No. 5 Iowa got its revenge against No. 16 Kansas State on Sunday with a 77-70 to win the Women’s Gulf Coast Showcase at Estero, Fla., as Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark registered her 40th career game with at least 30 points.
Her 32 points against the Wildcats officially tied her with Antoine Davis for the most 30-point games in D1 college basketball over the past 25 years. Davis set that record with Detroit last season, but it seems like it will be short-lived because he already graduated and Clark still has plenty of games remaining in her senior year. She had already passed the women’s college basketball record set by WNBA star, and former Washington guard, Kelsey Plum (38).
Kansas State had handed the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season earlier this month, and their rematch could’ve really gone either way with 10 lead changes through the night. However, Clark stepped up with a performance that included seven 3-pointers. Along with her 32 points, Clark contributed with six assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Caitlin Clark, buzzin with the stepback in transition pic.twitter.com/vKJ30MGn1S
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) November 27, 2023 Clark, who is already Iowa’s all-time leading scorer, now has 2,986 career points — which is in the top 25 of women’s college basketball history. Only 14 players in women’s basketball have reached the 3000-point threshold.
It is still early in the 2023-24 campaign, but Clark already leads the nation in scoring. Last season, when she was named Naismith Player of the Year, she was No. 2 in the country averaging 27.8 points per game.
This weekend, Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder also put her name in the history books by picking up her 500th win at Iowa when her team beat the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 100-62 on Saturday. Sunday’s victory over Kansas State was win no. 501.
The Hawkeyes (7-1) will be back on the court on Saturday Dec. 2 as they host the Bowling Green Falcons at 1:30 p.m. ET.
South Carolina and UCLA defended their No. 1 and No. 2 spots, but almost everybody else is seeing some movement. It’s still only November, but the 2023-24 season has already been one to remember for the city of Los Angeles.
No. 2 UCLA beat UConn for the first time in program history on Friday behind a career-best performance by sophomore guard Kiki Rice that included 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Meanwhile, USC is shining bright with freshman star JuJu Watkins, who has already put up three 30-point games — tying a USC freshman record set by Lisa Leslie and Paula McGee. The Trojans moved up two spots to No. 6 this week, which is their best ranking since 1994.
Speaking of the West Coast, Stanford moved up to No. 3 after a 100-88 victory over a ranked Florida State team. Five Pac-12 teams are currently ranked: UCLA, Stanford, USC, Colorado and Utah.
But things are also looking good on the opposite side of the country. Dawn Staley’s South Carolina team keeps taking care of business and blowing out every opponent. The Gamecocks have already reached the 100-point mark four times this season. Their latest result was a 101-19 win over MVSU — the fewest points ever allowed for an opponent in South Carolina history.
North Carolina State started the season unranked, but three weeks in the Wolfpack have earned a spot in the top 5 following a 78-60 win over then-No. 2 Colorado on Saturday. That was their second win over a ranked opponent this season, as they also took down UConn on Nov. 12.
Iowa is No. 4 after getting revenge against Kansas State. The Hawkeyes won the Women’s Gulf Coast Showcase with a 77-70 win against the Wildcats — a team that had upset them earlier this month. Per usual, Caitlin Clark led the Iowa offense with 32 points. That was her 40th 30-point game, tying an NCAA record.
The first month of the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season is almost over, and the action isn’t slowing down any time soon. South Carolina and UCLA have been holding strong, but not everyone is experiencing smooth sailing.
UConn is struggling to find consistency because the Huskies haven’t been able to shake the injury bug that has been disruptive for a few seasons. Coach Geno Auriemma’s latest nightmare was losing junior guard Azzi Fudd for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign. Amid all the chaos, UCLA was able to get the program’s first ever win against UConn on Friday.
Another noteworthy matchup in Week 3 was Iowa’s redemption game against Kansas State. There are more exciting games coming this week, including a rematch from the 2023 Final Four as No. 9 Virginia Tech will battle No. 7 LSU.
Here are some of the top moments from the past week, as well as some of the main storylines and games to watch over the coming days.
