Ready to turn defenders into lunch meat? Add these creative spin move combinations to your bag today! A spin move is one of the most effective and efficient ways to get around your defender while driving to the hoop. And when you pair with a counter move, it’s lethal. So let’s take a look the spin combo moves NBA players from legend Michael Jordan through to 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player, James Harden, use regularly.

Obviously, the basis of each of these moves – the first part – is a spin. So let’s quickly review that in case you’re not familiar. These are fairly advanced basketball moves, so be sure to be comfortable with the spin first before progressing onto these.

Here’s how to do a spin move in basketball:

First watch this video so you have a visual in your head. Then read these directions:

1. Start by dribbling the ball with either hand – let’s say your right hand.
2. Plant your opposite foot on the ground, and use it to pivot your body in the direction you want to go. Basically your foot is a hinge on a door, and you are the door.
3. For these moves, you’re going to want to take a nice wide step on your spin, because you’re trying to create lots of separation. In other situations, for instance in a fast break type of situation, it makes more sense to be narrower on the spin.
4. Anyhow, as you pivot, use your right hand to spin the ball around your body, keeping it close to your body as you turn.
5. The key is that after the dribble as you spin, if you want to keep dribbling (rather than collect the ball and shoot), you should end with the ball in your left hand. If you leave it in your original hand it’s easier for the defender to steal it away.
6. As you complete the spin, think about moving your shoulders around as quickly as possible and staying low to the ground – the key is to be as fast as a turning top!
7. Explode out of the move in the direction you want to go, keeping your body low to give your leverage against the defense.

Discover spin move combinations you need to know

Let’s take a look at three spin move combinations you can start using right away. Do a walk through on each of these, taking your time and paying attention to the details and the way it feels. Then go game speed through each, unit you score wit each three times in a row. Finally add in some defense, and play only using these moves to see who can get to 5 points first.

1. Spin + fade away

This is one of Kobe Bryant’s signature moves, and can be done anywhere on the court. It’s a great move if you have an aggressive and fast defender because it unexpectedly creates space as you move backwards. We like to use it a lot because we don’t like a lot of contact, and this move tends to help avoid that. For this move – it’s exactly as it sounds – you’re combining a spin move with a fade away jump shot. Here’s how you do it:

1. As you pivot on your spin, rather than dribble, pick up the ball and bring it with you. Let’s say you’re beginning with the ball in your right hand and spinning to the left.
2. As you complete the spin, plant your right foot and push off of it backwards to get into your shooting motion.
3. As you jump, rock back, and fade away from the basket to create space between you and your defender.

We’re not working on the Michael Jordan pop, but check out skills trainer Drew Hanlen demonstrating it, because coming out of the pop, he shows you the exact fadeaway shot you’re going to take. We’re just getting into it off a spin instead of a pop.

You might find it most helpful to work on the fadeaway first, and then combine it with the spin move after you’ve mastered it a few times.

Here you can see Kobe putting the full spin to fadeaway in action.

2. Spin + shot fake + reverse pivot

This move is most helpful in the paint but can be done anywhere. The reverse pivot allows you to surprise your defense by changing direction, back the way you came and towards the baseline, all while protecting the ball from your defender.

Watch this video #3 to see what you’re about to do! Here’s how to do it:

1. Basically you’re going to spin, and pick up the ball on your spin.
2. As you finish your spin lift the ball over your head in a shooting motion to fake that you’re rising up into a shot right away.
3. While you show the ball up, keep your hips down, as that’s going to help you be quick for the next part of the move.
4. Instead of shooting, rip the ball and your body back around towards the direction you came from and in towards the basket in one step.
5. Shoot off your step.

Again here’s the master of pivots Kobe demonstrating a reverse pivot (obviously he’s not doing it off a spin):

3. Spin pump fake extended step

This move is most helpful in the paint. This is basically the same start of the move you just did, but instead of the reverse after the pump fake, you’re going to step through towards the basket in the direction you’re already fading. The shot fake is going to get your defender up in the air like popcorn, and you’ll be able to cut your body under them for the step through and shot.

Watch this video see how to do the extension part of the move!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Spin, and pick up the ball on your spin.
2. As you finish your spin lift the ball over your head in a shooting motion to fake that you’re rising up into a shot right away.
3. While you show the ball up, keep your hips down, as that’s going to help you be quick for the next part of the move.
4. Instead of shooting, keep your shoulders low and take one step under and past your defender. Here’s WNBA player Satou Sabally demonstrating the step through part of this move.
5. Shoot off your step.

Try these effective spin move combinations in basketball today

Now you’re ready to get big buckets using the spin moves the pros use. Up next, learn how to calm your nerves before big games or work on your handles to keep your spin speedy and under control.

Awesome WNBA blogs exist, they can just be a little hard to find. So we’ve rounded up some of our favorites (in addition to Queen Ballers Club, duh!) that cover all the teams in the league.

These WNBA news websites are in no particular order, though they are split into categories based on the depth of their league coverage. For each site we explain what types of articles they write about the league and what makes their coverage unique. As well as dive into how often the blog is updated, who contributes, and highlight a few of our favorite articles to check out.

You’ll find everything from results of the latest games, to plays you have to see, to what motivates your favorite players. So bookmark these fascinating women’s basketball blogs, and add them onto your daily reading list this year.

Discover some of the best WNBA blogs

From sites that exclusively cover the WNBA to those that cover all sports, here’s where to get your professional women’s basketball fix. Give us a shout on Twitter @QueenBallers if we missed any of your go-tos. We can’t get enough WNBA news!

Check out WNBA-only blogs

1. WNBA news

The official WNBA site has a comprehensive news section updated frequently. There they share game notes, teams’ seasons in review, partnership updates, and press releases. So you can learn more about players’ playing status (such as injury updates), coaching and staff changes, and social justice impact.

Their coverage is unique because you can learn straight from the horse’s mouth! This probably the best source that exists for getting the facts, and finding out the latest behind-the-scenes type information.

• Updates: New articles added a few times each week
• Authors: Brian Martin, and anonymous folks in the WNBA’s marketing department
• Recommended read: Check out the season review for your favorite team

2. Winsidr

Winsidr features interviews (and podcasts!) with players and coaches. As well as predictions, opinion pieces, and updates on how the season has progressed. One nifty feature is that you can easily sort their coverage by your favorite team on their team page.

What makes Winsidr unique is that it exclusively covers the WNBA and is a site by fans for fans. Plus, their graphics are dope!

See women’s basketball blogs that cover the WNBA

3. Her Hoop Stats

This is a stat database, a newsletter, and a podcast that provides consistent, reliable, and easy to access data about women’s basketball. So while it’s not exactly a blog, it’s worth a big mention.

The idea for the site evolved from a call that founder Aaron Barzilai, former Director of Basketball Analytics for the Philadelphia 76ers, received from his friend Alex Varlan when he joined the staff at Tennessee. Alex asked Aaron if he knew of any good options for statistics the team could use. After concluding that there weren’t any he could recommend, Aaron decided to create one.

Today, the newsletter’s stories are always in-depth and of course, include a look at the numbers. As for the podcast, long-time women’s basketball broadcaster and fan John Liddle talks with the biggest names in the WNBA and women’s college basketball.

• Updates: Newsletter & podcast published each week
• Authors: Jenn Hatfield, Marissa Sisk, Derek Helling, and more
• Recommended read: Check out the salary cap sheet

4. The Next Hoops / High Post Hoops

High Post Hoops is a women’s basketball news and opinions site that covers both college ball and the WNBA. Stories range from breaking news (Derek Fisher taking over), to social impact updates, to predictions for the upcoming season, and game recaps.

Their newsroom has since morphed into The Next. Where Editor-in-Chief Howard Megdal, Founder of The IX Newsletter and High Post Hoops, is on a mission to train the next generation to cover women’s sports with the same fierce urgency men’s sports receives, and to alter the pipeline for the industry to make women, particularly women of color, a significantly larger part.

Today the site provides some of the most comprehensive coverage in terms of the latest in-game happenings. As an added bonus, the site’s associated podcast “She Got Next” is a real gem.

5. Swish Appeal

Swish Appeal covers the WNBA and women’s college ball. One cool thing about this site is that Editor-in-Chief Tamryn Spruill puts issues of gender, race, and sexuality central to her reporting. She has followed the WNBA since its 1996 inception, and is even writing a book about its history.

Basically, she brings an awesome lens to their coverage. Which includes everything from player stories and pop culture, to the latest merchandise releases, looks at upcoming draft picks, and more.

Read sports sites that cover the WNBA

6. The Undefeated

The Undefeated has a section of its site dedicated to covering the WNBA. They interview players and staff regularly to get insights, and the writing is very conversational and easy to read.

Their coverage is unique because it steers towards the social and emotional side of women’s basketball on the court and off. They feature stories such as fatigue in the “wubble,” what it’s like to play overseas as a Black woman, and how WNBA players are impacting their communities after the season.

7. Sports Illustrated WNBA

Sports Illustrated’s WNBA section provides frequent coverage during the season and slows down afterwards. It features game results, player perspectives, social justice initiatives, and related pop culture happenings. The coverage has a strong news bent, and doesn’t go too in-depth, but ensures you know the latest.

Sports Illustrated WNBA is unique in that it also provides more visibility into the business side of the league, covering sponsorships and brand partners from an outside perspective. For example, they provided an in-depth look at the new Under Armour shoe.

8. SB Nation WNBA

SB Nation is part of the Vox Media family. They cover the WNBA draft, make predictions, reveal the latest team winners, and writer player interest pieces. Each article isn’t super in-depth but they do cover some unique topics that make it worth reading. Like, for instance, their redesigned WNBA jerseys post, which is a gem.

9. ESPN WNBA

ESPN WNBA covers all angles of the WNBA. They feature interviews with players and coaches. And provide updates on social justice initiatives, cover WNBA history, and write about pop culture too.

Mechelle Voepel’s work in particular is a joy to read. Her stories tend to be in-depth, have excellent perspective added by quotes, and very easy to read. She really finds the essence, and has been covering the beat for a quite a while.

• Updates: New articles added each week
• Authors: Katie Barnes, Sean Hurd, Mechelle Voepel, and more
• Recommended read: Check out the Diana Taurasi Q & A

10. The AthleticWNBA

The Athletic covers college basketball and the WNBA by publishing some of the very best storytelling in sports. They basically recruit authors who are experts in their beat, who have been covering the game for a long time. Then those writers write about whatever interest them.

The coverage, which is some of the best in the biz, includes looking at how players have grown and revealing their life stories. It also includes social activism stories, and of course, updates on how teams are doing (and more importantly, why!).

11. Sports Are From Venus

This blog covers the WNBA and college ball, including pop culture pieces, plus the latest news from players and coaches. Actually the blog covers all sorts of sports, and aims to level the playing field for anyone who loves to talk sports. But they do have a dedicated WNBA section.

What makes their coverage unique is fun series like “know your meme”. And their pop culture heavy bent: it’s the place to go to find out your favorite player’s halloween costume or what their dog looks like – in addition to how their game went.

12. MadefortheW

Made for the W is a lifestyle platform creating inclusion for women’s sports and sneaker culture on and off the court. They’re filling the void for women’s basketball in sneaker culture, lifestyle marketing, and cross-promotion for the WNBA and women’s sports.

What makes their coverage is unique is that it’s all about the kicks! You can even sort by game day sneakers for specific WNBA teams. The conversation around sneakers has become such a large topic, that as a result, created a full movement that sparked waves from national media attention, player mentions, fan engagement and more.

13. The Players’ Tribune

The Players’ Tribune covers all sports, in the voices of the athletes themselves. So while they don’t provide a ton of WNBA coverage, the coverage they do have is really interesting. Stars such as Nneka Ogwumike, Napheesa Collier, and Elena Delle Donne have shared their personal stories.

14. Just Women’s Sports

From highlights to exclusive interviews, this site bringing you everything you need to see and know about women’s sports. Which means they cover more than the WNBA (and unfortunately you can’t sort articles by the league). Anyhow, their W articles tend to be player interviews.

In terms of what’s most unique it’s their podcast, hosted by Kelley O’Hara. They’ve featured WNBA players such as Nneka Ogwumike, Candace Parker, and Breanna Stewart. Each of whom discuss their career progression.

Explore a few newsletters & extras

15. WSlam

WSlam is @slamonline covering women’s hoops. It’s one of the best social accounts to follow to stay up on the league. They post videos, photos, player quotes, and more, on the regular.

16. Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report compiles the latest interesting content across the WNBA-social media sphere in one place. They also do in-depth WNBA original reporting from time-to-time, such as this piece about fan favorite Sabrina Ionescu.

17. Floor Game

Floor Game is an insightful newsletter by Ben Dull. He examines all angles of the league. 2021’s big point guard question is a great read.

18. Power Plays

Three days a week Power Plays subscribers get a mixture of one-on-one interviews, history lessons, and analysis about the biggest issues surrounding gender in sports. Including updates on the WNBA. This awesome newsletter takes a look at the power structures and decision makers that keep women’s sports — and women and nonbinary people who work in sports — on the margins.

19. Across the Timeline

Across the Timeline is a cool league toolset created by Kurtis Zimmerman. There’s a WNBA player database where you can easily visualize players’ key stats. As well as visualizations for WNBA attendance, and so much more.

20. Courtside

Courtside is a Q&A series by WNBA writer Lyndsey D’Arcangelo, featuring unfiltered, honest, revealing and fun chats with some of the greatest players in WNBA history as well players in the league today. While it’s temporarily on pause, there’s a great library of existing content. Check out Courtside with Crystal Dangerfield.

21. The GIST

The GIST is best known for their newsletter which covers all sports. Their goal is to create an inclusive and accessible community for all sports fans through their irreverent, fun and female voice. 

