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WNBA Off-Season

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JellyBean said:
Now let's see what this WNBA Draft Lottery brings us.
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BTW, Thanks for reminding me. I've had a hectic last few days so I'll ask the board: When is the draft lottery?
That will, of course, trigger another round of mock drafts to keep the off-season discussion going.
 
azfan said:
Probably because major news outlets invest very very little time (zero) in the offseason of any woman's sport including the WNBA
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Or the major news outlet was focused on the actual issue reported, which was the claim about coaches being bullies, while the CSS reporter seems more interested in tea and drama.

The CSS reporter basically quotes the Chicago Times and then focuses on Diggins. I'm not saying that there weren't internal conflicts, however they could have published their piece at any time. Nothing in their article provides further context on the Quinn situation.
 
azfan said:
Well.......Nneka will certainly leave, SDS will continue to..... Either be fiery or self-centerrd and complaining depending on your point of view I supposed. Got to see her act here in Phoenix so my perspective is the latter. What is certain is this this had not made Seattle better and the this I'm referring to is SDS.

"According to CSS reports, Skylar Diggins-Smith has been at the center of several heated outbursts during practice, with her fiery comments—often laced with profanity—aimed at teammates."

www.essentiallysports.com

Seattle Storm’s Leadership in Question After Skylar Diggins-Smith’s Bold Revelation, Sparks Investigation

Reports suggests that a player-coach dispute involving Skylar Diggins-Smith has led to an investigation into Seattle Storm's 2024 season.
www.essentiallysports.com

"Diggins-Smith, in a statement vented out, came off as passive-aggressive.".

My evaluation of SD in her time in Phoenix was that she was hostile aggressive or aggressive aggressive or judgmental aggressive nothing she ever said came off as passive...... And she was never hesitant about sharing her aggressive aggressive views which was apparent on the bench with DT on a video that's been widely circulated.

www.essentiallysports.com

Seattle Storm Locker Room Drama Gets Uglier With Skylar Diggins-Smith & Jewell Loyd’s Latest Activity

What is the latest update on the issues created between the Seattle Storm staff and their players after the 2024 season?
www.essentiallysports.com

This kerflunkle shows that head coach's responsibility goes Way beyond X's and O's and in fact their ability to manage these talented players with huge egos and in some cases very warped views will determine their success as well as the team's success. Obviously Quinn has ways to go in this important area of coaching
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SDS also had her stint in Dallas. There were problems there as well.
 
bballnut90 said:
SDS might be running out of teams to try and join if she’s out of Seattle next year. Side note: if Quinn is out in Seattle, NY, Vegas, Minnesota and Phoenix will be the only franchises to retain their head coaches.
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And Phoenix should have been the first franchise to fire their coach.
 
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cancontent said:
That's 2 coaches who leave during the early stages of non-conference play. The timing of all of this sucks, but the WNBA schedule doesn't offer up much flexibility.
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Interesting. I read a few posts that thought most WNBA teams could only go after mid-major coaches such as Smesko because D1 coaches wouldn't leave their (much) higher-paying jobs. Well, here's a coach of a highly rated D1 team leaving in the beginning of the season that looked very promising. Did college ball drive her out or the W pull her in?

If the salaries go up in the W, I could see this happening more often and I'll be very, very interested in when (and who) Portland and Toronto target. If no one is in place until after the 2024-25 NCAA season, could there be another D1 coach leaving?

www.espn.com

Sparks hire Utah's Lynne Roberts to fill coaching vacancy

Lynne Roberts, who guided the Utah women's basketball team to the Sweet 16 last year, has been named head coach of the Sparks.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
Good hire. I think Utah didn’t have much in the cupboard. That loss to northwestern was a bad one.

This makes me curious to see what Dallas can do. Because make no mistake. It is a better job than LA.
 
Dillon77 said:
Interesting. I read a few posts that thought most WNBA teams could only go after mid-major coaches such as Smesko because D1 coaches wouldn't leave their (much) higher-paying jobs. Well, here's a coach of a highly rated D1 team leaving in the beginning of the season that looked very promising. Did college ball drive her out or the W pull her in?

If the salaries go up in the W, I could see this happening more often and I'll be very, very interested in when (and who) Portland and Toronto target. If no one is in place until after the 2024-25 NCAA season, could there be another D1 coach leaving?

www.espn.com

Sparks hire Utah's Lynne Roberts to fill coaching vacancy

Lynne Roberts, who guided the Utah women's basketball team to the Sweet 16 last year, has been named head coach of the Sparks.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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It's interesting - I can't speak from a coach's perspective, but from a fan perspective, for the first time I'm now more excited about the W than I am WCBB. I'm sure some of that is the Valks expansion team and Tara retiring, but the transfer portal, conference realignment, and NIL pay-to-play is really killing my enjoyment for the sport, which already competes with a ton of other sports and non-sports priorities during a busy time of year. The hypocrisy is just getting to be too much for me. (and stories like Chavez basically holding out for the highest bidder are just so off putting).

