There’s a new professional women’s basketball league on the horizon founded by former UConn teammates and current WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Announced on Thursday, Unrivaled is an innovative 3-on-3 league that will run in the WNBA’s winter offseason and serve as the “most exclusive basketball league in the world.”

The league initially will target 30 of the top players in the WNBA, with six teams and five players per team. Unrivaled will run for 10 weeks from January to March with three games played per week, and it also will feature a single-elimination 1-on-1 tournament. The league’s official launch year has not yet been determined.

In its inaugural season, Unrivaled will be based in Miami, Fla., and competition will take place in a custom facility with a state-of-the-art LED surrounding and a shortened 65-foot basketball court, which will provide an experience the women’s game has never seen before. The facility will also include fan seating, a weight room, recovery resources and content studios.

The new league aims to host at least one event in a larger arena during its debut season and currently has several locations in consideration.

Players’ salaries for the 10-week season are expected to be competitive with top WNBA and overseas salaries, a source informed Just Women’s Sports. The maximum WNBA annual salary is currently $234,936, and the average salary is just over $100,000 a year. Each Unrivaled player will also have equity in the league. Unrivaled’s revenue streams will consist of advertisement and sponsorships, media rights, merchandising and ticket sales.

The league is currently in the midst of fundraising, and Stewart told ESPN she’s already had conversations with potential business partners.

The timing of the new league coincides with fan interest in women’s basketball reaching historic highs. The 2022 WNBA season on ESPN was the most-viewed since 2006, and ESPN’s 2023 season-opening broadcast peaked at 1 million viewers and was the most-watched regular season game on cable television in 24 years. At the NCAA level, the 2023 championship game between LSU and Iowa averaged 9.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever.

Unrivaled will provide players with an opportunity to tap into the growing market and with another means of offseason income.

For years, many WNBA players have gone overseas in the winter months to compete and supplement their WNBA incomes. That option has become even more tenuous since the WNBA’s prioritization rule went into effect this year, fining players with over two years of WNBA experience if they did not report to their teams by May 1. In 2024, the consequences are much steeper: Players will be suspended for the season if they are not present by the start of training camp, according to the clause written into the league’s CBA.

The Unrivaled season is expected to wrap up in March, leaving its players with plenty of time to prepare for WNBA training camp.

“It’s the ability for players to stay home, to be in a market like Miami where we can just be the buzz and create that with the best WNBA players,” Stewart told ESPN. “We can’t keep fighting [the WNBA’s prioritization rule]. It is a rule that takes away our choices, which should never be a thing, especially as women, but it is still a rule.”

One of the biggest benefits of players competing in the WNBA and Unrivaled is rest. For the first time, top professional players who wish to earn an income through basketball in the winter won’t be forced to balance two full-season leagues and a 12-month schedule. With the start of WNBA training camp in April and the completion of the season in September, Unrivaled and WNBA competitors will have three months from October, November and December to rest their bodies.

Unrivaled plans to invest in content creation and brand visibility, giving its players an opportunity to market themselves during the WNBA offseason and grow their individual brands year-round.

The league could also be in a unique position to lure top college players out early with substantial contracts compared to WNBA rookie salaries, which currently fall within the range of $65,000 to $74,000 annually.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

Fresh off an action-packed and historic NCAA Tournament, the WNBA will welcome its next class of rookies at the 2023 draft in New York City on Monday night.

Now that the WNBA has released the official list of players who have declared for the WNBA Draft, it’s time for our final mock draft. Barring any trades, here is my projection for every team’s first-round pick heading into the 2023 season.

1. Indiana Fever

Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina

Boston has been our projected No. 1 pick since we started our 2023 mock draft in November, so it’s no surprise she remains at the top now. The Fever could use a dominant post presence to add to their repertoire of young, promising talent, and Boston is exactly that player.

The 6-foot-5 South Carolina center officially declared for the draft after the Gamecocks lost in the Final Four, putting to rest the rumors she might use an additional year of NCAA eligibility. Boston bore the brunt of double and triple teams the last two years, closing out her senior season averaging 13 points, 9.8 rebounds and two blocks on 54.8 percent shooting from the field. Boston makes an impact as much on the defensive end as she does on offense, winning the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

Beyond specific positional needs, the Lynx are searching for sheer talent and a franchise player with this No. 2 pick.

Miller arguably has the most upside of any player on the draft board. The 6-3 guard has a pro-ready build, is a high-level competitor and was dominant all season long, leading Maryland in scoring with 19.7 points per game. She can do a little bit of everything, but the most impressive aspect of Miller’s game is her ability to grab a rebound, advance the ball and make decisions in the open floor. She is a major threat when going downhill. Miller’s production was consistent throughout her senior season, and she took her game to another level against top-ranked opponents and on the biggest stages.

3. Dallas Wings

Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova

Siegrist steadily worked her way up our draft board this season as she showcased her length, efficiency and sheer dominance on the offensive end of the floor. The nation’s leading scorer at 29.2 points per game in 2023, Siegrist would fill a lot of scoring holes for the Wings. She is the most dominant and prolific scorer in this class and, at 6-2, is anything but one-dimensional. She can stretch the floor, as evidenced by her career 34.9 percent 3-point shooting, and she is highly efficient from the floor, averaging a 48.3 field-goal percentage for her career.