See WNBA team blogs

Have a favorite team you like to follow? We’ve got your back for team news, too. Here are a few WNBA team specific blogs to keep up with.

• Dallas Wings Insider – The Dallas Wings Insider is a newsletter and website covering the Dallas Wings by basketball insider, Coty Davis. It covers game previews, analysis, and opinion on the Dallas Wings players (such as Satou Sabally’s debut).
• Nets Republic – This basketball site covers the NY Liberty and Brooklyn Nets. See the scoop, from WNBA mock draft coverage to Kia Nurse highlights and everything you need to know about Megan Walker.
• Pleasant Dreams – While not updated since 2015, this blog has a ton of Atlanta Dream game history recorded.
• The Atlanta Journal Constitution – This newspaper covers the Dream from time to time. Providing updates such as team progress throughout the season, and stadium and ownership news.
• Storm Chasers – This blog is part of the SBNation network and has in depth coverage of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm.
• The Seattle Times – This paper covers the Storm’s social justice efforts, features player interviews, and team progress updates.
• Bullets Forever – This blog is part of the SBNation network and has in depth coverage of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
• Sky in the Chi – Here Edwin Garcia provides Chicago Sky coverage for 2020 and beyond. From news to player profiles.
• Star Tribune – This newspaper covers the Minnesota Lynx from time to time. Including game previews, Crystal Dangerfield profiles, injury updates, and more.
• Minnesota Lynx – This site from SBNation covers the team’s game progress and recaps.
• Matt’s Connecticut Sun Blog – While this blog was last updated in 2010, it has a host of articles covering the Sun’s history.
• Tamika Catchings Blog – This is the blog on Tamika Catching’s personal site, and covers her recent accomplishments – which includes some Fever updates from time to time.
• Arizona Sports – This site covers all Arizona sports, and features some Mercury coverage. Including Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith updates.

Read WNBA blogs for the latest news

Now you have your reading list for the year! Be sure to bookmark each site so it’s easy to get back to. Up next, keep up your media frenzy. Check out how to watch WNBA games. Or learn all about one of the most impactful players in the league, Liz Cambage.

Written by Megan Mitzel, youth basketball coach, and Founder of Queen Ballers Club.

Would you be willing to send a $5 tip to our Venmo tip jar because it helps support this site and our reporting? @megsterr.

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An exceptional facilitator on both ends of the court, Tyasha “Ty” Harris is a twenty-two year old 5’10” point guard for the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. Today she’s best known for setting up her teammates and her consistent control over the pace of play.

Before that, in college, she was a starter for the South Carolina Gamecocks where she racked up an incredible 1,000 points and 700 assists. While leading them to a 118-22 record, the number one national ranking in 2020, and a 2017 NCAA championship title.

So here, we’re going to take a look at Tyasha’s basketball evolution from high school to her WNBA draft day and beyond, revealing how she got better every. single. year. We’ll share her greatest assets and opportunities for improvement.

Plus, you might even find out a few surprises along the way – for example, she listens to Drake’s emotional tracks along with Lupe Fiasco, Eminem, and Chris Brown to calm her nerves ahead of games. Let’s jump right in!

Tyasha Harris’ basketball evolution

Tyasha has been around basketball her entire life. Already as a toddler, she would watch her dad play in a men’s league at a park nearby, in her hometown of Noblesville, Indiana. By age five, she got her first experience playing against boys in a YMCA basketball league, where she was a standout. Shortly thereafter, her parents signed her up for a travel league, and the rest is history.

Tyasha’s high school basketball career

Tyasha was an immediate starter as a high-school freshman at Heritage Christian, and made an impact on the team right away with her skill and team-first mentality.

“She easily could have had a 30-point average, but that’s not what we were about and, more importantly, that’s not what Ty is about,” her former Heritage Christian girls basketball coach, Rick Risinger said. “She’s interested in making sure the team is successful, not just Ty. That’s a unique player. That’s part of what makes Ty so special.”

Over her four years there, Tyasha certainly found success for her team. She led them to four city titles, four regional titles, and three consecutive state titles. She also became her high school’s all-time top scorer with 2,004 career points, also holding the school record in steals (487) and ranking third in assists (426).

Furthermore, she produced higher scoring records every year. And by the time she was a senior she was averaging 23.5 points per game. As a result, in the 2016 class, she ranked as the country’s No. 27 recruit overall and the No. 8 point guard. And was named to the Senior “Supreme 15” All-State Team by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, as well as being awarded a finalist position for Indiana’s Miss Basketball Award.

But the attention didn’t stop there. Due to her standout performances, she received 54 scholarship offers! Meaning Ty had a tough choice to make.

“I’m very observant,” she said. “But [the recruiting process] has been hard. It feels like I was a freshman or sophomore a minute ago. High school has gone by so fast.” Since Tyasha noticed the trend of college players transferring after a year or two, so she took the extra steps to make sure that wasn’t going to be her fate, by talking to as many former players of program’s as possible.

After deliberating, Tyasha decided to attend the University of South Carolina coached by Dawn Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and former WNBA star. Tyasha explained, “My official visit there I had a great time with the players. I thought it was the right fit.” And she couldn’t have been more right.

Tyasha Harris USA Basketball

OK all the way back in 2013 Tyasha participated in the 2013 USA Women’s U16 National Team Trials. A few years later, she was a member of the 2016 USA U18 National Team that captured the gold medal with a perfect 5-0 record at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship. There she started all five games and averaged 10.6 points per game, and a team-high 5.4 assists per game. Plus, her 27 assists holds the all-time USA U18 record.

In 2017, she was named to the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup all-tournament team. There she earned a silver medal. As her team posted a 6-1 record, after losing to Russia by four points in the gold medal game in Udine, Italy.

She participated in the 2018 USA Women’s National Team September training camp. Before, a year later, joining the U.S. Pan American Games Women’s Basketball Team on May 20. In Lima, Peru, she started in all five games and averaged 9.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game to help the USA to a 4-1 record and silver medal. She definitely made an impact on the international stage.

Tyasha Harris Gamecocks

As the starting point guard for three and a half seasons, Tyasha’s teams ended in the top 10 in the country three times, including top-three finishes that bookend her career – No. 1 in 2020 and No. 3 in 2017. With a final career record of 118-22 (.843) for her teams.

She helped the Gamecocks to the 2017 NCAA National Championship, the 2018 Elite Eight, and the 2019 Sweet 16, along with two SEC Regular-Season Championships, and three SEC Tournament crowns. Plus, she helped achieve the program’s first final No. 1 ranking at the end of 2019-20 season.

Again, Tyasha increased her scoring output each season of her career, fully balancing her own offensive aggression with high assist numbers to keep her team engaged. As a freshman for the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2016, she started 27 games and provided a team-high 3.2 assists per game (14th in the SEC).

In January of her freshman season, she took over the starting point guard position. And led South Carolina to the 2017 NCAA National Championship title. Furthermore, her control was exceptional. She committed more than two turnovers only seven times in 37 games with 10 turnover-free games.

Already during her freshman year, she was shinning on both ends of the floor. For example, in the NCAA Elite Eight against Florida State, she hit 16 points and had three steals. Meanwhile was learning a ton from Coach Dawn Stanley along the way that built her into a stronger player during her later years.

When asked about how her coach impacted her, Ty shared, “[She’s] the main reason I went to South Carolina. She’s a great point guard, one of the best, highly decorated. I just felt like every time she spoke, there was a little nugget of knowledge that I could learn from her…Everything that she’s done, I want to do. And whatever she could teach me or whatever she told me, I just took it into consideration and kind of held it in so I could learn more and more.”

During her senior year, Ty kept building on her well-rounded foundation, and became the player that we see on the court today. That year, she averaged 12 points per game, led the SEC in assists overall (5.7, 12th in NCAA), and led in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8, 10th in NCAA). As a result, her team had an incredible record of 32-1 and a Number 1 ranking.

She was a scoring threat: She achieved the 11th double-double of her career in the SEC Championship game against Mississippi State (March 8) with 10 points and 10 assists. Beyond that, she had a flawless 40-minute, double-double (19 points/11 assists) performance against UConn.

She got her offense on track: While playing Baylor she knocked down a three and caught a steal turned layup to end an 8-2 opening run. She also steadied the Gamecocks late, with a pair of free throws after the Lady Bears pulled within two in the fourth quarter.

She set the perfect pace: For example, Tyasha controlled the tempo in the fourth quarter at Maryland and scored five points in the final 1:07 to seal the win.

Tyasha also became an outstanding defender and the school’s all-time leader in career assists. “I’m kinda at a loss for words,” Ty said, “because I didn’t come in thinking I was gonna get the record. I don’t know what to say. It’s a great record to get. I always liked passing the ball. That’s what I pride myself on, a little bit too much, I guess you could say, sometimes. It’s great.”

Plus, her ability to know when to bet on herself made her a reliable scorer. “I think I’m just more aggressive, and I understand the game better,” Tyasha said. “And I feel like the game has slowed down, so it’s easier to pick and just kind of have my assists and points.”

She capped off her season by winning the 2020 Dawn Staley Award. And she left no regrets behind. Leaving the Gamecocks as the holder of seven career program records:

1. assists (her 702 career assists ranked ninth all-time in the SEC.)
2. assist-to-turnover ratio
3. games played
4. assists vs. SEC
5. average assists vs. SEC a
6. SEC games played
7. SEC games started

Tyasha Harris WNBA draft

Tyasha Harris didn’t have to wait long in the 2020 WNBA draft to find out where she’d be playing. On April 17, the Dallas Wings selected the point guard with the No. 7 overall pick. She was the franchise’s third selection, after picking Oregon’s Satou Sabally and Princeton’s Bella Alarie at Nos. 2 and 5.

She became the 12th South Carolina women’s basketball player to be selected in the WNBA Draft. And was reunited with former Gamecocks teammates Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis, also on the Wings.

“I was super happy, super ecstatic about it all. My dream is finally coming true, a dream I’ve had since I was four years old. It’s just an amazing feeling that all my hard work has paid off, and I got to celebrate with some of my family back home in Indiana.”

said Ty.

Of the 2017 Rookie of the Year Allisha Gray, Tyasha says, “It’s been amazing. From the jump Lish has been in my ear. She texted me before and when I got drafted. Anytime I have a question, I always text her first. She’s been a great help for me.”

However, with her drafting, Tyasha joined a team that had 15 players and only 12 paid slots. She was at workouts, when she found out the great news that she had officially made the roster and would get paid. At the time, she believed her role would be to control the team’s tempo; bring her IQ of the game; and try to create a faster paced team.

Tyasha Harris salary

As a paid player, Tyasha Harris’ salary is about $68,000 per year in the WNBA. Specifically $68,339. She also has a contract with Under Armour, and will earn a good chunk of change playing overseas during the WNBA offseason.

Tyasha Harris Dallas Wings

Due to the departure of the Dallas Wings star point guard, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Tyasha had the opportunity to compete for major playing time. And boy was she ready for it: Ty said, “I’m super excited for that. I’m a very competitive person.”

It worked out well for the Wings, and for her. In Tyasha’s debut of 19:56 minutes, she scored a second-ranked 13 points among rookies and also dished four assists. She completed an efficient 4-of-7 makes from the field, 3-of-6 shots from 3-point range and a perfect 100 percent of her free throw attempts. Her plus-minus rating of +3 ranked fourth among all rookies, behind Crystal Dangerfield, Chennedy Carter, and Te’a Cooper.

Looking at her first two games of the season, Tyasha was immediately effective, and delivered steady, efficient performances off the bench, especially when paired with Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally. Ty averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 assists per game, and knocked down 4-of-8 3-pointers. Bringing the team up to 109.9 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark in the league and more than 15 points better than last year.

Tyasha’s quick first step and, as a penetrator, her focus on facilitating helped complement what the team already has going on. For example, in the clip here, she gets some help from the threat of Ogunbowale off the ball and some bad positioning by Chennedy Carter, but in both cases, she blasts past the defender and finds the open shooter as the defense collapses. As Ian Levy reports, “It’s important to note just how rare plays like that were for the Wings last year. They were dead last in the league in assists per game and third-to-last in 3-point percentage.”

She also improved as the season progressed – notice the trend? As a result, she started the final two games for the Wings, while averaging 9.3 points and 4.0 assists over her last three games. And she ended her rookie season, reaching double figures offensively in seven games, and with a selection to the 2020 third team All-American by the A.P. and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Now that the WNBA has wrapped up for the year, she’s playing internationally with Bellona Kayseri of Turkey. After getting a call from her agent two days after she left the bubble, letting her know they wanted her in Turkey by the next Tuesday!

At first, she was a little saddened by the news, because she’d been anticipating more time with her family. But then she re-adjusted her mindset, “Why am I sad? I worked my whole life to be in a position of being able to play in the league. So, why am I so sad that it’s finally here? This is my opportunity to do what I wanted to do with since I was young. I sacrificed so many hours and so much to be able to play overseas and in the WNBA.”

“And that’s where my mindset is at right now — just embracing everything, the opportunity to actually be able to play — because it’s a blessing to be able to play overseas, especially with COVID-19. A lot of jobs are being cut and salaries are being cut, so I’m just blessed to be able to be a part of a team and I’m very excited to see what the future holds overseas.”

said Tyasha.

And she’s delivering against the opportunity, as she always does. She’s already putting up big numbers. We’re talking 24 points, six assists, and one steal big. Last year, the team finished in 8th place in the KBSL with a 9-10 record and was eliminated in the group stages of the Eurocup with a 3-3 record. With Tyasha at the helm, their odds are looking better this year.

Tyasha Harris’ go-to moves

Tyasha is pretty versatile, and is always looking for the pass. Here are a few of her commonly executed moves.

1. Pick and roll

She’s a superb pick-and-roll ball handler (0.901 points per possession, 90^th percentile of all NCAA players).

