July 9, 2025 • 53 mins
Washington Post staff writer Kareem Copeland joins Khristina to talk all things WNBA — from Mystics rookies Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron earning All-Star nods, to ongoing conversations around pay equity and CBA negotiations. They also dive into this year’s All-Star snubs, the importance of investing in young talent, and provide key updates on veterans like DeWanna Bonner and Emma Meesseman.
Want more women’s basketball scoop? Follow the show on Instagram @ICYMIwithKW and X @ICYMIwithKW and for more on Khristina, follow her on Instagram @khristinawilliams
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CREDITS
Executive Producers:
Nikki Ettore
Jessie Katz
Tyler Klang
Jonathan Strickland
Producer:
Buffy Gorrilla
Producer & Editor:
Tari Harrison
Host:
Khristina Williams
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an
iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to another episode of In Case You Missed It
with Christina Williams here on iHeart Women's Sports Network and
with China Robinson. A couple of weeks ago, she coined
the phrase fam to the show, and this week's guest
is He's fam. I consider him fam to the show
as well, and he's been getting on me because I've
been getting on him about not coming all the show
(00:35):
so far. So I'm excited to have this person on
the show. Finally we could make it happen. Please welcome
into the show. Staff writer at The Washington Post, my
good friend Kareem Copeland. Kareem, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
What up though? Thank you for having me?
Speaker 4 (00:51):
You know, I mean, I essentially had to beg to
get on. I don't think it's supposed to work like that,
but you know, we here, we're here.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Appreciate you having me. We're we're here.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I'm glad that you're finally here. Is Kareem. We like
to start every episode with asking our guests to share
a win of the week, and that's why it's sure
a moment that was a win for them this week.
So what's your win of the week?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
My win of the week? Whow I got out of
this traffic today in DC? Does that count?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Strout that it was a good game with My win
of the week was just having a good game this
morning between the Mystics and Sky that just kind of
finished up another great game by Angel Reese. And it's
it's always cool for me to kind of catch up
with old people, old friends, people I have covered in
the past, and I've covered Angels since she was a
(01:40):
freshman year at at Maryland and let's see, Elizabeth Williams
was out there form a Mystic. I haven't seen Ariel
Atkins since she was out here. So that's always a
cool thing to me when I'm able to catch up
with people around the league that I haven't seen in
a while. So I'm gonna take that as my win
for the week.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, and the Mistakes they got a huge in today, right,
So that's that was good. But you're an og in
the game. But speaking of the Mystics, the WNBA this
past week they announced the All Star reserves and two
mistakes rookies headline that reserve group in Kiki Aria and
(02:19):
Sony Citron. So what can you tell us about the
Mystics rookies and end up making their first All Star appearance.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Well, you know, no one really knew how they would
kind of come into the league starting off this year.
You know, they were It's funny, I think they were
kind of the clear cut number three number four options
in this draft. Everybody can new Page was going on
going number one, Dominique was most likely going number two,
(02:49):
and so I thought that that's probably where they were
going to slide out, which is where they did. But
at the same time, you never know quite how they
were going to fit in. Remember Sonya was the third
option in Notre Dame. You know, she's not really a
ball dominant guard and she's playing the three here, and
so you really didn't know how all of that would fit.
(03:09):
You knew she's a really smart player, but you know
sometimes she's not the most.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Physical player in the world. You wondered how all of
that stuff would be adapt would adapt and you know.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
She's just got a super high IQ and that has
played out throughout the year. That's been the one thing
that's actually made it pretty easy for them is because
you don't have to run anything for her. They don't
really run a whole lot of sets to kind of
get her open or get her shots. Even today, she
kind of had a little bit of a slow start,
and you know, she hit a couple of back cuts
for a couple easy layups and booms. She's in another
(03:42):
double digit scoring game. What she's I do believe this
year she has more twenty and tens than any other rookie,
I do believe. So she's been able to slot in
and start really from day one, and it's made it
real easy for her teammates around her because she's kind
of that heady player that's always going to make the
(04:04):
right play, always going to be in the right spot,
that kind of thing. So that's really kind of helped her.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Kiki.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think last year at Southern Cal I think there
she even has talked about herself. She said she lost
her confidence a little bit, and I think, you know,
kind of slotting in with Juju and those expectations and
all of those things. I don't know if she ever
completely fit into how they were running or what the
(04:32):
what their scheme was. I think that was all still
an adjustment even through the end of the year for her,
and so I don't think she ever felt quite as
comfortable as she did at the end of that Stanford year.
And at the end of that year, I was coming
out saying, hey, if she was coming out of the
draft end, she would have been a top pick at
that point because she was just kind of incredible at
(04:52):
the time that she ended that Stanford And so she
seems to have gotten back to herself. And you know,
all last year everybody was kind of talking about extending
her game and all of that kind of stuff, and
can she hit you know, can she hit shots going
out to the three point line. I think this year
she's just been able to be herself and her footwork
(05:12):
has been exquisite around the rim. She's crashed the board,
she has all that energy. What today I think she
got her sixth double double of the year, which I
do believe leave to all rookies, and so that's been
the easy thing. And she got tested right off of
the bat. She went against beg Tina Charles, you know
some of the greatest fours and fives in this league.
(05:35):
Brianna Jones right off of the bed and there was
no ease in your way in the league, and she
completely has belonged.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Begi even said that things.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
She was like, you know, shoot, I've kind of talked
to her off to the sides and given her a
little bit of advice, but she has never back down.
She's never looked scared. And so they've slotted in perfectly
with this team, and quite frankly, that's a big part
of why they're playing better, more than better than any
of us expected. This is the youngest roster in the league,
(06:06):
and everybody kind of essentially thought they were going to
be bottom two, bottom three in the league, and right
now they're still helping around the playoff spot.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
And so I think the.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Way those two have come in and played and the
way that they've been able to kind of ingratiate themselves
to their teammates, and and there's no I keep saying it,
it almost feels like a college team in a lot
of ways, with the youth that they have, and they
want to play fast, and they're just like, let's try
(06:36):
to run teams out of the gym and get in
transition and shoot these threes. They have a lot of
energy to them, and I think that's kind of worked
really well for them.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I didn't. I didn't.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
I don't think any of us expected both of them
to make All Star off the bat, but they've put
up a pretty good argument, and apparently clearly the coaches
thought so so, and.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It sounds like Sonya's gonna be in the three point contest.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
They were.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
They were practicing yesterday at the gym where Kiki was
bent over holding basketballs on her back while Sonya was
grabbing balls off and shooting. And so I think they're
pretty excited, and I think all of Washington is pretty
excited to have them here.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I think that that's the perfect example of both Kiki
and Sonia and what it means to be drafted at
a team where they need you and it's the right
fit versus the number that you're drafted, because the responsibility
that they both have as rookies on the Washington Mystics,
the opportunity that they have in terms of the minutes played,
(07:37):
they get to show their skill at a high level
and do it in an efficient matter. And let me
be the first one to say that the Washington Mystics
have surprised me with the new coach and the new
system and the new players, and so these rookies are
handling that very very very well. So no surprise that
you know they've been able to make the All Star Game.
(07:57):
Page Becker's as well a rookie in the All Star
Game this year, and she's starting, and you know, a
lot of people online have been saying this is one
of the most talented rookie classes that we've seen in
a long long time, and I would have to agree
with that. Also on the reserves list, Kayla Thornton WNBA
(08:18):
champion with the New York Liberty now on the Golden
State Valkyries. First time All Star Gabby Williams is going
to be an All Star reserve as well. For the
first time, Skylar Diggins was named an All Star reserve
amongst some other players. Now with the roster being announced,
there was also a lot of disappointment in terms of
(08:38):
fans not seeing some of their favorite players making it
and bringing up the conversation of who they think was snubbed.
I personally think that there's two players that was absolutely snubbed,
and you could make a case hurt of one player
is Bree Jones out of atl and Washington Mystics Britney Sykes.
(08:59):
Now I know that you were able to be on
location with the Mystics this week. What was the reaction
from Slim in terms of not being selected as an
All Star this year.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Well, I'll give some a whole lot of credit. She's
a trooper because she is the leader of this team.
That's been the unquestioned role that she was given by
Sidney Johnson. From the moment, it's been her and Stephanie
Dolson kind of as the veteran leaders. And on the
floor things haven't worked out so great for Steph, But
(09:30):
I mean Slim is having a career and points assists.
I think she's ranked number eleven in the league in points, number.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Twelve and assists.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
She's the person with the ball in their hands during
go two times, and she is the one like when
that second unit comes in and like coming out of
a timeout and they're all grouped together right before they
walk on the floor, you see Slim go over there
and have like the last word with them, the last
kind of encouraging word of you know, hey, this is
(09:59):
what we want to do. Like she is that vocal
leader for them, and so it was really cool to see.
So they announced it at practice. I guess that would
have been two days ago. And so they're right at
the end, they're all in the big huddle in the
big circle. Sydney starts to say, hey, we've got this announcement.
(10:20):
We've got two All Stars, and they real out a cake.
They announced that it's those two and it is a
genuine joy of all the joy. I'm starting to use
Sydney's whereas I can. I've been around him too much.
He loves to talk about the joy of the team.
But the way that they all mobbed each other and
(10:41):
we were genuinely happy for her, and Slim was part
of that, jumping up and down supporting them. And she's
been great about supporting them all year. And even though
she I talked to her yesterday about this, you know
she was she was disappointed because that was a goal
that was an absolute goal for her this and to
(11:01):
fall a little bit short, she was disappointed. But at
the same time, she said by the time she got
her to her phone, her phone was blown up with
peers supporting her, having her back.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
She said.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
One of the first people that was on the list
was Angel Reese, but they became really close when they
were unrivaled playing on the Rose together. She said, she
you know, she's not huge on social media right now,
and so I was talking about it. I was like,
have you heard about the response? And she's like, yeah,
I heard about it. And it made her feel you know,
it was very comforting. It made her feel good and
(11:37):
that hey, at least her peers and other people kind
of have seen what she's doing and it's not just
kind of going out there.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
You know. She said, Hey, you can control what you
can control.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
And you know, I'm still here and I'm not going
to be down and I'm not going to let it
weigh on me. But there was some disappointment, but I
think it was very much helped by friends, family, and
again other people out in the league who you know,
went to bat for her. Deerica Hanby even put out
a tweet or something on socials that was like, you
(12:08):
get two from the mystics, but not the leading scorer.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
On a team that subed five hundred. And it wasn't
a shot at the rookies.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
It was a support for Slim and so she really
appreciate that and even they had a conversation about that.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
So she took it well. I think, yeah, if you're.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Gonna, you know, start going through and saying who was
kind of left out, I would say probably she Bree,
maybe Deerica were kind of at the top of those
lists of just on the outside looking in. You know,
then you gotta gotta go to the list and say,
see who you know who made it and start kind
of comparing contrasting kind of like that. But I think
those are the top three that, you know, if you could,
(12:51):
you could probably extend it. If there were three more spots,
I'd probably say that those three were the ones that
get in.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
I'm trying to look at my list. If I had
anybody else now, I.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Think those would I know a shoot, I'd even put
Tosh Tosh Cloud in the conversation. I know she kind
of had a hotter start than she had kind of recently.