4. Washington Mystics

Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State

The 6-6 center is officially draft eligible after she tore her ACL 13 games into the college season and was denied a waiver for an additional year of NCAA eligibility. Soares joined the Cyclones in 2022 after being named two-time NAIA Player of the Year. Even though her first season at the Power 5 level was cut short, her impact and potential were felt immediately.

Players with Soares’ skill set and size don’t come around very often. She can protect the rim with her length and athleticism, and she can also stretch the floor with a strong 3-point shot. In 13 games this season, Soares averaged 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting 54.4 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from the perimeter. While she needs to get healthy and rehab her knee, which will force her to miss the upcoming WNBA season, Soares brings a unique package of size, length and skill that teams would be crazy not to consider. With the right development, her best basketball is ahead of her.

5. Dallas Wings

Jordan Horston, G, Tennessee

If Horston is available here, Dallas has the opportunity to lock up an elite wing with next-level potential. When Horston is at her best, she is one of the most elite players in the country. That potential was on full display in the postseason, with Horston averaging 19 points during Tennessee’s run to the SEC tournament championship game and 16 points in the NCAA Tournament.

At 6-2, Horston has length and athleticism that should translate well to the next level on both ends of the floor. She can score, rebound the ball and elevate over opponents, and her passing ability is underrated. The guard had her most efficient scoring season for Tennessee in 2022-23, shooting 43.8 percent from the field.

6. Atlanta Dream

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

Atlanta will have the chance to add versatility, shot creation and defense with this pick. Jones has long been touted as a lottery selection, so if she were to drop to this point, the Dream could be getting a steal.

Jones is a cerebral player with a proven ability to make those around her better. The 6-1 guard is in a category of her own in this draft class. She can initiate offense as a point-forward, averaging a career-best four assists per game this season, and when she gets downhill in the open floor, her decision-making is elite. On defense, she can handle any matchup handed to her and would fit right into head coach Tanisha Wright’s defensive system.

Jones’ downside is her perimeter shooting: She made only three 3-pointers this past season under 10 percent from deep. She will need to continue to develop her range to stretch defenses at the next level.

7. Indiana Fever

Grace Berger, G, Indiana

The Fever could go in a number of different directions with this pick. In Berger, Indiana would not only be getting an in-state college product but also one of the most experienced and composed players in the draft class. The 6-0 guard has the “it” factor as a tough and disciplined competitor.

While Indiana’s roster looks guard-heavy at first glance, Berger would bring a unique skill set with her mid-range efficiency and her ability to play on or off the ball and rebound from the guard spot. Berger averaged a career-best 5.8 assists per game for Indiana this season, and while she’s not known for her 3-point shot, she averaged 40.7 percent from range this season. Her on-court leadership would be a welcome addition to the Fever’s young, rebuilding roster.

8. Atlanta Dream

Dorka Juhász, F, UConn

Atlanta needs to address interior depth, and with many of the top post prospects returning to the NCAA, this class is slim at the position. Within that group, Juhász stands out as one of the most consistent forwards from her time playing professionally in Hungary and at top collegiate programs in Ohio State and UConn.

At 6-5, Juhász has an elite combination of skill and size, with the mobility and versatility to score and defend. What flies under the radar are her overall basketball IQ and playmaking ability. She averaged a double-double this season for UConn, with 14.5 points and 10 rebounds per game, while also averaging 3.2 assists. Juhász impacts nearly every statistical category and has done so at the highest levels.

9. Seattle Storm

Zia Cooke, G, South Carolina

More than any other team in the league, the Storm need depth in the backcourt. Cooke is coming off one her best and most consistent seasons at South Carolina, having averaged 15.4 points per game while shooting a career-best 40.5 percent from the field. In addition to her scoring, she improved in nearly every area of her game this past season, and her draft stock rose with it. With the ball in her hands more often, she registered the fewest turnovers of her career. If Cooke falls to No. 9, Seattle cannot miss out on the opportunity to select her.

Coming off of playing under Dawn Staley and in three straight Final Fours, Cooke will enter the WNBA with a pro-ready mentality. In South Carolina’s loss to Iowa in the national semifinal, the 5-9 guard stepped up with a team-high 24 points as other players faltered on offense. In Cooke, Seattle would be getting a dynamic scorer and a player capable of initiating the offense, something they desperately need.

10. Los Angeles Sparks

Lou Lopez Sénéchal, G/F, UConn

The Sparks are in dire need of a scoring wing who can stretch the floor as a perimeter threat, and there are several promising prospects who fit that profile.

Lopez Sénéchal made the jump from Fairfield to UConn this past season and thrived in the high-pressure atmosphere as one of the best shotmakers in the country. She increased her efficiency while taking fewer shots per game, shooting a career-best 47.6 percent from the floor and 44 percent from the 3-point line. The 6-1 grad student was forced to step up as UConn dealt with injuries to several key players throughout the season, and she responded, helping the Huskies reach the Sweet 16. Lopez Sénéchal is just the type of wing who could be thrown into the fire her rookie season and produce right away.

11. Dallas Wings

Taylor Mikesell, G, Ohio State

Like the Sparks, the Wings need to add perimeter shooting and should be able to address it with their three first-round picks. Mikesell has a pro-ready frame, skill set and understanding of the game that should translate well to the next level. She is at her best when she can play alongside other aggressive, shot-creating guards. And when she can run off actions and get to her spots, she is one of the most efficient shooters in the country.