2. Cross over to spin drive

Tyasha tends to use this move to make some room. She does a quick little cross-over above the three, hits the drive with a spin, and then looks to make the dish.

3. Throwing footballs

OK not really, but she’s got excellent aim with her long passes and long shots.

4. Mid-range shooting

The majority of shots she took this year in the WNBA were jump shots (34). And they were within 8 feet of the basket.

5. Set shots

Her spot ups stats speak for themselves: 1.0 points per possession, 87^th percentile.

Tyasha Harris strengths

Tyasha’s 5’10” height definitely separates her from other guards in the league, making her an automatic defensive threat. But she brings more than her physical advantage to the position.

“[Brian Agler] said he likes the way I play. He’s watched me since my freshman year. He said I’m a true point guard and I can control the pace and I know when to get the ball to whoever’s hot, and also when it’s time, I can make isolation plays. He believes in me, and I’m very confident.” Ty shared. So let’s check out some of this floor general’s basketball strengths.

1. Composed control of pace

Her explosiveness and skills allow her to set the pace of the game. “Her number one asset is her explosiveness and her ball handling,” Risinger said of Ty. “Because of our pace, we are able to wear teams down by the end of the game.”

Reinforcing that, Tyasha also talked about how pace is one of her strengths, “I think the basketball IQ and the way I can control pace. Learning from Dawn Stanley helped me a lot because she was a great point guard, she’s around vets all the time, pro players, so the IQ of the game and just the pace of how I play.”

2. Leading by example

“When I hear leadership, the first thing that comes to mind is being a positive role model for any and everybody,” Tyasha said. “It’s kind of like being that person people look up to see what’s the right way to do things and having the right decision-making skills to lead a team or a group of people. Knowing that young kids look up to me is why I play basketball, actually.” 

And that type of leadership paid off for her team. When combining her scoring and the points she created with her assists, Harris accounted for 30.7 percent of the Gamecocks’ total offense her senior year. Which averaged a school-record 82.0 points in 2019-20 as they finished the season 32-1.

3. Finding the pass

Tyasha’s greatest talent is setting up her teammates. Similar to Sue Bird in this way, she is a traditional pass-first point guard that looks to set up her teammates first, before looking to create scoring opportunities for herself.

She hit a total of 189 assists as a senior (tied for 6^th in the NCAA) and led the SEC with 5.7 assists per game (12^th in NCAA). And for her college career, she had 702 assists (10^th most in SEC history) and 275 turnovers for a 2.55 career assist-to-turnover ratio.

When you look both at the possessions she ended herself (shot attempt, free throw attempt or turnover), and also the possessions that resulted in her assists, Ty ranked in the 98^th percentile generating 1.312 points per possession in college.

4. Makes every possession count

“Very seldom do you come across a kid who does everything, but that’s Ty. She sees the court well, she’s great in transition, she can finish with either hand in traffic, and her defense is just as good as her offense, if not better.” said her longtime AAU coach, Marlon Wright of Best Choice United “She’s aggressive, and her size and instincts allow her to change speed and direction. When she gets it in her mind that she’s going to the rim, she’s a load.”

Plus, you’d think a player who had the ball in their hands so often would turn the ball over frequently. But not Ty. She averaged very few turnovers (2.03 turnovers per game) in her senior year, giving herself an impressive assist/turnover ratio of 2.81.

Tyasha Harris’ basketball weaknesses

Of course there are still areas where Ty can improve. And if there’s anything the last few years have shown us, it’s that she will. Let’s dive into a few of her weaknesses.

1. Three-point shooting efficiency

Her shooting efficiency could still use some improvement, particularly at the three. As Kobe Bryant would say, you’ve got to be a shooting threat. That’s the basic thing everything else builds from and relies on.

Ty averaged a career-best 12.0 points per game as a college senior, and steadily increased her scoring over her four years with the Gamecocks (beginning at 5.6 as a freshman). She had a 41.7% college career field goal percentage and a 32.8% 3-point percentage (up to 38.4% her senior year though).

In her first year in the WNBA she got her field goal percentage up to a 43.3% which is strong, but her three is still only at 33.9%. And she missed the clutch hit in the last few minutes of their finals run game against the New York Liberty.

2. Not finishing off the drive

She’s not afraid to handle the ball with a few seconds left to end out quarters, and doesn’t crumble under the pressure. But she also tends to go for the drive on those plays, and doesn’t sink the baskets on them. Sure the bigs are crashing, but there are ways to anticipate the shoves and the blocks, and Ty doesn’t seem to have the experience to deliver them yet. Layups were her second most common type of shots this year. If she could improve her closing there, it would be huge.

3. Predictability

Ty doesn’t do a lot of faking. She basically throws the ball where you think she’s going to. Sometimes she could afford to freeze the defense with a little pass fake in one direction, before swinging it the other way. Basically she could better harness the miss-direction pass.

4. Even stronger playmaking

It seems like there are some easy pieces that could be run, such as the dribble hand off, that would lead to more sure thing buckets. For example, a dribble hand off between Ty and Arike could go very smoothly and set the team up well.

If Katie Lou Samuelson comes up to the the top of the key, Ty could hand off the ball to Arike on the side, and Ty could cut into the lane. Meanwhile Arike could send the ball to Katie, who could connect with Ty on the pass, who could then use her height to get the two. Or, Arike could hold onto the ball, drive and get the floater.

5. More off-ball movement

There are times on the offensive possession where Ty is pretty still on the floor, once she’s out of the play. She should look to never stop moving. She could do top screen and rolls, back door cuts, dribble hand offs, and moving around baseline side. Basically move around a lot to keep the defense guessing.

6. Defensive stunting

Ty gets plenty of steals, and does an excellent job of keeping her arms out and wide, as well as getting them up quickly to cancel out the shot. Though she could take her defense to the next level by moving up and back on the guard, as they’re getting settled in around the three. All of a sudden, let them think they have an open shot, by backing up a little. Then, move on up into them quickly. And keep making it a guessing game.

7. Offensive rebounds

To be a great scorer, you have to do the dirty work. And Ty had very few offensive rebounds per game this season. With a focus on offensive rebounds, she’ll always putting pressure on the defense. By not giving them a single moment to rest, and not worry about her, she’ll tire them out more quickly.

8. Nutrition? JK. Maybe?

Fueling the body is such a big part of dominating at a high level, as Sue Bird’s diet overhaul has shown. And while it’s not entirely clear what Ty’s diet is, she did share that she had a big focus on bringing her favorite snacks to Turkey, rather than say her favorite protein bars. Though, there’s no shame in her snack game. And treating yourself has to be in the plan.

“I packed three bags for Turkey. One for clothes. One for shoes. And one for snacks and technology and gadgets, but mostly snacks. I have Fruit Loops with marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Apple Jacks and Scooby Snacks — the graham cracker ones with cinnamon, I love those.” said Ty.

To see what she’s up to next, tune into the behind-the-scenes look into her life she provides on her social media.

Tyasha Harris Instagram

Tyasha Harris Instagram photos can be seen at @ballher_52. Where she has more than 29K followers already tuned in. Catch shots from her rookie year, college wins, USA basketball, and tunnel fits.

Tyasha Harris Twitter

Tyasha Harris Twitter musings can be found at @TyHarris_52. There she shares her latest stats, game insights, love for the Gamecocks and much more.

Come for the games.

Stay for the heat.

And the kicks.

Tyasha signed a multi-year deal with Under Armour. As part of it, she will step onto the hardwood this season in the upcoming UA HOVR™ Breakthru, Under Armour’s first basketball performance footwear specifically designed for female athletes and featuring a women’s last. 

“We could not be more excited for Bella, Kaila and Ty to join us at Under Armour,” said Brianna Colón, Under Armour Basketball Global Marketing Lead. “These women embody our Under Armour values and they deserve our unwavering support. Fans should expect to see these fierce competitors make immediate impacts with their new squads on-court. After all, they have a track record of making history and we can’t wait to see what they do next.”

Of the partnership Tyasha shared, “My time at South Carolina played a big part in me becoming the player that I am today and, because of my time there, Under Armour has been with me since freshman year…I’m proud to sport Under Armour officially on and off the court, it feels like I’ve been doing it forever. It’s time for me to show the world what it means to ‘Finish Your Breakfast,’ because when you rise and grind, anything you start, you finish.”

With the way Tyasha has improved every single year, we can’t wait to see how Tyasha finishes out her playing career. We’re looking forward to more steals, more assists, and more wins.

Up next, learn more about her Dallas Wings teammate Moriah Jefferson.

If you enjoyed this, would you be willing to send a $5 tip to our Venmo tip jar because it helps support this site and our reporting? @megsterr.

Tyasha Harris stats

Tyasha averaged 6.8 points, 2.8 assists and 1.2 rebounds over 21 appearances for the Wings in 2020. She also had a strong number of steals per game.

Tyasha Harris’ stats per 36 minutes from Basketball Reference

Tyasha Harris’ awards

Ty’s college awards:

• All-America (WBCA) (2019)
• All-America Third Team (AP, USBWA) (2019)
• Naismith Trophy finalist (2019)
• Wade Trophy finalist (2019)
• The Dawn Staley Award (2019)
• Nancy Lieberman Award finalist (2018 & 2019)
• All-SEC First Team (2019)
• All-SEC Second Team (2017 & 2018)
• SEC All-Tournament Team (2017 & 2019)
• SEC Athlete of the Year (all sports) (2019)
• SEC Winter Sports Academic Honor Roll (2019)
• WBCA All-America Honorable Mention (2017 & 2018)
• WBCA All-Region (2017 & 2018)
• SEC All-Freshman Team (2016)
• SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll (2016)

Tyasha’s High School awards:

• Naismith All-America Third Team (2016)
• USA Today All-America Third Team (2016)

Some of Tyasha Harris’ top career records:

• 1st – Assists in a career (702)
• 1st – Assist-to-turnover ratio in a career (2.55)
• 1st – Games played in a career (139)
• 2nd – Free throw percentage in a career (.792 (251-317))
• 2nd – Minutes played in a career (4,168)
• 2nd – Games started in a career (127)
• 3rd – Assist average in a career (5.1)
• 1st – Assists in an SEC career (357)
• 1st – Assist average in career SEC games (5.6)
• 1st – Assist-to-turnover ratio in career SEC games (2.98)
• 2nd – Minutes played in career SEC games (1,978)
• 1st – Games played in career SEC games (64)
• 1st – Games started in career SEC games (63)
• Most assists in career NCAA Tournament games (52)
• Most assists in career SEC Tournament games (59)
• Most steals in career SEC Tournament games (16)

An Adidas signature shoe, the cover of NBA2K, and her own official day in Chicago (September 16th)—Candace Parker has more than arrived. But she’s not done yet. In April 2022, the two-time NCAA and WNBA champion, and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has something new in store for us. Candace Parker’s Title IX Documentary, 37 Words: A Title IX Story, examining 50 years of progress since the historic civil rights law went into effect and led to a revolution in women’s sports, is set to premiere.

“Baby Hair Productions first project is a meaningful one… Title IX 50 years later….. the doors it opened but also the impact it has on life, culture, sport and business… it’s not just about sports!” she tweeted announcing the news. “Title IX has meant a lot to the game, the sport, and my family as well.” she told ESPN already years ago.

The feature-length documentary is set to explore and celebrate the societal and cultural impact of Title IX. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 formally banned gender-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receives federal financial funding, including many college sports athletic programs. This enabled the booming growth of women’s college sports in the 1980s and 90s, especially basketball.

Title IX Through Candace Parker’s Lens

The film is presented through Candace’s eyes, beginning with her youth in Chicago. With the tutelage of her two older brothers, Marcus and former NBA player Anthony, Candace fell in love with the game of basketball at an early age. In high school, she led Naperville Central to two state titles.

She went on to become a superstar at the University of Tennessee, before being selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, and dominating as a legend in the WNBA. The documentary also details her iconic Olympic triumphs in Beijing and London, as well as her 2021 WNBA title with the Chicago Sky.

Today, Candace is one of the most decorated female basketball players to ever put on a uniform, a mother to her daughter Lailaa, a wife to her partner, Anya Petrakova, and a renowned TNT NBA analyst (who dunks on Shaquille O’Neal non-stop). Furthermore, Candace is not only a star on and off the court, but also she is an inspiration to all those around her — bringing a unique point of view to this incredible story.

“I was fortunate enough to grow up in a time where Title IX afforded me great opportunities and impacted my life,” Candace said. “I am so excited to have the chance to tell this important story for the younger generation to show the significance Title IX has on culture and life beyond sports.”

The currently untitled project will include interviews with major figures in sports, entertainment, politics, and business. They’ll discuss how the country has evolved in the 50 years since Title IX was enacted and also cover what the future holds.

Candace is executive producing the film – which was green-lit by Turner Sports – in conjunction with her newly-launched production company, Baby Hair Productions, in association with Scout Productions. And if you don’t think that company name is next-level genius – gurl bii! Scout Productions will lend tons of experience to the project, having produced award-winning hits like Netflix’s Queer Eye reboot and HBO Max’s Legendary.

“Candace’s experiences matter to so many people – especially young women and girls – that look up to her, both for her great accomplishments on the court and as a leading voice in today’s basketball conversations,” said Tara August, Turner Sports’ senior vice president of talent relations and special projects. “We are proud to partner with her to tell the story of Title IX through her lens and to spotlight the importance of gender equity in sports.” 

How to watch Candace Parker’s Title IX documentary

To watch the documentary, tune in during the weekend of the NCAA basketball Final Four. Catch 37 Words: A Title IX Story on TBS on April 2nd at 1pm EST.