And you know, when when the when your team struggles,
that doesn't help. It's kind of hard to you know,
say that they're struggling but not as not as hot
as they started off this season. Uh, but those are
the top people that kind of came in my mind,
(13:20):
and and Slim dealt with it, dealt with it like
a vet as opposed to would have been real easy
to kind of pout a little bit or be disappointed
or or or you know, you pat your teammates on
the back. But she kind of also still feels slowered
away and she's really actively.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Trying not to do so. So I give her a
lot of credit in that way.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, And I would also say that, to what it's worth,
the Minnesota Links are the number one team in the
league and they only have two All Stars on the
roster this season and a piece of Collier in Courtney
Williams now Cheryl Reeve came out and made a statement
about that, and I would have to agree with coach Reeve,
who's a friend to this show. I think that Atlanta Smith,
(14:01):
he can make a case for her as well to
be named an All Star. And when it comes to
the criteria in terms of voting, like obviously we know
All Star is for the fans, but there is a
kind of disreptionency when it comes to well, which teams
get to get this many players? As does your winning
(14:22):
record count or matter? Is it an incentive in terms
of being named in All Star. When it comes to it,
we know in terms of the reserves, the coaches are
the ones who votes that in and so it's it's
really difficult, but all I think a case can make
can be made for every single last one of those players.
Still sticking with w All Star and that topic, the
(14:43):
issue of pay equity has come up because the players
who are participating, they get two thousand, five hundred and
seventy five dollars in prize money, which is way way
way below the NBA rate. And we know that participants
in and the three point Contest AFLAC is giving sixty
(15:04):
thousand dollars in partnership with the WMBPA, not the league,
the PA, and they're also giving another about fifty five
thousand dollars for the Skills Challenge. So you have a
situation where the PA is advocating for the players to
get paid more money for these types of events, and
the players, per the CBA that they are currently under,
(15:27):
they get less than three thousand dollars for participating in
an All Star Game. And it's not really InnoCentive to
make you want to participate in that.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
And so.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
What do you think needs to be done in order
to make it a little bit more fun and more
of an incentive for the players.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Sounds like it needs to be collectively bargained. It sounds
like they're going to be doing something at all Star
collectively bargaining. I think that's kind of where we are
right now with anything that is business related, that is
financial related to all of that stuff, I think is
right now. That's why it's such a big conversation. That's
(16:05):
why you hear Stewie talking about it. That's why you
see here so many different players. I said too talking
about it the other day. I talked to Elizabeth Williams
this morning about it. That's why this this very specific
CBA is so important because it's coming right in the
middle of this transformative time of the league where there's
(16:27):
more attention than ever, there's more dollars than ever, there's
more sponsors than ever, there's more teams than ever.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
That they just announced the other day the highest the
highest price tag.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
To get into the league than ever. All of these
things kind of culminating all at the same time. Everything
player that's essentially almost almost every player that's not on
a rookie contract being a free agent next year.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
All of this.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Stuff swirling and kind of hitting hitting home all at
the same time. That's why the players are quite quite frankly,
trying to stand.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
So firm on getting or or or equaling out the financials,
equaling out compensation, and and so, because whatever you sign
right now a new media deal.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
I forgot about that two point two billion media deal,
because whatever you sign right now, you're gonna be stuck
with for the next but probably a middlem six years
to ten years, well you know years sounds like a
little bit long.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
But whatever the length of the deal ends up being,
you're stuck for it.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
For a while.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
And this is the time to get that bite of
the apple right and and there's and and there's a
lot on the line, I think for both sides in
terms of nobody wants to lose this momentum that you've
got right now, and so nobody wants to you know,
nobody wants to work stoppage right now because you're hot.
(17:59):
Everybody's paying attention right Lasting the league once is a
work stop itch with two more teams supposed to come
in next year, and one more and one more team
coming in essentially every year going until twenty ten. But
that also gives the players leverage. And whenever you got
the leverage, especially when it only comes around.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Every so often you got to use that.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
So that's why I think it's super interesting to kind
of see how this is all working and balancing out.
And I know there's been some complaints already about the
first reply that kind of came in from the league side.
Players didn't sound very happy with you know what they've
been I feel like the feeling is that it's that
(18:48):
they weren't heard and I don't know if negotiating, I
don't know if we're at the at the point yet
of using the phrase of negotiating and good faith that
type of thing, But there were disappointment with the numbers
that came back, and I think what they're seeing even
more now after they announced the the what three more
(19:11):
teams that are coming in? Is that what they announced
the other day and they cost the entry fee into
the league. Players are like, yo, we want to bite
of that. We should get a part of that. And
I'm sure they're getting a part of it, but they
want a larger part of it, which is also understandable.
That's the players are why the league is so popular
(19:31):
right now. The players are why they're able to expand
right now. The players have put this league in the
position to have this monumental growth and to have this
new CV, this new media deal that they have. So
whenever it comes to that stuff, you know, whether it's
All Star pay or you know, whenever we're talking dollars
and cents, I'm like, hey, this is the time to
(19:53):
you know, if we're not happy with what it is
right now, this is your chance to change that right now,
Like literally right now is the chance to change that.
So that's why, like Liz Elizabeth Williams said this morning, said,
you know it's gonna that's a big deal at All Star.
They're going to be in rooms and having this same conversation.
So it may be a little low and you may
(20:16):
want the percentages to be better, but you know, this
is the time to kind of figure that out.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yeah, and I know Stewie described the forthcoming meeting as spicy.
Mekka Guoma Kay had told media members that she felt
like or not that she felt but like Kathy directly
said to her that they don't understand how the business works.
And you know, I kind of understand that both sides
of the cooem like the commission of her job is
(20:43):
to generate revenue for the week, right and with that
she's thinking more long term sustainability, and then the players
are like, well, as you said, we want to take
advantage of the moment, and I think above all else,
they learned from the twenty twenty cbas that you get
what you negotiate, and there was a lot left on
the table in twenty twenty. But the difference now, as
(21:05):
you mentioned, the players have more leverage and as you mentioned,
more expansion teams. The Liberty was bought by around ten
to fifteen million. Now it's worth over four hundred million dollars.
The Valpyries, a new expansion team, is worth almost a
half a billion dollars right now. So things are growing
rapidly and as you said, the players want a piece
of that pie. Now, with the talks of negotiations, fans
(21:29):
around the league and social media have phrased or opos
the question of who is at the table in terms
of players negotiating, and the clap back at a fan
who came up with this conspiracy that herself and Branta
(21:50):
Stewarts shouldn't be at the table because they are the
founders of the unrivaled league and they see it as
a conflict of interest. Now I can understand well like
the path that they were trying to go. But I
think that, in the words one man Kobe Bryant, it's
a pakrom yoga stretch to say that. But what are
(22:11):
your thoughts? Do you think that this is a conflict
of interest? You have players like a Brianna Stewart on
a physicalier at the table with these negotiations when they
are the founders and owners of another league which is
not even competing with the w NBA because it's a
completely different structure. But this is a league that has
w NBA players of the top players a part of it.
(22:33):
So what are your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
I don't think it's a conflict of interest. I understand
maybe the optics of it. And for the people who
aren't kind of dug in and paying kind of really
close attention to how all of this stuff works, I
would say number one, from the players perspective, it might
be a little bit helpful to have two people who
(22:56):
have kind of been behind the scenes and working with
the finances a league and worked with on Unrivaled and
know how all of that stuff works and knows what
it's like to work with these different brands and sponsors
and what money is coming in and how money is directed,
and what it costs to run a league and have
that perspective, I would say, you know, there's actual value
(23:19):
in having those two in the room.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
And like you said, they're not exactly one to one
competitive leagues. You know, if if the W, if what happens.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
If the W stops, It's not like all of a sudden,
the unrival is going to just blow up and all
of a sudden be playing five on five with all
one hundred and forty four plus I keep using one
forty four that was the old number, that they are,
all of a sudden, all just going to be able
to play unrivaled.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
You know that, you remember this is a three on
three league with what that twelve teams? Ten teams? Am
I even going high?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
But either way, there's a lot larger group of players
that FEE and the Players Association are responsible for. Then,
even though there were a group of stars and Unrivaled,
it's still a minuscule number compared to all the players
(24:15):
that are in the W and that are going to
be in the W in these upcoming years, especially as
we're adding more teams. So I kind of understand the
optics if you look at it on the surface, but
to the among those things that I kind of just
touched on, anyone that kind of knows Fee and Stewie
(24:36):
knows that that's not kind of how they roll. They're
not exactly like, Hey, I'm going to throw you know,
half the league or all my sisters and all and
all my you know, fellow players.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Under the league.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
So this small group of us, smaller group of us
that are unrivaled, you know, can somehow benefit even though,
like I just said, it's not really a one to
one comparison, and it's not like, Okay, everybody just goes
over here and does their own thing. So I understand
the optics, but I don't think there's a whole lot
of legs to stand on there.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
All Right, Huge news coming out of Phoenix on Tuesday.
They announced the signing up two times WNBA champion Dewanna
Bonner and Koreem This all goes down after she was
waived by the Indiana Fever. Allegedly there was some issues
between her and the organization due to the fit her
fit on that roster, and so she cleared waivers. The
(25:46):
Phoenix Mercury was able to clear some cap space and
sign her. And you know, this is a player that
asked a big history with the team. She helped them
win a championship ten years ago, well eleven years now
because we're in twenty twenty five, but in twenty team
helped them win. I was part of that championship team.
And so it's a return to essentially the place where
(26:06):
she has won. And so Kadem I'm gonna ask you,
do you love it or do you hate it?
