May 13, 2025 • 28 mins
You want more previews? We’ve got more previews! On today’s episode we dive into the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces ahead of the start of the WNBA season on Friday. All the stars, stakes, stats and stories, a little history, a little lore, a little gossip and a little more. Plus, Stanford’s egg-beaters are world-beaters, an update on the Dearica Hamby/Aces federal discrimination lawsuit, and we tip our hats to Afghan refugee women fighting for their right to play.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we have
fewer sleeps than fingers on one hand until the WNBA
season tips off. It's Tuesday, May thirteenth, and on today's show,
we're continuing with the shoot around our team by team
WNBA season preview, making sure you're all prepped and ready
for Friday's season tip off with all the stars, steaks,
stats and stories, a little history, a little lower, a
(00:22):
little gossip, and a little more. Today we're diving deep
on the Minnesota Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces. Plus
we got tired legs, egg beating legs, and one sleeved legs.
It's all coming up right after this welcome back slices.
Here's what you need to know today. Let's start with
(00:44):
water polo and those egg beaten legs. As the NCAA
Championship in that sport concluded on Sunday with Stanford winning
the program's tenth overall title, defeating Southern California eleven to seven.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
With the win, Ryan Nushall made.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Some cool history concluding her college career with her fourth
NCUBLEA title, becoming the first four time NCUBLEA team champion
in Stanford history.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
In any sport.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
New Shoal, a member of the US Olympic team at
last summer's Paris Games, took two years away from the
Cardinal to train with Team USA to hockey where The
PWHL playoffs continue tonight with Game three of the Montreal
Victoire Ottawa Charge semi final series. The two teams are
currently tied up at one game apiece in the best
of five series, and it'll be interesting to see just
how tired those legs look after Game two. You remember
(01:31):
that game went into four, yes, four overtimes, the longest
game in PWHL history, with Montreal finally winning the stalemate.
And it's not just the players who are sore. Ottawa
coach Carla McLeod joked that she planned to wear flats
for tonight's game after spending seven periods in heels on Sunday.
Also for the Associated Press, Audawa players were slurping packets
(01:53):
of mustard to help prevent cramping, and both teams had
pickle juice on hand for the same reason. Tonight's contest
at TD place. That game gets underweight at seven pm Eastern,
and who knows how many overtimes this one's going to take?
The other semi final series between Minnesota and Toronto, a
series that Minnesota leads two games to one, continues tomorrow
Night to Soccer, where FIFA has announced it's sanctioned a
(02:16):
new team made up of refugee women from Afghanistan. Now
normally FIFA regulations required that a country's national federation recognize
a team before said team is allowed to compete, but
under the Taliban, women are.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Banned from playing sports.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
This news comes after years of former afghan players calling
on the Global Soccer Federation to create a pathway for
them to continue representing their country, and the new refugee team,
which will begin play with a one year pilot program,
could include some of those players who previously competed internationally
for Afghanistan. Between twenty ten and twenty eighteen, Afghanistan fielded
a women's soccer team that played twenty two matches, but
(02:50):
that all ended in twenty twenty one when the Taliban
returned to power. Captain of that team, Fatima Yusufi, told
me in a twenty twenty three interview that members of
the team and female athletes in general in Afghanistan faced
some of the biggest risks from the new regime, as
the Taliban was first targeting educated women and women athletes,
those who were empowered in their bodies. fIF pro the
(03:12):
Global Players Association helped more than seventy five people associated
with the women's soccer team evacuate from Afghanistan, many of
them landing in Australia, and several of those players, including Yusufi,
now compete for a team called Melbourne Victory FC, Afghan
women's team, which is part of the sixth tier of
Aussie football. We're super excited that after all these years
of fighting, these Afghan women are finally going to be
(03:34):
recognized by FIFA. To the WNBA, where we have an
update on La Sparks player Deerica Hamby's federal discrimination lawsuit
filed last August. Hamby alleges that her former team, the
Las Vegas Aces, unlawfully traded her because she was pregnant
with her second child. Hamby's claims against the WNBA itself
have been dismissed, but friend of the show, Callie Finn
(03:55):
of the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that US District
Judge Andrew Gordon has ordered that the case against the
Aces be allowed to proceed. Per Finn, quote. The decision
to deny the Ace's motion to dismiss Hamby's discrimination claim
came down to two of her allegations that the Aces
failed to invite her to their White House visit celebrating
their twenty twenty two WNBA championship win. Ann prohibited the
(04:18):
team's videography staff from projecting her daughter on the video
screen at an Aces game.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
We'll keep you posted as we learn more, and we've
got plenty more to say about the Aces later in
today's show.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
More Hoops.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Maryland standout Cheyenne Sellars has been waived by the Atlanta
Dream You remember Sellers was also waived by the Valkyries,
who drafted her with the seventeenth pick, and even more WNBA.
A few days ago, when previewing the Connecticut Sun, we
mentioned that the team had promised they had the full
backing and commitment of their owners, the Mohegan Tribe. In fact,
before last season started, team president Jennifer Rizzotti responded to
(04:53):
a fan who was worried that the team might be
looking to relocate after they promoted a game at TD
Garden in Boston. Rizzotti said, quote that was not part
of the reason for playing in Boston. I know people
like to talk about that, but the Mohegan tribe has
supported this team for twenty three years. They have poured
into it, they invested in it, and now they're at
a point where they can finally see the value of
all that investment. I feel proud to know that they
continue to step up to the plate and want to
(05:14):
have a successful franchise and want that to be in
Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun Arena. She continued, It's refreshing
to know that they're supportive of us doing this, knowing
that that could be the conversation. They're secure enough that
they're okay with us expanding into a different market in
New England, and even though we want to be known
as New England's team, we're still the Connecticut Sun.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Well, that was then, and this is what we're hearing now.
Per Sportico's ebenov Williams and Kurt Badenhausen, the son of
hired investment bank Allen and Company, to explore the sale
of the franchise. We'll keep you updated as we get
more info. We got to take a quick break. When
we come back.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
We're talking Minnesota links a team with revenge on the brain,
stick around welcome back slices.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Today's previews start with the Minnesota Lynx, who went thirty
to ten last season, winning the inn season tournament, the
Commissioner's Cup, and finishing the season as the second seed
before falling to the New York Liberty in a winner
take all Game five of the WNBA Finals.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Here's what you need to know about the Minnesota Links history.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
The team began play during the nineteen ninety nine season
and shared an owner with the mnba's Minnesota Timberwolves Glenn Taylor,
but this year both teams are transitioning ownership to former
mlbstar Alex Rodriguez and entrepreneur Mark Lore. The Links have
made the postseason in fifteen of their twenty six seasons,
winning four titles in twenty eleven, twenty thirteen, twenty fifteen,
(06:45):
and twenty seventeen. A true dynasty. Great players of Links
past include Katie Smith, Simone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, who's now
an assistant coach with the team, Maya Moore, Rebecca Brunson,
and Sylvia Fowls. The team's twenty twenty five tag line
one two Words revenge Tour. The Links were a single
(07:05):
overtime period away from winning the title last year, with
head coach Cheryl Reeves saying after the game that it
was quote unquote stolen by the officials. The team's relatively
quiet offseason reflects a belief in running it back with
the same pieces, hoping for a different result this time.
