I always have a lot of respect
(32:06):
for referees because they do, like deal with a lot
of nonsense from us as players, from fans, from the coaches,
Like I don't have the patience for that job.
Speaker 3 (32:17):
Like I don't know how they do it.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
That's why I try to be as nice of them
as I can, even when I'm frustrated.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
But sometimes they're rude.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
They are rude sometimes, but I'm like, Okay, you just
got custed out ten minutes ago by that player, so
I'm sure you're like, I don't want to hear anything
from y'all anymore. But there has been like a lot
of there's been a microscope on the refs this year
and every year before the season starts, we have this
big meeting with the head of refs and they tell
us the points of emphasis and the things that they're
(32:47):
focusing on. And it's always so funny because the things
that they show us are not the thing, Like it
doesn't ever match. We're like, they didn't y'all say that y'all
were paying attention to this this year, and then y'all
never do. So I hope I don't get fined for
any of anything I just said, but if I do, oh, well,
like whatever it is, what it is, It's what I
see all.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Venmou, thanks, thank you.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Also, you love to talk about who Lexi always calls
the most underrated player in the league, Kelsey Mitchell, who
was carrying the fever through this broken period. And by broken,
I don't mean that by shit eight, I mean like
literally bodies broken thirty eight point game with thirty four
in the second half to lead the largest comeback and
franchised history. Seeking your reaction and all this.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
I mean, I don't have a reaction because y'all, I'm
like her biggest fan, and she knows that too. We've
played each other since college. She came and played, she
came and played at AU and just we got drafted together.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
Did we get drafted together? I think so. I don't
remember if it wasn't the same year, it was one
year apart. But that's my girl.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
So even seeing everybody so high for her on the
interwebs the other day, I was like, finally, guys, finally
she's getting this recognition she deserves.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
And I think that that game.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
You know, even though it was against Connecticut, like like
we said earlier, everybody's like in a must win situation
like that was a huge win for them, because especially
against teams like Connecticut and the Dallases and the Chicagos,
like they have nothing they like, they don't they're not
playing for anything anymore, like they're playing for, you know,
(34:37):
to get ready for next season, to tweak some things
like And when I say they're not playing any for anything,
like they're not in playoff contention, like that doesn't mean
like they're less important or whatever, like they're just they're tearful, right,
So those wins are the ones you have to win
because them losing more games or winning more games is
not gonna affect your position, but you winning that game
(34:57):
is going to affect your position.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
So for her to put the team.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
On her back like that on the road in overtime,
like that was like vintage Kelsey Mitchell right there. And
I shouldn't even say vintage because like she ain't gonnawhere
like she's she's she's like that been like that. Yeah,
So what place are they in? They're in fifth place,
sixth place, sixth place, I think sixth.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Then yeah, so they're nineteen and.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Sixteen and sixteen, So I mean praying for Sophie hope
that it's nothing serious for her sake and for the
fever's sake, because and for the fever like how also,
I do want to give us real quick shout out
to my girl Kyra Lambert, who just was signed to
a hardship contract.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
She was my teammate at Duke.
Speaker 4 (35:47):
And went through some very brutal knee injuries and has
been killing it overseas for the last few years and
this is her first opportunity in the w And I
was so happy when I saw that post on Instagram,
and so shout out to my girl Kira. She was
my point guard at Duke, my little freshie, so shut yeah.
(36:10):
So seeing her overcome her knee injuries and playing overseas
and staying the course and being ready when her number
was called, like that's amazing. So shout out to my
my little dukie Kira.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
For the fever. So make sure y'all show her some love.
Speaker 4 (36:27):
I don't know if she's still on the team or not,
but she was on the team last week, so and
then I'm sure she'll stay stick around if Sophie does
end up being hurt. But prayers up to the fever
like they need they need some they need some good
juju over there because they've been good juju.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
They've been going through it.
Speaker 4 (36:45):
So let's let's send some positivity to the fever and
shout out to my girl, Kelsey Mitchell.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Next, moving on to Tier three, these are the teams
that are in the mix, okay, And I'm gonna kind
of speed through the first three unless you have like
a call out for them, because like we've talked about
them and like nothing's really changed. But the Golden State
Valkyries eighteen and sixteen. Their eighteen wins are the most
(37:12):
ever for an expansion team in year one, they're eight
and fource is the All Star Break despite losing Kayla.