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Oh? I love it. I love it like I was.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
I love any team that's able to add dB to
their roster. I loved it when Indiana was able to
add her in the first place. You know, sometimes things
don't work out, you know, you know, the fit wasn't fitting.
For lack of a better phrase, it was. I talked
to her earlier in the year and she said, you know,
I'm still trying to figure out where my place is,
(26:33):
where my shots are coming from, where what my role is.
And I think there was a little bit of uncomfort
uncomfort there where when they were banged up, they were
using her at the four for at stretches, and she
just that wasn't how where she's played and how she's
kind of how she plays the system scheme, even though
(26:55):
that she's been with Stephanie for years previously. They're playing
different than they played in Connecticut, you know, and so
I think that part was an adjustment also, and Indianda,
it's kind of been banged up and had to do
things a little bit differently and figure some stuff out
on the fly. And it was it was she never
(27:18):
even when you're watching, you just never felt that she
was like in the groove of what.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
They were doing.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
And so kudos for them, kudos for all parties for
being able to figure out a solution because you could
easily be in a situation where she's not happy, and
because she's not happy, that's weighing on other players, and
you know, you're you're trying to fit a square peg
into a round hole and that stuff is not working.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Did I get that analogy right, I don't know, But
either way, it's.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
It's it's funny that they were able to or it
works out well that they were able to kind of
figure out a way for everybody kind of go there
separate ways and and and keep it moving. As far
as going to Phoenix, obviously that someplace you're super comfortable.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Elissa Thomas is already there, the team is winning. It
seems like from.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
Afar that you should be able to kind of slide
her in regardless of you know, obviously it's always going
to take a minute in terms of role and and
and getting minutes and lineups and all of those kind
of details. But again, if you've got a chance to
add a player of the quality of dB, someone who's
(28:34):
got the history, the shot making, who's just such a
matchup problem on both ends of the court, you you
seem to jump at that if I if, if I'm
an especially if you're a contender and you're not like
looking down the road to rebuild, being just able to
slot her in and get her, you know, at this
point of the season, and especially before the All Star,
(28:56):
before All Star, where you've got time to learn and
and they've got some cushion because they've been playing so
well and so they're already high in the standings. I
don't if I'm a Mercury fan, I'm pretty dwn happy today.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
See I'm a little fifty to fifty on this. I'm
like inserting a new player at this point where you're
tied with the New York Liberty and Record for second place,
stop broke. Don't try to fix it now. I understand
that she's an important player to the Phoenix Mercury franchise
in terms of bringing championships there and being able to win.
(29:30):
But I feel like this team has already started to
figure out their identity with Satsu Soboli, Kullia Copper and
Alyssa Thomas and all of the players, the role players
that have around them. Sammy Witcomb has been playing such
an incredible season so far. Yeah, it's just like, do
you want to mess up that chemistry right now by
(29:51):
adding a piece like Towana Bonner. But as you said,
if you have a free agent like Dwana Bonner and
you don't necessarily other pair of two hundred thousand dollarscause
India has to pay her at anyways, and you can
get her for below the bat minimum, why not striking
a chance to strengthen your roster and added player of
that caliber. Now with the addition of Dewanna Bonner, I
(30:11):
know a lot of people were talking about the possibility
of an Emma Miseiman coming back over Finals MVP in
twenty nineteen won a championship with the Washington Mystics and
I remember over the weekend we had heard rumors about
Emma being in Minnesota, which was not true. We figured
out she was not in Minnesota, but you know, that
was a rumor that was flying around. But I feel
(30:35):
like with the signing of Dewanna Bontner, there's no chance
that Emma is going to go to Phoenix if she
decided to return to the WNBA. I feel like every
season since she decided to leave and not come back,
we're all like, is she going to come back? Is
this going to be the season? I feel like if
she were to come back to the w I would
really love to see her in Minnesota alongside of the
(30:57):
Visa Colliers. She has the history with the Tibo. Eric
Tibo is on the assistant coaching staff or selfishly, I
would like to see her all the New York Liberty.
They're down a few starters, and she has the history
with Natasha Cloud. They won a championship together. It's twenty nineteen.
I would like to see on that one of those
two teams. The New York Liberty also has the cap
(31:18):
space to sign her if they cut a player, they
can sign up for that one hundred and thirteen thousand
dollars or whatever they have on their cap. But do
you think that Emma will finally come over this season?
Speaker 4 (31:32):
That's the question, especially here in Washington, that's been asked
every single year.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Is Emma coming back? Is them coming back?
Speaker 4 (31:41):
And it's really funny because Emma does her own thing,
and Emma is content.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Not necessarily being in the league.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
And now coming off this year O Basket Championship, maybe
she feels a certain way and she's like shooting, you know,
maybe I'll come over and give her run.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Shoot. I saw I asked this to Mike Tebow the
other day when I saw him.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
He was at in Minnesota literally just came back from
Belgium from coaching that championship team and.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Tim right and even and he looked me and he
smiled and said the same thing. He's like, you know, Emma,
emm what kind of makes her own.
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Decision because he's shoot, he's been trying to get her
back on the Mystics for years.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
So it's it's it's really.
Speaker 4 (32:29):
Funny in the way that and I don't know how
funny is the right word, but in the way that
the w just isn't like top priority for her quite frankly,
her mom was a longtime player overseas, and and you know,
money is not an issue.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Her family is over there. Playing for the national team
is what's most important for her and for them.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
So it's always kind of felt like, hey, if a
perfect scenario and thing work out, quite frankly, sure, she
can always come back, but I'm not sure that she
feels like she needs to and and so. And I
also don't think everybody is anybody's quite into her mind
and knowing exactly what she wants to do, because she
(33:19):
kind of does her own thing and does her own
thing on her own timing. But you did mention the
team that's probably set up best for her in Minnesota,
where you know her, the guy who just coached her
to a euro Basket championship. Her son is an assistant,
His son is on the is an assistant in Eric
Tebow under Cheryl. Eric was working with her every day
(33:43):
as she developed when she was in Washington, so they
know each other there. The scheme is similar. The way
that Minnesota and Cheryl likes to play basketball fits very.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Well with what Emma does.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
You know, she's she shoots threes, she's capable on defense,
She's very versatile, very smart player.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I mean, she fits in really.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Well with that group, and I know they would shoot.
They would you know, the rich getting richer, They would
love to slaughter right in. But the question is does
Emma want to?
Speaker 3 (34:19):
And I don't think anybody really knows if Emma wants to,
And so we're all kind of watching every single day
she was She was not in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
Yes, some one think the picture was like, is this Emma?
It's a little funny. The rumor was like, Okay, Emma
meetsa men is in Minnesota right now? And a couple
of us got the text and so we all just
start our RICHIAKA people like is this happening? Is she
in Minnesota? And then once I saw the photo of
the person that they thought was Emma, I was like,
come on, y'all me for real, that's Mike. But that
(34:50):
is definitely not Emma. So she was not on good authorities.
She was not in Minnesota to my knowledge as of
as of this recording on Tuesday, she is not in Minnesota.
But as you said, it's a question that it has
come up since she decided to go back home, and
you know, I feel like newer fans, they probably are
(35:11):
not familiar with who Emma Missamon is. I saw a
tweak and said, people talk about Emma Messamon as if
she's Captain Marvel.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
She is like that.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Okay, what those of you who don't know she's like that?
I feel like if any team in the w were
to snag her up, oh yeah, they're definitely contending. They're
definitely gonna be able to contend with the player, especially
with how the game has evolved, and the player with
the olinth and athleticism like Emma. I think that any
team benefit from having.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
A player like her.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
All right, Moving right along, Kareem, And this one is
really for you because you're a Mystics insider, now, U,
there are rumors about the Mystic shopping Aliyah Edwards. What
is the latest on that situation?
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Well, the latest is that she's still here.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
Yeah, it's it's it's an interesting situation because they are
loaded in the post and they've been so that's kind
of been one of the things with the rapid development
of Kiki Ari. Often it has directly affected the minutes
(36:29):
of Aliyah. And now she did start the season hurt.
She was banged up, and it what missed the first
handful of games with a lower back injury. She wasn't
She barely participated in training camp, so she was kind
of behind, and once she started getting on the floor,
she really wasn't effective those first shoot handful of games
(36:54):
kind of shoot, I guess you could say month and
a half. Really, I feel like she was kind of
struggling to find her fit and at the same time,
Shakira came back and Shakira's balling, Kiki's been doing her thing.
Shoot that duo quite frankly pushed Steph Dolson out of
the starting lineup because she hasn't kind of been able
(37:16):
to find her groove either. But it's interesting the last
two games since that news came out, Alia's minutes has
ticked up a little bit and she's played really well
the last two games. I give her a lot of
credit for not letting that talk kind of get into
her head, because that can that can be a thing.
(37:39):
We were all sitting there kind of waiting after practice
for them to get done with the news and and
and ask everything about it, and Sidney Johnson claimed that
he didn't know. I'm not sure how accurate that is,
but because it's supposed to be a collaborative effort.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Over there, and if they're taking calls, it would surprise.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
Me if your head coach doesn't have any idea that
that's going on. But at the same time, if.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
I'm another team in the league, I certainly would make
a call and find out.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
Because not only do we know that Aliyah is a
player in this league, she's still on her rookie contract.
So there's a lot of value there if you can
get her, because you can get her on the cheap
right now.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
And the Mystics have gone out and said.
Speaker 4 (38:33):
Already, Hey, the way they're playing right now is a
head of where I think even they thought they would be.
But at the same time, their entire game plan has
been to look out several years down the road and
infuse this roster with youth. Now you would think that
would include Aliyah, who's only on her second year, but
(38:55):
you know, sometimes that stuff happens where you have a
log jam. So I think they're actually I think the
Mystics find themselves in a kind.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Of a.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
Weird position, as Okay, we're playing a little bit better,
we're playing a little bit ahead of schedule. Does that
speed up our timeline and if we, you know, do
does being in playoff contention? Is that enough to for
us to start thinking about making some different moves. Are
(39:25):
we still, regardless of how well we're playing right now,
are we still in the mode of trying to you know,
get as many draft picks as we can over these
next couple of years. You know, the president of the team,
Michael Winger, is this president who's also over the Wizards,
and he has said ever since, ever since the big
change where the t bows were out and they cleared
(39:46):
out the coaching staff and cleared out anybody who was
connected with that twenty nineteen team, that the idea was
to kind of mimic, not necessarily mimic, but have the
same mind frame of how they were retooling the Wizards,
where they were going super young and going and going
(40:09):
to develop all the all this youth up from the
ground up. Right, And so they're already Mystics are already
the youngest team in the league, And so it's not
a surprise and especially if you're looking at this logjam,
and that's what we wondered at the beginning of the year.