Mikesell has proven extremely durable over her career, especially this past season as she helped carry an injury-ridden Ohio State team that was without guard Jacy Sheldon for most of the year. Despite being the focal point of opposing scouting reports every night, the 5-11 guard shot 41.4 percent from deep and showed she can score in other ways. Mikesell has the tools to thrive as a pro when defenses aren’t honed in on her specifically.

12. Minnesota Lynx

Ashley Joens, G/F, Iowa State

Minnesota has a lot of holes to fill, but at this point in the draft, it comes down to the best player still remaining on the board. Joens fits the mold as a tough player with a unique skill set and five years of high-level experience. She has a nonstop motor and a strong work ethic, and when faced with adversity, she finds ways to impact games and manufacture points.

The 6-1 guard averaged 21.6 points per game and 35.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc for the Cyclones this season. She is a career 35.7-percent 3-point shooter with over 950 attempts from the perimeter during her last five seasons in Ames. She makes the right reads, exposes mismatches and creates offense when she needs to. She is also a strong rebounder from the guard spot and can play with her back to the basket. Joens is rarely rattled on the court, but she’ll need to be able to transition from being the go-to player to being efficient while taking way fewer shots in the WNBA.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

With the NCAA Tournament right around the corner and the WNBA season coming into focus, it’s time to update our 2023 WNBA mock draft.

Free agency shifted the WNBA landscape in the past couple of months. The New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces won free agency, signing multiple superstars and forming two WNBA superteams. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lynx struck out, the Chicago Sky’s championship core broke up, and the Los Angeles Sparks stabilized their roster.

On the NCAA side, a number of top-ranked teams have dealt with injuries to key players, but there is plenty of pro-ready talent on the board for 2023. Nearly four months since our first mock draft, here are my projections for every first-round pick in April’s WNBA draft.

1. Indiana Fever

Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina

Nothing to change here. The Fever still could use a dominant post presence to add to their repertoire of young, promising talent, and Boston is exactly that player.

While Boston’s numbers are down, the 6-foot-5 South Carolina center has conducted herself with poise, bearing the brunt of double and triple teams night in and night out. Her 13.3 points on 60 percent shooting from the field and 9.7 rebounds per game are impressive considering teams are focusing their defensive game plans on stopping her. Boston’s impact is felt just as much on defense as it is on offense, most notably in February when she helped hold LSU star forward Angel Reese to her lowest output of the season. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has been adamant that, despite the deflated stat lines, Boston is still “the best player in the country.”

2. Minnesota Lynx

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

The Minnesota Lynx failed to address their center needs in free agency, making this pick even more valuable. Beyond positional needs, the Lynx are searching for talent as they enter the 2023 with nearly the same roster from the past three years but without Sylvia Fowles. This pick will propel or haunt this franchise for years to come, and they cannot afford to miss on it.

Diamond Miller arguably has the most upside of any player on the draft board. The 6-3 guard has a pro-ready build and has been dominant all season long, leading Maryland in scoring with 19.7 points per game. She can do a little bit of everything, with her ability to pass and create, score, defend and rebound. The most impressive aspect of Miller’s game is her ability to grab a rebound, advance the ball and make decisions in the open floor. She is a major threat when going downhill. Miller’s production has been consistent throughout her senior season, and she’s taken her game to another level against top-ranked opponents. While her 3-point shooting percentage is down to 21 percent this season, she is capable of perimeter range, having shot over 30 percent during her NCAA career.

3. Dallas Wings

Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee

The Dallas Wings own the 2023 draft with the No. 3, No. 5 and No. 11 selections, giving them the opportunity to cast a wide net between shooters, combo guards and scorers. Rickea Jackson’s ceiling is sky-high given her athleticism and scoring mentality. Jackson is tough to defend off the dribble, with a quick first step and a great combination of body control and size to finish in the paint. At 6-2, she has the skill set to slide over from wing to forward and can play inside and out. Jackson is putting up the most efficient numbers of her NCAA career this season, shooting 55.2 percent from the field and leading Tennessee with 19.6 points per game. Her stock has only risen with her performances late in the season, including a 26-point double-double to lead the Vols over LSU in the SEC tournament semifinal.

Jackson could use her fifth year of NCAA eligibility next season, but if she were to declare for this year’s draft, Dallas would be hard-pressed to pass over her all-around talent and potential at No. 3.

4. Washington Mystics

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

Washington might have the chance to add versatility, shot creation and defense with one pick. Haley Jones has long been touted as a lottery selection, and if she’s still available at No. 4, the Washington Mystics should scoop her up.

Jones is a cerebral player who has a proven ability to make those around her better. The Stanford senior is in a category of her own in this draft class. She can initiate offense as a point-forward, averaging a career-best 4.1 assists per game this season, and when she gets downhill in the open floor, her decision-making is elite. On defense, she can handle any matchup handed to her.

Jones’ downside is her perimeter shooting, with the 6-1 guard having made only three 3-pointers all season and shooting under 10 percent from deep. She will need to continue to develop her range to stretch defenses at the next level.

5. Dallas Wings

Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova

Based on the makeup of the Wings’ roster after free agency, it is evident they need to address perimeter shooting in this draft. Maddy Siegrist is not only shooting a career-best 37.3 percent from the 3-point line this season, she is also not a one-dimensional scorer.

The 6-2 guard leads the nation in scoring, with 28.9 points per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the field. Siegrist will have a pretty steep learning curve in the WNBA, especially from a physicality standpoint, but the potential for consistent production is there. She has the length, skill and size necessary to succeed at the next level and would fill a major positional gap in Dallas’ roster.