Bucket of the week: Zoe Brooks, NC State NC State entered the top five in the AP Top 25 poll after a 78-60 win over then-No. 2 Colorado on Saturday. The Wolfpack starters have been solid this season, leading the team to a 7-0 record including a big win against UConn earlier this month. However, the talent goes well beyond NC State’s starting five.
Zoe Brooks is still a freshman, and she has been a solid player off the bench. She recorded seven points against Colorado, but the stat sheet didn’t show her full potential. Here she is using her patience and footwork to drain a contested turnaround jumper over Colorado’s Jaylyn Sherrod, a 2023 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection.
Just IMPRESSIVE by @zoebrooks35 🤩
Catch the second half live on ESPN+. pic.twitter.com/g30Ndmbuyo
— NC State WBB 🐺🏀 (@PackWomensBball) November 25, 2023 Stop of the week: South Carolina The Gamecocks have been outstanding offensively by reaching 100 points in four of their first five games this season, but they are still playing the elite defense Dawn Staley’s teams have been lauded for. South Carolina held Mississippi Valley State to just eight made field goals during the Gamecocks’ 101-19 win on Nov. 24.
That was their largest margin of victory since Staley became South Carolina’s head coach in 2008. It was also the fewest points the Gamecocks have ever allowed in program history.
South Carolina currently leads the nation in blocks per game (12.4). The team recorded 15 rejections against MVS, with Kamilla Cardoso getting five of them. Cardoso also registered her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Esto de Kamilla Cardoso 🥵🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q1SbqcA23J
— Manu Fresno (@Maanuf96) November 24, 2023 Game of the week: No 16 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Iowa Kansas State handed the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season earlier this month, but Iowa got a chance at redemption in the Gulf Coast Showcase final on Sunday. The Hawkeyes walked away with a 77-70 victory, but the final score doesn’t quite show how close the game really was.
By halftime, Kansas State only trailed 39-38 and the beginning of the third quarter was tight. The Hawkeyes started pulling away, but Kansas State’s Serena Sundell made a statement just before the quarter ended with this buzzer-beating jumper:
Buckets of sunshine from @serena_sundell ☀️#KStateWBB x @GCShowcase pic.twitter.com/Y6QQI884HO
— K-State Women’s Basketball (@KStateWBB) November 27, 2023 Kansas State found a 68-67 lead with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Lisa Bluder’s squad turned up the heat to avoid another loss. Kate Martin and Caitlin Clark scored the next 10 points for Iowa, while the defense held the Wildcats to only field-goal make, a layup from Sundell.
A total of 10 lead changes occurred throughout the game. Clark led all scorers with 32 points, while Ayoka Lee and Sundell led Kansas State with 18 points each.
“Kansas State is obviously a great team, and it feels really good to get the redemption win,” Bluder said in her postgame press conference.
Biggest storylines from Week 3 UConn’s Azzi Fudd out for the season UConn guard Azzi Fudd suffered a non-contact injury during practice on Nov. 14. Eight days later, the program announced the diagnosis was a medial meniscal tear and an ACL tear in her right knee, which will keep her out for the rest of the season.
“We’re all just so upset for Azzi,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “She worked hard to be healthy for this season, and it’s unfortunate when you put in a lot of hard work and have a setback like this.”
LSU’s Angel Reese, Kateri Poole miss Cayman Islands trip Angel Reese and Kateri Poole did not join the Tigers for the Cayman Islands Classic this past weekend. Reese has now missed four games this season for undisclosed reasons. Poole had at least been on the bench for all the other games, until this trip. LSU coach Kim Mulkey has not given much of an explanation, saying she wants to keep it private.
“I’m going to protect my players, always,” Mulkey said on Nov. 20 after LSU’s win over Texas Southern. “It’s like a family. If you do some disciplining of your own children, do you think we’re entitled to know that? That’s a family in that locker room.”
UCLA beats UConn for the first time The No. 2 UCLA Bruins entered Friday’s matchup against UConn with an 0-7 all-time record in the matchup. However, this has been a strong season for Cori Close’s team, and they made a statement by beating then-No. 6 UConn for the first time in program history. Not even a 31-point performance by former national player of the year Paige Bueckers was able to prevent the Huskies’ second loss of the 2023-24 campaign.