We're like, Okay, how are you going to play Shakira, Steph, Kiki,
(40:31):
and Aliyah all at the same time when they all
seem to be jumbled in that post spot, there were
ideas about who can can one of them play the three?
Speaker 3 (40:41):
Can ali if one of them can extend their game
out a little bit more?
Speaker 4 (40:45):
But right now, at this moment, Aliyah and Kiki haven't
been Shakira haven't really shown the ability.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
To kind of extend it all the way out to
the arc and be a true stretch, which is fine,
which none of them need to be right now.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
It's just like you know, sometimes you're blessed with riches
at the same spot, and that's kind of where they
are right now. And so I think other teams would
certainly be a would be putting a phone call in
and if any GM and any president worth their assault,
if somebody calls, you're gonna pick up the phone and
at least hear what they got to say, because you
(41:21):
never know what you know. We see deals all the
time that surprise us. So I think that's kind of
caught where they are right now. I'm not sure that
it's an active We're out here looking to shop and
we need to we need to move her kind of scenario.
But at the same time, if people are calling and
sniffing around and and and making offers, we'll listen to
(41:44):
what you got to say, kind of a thing. And
so it seems like they're in a good space and
I and I give I give Sidney Johnson a lot
of credit where he seems to have done a really
good job of forming a relationship with these plays. You know,
they even even though he's quick to call himself corny
(42:05):
and they kind of laugh at him because he's kind
of like kind of like a girl dad in a way,
just kind of the way he operates and deals with them.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
And you know, he's always talking about and that's.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
Been part of the new thing that they've really been
focusing on, is they spent most of that first press
conference talking about ninety ten where ninety percent of the
time these players are not in the gym, not on
the floor, they're people and ten percent is basketball, and
they want to make sure that they pay as much
(42:39):
attention to that ninety percent and making it an attractive
and comfortable place for people to be here in Washington. Now,
I'm also one and being like, Okay, that's all great
and all, but you got to play some basketball at
some point, right and we got to talk about basketball
and fit and scheme and lineups and all that kind
of stuff. But I will say the way that they
(43:03):
talk about that and the way that they emphasize it
seems to be hitting home pretty well with the players,
especially with a young group.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
That's kind of what I was kind of alluding to
a little earlier.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
You've got a young group who, you know, sometimes you gotta,
you know, kind of keep them close to make them
feel good about themselves as they're still learning this league.
They're not veterans who are like, hey, this is a job,
I've got all this stuff figured out. Let's you know,
just make sure we're taking care of ball kind of
a thing. So I give them credit for two things.
(43:38):
Having a strong relationship in the first place, and once
that news came out, not letting it spiral, because that
very next day, she was back at at practice, you know, smiling.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
She's had two of her best games since then. So
they seem to.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
Regardless of whether it happens or not, it seems like
they're in a good space and all pulling in the same.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
Direction right now.
Speaker 4 (44:04):
But again, you know, any GM worth their salary. If
someone calls with the right offer.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
And you feel like you've got a player that or
you feel like you've got.
Speaker 4 (44:18):
Depth in a position and have a chance to add
whether it's draft capital or whatever else to a spot
that's weaker, or be able to help and address a
spot that's weaker, that's something that you've got to at
least listen to.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
No.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
I certainly agree, and we will keep our eyes on
where Alia Edwards end up, if anywhere. We know that
the trade deadline goes down in August. One last thing,
kareem before you get out of here. The twenty twenty
four champions in New York Liberty have been struggling as
of late. They are down John Paul Jones, who has
been out due to an ankle injury, Benigulanna Hamilton we
(44:56):
know is missed the entire season due to injury as well.
Naoi Pheebich is finally getting back into the fold, and
during the last game Isabelle Harrison went down. She's questionable
this week, and Natasha Cloud also got hit checked and
she's also questionable this week as well. So with all
of these players on the injury report, especially players from
their core, what do you think the New York Liberty
(45:20):
have to do in order to turn things around.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
Get healthy, get the people, get the people who are
supposed to be on your roster, on the roster and
on the floor. I understand, I understand, you know, the
little bit of trepidation, especially at the Hearts after the
hot start, and quite frankly in the last three years
you're now used to losing a lot of games up there.
(45:45):
But at the same time, all of those names that
you just rattled off are huge pieces to this and
especially we're talking about Johncko Jones, right. Not having her
on the floor changes everything on both ends of the floor.
So there's I wouldn't have any panic. I know that's
easier said than done sometimes, but I would think this
(46:07):
team is going to look closer to what they did
at the beginning of the year than they did than
they have in this last week or so. So sometimes
it's just about patience and kind of waiting. And then
even once you get everybody together, takes a minute to
get on the same page. Remember, you know, you got
a new point guard in Tosh, and even though things
hit the ground running, still you know there's still a
(46:28):
moment and some time that it takes to build chemistry
and know what everybody likes and you know, well who's
most comfortable in which spots, even things as simple of
coming off a screen, you know where you like to.
Speaker 3 (46:42):
Catch the ball.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
All of these little details still, you know, sometimes still
need to be worked out, even if you're a championship team,
but you changed pieces a little bit and you haven't
had everybody there, And again you've got an MVP literally
sitting on the side line who's been out for weeks.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
So that's kind of the way I kind of look
at it, you know.
Speaker 4 (47:05):
I know, I think Sandy talked a little bit the
other day about what concerns her most of the defense.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
And.
Speaker 4 (47:13):
I would I would, I would echo those sentiments because
I feel like, one, if you get everybody healthy and
you got that's just too much offensive firepower to not
be able to figure out things on that end of
the floor. But still, you got to get stops. And
there's other teams that are loaded in this league right
now also with a whole lot of offensive firepower, and
(47:33):
we know once you get into the playoffs and the
postseason that it's you know, you got to get stops.
It's not always going to be a shootout every single night.
Defense wins championships, all of the all of those kind
of things.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
But I wouldn't panic in New York yet.
Speaker 4 (47:49):
Just because it's just going to take a little bit
of time, you know, to quite frankly, just get healthy
and you have your people out there.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Yeah, no, I totally agree. I think about twenty twenty
three when they first assimn their super team, and how
even in that season, with all of the talent that
they had, they had a slow start in the beginning
the first half of that season. It wasn't until the
second half of that season that things started to turn
around for them and they got to the finals against
the Aces and what happened happened. But during the first
(48:18):
half of that season, John Paul Jones was also suffering
from an injury as she had sustained the previous the
previous finals against the ass when she was with Connecticut.
So in similar fashion, again, your finals MVP is out
four to six weeks. She's huge on both sides of
the floor, as you mentioned, but also as you said,
like this is a team where their defense fuels their
(48:40):
offense and obviously their autorithm Right now, and so Leoni
just got back. She's a couple of games in and
she's a huge part of the New York Liberties defense
as a wing. I would love to see her be
a little bit more consistent on the offensive side in
terms of her scoring. I know that the Liberty are
leaning heavily on her in order to step up this season,
(49:02):
like the role and which she's taken because Benijel Laney
Hamilton is out for the whole season, so they're expecting
players like her, as players like Nia Rissaboli, players like
Kennedy Burke to have a bigger role on this team.
And as he said, Natasha Cloud is a newer player,
but she is the head of the Snake as the
point guard, and we know what she can do defensively.
(49:23):
Can she find her rhythm consistently every night, day and
day out on the offensive end to fuel the Liberty's offense.
But as you said, it's the Liberty versus health right
now in terms of having all the players available. I
do think that pattern that's haunting them this season are
those third quarters and Ben atrocious since the season started,
(49:45):
and Stewie early in the season has spoke up about it.
But we are seeing it happen in real time, and
so they have to learn how to play all forty minutes.
I think in the game against Seattle, they played a
really good first quarter and then that third quarter, fourth quarter,
Stuiet and Sabrina went scoreless until about three minutes left
(50:06):
in the fourth quarter. And that cannot happen with your
two all stars, your two star players on the team.
They could not be scoreless for damn there half the
second half of the second half. So they just got
to figure it out. I agree with you, there's no
need to hit the panic button on the New York Liberty.
Speaker 4 (50:25):
It's it's insane to me sometimes how people have forgotten
who JJ is. Sometimes it almost seems like they're like, uh,
they don't have JJ, but they should still be fine
and they should just roll over everybody.
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Do you know? Do you know who that is? What
she's accomplished, and what she, like you said, brings to
both ends of the floor.
Speaker 4 (50:46):
It's it's wild to me that she still continues to
kind of get overlooked sometimes with everything that she brings
to the floor.
Speaker 3 (50:55):
So yeah, that's a huge piece missing.
Speaker 4 (50:58):
So yeah, you know, get her back first of all,
and then's then let's talk about the rest.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
I think outside of Necho Guoma, Kay John crul Jones
might be one of the most disrespected former MVPs in
WNBA history. You can't underrate a player like her size,
her versatility, what she can do on both ends of
the floor, her efficiency when.
Speaker 3 (51:19):
She's getting the double double, the New York.
Speaker 2 (51:21):
Liberty is winning cans down like she's single handedly one
of the most important players on the roster. And I
think her absence shows just how important she is for
the New York Liberty. And so I'm just going to
wish the Liberty players speedy recovery and lots of good health.
Basketball gods do your thing. But there's no reason as
(51:43):
Kareem and I just said it hit the panic button
on him just yet. Kareem, you're officially bammed to the show.
Thank you so much for joining us this week hoping
to break down the latest in and around.
Speaker 3 (51:55):
The w Appreciate you finally having me you know, anytime,
Just let me know listen.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
Always going to be invited back, So keep that phone
on open, Okay, all right. To check out more of
Kareem's work, headed over to the Washington Post, to read
all of his work about the Washington mistakes and the
bigger picture stories around the WNBA. All right, y'all, that's
going to do it. For this edition of In Case
(52:20):
You Missed It with Christina Williams here on the Iheartwoman's
Sports Network, I want to shout out my homie Kareem
Copeland again coming through. Don't forget to hit that subscribe
button in to rate and review the podcast. Later this
week for fanow Friday, we have film director Andrea Bussella
joining us, so you don't want to miss that conversation.