“I never envisioned this,” Candace said, referring to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot signing a proclamation to make Candace Parker Day official. “That’s what is so special about basketball. It opens up so many doors. I have the mayor saying she watched me play my senior year. Her daughter is playing basketball now. It’s about carrying it on and trying to open up more doors for the next.”

The Title IX documentary will showcase and pay homage to the doors that have been opened. Hopefully, it will also inspire more women to break down doors. We can’t wait to watch.

Today we’ll share how to set basketball goals so you can achieve your wildest dreams. The most important thing when it comes to setting goals for basketball, is that you take the time to do it! Basically you need to define your objectives, and clarify what it will take to get there. Then you can begin your plan to achieve your goals and make them a reality. To perform at your highest level, always know what your goals are and keep them in focus.

Setting basketball goals is important

WNBA Champion and Washington Mystics guard Alysha Clark, never really sat back and thought about what she personally wanted out of her WNBA career, until a general manager asked her about it during a free agency phone call, many years after she’d already been playing in the league. “We all think you’re an incredible person. But what do you want?” they asked her.

“And when that question was posed to me I was like, ‘Okay well…’ and I sat there, and after I got off the phone I was like I guess I’ve never really sat back and thought about what I personally want out of my career. I just kind of went with whatever was right, and whatever made everyone else happy and comfortable. And I was for it.” she said.

“At the time it was great, because that’s what I was enjoying; that was what made me happy.” she continued, “But then I never really stopped to think, how some of these other players get to do like, ‘In my career I want XYZ’ – I’ve never done that. I’ve never set a personal goal. I’ve never set those types of things in my career in the WNBA. Overseas [I did] but in the WNBA I never did because I was like ‘Oh it’s not going to be a reality. So there’s no point to do it and be disappointed.’”

“Until the 2020 season, I made my first personal goal. I set a personal goal of being Defensive Player of the Year. I was like I’m more than capable of making that happen. I’m more than capable of being in the running and talk for that. So that was the first time in my entire career that I set a personal goal.”

By the way, she was the Defensive Player of the Year that year.

Benefits of basketball goal setting

Basketball goal setting has tons of benefits:

• Goals can increase your drive, your effort, and your will to strive and succeed.
• Goals can also increase your awareness of performance strengths and areas in need of improvement.
• They can light the path that will get you to where you want to end up, acting as your North Star.

How do you set goals in basketball?

“The results you get are often based on the goals you set. So the goal-setting process is important.” shared Jim Afremow in The Champion’s Mind. Here are five questions he encourages you to ask yourself to evaluate each performance goal you set:

1. Is my goal specific?

Specific goals have a clear focus and scope. For example: “I want to improve my three-point shooting percentage.” The pros set specific goals too. In the last couple years, WNBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird has looked to keep getting better and better and better at the things she’s really good at, and also add one little thing to her game each year.

“As far as myself in the last couple years, like through time I am who I am. I kind of came to accept it. I will say basketball is different now. When I was growing up you played 1:1 you had 3 dribbles max. And now I think the game is different. So if I was answering this question at 25, I might be like ‘Oh I want to add X, Y, and Z, dribble this, awesome, blah, blah, blah.’ But you know what I think happened to me was: I just knew what I was good at. I identified that, and especially in the last 5 or 6 years – I’m just going to take those things and keep getting better and better and better. And if I can add one little thing, great. So a couple years ago that one thing I added, I was trying to do those off-foot layups more. I would get a couple in a game and I’d be like ‘What, what!’ But for me, an additional five layups is adding something to my game. So more so the focus has been, this is what you do well, now just be great at those things.” she said.

2. Is my goal measurable?

Adding numbers to your goal will help you be able to more clearly see progress. For example: “I want to improve my made three-point shooting percentage to 75% uncontested.”

3. Is my goal positive?

Optimism is very important. Here’s a story that illustrates why. One day a man spoke to his grandson about a battle going on between two wolves. One wolf is evil. It represents anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false price, superiority, and ego. The other wolf is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The grandson thinks a while about the warring wolves and then asks his grandfather, “So which wold will win?” The grandfather replies, “The wolf that wins is the one that you feed.” Make sure your cup is half full!

4. Is my goal inspiring?

Your goal should be relevant to what you ultimately want to achieve with your game. From the time the late Kobe Bryant entered the NBA at 17, he made it very clear that he had only one goal in mind: to win as many championships as possible. Kobe knew that his salary, success with other teammates, and as a player would be predicated on his ability to win championships.

Pro hooper for the Las Vegas Aces and 3×3 Olympic Gold Medalist Kelsey Plum has lofty goals too, “I mean there’s a lot of things that I haven’t done that I want to do. I mean whether that’s Paris 2024, whether that’s world championships next year, whether that’s the WNBA Championship like I want to be an All-Star. I think this year will probably be the best year I’ve ever had playing basketball, and we’re just going to keep building.” she said.

5. Is my goal displayed?

Hold yourself accountable with a reminder you can see every day. After you’ve set your goals, be sure to write them down and display them in a location where you can look at them or motivation. Consider putting your goals on a Post-It note and fixing it to your bathroom mirror, refrigerator door, or bedroom nightstand – as these are places you’ll look at least once a day.

6. We’d also add: Is my goal timely?

Be sure to give yourself a time frame that motivates you: a month, 3 months, whatever it may be. Try to keep it less than a year to stay on track. For example, Kelsey Plum set a timeline for herself to be back on the court after her injury, “I think when I tore my achilles…I remember crying. And I was crying because I was angry. But I was also like, ‘OK this is the last time you’re allowed to cry because for the next nine months.’ Because I was like, when do you come back from an achilles from 12? All right let’s do it in nine. I have to put all my energy, focus, mental, emotional capacity into these next nine months.”

The secret to setting basketball goals that push your limits

Consider using a three-level goal system to determine your achievement levels: bronze, silver, and gold. That way you have three possible levels of success rather than a narrowly defined goal. In this system, bronze is a desired result that would be a good outcome based on a reasonable assessment of past performances and current capabilities. Silver is a significant improvement. And gold is achieving a best time or delivering a major performance breakthrough. Another benefit of setting basketball goals this way is that you won’t sell yourself short by thinking small, since the top level really has no limit.

Here’s an example: A basketball player who makes 80% of her three-pointer shots tries 100 shots after a regular team practice to work more on this area of her game. She sets her goals as: bronze 75-80 shots made, silver 81-85 made, and gold 86 or more.

Pro tip: Get a friend, teammate, or coach to be an objective observer to help provide encouragement towards your goals. Or join a group where your desired behavior is the normal behavior.

Set great basketball goals

“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do,” said Kobe. Now you’re ready to unlock your greatness by setting basketball goals. You can easily record your basketball goals with this handy basketball journal printable!

Up next, learn about basketball leadership and basketball mindfulness, because both can help you on your journey to being the best hooper you can be.

Our site is reader supported. If you purchase some of the items linked from this post, they send us a little funding to help keep our pro hoops reporting flowing – and it doesn’t cost you any more than it always would. Thank you!

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Enjoy WNBA defense news and highlights. Lock-down WNBA defense is key to winning games. See how players close out, stick to their women, and earn defensive awards. Plus, pick up new defensive techniques from pros like Candace Parker.

August 12, 2021

In advance of the Connecticut Sun taking on the Seattle Storm later today (9 PM EDT on Amazon Prime) in the first ever WNBA Commissioner’s Cup for a prize of $500k, we’re taking a look at the Suns game at the Washington Mystics on June 29, 2021. That night, the Sun beat the short-handed Mystics 90-71. Which

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Ariel Atkins: It’s only a matter of time before that’s a household name. And that time is coming soon. Over the past two years, the Washington Mystics’ youngest starter has skyrocketed up the ranks, bursting onto the scene as a first-time WNBA All-Star who’s quickly earning the respect and admiration of her peers, the fans,

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There aren’t many statues of 24 year olds. There aren’t many statues of women. There aren’t many statues of People of Color in the first place. But outside of Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, home of the University of South Carolina, lies an 11-foot-tall bronze statue of Hopkins, South Carolina native and 2017 NCAA

Continue Reading January 13, 2021

Breanna Stewart — all she does is win, win, win, no matter what. WNBA regular season MVP, WNBA Finals MVP, USA Basketball FIBA World Cup MVP, Euroleague MVP — and the list goes on. The already two-time WNBA Champion hails from Syracuse New York. There, she took in Syracuse University games when she was young.

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Continue Reading November 10, 2020

An exceptional facilitator on both ends of the court, Tyasha “Ty” Harris is a twenty-two year old 5’10” point guard for the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. Today she’s best known for setting up her teammates and her consistent control over the pace of play. Before that, in college, she was a starter for the South Carolina

Continue Reading October 22, 2020

“When I got drafted to Seattle in 2016, that’s what I thought about: I’m going to play with the best point guard in the world,” said Breanna Stewart. Breanna was referring to her now good pal, Sue Bird. Today, Sue Bird has spent 18 years dominating women’s professional basketball, and she just announced she’s coming

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Candace Parker and basketball — name a better duo. The accomplishments abound: a former #1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, a Rookie of the Year, a two-time league MVP, a WNBA champion, a Finals MVP, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, the first woman on an NBA2K cover, and hitting 5,500 career points this

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Picture this: It’s opening day for the WNBA, in the middle of a sound stage, in the middle of a pandemic, and Nneka Ogwumike doesn’t miss a single shot. It sounds like a dream. But it’s actually a spark. That day, the star Los Angeles Sparks performance came from 6’2″ forward Nneka Ogwumike who showed

Continue Reading July 8, 2020

“She’s very relentless. Even when you think you have her stopped, she keeps coming at you.” That’s a quote from Sue Bird about the 2020 #1 draft pick.  You might know her from her sneaker deal with Nike, her time playing on the Oregon Ducks, or from her joining the New York Liberty. Regardless of

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WNBA expansion cities have been a hot topic throughout WNBA history. While today there are 12 WNBA teams, fans love to debate which lucky locales could be next – especially on WNBA Twitter. And particularly once teams have made pre-season roster cuts.

However WNBA executives have struck a similar tone over the years whenever expansion is brought up. Both Lisa Borders and current commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, have said that while league would like to expand, shoring up the health of the current teams is essential first. 

At the 2021 AT&T WNBA All-Star game Cathy shared, “The topic of expansion is something we’re always thinking about…It’s something I’d be talking more seriously about if it weren’t for the pandemic. We’re evaluating constantly. This time next year we’ll be talking about the path there.”

In 2022, the league is actively investigating future expansion! “We are looking at expansion. We’re doing a huge analysis of it and we have lots of cities that are interested. We don’t want to bring new owners— whether it’s two or four or one— and not have them the set up for success. We’re doing all the data analysis for a 100 cities, through a lens of all the demographics and psychographics and arenas and Fortune 500 companies based there, the NCAA viewership, the current WNBA fandom in that city.

In a country of our size and scale, with an increasingly diverse population, and the most diverse league is in only 12 cities, that’s not enough. By mid to late summer, I’ll have more to say on where we’re trending.” said Cathy Engelbert.

“We’re talking to a fair amount of cities. I will say, think about the cities where we’re not and where we used to be, you know, like Houston and Sacramento and Portland. Also the Bay Area. Think about the tech center of our country. Technology is driving so much of your economy and there’s no WNBA team in the Bay Area. But we’re open to all options.” she continued.

The last time the WNBA added a franchise was in 2009 with the addition of the Atlanta Dream.

Regardless, today we put on our dreaming hats. And revealed the possible WNBA expansion cities and teams that might benefit the league. For each city we broke down how the financing might come together. And the business reason for the opportunity (including the possible fan base).

We also looked at how each city could align with or impact the league’s brand. As well as what facilities could house the team and how strong the potential player pipeline could be. Add all that up, and the answers might surprise you (hint: a bourbon capital nearly made the list). So let’s get after it.

How WNBA expansion cities will be selected

According to Cathy Engelbert, at the end of the 2021 season, here’s how the WNBA expansion cities will be selected: “It’s an active data analysis that we’re doing today, so I just had a meeting readout on it this past week about different cities, some of the metrics that you look at are D1 college basketball, how popular it is, viewership of current WNBA games in those markets that don’t have a WNBA team, merch sales in that market.”

“So there’s a myriad of probably 15 or so metrics that we’re looking at to determine whether a market or city could be good. Then obviously you have to evaluate what ownership groups would step forward and support the team because the owners are a very important cog in this whole thing around picking cities to expand in.”

“So those are all the things — again, timeline. I think in my state of the league at the beginning of the season, I talked about that time next year we’d be talking about a little more details on the plan. So I think I would stick with that into the spring and summer next year and into the 2022 season we’ll be sharing more.”

“The data looks like it’s going to read out some interesting information for us to start having exploratory discussions with certain cities and make sure that we can find great ownership groups to support a WNBA team and great fan bases. So that’s why I think looking at how those cities are already supporting the WNBA through whether it’s viewership, merch sales or other things, or whether they’re supporting women’s sports or women’s college basketball are great indicators of how it would get supported if a WNBA team were to go in that market.”

The players are ready for expansion too. Four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird recently said, “I do think the league needs to expand. It doesn’t need to be too fast. I think one team at a time, even though I’ve heard different interests from different cities.”

Coaches are on board as well. Minnesota Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve told Erica L. Ayala – for the New York Times – she prefers franchise expansion over roster expansion, especially since the answer, either way, is more money.

Discover possible WNBA expansion cities

New York. Los Angeles. Chicago. Washington. Dallas. Seattle. Atlanta. Minnesota. Connecticut. Las Vegas. Phoenix. Indiana. And insert name of a new city here?! Whenever the league is ready to grow, below are six WNBA expansion cities that are primed to welcome (or re-welcome) teams. 

1. San Francisco Bay Area

The Bay Area has been the subject of WNBA expansion rumors for quite sometime now. As of today, it is currently the largest market without a team. If the WNBA were to expand, northern California would likely be at the front of the line. 

