July WNBA thread

[Zanzman]

P

Unhappy players = bad results. I hope players quitting midseason doesn't become the norm. I think the Sparks are better off without Liz and starts winning more games, similar to how Phoenix has been winning more games without Charles.

lease dont compare Charles and Cambage

 

[Dillon77]

Unhappy players = bad results. I hope players quitting midseason doesn't become the norm. I think the Sparks are better off without Liz and starts winning more games, similar to how Phoenix has been winning more games without Charles.

Correct me if I'm off here, but wasn't Liz part of a group of players that urged the dismissal of Derek Fisher (yes, the one person in the league interested in signing her)). Then, she bails on Fred Williams, perhaps the only coach who has consistently had her back. Throw in the moves surrounding the Opals and Liz is painting herself into a very tiny corner of the WBB world. Don't care how big and how talented you are individually, it's still a team game and if you ostracize players and teams ad infinitum, well...check that mirror out for a cause.

At the very least, LA management (?) will have a chance to see who produces the rest of the year and help build the base for 2023.

 

[bballnut90]

PHX and her seem like a perfect fit .... show all the way around

Refs will start boycotting Phoenix games if they have to ref Cambage, Taurasi and Diggins-Smith all on the same team

 

[ochoopsfan]

Notice Chiney and Sykes reaction to Liz post game press conference comments, from a game on 7/21

 

[bballnut90]

I think this is it for Cambage when it comes to playing in the W. She always mentioned how much LA was where she was meant to be and she didn't get the fairytale ending. Her basketball shape has been questionable and she really needs some help mentally as well. It's a real shame because she literally could have changed the league if she took her craft seriously. Hopefully she can get the help she needs and truly apologize and make amends to the people she hurt over the years.

Pretty wild looking back to 2011 when there was some debate between her vs. Maya for #1 overall. Maya was the safer bet but Liz was a dominant force at 19 as a big 6-8 girl with great touch and a huge frame. She had seemingly unlimited potential. Maya went on to have an all time great career despite playing just 8 seasons, while Liz has been inconsistent showing up (5.5 seasons played in 12 years), has demanded trades, quit on her game, is banned from her country's national team for racial slurs, constantly complains and has seemingly burned every bridge in the sport. I hope she doesn't play another day in the WNBA. As far as I'm concerned, any light shone on her deserves to go to someone else.

 

[cancontent]

Pretty wild looking back to 2011 when there was some debate between her vs. Maya for #1 overall. Maya was the safer bet but Liz was a dominant force at 19 as a big 6-8 girl with great touch and a huge frame. She had seemingly unlimited potential. Maya went on to have an all time great career despite playing just 8 seasons, while Liz has been inconsistent showing up (5.5 seasons played in 12 years), has demanded trades, quit on her game, is banned from her country's national team for racial slurs, constantly complains and has seemingly burned every bridge in the sport. I hope she doesn't play another day in the WNBA. As far as I'm concerned, any light shone on her deserves to go to someone else.

Makes me think of the Peyton Manning - Ryan Leaf debate before the NFL draft in 1998 and how their careers played out.

While Leaf didn't have a NFL career and went through several low points, he has turned the corner. He is a motivational speaker and now is in broadcasting. Hoping something similar, in the form of finding peace, happens to Cambage over time.

 

[bballnut90]

P

lease dont compare Charles and Cambage

I'm not comparing them as people but their 2022 basketball situations are quite similar. Both left their previous organization for greener pastures, the greener pasture wasn't what they expected and both quit on their team mid year. Phoenix has looked like a better team without Charles and I predict LA will be a better team without Cambage. Generally speaking, Tina seems like a generous and wonderful person, I wouldn't use those words to describe Liz.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

Pretty wild looking back to 2011 when there was some debate between her vs. Maya for #1 overall. Maya was the safer bet but Liz was a dominant force at 19 as a big 6-8 girl with great touch and a huge frame. She had seemingly unlimited potential. Maya went on to have an all time great career despite playing just 8 seasons, while Liz has been inconsistent showing up (5.5 seasons played in 12 years), has demanded trades, quit on her game, is banned from her country's national team for racial slurs, constantly complains and has seemingly burned every bridge in the sport. I hope she doesn't play another day in the WNBA. As far as I'm concerned, any light shone on her deserves to go to someone else.

Honestly, I feel sorry for her. I think she has a lot a deep rooted issues that she was never able to resolve. I can only imagine that being 6'8 biracial woman in Australia who didn't grow up with her Nigerian father didn't make for easiest life growing up. While I have been disappointed by her actions and play both on and off the court, I am a little scared on how she will handle life after basketball. I'm just hoping this at the very least this doesn't lead to a tragic end for her.

 

[bballnut90]

Honestly, I feel sorry for her. I think she has a lot a deep rooted issues that she was never able to resolve. I can only imagine that being 6'8 biracial woman in Australia who didn't grow up with her Nigerian father didn't make for easiest life growing up. While I have been disappointed by her actions and play both on and off the court, I am a little scared on how she will handle life after basketball. I'm just hoping this at the very least this doesn't lead to a tragic end for her.

Definitely a more sympathetic way of looking at the situation than I insinuated with my post. Agree 100% with all of this.

 

[eebmg]

Good job putting the Commissioner's cup game on Amazon Prime.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Good job putting the Commissioner's cup game on Amazon Prime.