“Obviously so much respect for UConn and the program they have become … but we really were confident that if we executed the game plan, we were going to win,” Close said.
UCLA has a deep roster with five players averaging double figures in scoring. Friday was Kiki Rice’s turn to shine, as the sophomore guard recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists against UConn.
Top clips from tonight’s 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬 𝘄𝗶𝗻 in the Cayman Islands!#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/9DeHazquss
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) November 25, 2023 USC’s JuJu Watkins keeps shining Freshman sensation JuJu Watkins currently leads the undefeated Trojans with 26.2 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from 3-point range. In the first five games of her college career, Watkins already has three 30-point games, tying a USC freshman record previously set by Lisa Leslie and Paula McGee. Her most recent performance was 31 points, 12 rebounds and three assists against Penn State.
Watkins has been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in each of the first three weeks of the season. With her help, the Trojans were ranked No. 6 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, giving the program its best ranking since 1994.
Trojans improve to 5-0 ✌️
JuJu Watkins scores 31 points to lead No. 8 USC over Penn State. Highlights ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/DnDYEW7wSv
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) November 23, 2023 Interesting stats The Gamecocks don’t lose at home: South Carolina’s 101-19 win over Mississippi Valley State on Friday was the Gamecocks’ 45th consecutive home win, which ties a program record. Dawn Staley’s squad has a chance to break the record when it hosts Morgan State on Dec. 6 at 9 p.m. ET. Caitlin Clark reaches another record: The Iowa guard registered her 40th 30-point game against Kansas State. This tied her with Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis for the most 30-point games in Division I college basketball over the past 25 years. Matchups to watch: (all times Eastern)
No. 18 Notre Dame vs. No. 20 Tennessee | Wednesday, 5 p.m. | ESPN2: The Fighting Irish and Lady Vols will be facing each other in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge. These are two teams that made it to the 2023 Sweet 16 and have carried that momentum into this season. Although Tennessee holds a 22-8 advantage in their all-time series, Notre Dame has won eight of the last 10 meetings.
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 24 North Carolina | Thursday, 7 p.m. | ESPN: This battle in Chapel Hill will also be part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. Since 2000, the Tar Heels have registered a 7-4 record against their rival Gamecocks. However, South Carolina has grown into a powerhouse, and Dawn Stalely’s team has been blowing opponents out of the water this season. North Carolina suffered back-to-back losses in the Gulf Coast Showcase, and they’ll face an even greater challenge in South Carolina’s suffocating defense and outstanding offense.
No. 9 Virginia Tech vs. No. 7 LSU | Thursday, 9 p.m. | ESPN: Both teams returned star players from last season, and this will be a rematch from the 2023 Final Four in which LSU took down Virginia Tech and went on to win the national title. LSU’s leading scorer and rebounder from last year, Angel Reese, has been away from the team. But even if Reese doesn’t suit up Thursday, the Tigers still have plenty of talent to give the Hokies one of their toughest non-conference challenges. Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore will need big games if they want a redemption win.
No. 11 UConn vs. No. 10 Texas | Sunday, 3 p.m. | ABC: The Huskies have a talented roster but haven’t found consistency yet. They suffered their second loss of the season against UCLA, then bounced back with a 71-63 win over Kansas the next day — although coach Geno Auriemma wasn’t 100% content and admitted his team is struggling. However, it’s important to point out that a struggling UConn team is still a tough challenge for anyone, and this will be Texas’ first ranked opponent of the season.
No. 16 Ohio State vs. No. 20 Tennessee | Sunday, 5 p.m. | ESPN: This will be the Lady Vols’ second ranked opponent this week. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes’ only other meeting with a ranked team was their season opener, which resulted in an 83-74 loss to USC. Ohio State has been taking care of business since then, but they’ve still been dropping in the rankings. A win against a solid team like Tennessee is what the Buckeyes’ resume needs.
