The time for tanking teams to have their moment in the spotlight is nearly upon us after a full year of reorganizing, scouring the college ranks for the next generation of talent and watching as once-great teams try to find their identity.

The WNBA Draft can either make or break the entire year of a franchise. Teams can spend months determining whether they should swing for the fences or opt for a safe shot inside the park, but no organization can genuinely know whether they walk away with a home-run prospect or a swing and a miss until they first suit up for a game in the league.

Fever Pitch

The Indiana Fever, who earned their first number-one overall pick in franchise history, will again have to rely on a roll of the dice to dig them out of a stretch of three straight single-win seasons. The Fever seemed determined to land their young star of the future following a 6-26 performance in the 2021 season, bringing seven rookies from the 2022 draft into its ranks after selecting seventh the previous year.

The Fever lucked out with the selection of forward NaLyssa Smith at number-two overall, who placed second on the team with 13.5 points per game and earned a spot on the All-Rookie team after earning a double-double in her first-ever game in the big leagues.

If there was any time for the Fever to swing for the fences, now might be it.

The Las Vegas Aces added forward Candace Parker to their already-stacked roster in the offseason, making it that much harder for the Fever to compete with the Aces and the New York Liberty in recent years.

The Fever will have yet another chance to create a star-studded young lineup around a fourth-year head coach Marianne Stanley, armed with the number-one and number-seven overall picks.

The draft pool that reached about ninety players features college superstars like South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston, Stanford guard Haley Jones and UConn forward Maddy Siegrist.

Should the Fever try for a risky shot with their two picks? Or should they play it safe and continue to build around the young talent they currently have?

Aliyah Boston

In every draft, from Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu in 2020 to South Carolina forward A’ja Wilson in 2018, there always seems to be a standout prospect that every tanking team tries to gun for before the draft lottery decides their fate.

This year, Boston seems to be the likely choice to go at number-one.

Boston averaged 13 points, 9.8 rebounds and two blocks per game for a South Carolina team that went undefeated before it fell in a four-point loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four.

The 6-foot-5-inch forward had another stellar season highlighted by a 22-point, 10-rebound performance against the Maryland Terrapins in the Elite Eight. The three-time All-American and two-time National Player of the Year tacked on five assists and two blocked shots against the number-seven team in the country, pushing South Carolina to its third Final Four appearance since 2021.

Should she be selected with the number-one overall pick, the Fever must figure out the rotation between Smith, Boston and center Queen Egbo. 

Egbo made thiry-one starts for the Fever after she was selected with the tenth overall pick in last year’s draft. The former NCAA champion with the Baylor Bears earned 7.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in thirty-one starts for the Fever. Egbo has quickly found a near-permanent spot in the Fever’s rotation after scoring ten points and pulling down six boards in a forteen-point loss to the Washington Mystics in early May.

Boston is the lock at number-one. No one can argue against her talent, sky-high potential and readiness for the WNBA.

But it wouldn’t be the draft without any draft-day surprises.

Diamond Miller

This pick is unlikely, but an intriguing one nonetheless.

Diamond Miller likely won’t slip out of the top five. Teams like the Minnesota Lynx and Dallas Wings may be looking for extra scoring talent with their top picks and likely won’t pass on Miller. The Fever selected two forwards, Smith and Emily Engstler, with their top-two picks this year. An one-time All-Star in Erica Wheeler and the team’s leader in points and assists per game in guard Kelsey Mitchell will likely take up the two guard spots in 2023. 

Miller led Franklin High School to a 65-57 victory over Saddle River Day School in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final in 2019. Miller finished the championship game with 25 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks, according to TAPinto.net Managing Editor Guy Kipp.

The 6-foot-3-inch guard led the Terrapins in points (19.7), rebounds (6.4), steals (2.1) and blocks (1.3) per game during the 2022-23 season. The Terrapins pushed through its Big-Ten schedule and beyond to earn a 28-7 overall record and a 15-3 record against conference opponents, scoring a season-high 32 points in a 73-68 win over the Baylor Bears in late November.