So let's talk additions and losses. Maisha heinz Allen left
the team in free agency to sign with the Dallas Wings.
(07:25):
Cecilia Zandalasini was selected by the Golden State Valkyries and
the expansion Draft, and Dorca Johas has elected to sit
out the twenty twenty five season to rest, citing a
year round schedule of playing in both the WNBA and
in Italy plus for the Hungarian national team. As for additions,
the most noteworthy was trading with the Mystics to acquire
Carly Samuelson. Perhaps the biggest changes for the Links came
(07:48):
at the front office and coaching level. General manager Claire
Duellius left to become the executive VP and GM for Unrivaled,
and assistant coach Katie Smith left to take an assistant
position at her alma mater, Ohio State opened up room
for the Links to hire Eric Tebow, most recently head
coach of the Washington Mystics, and Lindsay Whalen, a franchise
legend and former Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach. The team
(08:10):
boasts a couple of stars and certainly more household names
after last year's run to the finals, but it definitely
all starts with Nafisa Collier aka Fee, last year's Defensive
Player of the Year and runner up for MVP, a
four time All Star and former Rookie of the Year,
plus an unrivaled co founder, the inaugural Unrivaled MVP and
inaugural winner of the unrivaled one v one tournament, plus
(08:32):
a two time Olympic gold medalist. Then there's Courtney Williams.
After playing for five different teams in her first eight seasons,
she landed with the Links last year and was a
fantastic fit. A one time All Star with a ton
of swag and toughness, She's an absolute dog who wins
over fans and frustrates her opponents.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Kyla McBride is another standout for the Links. She was
the team's second leading scorer last year, putting up fifteen
points a game and shooting over forty percent from three.
The stakes are high for this team.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
They want to avenge last year's finals loss, and they
want to win before they lose any of their best
players to free agency. The new WNBACBA expected to drop
ahead of next season means a ton of teams could
face a big roster shakeup as players have signed their
deals with the intention of being free agents heading into
next year. All the biggest names on this link's team
will be unrestricted free agents next season. Nafisa Collier, Kaylen McBride,
(09:25):
Courtney Williams, Alana Smith, Natisia Heideman, and Bridget Carlton. So yeah,
they want to win now before those pieces have the
chance to walk after that finals run last year. It's
basically win it all this year or be disappointed. Let's
talk some stats. The big one is rings one more
and this team is at five titles, getting them out
of a three way tie with the Seattle Storm and
(09:46):
the now defunct franchise the Houston Comets, and establishing sole
possession of most WNBA titles.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
In league history.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Last season, the team posted the league's best defensive rating,
a huge jump after finishing tenth in that category in
both the two previous seasons. They also led the league
an opponent field goal percentage, opponent two point percentage, and
opponent three point percentage, so defense was a huge part
of the Links' success last year. They could stand to
improve their rebounding, though they were just seventh in total
(10:14):
rebounding rate. As for individual stats. Per her Hoopstats, Collier
can join an elite group if she puts up a
third season averaging at least twenty points, eight boards, and
two assists a game. Only Brianna Stewart, who's had four
such seasons, and Asia Wilson, who's had three, have ever
done it. Collier would also be doing it in her
first three seasons back from maternity leave, which is an
(10:35):
extra flex.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Let's get to some stories and low around this team.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
We got to start with Courtney Williams dad Donalds, who's
a fixture at games and a very vocal hype man
for his daughter. He's always fun to catch sight of
during games. You also got head coach Cheryl Reeve, known
not just for her outstanding coaching, including Coach of the
Year honors last season, but also her advocacy and activism,
which is a through line for this franchise, which has
often been willing to be on the front lines of
(10:59):
may your social and political issues. Then you got super
fan prints and the infamous post championship after party at
Paisley Park. You can hear all about that in last
year's October seventeenth episode, as the moment was inducted into
our Good Game Hall of Fame. Fun fact about this team,
Cheryl Reeve is the longest tenured WNBA coach by a lot.
(11:22):
She's led the Link since December two thousand and nine,
a term that includes all four of the team's WNBA titles.
The second longest ten yured WNBA coach Noel Quinn, who's
been at the helm of the Seattle Storm since just
May of twenty twenty one. Producer Alex actually did the
math on this and found that Cheryl Reeve has been
in her job for nearly as long as every other
WNBA coach combined. As of today, it's been five thousand,
(11:45):
six hundred thirty five days that Reeve has been in
charge in Minnesota, versus five eight hundred and sixty five
days for the other twelve coaches combined. That's a difference
of just two hundred and thirty days less than a year. Unbelievable.
Meish that about some up the Links.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
But what am I missing, Oh Sarah, what you're missing
is a big claim that I'm about to make. Okay, technically,
it's a claim that would work if the new CBA
wasn't about to be in effect. But I'll just say this,
the Links, after losing to the Liberty last year, having
arguably to me the best player in the world right
(12:21):
now in the Visa Collier, all the role players they
have that know what they're doing. You've got Courtney Williams,
who I still think is in the prime of her career.
They've got all the pieces, plus chl Reeve, who you
just mentioned one of the best coaches in the history
of the league. If we weren't about to enter into
a new CBA, I think we might be seeing the
second Links dynasty. They've got that kind of foundation. And again,
(12:46):
I mean the final series between them and the Liberty
was so beautiful to watch, and I don't think there
was a moment in there where I really thought that
this was a team that just was gonna lay down
and die in front of the right like FISA was
on a mission. Everybody else on her squad was on
a mission somebody else that I think we need to
talk more and more and more about this season. Kaylea
(13:08):
McBride was on a mission. Arguably the most underrated player
in the league. If we weren't about to enter into
a new CBA, if there weren't so many understrict different
agents on this team, Sarah, they would be dangerous for
years to come. And again, we don't know what they're
gonna do.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
They might choose to stick around and want to be
a part of it exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I get the feeling we're gonna see a lot of
shake up next season, and that's why there's gonna be
such an emphasis for so many of these teams to
try to get it done with the core that they
have now. I also think after watching Unrivaled, I was
convinced and I was gonna put my money down as
fee for MVP this season.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Ooh spicy, yup? I don't even think it was spicy.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And now I'm even more determined because right now she's
third in MVP odds behind Caitlin Clark and Asia Wilson,
and I think she's just fired up about losing fired
up about not being given the best odds for that
despite going off and unrivaled and being, like you said,
one of the best players in the league last year.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
So I'm really excited to watch this Links team.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I think they're bringing back so many pieces that it's
championship or boss quite clearly.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah, it has to be. It has to be.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
And I think the other thing that excites me about them,
we really haven't seen Alyssa Peelee hit her ceiling yet. Right.