The WNBA’s plans to bring an expansion team to Portland have collapsed, according to The Oregonian, with the league citing planned renovations to the Moda Center as a key issues. Furthermore, there was uncertainty regarding a practice facility for the team, which would have begun play in 2025.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a letter to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden explaining the decision, and noting that the league still hopes to one day bring an expansion team to Portland. Engelbert’s letter, in full:
Dear Senator Wyden
I was able to experience Oregon’s passionate basketball community first-hand at that incredibly enthusiastic gathering of women’s sports advocates that you pulled together last February at The Sports Bra in Portland. It became clear that Portland is an ideal location for a WNBA franchise. Since then, the league and a prospective local ownership group have been working with city and local officials to resolve issues related to the Moda Center.
However, in light of the potential renovation of the Moda Center currently anticipated to take place during consecutive summers, consideration of a WNBA franchise for Portland will be deferred for now until the timing and scope of the arena improvements are settled.
Thanks for the work you and Oregonians have done so far. When the time is right, we look forward to pursuing prospects for bringing the WNBA to Portland.
Per The Oregonian, the Portland Trail Blazers and owner Jody Allen were caught off guard by Engelbert’s letter and had been willing to put off renovations to allow the prospective WNBA franchise to play there for multiple seasons before beginning the work. To that point, the Blazers’ general plan to renovate Moda Center have been known for some time; if it was truly a major sticking point, how did the Blazers and Portland get this far down the line in the first place?
Portland entrepreneur Kirk Brown was leading the push to bring a team to the city but did not respond to requests for comment from The Oregonian. His current and potential future involvement is not known at this time. Early in October multiple reports suggested that a new team coming to Portland was “close to a done deal.” Wyden’s office issued a statement saying that he was “confident the scoreboard will end up with Portland winning that franchise.”
Whether the two parties could eventually get negotiations back on track for the team, which will have an expansion fee of $50 million, remains to be seen. If not, the league will have to reopen their search.
On Oct. 5, the WNBA officially announced that an expansion team had been awarded to the Bay Area and will begin play in 2025. The yet-unnamed team, which will be owned by the Golden State Warriors and play in the Chase Center in San Francisco, will be the first new team to enter the league since the Atlanta Dream in 2008.
The expectation has always been that the league will add a second expansion team in the near future to give the league 14 teams starting in 2025, and Engelbert acknowledged as much before Game 1 of the 2023 WNBA Finals.
“The goal is to add a second one, or 14th team, by 2025,” Engelbert said. “Not more for before ’25 but obviously longer term. I’ve said my goal is to get this league you know additional teams and additional cities that we think would be great. We have a lot of cities interested, which is why we didn’t announce the 14th team yet.”
Later in her answer, Engelbert mentioned Denver, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Nashville and Portland. The latter appears to be out of the mix, as does Toronto, which had previously been thought to be a favorite. There figures to still be some interest from those other cities, though the league will not be thrilled about restarting the process.
The 2024 WNBA Draft Lottery has arrived, with the big event set for Sunday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. ET in between the Utah vs. South Carolina and North Carolina vs. UConn games at the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase. Soon, we’ll learn which lucky team will have the No. 1 overall pick in what is projected to be one of the best classes ever.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, the reigning Naismith Player of the Year, is expected to be the top pick, though there are a number of other talented players in the mix, including UConn guard Paige Bueckers and Stanford center Cameron Brink, just to name a few.
This year, the lottery is made up of the Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm. Due to the league’s policy of using the combined records of the past two seasons to determine lottery odds, the Fever have the best chance of winning the first pick.
As the lottery approaches, here’s a look at which team needs the top pick the most.
Phoenix Mercury The Mercury have been through the wringer the last few years, and an array of injuries and absences finally culminated in the second-worst season in franchise history. They finished in last place at 9-31, had the worst defense in the league by far and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012, ending what was the longest active postseason streak in the league.
Skylar Diggins-Smith, who missed the entirety of the season on maternity leave, is an unrestricted free agent and appears unlikely to return.
“I’ve definitely been working towards trying to have one of my most productive years next year, because I think a lot of times — especially in sports — you’re not encouraged to have kids. And the teams that I played for in the past when I got pregnant didn’t like that,” Diggins-Smith said in an interview with Edition by Modern Luxury in September. “And so I’m looking forward to being somewhere where my family and I are supported and welcomed.”