Most recently, Alana Beard, a four-time WNBA All-Star, has stepped up to lead a group of investors trying to bring a WNBA expansion team to Oakland. Alana has always imagined being an owner of a WNBA team, and now is excited to work with inspired, like-minded professionals. She’s partnered with the African American Sports and Entertainment Group. Attorney Jada Smith-Williams and her law firm Bailey & Glasser, LLP, will run counsel and advise the group in their ownership pursuit.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity and excited to help bring a WNBA team to Oakland,” Alana Beard said in a press release in October 2021. “The AASEG has done an incredible job of getting us to this point and has garnered tremendous support from influencers in the local community. I am hopeful our vision, passion and collective efforts will lead to the return of professional basketball to Oakland.”

On the press call in October, Alana Beard said: “[Her] goal is to have as much community involvement in selecting a name [for the team] as possible.”

“Led by Black women, led by women. Renee Montgomery set the standard there. She retired to take a leadership role with the Atlanta Dream, and that’s something I admired. It’s super empowering to see women of color in power: this is a blueprint.”

said Alana Beard.

Watch the full conference here:

The finances

The financing is there. In fact, one person alone may be all the Bay Area needs to make it happen: Joe Lacob, the owner of the Golden State Warriors. Prior to becoming the main boss of the Warriors, he was once the owner of the San Jose Lasers – an ABL team. Meaning women’s basketball is very near and dear to his heart. 

Furthermore, companies in the San Francisco and San Jose areas combined to represent $1.37 trillion in revenue this year. So there is more than enough money in that market to be able to support a team.

The business

The media’s center of gravity has clearly shifted to Silicon Valley. Recently, so much of the WNBA’s growth has been attributed to social media. For example, the “orange hoodie campaign” landed the WNBA’s social media accounts 9 million impressions. So it would be fitting for the league to place a team there. Where they could get even more visibility from social media companies and the new media epicenter.

The fans

San Francisco fans have money to spend on entertainment as well. The typical San Francisco household makes about $96,677 each year. Which is nearly double the national median household income of $57,617. Plus, they’re already pumped about basketball because of the Warriors’ three recent championship wins.

The brand

The Bay Area is seen as a very progressive area. And the WNBA has established itself as arguably the most progressive sports league there is. So the brand alignment is a natural fit. Also, in 2014, the WNBA began a major marketing push to the LGBTQ community. And the San Francisco Bay Area happens to be the site of one of the most notable LGBTQ communities. 

The facilities

Of course, the top candidate would be Chase Center in downtown San Francisco. Particularly if Joe Lacob happens to be the team owner. He may even prefer to have the games occur at Oakland Arena (formerly Oracle Arena). In order to continue the Warriors’ link to Oakland. Which is something the Warriors have attempted to do after the move to San Francisco. The SAP Center in San Jose could also be a possibility. 

There’s also Oakland to consider. On June 18, 2021, the African American Sports & Entertainment Group announced it had “cleared a major hurdle” in its goal of purchasing a 50% interest in the Oakland Coliseum Complex – a major part of the proposal is bringing a WNBA team to the city.

Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan has advocated for just such a move for years. “Oakland has the location, history and demographics to support a highly successful WNBA team, a great fan base and a welcoming community,” she said reported East Bay Express. “We also have an available basketball arena that’s easy to get to from throughout the greater region.”

“Oakland has been the home and center of grassroots progressive movements for generations. Not only in more recent years, with the movement for Black Lives, but even decades ago, Oakland was a major leader in the movement to end apartheid in South Africa. And of course, Oakland is a key city in the history of the Black Panther Party. So, Oakland has a long history with social justice, and the WNBA is one of the leagues where we really have seen strong support for social justice. The WNBA and its players have expressed great support for these movements for social justice and racial justice particularly, so I think it’s a very good match with the community in Oakland.” the Vice Mayor told Winsidr earlier this year.

The Alana Beard-led group has already written a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and COO Christy Hedgpeth, highlighting the progress they have achieved, including the vote on allowing the team to play in Oakland Arena.

The pipeline

The Stanford women’s basketball program’s success could be another factor helping a potential Bay Area franchise. Recently, Head Coach Tara VanDerveer became the all-time leader in Division I women’s basketball. She secured her 1,099th win, passing late Tennessee legend Pat Summitt. Also, the Ogwumike sisters are products of that program. And Sabrina Ionescu is a Bay Area native.

2. Philadelphia

A Philadelphia-based WNBA team would be a major boon to the league. And would all but complete the strong link the WNBA enjoys along the Acela corridor. Finally bridging the gap between the Washington Mystics, New York Liberty, and Connecticut Sun. 

The finances

Philadelphia is one of the most affordable cities untapped on the East Coast. So the infrastructure to support the team might come at a more reasonable cost. Furthermore, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been minority owners of the Sixers since 2011. So they could make an interesting ownership team.

The business

Philly is known for a number of things – including the Liberty Bell, 30^th Street Station, and its strong fandom of Wawa convenience stores. It is also known for its robust passion for its sports franchises – win or lose. Which means that a Philadelphia team will have plenty of support from the opening tip of the first game. 

The fans

The city’s population of 1.58 million is large enough that there will be tons of WNBA fans.

The brand

Philly is also known far and wide as a basketball city. The City of Brotherly Love ranked 8th among the top best cities in the United States to be a basketball fan. Philly is a sports city – period. 

The facilities

As far as arenas go, of course most will point to Wells Fargo Center, the home court of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers. But the Sixers have actually been said to want to leave the Wells Fargo Center. Which sits in south Philly’s stadium district along with Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park.

The NBA franchise has been rumored to be looking at a possible relocation to Penn’s Landing. As well as one to Camden, New Jersey where its practice facility already is. If not at the Sixers’ home venue, the venues at Drexel, Temple, Villanova, or Penn may provide healthy alternatives for a Philadelphia team. 

The pipeline

Some of women’s basketball’s most notable names have called Philadelphia home at one point or another. Dawn Staley – the coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball program and the USA Basketball Women’s National Team – is a native of Philadelphia.

Another one of the city’s favorite daughters is Natasha Cloud. Who won a championship with the Washington Mystics. And sat out the ‘Wubble’ season in Florida to bring greater attention to the ills of social injustice and systemic racism. 

3. Houston

This one will ring bells for obvious reasons. Because it is the first of our cities that was home to a previous WNBA franchise – the Houston Comets, of course. 

Not too long after the Houston Rockets won back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and ’95, the Comets kept Houston’s status as Clutch City going by winning the first four WNBA championships from 1997-2000, establishing the W’s first dynasty. 

The finances

Would Tillman Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets be interested in returning the Comets to Houston? Would the WNBA be interested in affiliating itself with Tillman given some of the recent controversial news that has been revealed about him and his political leanings (see the Atlanta Dream’s Kelly Loeffler)? We know he is interested in the NHL, but has not said much about the WNBA.

The business

Outside of the historical significance of Houston to the WNBA, it should be high on the W’s wish list of expansion cities because it has become a modern, cosmopolitan, diverse city with large Hispanic and Black populations. In addition, it is a city that is continuing to grow with a good number of its incoming residents moving from close by (like San Antonio).

The fans

No longer is Houston only known for the oil industry and NASA. Today’s Houston is not your older parents’ Houston. Census figures indicate that the median household income for the Houston metropolitan area was just under $70,000 for 2019 – making it higher than that of Texas as a whole. In short, the fans have money to spend. 

The brand

The Comets should be brought back simply for the significance they have to the league. Before Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, and Sylvia Fowles, there were Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, and Tina Thompson.

And while the WNBA has maintained a presence over the years in Texas, with the San Antonio Silver Stars and later with the Dallas Wings, there is a majesty and mystique around the Comets that cannot be duplicated because of its championship pedigree. 

The facilities

A Comets return could mean a Chicago Sky/Dallas Wings/Atlanta Dream sort of scenario with an owner in an established NBA city independent of the NBA franchise. If not Toyota Center, then a team could still have a connection to the Tillman Fertitta name. The primary basketball facility at the University of Houston, formerly called the Hofheinz Pavilion, was recently named after Tillman. 

The pipeline

Look at the talent that has come out of major Texas schools such as Chennedy Carter from Texas A&M, and Lauren Cox and Kalani Brown from Baylor. 

4. Charlotte

Similar to Houston, Charlotte is another city that previously was home to a WNBA team – the Charlotte Sting – but eventually folded. Even with this, CLT/Metrolina presents a very strong case for the WNBA to give the area another try. 

The finances

The original team was owned by Robert Johnson, who inherited it when he was awarded the NBA expansion franchise that became the Bobcats in late 2002. Back in 2006 as the Sting were shuttered, a local sports marketing executive, Cindy Sisson-Hensley, tried to raise $3.5 million as a down payment to keep the team in Charlotte. But she only raised about $1.2 million. Though, she might step up again if given the chance.

There’s also Charlotte Hornets’ majority owner Michael Jordan to consider. Who’s investment in the Hornets has appreciated considerably.

The business

It is an ideal location because of its geography because Charlotte is the primary city that unites the populations of both North and South Carolina. There is a reason why the Charlotte metropolitan area is called “Metrolina.” The “Two States, One Team” mantra adopted by the NFL’s Carolina Panthers can easily be applied to any Charlotte franchise. 

The fans

In addition, Charlotte would be an ideal location because the state as a whole is full of well-educated transplants from elsewhere with money to spend and invest. There, the median household income is roughly $62,000, say Census figures. 

The brand

First of all – thinking of a name should not be hard for a Charlotte team. Queen City? Charlotte Queens? One of the easiest name selection processes in history. It is almost too obvious. 

Regardless of the identity a Charlotte team takes on, North Carolina is not only a basketball state – it stakes claim to the possibility of being THE basketball state (even though Indiana and Kentucky may have something to say about that). The Tar Heel State eats, sleeps, lives, and breathes hoops, so a WNBA team arguably anywhere in North Carolina would be a definite sell. 

The facilities

A team would likely play at Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte. But the Halton Arena (University of Charlotte) could also be an option.

The pipeline

Did anyone mention South Carolina? One of the most successful Division I college programs, of course is the South Carolina Gamecocks under the tutelage of coach Dawn Staley. Between A’ja Wilson, Tiffany Mitchell, Allisha Gray, Ty Harris, and a list that continues to grow, Columbia is a WNBA factory that continues to replenish itself with the latest state of the art equipment. 

5. Toronto

Toronto makes the list of WNBA expansion cities for a number of reasons. It goes without saying how historic it would be for the WNBA to announce a team in Canada. And it has shown signs in recent years that its footprint in Canada is only growing. 

The finances

The WNBA’s visibility in Canada is only on the increase. And that makes it more likely that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment – the Rogers Communications/Bell-owned entity behind the Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC and Scotiabank Arena – or another set of investors may present a compelling case to the W for a team.

Perhaps even Drake, who has proven to be an instrumental ambassador for the Raptors, could be in the running. Last year, he gave Las Vegas Aces center Liz Cambage a shout out in his verse on Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” so he’s clearly a fan of the women’s game.

The business

Although Toronto has made a bid multiple times before (this one too), and the city continues to be a crowded sports market, it’s worth revisiting for a few reasons.

First, there appears to be a common thread among Canadian teams affiliated with leagues that have American offices – an entire country rallies around a Canadian team. The Toronto Blue Jays are not simply Toronto’s or Ontario’s team: they are Canada’s team. The same with the Toronto Raptors and the same will be true of the Toronto Six, the latest addition to the NWHL. 

Plus, the WNBA already inked deals for games to be shown on Canada’s flagship sports channels – TSN and SportsNet which is a promising step. 

The fans

Figures released by the city of Toronto have its median household income at just under $66,000 for the city itself, but around $78,000 for the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). So fans have capital to fuel their interests.

As for whether a women’s team will draw as much attention as the Raptors, Carly Clarke, assistant coach for Canada’s national team said there’s still work to do, but just look at the women’s basketball finals at Toronto’s Pan Am Games in 2015. “The building was sold out,” she said.

The brand

While Ottawa may be Canada’s official capital, Toronto in lots of ways is Canada’s cultural capital. After all, it is Canada’s largest city, considered to be the New York of the country. 

The facilities

Another option, if not Scotiabank, could be Coca-Cola Coliseum. This arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto has more than 6,200 seats and is home to professional ice hockey today. Or the team could play at Ryerson University’s Mattamy Centre — where the Pan Am women’s basketball final was held — the Paramount Fine Foods Centre or the Goldring Centre.

The pipeline

Canada’s presence in the WNBA is already felt through young and rising stars such as Kia Nurse (New York Liberty) and Natalie Achonwa (Indiana Fever). According to a 2014 study, significantly more Canadian girls ages 3-17 play basketball than hockey.

6. Miami

Similar to Houston and Charlotte, Miami is another town that once hosted a WNBA franchise – the Miami Sol. And even though it has been a while since the Sol existed, there are several factors that could contribute to a successful WNBA return to South Florida.

The finances

Mickey Arison, the Carnival Cruise Chairman, was the Miami Sol’s owner in addition to the owner of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Obviously the NBA team has since seen success, winning three championships. Perhaps the management group would be in a better position to test the waters again.

If not, Gabrielle Union, a former hooper, married to Miami Heat legend Dwayne Wade would be a great owner. She is one of the biggest celebrity supporters of the WNBA and has been seen court side at Los Angeles Sparks games.

The business

A knock some may have against Miami is that it is one of those “so much to do it has little time for sports” cities. But the same could be said about another city with a large Hispanic population: Los Angeles. The LA Sparks have not only been one of the more successful WNBA franchises, but they led the league in average attendance for 2019. 

The fans

One reason why the WNBA should give Miami a strong look is an opportunity to enter into another international city with a diverse population and an always lively social scene.