They're still playing with the chip on their shoulder, not
just happy to be here, okay. And then we got
the Sparks that are sixteen and eighteen, three and three
in their last six they kind of cooled things after
their post All Star break run. They're half a game
behind Seattle but have a series lead. And then we've
(37:36):
got Washington sixteen and eighteen as well. They're rookie duo
Sonya Citron and Kiki Ria Finn are thriving post Syke's
trade and moving on to the Storm on the other
end of that which Lexi is going to give us
our full.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Storm up up date, but.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
A little up and downs to the All Star break
losing streak was snapped, okay, but like you said, a
little bit of a momentum killer with Phoenix and then
since the Britney Sykes trade, just looking for a little
bit of a you know, check in how that's going,
and y'all are in a little bit of danger, okay,
(38:18):
after being in the top six for most of the season.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
So Lexie, what's happening?
Speaker 4 (38:22):
Yeah, I think that again, Like it's just an identity crisis.
We lead the league and paint points, I'm pretty sure,
but we don't. We still are not shooting a lot
of outside shots. We're still in the bottom of the
league in rebounding. Defensive and offensive. Sykes has been a
(38:44):
great addition, Like she's just offensive firepower. Defensive, she's amazing.
You know, her IQ was very high on both sides
of the ball. So as just adding a player an
all start that this late in the season, Like, there's
gonna be ups and downs when you do that, Like
(39:04):
I said before, like I'm not even like in the
rotation at all anymore, which you know, for me, it's
like disappointing. Like this whole season in general for me
has been very disappointing, and then for us to be
in this position that we're in, and I just feel like, oh,
I think I could have helped a little bit, But
you know, here we are Q four, Like nothing is
(39:27):
going to change, like dramatically, Like that's the that's like
not a realistic thing to feel as a player, as
a pro. So you know, I'm just showing up, you know,
to do my job at this point and just being
the teammate, best team, and I can be staying locked in,
you know, knowing all the plays, knowing the scouting reports.
I think that's something that just continues to keep me engaged.
(39:48):
This next stretch of games. We're on the road for
the next five, all very winnable games for us, and
like there must must win games at this point. So
we have the Sky tonight, we have Dallas, the Mystics,
the Fever, and then we finished in Minnesota, and even Minnesota,
I mean we're one of the teams that we're able to,
you know, steal one from them. I think that we
(40:12):
have to at least win like four, three or four
of these next five games on the road, and we
have not been very good at home either. Like it's
just been again inconsistency. That has just kind of been
the word of the year for our team. But you
just have to make it to the playoffs and just
(40:33):
start getting your shit together at the right time, and
then everything can change for you. When I went in Chicago,
we finished in sixth place and ended up winning the championships.
So getting to the playoffs is the battle is the
hard part. I don't think anybody expected us to be
in this position. But it's okay because we're not out
(40:56):
of the playoffs. We are still very much in the playoffs.
But if we do have like a tie situation with
the Sparks, we will lose that because we lost the
series with the Sparks and we I think we lost
if we know, we lost our series with the Mystics
as well, So we kind of have to pull away
(41:17):
because if we get into any type of tiebreaker situation
with the Sparks or the Mystics, we will lose the tiebreaker.
And that's not a position you want to be in,
is not being in control of your own destiny.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
So these next five games are so I say it
every week this game is pivotal.
Speaker 4 (41:38):
This game is important. Like it's been like that that
the entire season. So it's been it's been a very
up and down. Oh but positive news. We brought Zaya back,
so I was very happy about that. We signed her
for the rest of the season. So I got I
got one of my one of my girls back, So
that was that. Really, that actually made me super happy
(42:01):
when they told us that they had signed z I
had to come back for the rest of the season
because you know, that was a really hard moment for her.
And I think she deserves to be on a roster,
this roster because she put a lot of the work
in starting from you know, even before training camp she
was in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
So positive Zaia. Another positive. The way Dom is playing
has been unbelievable. So we need good vibes too.
Speaker 4 (42:27):
Shit, you know, I was trying to send send the
vibes to the other team, send some to us too.
You're like, you know a lot of these positive vibes
over here, but you know, the hunt for a thousand
points is still going strong.