There’s a good chance Diana Taurasi retires after next season and Brittney Griner, now 33 years old and still recovering from her harrowing ordeal in Russia, is no longer the player she was at her peak. While there are some solid role players around, such as Brianna Turner and Sophie Cunningham, this team desperately needs a young star to carry it into the future.
Seattle Storm Last winter, the Storm’s present and future was upended by Sue Bird’s retirement and Breanna Stewart’s departure in free agency. Everyone expected the Storm to take a step back in the aftermath, but it was far worse than that. Their .275 winning percentage was their worst since their inaugural season when they won just six games, they finished in 11th place and had the second-worst net rating at minus-7.1 points per 100 possessions.
And that was despite a heroic effort by Jewell Loyd, who won her first scoring title by putting up 24.7 points per game — the second-highest mark ever — and played 1,343 of a possible 1,600 minutes. In the rare minutes when she wasn’t on the court, the Storm had an 87.3 offensive rating — the exact same as the 2020 New York Liberty team that went 2-20.
Loyd is one of the best guards in the league and in Seattle through 2025 after inking an extension in September, plus Ezi Magbegor made a huge leap on the offensive end to complement her already elite interior defense. Beyond those two, however, the Storm are woefully thin, especially with Gabby Williams set to stay in Europe this summer.
The No. 1 overall pick would bring a much-needed talent boost.
Indiana Fever The Fever missed out on the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, which is the longest active drought in the league, but they are no longer a laughingstock. They won more games last season (13) than they did in 2021 and 2022 combined (11) and had the fifth-best offense in the league.
That was thanks in large part to last year’s No. 1 pick, Aliyah Boston, who put together one of the best rookie campaigns we’ve ever seen. Her 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game led all rookies, while she shot 57.8% from the field to become the first rookie ever to lead the league in field goal percentage. Along the way, she became the sixth rookie to start the All-Star Game.
Boston gave the Fever a focal point on both ends of the floor, stabilizing a franchise that was flailing in the wind for far too long. That’s not to say they don’t need the No. 1 pick, but between Boston, NaLyssa Smith and Kelsey Mitchell, there’s a bit more talent in Indiana than there is in Seattle.
Los Angeles Sparks The Sparks had incredibly poor luck with injuries last season, and they still nearly snuck into the playoffs before finishing one game behind the Chicago Sky for the eighth and final spot. Long-term, it’s for the best that they missed out, but the Sparks are not a typical lottery team.
Nneka Ogwumike looks rejuvenated and played some of the best basketball of her career last season en route to All-WNBA and All-Defensive Team appearances. Assuming they re-sign Ogwumike and Most Improved Player runner-up Jordin Canada, they’ll have a very solid, veteran-filled roster that also includes Dearica Hamby and Azura Stevens. Add in one of the best coaches in the league in Curt Miller, and this team should make the playoffs with even halfway decent health.
Obviously, every team in the lottery could use the No. 1 overall pick, but the Sparks aren’t crying out for help in the same way as some of the other teams in the mix.
The first big event of the offseason is here, with the 2024 WNBA Draft Lottery now just hours away. We’ll soon learn which lucky team gets the No. 1 overall pick in what is projected to be one of the best draft classes of all time. The event is set to take place in between the Utah vs. South Carolina and North Carolina vs. UConn games at the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.
This year, the lottery will feature the Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm. While the Mercury finished with the worst record in the league, the WNBA uses the combined records of the previous two seasons to determine lottery odds, so the Fever have the best chance of winning the first pick.
Ahead of the big day, here’s everything you need to know:
The Fever won the No. 1 pick for the first time in franchise history last year, and they used it to select Aliyah Boston, who went on to win Rookie of the Year unanimously. Thanks in large part to Boston, they won more games in 2023 than they did in 2021 and 2022 combined, as they appear to finally have some hope for the future. Adding another lottery pick will only further solidify that fact.
This was another rough season for the Mercury, as their streak of 10 straight playoff appearances — which was the longest active streak in the league — came to an end. That was probably for the best long-term, however, as this team needs a reset and will now get to do so with a new GM, new head coach and, potentially, the No. 1 overall pick.