Diamond Miller is back, a player that a lot of
folks were excited about when she came out of Maryland
in the draft just a couple of seasons ago. It
just feels like a perfect storm. And so this is
a well rounded team, This is a squad.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, a lot of eyes should be on them.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Look out for the Links. We got to take another
break when we come back. Should we still be looking
out for the Las Vegas Aces? Stick around, Welcome back Slices.
Let's talk Las Vegas Aces, a team that finished twenty
seven and thirteen last season, losing to the eventual champion,
(14:53):
New York Liberty in the semi finals and falling short
in their attempt at a three Peat. Here's the Ace's
history you need to know and settle in, because it's
a complicated one. The team was founded in nineteen ninety
seven as the Utahs Stars with two Z's of Salt
Lake City, one of the league's inaugural eight teams. It
moved before the two thousand and three season, becoming the
San Antonio Silver Stars, later shortening the name to the
(15:16):
San Antonio Stars in twenty fourteen. Before the twenty eighteen season,
the team relocated to Las Vegas and became the Aces.
They're now owned by Mark and Carol Davis, who also
owned the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL. Tom Brady
is also a minority owner of the team. Between the
Stars with two Z's, the Silver Stars, just Stars and Aces.
The team has made it to the finals four times,
(15:37):
in two thousand and eight, losing to now defunct franchise
the Detroit Shock, in the twenty twenty Wubble season, losing
to the Seattle Storm, in twenty twenty two, defeating the
Connecticut Sun, and in twenty twenty three defeating the New
York Liberty. Top players in franchise history include Becky Hammond,
now the head coach of the Aces, Margodideck, and Deerica Hamby,
who's still playing in the league, but now with the
Los Angeles Sparks. There's also been a surprising amount of
(16:00):
controversy in the team's short history as the Aces.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
We'll get to that a little bit later.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Their twenty twenty five tag line should we still bet
on Black? Here's why a new look Aces squad is
going to try to keep up with the best of
the league after they struggled for much of the regular
season last year and fell short in the postseason. Now
struggled as a relative term, that's just in relation to
the success that they'd had the previous two years. When
it comes to additions and losses, the biggest was the
three team trade that sent two time champ and three
(16:27):
time All Star Kelsey Plumb to the LA Sparks, bringing
two time champ, six time All Star, two time Olympic
Gold medalist, and former Rookie of the Year Jewel Lloyd
to Sin City. The Aces lost fan favorite Sidney Coulson
to the Indiana Fever and free agency, and saw longtime
VET Alicia Clark signed with the Seattle Storm. The Aces
also lost Kate Martin, a popular draft pick out of
(16:49):
Iowa last year to Golden State in the expansion Draft,
and Tiffany Hayes, last year's sixth Woman of the Year,
elected to go to the Valkyries and free agency. The
Aces did grab guard Dana Evans from the Chicago Sky
via trade, and they signed twenty twenty three All Star
Chyanne Parker Tias and free agency, but she recently announced
her second pregnancy and will miss at least the first
few months of the season. As for the coaching staff,
(17:11):
they experienced a bit of a brain drain this offseason,
a sometimes inevitable consequence of sustained success. Assistant coach Natalie
Nicasse left to become the first head coach of the
expansion Valkyries, and assistant coach Tyler Marsh took the head
job with the Chicago Sky. Also, GM Natalie Williams contract
wasn't renewed and the team hasn't yet filled that position.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
The star of this Aces team is the brightest in
the Sky.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Three time WNBA MVP, two time champion, two time Defensive
Player of the Year, six time All Star, last year's
league scoring champion, and two time Olympic gold medalist Asia
Wilson she of the signature shoe that just sold out
in five minutes. She's kind of a big deal. We
also have new addition, Jewel Lloyd, who's a bona fide star.
You just heard her impressive list of accomplishments. And you
(17:55):
got Chelsea Gray aka the Point God, bringing a resume
with three titles, six Star nods, two Olympic Gold medals,
and an unrivaled Finals MVP Award.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
After leading her roseby C team to the inaugural title.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
And then there's Jackie Young, an Olympic gold medalist, two
time champion, and three time All Star.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
So yeah, this team is pretty stacked.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
The stakes are high for this team as well as
they try to stay among the league's best while teams
like the Indiana Fever add big pieces and look to
join the contenders.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
The Aces have been the best team in the league over.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
The last five years, and there was a lot of
dynasty talk last season before they ended up losing to
the Liberty. A win this season would still allow them
to lay claim to that dynasty title, but if you
put too much of a gap between their last two
titles and the next, it's a much tougher argument to make.
The Aces are another team, like most frankly set to
send a handful of players into free agency after this season,
(18:46):
including pretty much all those stars I just mentioned Wilson,
Lloyd Gray, and young stats. Let's start with coach Becky Hammond,
a two time champ as coach and a Hall of
Famer as a player. Her seven to fifty two win
percentage including the playoffs is the best of any coach
in WNBA history with at least a full season of
thirty games under their belt. No other coach in w
(19:08):
history has won more than sixty five percent of their games.
As for team stats, the Aces have led the WNBA
in offensive rating in each of the last five seasons.
Though there are one hundred five points per one hundred possessions,
last season was the lowest mark in that stretch. Per
her Hoopstats, there are only twenty one instances of a
team posting an offensive rating of one hundred and five
plus in WNBA history, and five of them belong to
(19:30):
the Aces over the last five seasons. This team also
knows how to take care of the ball, boasting the
lowest turnover rate in the league in each of the
last four seasons. They do have to improve their offensive rebounding,
though they were dead last in offensive rebounding rate in
twenty twenty four and twenty twenty two, and finished eleventh
and twenty twenty three and ninth in twenty twenty one,
so it's been a problem for the duration of their
(19:51):
dynastic run. As for stories in Low, while the Asia
lore is growing by the day and will keep growing
as she cements her legacy as one of the greatest
of all time. She's already got a statue out front
of her alma mater, South Carolina. She's got MNBA players
rocking her shoes, including her boyfriend, the Miami Heats Bam Autobio.