Speaker 3 (42:41):
Guys. You know now, I don't want to.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Put pressure on myself to I wish I didn't look
sometimes I'm like, Damn, I wish I didn't look and
see that because now.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
I'm like, I have to get these eleven points. But
last time we were in Chicago.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
But it's not your fault. It's not last time in Chicago.
I did score twelve points. So but the Chicago team
is very different than the Chicago team we played a
month ago. Like Ariel Atkins wasn't playing, Mikayla wasn't playing,
Angel wasn't playing. They have a new point guard, SEVG,
(43:15):
so like we can like throw that whole game away
because this is not the same team that we played
a month ago.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
So I'm hoping that we come in.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
Ready and punch him in a mouse because the faster
they punched him in the mouse, the better chances that
I get to play are, you know, So a man
like I want us to win, but I also want
us to get some leads so we can go get
some run because I haven't played in light two weeks.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
So yeah, well, LEXI I'm hoping that that that happens
for you tonight. You're in Chicago right now tonight, yep, yes, okay,
we're praying whole full circle thing. Last thing I want
to ask you about before we dip up out of here.
Is obviously a little CBA check because the rumor mill
is spinning. People are saying that y'all were offered this
(44:06):
hell of money that's like ten xing what the minimum
is now, and you guys said it was a slap
in the face, said no, And people are throwing numbers
out there. I don't know where they're getting these numbers
from or the valid validity to them, which is why
I'm asking a WNBA player and somebody who is involved
in these meetings and conversations myself straight to the horse's mouth.
Speaker 4 (44:28):
Yeah, I mean what the people are reporting is technically true,
like yeah, they are offering ten x minimum style, like
they are offering a lot of money. But what a
lot of people are still failing to comprehend is the pie. Okay,
we still want bigger slice of the pie.
Speaker 3 (44:50):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (44:51):
So the current CBA they have, you know, salary cap
increases already in place. There's like revenue markers that you
have to hit to like activate more money, and like
all of these you know, stipulations and restrictions on how
to activate more money for the players when all we
(45:11):
want is just a bigger percentage of the money that
the league is making that the.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
Teams are making.
Speaker 4 (45:17):
So yes, would it be nice to agree to those
salaries that are much higher than the ones that we
have now. Yes, But like we're going to go five
years down the line, we're gonna find ourselves in the
same exact situation that we're in right now, seeing the
league continuing to grow, make more money, adding more teams,
(45:37):
and now the pie that used to be a little
pie is a huge pie. But we're still getting the
same tiny slice that we had when there was a
small pie instead of our slices increasing as the pie
gets bigger. So that's like, that's the drama with the
CBA guys. It's not the slap in the face.
Speaker 3 (45:55):
Is not the money.
Speaker 4 (45:56):
Like, we are so blessed and grateful to be able
to play professional basketball for a living.
Speaker 3 (46:01):
I don't want anybody to ever think that.
Speaker 4 (46:03):
This league is full of players that are ungrateful and
sticking their nose up at four five hundred K minimum
salaries and things like that. That's not like, that's that's
the point. They're trying to confuse people and get people
to question what we're doing as the players and the
Players Association, but yeah, it's a good start, Like that's
(46:27):
a good start, but we're going to find ourselves in
the same situation in five years when the league continues
to grow and we're still like not feeling like we're
getting an equal share of the pie. So that's what
that's what that slap in the face is is them
basically being like, Okay, we hear you, and we're going.
Speaker 3 (46:46):
To ignore you, but here's more money.
Speaker 4 (46:49):
But we know what we ask for, we know what
we want, so hopefully we can. There's no there's been
no other conversations about anything else other than salaries, and
that's that's a little frustrating because we're in August now,
so there's so many things to be addressed in the
CBA and the fact that we're still stuck on salaries
is like it's tough because there's.
Speaker 3 (47:11):
So many things in a CBA.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
So to make sure that we're understanding what you're saying.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Basically, obviously the money, that the number that was being reported.
Speaker 3 (47:22):
Is correct, it's like accurate.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
Is it's correct that it was a larger number.