Despite hiring two-time Coach of the Year Curt Miller and adding a number of veterans to the roster, the Sparks missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season, which is the longest drought in franchise history. The good news is they actually own their lottery pick this year and will finally get a chance to add a top-tier young talent to the roster.
As expected, the Storm struggled to cope with the loss of Sue Bird (retirement) and Breanna Stewart (free agency), and, by winning percentage (0.275), had their second-worst season in franchise history. They’re back in the lottery for the first time since 2016, when they drafted Stewart, and will be hoping for similar luck this time around.
Top prospects The 2024 draft class has a chance to be one of the best ever, though it remains to be seen which of the top prospects will enter the draft and which will use their COVID years to remain in school. For now, here’s a quick look at some of the biggest names (in alphabetical order):
Cameron Brink — C, Stanford Paige Bueckers — G, UConn Kamilla Cardoso — C, South Carolina Caitlin Clark — G, Iowa Aaliyah Edwards — F, UConn Rickea Jackson — F, Tennessee Elizabeth Kitley — C, Virginia Tech Angel Reese — C, LSU
The Indiana Fever won the 2024 WNBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, securing the No. 1 overall pick in the highly anticipated 2024 WNBA Draft. Rounding out the lottery is the Los Angeles Sparks at No. 2, the Phoenix Mercury at No. 3 and the Seattle Storm at No. 4. This is the second year in a row in which the Fever have won the lottery.
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, the reigning Naismith Player of the Year, is the projected first pick, and she has been for some time. After leading the Hawkeyes to their first national championship game in school history last season, Clark is leading the nation in scoring at 29.6 points per game. She’s also fourth in assists at 7.6 and hauling down 6.7 rebounds for good measure.
Here are some key takeaways from the result:
A Boston-Clark partnership? In last season’s Final Four, Caitlin Clark led Iowa to a dramatic upset over Aliyah Boston and South Carolina, ending the Gamecocks’ 42-game winning streak. Now, the last two Naismith Player of the Year award winners are on track to become teammates at the next level.
The Fever won the No. 1 overall pick for the first time in franchise history last year, and selected Boston, who went on to win Rookie of the Year in unanimous fashion after a historic campaign. She immediately established herself as the best young center in the league and has all the makings of a franchise player. Clark, with her elite 3-pointer shooting and playmaking ability, is the most talented guard prospect in a number of years, and she would be a perfect backcourt partner for Boston.
After years of bad luck in the lottery and poor decision making by the front office, the odds have finally turned in the Fever’s favor. Thanks to Boston, Indiana won more games last season (13) than it did in 2021 and 2022 combined (11), as the team was already showing signs of being back on the right path.
Adding Clark to the mix would immediately give them the best and most exciting young duo in the league, bringing genuine excitement back to the once-proud franchise.
Lottery system punishes the Storm The WNBA’s lottery system uses the aggregate record of the two previous seasons to determine the odds for the No. 1 overall pick. While a useful tool for combating tanking, the system punishes teams who fall off for other reasons.
That’s just what happened to the Seattle Storm. They were a legitimate title contender in 2022, but then lost Sue Bird to retirement and Breanna Stewart to free agency, and understandably fell off a cliff. Last season Seattle finished in 11th place at 11-29, and it has a long way back to the league’s upper echelon.
The No. 1 pick would have helped, but the Storm never really stood a chance. Their 33-42 record over the past two seasons was the best of the four lottery teams, which gave them the worst odds at 10.40%. To little surprise, they wound up with the No. 4 overall pick.
This is a great draft, and they’ll still wind up with a talented player, but there’s a big difference between picking first and fourth.
Does anyone go back to school? There’s a major wrinkle with this year’s draft due to the extra year of eligibility granted to all players who were active during the COVID-19 pandemic. The so-called “COVID year” means that the majority of this season’s top prospects are eligible to return to school next year, even if they’re currently seniors.
That includes Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, Aaliyah Edwards and Angel Reese. Paige Bueckers could also go back to school, though she’s only a junior after red-shirting in 2022 due to a torn ACL. If any number of these players decide against turning pro, it would alter not only this year’s draft, but next year’s as well.