6. Atlanta Dream

Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech

The most glaring concern for the Atlanta Dream heading into 2023 is their lack of a strong post presence, giving them a chance to stock up on talent with their two first-round picks. Elizabeth Kitley could help strengthen that position immediately with her skill and efficiency around the basket. The 6-6 center leads Virginia Tech in scoring and rebounding, averaging a double-double of 18.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

The ACC Player of the Year has great length and rebounding instincts. While often pigeonholed as a traditional center, Kitley plays with a level of finesse and face-up ability that is unique to her size. She arguably is the most skilled post player in this class with her ability to play with her back to the basket, attack off the dribble, create separation with her fadeaway and execute in the high post.

While there is a chance Kitley uses her fifth year of NCAA eligibility, if she declares for the draft, she could help the Dream right away.

7. Indiana Fever

Grace Berger, G, Indiana

The Indiana Fever could go in a number of different directions with this pick. Beyond the sentiment of keeping Hoosiers star Grace Berger in state, the 6-0 guard has the “it” factor as a tough and disciplined competitor. Berger is as steady as they come at the guard spot and has elevated her play in the biggest moments this season. She is one of the most composed players in the 2023 class.

While Indiana’s roster looks a bit guard-heavy at first glance, Berger would bring a unique skill set with her mid-range efficiency and her ability to play on or off the ball and rebound from the guard spot. Berger is averaging a career-best 5.8 assists per game for Indiana this season, and while she’s not known for her 3-point shot, she’s been efficient when she’s taken them, averaging 40 percent from range. Her experience and on-court leadership would be welcome on the Fever’s young, rebuilding roster.

8. Atlanta Dream

Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State

As with the Kitley selection at No. 6, the Dream have an opportunity to double down on a couple of bigs in this draft class — one with immediate potential and one for the future. Before Stephanie Soares suffered a season-ending ACL injury in early January, the 6-6 center was one of Iowa State’s best players after transferring from the NAIA, where she was the two-time league Player of the Year. WNBA teams are so high on Soares that she would likely be a lottery pick if healthy, and still could be in her current state.

Players with Soares’ skill set and size don’t come around very often. She can protect the rim with her length and athleticism while also stretching the floor with a strong 3-point shot. In just 13 games with Iowa State and at the Division I level, Soares averaged 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game while shooting 54.4 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from the perimeter.

WNBA GMs expect Soares to have a long pro future ahead of her, even if she is granted a waiver for an extra year of NCAA eligibility. With Soares, Atlanta could secure a potential unicorn in this class who could continue to be developed and impact the WNBA for a long time once healthy.

9. Seattle Storm

Jordan Horston, G, Tennessee

While the Seattle Storm’s biggest need is at the point guard position, they might be better-served selecting the best player available with the ninth pick. If Jordan Horston were to fall this low, Seattle has an opportunity to lock up an elite wing with next-level potential. When Horston is at her best, she is one of the most elite players in the country. She showcased that during the SEC tournament last week, averaging 19 points and 8.7 rebounds across three games.

At 6-2, Horston has elite length and athleticism that should translate well to the next level on both ends of the floor. She can rebound the ball and elevate over opponents, and her passing ability is underrated. She is also having her most efficient scoring season for Tennessee, shooting 43.6 percent from the field. Horston has top-five pick potential, but if she were to drop to No. 9, Seattle won’t want to miss out on adding a player of her talent to its retooling roster.

10. Los Angeles Sparks

Lou Lopez Sénéchal, G/F, UConn

The Los Angeles Sparks need a scoring wing who can stretch the floor and be a perimeter threat. That only escalated when Katie Lou Samuelson announced she will miss the season due to pregnancy.

Lou Lopez Sénéchal made the jump from Fairfield to UConn this season and has thrived in the high-pressure atmosphere. She has increased her efficiency while taking four to five fewer shots per game, shooting a career-best 46.7 percent from the floor and 43 percent from the 3-point line. The 6-1 grad student has been forced to step up as UConn dealt with injuries to several key players throughout the season, and she has responded, helping the Huskies capture the Big East tournament championship this week. Lopez Sénéchal is just the type of wing Los Angeles could throw into the fire her rookie season.

11. Dallas Wings

Taylor Mikesell, G, Ohio State

Taylor Mikesell has a pro-ready frame, skill set and understanding of the game. She is at her best when she can play alongside other aggressive, shot-creating guards. And when she can run off actions and get to her spots, she is one of the most efficient shooters in the country.

Mikesell has proven extremely durable over her career, especially this season as she’s helped carry an injury-ridden Ohio State team. Despite being the focal point of opposing scouting reports every night, the 5-11 guard is shooting 41 percent from deep and can also score in other ways. She has elite vision and finishing ability at the rim. Mikesell has the tools to thrive as a pro when defenses aren’t honed in on her specifically.

12. Minnesota Lynx

Zia Cooke, G, South Carolina

Minnesota needs both depth in the backcourt and scoring. Cooke is having her best and most consistent season for South Carolina. Not only is she averaging a career-best 40.8 field-goal percentage, but she is also controlling the ball better, with the fewest turnovers of her career.