(52:40):
And next week we're coming at you live from Indianapolis
for WNBA All Star, plus a bonus episode with La
Sparkstarverkia Jackson and WNBA stylist Britney Hampton. So make sure
you subscribe say you don't miss any of that fire
content later. In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams
(53:02):
is an iHeart Women's sports production in partnership with Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
Speaker 1 (53:08):
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams is an
iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports
and Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to another episode of In Case You Missed It
with Christina Williams here on iHeart Women's Sports Network and
with China Robinson. A couple of weeks ago, she coined
the phrase fam to the show, and this week's guest
is He's fam. I consider him fam to the show
as well, and he's been getting on me because I've
been getting on him about not coming all the show
(00:35):
so far. So I'm excited to have this person on
the show. Finally we could make it happen. Please welcome
into the show. Staff writer at The Washington Post, my
good friend Kareem Copeland. Kareem, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
What up though? Thank you for having me?
Speaker 4 (00:51):
You know, I mean, I essentially had to beg to
get on. I don't think it's supposed to work like that,
but you know, we here, we're here.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Appreciate you having me. We're we're here.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
I'm glad that you're finally here. Is Kareem. We like
to start every episode with asking our guests to share
a win of the week, and that's why it's sure
a moment that was a win for them this week.
So what's your win of the week?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
My win of the week? Whow I got out of
this traffic today in DC? Does that count?
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Strout that it was a good game with My win
of the week was just having a good game this
morning between the Mystics and Sky that just kind of
finished up another great game by Angel Reese. And it's
it's always cool for me to kind of catch up
with old people, old friends, people I have covered in
the past, and I've covered Angels since she was a
(01:40):
freshman year at at Maryland and let's see, Elizabeth Williams
was out there form a Mystic. I haven't seen Ariel
Atkins since she was out here. So that's always a
cool thing to me when I'm able to catch up
with people around the league that I haven't seen in
a while. So I'm gonna take that as my win
for the week.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah, and the Mistakes they got a huge in today, right,
So that's that was good. But you're an og in
the game. But speaking of the Mystics, the WNBA this
past week they announced the All Star reserves and two
mistakes rookies headline that reserve group in Kiki Aria and
(02:19):
Sony Citron. So what can you tell us about the
Mystics rookies and end up making their first All Star appearance.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Well, you know, no one really knew how they would
kind of come into the league starting off this year.
You know, they were It's funny, I think they were
kind of the clear cut number three number four options
in this draft. Everybody can new Page was going on
going number one, Dominique was most likely going number two,
(02:49):
and so I thought that that's probably where they were
going to slide out, which is where they did. But
at the same time, you never know quite how they
were going to fit in. Remember Sonya was the third
option in Notre Dame. You know, she's not really a
ball dominant guard and she's playing the three here, and
so you really didn't know how all of that would fit.
(03:09):
You knew she's a really smart player, but you know
sometimes she's not the most.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Physical player in the world. You wondered how all of
that stuff would be adapt would adapt and you know.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
She's just got a super high IQ and that has
played out throughout the year. That's been the one thing
that's actually made it pretty easy for them is because
you don't have to run anything for her. They don't
really run a whole lot of sets to kind of
get her open or get her shots. Even today, she
kind of had a little bit of a slow start,
and you know, she hit a couple of back cuts
for a couple easy layups and booms. She's in another
(03:42):
double digit scoring game. What she's I do believe this
year she has more twenty and tens than any other rookie,
I do believe. So she's been able to slot in
and start really from day one, and it's made it
real easy for her teammates around her because she's kind
of that heady player that's always going to make the
(04:04):
right play, always going to be in the right spot,
that kind of thing. So that's really kind of helped her.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Kiki.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think last year at Southern Cal I think there
she even has talked about herself. She said she lost
her confidence a little bit, and I think, you know,
kind of slotting in with Juju and those expectations and
all of those things. I don't know if she ever
completely fit into how they were running or what the
(04:32):
what their scheme was. I think that was all still
an adjustment even through the end of the year for her,
and so I don't think she ever felt quite as
comfortable as she did at the end of that Stanford year.
And at the end of that year, I was coming
out saying, hey, if she was coming out of the
draft end, she would have been a top pick at
that point because she was just kind of incredible at
(04:52):
the time that she ended that Stanford And so she
seems to have gotten back to herself. And you know,
all last year everybody was kind of talking about extending
her game and all of that kind of stuff, and
can she hit you know, can she hit shots going
out to the three point line. I think this year
she's just been able to be herself and her footwork
(05:12):
has been exquisite around the rim. She's crashed the board,
she has all that energy. What today I think she
got her sixth double double of the year, which I
do believe leave to all rookies, and so that's been
the easy thing. And she got tested right off of
the bat. She went against beg Tina Charles, you know
some of the greatest fours and fives in this league.
(05:35):
Brianna Jones right off of the bed and there was
no ease in your way in the league, and she
completely has belonged.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Begi even said that things.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
She was like, you know, shoot, I've kind of talked
to her off to the sides and given her a
little bit of advice, but she has never back down.
She's never looked scared. And so they've slotted in perfectly
with this team, and quite frankly, that's a big part
of why they're playing better, more than better than any
of us expected. This is the youngest roster in the league,
(06:06):
and everybody kind of essentially thought they were going to
be bottom two, bottom three in the league, and right
now they're still helping around the playoff spot.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
And so I think the.
Speaker 4 (06:15):
Way those two have come in and played and the
way that they've been able to kind of ingratiate themselves
to their teammates, and and there's no I keep saying it,
it almost feels like a college team in a lot
of ways, with the youth that they have, and they
want to play fast, and they're just like, let's try
(06:36):
to run teams out of the gym and get in
transition and shoot these threes. They have a lot of
energy to them, and I think that's kind of worked
really well for them.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I didn't. I didn't.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
I don't think any of us expected both of them
to make All Star off the bat, but they've put
up a pretty good argument, and apparently clearly the coaches
thought so so, and.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It sounds like Sonya's gonna be in the three point contest.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
They were.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
They were practicing yesterday at the gym where Kiki was
bent over holding basketballs on her back while Sonya was
grabbing balls off and shooting. And so I think they're
pretty excited, and I think all of Washington is pretty
excited to have them here.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I think that that's the perfect example of both Kiki
and Sonia and what it means to be drafted at
a team where they need you and it's the right
fit versus the number that you're drafted, because the responsibility
that they both have as rookies on the Washington Mystics,
the opportunity that they have in terms of the minutes played,
(07:37):
they get to show their skill at a high level
and do it in an efficient matter. And let me
be the first one to say that the Washington Mystics
have surprised me with the new coach and the new
system and the new players, and so these rookies are
handling that very very very well. So no surprise that
you know they've been able to make the All Star Game.
(07:57):
Page Becker's as well a rookie in the All Star
Game this year, and she's starting, and you know, a
lot of people online have been saying this is one
of the most talented rookie classes that we've seen in
a long long time, and I would have to agree
with that. Also on the reserves list, Kayla Thornton WNBA
(08:18):
champion with the New York Liberty now on the Golden
State Valkyries. First time All Star Gabby Williams is going
to be an All Star reserve as well. For the
first time, Skylar Diggins was named an All Star reserve
amongst some other players. Now with the roster being announced,
there was also a lot of disappointment in terms of
(08:38):
fans not seeing some of their favorite players making it
and bringing up the conversation of who they think was snubbed.
I personally think that there's two players that was absolutely snubbed,
and you could make a case hurt of one player
is Bree Jones out of atl and Washington Mystics Britney Sykes.
(08:59):
Now I know that you were able to be on
location with the Mystics this week. What was the reaction
from Slim in terms of not being selected as an
All Star this year.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Well, I'll give some a whole lot of credit. She's
a trooper because she is the leader of this team.
That's been the unquestioned role that she was given by
Sidney Johnson. From the moment, it's been her and Stephanie
Dolson kind of as the veteran leaders. And on the
floor things haven't worked out so great for Steph, But
(09:30):
I mean Slim is having a career and points assists.
I think she's ranked number eleven in the league in points, number.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Twelve and assists.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
She's the person with the ball in their hands during
go two times, and she is the one like when
that second unit comes in and like coming out of
a timeout and they're all grouped together right before they
walk on the floor, you see Slim go over there
and have like the last word with them, the last
kind of encouraging word of you know, hey, this is
(09:59):
what we want to do. Like she is that vocal
leader for them, and so it was really cool to see.
So they announced it at practice. I guess that would
have been two days ago. And so they're right at
the end, they're all in the big huddle in the
big circle. Sydney starts to say, hey, we've got this announcement.
(10:20):
We've got two All Stars, and they real out a cake.
They announced that it's those two and it is a
genuine joy of all the joy. I'm starting to use
Sydney's whereas I can. I've been around him too much.
He loves to talk about the joy of the team.
But the way that they all mobbed each other and
(10:41):
we were genuinely happy for her, and Slim was part
of that, jumping up and down supporting them. And she's
been great about supporting them all year. And even though
she I talked to her yesterday about this, you know
she was she was disappointed because that was a goal
that was an absolute goal for her this and to
(11:01):
fall a little bit short, she was disappointed. But at
the same time, she said by the time she got
her to her phone, her phone was blown up with
peers supporting her, having her back.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
She said.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
One of the first people that was on the list
was Angel Reese, but they became really close when they
were unrivaled playing on the Rose together. She said, she
you know, she's not huge on social media right now,
and so I was talking about it. I was like,
have you heard about the response? And she's like, yeah,
I heard about it. And it made her feel you know,
it was very comforting. It made her feel good and
(11:37):
that hey, at least her peers and other people kind
of have seen what she's doing and it's not just
kind of going out there.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
You know. She said, Hey, you can control what you
can control.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
And you know, I'm still here and I'm not going
to be down and I'm not going to let it
weigh on me. But there was some disappointment, but I
think it was very much helped by friends, family, and
again other people out in the league who you know,
went to bat for her. Deerica Hanby even put out
a tweet or something on socials that was like, you
(12:08):
get two from the mystics, but not the leading scorer.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
On a team that subed five hundred. And it wasn't
a shot at the rookies.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
It was a support for Slim and so she really
appreciate that and even they had a conversation about that.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
So she took it well. I think, yeah, if you're.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Gonna, you know, start going through and saying who was
kind of left out, I would say probably she Bree,
maybe Deerica were kind of at the top of those
lists of just on the outside looking in. You know,
then you gotta gotta go to the list and say,
see who you know who made it and start kind
of comparing contrasting kind of like that. But I think
those are the top three that, you know, if you could,
(12:51):
you could probably extend it. If there were three more spots,
I'd probably say that those three were the ones that
get in.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
I'm trying to look at my list. If I had
anybody else now, I.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Think those would I know a shoot, I'd even put
Tosh Tosh Cloud in the conversation. I know she kind
of had a hotter start than she had kind of recently.