The Fever, of course, will be crossing their fingers that Clark leaves, but they’ll at least get the first pick regardless of what happens. If a bunch of these players stay in school, it would be a disaster for the Mercury and Storm further down the lottery.
The Chicago Sky and defending champion Las Vegas Aces are the only teams without a first-round pick as things stand. The 2024 WNBA Draft is set for April 15, though further details have not yet been announced.
The Indiana Fever were the lucky winners of the 2024 WNBA Draft Lottery on Sunday, and they now have the No. 1 overall pick for the second year in a row. With it, Indiana is expected to select Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who, along with unanimous 2023 Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston, should end the Fever’s status as a perennial lottery team.
But what about the other teams and the other top prospects in this talented 2024 draft class? Now that the lottery is set, let’s take a look at how things might shake out with an initial lottery-only mock draft.
(Note: Clark, Bueckers and Brink are all eligible to return to school next season.)
Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark – G, Iowa Let’s be honest, you could have pre-written this months ago, as Clark has long been the projected first pick regardless of which team won the lottery. That it was the Fever, who have won the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row and can now pair her with unanimous Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston in a perfect inside-outside combination, only makes it more certain.
Clark leads the nation in scoring at 29.5 points per game, is tied for fourth in assists at 7.4 and seems likely to become the first player since Breanna Stewart to win back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year awards. She is a true game-changing talent on the perimeter with elite shooting and playmaking ability. The best guard prospect to turn pro in years, Clark would immediately form the most exciting young duo in the league with Boston.
Los Angeles Sparks: Paige Bueckers – G, UConn After the Fever, the Sparks were the day’s big winners. They only missed out on the playoffs by one game last season as the result of horrible injury luck, and are not a typical lottery team. They were the only team to move up a slot based on the projected odds, and have secured the No. 2 pick — their highest selection since 2012.
Best of all from their perspective, their biggest need is on the perimeter, and this now ensures they’ll get Bueckers, who is by far the best guard prospect after Clark. The 6-foot UConn product has some serious injury concerns — in the last two years, she’s torn her ACL and meniscus, fractured her tibial plateau and undergone ankle surgery — but her talent is undeniable. Her impressive shooting and playmaking skills are just what the Sparks need.
Phoenix Mercury: Cameron Brink – C, Stanford No team needed the first pick as badly as the Mercury, who have had an extremely difficult couple of years and are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Instead, their unlucky streak continued, as they were the only team to slide down the board based on the odds and wound up with the No. 3 pick. On the bright side, this is a deep class and in Brink they will get the best frontcourt prospect in the class.
The 6-foot-4 Brink is an interior force currently averaging 11.4 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, numbers that are good for seventh and third in the country, respectively. She’s also improved as a scorer while upping her usage rate this season. In Brink the Mercury could find their long-term replacement for Brittney Griner.
Seattle Storm: Rickea Jackson – F, Tennessee The Storm got punished by the league’s lottery system, which uses the aggregate record of the past two seasons to determine the odds for the top pick. That anti-tanking measure doesn’t take into account situations like Seattle’s where they were a contender one year then fell off because of player departures. As a result, the Storm were the second-worst team in the league last season, but wound up with the worst lottery odds and, in the end, the No. 4 pick in what appears to be a three-player draft.
Which direction they go in here will be interesting to see. Their biggest need is on the wing, but the best players available are centers. This is the lottery slot most subject to change, but for now we’ll lean toward Rickea Jackson. The Tennessee forward has been injured for most of the season, but she has been a 20-point-per-game scorer at multiple schools and has the size and physicality to adjust to the professional game.
Connecticut Sun guard and former UConn star Tiffany Hayes is officially retiring from the WNBA, she announced on Wednesday. The 2017 WNBA All-Star shared the news on the “Count Me Out” podcast.
“This right here with the Connecticut Sun was my last season,” Hayes said.
Hayes averaged 12.1 points in 40 games for the Sun through the 2023 season. Before joining the Sun’s roster earlier this year, she spent 10 years with the Atlanta Dream. Her resume was already impressive before being selected 14th overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft, as the Florida native won two national championships with the UConn Huskies in 2009 and 2010.