Cooke thrives in big moments, and no team has played on bigger stages than the Gamecocks in recent years. Having played under head coach Dawn Staley for four seasons, Cooke will enter the WNBA with a pro-ready mentality. With Cooke, the Lynx would get a dynamic scorer and a player capable of initiating the offense alongside Lindsay Allen, two areas Minnesota desperately needs to address.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

We are back with our second annual WNBA Top 50 Big Board. Here, you can find the top players WNBA general managers, scouts and coaches are keeping an eye on as they prepare for the 2023 draft in April.

It is still largely unknown whether these prospects will declare for the draft, use a fifth-year of eligibility or secure an NCAA waiver to return after suffering an injury. But as things stand now, here is the Just Women’s Sports WNBA Big Board.

NOTE: These players do not appear in any specific order.

Aliyah Boston, C, South Carolina

Boston is arguably the most dominant player in the country with her unique combination of size, finishing ability, defense and rebounding prowess. Boston makes the game look easy. She is patient, processes action exceptionally well and is an elite passer out of the post. Her efficiency around the rim requires opponents to game plan for her specifically. Boston demands double and triple teams, and despite what she goes up against every game, she has remained a consistent force and a walking double-double throughout her career. It will be worth watching how her game translates to the next level when opposing defenses aren’t zeroed in on stopping her.

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

Miller might have the most potential and versatility of anyone in this draft class. As a 6-3 guard, she has the length, frame, skill and shot-creating ability to excel at the next level. Miller is putting up career numbers in her fourth year with the Terrapins, averaging 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. The senior is impacting games for Maryland on both sides of the ball with her ability to accelerate in the open floor, her lateral quickness and her wingspan. One of the more underrated aspects of Miller’s game is her ability to facilitate. It’s hard to fathom Miller landing anywhere outside of the lottery in the upcoming draft.

DIAMOND MILLER WITH THE BUZZER BEATER 🚨

No. 20 Maryland takes down No. 7 Notre Dame in a late thriller 😱 @TerpsWBB pic.twitter.com/nxkrN7NDsL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 2, 2022

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

Jones is an all-round player with a phenomenal basketball IQ and passing vision. She can guard any position on the floor and has the versatility to play the coveted point forward. Her size and skill can pose all sorts of mismatch problems for opponents. Jones can score at the rim efficiently and knock down mid-range shots (though her mid-range shooting percentage is down this season). Jones’ inconsistent perimeter shooting is a concern: The senior has made just three 3-pointers for Stanford this season. Her draft position will depend on how teams envision her skill set translating to their system and whether they believe that her offensive perimeter game can expand.

Rickea Jackson, G/F, Tennessee

Jackson has draft lottery potential with the way she can impact a game at every level. She drives aggressively to the basket, making it difficult for defenders to keep her in front of them. She is also a nightmare in the paint, where she can hit shots from mid-range. At 6-foot-2, Jackson has the elite length and skill set for a pro team to leverage in a variety of ways. Where she lands in the WNBA draft could hinge on her performance with Tennessee down the stretch of the season.

RICKEA JACKSON IS THAT GIRL

📺 SEC Network +
📲 https://t.co/dIz0RW8DqA#GoLadyVols pic.twitter.com/l2fpLbKFLf

— Lady Vols Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) January 22, 2023

Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech

Kitley has the length and skill to go along with an elite ability to play with her back to the basket and face up. The back-to-back ACC Player of the Year is currently leading the Hokies with 18.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. She is a serviceable defender who provides rim protection as a shot blocker and uses her basketball IQ to make good decisions. She would add unique depth to any WNBA frontcourt and team that’s willing to develop her for the future.

Jordan Horston, G, Tennessee

At 6-2, Horston has the length and athleticism to impact games as a scoring threat and an elite defender. She is efficient off the dribble and explosive off the bounce, covering a lot of ground with her first step. She can score from deep, expose mismatches on the block and hit mid-range jumpers that are difficult to defend. This season, Horston has shown resilience and an ability to elevate her play in key moments while putting up the most efficient numbers of her college career. Horston certainly has first-round potential if she chooses not to use her extra year of eligibility.

Stephanie Soares, C, Iowa State

The two-time NAIA Player of the Year made an immediate impact at Iowa State, catching the eye of WNBA teams before suffering an ACL tear 13 games into the season. Regardless of whether she requests a waiver for an additional year of eligibility, Soares has made her case for the WNBA. At 6-6, she can shoot the 3, handle the ball and block shots. She has an extremely rare combination of athleticism, size and skill. Every single WNBA team is taking a good look at Soares this season and evaluating her potential. She’ll need to get stronger to compete in the pros, especially on the block, but anyone who watches her can see how high her ceiling is. Soares had draft lottery potential before the injury, and even after it, a team could select her in the first round as an asset for the future.

Another double-double for Stephanie Soares, her seventh of the season, 10 points and 12 rebounds so far!

Q3, 3:48 | 54-41 ISU

🌪🏀🌪 pic.twitter.com/kALwZgIVDI

— Cyclone Basketball (@CycloneWBB) December 31, 2022

Maddy Siegrist, F, Villanova

Siegrist currently leads the nation in scoring at 29.0 points per game. The senior became Villanova’s all-time leading scorer against Creighton in late January and now has over 2,700 points. The 6-1 forward is also putting up her most efficient numbers this season, shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from 3. She has an intriguing skill set and impressive scoring ability, but there are concerns about how her game will translate to the WNBA. At the next level, she’ll be tested on defense and on offense against more complex defensive schemes.