And you know, when when the when your team struggles,
that doesn't help. It's kind of hard to you know,
say that they're struggling but not as not as hot
as they started off this season. Uh, but those are
the top people that kind of came in my mind,
(13:20):
and and Slim dealt with it, dealt with it like
a vet as opposed to would have been real easy
to kind of pout a little bit or be disappointed
or or or you know, you pat your teammates on
the back. But she kind of also still feels slowered
away and she's really actively.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Trying not to do so. So I give her a
lot of credit in that way.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, And I would also say that, to what it's worth,
the Minnesota Links are the number one team in the
league and they only have two All Stars on the
roster this season and a piece of Collier in Courtney
Williams now Cheryl Reeve came out and made a statement
about that, and I would have to agree with coach Reeve,
who's a friend to this show. I think that Atlanta Smith,
(14:01):
he can make a case for her as well to
be named an All Star. And when it comes to
the criteria in terms of voting, like obviously we know
All Star is for the fans, but there is a
kind of disreptionency when it comes to well, which teams
get to get this many players? As does your winning
(14:22):
record count or matter? Is it an incentive in terms
of being named in All Star. When it comes to it,
we know in terms of the reserves, the coaches are
the ones who votes that in and so it's it's
really difficult, but all I think a case can make
can be made for every single last one of those players.
Still sticking with w All Star and that topic, the
(14:43):
issue of pay equity has come up because the players
who are participating, they get two thousand, five hundred and
seventy five dollars in prize money, which is way way
way below the NBA rate. And we know that participants
in and the three point Contest AFLAC is giving sixty
(15:04):
thousand dollars in partnership with the WMBPA, not the league,
the PA, and they're also giving another about fifty five
thousand dollars for the Skills Challenge. So you have a
situation where the PA is advocating for the players to
get paid more money for these types of events, and
the players, per the CBA that they are currently under,
(15:27):
they get less than three thousand dollars for participating in
an All Star Game. And it's not really InnoCentive to
make you want to participate in that.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
And so.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
What do you think needs to be done in order
to make it a little bit more fun and more
of an incentive for the players.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Sounds like it needs to be collectively bargained. It sounds
like they're going to be doing something at all Star
collectively bargaining. I think that's kind of where we are
right now with anything that is business related, that is
financial related to all of that stuff, I think is
right now. That's why it's such a big conversation. That's
(16:05):
why you hear Stewie talking about it. That's why you
see here so many different players. I said too talking
about it the other day. I talked to Elizabeth Williams
this morning about it. That's why this this very specific
CBA is so important because it's coming right in the
middle of this transformative time of the league where there's
(16:27):
more attention than ever, there's more dollars than ever, there's
more sponsors than ever, there's more teams than ever.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
That they just announced the other day the highest the
highest price tag.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
To get into the league than ever. All of these
things kind of culminating all at the same time. Everything
player that's essentially almost almost every player that's not on
a rookie contract being a free agent next year.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
All of this.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Stuff swirling and kind of hitting hitting home all at
the same time. That's why the players are quite quite frankly,
trying to stand.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
So firm on getting or or or equaling out the financials,
equaling out compensation, and and so, because whatever you sign
right now a new media deal.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
I forgot about that two point two billion media deal,
because whatever you sign right now, you're gonna be stuck
with for the next but probably a middlem six years
to ten years, well you know years sounds like a
little bit long.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
But whatever the length of the deal ends up being,
you're stuck for it.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
For a while.
Speaker 4 (17:36):
And this is the time to get that bite of
the apple right and and there's and and there's a
lot on the line, I think for both sides in
terms of nobody wants to lose this momentum that you've
got right now, and so nobody wants to you know,
nobody wants to work stoppage right now because you're hot.
(17:59):
Everybody's paying attention right Lasting the league once is a
work stop itch with two more teams supposed to come
in next year, and one more and one more team
coming in essentially every year going until twenty ten. But
that also gives the players leverage. And whenever you got
the leverage, especially when it only comes around.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Every so often you got to use that.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
So that's why I think it's super interesting to kind
of see how this is all working and balancing out.
And I know there's been some complaints already about the
first reply that kind of came in from the league side.
Players didn't sound very happy with you know what they've
been I feel like the feeling is that it's that
(18:48):
they weren't heard and I don't know if negotiating, I
don't know if we're at the at the point yet
of using the phrase of negotiating and good faith that
type of thing, But there were disappointment with the numbers
that came back, and I think what they're seeing even
more now after they announced the the what three more
(19:11):
teams that are coming in? Is that what they announced
the other day and they cost the entry fee into
the league. Players are like, yo, we want to bite
of that. We should get a part of that. And
I'm sure they're getting a part of it, but they
want a larger part of it, which is also understandable.
That's the players are why the league is so popular
(19:31):
right now. The players are why they're able to expand
right now. The players have put this league in the
position to have this monumental growth and to have this
new CV, this new media deal that they have. So
whenever it comes to that stuff, you know, whether it's
All Star pay or you know, whenever we're talking dollars
and cents, I'm like, hey, this is the time to
(19:53):
you know, if we're not happy with what it is
right now, this is your chance to change that right now,
Like literally right now is the chance to change that.
So that's why, like Liz Elizabeth Williams said this morning, said,
you know it's gonna that's a big deal at All Star.
They're going to be in rooms and having this same conversation.
So it may be a little low and you may
(20:16):
want the percentages to be better, but you know, this
is the time to kind of figure that out.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Yeah, and I know Stewie described the forthcoming meeting as spicy.
Mekka Guoma Kay had told media members that she felt
like or not that she felt but like Kathy directly
said to her that they don't understand how the business works.
And you know, I kind of understand that both sides
of the cooem like the commission of her job is
(20:43):
to generate revenue for the week, right and with that
she's thinking more long term sustainability, and then the players
are like, well, as you said, we want to take
advantage of the moment, and I think above all else,
they learned from the twenty twenty cbas that you get
what you negotiate, and there was a lot left on
the table in twenty twenty. But the difference now, as
(21:05):
you mentioned, the players have more leverage and as you mentioned,
more expansion teams. The Liberty was bought by around ten
to fifteen million. Now it's worth over four hundred million dollars.
The Valpyries, a new expansion team, is worth almost a
half a billion dollars right now. So things are growing
rapidly and as you said, the players want a piece
of that pie. Now, with the talks of negotiations, fans
(21:29):
around the league and social media have phrased or opos
the question of who is at the table in terms
of players negotiating, and the clap back at a fan
who came up with this conspiracy that herself and Branta
(21:50):
Stewarts shouldn't be at the table because they are the
founders of the unrivaled league and they see it as
a conflict of interest. Now I can understand well like
the path that they were trying to go. But I
think that, in the words one man Kobe Bryant, it's
a pakrom yoga stretch to say that. But what are
(22:11):
your thoughts? Do you think that this is a conflict
of interest? You have players like a Brianna Stewart on
a physicalier at the table with these negotiations when they
are the founders and owners of another league which is
not even competing with the w NBA because it's a
completely different structure. But this is a league that has
w NBA players of the top players a part of it.
(22:33):
So what are your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
I don't think it's a conflict of interest. I understand
maybe the optics of it. And for the people who
aren't kind of dug in and paying kind of really
close attention to how all of this stuff works, I
would say number one, from the players perspective, it might
be a little bit helpful to have two people who
(22:56):
have kind of been behind the scenes and working with
the finances a league and worked with on Unrivaled and
know how all of that stuff works and knows what
it's like to work with these different brands and sponsors
and what money is coming in and how money is directed,
and what it costs to run a league and have
that perspective, I would say, you know, there's actual value
(23:19):
in having those two in the room.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
And like you said, they're not exactly one to one
competitive leagues. You know, if if the W, if what happens.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
If the W stops, It's not like all of a sudden,
the unrival is going to just blow up and all
of a sudden be playing five on five with all
one hundred and forty four plus I keep using one
forty four that was the old number, that they are,
all of a sudden, all just going to be able
to play unrivaled.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
You know that, you remember this is a three on
three league with what that twelve teams? Ten teams? Am
I even going high?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
But either way, there's a lot larger group of players
that FEE and the Players Association are responsible for. Then,
even though there were a group of stars and Unrivaled,
it's still a minuscule number compared to all the players
(24:15):
that are in the W and that are going to
be in the W in these upcoming years, especially as
we're adding more teams. So I kind of understand the
optics if you look at it on the surface, but
to the among those things that I kind of just
touched on, anyone that kind of knows Fee and Stewie
(24:36):
knows that that's not kind of how they roll. They're
not exactly like, Hey, I'm going to throw you know,
half the league or all my sisters and all and
all my you know, fellow players.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Under the league.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
So this small group of us, smaller group of us
that are unrivaled, you know, can somehow benefit even though,
like I just said, it's not really a one to
one comparison, and it's not like, Okay, everybody just goes
over here and does their own thing. So I understand
the optics, but I don't think there's a whole lot
of legs to stand on there.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
All Right, Huge news coming out of Phoenix on Tuesday.
They announced the signing up two times WNBA champion Dewanna
Bonner and Koreem This all goes down after she was
waived by the Indiana Fever. Allegedly there was some issues
between her and the organization due to the fit her
fit on that roster, and so she cleared waivers. The
(25:46):
Phoenix Mercury was able to clear some cap space and
sign her. And you know, this is a player that
asked a big history with the team. She helped them
win a championship ten years ago, well eleven years now
because we're in twenty twenty five, but in twenty team
helped them win. I was part of that championship team.
And so it's a return to essentially the place where
(26:06):
she has won. And so Kadem I'm gonna ask you,
do you love it or do you hate it?
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Oh? I love it. I love it like I was.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
I love any team that's able to add dB to
their roster. I loved it when Indiana was able to
add her in the first place. You know, sometimes things
don't work out, you know, you know, the fit wasn't fitting.
For lack of a better phrase, it was. I talked
to her earlier in the year and she said, you know,
I'm still trying to figure out where my place is,
(26:33):
where my shots are coming from, where what my role is.