The brand

While the WNBA already is in markets with vast Hispanic populations, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, Las Vegas and Atlanta, going into Miami would be an emphatic sign from those at the WNBA that it intends to make a greater foray into Latino/Latina market. Which also helps the case for cities like Houston, San Francisco, and Charlotte. 

The facilities

The primary sporting venue in Miami is American Airlines Arena – the home court of the Heat. But Watsco Center, which is the home court of the women’s and men’s hoops teams for the University of Miami may also get a look as a possible arena. 

The pipeline

One of the more notable names that people do remember from those Sol teams is Ruth Riley, who remains a presence for Miami Heat broadcasts on Fox Sports (soon to be Bally Sports) Florida/Sun. She would likely be part of a Miami team in some way, whether as a coach, general manager, or some other front office position. 

And the University of Miami’s women’s basketball program continues to get stronger as part of the ACC Network. Riquna Williams, Sylvia Fowles, and Shenise Johnson are all products of Miami.

7. Honorable mention for WNBA expansion cities: Louisville

Because of its slightly smaller size relative to other cities, Louisville has always found itself on the outside looking in on the issue of expansion cities for sports leagues. But that does not mean it has not tried. 

The finances

A few years ago, the Louisville Metro Council approved a resolution aimed at enticing the WNBA and NBA to place franchises in the city. The original resolution was only NBA-based. But a Democratic councilwoman from Louisville’s 3^rd district added a WNBA provision to the resolution. 

The business

While overlooked, it is also a city with one of the richest sports histories that there is. From Churchill Downs to Muhammad Ali to the Louisville Slugger Museum, it is a city that is teeming with sports influence which is why some wonder why more pro teams have not called Louisville home.

The fans

The women’s basketball fanbase that the University of Louisville has built should make a team from Derby City a success. In addition, a Louisville team would possibly start a natural rivalry with the Indiana Fever. And some say the WNBA needs to do a better job at fostering rivalries. As it did when the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks met in back-to-back Finals in 2016 and 2017. 

The brand

An entry into Louisville would also be a watershed moment for the WNBA. Given its influence on the social conversation taking place. WNBA players honored the memory of Breonna Taylor by wearing her name on the backs of their jerseys this past season.

The facilities

The the KFC Yum Center or Freedom Hall could work for the team. The Yum Center is the home arena for the University of Louisville’s women’s and men’s teams. While Freedom Hall recently became the home court for Bellarmine University, which is now playing at the Division I level.

The pipeline

There has been no shortage of WNBA talent that has emanated from the University of Louisville over the years. The Cardinals have produced WNBA talent Angel McCoughtry, Asia Durr, and Jazmine Jones. Also, look down I-64 to Lexington. Where the University of Kentucky appears to be producing future W talent of its own, such as Rhyne Howard. 

What 2022 WNBA fan data shows

Here are a few other data points to consider based on fans’ votes and behaviors. Interestingly, over the past five years, Nevada has been the top state searching for the WNBA using Google, followed by Connecticut and Mississippi.

States searching the most for “WNBA” over the past 5 years

However, when social media was recently set abuzz by Boardroom in May of 2022, which shared per The Seattle Times that the WNBA is looking to add two expansion teams within the next few years, fans overwhelmingly cast their votes for Philadelphia. Though 46 cities were proposed, including those as far as Paris.

We analyzed 2,957 responses across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, including comments on posts by Boardroom, Just Women’s Sports, Front Office Sports, and Girls Talk Sports TV. Following Philadelphia was high interest in a team for Toronto, SF Bay/Oakland, Houston, and Charlotte, rounding out the top five.

WNBA fans’ votes for which city should get a team All cities proposed by fans

Stay tuned to see which WNBA expansion cities come to life

President of the players’ union, Nneka Ogwumike, hopes more sponsor financial commitments will lead to the players getting what they want — bigger rosters and higher salaries — to keep the best players in the WNBA.

“These last two drafts have shown there’s a league sitting at home, and so we have to do something about that,” Nneka said, referring to the number of talented players who are not drafted. “I think that it’s really just the onus is on ownership, investment, people wanting to pump more into women’s sports. We have players that are ready to be a part of this league.”

Now you know some possible WNBA expansion cities for the future. Though there could be other exciting developments that hit the league first. Such as increasing the game time from 40 minutes up to 48 minutes, similar to the NBA. Or increasing the roster size up to 15 from 12. So up next, take a look at some more WNBA predictions.

Candace Parker didn’t choose the three-striped life of Adidas. It chose her and drew her in.

Adidas has been part of Candace Parker’s basketball life way before both the 2016 title and WNBA Finals MVP she won with the Los Angeles Sparks. Way before the league MVPs in 2008-her rookie season nonetheless and 2013 respectfully. Before all of the accolades that made her one of the most decorated players in the 25-year history of the WNBA.

As a standout at Naperville Central high school, she wore Adidas. The sports company sponsored her team. Adidas has also been a long time sponsor with the Tennessee Lady Vols.

Before the ink dried on Candace’s rookie contract with the Sparks, Candace signed a multi-year deal with Adidas. Thirteen years later, Candace is still living that three-striped life. The history that they share can not be ignored.

“I’ve been actually unofficially with Adidas since 2003, which is when my high school team got sponsored by Adidas. I don’t know whether it was fate. But I went to an Adidas college at Tennessee. And then when I came out of college , it was just natural to sign with Adidas just because I’d been with them.” Candace shared with ESPN’s the Undefeated,  “It had become more like a family. I knew everybody within the company. They wanted to grow with me and have that type of partnership.”

So far, the partnership between Candace and Adidas is one that’s been predicated on progression and evolution. What really stood out to Candace was how Adidas managed to change the aesthetics of their shoes. 

“Just me falling in love with the design. Obviously, it’s great to see the product go into a more functional direction. Kobe’s were a little clunky playing in them,” Candace recalled.

“They look fly now wearing them. But on the court, they were a little heavy. So now,  to see the Crazy Light shoes they blew my mind. For somebody that’s kinda versatile like myself, who plays all positions. I couldn’t just wear a big man’s shoe. I needed a shoe that served all purposes.”

Candace got her shoe. Her shoes are versatile and solid in style. But it was a process. Not only in developing her shoe, but also in marketing it. The process in progression does not only drive Candace’s partnership with Adidas, but also it drives relationships with other WNBA players and their shoe partnerships. Candace’s experience and journey is one that’s relatable and resonates with many in the WNBA.

The beginning of Candace Parker & Adidas

When Candace signed with Adidas in 2008, she, just like many WNBA athletes wore men’s basketball shoes for a while, before getting her first player editions (PEs).  While having a PE for a few years now (she released her third PEs in 2018), it took her longer to embrace input in the creative process.

“I used to not really care,” Candace said to Uproxx in 2018 about the creative process, “They used to send me gear and I’d wear it and not really know what was going on. I think for them to be able to take the things that are important to me and represent them in a shoe. In a women’s shoe at that. I’ve been with Adidas for 11 years. It’s just fitting to be with Adidas because they really care about me as an athletes and what I care about and to see that on a shoe is really special to me.”

Embracing the process

The most creative and captivating element of designing a shoe is telling a story. Stories on shoes are told in various ways. It could be what’s embedded or written on them. It could be the colors or the unique variations in form. As a professional basketball player, you share your story on sneakers, and if the consumer loves your story, they buy that certain chapter of the story. In short, players use their shoes to give a glimpse of insight to who they are on and off the court. 

In 2018, Candace used the opportunity to tell the sneaker aficionado and basketball fan how much her days at the University of Tennessee – playing for and learning from the legendary coach Pat Summitt impacted her life. 

Candace Parker’s third PE, the Candace Parker Pro Bounce PE paid tribute to Pat Summitt, who passed away in 2016. The shoe featured an orange and white color way as an ode to the Lady Vol’s colors. The outsole featured Candace’s favorite Summitt quote: “Left foot, right foot, breathe.” At the time, Candace applauded the brand for letting her create a shoe and color way that was so personal to her.

“Everybody loves a story, and to be able to kind of wear your story on your foot and look down and have inspiration, that’s a lot and that’s what this shoe is.” she said.

Candace Parker’s adidas Pro Bounce PE via KicksonFire

When superheroes collaborate

In 2020, before the Covid pandemic forced sports to postpone, Candace, Adidas Hoops, and Marvel collaborated on a shoe that coincided with the release of Avengers:Endgame. When promotion was hot for the film, and it was known that Brie Larson’s role as Captain Marvel  would be the focal point of the film, Adidas wasted no time on capitalizing .

Candace, with all that she has accomplished to that point, just seemed to be a natural fit to create such a color way and story.

The Captain Marvel x Adidas pro vision  “ACE”, had all of the elements of a great shoe. It had a popular silhouette that’s versatile to wear on the court or on the street. And had a mid-foot cage that looks the foot in to make sharp cuts. Not to mention a red, yellow, and blue color way that accentuates the superhero vibe of the shoe.

Candace Parker’s Captain Marvel shoes via NiceKicks

After Candace announced and unboxed the shoe on her Instagram account, Utah Jazz guard and Adidas teammate Donovan Mitchell wore the shoe during warmups against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Adidas included the shoe for its “Heroes Among Us” Campaign. Joining Candace’s Captain Marvel design, Adidas also released an Iron man colorway for James Harden for the Harden vol.3, a Black Panther colorway for Damian Lillard’s Dame 5, and a Captain America color way for the Adidas N3XT L3VEL design.

Checks vs. stripes

In the game of basketball, it’s pretty impossible to escape the clutches of Nike. Most players regardless of level, rock them on the court and off of it. They are also the official outfitters of both the NBA and WNBA. If that isn’t enough, Nike also sponsors an array of tournaments and camps, such as the Game Growers. Because of the swoosh’s universally accepted impact on the game, a player going against that sticks out as an anomaly.

Bold in black, purple, and gold

Candace was left off Team USA for the 2016 Olympics, despite being fully healthy and putting up impressive numbers with the Sparks. Going in to the Olympic games, Candace had been averaging 19.4 points and a career high of 6.3 assists and 10.1 rebounds per game. Those stats would be tough to refuse – until they were.

2016 was sort of a redemption year for Candace. Which she expressed in the shoes she wore in that season. While Candace was left off off the 1st and 2nd All-WNBA teams, she ended the regular season the only player in the league to finish in the top 10 in points, rebounds, and assists. Most importantly, Candace also ended the season as a WNBA Champion. 

In game five of the WNBA Finals, Candace’s 28 points and 12 rebounds helped secure the Sparks’ third title in franchise history. And she also walked away with the Finals MVP.

She did all of this wearing Crazy explosives. For the playoffs, she wore an orange color way to honor Pat Summitt. To commemorate Candace’s accomplishments, Adidas released the Crazy Explosives in the black, purple and gold color way of the Sparks for the Finals. Featuring a prime knit upper and full-length boost cushioning, the pairs were accented in purple and gold and featured Parker’s ACE3 logo.

New team new colorways?

After 13 years with the Sparks, Candace decided that she wanted to take her talents back to where it all began. The Naperville, IL native signed a two-year deal with her  “hometown” Chicago Sky during 2021 free agency. The addition of Candace catapults the Sky into one of the WNBA’s title favorites.

Candace Parker will join a stacked starting lineup that includes Diamond DeShields, Courtney Vandersloot, and Allie Quigley. While Candace brings extra scoring to an offense that was fourth in the league last season, the defense is where she is expected to make a difference and impact.

On the sneaker front, what will be interesting are the type of color ways Candace will model. Aesthetically, the Sky has a solid palette to work with. For example, Adidas could develop blue Crazy Explosives with yellow highlights. They could go grey and implement the Sky’s colors. If not Crazy Explosives, they could go low like the Captain Marvel or Harden line and implement the team colors. The possibilities  for designs for Candace’s new chapter with the Sky are endless and should be explored. Whether Adidas will explore these opportunities or not, will be the issue moving forward.

Is Adidas promoting Candace Parker adequately?

When Adidas signed Candace in 2008, it was said that she had the ingredients to be the most marketable women’s basketball player of all time. In a 2008 article by then CNBC reporter Darren Rovell, sports marketers cited location (Los Angeles), her ability to dunk,  and more privately implied, her appearance and the fact that she was engaged to former Duke player and Sacramento Kings guard Sheldon Williams, at the time as the factors for the claim.

Adidas and Gatorade took their chances and signed Candace to deals. Thirteen years later, there’s been progress. Candace has shoes and she’s been part of some marketing campaigns. However, is that enough?

When you think about the time she’s spent with Adidas, with only released PEs and a couple of campaigns to show for it, it’s really not.

Adidas’ webpage is a clear example of Candace being under promoted. Under Candace’s link, none of her signature shoes are featured, and neither is any sports wear with her logo or her likenesses. The only items featured on her page are generic branded hoodies, yoga pants, sweatpants, and sports bras – nothing exclusive to Candace or her brand.

The only shoes under Candace’s link are the classic Superstar lows and the more contemporary NMDs. Candace’s signature shoes are mostly player editions. Shoes that are player editions are not for sale. 

Granted, the WNBA and its players have always had an uphill battle in getting people to watch, and this trickles down to sneakers and marketing. The intentions are there. But as far as action when it comes to promoting is concerned, Adidas could stand to do much better. However, luckily for them, the opportunities for improvement are plentiful.

How can Adidas better promote Candace Parker?

When it comes to women’s basketball, Adidas, like Nike and other brands, struggles to promote the players, because the WNBA seemingly struggles with promotion as well. Sneakers are an essential element of basketball culture – to a point where they are intertwined.

While the WNBA has made strides in visibility, they still struggle a bit in marketability. Like Candace and Adidas, there are other WNBA players signed to sneaker brands also lacking in promotion and marketing. It also doesn’t help that many players are still wearing men’s basketball shoes. 