“It’s a lot of things. I really feel like I’m older now. I got a lot of stuff that I really always want to get into but I’m so busy ’cause I’m playing year-round,” Hayes said. “Plus, my body, playing 11 seasons straight with no breaks, every year, two seasons in a year every time, that’s a lot.”
Fun fact: Tiffany Hayes is one of just 10 players in WNBA history with…
Congrats on an incredible WNBA career! pic.twitter.com/Y1QrYFCdCz
— Across the Timeline (@WBBTimeline) December 13, 2023 The 34-year-old is not completely leaving basketball just yet. Throughout her time as a pro, Hayes has played overseas during the WNBA offseason — most recently with Çukurova Basketbol in Turkey. A lot of WNBA players play two seasons to make more money, but Hayes is now choosing to do just one so she can spend more time enjoying other areas of her life.
“You could still catch me overseas,” she said. “I just figured I’d focus on one thing and then summer time I could turn up my business. I could turn up life with my family and just live life like that.”
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and MALKA Media Group have partnered on a new sports documentary set to hit Tubi, Fox’s free ad-supported streaming television service, on Jan. 31, 2024. The film “Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story,” will follow three current and one former athlete as they discuss their careers, their families and what’s on the horizon for the WNBA.
The documentary is directed by rising filmmaker Andrea Buccilla and an all-women development team. Buccilla herself played golf while attending college at Ole Miss and returned to her creative endeavors after teaching in Mississippi and New York for nearly nine years.
“SHATTERED GLASS: A WNBPA Story is more than a documentary – it’s a movement,” said Terri Carmichael Jackson, WNBPA executive director and an executive producer on the film, in the media release. “We’re bringing to light the incredible stories of these athletes, who are not just sports icons but powerful advocates for change, respect, and inspiration – something that all women can relate to and feel empowered by.”
CBS Sports viewed a rough cut of the documentary before it airs on Tubi next month.
For casual sports fans, the documentary will serve as a primer to the WNBA — its history, its athletes and a debunking of the myths and stereotypes that have followed the league and its players since 1997.
For more dedicated women’s basketball fans, “Shattered Glass” is a glimpse into the daily life of Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart and Nneka Ogwumike during the 2023 season. The trio of current WNBA players also weigh in on whether the WNBPA should opt out of its current collective bargaining agreement.
From Good to Great The documentary starts at an October WNBPA meeting including PA executive committee members and team representatives to discuss the CBA. The meeting served as a 12-month countdown to the opt-out deadline and served as the first of ongoing strategic meetings to determine what the union will decide.
“Yes, I want to opt out,” Stewart says is a 15-second trailer released today.
While the 2020 CBA was groundbreaking, there are still improvements WNBA players want to see. Buccilla gives viewers a glimpse into what topics the WNBPA will consider ahead of the next CBA negotiations. At the top of the list is salary increases, travel and expanded benefits for working moms.
The WNBPA is part of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a collective of 60 labor unions including the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by WNBPA (@thewnbpa)
“Shattered Glass” follows Jackson as she joins SAG-AFTRA on the 110th day of their most recent strike. The film suggests the WNBPA will capitalize on its AFL-CIO network while considering whether to opt out of the current league contract.
Salaries and compensation is often at the heart of contract negotiations, and things will be no different for the WNBPA. Throughout the documentary, Jones, Stewart, Ogwumike and other players also weigh in on expanded benefits for parents and a pension program to support retired players. Through the ongoing interviews in the film, Buccilla portrays why these topics are important to current players.
“SHATTERED GLASS: A WNBPA Story is a transcendent documentary that uniquely captures the power and spirit of female athletes,” Tubi CEO Anjali Sud said. “Tubi is proud to collaborate with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association as part of our commitment to uplifting bold and inspiring voices for young and diverse audiences.”
The documentary has a current run time of nearly 75 minutes and will be available to watch exclusively on Tubi beginning Jan. 31, 2024. Jones, Stewart and Ogwumike are listed as executive producers alongside Jessica McCourt (MALKA), Rebecca Otto (Wasserman), Faith Suggs (Sports International Group) and Sheryl Swoopes. Erin Gilchrist managed the production.