And I think there was a little bit of uncomfort
uncomfort there where when they were banged up, they were
using her at the four for at stretches, and she
just that wasn't how where she's played and how she's
kind of how she plays the system scheme, even though
(26:55):
that she's been with Stephanie for years previously. They're playing
different than they played in Connecticut, you know, and so
I think that part was an adjustment also, and Indianda,
it's kind of been banged up and had to do
things a little bit differently and figure some stuff out
on the fly. And it was it was she never
(27:18):
even when you're watching, you just never felt that she
was like in the groove of what.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
They were doing.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
And so kudos for them, kudos for all parties for
being able to figure out a solution because you could
easily be in a situation where she's not happy, and
because she's not happy, that's weighing on other players, and
you know, you're you're trying to fit a square peg
into a round hole and that stuff is not working.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Did I get that analogy right, I don't know, But
either way, it's.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
It's it's funny that they were able to or it
works out well that they were able to kind of
figure out a way for everybody kind of go there
separate ways and and and keep it moving. As far
as going to Phoenix, obviously that someplace you're super comfortable.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Elissa Thomas is already there, the team is winning. It
seems like from.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
Afar that you should be able to kind of slide
her in regardless of you know, obviously it's always going
to take a minute in terms of role and and
and getting minutes and lineups and all of those kind
of details. But again, if you've got a chance to
add a player of the quality of dB, someone who's
(28:34):
got the history, the shot making, who's just such a
matchup problem on both ends of the court, you you
seem to jump at that if I if, if I'm
an especially if you're a contender and you're not like
looking down the road to rebuild, being just able to
slot her in and get her, you know, at this
point of the season, and especially before the All Star,
(28:56):
before All Star, where you've got time to learn and
and they've got some cushion because they've been playing so
well and so they're already high in the standings. I
don't if I'm a Mercury fan, I'm pretty dwn happy today.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
See I'm a little fifty to fifty on this. I'm
like inserting a new player at this point where you're
tied with the New York Liberty and Record for second place,
stop broke. Don't try to fix it now. I understand
that she's an important player to the Phoenix Mercury franchise
in terms of bringing championships there and being able to win.
(29:30):
But I feel like this team has already started to
figure out their identity with Satsu Soboli, Kullia Copper and
Alyssa Thomas and all of the players, the role players
that have around them. Sammy Witcomb has been playing such
an incredible season so far. Yeah, it's just like, do
you want to mess up that chemistry right now by
(29:51):
adding a piece like Towana Bonner. But as you said,
if you have a free agent like Dwana Bonner and
you don't necessarily other pair of two hundred thousand dollarscause
India has to pay her at anyways, and you can
get her for below the bat minimum, why not striking
a chance to strengthen your roster and added player of
that caliber. Now with the addition of Dewanna Bonner, I
(30:11):
know a lot of people were talking about the possibility
of an Emma Miseiman coming back over Finals MVP in
twenty nineteen won a championship with the Washington Mystics and
I remember over the weekend we had heard rumors about
Emma being in Minnesota, which was not true. We figured
out she was not in Minnesota, but you know, that
was a rumor that was flying around. But I feel
(30:35):
like with the signing of Dewanna Bontner, there's no chance
that Emma is going to go to Phoenix if she
decided to return to the WNBA. I feel like every
season since she decided to leave and not come back,
we're all like, is she going to come back? Is
this going to be the season? I feel like if
she were to come back to the w I would
really love to see her in Minnesota alongside of the
(30:57):
Visa Colliers. She has the history with the Tibo. Eric
Tibo is on the assistant coaching staff or selfishly, I
would like to see her all the New York Liberty.
They're down a few starters, and she has the history
with Natasha Cloud. They won a championship together. It's twenty nineteen.
I would like to see on that one of those
two teams. The New York Liberty also has the cap
(31:18):
space to sign her if they cut a player, they
can sign up for that one hundred and thirteen thousand
dollars or whatever they have on their cap. But do
you think that Emma will finally come over this season?
Speaker 4 (31:32):
That's the question, especially here in Washington, that's been asked
every single year.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Is Emma coming back? Is them coming back?
Speaker 4 (31:41):
And it's really funny because Emma does her own thing,
and Emma is content.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Not necessarily being in the league.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
And now coming off this year O Basket Championship, maybe
she feels a certain way and she's like shooting, you know,
maybe I'll come over and give her run.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Shoot. I saw I asked this to Mike Tebow the
other day when I saw him.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
He was at in Minnesota literally just came back from
Belgium from coaching that championship team and.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Tim right and even and he looked me and he
smiled and said the same thing. He's like, you know, Emma,
emm what kind of makes her own.
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Decision because he's shoot, he's been trying to get her
back on the Mystics for years.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
So it's it's it's really.
Speaker 4 (32:29):
Funny in the way that and I don't know how
funny is the right word, but in the way that
the w just isn't like top priority for her quite frankly,
her mom was a longtime player overseas, and and you know,
money is not an issue.
Speaker 3 (32:47):
Her family is over there. Playing for the national team
is what's most important for her and for them.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
So it's always kind of felt like, hey, if a
perfect scenario and thing work out, quite frankly, sure, she
can always come back, but I'm not sure that she
feels like she needs to and and so. And I
also don't think everybody is anybody's quite into her mind
and knowing exactly what she wants to do, because she
(33:19):
kind of does her own thing and does her own
thing on her own timing. But you did mention the
team that's probably set up best for her in Minnesota,
where you know her, the guy who just coached her
to a euro Basket championship. Her son is an assistant,
His son is on the is an assistant in Eric
Tebow under Cheryl. Eric was working with her every day
(33:43):
as she developed when she was in Washington, so they
know each other there. The scheme is similar. The way
that Minnesota and Cheryl likes to play basketball fits very.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Well with what Emma does.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
You know, she's she shoots threes, she's capable on defense,
She's very versatile, very smart player.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I mean, she fits in really.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Well with that group, and I know they would shoot.
They would you know, the rich getting richer, They would
love to slaughter right in. But the question is does
Emma want to?
Speaker 3 (34:19):
And I don't think anybody really knows if Emma wants to,
And so we're all kind of watching every single day
she was She was not in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
Yes, some one think the picture was like, is this Emma?
It's a little funny. The rumor was like, Okay, Emma
meetsa men is in Minnesota right now? And a couple
of us got the text and so we all just
start our RICHIAKA people like is this happening? Is she
in Minnesota? And then once I saw the photo of
the person that they thought was Emma, I was like,
come on, y'all me for real, that's Mike. But that
(34:50):
is definitely not Emma. So she was not on good authorities.
She was not in Minnesota to my knowledge as of
as of this recording on Tuesday, she is not in Minnesota.
But as you said, it's a question that it has
come up since she decided to go back home, and
you know, I feel like newer fans, they probably are
(35:11):
not familiar with who Emma Missamon is. I saw a
tweak and said, people talk about Emma Messamon as if
she's Captain Marvel.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
She is like that.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Okay, what those of you who don't know she's like that?
I feel like if any team in the w were
to snag her up, oh yeah, they're definitely contending. They're
definitely gonna be able to contend with the player, especially
with how the game has evolved, and the player with
the olinth and athleticism like Emma. I think that any
team benefit from having.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
A player like her.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
All right, Moving right along, Kareem, And this one is
really for you because you're a Mystics insider, now, U,
there are rumors about the Mystic shopping Aliyah Edwards. What
is the latest on that situation?
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Well, the latest is that she's still here.
Speaker 4 (36:09):
Yeah, it's it's it's an interesting situation because they are
loaded in the post and they've been so that's kind
of been one of the things with the rapid development
of Kiki Ari. Often it has directly affected the minutes
(36:29):
of Aliyah. And now she did start the season hurt.
She was banged up, and it what missed the first
handful of games with a lower back injury. She wasn't
She barely participated in training camp, so she was kind
of behind, and once she started getting on the floor,
she really wasn't effective those first shoot handful of games
(36:54):
kind of shoot, I guess you could say month and
a half. Really, I feel like she was kind of
struggling to find her fit and at the same time,
Shakira came back and Shakira's balling, Kiki's been doing her thing.
Shoot that duo quite frankly pushed Steph Dolson out of
the starting lineup because she hasn't kind of been able
(37:16):
to find her groove either. But it's interesting the last
two games since that news came out, Alia's minutes has
ticked up a little bit and she's played really well
the last two games. I give her a lot of
credit for not letting that talk kind of get into
her head, because that can that can be a thing.
(37:39):
We were all sitting there kind of waiting after practice
for them to get done with the news and and
and ask everything about it, and Sidney Johnson claimed that
he didn't know. I'm not sure how accurate that is,
but because it's supposed to be a collaborative effort.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Over there, and if they're taking calls, it would surprise.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
Me if your head coach doesn't have any idea that
that's going on. But at the same time, if.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
I'm another team in the league, I certainly would make
a call and find out.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
Because not only do we know that Aliyah is a
player in this league, she's still on her rookie contract.
So there's a lot of value there if you can
get her, because you can get her on the cheap
right now.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
And the Mystics have gone out and said.
Speaker 4 (38:33):
Already, Hey, the way they're playing right now is a
head of where I think even they thought they would be.
But at the same time, their entire game plan has
been to look out several years down the road and
infuse this roster with youth. Now you would think that
would include Aliyah, who's only on her second year, but
(38:55):
you know, sometimes that stuff happens where you have a
log jam. So I think they're actually I think the
Mystics find themselves in a kind.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Of a.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
Weird position, as Okay, we're playing a little bit better,
we're playing a little bit ahead of schedule. Does that
speed up our timeline and if we, you know, do
does being in playoff contention? Is that enough to for
us to start thinking about making some different moves. Are
(39:25):
we still, regardless of how well we're playing right now,
are we still in the mode of trying to you know,
get as many draft picks as we can over these
next couple of years. You know, the president of the team,
Michael Winger, is this president who's also over the Wizards,
and he has said ever since, ever since the big
change where the t bows were out and they cleared
(39:46):
out the coaching staff and cleared out anybody who was
connected with that twenty nineteen team, that the idea was
to kind of mimic, not necessarily mimic, but have the
same mind frame of how they were retooling the Wizards,
where they were going super young and going and going
(40:09):
to develop all the all this youth up from the
ground up. Right, And so they're already Mystics are already
the youngest team in the league, And so it's not
a surprise and especially if you're looking at this logjam,
and that's what we wondered at the beginning of the year.
We're like, Okay, how are you going to play Shakira, Steph, Kiki,
(40:31):
and Aliyah all at the same time when they all
seem to be jumbled in that post spot, there were
ideas about who can can one of them play the three?