What Adidas can do to help Candace – and this is true for other players with other brands  as well – is to invest the same amount of time and energy they do in their men. They can really delve into what makes Candace Parker the player she is and the woman she is. Learn what makes her go on the court and what drives her off the court in terms of style.

Once they do that, the creative process in its entirety can begin.  First off, Adidas can develop a shoe that is available for the public to buy. Candace Parker can still have some player editions, but she should have shoes and colorways available for retail. For apparel, shirts and hoodies with her logo on them would be a simple solution. To take it a step further, including her likeness and branding that focus on her achievements wouldn’t hurt either. 

Adidas missed an opportunity to really capitalize during the Candace’s 2016 title run. While they did have her shoes in  the Sparks’ colors, the awareness marketing fell short.

What’s next for Candace Parker & Adidas?

Now that Candace is with the Sky, Adidas has another chance to capitalize on another strong marketing opportunity. They can develop a campaign about returning “home”;  give her shoes the technology that’s in the Dames and the Hardens; and give her color ways that are meaningful to her.

Imagine a pair of Candace Parkers in the red and white colors of Naperville High, featuring insoles adorned with her accomplishments at the school. Lean into the fact that Candace was named Ms. Basketball three times there. Not to mention an array of other achievements!

Adidas can also create a color way around the fact that she and her siblings were Chicago Bulls fans growing up, by featuring the iconic red, white, and black scheme on her shoe. Adidas can take anything, any element that makes Candace the fascinating, multi-faceted woman she is, and her roots in Naperville and Chicago, and market it. All it takes is communication, imagination, and innovation.

The Candace Parker Collection Debuts

In the fall of 2021, Adidas took a positive step forward, releasing The Candace Parker Collection on September 23rd, including three colors of her Exhibit ACE PE sneaker, ACE logo apparel, and an UltraBoost running shoe. The new landing page features a cool basketball-and-life highlights video, and explains, through her career, motherhood, and as a role model for future generations, the mark Candace wants to leave on the world will go far beyond basketball.

Candace Parker is one of the greatest players in the WNBA’s history. Adidas has been a big part of that journey. While that partnership has progressed, there’s another level that has yet to be unlocked. And for an athlete like Candace, it will behoove the brand to reach new heights.

Up next, learn all about the WNBA’s top scorers.

Written by Jannelle Moore, a sportswriter from North Carolina. Her work has been featured in Complex, The Shadow League, and Basketball News.

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Dawn Staley’s new podcast, NETLIFE, with Just Women’s Sports will debuted on Wednesday, January 12. The name of the podcast represents Dawns’s own twist on the phrase: ball is life. “I’ve given basically all of my life to the game,” she said.

Dawn went on to elaborate that she’s forever indebted to basketball. “It’s given me so much, that every day I try to repay it in some form or fashion,” the No. 1 ranked South Carolina women’s basketball coach said. “Coaching allows me to do that, just working with young people every day.” Her podcast is another way she’ll continue to give back as well.

Today Dawn Staley has a national championship ring, and an AP Coach of the Year award to her name — all after a playing career that included three Olympic gold medals and induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Most recently, she was the head coach for Team USA and led them to their 7th straight gold medal in last summer’s Olympics.

“I’m thrilled to be launching “NETLIFE” with Just Women’s Sports,” Dawn Staley said in a release BoardroomTV reports. “This team is incredibly talented and I’m looking forward to working with them to deliver meaningful interviews with individuals who have influenced my life, in hopes of inspiring listeners.

Discover the NETLIFE Dawn Staley podcast with Just Women’s Sports

As for what we can look forward to with NETLIFE this season, Dawn will sit down with guests across a spectrum of industries and have long-form discussions about the things that matter to her and her listeners.

“I really have a fascination for how successful people become successful,” Dawn told Insider. “We see successful people, but we don’t really know their journey, and more times than not, their journey looks like everybody else’s journey.”

The show sounds like it has the opportunity to be a basketball twist on David Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction: candid interviews about things that really matter, that also gets to the core of the how and the why.

Dawn says her dream guests include President Clinton, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, Reggie Love, and Michael Jordan. And NETLIFE has been given the green light for a 10-episode run — plenty of time to fit them all in and more.

“We’re looking for people who have a voice, who have something to share that’s not your average answer,” Dawn said.

“I want to get to the depth of people. I want to figure out what makes them go, what makes them blossom, what makes them hurt, what makes them who they are. Leaders, politicians, change-makers.” she continued.

The debut episode features WNBA icon, three-time WNBA MVP and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Lisa Leslie. In it, the hoopers recount their days playing basketball together for Team USA. They also discuss Leslie’s experience playing in the inaugural WNBA season, having children as a professional athlete and how she’s used her platform to effect change.

Lisa Leslie on NETLIFE with Dawn Staley

Here’s a quick sneak preview of what to expect from the show. The podcast begins with us learning more about Lisa’s basketball beginnings and how she discovered the game in middle school. “When I think back about middle school, I was a kid who was very timid, I had some really tough cousins that you remind me of, just tough girls that was playing football, baseball, roughing it up with the boys – it didn’t matter. But what I loved about my cousins were that they were fearless. I was fearful. I was on the side, and every time they stopped I’d be like ‘You OK? You need some water?’ I was really so timid. But my admiration for my girl cousins and the toughness that they had was something that I aspired to be.”

“So here I am 6-foot 6th grade, don’t play no ball, and everyone keeps asking me do I play ball, and I’m like ‘No.’ So I asked my mom, ‘Mom, why do people keep asking me if I play basketball?’ And she’s said, ‘Well, people associate when you’re tall that you play sports.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh well I don’t want to play’ so she’s like ‘You don’t have to play.’”

“Cut to I go to middle school there was this girl – all it takes is one person to really inspire you – so Sharon Hargrove, shout out to Shay, I always tell this story about Shay. Everybody knew Shay’s name, they’d be like, ‘There goes Shay!’ and I’m like ‘Who is Shay?’ And they’re like Shay is on the basketball team. But Shay was dope. She could shoot, she could score, she could crossover back in the day, she had hanging jumpers, she was just so amazing.”

“So in my mind I just really wanted to be popular. So wanting to be popular is what drove me to basketball. I said ‘I’m going to go try out,’ I told coach ‘If I fall down on this concrete one time I’m out of here.’ Thank god I didn’t fall down. I couldn’t make a layup, I didn’t know what the rules were, I didn’t know which way to run but our team went 7 and 0. We won the middle school championship, and they gave me a little trophy with a boy on it, and I was hooked. That’s the back story to me getting into basketball.”

Despite being hooked, Lisa wasn’t quite yet the 101 point scorer we know today, at that time. It took a long summer in the gym with her cousin Craig for her to form the mentality and work ethic that led her to the champion we know today.

“The middle story is that my cousin Craig, who’s my only boy cousin took me to the gym every day for a year. And I went in there like ‘Oh I played basketball last year – I was 7 and 0.’ And he’s like, ‘Let me see what you got.’ And of course I start shooting. And he’s like, ‘Hold up, get on the wall, get in a squat.’ And I’m like ‘Dude, I just came to play with the ball.’ And he’s like ‘No. This is what you gotta decide like right now, today.” said Lisa.

“So he turned into a straight drill sergeant. Like ‘If you’re going to play, you gon’ play the game the right way or you ain’t playing at all.’ And I was like ‘OK’. So he asked if I was going to play the right way and I’m like yeah I want to play the right way. So I think it was just me understanding that I had to change my persona to be stronger, tougher to play this sport, and my cousin really changed me like ‘Are you going to do this or are you not? You gon be soft or you not?’, and I was thinking I’m not. I want to be tough. And he just started to train me in a way that was like you give it your all or you don’t come in this gym, and we don’t go half way. He was seriously laying down the law. And that’s how I got my work ethic.”

“Once I warm up for basketball, it’s all or nothing. I’ve never played or practiced half way….because the sport was never introduced to me that way. When you play this sport, you get the opportunity to lace them up, you go hard or you don’t come to the gym. So Craig really instilled that in me early, and then it was just those habits. We put in so much time and hours playing pick up anywhere, any men, any boys, any girls, and grandmas. I play pick up anywhere all day just trying to hone my skills, but playing it hard.”

Next Dawn digs in on Lisa’s time spent with the national team: “So you’re a firm believer in dominance takes time to develop. And it truly is a mindset. So you were a pretty amazing you player, then you go to college and kill it in college, and you become a part of the USA National Basketball team for years. When we were on that historical 96 team what do you think about our team and comparing it to now? We didn’t really have TV, we didn’t really have all the luxuries of what some of these young players out here. They had a carrot dangled in front to them with the WNBA, and we just had the Olympics.”

“Tenacity. I think passion. All those things that are very cliche. But that’s what we had.”

said Lisa.

She continued, “Think about you and I, and our relationship. Philly – you tough, you got that East Coast everything about you. You don’t make friends with everybody. You’re a hard worker. And me California, LA, laid back. I came in being fashionable – whether it was expensive or not – probably not, but I came in with my tie dye, my bell bottom pants. I was just authentically me. But what we have always had in common was our work ethic.”

“And our work ethic was: it does not matter who’s in front of us, we’re going after it, we’re going 100% .”

“And from the day I met you, I was in the 11th grade, and that was my mindset. You were a freshman in college, but we were of the same cloth. And I think for that, from day one, the way you played and getting after it, you ready to fight and I’m like I’m fighting for her too. That part of the game for me is always been like I love it and I’m passionate about it and if we’re on the same team I’m fighting for you.” Lisa continued.

“When I think about the 1996 team they put together the team. It wasn’t the best players in the country, but we had the best chemistry and the best understanding of sacrifice and self for the team. And I’ve always been that way.”

“Could I have averaged more points in my whole career? Absolutely, but for me to sacrifice my shot for your shot, I would do that 10/10 times. Because that’s the kind of teammate I want to be. If I can make you happy and then you have your success, I know those 10 shots I pass up, I knew that you would pass up 20 shots to get it back to me. And that what makes us different, our passion was there in our heart – and our fight. No matter which generation you look at we’re right up there at the top, and we always will be.”

She continued on to reflect about what’s different today. “Because these young kids, they do have a lot. They get to see a lot more visually, they’re a lot more connected about what’s going on around the country. You can see what’s going on overseas, and look them up and see. We didn’t have that, so in some ways I don’t know that their level of work ethic and passion is the same because they see it – they want the glitz and the glamour, they want the deals already. But who’s in that gym at 6 in the morning? Who’s flying to Colorado Spring five days before the actual try out just to get acclimated to the altitude, to get sick, and then be ready for the try out so we can run faster than everybody else? That’s sacrifice, and we did that on pennies. We didn’t have money like we do now. We were trying to make it.”

“And Tara Vanderveer for as amazing coach as she was, she drove a hard whip. We would practice, fly, and then depending upon what time we landed we would go practice again in that next country. It was hard on our bodies to recover. But you know one thing we didn’t do? Complain.”

Dawn said, “…There is a time and place to complain. And that is in the confines of your own room with your roommate.”

Dawn then asked Lisa about the challenges of being a mother while also being a world-class athlete, “A few years ago, Skylar Diggins-Smith talked about the struggles playing while pregnant and not being able to tell anyone. For example, you took a season off after you had Lauren, and then came back and was balling. But did you ever consider retiring after you had Lauren?”

Lisa said, “Well it is a ton of pressure to figure out when in any woman’s career when is the right time to have a child based on your job. With {Lauren} being born in June, there’s no way I’m going to make this happen. So the hardest part is to tell the franchise I’m not going to be able to play next season. For us to go from first place to last place was difficult. Thank god for Candace Parker coming in that next class. The Sparks finishing last and getting the number one pick, everything ended up working out. But it was definitely a lot of pressure. So about pay, what happens? I believe – and don’t quote me on this – but I believe the Sparks paid me half my salary while pregnant. I think. Possibly I got nothing. But I think they did, that would have been the right thing to do.”

Lisa continued, “Now having a child, very difficult to figure out, and I think the WNBA has done a phenomenal job. But Lauren went everywhere with me. I did have to pay for my nanny to come with me which was tough. My baby went to…China, even for the 2008 Olympics, she’s there at 15 months.”

Dawn said, “Back then, did you really think the league would be around and would last this long?”

Lisa explained, “I had hoped so. First off, I thought the only way a pro women’s league would last in the US was if the NBA backed it and was involved. So check one. I think the second thing was with the WNBA we had some moments where we hit a lull. I think when the Comets went away, when teams started to have to become independent of the NBA teams I was a little nervous…But it really then felt like with the new television deals that was a great support and to be really honest social media really helped elevate our league to a point where people could communicate their interest and support of the league.”

“And to really put a bow on it the pandemic – making people stop and sit still. We were all excited to see anything on TV, and I think you just got a lot more fans to stop and watch the WNBA and be like ‘Dang these girls is ballin’,’ it was just good basketball. And obviously we had social unrest that happened, their stance and their participation was phenomenal, and again the support of social media. We know social media can definitely have its low moments and not be great, but it also has been amazing for the game.”

The duo then dug into the biggest areas of growth in the women’s game as a whole.

Lisa said, “We need to have more corporate support and public support. To see the Finals with Chicago Sky against the Phoenix Mercury, and we’re still in a pandemic but to see that stadium full of people and excited, and for the whole series to be as amazing as it was, that is great basketball. It’s not just women’s basketball. It’s great basketball.”

“And that level of competition and those fans, they’re excited in each moment. That’s what it’s about – it’s growth. We need for those games on record be 10, 12, 15 thousand every single night. That would be growth for us. That would also increase corporate growth because we know that 70% of our support are women, and women are the decision makers in the house when it comes to purchasing and supporting corporations. And we need to have corporations that truly support women, and that support minorities and that support black women.”