Miller’s size, tenacity to play both inside and out and all-around talent could make her a fantastic glue-piece for the Fever to fill multiple needs simultaneously as they search for a direction and their first winning season in the 2020’s.

Grace Berger

Here’s where the number-seven overall pick can come in handy.

ESPN’s most recent mock draft has the Fever selecting South Carolina guard Brea Beal with the seventh pick, while Indiana Hoosiers guard Grace Berger slid down to the Seattle Storm at number-nine. Beal, a strong defender during her four seasons with South Carolina, would fit the defensive identity the Fever are trying to instill after they ranked dead last in the league in defensive rating.

Berger may be a solid option for a Fever team that ranked second-to-last in assists per game with eighteen during the 2022 season.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Berger averaged 12.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game during her final year with the Hoosiers. Berger pulled ahead of junior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil by one assist to take the lead in the category, going as high as ten assists in an 83-60 win over a Big-Ten rival in the Purdue Boilermakers.

Mitchell will likely return to the Fever in 2023. The Fever may need some extra playmaking off the bench after guard Danielle Robinson signed with the Atlanta Dream, if they want to spark an offense that ranked dead last in the league with an offensive rating of 95.2. Mitchell will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025, giving Berger all the time she needs to get acclimated with the team’s offense before the Fever have to make a choice on retaining the former number-two overall pick in 2018.

The post Three Indiana Fever Potential Draft Prospects appeared first on Back Sports Page.

Last season, the Sky fell to the Connecticut Sun in the second round after which Parker officially became a free agent. 

Parker believes signing with the Las Vegas Aces meets all of her needs. Parker says relationships are the “center of her universe.” Parker met Aces’ Head Coach Becky Hammon through her wife, Anna Petrakova. The two played for Russia’s basketball league. New teammate Chelsea Gray is even her son’s godmother. President of the Aces Nikki Fargas recruited Parker to the University of Tennessee. 

With Becky Hammon as their coach, The Las Vegas Aces not only won the Inaugural Commissioner’s Cup, also the WNBA Championship, a title they seek to defend with Parker in the mix.

Four-time All-Star turned Aces General Manager Natalie Williams discussed the reasoning for the pursuit of Parker. Williams says Parker’s “character, leadership, and basketball IQ” were the determining factors.

“Looking at all the great players available, we just felt like Candace was the absolute perfect fit,” said Williams. “Not only is she a first class athlete and person, she’s a future hall of famer. We felt in order for us to defend our championship that Candace was where we needed to go. 

Hammon says the merger with Parker and the Aces is “iron sharpening iron.”

Hammon’s coaching structure heavily relies on trusting the players and giving them the “freedom” to make the calls they feel is best. Hammon calls this “empowering” to the players.

“Everywhere (Candace) has gone, she’s won. So to add her to our locker room, I’m excited to learn from her. I’m someone who believes in trusting the players,” said Hammon. “When I think of Candace I think of excellence.”

Hammon believes she can allow Parker to make executive decisions on the court. Hammon says she trusts Parker’s championship culture mentally.”

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Coach Curt Miller accepted his second Head Coach of the Year trophy, insisting speaking on his team in the highest regard. Coach Miller also took the time to speak about this year’s Most Valuable Player. 

“(Jonquel) is going to be mentioned with some of the greats of all time. She’s just scratching the surface,” says Coach Miller. “She brings something back each and every year. And that just shows the growth, desire, and just what incredible teammate she is. That locker-room led by her is with humble superstars and that’s why we are able to have team success and individual shine.”

Coach Miller also spoke about the trade for Chelsea Gray that allowed Jones to be a first round pick. Miller repeatedly called the trade “not easy,” but the outcomes were a win for both teams. 

Jones recounts being drafted sixth overall pick, calling Coach Miller a “really great coach.”