She's a funko pop, a New York Times bestselling author,
(20:12):
a Time Woman of the Year for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I could literally go on.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
There's also some less positive lore around this Aces team,
though mainly how often they seem to be embroiled in
a bit of controversy. Last year, the Las Vegas Convention
and Visitors Authority announced that they'd be providing one hundred
thousand dollars annual sponsorships to each player for both the
twenty twenty four and twenty twenty five seasons. Now, the
Aces claim the sponsorship doesn't violate the WNBA salary cap
(20:38):
because the club didn't orchestrate the deal, But the WNBA
is investigating that, just like they investigated allegations of workplace
violations and the providing of benefits outside of contracts back
in twenty twenty three, both of those allegations stemming from
a complaint filed by former player de Erica Hamby, who
we mentioned earlier in the show. Hamby claimed that some
of the alleged outside benefits were denied when she got
(21:00):
pregnant again. The findings on that issue led to the
team losing their twenty twenty five first round draft pick
and a two game suspension for Becky Hammond. And as
you heard, Hamby's suit against the Aces is ongoing.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Fun fact for this team.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Last season, the Aces became the first WNBA team to
sell out every regular season home game in season. That
included all twenty home games, eighteen of which were at
Michelobultra Arena and two at the larger T Mobile Arena.
All right, meish, I think that's most of it for
the Aces. But what am I forgetting Sarah?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
I'm terrified for anybody who stands in the way of
Asian Wilson and this Las Vegas Aces team this season,
they liked the Minnesota Lynx. I think similarly because they
didn't have the season they wanted to have in twenty
twenty four.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
They're also coming back with that same kind of venge.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
It's that same kind of energy and like the Indiana
Fever who you talked about earlier this week, there are
a lot of mouths to feed on this roster. But
if there's anybody I trust to put all the pieces together,
it's Becky Haimmon. You just talked about her resume, and
she's not her mother mother, you not.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
You hit to the kids lingos Sarah I find out.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
But yeah, I just think the two of them, they're
in lockstep. And when you have a star and a
coach who are just in each other's pockets that way,
it's always dangerous. But you mentioned the active offseason that
Asia had. I think last season, you know, you have
the Olympics, you have all this other stuff going on.
Now she's on the other side of that. I think
she's gonna be able to hone in on more leadership
(22:34):
with this new group, making sure that Juwel Lloyd feels
comfortable on this roster. She'll have some help right in
Chelsea Gray. The point God, she's gonna be healthy for
a whole season, hopefully fingers crossed.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
So you know, another team.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I feel like we've said this ten different times for
ten different teams already, but another team you have to
be scared of come the regular season in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Yeah, those are some really good points.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
I think worth noting that the struggles that they had
early last season were tied to Chelsea Gray's injury and
they started to figure it out. Of course, pick things
up later in the season, and then also Asia, busy
with her shoe and promoting things, took time off and
didn't plan unrivaled. She of course one of the greatest
best players in the league, and wasn't playing in that
league along with so many of the other stars because
(23:18):
she rested her body. We'll see if that helps her
come back. I don't even know how you come back
stronger and better. Yeah, it possible.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Improve, But I think that's something we forget about a
lot with these players. They've got so much happening even
off the basketball court, that when you have the time
in the space to really lock in and get into
that zone.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Oh man, oh buddy.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
I have to say, like your excitement around them is
reminding me that on paper they should be very much
in contention.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
There is some part of my gut, though I don't
know why that is.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Wondering if as other teams get better, they don't get worse,
but they just struggle to be as dominant. When I
look at a team like Fever adding pieces, when I
look at a team like the Lynx that should be
as good, if not stronger than last year. When I
look at a team like the Liberty that didn't really
lose anything.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
I mean, there's a little.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Difference there with Salute versus Natasha Cloud, but I don't
know why, and there's not a good reason for it.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
But Sarah, the beauty of that you just mentioned all
the top teams, right everybody you kind of wondering. You're
taking everything with a grain of salt. It's a beautiful
thing for the game of women's basketball. When there's so
much parody, folks, it's gonna be locked. U absolutely sixth seasons.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
So if you ask Mesh, her answer to my tagline
should be still bet on black is absolutely Yeah. We
always love that you're listening slices, but we want you
to get in the game every day too, So here's
our good game play of the day.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Fill out a college softball bracket.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
The Ncaattorney gets underway with the regionals starting this Friday,
May sixteenth.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Now, we're not gonna lie to you. Slices. Filling out a.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Softball bracket maybe not exactly the easiest task, not just
because of the whole dumble elimination thing, but also because,
as far as we've seen, there are no interactive versions online,
which means you do got to break out a pen
and paper, or if you're super tech savvy, type in
your selections manually. We'll link to a printable bracket in
our show notes. Go ahead and fill it out and
send us a photo. We always love to hear from you,
(25:16):
so hit us up on email good game at Wondermedia
network dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight
seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't forget
to subscribe.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Rate and review, y'all. It really helps us, and it's easy.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Watch a recent WNBA story in the Onion rating ten
out of ten two reel. Someone is going to take
this seriously review. State Department designates WNBA as terrorist organization.
Reads the headline of a recent story in the satirical
publication The Onion. A few choice lines from this story quote.
(25:49):
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the organization has
as many as one hundred and fifty six terrorists spread
across thirteen known cells in the United States, and several
of its members can be tied directly to the notorious
acts of basketball carried out last year at the Paris Olympics.
Their radical anti American ideology is centered on the empowerment
of girls and women, said Rubio, while stressing that the
(26:12):
group's members are easily recognizable by their signature uniform of
sleeveless jerseys and nylon shorts. The WNBA is a danger
not just to this nation, but the entire globe. They
won't stop until every woman on the planet believes they
can do anything they want on the court and off
end quote. The story also cites key leaders including Asia Wilson,
ri k Agumbwallee, Angel Rehese, and Caitlin Clark end quote.
(26:35):
The FBI named forty two year old Diana Tarassi as
a senior ranking member who is believed to have helped
lead the organization for years, but whose current whereabouts are
unknown end quote. Also one more line, because it's just
too good, referring to FBI Director Cash Patel, who quote
pointed to the Justice Department's open case against Skims, the
(26:55):
official underwear partner of the WNBA. If you want to
cheer on the disturbing acts of Kennedy Carter, you will
do so from behind bars.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
He added, it's just so good.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
I want a link to the story, but it looks
like it might be just a print edition. So I
guess you gotta subscribe like me and get the actual
paper newspaper the Onion in your mailbox and all.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
The good WNBA satire.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Also a bonus, the paper has fake ads and you
can only get him in the print edition, which are
hilarious and often go very hard, particularly at Elon Musk,
who at one point considered buying The Onion so that
it wouldn't make fun of him. Like recently, there was
a fake ad for Twitter slash x that read threats eugenics, slurs,
dosing the Everything app, and then there's a fake ad
(27:43):
for a Tesla cyber tarp to put over your car
with the tagline hide your shame, It's just Bravo the onion.
I love it now it's your turt rate and review.
Thanks for listening, y'all. See tomorrow when we continue to
shoot around by discussing the Seattle storm and Phoenix Mercury,
Good Game Links, Good Game Aces Hugh, the fact there
are no interactive women's college softball brackets in the year
(28:05):
twenty twenty five. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an
iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. You could find us on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by
Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi and Nisha Jones.
Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan,
(28:26):
and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutterer, Britney Martinez,
Grace Lynch, and Gianna Palmer. Our associate producers Lucy Jones
and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we have
fewer sleeps than fingers on one hand until the WNBA
season tips off. It's Tuesday, May thirteenth, and on today's show,
we're continuing with the shoot around our team by team
WNBA season preview, making sure you're all prepped and ready
for Friday's season tip off with all the stars, steaks,
stats and stories, a little history, a little lower, a
(00:22):
little gossip, and a little more. Today we're diving deep
on the Minnesota Lynx and the Las Vegas Aces. Plus
we got tired legs, egg beating legs, and one sleeved legs.
It's all coming up right after this welcome back slices.
Here's what you need to know today. Let's start with
(00:44):
water polo and those egg beaten legs. As the NCAA
Championship in that sport concluded on Sunday with Stanford winning
the program's tenth overall title, defeating Southern California eleven to seven.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
With the win, Ryan Nushall made.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Some cool history concluding her college career with her fourth
NCUBLEA title, becoming the first four time NCUBLEA team champion
in Stanford history.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
In any sport.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
New Shoal, a member of the US Olympic team at
last summer's Paris Games, took two years away from the
Cardinal to train with Team USA to hockey where The
PWHL playoffs continue tonight with Game three of the Montreal
Victoire Ottawa Charge semi final series. The two teams are
currently tied up at one game apiece in the best
of five series, and it'll be interesting to see just
how tired those legs look after Game two. You remember
(01:31):
that game went into four, yes, four overtimes, the longest
game in PWHL history, with Montreal finally winning the stalemate.
And it's not just the players who are sore. Ottawa
coach Carla McLeod joked that she planned to wear flats
for tonight's game after spending seven periods in heels on Sunday.
Also for the Associated Press, Audawa players were slurping packets
(01:53):
of mustard to help prevent cramping, and both teams had
pickle juice on hand for the same reason. Tonight's contest
at TD place. That game gets underweight at seven pm Eastern,
and who knows how many overtimes this one's going to take?
The other semi final series between Minnesota and Toronto, a
series that Minnesota leads two games to one, continues tomorrow
Night to Soccer, where FIFA has announced it's sanctioned a
(02:16):
new team made up of refugee women from Afghanistan. Now
normally FIFA regulations required that a country's national federation recognize
a team before said team is allowed to compete, but
under the Taliban, women are.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Banned from playing sports.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
This news comes after years of former afghan players calling
on the Global Soccer Federation to create a pathway for
them to continue representing their country, and the new refugee team,
which will begin play with a one year pilot program,
could include some of those players who previously competed internationally
for Afghanistan. Between twenty ten and twenty eighteen, Afghanistan fielded
a women's soccer team that played twenty two matches, but
(02:50):
that all ended in twenty twenty one when the Taliban
returned to power. Captain of that team, Fatima Yusufi, told
me in a twenty twenty three interview that members of
the team and female athletes in general in Afghanistan faced
some of the biggest risks from the new regime, as
the Taliban was first targeting educated women and women athletes,
those who were empowered in their bodies. fIF pro the
(03:12):
Global Players Association helped more than seventy five people associated
with the women's soccer team evacuate from Afghanistan, many of
them landing in Australia, and several of those players, including Yusufi,
now compete for a team called Melbourne Victory FC, Afghan
women's team, which is part of the sixth tier of
Aussie football. We're super excited that after all these years
of fighting, these Afghan women are finally going to be
(03:34):
recognized by FIFA. To the WNBA, where we have an
update on La Sparks player Deerica Hamby's federal discrimination lawsuit
filed last August. Hamby alleges that her former team, the
Las Vegas Aces, unlawfully traded her because she was pregnant
with her second child. Hamby's claims against the WNBA itself
have been dismissed, but friend of the show, Callie Finn
(03:55):
of the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that US District
Judge Andrew Gordon has ordered that the case against the
Aces be allowed to proceed. Per Finn, quote. The decision
to deny the Ace's motion to dismiss Hamby's discrimination claim
came down to two of her allegations that the Aces
failed to invite her to their White House visit celebrating
their twenty twenty two WNBA championship win. Ann prohibited the
(04:18):
team's videography staff from projecting her daughter on the video
screen at an Aces game.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
We'll keep you posted as we learn more, and we've
got plenty more to say about the Aces later in
today's show.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
More Hoops.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Maryland standout Cheyenne Sellars has been waived by the Atlanta
Dream You remember Sellers was also waived by the Valkyries,
who drafted her with the seventeenth pick, and even more WNBA.
A few days ago, when previewing the Connecticut Sun, we
mentioned that the team had promised they had the full
backing and commitment of their owners, the Mohegan Tribe. In fact,
before last season started, team president Jennifer Rizzotti responded to
(04:53):
a fan who was worried that the team might be
looking to relocate after they promoted a game at TD
Garden in Boston. Rizzotti said, quote that was not part
of the reason for playing in Boston. I know people
like to talk about that, but the Mohegan tribe has
supported this team for twenty three years. They have poured
into it, they invested in it, and now they're at
a point where they can finally see the value of
all that investment. I feel proud to know that they
continue to step up to the plate and want to
(05:14):
have a successful franchise and want that to be in
Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun Arena. She continued, It's refreshing
to know that they're supportive of us doing this, knowing
that that could be the conversation. They're secure enough that
they're okay with us expanding into a different market in
New England, and even though we want to be known
as New England's team, we're still the Connecticut Sun.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Well, that was then, and this is what we're hearing now.
Per Sportico's ebenov Williams and Kurt Badenhausen, the son of
hired investment bank Allen and Company, to explore the sale
of the franchise. We'll keep you updated as we get
more info. We got to take a quick break. When
we come back.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
We're talking Minnesota links a team with revenge on the brain,
stick around welcome back slices.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Today's previews start with the Minnesota Lynx, who went thirty
to ten last season, winning the inn season tournament, the
Commissioner's Cup, and finishing the season as the second seed
before falling to the New York Liberty in a winner
take all Game five of the WNBA Finals.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Here's what you need to know about the Minnesota Links history.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
The team began play during the nineteen ninety nine season
and shared an owner with the mnba's Minnesota Timberwolves Glenn Taylor,
but this year both teams are transitioning ownership to former
mlbstar Alex Rodriguez and entrepreneur Mark Lore. The Links have
made the postseason in fifteen of their twenty six seasons,
winning four titles in twenty eleven, twenty thirteen, twenty fifteen,
(06:45):
and twenty seventeen. A true dynasty. Great players of Links
past include Katie Smith, Simone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, who's now
an assistant coach with the team, Maya Moore, Rebecca Brunson,
and Sylvia Fowls. The team's twenty twenty five tag line
one two Words revenge Tour. The Links were a single
(07:05):
overtime period away from winning the title last year, with
head coach Cheryl Reeves saying after the game that it
was quote unquote stolen by the officials. The team's relatively
quiet offseason reflects a belief in running it back with
the same pieces, hoping for a different result this time.