“…I really do believe player for player, talent is just getting better. We played and did our thing without having access to all these different ways of training, and eating, and strength training, and moves even. We played so instinctively, we learned a lot from other fellows, and men, and watching some NBA games. But the level of where the game is now and what these kids have access to in terms of through social media and pause and being able to watch, and pick..I mean I would have been the bomb in this era because I’m such a student of the game that there is so much more information to learn…I could never go back and pull up video of Cheryl Miller.”

The women also cover their “make me laugh” game, their time together as roommates, what Lisa thinks about players using their platforms as activists, and much more.

South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley is the perfect fit for the podcast

As for the host, she brings the credibility (and then some!) to ask the hard questions. Dawn Staley is a basketball legend and a North Philly icon. She’s used to making things happen and breaking barriers.

As a child, she brought her own ball to the local blacktop courts so that the older guys had to let her join if they wanted to play, since there often wasn’t another decent ball to be found.

Last year, she and Arizona head coach Adia Barnes became the first two Black head coaches to ever cross paths at the Final Four. Dawn told reporters, “Our history here in women’s basketball is so filled with so many Black bodies, that for this to be happening in 2021, to me, is long overdue, but we’re proud.”

She also locked in a seven-year, $22.4 million contract with the Gamecocks, making her the highest-paid Black coach in women’s basketball. And was the first Black head coach of the USA Basketball program, when she led Team USA to the Olympic gold in Tokyo last summer.

She recognized the impact it held for the future: “I know some people are like, if you can coach, you can coach. That’s true, but when it’s a first, and when it’s history-making, I think it’s something to be proud of. It also allows other doors to be opened and opportunities for Black coaches to hold these positions.”

Dawn Staley joined the TODAY Show to talk about NETLIFE

Dawn Staley recently joined the 3rd Hour of TODAY to chat about what to expect from the podcast.

“The opportunity came up to partner with Just Women’s Sports, and if you know anything about JWS they treat women’s sports like a sports. And they want to provide access to me, and what’s happening around women’s basketball to give the fans access to it.”

“Fans want information. They want to be in the know. I think what we’ve done here at the University of South Carolina, leading the nation in attendance over the last 7 years we give them access to us. And what better way to do that than on a broader national scale.” said Dawn.

Host Al Roker dug in on the disparities that still exist between men’s and women’s sports today. “Coach, you raise a lot of issues in this podcast, including the inequities between men’s and women’s sports. The average WNBA salary is literally about one hundredth of the average of the men in the NBA. What’s your take on that?” asked Al.

“My take is on that is obviously the NBA is a billion dollar corporation, and we know that the WNBA is aspiring to become that type of money making machine. But there are innovative ways that we can raise that level of salary for women by investing in women. Because we all know what you invest in, you’re going to get something positive out of it.”

“Women’s basketball nowadays is a sport that is in high demand. Everybody wants a little piece of it.”

Now I think we have to get the right people in place to make sure that, it’s just getting better, and it’s putting us in a position where we feel it’s worth our time because we’re all passionate about our sport. I do think Cathy Engelbert is doing a great job with the WNBA. The salaries have increased. So we’re moving in the right direction, and I don’t think our comparison is always our male counterparts.”

“It is, what can we do within the sport to help women play year round here in a place in which they created their reputations and they put on a great show for us.”

Watch the full interview here:

How to listen to the Dawn Staley podcast NETLIFE

You can listen to the NETLIFE intro teaser now, and tune in every Wednesday. It’s available across a number of free platforms:

• Listen on Apple podcasts
• Tune in on Spotify
• Listen on IHeartRadio

Episodes out now: Ari Chambers, Alex English, Lisa Leslie.

Tune into Dawn Staley’s podcast NETLIFE

“All of my life, I’ve been a shy person. I’m OK not talking,” Dawn told JWS. “But I think now is the time in which people are listening. Sometimes people talk and there’s no listening involved, and people shy away from using their voice because they’re not being heard. I think I’m at a place in my career where the things I’m saying, people need to hear.”

And we’re hype to hear it all.

Up next, learn about the newest league on the pro women’s basketball scene in the US, Athletes Unlimited Basketball.

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Veronica Burton has spent much of her life operating in and around the world of sports. 

Her mother, Ginni, was an All-American swimmer at Northwestern, where Veronica would later attend. Her father, Steve, played quarterback for the same university before pursuing a career in broadcasting covering the Boston sports scene.

Veronica’s siblings all played college sports as well – her sisters Kendall and Kayla competing in basketball, and her brother Austin playing football. Would it surprise you to learn, then, that Burton’s grandfather, Ron (Steve’s dad), also attended Northwestern, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and a former player for the Boston Patriots? 

Given her family’s extensive and exceptional athletic history, it’s unsurprising that Burton decided to enter the family business. She would tag along on early-morning workouts facilitated by her father and organized for her siblings, asking to join in on the action. It soon became apparent to the entire family that Veronica held special talent with the ball in her hands. 

It is perhaps in part due to the strong foundation laid by her supportive and ambitious family that Veronica is now a pillar of poise and professionalism as a rookie in the WNBA. Acclimating to the rigors of life in the W isn’t supposed to look this easy. Most first-year pros struggle to adjust to the increased physicality and quickened pace of professional basketball. If they are not immediately awarded starting jobs – and very few are – dips in confidence become commonplace as playing time gets harder and harder to come by. Gaining your footing in such a competitive and condensed environment can appear nearly impossible. 

Veronica Burton is proof that one can make their mark and earn respect immediately upon entering the WNBA, even if they aren’t the focal-point of their draft class. Opponents and her Dallas Wings teammates alike are taking notice.

“Just how poised she is,” said Wings shooting guard Arike Ogunbowale when we asked her what most stood out to her about Burton. “Being a rookie in the league is hard, especially at point guard. I had to do it my rookie year and it was very tough. It’s a bright future for her.”

Veronica Burton’s Journey to the WNBA

The guidance and encouragement of her family, along with the work ethic they instilled in her, eventually helped Veronica become the best high school basketball player in the state of Massachusetts. Because Steve has covered Boston professional sports for two-plus decades and is both well-known and extremely well-liked by major figures such as former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, no one was sleeping on Veronica’s basketball potential. And still, she somehow managed to exceed the expectations placed upon her. 

Veronica attended Newton South High School, which is about a 30 minute drive – barring traffic – from the home of the Boston Celtics: TD Garden. Veronica grew up watching her dad cover Hall of Fame level talents such as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. But she was determined to blaze her own path in the game. 

Immediately, Veronica was a standout at the varsity level. She earned serious playing time as a freshman, and helped lead the team to a sparkling 54-12 record through her first three high school seasons. It’s what she did as a senior that really jumps off the page, however. Calling Burton’s stats “colossal” from her final year at Newton South doesn’t begin to do them justice. They verge on mind-boggling. She averaged 21.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.9 steals, and 5.3 assists, and earned MVP honors in the Dual County League for her fourth straight season. As if all that wasn’t enough, Veronica was named The Boston Globe’s Division 1 Girls’ Basketball Athlete of the Year.

Even today, Veronica realizes just how special the massive support she’s received from her hometown truly is. 

“I think I’m receiving a lot of support from a lot of the Newton community which means a lot,” she said. “Coming from the people I grew up with, they helped shape me as a person. I grew really close with a lot of people from Newton. I appreciate them.”

Just because Veronica was well-known in the Greater Boston area doesn’t mean she garnered tons of interest from Power 5 schools. She wasn’t a mainstay on the lists of top high-school basketball players in the country, instead having to fight her way into national recognition and notoriety. She ended up committing to the school that had already developed so much history with the Burton family – Northwestern. 

What Veronica did as a Wildcat in some ways mirrors her dominance at Newton South, despite the far grander stage. She started every game as a freshman and sophomore, averaging 8.6 and 11.6 points, respectively, and tallying 181 steals across the two seasons. Burton was the embodiment of versatility in the Big 10, pairing stifling defense at the point guard position with advanced scoring, passing, and rebounding skills. In her junior and senior seasons, for instance, Veronica averaged 5.2 and 5.5 rebounds, respectively, despite standing just 5-foot-9. 

Overall, her senior season was a smashing success. She averaged 17.8 points, 6.4 assists, and a mammoth 4 steals to go along with her 5.5 rebounds, helping her earn AP All-America Third Team honors. She left the school as a three-time Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year, and was named 2021-2022 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Defensive Player of the Year. 

All of Burton’s hard work paid off on April 11th, when the Dallas Wings selected her with the 7th overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. 

A Defensive Superstar in the Making

When basketball fans envision their favorite players working on their games at gyms early in the morning and late into the night, we picture shots being hoisted and moves being practiced. That’s because it’s easy to work on offense by your lonesome. Not only is it the most popular part of basketball, but also it’s the one more conducive to individual workouts, or to grinding in your parent’s driveway. 

Working and developing the defensive side of your game is far tougher to accomplish. It takes time, conditioning, and many hours in the film-room. It involves honing your basketball IQ and gaining a greater feel for opponent tendencies. It is a laborious process. 

Veronica knew she was a good defender in high school. But she hadn’t come close to realizing her fullest potential. 

“I could always get deflections,” Veronica told us. “I could always get some steals, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I was a great defender. I still had to be able to defend the ball, get through ball screens. I would say I wasn’t the best at that in high school. But in college I definitely grew and developed in those areas. I continued with the anticipation, the deflections aspect. But I think I became a better on-ball defender as well throughout my time at Northwestern.”

Naturally, coaching improves at the collegiate level. Instead of one underpaid coach doing their best to teach a team of high schoolers, you have a dedicated staff paid to work individually with each player. Of course, playing against the best players in the country helps one raise their level, too. Playing in the Big 10, Veronica would routinely be tasked with guarding the best point guards in the nation. 

“I think there’s a lot of talent in the Big 10, so that’s helped me in the best way possible,” she said. “You have some incredible players. You have Caitlin Clark, you have Ashley Owusu, all these incredible people.” 

Veronica understands the importance of preparation. If she can get ahead of her opponents in the film room, she has a better chance of denying them points on the court. 

“A lot of it is mental,” said Veronica. “If you’re watching film, understanding what an opponent likes to do, what their tendencies may be, and just what they like to do with the ball – whether it be forcing them a certain way or just kind of taking their favorite moves out. I would say preparing in that aspect is huge. And then footwork, quick feet which is an area I can still develop in for sure.”

It’s easy to discuss defense in vague terminology, using traits like “hustle” and “effort” to demarcate the great from the good. But how about the specifics of defense? What is Veronica’s best defensive quality? 

“Ball pressure,” answered Dallas Wings head coach Vickie Johnson when we asked her this question, and she said it with absolutely zero hesitation. 

“The way she can pick up the ball full court and stay in somebody’s space the whole time is very impressive. That’s her go-to. When she was guarding [Betnijah] Laney, she wanted to drop off for a second. I told her to get up and put pressure on her and then [Laney] turned the ball over. I’m very impressed. Great draft pick.”

Veronica Burton’s Bright Future Ahead

Veronica’s rookie year stats are minuscule compared to the numbers she was putting up at Northwestern. But in 13.4 minutes per game this season she is already turning heads with her professionalism. Who better to attest to Veronica’s impressive demeanor than her veteran teammates? 

“I like the way that V stays with her game,” said Wings forward Isabelle Harrison. “She doesn’t do too much. I think she stays really well in her role and to have that as a rookie, that’s pretty special. You don’t have to tell her too much. I think we just say what we need her to do, and she executes it.”

Being a rookie in the WNBA is hard enough. It’s even tougher when you play point guard, a position that demands leadership and at times, bossiness. Veronica’s confidence in her own voice has gained the respect of other, more accomplished pros on the Wings. 

“[Veronica’s] not afraid to put us in our place, even if we’re older,” Arike told us. “That’s a great point guard and we listen to her because she demands that. I love when she’s in the game. It’s not a step down whenever she subs in. You can’t say that about a lot of rookies in the league. She plays like she’s been here. She’ll be in the league for a while, so I’m happy she’s on our team.”

Vickie Johnson sees it, too. Stepping onto a team full of scorers and being asked to distribute them the ball is a daunting task, but one that Veronica is eminently capable of. 

“Asking her to run a team that’s full of scorers in a sense, where she has to organize and she has to have patience, she has to run the team, for the team, it can be hard at times,” head coach Vickie Johnson told us. “We have shooters that want the basketball. She’s demanded respect and her teammates are respecting her and love playing with her.”

There’s still much work to be done. At Newton South and at Northwestern, Veronica was the top player on both offense and defense. Now, she’s operating in a secondary offensive role, where her primary responsibility is to put her teammates in positions to score. It’s a delicate balance, playing unselfishly but aggressively. 

Veronica knows she has many strides still to take in looking for her shot and improving her offensive arsenal while still keeping everyone happy. 

“I think there’s definitely room for improvement in that area,” she said. “Continuing to be aggressive on the offensive end is somewhere that I think I can grow in and my teammates and coaches would agree with that. I’ve always been a facilitator as a point guard throughout my career so that’s not new to me and I am surrounded by great scorers and great post players, so getting them the ball is important. That’s what gets us wins. With that, because there’s so much attention on them, I need to be able to look for my own shot as well.”

This extremely advanced self-awareness is part of the reason why everyone has only glowing things to say about Veronica in the WNBA. 

Her new head coach offered perhaps the most auspicious review Veronica has received during her rookie campaign. 

“We need her defense and we need her IQ for setting up players,” said Vickie. “She’s a very unique player. She affects the game on the defensive side of the basketball even if she doesn’t score the basketball. 

“She puts the team first in everything. She’s a great one.” 

Then Vickie paused, and repeated herself with emphasis in case anyone had failed to hear her the first time. 

“She’s a great one.”