Zia Cooke, G, South Carolina

Cooke is playing some of the best basketball of her career as a senior. Leading the Gamecocks in scoring at 15.5 points per game, the 5-9 guard is effective when shooting from mid-range and getting to the rim. Cooke has lacked consistency from the 3-point line at times during her career, but she is shooting 37 percent from the perimeter this season. She has proven that she can create her own shot and score in bunches. Cooke’s 2023 draft stock can climb if she remains consistent, efficient with her shot selections and continues to make good decisions.

Charisma Osborne, G, UCLA

Osborne has the attention of the WNBA as a dynamic guard able to impact games as both a high-level scorer and an elite defender. Osborne has been UCLA’s primary offensive, three-level scoring weapon for most of her career. With excellent burst and lateral speed, she creates her own shot, adjusts well depending on what defenses throw at her and makes good reads. Osborne’s on-ball defense is as strong as any other player’s in the country. At just 5-8, however, she’ll need to find the right situation to succeed at the next level.

Ris in the mid-range, that's a bucket.

📺: Pac-12 Network
📲: https://t.co/f5YVZnJId9#GoBruins | @CharismaOsborne pic.twitter.com/plty9OvWj3

— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) March 1, 2023

Laeticia Amihere, F, South Carolina

Amihere is flying under the radar in WNBA draft conversations. How often do you find a 6-4 forward with length, athleticism and an ability to play nearly any position on the floor? With a loaded South Carolina team, Amihere makes the most of her 16 minutes per game, averaging 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. Her inside-out game on both offense and defense would allow WNBA teams to go with a bigger, longer lineup — which she has become accustomed to in Dawn Staley’s system. Amihere provides rim protection, rebounds the ball and makes big plays when needed. WNBA teams should have her on their short list heading into the draft.

Taylor Mikesell, G, Ohio State

The fifth-year sharpshooter has the ability to get hot and shift momentum in her team’s favor, knocking down multiple 3s a game. WNBA teams have their eye on players who are efficient shooters and have the ability to stretch the defense with potent perimeter play. Mikesell, a career 41 percent 3-point shooter, is one of the best in the country in that category. The 5-11 guard is not just a one-dimensional scorer, which is a bonus at the next level. She’s athletic with a pro-ready build and great court vision, averaging 2.6 assists per game this season. Mikesell is set up to have a highly successful WNBA career.

Ashley Joens, G, Iowa State

Joens is a highly efficient and experienced guard, capable of exposing mismatches with her size down low. She leads Iowa State in scoring with 20.5 points per game on 34.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line. In addition to her skill set, she has displayed an exemplary work ethic during her five years in Ames. Joens’ draft stock hinges on how teams think her game will translate to the pros, especially when the offense no longer runs through her.

Celeste Taylor, G, Duke

Much of Duke’s success this season is a credit to Taylor, who is putting up the best numbers of her four-year career while earning a reputation as one of the top defenders in the ACC. Taylor leads Duke in scoring (11.8 points per game) and steals (2.0), and she is shooting a career best 40.8 percent from the field. She can score in a variety of ways, most notably from mid-range. The 5-11 guard has improved her perimeter efficiency every season, shooting over 33 percent the past two seasons. Taylor’s elite on-ball and gap defense is a result of her length, explosiveness and instincts. She also rebounds the ball well from the guard spot.

CELESTE TAYLOR CHASEDOWN BLOCK

😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/Tx1Y9fHCdn

— Duke Women’s Basketball (@DukeWBB) February 24, 2023

Alexis Morris, G, LSU

The fifth-year guard made stops at Baylor, Rutgers and Texas A&M before spending the last two years at LSU. Morris has been exceptional for the Tigers as a dynamic guard with a big-time motor who can defend, score and facilitate. The 5-6 point guard is putting up some of the best and most consistent numbers of her career, including from 3-point range, where she is shooting 35.2 percent. Her stock has been on the rise this season and has turned many heads in the WNBA, especially after her 23-point performance against No. 1 South Carolina on Feb. 12. If Morris maintains this level of production, she has a shot to propel herself into the first round of the draft.

Leigha Brown, G, Michigan

Leighia Brown has a versatile skill set and impressive intangibles. She can score, create, rebound and defend. The 6-1 fifth-year can play as the lead guard for Michigan and can also expose mismatches on the block with her ability to play with her back to the basket. She is a three-level scorer, and while her three-point shooting percentage is down this season, she has consistently shot above 30 percent for her career. The area of Brown’s game that is most intriguing is her elite vision and passing ability for her size — she leads Michigan in assists with 5.9 per game this season. Whichever team selects Brown in the upcoming draft will be getting a complete package.

Taylor Robertson, G, Oklahoma

Robertson is a sharp-shooting specialist, averaging 44 percent from 3-point range during her five-year NCAA career. Robertson holds the Big 12 and Oklahoma career 3-point shooting records and is arguably the best shooter in the country. Robertson’s perimeter efficiency warrants a look from any team in the league. If she can make the jump defensively to the pros, she has a shot to make a roster.

Monika Czinano, C, Iowa

Czinano is No. 4 in the country in field-goal percentage, averaging 66.5 percent from the field this season. That mark is not surprising considering the fifth-year center has shot 66 percent for her entire career at Iowa. At 6-3, Czinano could be considered undersized for a traditional five in the WNBA. But her predecessor, Iowa alum Megan Gustafson, is an example of someone who has found ways to make an impact in the league the last four years. Iowa has a strong track record of developing WNBA-ready post players, and Czinano has the tools, low-block understanding and efficiency inside to warrant a look.