Meanwhile, the W feels like an underdog league with a ton of great personalities and a condensed season during a period where there's much less to distract me from. So I guess it's not hard for me to see why some coaches may be reacting like I am...
 
TheFarmFan said:
It's interesting - I can't speak from a coach's perspective, but from a fan perspective, for the first time I'm now more excited about the W than I am WCBB. I'm sure some of that is the Valks expansion team and Tara retiring, but the transfer portal, conference realignment, and NIL pay-to-play is really killing my enjoyment for the sport, which already competes with a ton of other sports and non-sports priorities during a busy time of year. The hypocrisy is just getting to be too much for me. (and stories like Chavez basically holding out for the highest bidder are just so off putting).

Meanwhile, the W feels like an underdog league with a ton of great personalities and a condensed season during a period where there's much less to distract me from. So I guess it's not hard for me to see why some coaches may be reacting like I am...
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When I look back at my viewing and posting habits of the entire year, I probably find myself getting into tacit agreement/approval with your viewpoint.

On our various WNBA threads, we have a solid core who contribute regularly -- virtually day-to-day -- and have often have some compelling back and forths. And why not? The competition -- to my mind -- is often good and, yes, there sure are story lines and personalities. (Now, let's work on the reffing, please?)
With the W rising and money starting to come in, look for:
  • how key administrative and coaching posts are filled;
  • what comes out of the next CBA. If there are major upgrades in pay and other player allowances, the money paid for staffs will almost certainly go up, too. If so, I'm convinced you could see coaches like Gottlieb, Lawson, Ivey, etc. be tempted to jump.

p.s. Per your comment on colleges, I hear you there, too. I keep track of The Bench's recruiting board over the years and I'm starting to see that Niele Ivey -- one of the best recruiters over the course of her time as an assistant and head coach -- has now only landed one recruit in each of the last two years. Has she lost her touch? I don't think so. ND is playing in a new landscape and it's not all pretty.
 
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Dillon77 said:
Interesting. I read a few posts that thought most WNBA teams could only go after mid-major coaches such as Smesko because D1 coaches wouldn't leave their (much) higher-paying jobs. Well, here's a coach of a highly rated D1 team leaving in the beginning of the season that looked very promising. Did college ball drive her out or the W pull her in?

If the salaries go up in the W, I could see this happening more often and I'll be very, very interested in when (and who) Portland and Toronto target. If no one is in place until after the 2024-25 NCAA season, could there be another D1 coach leaving?

www.espn.com

Sparks hire Utah's Lynne Roberts to fill coaching vacancy

Lynne Roberts, who guided the Utah women's basketball team to the Sweet 16 last year, has been named head coach of the Sparks.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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I think it is just another sign of the changes already in motion. WNBA coaches salaries are starting to catch up and surpass some P4 college salaries. Plus with every passing year there is more funding, infrastructure and eyeballs on the league. I think we're finally seeing the shift to where the best coaches will be in the W and an upcoming tipping point where the infrastructure is catching up to the quality at the university level.
 
GamecockFam said:
I think it is just another sign of the changes already in motion. WNBA coaches salaries are starting to catch up and surpass some P4 college salaries. Plus with every passing year there is more funding, infrastructure and eyeballs on the league. I think we're finally seeing the shift to where the best coaches will be in the W and an upcoming tipping point where the infrastructure is catching up to the quality at the university level.
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Also, don't have to worry about NIL
 
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I always thought that prima donna attitudes of athletes drove me away from pro sports to college athletics, and now that seems to be equalizing in this new era.

But I also am starting to realize that there were getting to be just too many teams to follow in professional sports and getting to know every team in a college conference was an attraction. That as well is turning into a sham.

I appreciate the WNBA as a professional league with a reasonable amount of teams to learn about. I am all for an expansion to 16 teams, but I would hate to see it get into the 25-30 team range.
 
diggerfoot said:
I always thought that prima donna attitudes of athletes

I appreciate the WNBA as a professional league with a reasonable amount of teams to learn about. I am all for an expansion to 16 teams, but I would hate to see it get into the 25-30 team range.
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Boy that would be an interesting world.
 