At this point in 2022, is there anyone left who doesn't have Amazon Prime? If you polled my (admittedly millennial) friends, I'd bet three or four times as many of my friends have Amazon Prime as have terrestrial TV channels (let alone a TV)!

 

[donalddoowop]

At this point in 2022, is there anyone left who doesn't have Amazon Prime? If you polled my (admittedly millennial) friends, I'd bet three or four times as many of my friends have Amazon Prime as have terrestrial TV channels (let alone a TV)!

I don't have it and don't plan on getting it. I was hoping to see the game.

 

[donalddoowop]

I'm not comparing them as people but their 2022 basketball situations are quite similar. Both left their previous organization for greener pastures, the greener pasture wasn't what they expected and both quit on their team mid year. Phoenix has looked like a better team without Charles and I predict LA will be a better team without Cambage. Generally speaking, Tina seems like a generous and wonderful person, I wouldn't use those words to describe Liz.

Phoenix may be better without Charles, but Seattle is better with her.

 

[bballnut90]

Phoenix may be better without Charles, but Seattle is better with her.

I'm not completely sold on that yet...they were 11-7 without her, 7-3 with so far which looks good, but 8 of the 10 games she's played in have been against losing teams. As a team they've evolved into a 3 person team offensively with Charles/Loyd/Stewart without much help and Magbegor's role has been greatly reduced and she's now coming off the bench. The rest of the way will tell us a lot about Seattle as a contender, 6 of their last 8 are against the other likely title threats (Chicago, Vegas, Connecticut and Washington).

 

[nwhoopfan]

Don't have Prime so can't view it, but can scoreboard watch. Looks like Plum was motivated. 9 points in the first 3 minutes of the game. I wonder if the whole Aces team is feeling like they owe the Sky some payback for that record biggest comeback in WNBA history debacle?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Sloot is playing, glad she's back.

22-4 Aces a little more than halfway thru Q1.

 

[GoChips20]

Aces better not do it again lol

 

[baggerbob]

I'm not completely sold on that yet...they were 11-7 without her, 7-3 with so far which looks good, but 8 of the 10 games she's played in have been against losing teams. As a team they've evolved into a 3 person team offensively with Charles/Loyd/Stewart without much help and Magbegor's role has been greatly reduced and she's now coming off the bench. The rest of the way will tell us a lot about Seattle as a contender, 6 of their last 8 are against the other likely title threats (Chicago, Vegas, Connecticut and Washington).

Loyd has been nonexistent lately, and with no offense from Sue and Gabby Seattle is in trouble. I would rather see Stewie at the 3 and put Ezi back at center, with Tina at the 4.
Ezi is better both offensively and defensively, and she is getting better.
Gabby is a nice backup player, but not a starter and never should be.
There is a reason she never started until the Big 3 left, she is a good role player, and can backup a lot of positions.
With Sue not being much of a scorer anymore you need 4 players who can give you double figures.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well it wasn't a blow out, but Aces managed to not cough up the lead. I'm sure Wilson will get most of the publicity w/ 17 pts/17 reb/6 blocks, but Plum set the tone early and had a game high 24.

 

[willtalk]

Well it wasn't a blow out, but Aces managed to not cough up the lead. I'm sure Wilson will get most of the publicity w/ 17 pts/17 reb/6 blocks, but Plum set the tone early and had a game high 24.

Don't commit Hari Kari but Chelsea Gray won MVP.

 

[GCKSFN4L]

A'ja had a pretty good game against one of the better frontcourts in the league on both sides of the ball. Surprised she didn't win the MVP but Chelsea really controlled the offense and prevented Chicago from extending their runs into a lead.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Don't commit Hari Kari but Chelsea Gray won MVP.

And that was even w/ Dawn Staley calling the game. How dare they not give the MVP to A'ja?

 

[SCspur]

A'ja had a pretty good game against one of the better frontcourts in the league on both sides of the ball. Surprised she didn't win the MVP but Chelsea really controlled the offense and prevented Chicago from extending their runs into a lead.

Been watching her show out this season! She’s ascending right before our eyes!!

 

[Tangential]

Did this game change anybody's mind regarding the team to beat this year? Even though Chicago added Meesseman, Allemand, & Gardner to the championship team as well as Parker playing better and Copper's game getting stronger, I think when the Vegas starting 5 is clicking, they are superior. They are going to need tons of minutes from them and Riquana in the semis and finals, but I anticipate that they will be up to the challenge.

 

[bballnut90]

Did this game change anybody's mind regarding the team to beat this year? Even though Chicago added Meesseman, Allemand, & Gardner to the championship team as well as Parker playing better and Copper's game getting stronger, I think when the Vegas starting 5 is clicking, they are superior. They are going to need tons of minutes from them and Riquana in the semis and finals, but I anticipate that they will be up to the challenge.

Agree with this 100%. Vegas at their best is the best team in the league IMO. No one else has top tier firepower from all 5 spots like the Aces do. When they're off, they barely look like a playoff team. Today was a huge win for them. They'll be a tough to overcome in the playoffs this year if they click on all cylinders like they did tonight. Even though I don't think this counts toward official standings, Chicago has lost 2 straight. Teams go through ebbs and flows but they'll need to regroup quickly. They a very tough schedule to close out the year (Connecticut twice, Mystics, Aces and Storm make up 5 of their 8 games, no games vs Indiana/Minnesota).