Jones led the league for the third time in rebounds and defensive rebounds, winning player of the Player of the Month three times this season. 

The post Success for the Connecticut Sun appeared first on Back Sports Page.

In Parker’s eight game absence, the Chicago Sky went 1-7. Chicago has many offensive opportunities, but Parker was pivotal for the defense. The Sky are currently ranked fifth in the league, (11-12).

The two-time champion re-injured her knee against the Dallas Wings last week. 

“(Parker) injured the same knee. It’s not as much swelling as before,” said the Chicago Sky Head Coach, James Wade. “So, this makes us feel pretty optimistic about it.”

Getting those boards @Candace_Parker moved to no.8 on the #WNBA all-time rebound leaders list in today's OT win #CountIt pic.twitter.com/l6gXJDkxBQ

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 15, 2021

When the six-time All-Star returned back after her first ankle injury, Parker averaged 12.4 point, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in 14 contests this season. Additionally, Parker is now eighth in place for the WNBA rebounds, executing 3,016 rounds. 

It is uncertain when Parker will return, however the Chicago Sky irrefutably need her on the floor. 

The post The Impact of Candace Parker appeared first on Back Sports Page.

The combined 44 points from guards Kelsey and Tiffany Mitchell weren’t enough for the Fever (1-10) to push past the Sky.

Chicago’s (3-7) sky-high preseason expectations had taken a drastic turn before its game against the Fever. After starting its season with two statement wins over the Atlanta Dream (4-5) and Washington Mystics (4-5), the Sky dropped its next seven matchups. While the Sky managed to stay competitive in that stretch with an average point-margin of six points, the loss of Two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker was simply too much for the Sky to close out games when it mattered the most.

Parker made her Wintrust Arena debut after a sprained ankle she suffered in practice last week sidelined her for eight games. The forward grabbed five rebounds and blocked two shots in 18 minutes on the floor, taking rebounding pressure off bigs Stephanie Dolson and Ruthy Hebard. Dolson ended the game with six rebounds of her own, while Hebard ended with nine.

The Fever came close to overtaking a sputtering Sky offense in the third quarter, coming within four points after going on a 12-point scoring streak. Guard Courtney Vandersloot found ways to push right back, scoring four points and dishing an assist to push the Fever back in the Sky’s rear-view mirror.

Though the return of players like Parker played a contributing role in the Sky’s victory, Chicago was able to iron out some of their most glaring deficiencies in their matchup against the Fever.

Executing on the Right Plays

The Sky’s season had been littered with the wrong executions of smartly-called plays.

Chicago’s roster has the IQ and experience to continuously find ways to get themselves open for high-percentage shots. Vandersloot, who currently leads the league (71) and ranks fifth in WNBA history in assists (1,905) has had a history of finding the right players at the right time and feeding them the passes they need to score an easy bucket.

Chicago was making the right decisions on offense. Somehow, they still found ways to be wrong. Chicago ranks ninth in the WNBA in three-point percentage (32.4%) and dead last in field goal percentage (39.0%) while averaging the most turnovers in the league (17.6) according to the WNBA.

On Wednesday, the Sky flipped the script.Chicago averaged a season-high in field goal percentage (45.1%) and assists (24) while shooting 90.5% from the free-throw line on 21 attempts.

Having the combined playmaking of stout veterans in Parker and Vandersloot allowed for more opportunities for the younger breakout players in guard Deshields and forward Kahleah Copper to push past their own sky-high expectations. Both players combined for 18 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and a +/- of 26.

Big Time Nights from Big Time Players

Chicago’s biggest stars found ways to shine through when the team needed them the most, keeping an ever-present Fever team at bay with efficient scoring and pin-point passing.

Vandersloot continued to feed her teammates at the perfect moments, racking up nine of the team’s 24 assists. She added 17 points on 50% shooting and grabbed two steals on top of her passing clinic, sinking all four of her and-one free throws.