Speaker 1 (47:28):
However, the issue isn't the number and the salary that
you guys are grateful for the money and the opportunity
and the salary. The issue is, you guys, are not
asking for a dollar figure. You're asking for a certain
percentage point of the piece of the pie, and that
that percentage point is reflected so long as the league grows,
so that you're not stuck with this number that you
(47:50):
agree to now, but if that changes in a couple
of years, you're back right here having the same conversation exactly.
Speaker 3 (47:59):
It feels like it's a it's simple, but you start.
Speaker 4 (48:01):
Throwing big numbers out and you know, people started saying like, well,
why would you not accept that? But really, like, no,
it's not about the like it is about the money,
but it's a little deeper than that.
Speaker 3 (48:13):
So I did see that post and the way they like,
but like the caption was long. The caption kind of
I couldn't tell if they were being like snarky or not,
Like I.
Speaker 4 (48:23):
Forgot what what page wrote it, but like I couldn't
tell if they were like genuine genuine about it or not.
Speaker 3 (48:30):
I couldn't tell, but like they did.
Speaker 1 (48:32):
Excel all of it has felt Yeah, I'm like these.
Speaker 3 (48:40):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I read the caption and I was like Okay, well
they got the facts right, but like the way they
worded it, the way it was delivered was kind of
odd to me. So it was delivered like you guys
were scoffing at the idea of making ten x. And
it's not about the number again, and it's also about
setting yourself up for the future and not just jumping
(49:01):
for joy at the first number you're presented.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
But that's also how a negotiation works. Like, obviously, if
you're being offered that number that feels.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
Like, oh my god, it's so much bigger, they should
just agree.
Speaker 1 (49:11):
That means that there's something further going on to where
they're trying to get exactly, you know.
Speaker 4 (49:16):
And you guys exactly, And it's just like there's gonna
be more teams, there's gonna be more games, the season
could be longer, Like there's just so many there's like
we haven't even touched on that player.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Oh my gosh, breaking news. I just got a notification.
Speaker 3 (49:33):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (49:33):
This is reported by bleacher Report. Sophie Cunningham is out
for the season with a knee injury.
Speaker 4 (49:39):
Oh no, Yeah, there's a curse on the Indiana fever
right now. That's really sad. That's really sad. So how
many injuries is that?
Speaker 3 (49:54):
Was that? Four injuries?
Speaker 1 (49:55):
Indiana Fever have dealt with injury concerns throughout the season.
Speaker 2 (49:59):
They were dealt well with another blow on Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
Indiana has announced that guard Sophie unnehamp will missed the
remainder of the twenty twenty five campaign with the right
knee injury that she suffered during Sunday's contact against the
Connecticut sign They didn't say the exact jury, but.
Speaker 3 (50:13):
It has to be serious.
Speaker 4 (50:15):
They said, the whole season or regular season, the remainder
of the season.
Speaker 2 (50:22):
WNBA season.
Speaker 3 (50:23):
Goodness, So what is that?
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (50:26):
Caitlin, Sydney, Sophie Arry. That's four players, four players dB
lefts five.
Speaker 3 (50:40):
Man. That's that's really bad. That's not good.
Speaker 4 (50:45):
Well, prayers out to Sophie because you hate to see
anybody go down, especially with a knee injury, which has
been plaguing women's basketball for years and years and years.
Speaker 3 (50:58):
Oh, I hate that. I don't want to and the
show like.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
That, but dang, I know, but I had to say it.
Speaker 4 (51:04):
Since we're here, my gosh, Okay, well, guys, I hope
you guys enjoyed this this week's episode, it was a
little bit this is a fun, a little all over
the place, but it was really fun. If you guys
get a chance, send some positive and healing vibes across
the entire league please as we finish these last nine
(51:24):
to ten games and get into playoffs. And thank you
for tuning in. We will see y'all next week for
another episode of Full Circle.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
Bye bye, thanks for listening to Full Circle. We'll be
back next week with more basketball for the Girls, by
the girls.
Speaker 3 (51:42):
We want to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and tell us
what you want us to talk about. Full Circle is
hosted by Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer
is Jesse Katz. Our supervising producer is Grace Fused. Our
producer is Zoe Danglab. Listen to Full Circle on America's
number one podcast network, iHeart, open your free iHeart app
and search Full Circle with Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose
(52:05):
and start listening.
Hosts And Creators
Lexie Brown
Mariah Rose
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.