That Caitlin Clark ➡️ Monika Czinano connection 😤

📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/sT4cS7Hy6H

— espnW (@espnW) January 24, 2023

Dyaisha Fair, G, Syracuse

Fair has an elite scoring mentality and ability to create her own shot despite her small stature at 5-5. She is especially successful in transition, getting downhill quickly and making it difficult for defenders to get in front of her. Fair has a smooth, steady jumper and can also shoot it from deep. The question is how WNBA teams see her lack of size and efficiency translating to the next level on both sides of the ball. Is she a true point guard and can she defend bigger guards? Can she create her own shot while not getting nearly as many attempts?

Grace Berger, G, Indiana

Berger has been one of the Hoosiers’ most consistent players her entire career. As a combo guard, Berger can play on or off the ball and is averaging the best assist numbers of her career this season at 4.8 per game, despite missing several months with a knee injury. Her offensive arsenal includes one of the best mid-range games in the country, with an ability to create off-ball screens and get off her own shot. One of Berger’s biggest strengths is her smart shot selection. She has a way to manufacture points in the paint, find her way to the rim and take over games. In the WNBA, Berger will likely play as a backup two guard who can initiate offense and provide steady defense. The biggest area of concern is her 3-point shooting, where she has averaged just 30 percent during her career.

Jessika Carter, C, Mississippi State

After redshirting last season, Carter has returned to lead Mississippi State in scoring (14.8 points per game) and blocks (2.1). At 6-5, Carter brings imposing size and one of the best wingspans in this draft class. She also has elite rim protection, rebounding abilities and mobility. Her draft stock depends on how she fares against top-level competition the rest of the season. She would have a learning curve in the WNBA, but she is an intriguing prospect for a team that could commit to developing her.

Hannah Jump, G Stanford

Jump could return to Stanford and use her extra year of eligibility, but regardless of when she enters the draft, there is a need for sharpshooting specialists in the WNBA. The 6-0 guard is ninth in the country with a 44 percent shooting percentage from the perimeter this season. She has great footwork when running off action and spotting up, a quick release, and deep range off the line. In her Stanford career, 79 percent of shots have come from the 3-point line. She is just the type of specialist WNBA teams could be looking for.

.@hannah_jump at the buzzer 🚨 @StanfordWBB

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/y1KvH4J4sy

— espnW (@espnW) December 19, 2021

Mackenzie Holmes, F, Indiana

A highly skilled forward with great hands and finishing ability, Holmes excels at thinking two steps ahead and exposing defenders in the paint. She plays well out of pick-and-roll situations and any five-out or four-out system. At 6-3, Holmes can face up a step off the lane line and sweep and rocker off the dribble. She’ll need to continue to stretch the floor as a perimeter threat. Holmes has indicated her intention to return to Indiana next season for her fifth year, but she is worth noting regardless as one of the top players in the country.

Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State

Sheldon has appeared in just six games for the Buckeyes this season while recovering from a lower leg injury, but her production — over 14 points per game in each of the past three seasons — warrants consideration. The 5-10 wing has a great feel for the game as an offensive slasher and scorer. She has the passing prowess to be efficient in the half-court, with the ability to cut off the ball and be aware of floor spacing. She also can attack the rim and finish in traffic.

Lou Lopez Sénéchal, G/F, UConn

After tearing up the MAAC for three years, Lopez Sénéchal took her talents to UConn, where her production hasn’t skipped a beat. The 6-1 guard/forward is one of the best scorers in the country, and she’s gotten even more efficient at the next level. Last season with Fairfield, she was shooting 43 percent on nearly 17 shots per game for a scoring average of 19.5. With UConn this year, Senechal is taking 12.6 shots per game, boasting a higher efficiency at 46.2 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from deep, and averaging 16.7 points per game. She continues to get better and is now producing on a stage that can prepare her for the pros.

LOU LOPEZ SÉNÉCHAL AT THE BUZZER 🤯

UConn leads South Carolina 25-14 after one. pic.twitter.com/xqwGmp39Jy

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) February 5, 2023

Kayana Traylor, G, Virginia Tech

Traylor is an experienced and versatile guard capable of playing multiple positions on and off the ball. She has a strong motor and explosiveness and can finish through contact at the rim. She is also a capable perimeter threat who demands respect from defenses. A solid defender who’s able to adjust to different schemes, Traylor also has the basketball IQ to contribute as a passer on the other end. She has been a steady player for the Hokies the last two years.

Ashley Owusu, G, Virginia Tech

Owusu started seven games for Virginia Tech before breaking her pinkie in early December. Since she returned in late January, the Maryland transfer has averaged just nine minutes per game. Owusu is an elite facilitator who makes great decisions in the two-man game and is constantly surveying the court for the correct read. When she’s not creating, she is a prolific scorer, capable of putting up big numbers in a variety of ways. If the 6-0 guard continues to struggle to crack the Hokies’ lineup into March, her draft stock could take a hit. While Owusu is draft eligible this season, she could opt to use her fifth year of college eligibility.

Madi Williams, F, Oklahoma

Williams has plenty of intangibles to go along with her five-years of experience as a big guard. She’s been a prolific scorer during her time at Oklahoma, but she is only a 30 percent career 3-point shooter. Williams can handle the ball, can push it in the open floor and has great open court vision. Her stock is dependent on her perimeter shooting and how teams think her game can translate to the wing full-time. Williams has second- or third-round potential.