Five players scored in double digits, with three of them being starters. Guard Allie Quigley, who came off the bench, still found a way to have a heavy impact on her team and score 10 points on 50% shooting.

The dynamic between Chicago’s veteran players with DeShields and Copper continued to improve after playing heavy minutes together throughout the season. The two guards, along with Hubbard and center Azura Stevens, continue to break career highs and find ways to fill the stat sheet with the absence of Parker and other key teammates. DeShields is averaging a career high in assists and free throws per game, while Cooper is averaging 30+ minutes and 14+ points per game for the second time in her career.

The Starters Caught a Break

The absence of Parker left the team scrambling to find a solidified rotation without her.

The starters had played an average of 31 minutes per game over their seven losses, with guard Diamond Deshields playing 44 minutes in an overtime game against the Los Angeles Sparks. Three Sky starters placed in the top-15 of minutes played per game, according to the WNBA. Breakout forward Kahleah Copper currently leads the team in total minutes played with 334, the fifth highest in the league.

The return of Parker and other key pieces on offense allowed Chicago to improve its depth and use a 10-man roster with an average of 20 minutes played. The difference in rotational usage allowed for major improvement on the stat sheet, with the Sky shooting 10% more efficiently and dishing nine more assists than their previous game against the LA Sparks.

The Sky will only be missing center Astou Ndour after she was suspended on Jun. 8 when they face the Fever again tomorrow at 1 p.m. Ndour is averaging career highs across the board, scoring 10.1 points and grabbing 7.6 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game.

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The Dallas Wings scored big this year with three slots in the first round. In the 2020 Draft, Dallas drafted forward Satou Sabally from the University of Oregon, forward Bella Alarie from Princeton, and guard Tyasha Harris from South Carolina. 

Here are Back Sports Page top 5 for the 2021 WNBA Draft:

1. Dallas Wings: Charli Collier, University of Texas  

The Wings finished the 2020 season not making the playoffs (8-14). Of course, Charli Collier is predicted to be the top draft pick. The former Texas Longhorn opted for the draft last month, leaving school one year earlier. The center/forward would be perfect for this young team. Collier averaged 9.5 points per game at University of Texas.    

2. Dallas Wings: Awak Kuier, Finland

Although many are unfamiliar with Awak Kuier, she has every right to be a first round pick. Last season Kuier averaged 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds and shot 51.1% from the field  for the Italian Serie A1. Moreover, the power forward has a European championship under her belt, winning FIBA U18 last year. 

3. Atlanta Dream: Rennia Davis, University of Tennessee 

Small forward Rennia Davis could help Atlanta’s impact on both ends of the floor. The Atlanta Dream finished 10th last season (7-15). Atlanta has a developing team that can use great offensive.Three point shooting isn’t her strongest skill, but Davis makes up for that in rebounds. Rebounding is Davis’ strong suit. More than 20% of Tennessee’s rebounds were due to her efforts. 

4. Indiana Fever: Arella Guirantes, Rutgers University 

The Indiana Fever were second-to-last in 2020 (6-16). The 5’11” guard would match well with the Fever’s defense. They were third in defensive rating last season, however Indiana can benefit from Guirantes’ skills on both ends of the floor. Guirantes finished her collegiate career averaging 21.3 points, 5.2 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.

5.  Dallas Wings: Aari McDonald, University of Arizona 

It’s no surprise that Aari McDonald has moved higher on the draft list after her performance during the Final Four. The 5’6” guard shocked everyone with her efforts in the finals against UConn, scoring 26 points and proving her defensive effort. Many consider her height to be a challenge, however McDonald has proven she is capable. Dallas has a young team without great expectations. This is an opportunity to develop players not just individually, but collectively. 

Don’t forget to catch the 2021 WNBA draft next week and tell us what you think. 

The post BSP Top Five WNBA Mock Draft appeared first on Back Sports Page.