Athletes Unlimited (AU) announced their first 15 players for their upcoming 2025 AU season.
  • Kierstan Bell
  • Lexie Brown
  • Alysha Clark
  • Sydney Colson
  • McKenzie Forbes
  • Dorie Harrison
  • Isabelle Harrison
  • Bria Hartley
  • Jordan Horston
  • Kia Nurse
  • Alissa Pili
  • Lydia Rivers
  • Victaria Saxton
  • Maddy Siegrist
  • Meighan Simmons
Observations:
Of the 40 players from their previous 2024 AU season (45%) 18 of them played in 2024-25 WNBA season.

Of those 2024-25 WNBA 18 players:
5 have returned for AU 2025 season (Siegrist, Colson, I. Harrison, Bell & L. Brown)
4 have signed with Unrivaled (Gray, Cloud, Hull, Burrell)
3 have played overseas in China (K. Mitchell, O. Sims & K. Brown)
1 has played overseas in Turkey (G. Berger)
3 have played overseas in Australia (Amihere, Jones & Cooke)
2 are undetermined (Engstler & T. Mitchell)
 
ESPN's Projected "Protection" Lists for All WNBA Teams

WNBA teams have to submit what players they'll protect (and won't) by Monday and ESPN Senior Writer Kevin Pelton lists which six players each team will want to not make available (and why).

www.espn.com

WNBA expansion draft: Which six players will be protected by every team?

Every WNBA team can protect six players in Golden State's expansion draft on Dec. 6. We project which players will be protected on draft day.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

A few thoughts on various projections:

- Chicago Sky: Dana Evans on the protected list.
Pelton acknowledges Evans had fallen out of favor (I'd say fallen off the court is more accurate.) with former Coach Witherspoon and thinks she might get another shot. I can't see why. Streaky three-point shooter who is not an adept floor general.
I'd keep Lindsey Allen who can hopefully back up another point guard who will be drafted.

- Connecticut Sun: Olivia Nelson-Ododa not on protected list.
Pelton acknowledges Nelson-Ododa might be kept for the same reason I think she will: It's impossible to know what Connecticut will do with DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones being free agents.

- Indiana Fever: NaLyssa Smith on the protected list.
Does incoming management think they can make NaLyssa Smith work? A month ago she was toast. They'd better be sure if they keep her; otherwise I would've kept Dantas or even Saxton.

Minnesota Lynx: Diamond Miller on protected list; Dorka Juhasz and Jessica Shepard on unprotected.

Pelton acknowledges this is a jam-up and thinks it could lead to trades with Golden State so Cheryl Reeve can keep whom she wants.
And she likes both Juhasz and Shepard. If no trade can be made, I think she keeps Juhasz.

New York Liberty: Kayla Thornton and Marine Johannes on unprotected list.

Pelton this could also be a trade scenario in which the Liberty toss a lot of draft picks to keep a few of these players, which also include Rebekah Gardner, Ivana Dojkic and Kaitlin Davis.

Phoenix Mercury: What will Diana Taurasi do?

If she stays, bye bye Celeste Taylor. IF DT has decided retire, Taylor stays.

Seattle Storm: The Clash, so they can play "Should I stay or should I go?"

Who knows what is going on there? Who will call the shots -- owners? Front office? Depending on what that report finds and which players are aligned with whom, this could be a ongoing situation.

Right now, Nika Muhl and Gabby Williams are projected to stay.

Washington Mystics: Stefanie Dolson on unprotected list.

Pelton is giving an edge to both Karlie Samuelson and Emily Engstler staying over Big Mama, in part because Karlie's contract gives flexibility. Dolson added value to the Mystics, imho, and could do so for a start-up team, as well.
 
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cancontent said:
I think the article is speculative. Last I recall, teams won't make their protected teams public.
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@JellyBean
Yup, these are projections by Kevin Pelton, who follows the W for ESPN.
These will be "done' by Monday. Then, you can jump off that cliff in Minny! ;)

(Remember, prior to Coach Reeve putting Dorka back in the rotation in the playoffs, you and I had a give and take about Dorka getting more PT next year, whether it was in the Twin Cities or elsewhere. I stand by that....)
 
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The WNBA schedule came out.

A couple of highlights:

Fever first game is against the Chicago Sky.
Dallas home opener is against Minnesota. (Seems fitting for Paige’s first game).
 
I saw this on twitter. The wnba makes a mistake? Possibly leaking the name of the new Toronto franchise???



The Toronto Tempo??? What do you guys think?
 
Stagnant said:
I saw this on twitter. The wnba makes a mistake? Possibly leaking the name of the new Toronto franchise???



The Toronto Tempo??? What do you guys think?
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Blech is my initial reaction. But then again, that was my reaction when Tue Raptors' name was introduced. Not to mention our baseball team's name is the Blue Jays.....so when you think about it, it's on par for the city, LOL.

What sucks is if this is true, they just blew the team's marketing budget for the name contest that's been going on. :confused:
 
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