So let's talk additions and losses. Maisha heinz Allen left
the team in free agency to sign with the Dallas Wings.
(07:25):
Cecilia Zandalasini was selected by the Golden State Valkyries and
the expansion Draft, and Dorca Johas has elected to sit
out the twenty twenty five season to rest, citing a
year round schedule of playing in both the WNBA and
in Italy plus for the Hungarian national team. As for additions,
the most noteworthy was trading with the Mystics to acquire
Carly Samuelson. Perhaps the biggest changes for the Links came
(07:48):
at the front office and coaching level. General manager Claire
Duellius left to become the executive VP and GM for Unrivaled,
and assistant coach Katie Smith left to take an assistant
position at her alma mater, Ohio State opened up room
for the Links to hire Eric Tebow, most recently head
coach of the Washington Mystics, and Lindsay Whalen, a franchise
legend and former Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach. The team
(08:10):
boasts a couple of stars and certainly more household names
after last year's run to the finals, but it definitely
all starts with Nafisa Collier aka Fee, last year's Defensive
Player of the Year and runner up for MVP, a
four time All Star and former Rookie of the Year,
plus an unrivaled co founder, the inaugural Unrivaled MVP and
inaugural winner of the unrivaled one v one tournament, plus
(08:32):
a two time Olympic gold medalist. Then there's Courtney Williams.
After playing for five different teams in her first eight seasons,
she landed with the Links last year and was a
fantastic fit. A one time All Star with a ton
of swag and toughness, She's an absolute dog who wins
over fans and frustrates her opponents.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Kyla McBride is another standout for the Links. She was
the team's second leading scorer last year, putting up fifteen
points a game and shooting over forty percent from three.
The stakes are high for this team.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
They want to avenge last year's finals loss, and they
want to win before they lose any of their best
players to free agency. The new WNBACBA expected to drop
ahead of next season means a ton of teams could
face a big roster shakeup as players have signed their
deals with the intention of being free agents heading into
next year. All the biggest names on this link's team
will be unrestricted free agents next season. Nafisa Collier, Kaylen McBride,
(09:25):
Courtney Williams, Alana Smith, Natisia Heideman, and Bridget Carlton. So yeah,
they want to win now before those pieces have the
chance to walk after that finals run last year. It's
basically win it all this year or be disappointed. Let's
talk some stats. The big one is rings one more
and this team is at five titles, getting them out
of a three way tie with the Seattle Storm and
(09:46):
the now defunct franchise the Houston Comets, and establishing sole
possession of most WNBA titles.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
In league history.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Last season, the team posted the league's best defensive rating,
a huge jump after finishing tenth in that category in
both the two previous seasons. They also led the league
an opponent field goal percentage, opponent two point percentage, and
opponent three point percentage, so defense was a huge part
of the Links' success last year. They could stand to
improve their rebounding, though they were just seventh in total
(10:14):
rebounding rate. As for individual stats. Per her Hoopstats, Collier
can join an elite group if she puts up a
third season averaging at least twenty points, eight boards, and
two assists a game. Only Brianna Stewart, who's had four
such seasons, and Asia Wilson, who's had three, have ever
done it. Collier would also be doing it in her
first three seasons back from maternity leave, which is an
(10:35):
extra flex.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Let's get to some stories and low around this team.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
We got to start with Courtney Williams dad Donalds, who's
a fixture at games and a very vocal hype man
for his daughter. He's always fun to catch sight of
during games. You also got head coach Cheryl Reeve, known
not just for her outstanding coaching, including Coach of the
Year honors last season, but also her advocacy and activism,
which is a through line for this franchise, which has
often been willing to be on the front lines of
(10:59):
may your social and political issues. Then you got super
fan prints and the infamous post championship after party at
Paisley Park. You can hear all about that in last
year's October seventeenth episode, as the moment was inducted into
our Good Game Hall of Fame. Fun fact about this team,
Cheryl Reeve is the longest tenured WNBA coach by a lot.
(11:22):
She's led the Link since December two thousand and nine,
a term that includes all four of the team's WNBA titles.
The second longest ten yured WNBA coach Noel Quinn, who's
been at the helm of the Seattle Storm since just
May of twenty twenty one. Producer Alex actually did the
math on this and found that Cheryl Reeve has been
in her job for nearly as long as every other
WNBA coach combined. As of today, it's been five thousand,
(11:45):
six hundred thirty five days that Reeve has been in
charge in Minnesota, versus five eight hundred and sixty five
days for the other twelve coaches combined. That's a difference
of just two hundred and thirty days less than a year. Unbelievable.
Meish that about some up the Links.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
But what am I missing, Oh Sarah, what you're missing
is a big claim that I'm about to make. Okay, technically,
it's a claim that would work if the new CBA
wasn't about to be in effect. But I'll just say this,
the Links, after losing to the Liberty last year, having
arguably to me the best player in the world right
(12:21):
now in the Visa Collier, all the role players they
have that know what they're doing. You've got Courtney Williams,
who I still think is in the prime of her career.
They've got all the pieces, plus chl Reeve, who you
just mentioned one of the best coaches in the history
of the league. If we weren't about to enter into
a new CBA, I think we might be seeing the
second Links dynasty. They've got that kind of foundation. And again,
(12:46):
I mean the final series between them and the Liberty
was so beautiful to watch, and I don't think there
was a moment in there where I really thought that
this was a team that just was gonna lay down
and die in front of the right like FISA was
on a mission. Everybody else on her squad was on
a mission somebody else that I think we need to
talk more and more and more about this season. Kaylea
(13:08):
McBride was on a mission. Arguably the most underrated player
in the league. If we weren't about to enter into
a new CBA, if there weren't so many understrict different
agents on this team, Sarah, they would be dangerous for
years to come. And again, we don't know what they're
gonna do.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
They might choose to stick around and want to be
a part of it exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I get the feeling we're gonna see a lot of
shake up next season, and that's why there's gonna be
such an emphasis for so many of these teams to
try to get it done with the core that they
have now. I also think after watching Unrivaled, I was
convinced and I was gonna put my money down as
fee for MVP this season.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Ooh spicy, yup? I don't even think it was spicy.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And now I'm even more determined because right now she's
third in MVP odds behind Caitlin Clark and Asia Wilson,
and I think she's just fired up about losing fired
up about not being given the best odds for that
despite going off and unrivaled and being, like you said,
one of the best players in the league last year.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
So I'm really excited to watch this Links team.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
I think they're bringing back so many pieces that it's
championship or boss quite clearly.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeah, it has to be. It has to be.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
And I think the other thing that excites me about them,
we really haven't seen Alyssa Peelee hit her ceiling yet. Right.