It’s no surprise the Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aves were in the Finals. Seattle was the top seed in the Western Conference and Las Vegas followed in second. Although Aces forward and season MVP A’ja Wilson delivered 18 points and 6 rebounds, the Storm’s offensive wasn’t easily penetrable. Guard Jewell Loyd contributed 19 points and 9 rebounds. 

Sue Bird and Breanna Steward are the dynamic duo that lead the team to this victory. Now four-time champion, Bird led Seattle to all the championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020). Last season, Bird left the season earlier due to knee injury. This season Bird only played half the minutes to aid her knee injury. Bird started Game 3 with 10 assists in just 14 minutes. Bird averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 rebounds. She is also officially undefeated in the finals. 

“It’s been a really tough but rewarding season.” Bird says.“We’re chill. We actually are made for a wubble. We don’t get too high with stuff. We don’t get too low. [People] saw that off the court with what we stood for and on the court with how we played.”

Game 1 was a career high for Steward with 37 points and 15 rebounds. The 2018 WNBA and Finals MVP deserved the 2020 Finals MVP. This season, Steward averaged 19.7 points, 3.6 assists, 8.3 and rebounds. After receiving her unanimous Finals MVP award, Steward insists her  “resiliency” and “all the adversity” has helped her achieve this moment.  

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“I feel like my whole life is a lie at this point. Coming in thinking I had a referee meeting,” Wilson jokes.

Overwhelmed with joy, Wilson tucked her head in her shirt hoping to contain her blissful tears. Elated with emotion Wilson didn’t actually hear Commissioner Engelbert’s speech. Wilson called a loved one to divulge her MVP win, the family member yelled more passionately than even Wilson.

“I’m truly grateful. I miss my family a lot. I miss my puppy but we are here for something that’s bigger than us. That’s what keeps me going and that’s what’s truly wonderful about having us all under one roof. We can come together to create change in this world and plant seeds,” stated Wilson. 

Wilson suffered the second sprain ankle of her career earlier this season. 

“The thing about falling down is that you have a choice. You can stay down or you can get back up. I always choose to get back up because you never know who’s watching.”

Wilson averaged 25.5 points a game and 8.5 rebounds. Wilson was second in the league in scoring and first in blocks. 

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These last two days have primarily involved diligently strategizing with perspective player health experts The three players were isolated. The inclusive tests all contained different threshold counts, therefore retests have been taken, two out of the three player’s results were negative. Currently, there is only one more test that has not come back with conclusive results. Commissioner Engelbert never disclosed the total number of inclusive or positive reports, however she says there weren’t “many”.

“We are using different tools and technologies, some take longer than others…That’s why we are not getting everyone’s at once. The tests on Sunday were administered on Saturday,” explained Engelbert. 

“One of the reasons we are doing testing so often is that if someone is confirmed positive in the bubble, we’re getting them out of the situation before actually affecting (anyone). We all know who complex this virus is. We have to evaluate all the tools and data that we have.”  

As far as the new bubble rules, there has not been any major changes. There has not been any solved resolutions on how to completely end this mishap. Commissioner Engelbert is sure transportation was not the cause of the inclusive tests, however the WNBA has now administered rapid Covid tests to all players.

Engelbert’s primary concern is the health of the players and is adamant in wanting to “ensure the integrity of the bubble.”

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Hartley suffered a torn ACL knee injury during the victory against the Washington Mystics. The former UConn Huskie was in her seventh season and first with the Mercury. 

 “It’s not a good injury,” says Phoenix Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello. 

“Really unfortunate,” Brondello said. “She means so much to this team. She’s been playing great. Everyone is seeing what she is capable of. It’s been really a joy coaching her. Hopefully, she can have a speedy recovery and get back on the court with us next year.”

Hartley will be missed for the Mercury’s offensive. Hartley averaged 14.6 points and 4.5 assists. The Mercury are currently fifth in the Western Conference (9-7). 

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