Speaker 3 (40:41):
Can ali if one of them can extend their game
out a little bit more?
Speaker 4 (40:45):
But right now, at this moment, Aliyah and Kiki haven't
been Shakira haven't really shown the ability.
Speaker 3 (40:52):
To kind of extend it all the way out to
the arc and be a true stretch, which is fine,
which none of them need to be right now.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
It's just like you know, sometimes you're blessed with riches
at the same spot, and that's kind of where they
are right now. And so I think other teams would
certainly be a would be putting a phone call in
and if any GM and any president worth their assault,
if somebody calls, you're gonna pick up the phone and
at least hear what they got to say, because you
(41:21):
never know what you know. We see deals all the
time that surprise us. So I think that's kind of
caught where they are right now. I'm not sure that
it's an active We're out here looking to shop and
we need to we need to move her kind of scenario.
But at the same time, if people are calling and
sniffing around and and and making offers, we'll listen to
(41:44):
what you got to say, kind of a thing. And
so it seems like they're in a good space and
I and I give I give Sidney Johnson a lot
of credit where he seems to have done a really
good job of forming a relationship with these plays. You know,
they even even though he's quick to call himself corny
(42:05):
and they kind of laugh at him because he's kind
of like kind of like a girl dad in a way,
just kind of the way he operates and deals with them.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
And you know, he's always talking about and that's.
Speaker 4 (42:17):
Been part of the new thing that they've really been
focusing on, is they spent most of that first press
conference talking about ninety ten where ninety percent of the
time these players are not in the gym, not on
the floor, they're people and ten percent is basketball, and
they want to make sure that they pay as much
(42:39):
attention to that ninety percent and making it an attractive
and comfortable place for people to be here in Washington. Now,
I'm also one and being like, Okay, that's all great
and all, but you got to play some basketball at
some point, right and we got to talk about basketball
and fit and scheme and lineups and all that kind
of stuff. But I will say the way that they
(43:03):
talk about that and the way that they emphasize it
seems to be hitting home pretty well with the players,
especially with a young group.
Speaker 1 (43:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
That's kind of what I was kind of alluding to
a little earlier.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
You've got a young group who, you know, sometimes you gotta,
you know, kind of keep them close to make them
feel good about themselves as they're still learning this league.
They're not veterans who are like, hey, this is a job,
I've got all this stuff figured out. Let's you know,
just make sure we're taking care of ball kind of
a thing. So I give them credit for two things.
(43:38):
Having a strong relationship in the first place, and once
that news came out, not letting it spiral, because that
very next day, she was back at at practice, you know, smiling.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
She's had two of her best games since then. So
they seem to.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
Regardless of whether it happens or not, it seems like
they're in a good space and all pulling in the same.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
Direction right now.
Speaker 4 (44:04):
But again, you know, any GM worth their salary. If
someone calls with the right offer.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
And you feel like you've got a player that or
you feel like you've got.
Speaker 4 (44:18):
Depth in a position and have a chance to add
whether it's draft capital or whatever else to a spot
that's weaker, or be able to help and address a
spot that's weaker, that's something that you've got to at
least listen to.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
No.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
I certainly agree, and we will keep our eyes on
where Alia Edwards end up, if anywhere. We know that
the trade deadline goes down in August. One last thing,
kareem before you get out of here. The twenty twenty
four champions in New York Liberty have been struggling as
of late. They are down John Paul Jones, who has
been out due to an ankle injury, Benigulanna Hamilton we
(44:56):
know is missed the entire season due to injury as well.
Naoi Pheebich is finally getting back into the fold, and
during the last game Isabelle Harrison went down. She's questionable
this week, and Natasha Cloud also got hit checked and
she's also questionable this week as well. So with all
of these players on the injury report, especially players from
their core, what do you think the New York Liberty
(45:20):
have to do in order to turn things around.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
Get healthy, get the people, get the people who are
supposed to be on your roster, on the roster and
on the floor. I understand, I understand, you know, the
little bit of trepidation, especially at the Hearts after the
hot start, and quite frankly in the last three years
you're now used to losing a lot of games up there.
(45:45):
But at the same time, all of those names that
you just rattled off are huge pieces to this and
especially we're talking about Johncko Jones, right. Not having her
on the floor changes everything on both ends of the floor.
So there's I wouldn't have any panic. I know that's
easier said than done sometimes, but I would think this
(46:07):
team is going to look closer to what they did
at the beginning of the year than they did than
they have in this last week or so. So sometimes
it's just about patience and kind of waiting. And then
even once you get everybody together, takes a minute to
get on the same page. Remember, you know, you got
a new point guard in Tosh, and even though things
hit the ground running, still you know there's still a
(46:28):
moment and some time that it takes to build chemistry
and know what everybody likes and you know, well who's
most comfortable in which spots, even things as simple of
coming off a screen, you know where you like to.
Speaker 3 (46:42):
Catch the ball.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
All of these little details still, you know, sometimes still
need to be worked out, even if you're a championship team,
but you changed pieces a little bit and you haven't
had everybody there, And again you've got an MVP literally
sitting on the side line who's been out for weeks.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
So that's kind of the way I kind of look
at it, you know.
Speaker 4 (47:05):
I know, I think Sandy talked a little bit the
other day about what concerns her most of the defense.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
And.
Speaker 4 (47:13):
I would I would, I would echo those sentiments because
I feel like, one, if you get everybody healthy and
you got that's just too much offensive firepower to not
be able to figure out things on that end of
the floor. But still, you got to get stops. And
there's other teams that are loaded in this league right
now also with a whole lot of offensive firepower, and
(47:33):
we know once you get into the playoffs and the
postseason that it's you know, you got to get stops.
It's not always going to be a shootout every single night.
Defense wins championships, all of the all of those kind
of things.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
But I wouldn't panic in New York yet.
Speaker 4 (47:49):
Just because it's just going to take a little bit
of time, you know, to quite frankly, just get healthy
and you have your people out there.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Yeah, no, I totally agree. I think about twenty twenty
three when they first assimn their super team, and how
even in that season, with all of the talent that
they had, they had a slow start in the beginning
the first half of that season. It wasn't until the
second half of that season that things started to turn
around for them and they got to the finals against
the Aces and what happened happened. But during the first
(48:18):
half of that season, John Paul Jones was also suffering
from an injury as she had sustained the previous the
previous finals against the ass when she was with Connecticut.
So in similar fashion, again, your finals MVP is out
four to six weeks. She's huge on both sides of
the floor, as you mentioned, but also as you said,
like this is a team where their defense fuels their
(48:40):
offense and obviously their autorithm Right now, and so Leoni
just got back. She's a couple of games in and
she's a huge part of the New York Liberties defense
as a wing. I would love to see her be
a little bit more consistent on the offensive side in
terms of her scoring. I know that the Liberty are
leaning heavily on her in order to step up this season,
(49:02):
like the role and which she's taken because Benijel Laney
Hamilton is out for the whole season, so they're expecting
players like her, as players like Nia Rissaboli, players like
Kennedy Burke to have a bigger role on this team.
And as he said, Natasha Cloud is a newer player,
but she is the head of the Snake as the
point guard, and we know what she can do defensively.
(49:23):
Can she find her rhythm consistently every night, day and
day out on the offensive end to fuel the Liberty's offense.
But as you said, it's the Liberty versus health right
now in terms of having all the players available. I
do think that pattern that's haunting them this season are
those third quarters and Ben atrocious since the season started,
(49:45):
and Stewie early in the season has spoke up about it.
But we are seeing it happen in real time, and
so they have to learn how to play all forty minutes.
I think in the game against Seattle, they played a
really good first quarter and then that third quarter, fourth quarter,
Stuiet and Sabrina went scoreless until about three minutes left
(50:06):
in the fourth quarter. And that cannot happen with your
two all stars, your two star players on the team.
They could not be scoreless for damn there half the
second half of the second half. So they just got
to figure it out. I agree with you, there's no
need to hit the panic button on the New York Liberty.
Speaker 4 (50:25):
It's it's insane to me sometimes how people have forgotten
who JJ is. Sometimes it almost seems like they're like, uh,
they don't have JJ, but they should still be fine
and they should just roll over everybody.
Speaker 3 (50:38):
Do you know? Do you know who that is? What
she's accomplished, and what she, like you said, brings to
both ends of the floor.
Speaker 4 (50:46):
It's it's wild to me that she still continues to
kind of get overlooked sometimes with everything that she brings
to the floor.
Speaker 3 (50:55):
So yeah, that's a huge piece missing.
Speaker 4 (50:58):
So yeah, you know, get her back first of all,
and then's then let's talk about the rest.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
I think outside of Necho Guoma, Kay John crul Jones
might be one of the most disrespected former MVPs in
WNBA history. You can't underrate a player like her size,
her versatility, what she can do on both ends of
the floor, her efficiency when.
Speaker 3 (51:19):
She's getting the double double, the New York.
Speaker 2 (51:21):
Liberty is winning cans down like she's single handedly one
of the most important players on the roster. And I
think her absence shows just how important she is for
the New York Liberty. And so I'm just going to
wish the Liberty players speedy recovery and lots of good health.
Basketball gods do your thing. But there's no reason as
(51:43):
Kareem and I just said it hit the panic button
on him just yet. Kareem, you're officially bammed to the show.
Thank you so much for joining us this week hoping
to break down the latest in and around.
Speaker 3 (51:55):
The w Appreciate you finally having me you know, anytime,
Just let me know listen.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
Always going to be invited back, So keep that phone
on open, Okay, all right. To check out more of
Kareem's work, headed over to the Washington Post, to read
all of his work about the Washington mistakes and the
bigger picture stories around the WNBA. All right, y'all, that's
going to do it. For this edition of In Case
(52:20):
You Missed It with Christina Williams here on the Iheartwoman's
Sports Network, I want to shout out my homie Kareem
Copeland again coming through. Don't forget to hit that subscribe
button in to rate and review the podcast. Later this
week for fanow Friday, we have film director Andrea Bussella
joining us, so you don't want to miss that conversation.
(52:40):
And next week we're coming at you live from Indianapolis
for WNBA All Star, plus a bonus episode with La
Sparkstarverkia Jackson and WNBA stylist Britney Hampton. So make sure
you subscribe say you don't miss any of that fire
content later. In Case You Missed It with Christina Williams
(53:02):
is an iHeart Women's sports production in partnership with Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on
Speaker 1 (53:08):
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Host
Khristina Williams
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