Diamond Miller is back, a player that a lot of
folks were excited about when she came out of Maryland
in the draft just a couple of seasons ago. It
just feels like a perfect storm. And so this is
a well rounded team, This is a squad.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, a lot of eyes should be on them.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Look out for the Links. We got to take another
break when we come back. Should we still be looking
out for the Las Vegas Aces? Stick around, Welcome back Slices.
Let's talk Las Vegas Aces, a team that finished twenty
seven and thirteen last season, losing to the eventual champion,
(14:53):
New York Liberty in the semi finals and falling short
in their attempt at a three Peat. Here's the Ace's
history you need to know and settle in, because it's
a complicated one. The team was founded in nineteen ninety
seven as the Utahs Stars with two Z's of Salt
Lake City, one of the league's inaugural eight teams. It
moved before the two thousand and three season, becoming the
San Antonio Silver Stars, later shortening the name to the
(15:16):
San Antonio Stars in twenty fourteen. Before the twenty eighteen season,
the team relocated to Las Vegas and became the Aces.
They're now owned by Mark and Carol Davis, who also
owned the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL. Tom Brady
is also a minority owner of the team. Between the
Stars with two Z's, the Silver Stars, just Stars and Aces.
The team has made it to the finals four times,
(15:37):
in two thousand and eight, losing to now defunct franchise
the Detroit Shock, in the twenty twenty Wubble season, losing
to the Seattle Storm, in twenty twenty two, defeating the
Connecticut Sun, and in twenty twenty three defeating the New
York Liberty. Top players in franchise history include Becky Hammond,
now the head coach of the Aces, Margodideck, and Deerica Hamby,
who's still playing in the league, but now with the
Los Angeles Sparks. There's also been a surprising amount of
(16:00):
controversy in the team's short history as the Aces.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
We'll get to that a little bit later.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Their twenty twenty five tag line should we still bet
on Black? Here's why a new look Aces squad is
going to try to keep up with the best of
the league after they struggled for much of the regular
season last year and fell short in the postseason. Now
struggled as a relative term, that's just in relation to
the success that they'd had the previous two years. When
it comes to additions and losses, the biggest was the
three team trade that sent two time champ and three
(16:27):
time All Star Kelsey Plumb to the LA Sparks, bringing
two time champ, six time All Star, two time Olympic
Gold medalist, and former Rookie of the Year Jewel Lloyd
to Sin City. The Aces lost fan favorite Sidney Coulson
to the Indiana Fever and free agency, and saw longtime
VET Alicia Clark signed with the Seattle Storm. The Aces
also lost Kate Martin, a popular draft pick out of
(16:49):
Iowa last year to Golden State in the expansion Draft,
and Tiffany Hayes, last year's sixth Woman of the Year,
elected to go to the Valkyries and free agency. The
Aces did grab guard Dana Evans from the Chicago Sky
via trade, and they signed twenty twenty three All Star
Chyanne Parker Tias and free agency, but she recently announced
her second pregnancy and will miss at least the first
few months of the season. As for the coaching staff,
(17:11):
they experienced a bit of a brain drain this offseason,
a sometimes inevitable consequence of sustained success. Assistant coach Natalie
Nicasse left to become the first head coach of the
expansion Valkyries, and assistant coach Tyler Marsh took the head
job with the Chicago Sky. Also, GM Natalie Williams contract
wasn't renewed and the team hasn't yet filled that position.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
The star of this Aces team is the brightest in
the Sky.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Three time WNBA MVP, two time champion, two time Defensive
Player of the Year, six time All Star, last year's
league scoring champion, and two time Olympic gold medalist Asia
Wilson she of the signature shoe that just sold out
in five minutes. She's kind of a big deal. We
also have new addition, Jewel Lloyd, who's a bona fide star.
You just heard her impressive list of accomplishments. And you
(17:55):
got Chelsea Gray aka the Point God, bringing a resume
with three titles, six Star nods, two Olympic Gold medals,
and an unrivaled Finals MVP Award.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
After leading her roseby C team to the inaugural title.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
And then there's Jackie Young, an Olympic gold medalist, two
time champion, and three time All Star.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
So yeah, this team is pretty stacked.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
The stakes are high for this team as well as
they try to stay among the league's best while teams
like the Indiana Fever add big pieces and look to
join the contenders.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
The Aces have been the best team in the league over.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
The last five years, and there was a lot of
dynasty talk last season before they ended up losing to
the Liberty. A win this season would still allow them
to lay claim to that dynasty title, but if you
put too much of a gap between their last two
titles and the next, it's a much tougher argument to make.
The Aces are another team, like most frankly set to
send a handful of players into free agency after this season,
(18:46):
including pretty much all those stars I just mentioned Wilson,
Lloyd Gray, and young stats. Let's start with coach Becky Hammond,
a two time champ as coach and a Hall of
Famer as a player. Her seven to fifty two win
percentage including the playoffs is the best of any coach
in WNBA history with at least a full season of
thirty games under their belt. No other coach in w
(19:08):
history has won more than sixty five percent of their games.
As for team stats, the Aces have led the WNBA
in offensive rating in each of the last five seasons.
Though there are one hundred five points per one hundred possessions,
last season was the lowest mark in that stretch. Per
her Hoopstats, there are only twenty one instances of a
team posting an offensive rating of one hundred and five
plus in WNBA history, and five of them belong to
(19:30):
the Aces over the last five seasons. This team also
knows how to take care of the ball, boasting the
lowest turnover rate in the league in each of the
last four seasons. They do have to improve their offensive rebounding,
though they were dead last in offensive rebounding rate in
twenty twenty four and twenty twenty two, and finished eleventh
and twenty twenty three and ninth in twenty twenty one,
so it's been a problem for the duration of their
(19:51):
dynastic run. As for stories in Low, while the Asia
lore is growing by the day and will keep growing
as she cements her legacy as one of the greatest
of all time. She's already got a statue out front
of her alma mater, South Carolina. She's got MNBA players
rocking her shoes, including her boyfriend, the Miami Heats Bam Autobio.
She's a funko pop, a New York Times bestselling author,
(20:12):
a Time Woman of the Year for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I could literally go on.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
There's also some less positive lore around this Aces team,
though mainly how often they seem to be embroiled in
a bit of controversy. Last year, the Las Vegas Convention
and Visitors Authority announced that they'd be providing one hundred
thousand dollars annual sponsorships to each player for both the
twenty twenty four and twenty twenty five seasons. Now, the
Aces claim the sponsorship doesn't violate the WNBA salary cap
(20:38):
because the club didn't orchestrate the deal, But the WNBA
is investigating that, just like they investigated allegations of workplace
violations and the providing of benefits outside of contracts back
in twenty twenty three, both of those allegations stemming from
a complaint filed by former player de Erica Hamby, who
we mentioned earlier in the show. Hamby claimed that some
of the alleged outside benefits were denied when she got
(21:00):
pregnant again. The findings on that issue led to the
team losing their twenty twenty five first round draft pick
and a two game suspension for Becky Hammond. And as
you heard, Hamby's suit against the Aces is ongoing.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Fun fact for this team.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Last season, the Aces became the first WNBA team to
sell out every regular season home game in season. That
included all twenty home games, eighteen of which were at
Michelobultra Arena and two at the larger T Mobile Arena.
All right, meish, I think that's most of it for
the Aces. But what am I forgetting Sarah?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
I'm terrified for anybody who stands in the way of
Asian Wilson and this Las Vegas Aces team this season,
they liked the Minnesota Lynx. I think similarly because they
didn't have the season they wanted to have in twenty
twenty four.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
They're also coming back with that same kind of venge.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
It's that same kind of energy and like the Indiana
Fever who you talked about earlier this week, there are
a lot of mouths to feed on this roster. But
if there's anybody I trust to put all the pieces together,
it's Becky Haimmon. You just talked about her resume, and
she's not her mother mother, you not.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
You hit to the kids lingos Sarah I find out.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
But yeah, I just think the two of them, they're
in lockstep. And when you have a star and a
coach who are just in each other's pockets that way,
it's always dangerous. But you mentioned the active offseason that
Asia had. I think last season, you know, you have
the Olympics, you have all this other stuff going on.
Now she's on the other side of that. I think
she's gonna be able to hone in on more leadership
(22:34):
with this new group, making sure that Juwel Lloyd feels
comfortable on this roster. She'll have some help right in
Chelsea Gray. The point God, she's gonna be healthy for
a whole season, hopefully fingers crossed.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
So you know, another team.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I feel like we've said this ten different times for
ten different teams already, but another team you have to
be scared of come the regular season in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Yeah, those are some really good points.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
I think worth noting that the struggles that they had
early last season were tied to Chelsea Gray's injury and
they started to figure it out. Of course, pick things
up later in the season, and then also Asia, busy
with her shoe and promoting things, took time off and
didn't plan unrivaled. She of course one of the greatest
best players in the league, and wasn't playing in that
league along with so many of the other stars because
(23:18):
she rested her body. We'll see if that helps her
come back. I don't even know how you come back
stronger and better. Yeah, it possible.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Improve, But I think that's something we forget about a
lot with these players. They've got so much happening even
off the basketball court, that when you have the time
in the space to really lock in and get into
that zone.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Oh man, oh buddy.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
I have to say, like your excitement around them is
reminding me that on paper they should be very much
in contention.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
There is some part of my gut, though I don't
know why that is.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Wondering if as other teams get better, they don't get worse,
but they just struggle to be as dominant. When I
look at a team like Fever adding pieces, when I
look at a team like the Lynx that should be
as good, if not stronger than last year. When I
look at a team like the Liberty that didn't really
lose anything.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
I mean, there's a little.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Difference there with Salute versus Natasha Cloud, but I don't
know why, and there's not a good reason for it.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
But Sarah, the beauty of that you just mentioned all
the top teams, right everybody you kind of wondering. You're
taking everything with a grain of salt. It's a beautiful
thing for the game of women's basketball. When there's so
much parody, folks, it's gonna be locked. U absolutely sixth seasons.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
So if you ask Mesh, her answer to my tagline
should be still bet on black is absolutely Yeah. We
always love that you're listening slices, but we want you
to get in the game every day too, So here's
our good game play of the day.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Fill out a college softball bracket.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
The Ncaattorney gets underway with the regionals starting this Friday,
May sixteenth.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Now, we're not gonna lie to you. Slices. Filling out a.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Softball bracket maybe not exactly the easiest task, not just
because of the whole dumble elimination thing, but also because,
as far as we've seen, there are no interactive versions online,
which means you do got to break out a pen
and paper, or if you're super tech savvy, type in
your selections manually. We'll link to a printable bracket in
our show notes. Go ahead and fill it out and
send us a photo. We always love to hear from you,
(25:16):
so hit us up on email good game at Wondermedia
network dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight
seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't forget
to subscribe.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Rate and review, y'all. It really helps us, and it's easy.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Watch a recent WNBA story in the Onion rating ten
out of ten two reel. Someone is going to take
this seriously review. State Department designates WNBA as terrorist organization.
Reads the headline of a recent story in the satirical
publication The Onion. A few choice lines from this story quote.
(25:49):
According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the organization has
as many as one hundred and fifty six terrorists spread
across thirteen known cells in the United States, and several
of its members can be tied directly to the notorious
acts of basketball carried out last year at the Paris Olympics.
Their radical anti American ideology is centered on the empowerment
of girls and women, said Rubio, while stressing that the
(26:12):
group's members are easily recognizable by their signature uniform of
sleeveless jerseys and nylon shorts. The WNBA is a danger
not just to this nation, but the entire globe. They
won't stop until every woman on the planet believes they
can do anything they want on the court and off
end quote. The story also cites key leaders including Asia Wilson,
ri k Agumbwallee, Angel Rehese, and Caitlin Clark end quote.
(26:35):
The FBI named forty two year old Diana Tarassi as
a senior ranking member who is believed to have helped
lead the organization for years, but whose current whereabouts are
unknown end quote. Also one more line, because it's just
too good, referring to FBI Director Cash Patel, who quote
pointed to the Justice Department's open case against Skims, the
(26:55):
official underwear partner of the WNBA. If you want to
cheer on the disturbing acts of Kennedy Carter, you will
do so from behind bars.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
He added, it's just so good.
Speaker 1 (27:07):
I want a link to the story, but it looks
like it might be just a print edition. So I
guess you gotta subscribe like me and get the actual
paper newspaper the Onion in your mailbox and all.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
The good WNBA satire.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Also a bonus, the paper has fake ads and you
can only get him in the print edition, which are
hilarious and often go very hard, particularly at Elon Musk,
who at one point considered buying The Onion so that
it wouldn't make fun of him. Like recently, there was
a fake ad for Twitter slash x that read threats eugenics, slurs,
dosing the Everything app, and then there's a fake ad
(27:43):
for a Tesla cyber tarp to put over your car
with the tagline hide your shame, It's just Bravo the onion.
I love it now it's your turt rate and review.
Thanks for listening, y'all. See tomorrow when we continue to
shoot around by discussing the Seattle storm and Phoenix Mercury,
Good Game Links, Good Game Aces Hugh, the fact there
are no interactive women's college softball brackets in the year
(28:05):
twenty twenty five. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an
iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment. You could find us on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by
Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi and Nisha Jones.
Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan,
(28:26):
and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutterer, Britney Martinez,
Grace Lynch, and Gianna Palmer. Our associate producers Lucy Jones
and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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