Abby Meyers, G, Maryland

The reigning Ivy League Player of the Year transferred from Princeton to Maryland this season and made an immediate impact in the competitive Big Ten. The 6-0 guard is averaging 37.9 percent from the 3-point line, just under her career high, and a career-best 2.6 assists per game. Meyers is a natural-born leader who brings poise and composure to the court. She’s not going to turn the ball over much and could be used as a deep shooting threat in the pros. A WNBA team could target her as a late-round, backup option in the draft.

Abby Meyers was unreal tonight 🤯

🏀 24 PTS (10 in Q4)
🏀 11-15 FG
🏀 6 REBS
🏀 3 STLS#FTT x #LegUSy 🐢 pic.twitter.com/aAKZI3KhB4

— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) February 25, 2023

Honesty Scott-Grayson, G, Auburn

Scott-Grayson has been a key contributor for Auburn the past three years, but she’s elevated her play to another level this season. Her numbers are up across the board, with the senior shooting 40.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from the perimeter. The 5-9 guard has a special ability to make tough, contested shots in the mid-range. As she continues to develop her perimeter shooting, she stands out as a three-level scorer with elite athleticism and defensive abilities.

Taiyanna Jackson, C, Kansas

Jackson is an underrated prospect in this draft. At 6-6, she’s having a breakout season for Kansas, coming into her own just in time for the draft. Jackson is averaging a double-double of 15.4 points and 12.6 rebound per game to go along with three blocks per game. She is also shooting a staggering 68.1 percent from the field. Jackson has a pro-ready build with high-level potential for a team willing to develop her.

Aijha Blackwell, G/F, Baylor

Blackwell has played in just eight games for Baylor after suffering a knee injury early in the season. There’s a good chance she returns to the Bears next season, but she is technically draft eligible this year. At 5-11, Blackwell is appealing to WNBA teams because she possesses a combination of versatility and power that is hard to find. She can play within any system and the speed of the game comes naturally to her. She is skilled on the perimeter, and she can expose a mismatch with her back to the basket to go along with her elite rebounding from the guard spot.

Elena Tsineke, G, South Florida

Tsineke is an undersized guard but a dynamic scorer who can create in the full court and out of the pick and roll. She can put up a lot of points and knows how to create space for herself at the rim. She is shooting a career-best 37 percent from 3 this season. Tsineke is one of the more underrated players in the country who has a chance to be a viable, late-round draft pick.

Keishana Washington, G, Drexel

The fifth-year superstar is averaging 27.1 points per game for Drexel, good for third in the nation, and has made it clear she knows how to stuff a stat sheet. Washington’s numbers have increased in nearly every statistical category this year. The 5-7 guard has not only evolved into one of the most versatile scorers in the country, she can also create, leading Drexel with four assists per game. For a team looking for a dynamic scorer who can provide backcourt depth, Washington certainly deserves a look.

.@DrexelWBB's Keishana Washington is averaging 30 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 4.8 APG so far this season. 👀

Most underrated player in the country? pic.twitter.com/yRybaRmMzO

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) November 23, 2022

Dorka Juhász, F, UConn

Juhász is as experienced as they come, competing at a high level internationally before playing a successful three years at Ohio State and the past two at UConn. What makes Juhász so valuable is her ability to understand her role based on the system. She has the IQ and selflessness to compliment key players. At the next level, she can contribute in a multitude of ways, from scoring within 17 feet, rebounding the ball and passing out of the frontcourt.

Brea Beal, G, South Carolina

Brea Beal is intriguing when you consider what she brings as a pure defensive specialist. She has been South Carolina’s longtime leader on defense, thriving in nearly every assignment where she is matched up with the best players in the country. Beal has a strong frame, great lateral speed and elite instincts on and off the ball. She’s an effective rebounder, does not make many mistakes and se takes care of the ball. Still, she’ll need to prove she can be an offensive weapon to make a legitimate impact in the pros.

Victaria Saxton, F, South Carolina

The fifth-year forward is experienced and has been developed as well as they come under coach Dawn Staley. Saxton stands out for her length, especially when she is attacking the offensive glass and creating second and third opportunities for her team. For a team looking for a late-round asset, Saxton is a good option. She’s not going to make a lot of mistakes and could seamlessly integrate into almost any system. She’s also proven to be a solid defender on one of the top defensive programs in the country.

Nice sequence for Victaria Saxton pic.twitter.com/Z2cv5JK38M

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) February 20, 2022

Diamond Battles, G, Georgia

Battles has been on WNBA teams’ radars since her four-year career at UCF. The 5-8 guard has the full package as a facilitating and scoring guard, and her game has translated to her fifth year at Georgia. Her high motor makes her an undeniable asset on both ends of the floor. Battles leads Georgia with 14.4 points and 3.1 assists per game. While her shooting percentages are down this year, she’s a capable perimeter shooter who averaged 36 percent for UCF last season. Battles could serve a WNBA team well as a late-round pick.

Jakia Brown-Turner, G, NC State

The 6-0 wing has a wealth of experience at NC State, starting 120 of 121 games and notching over 3,460 minutes in her career. A three-way scoring threat, she is primarily left-hand dominant when getting it to the rim and uses her shot fakes effectively. She is also a strong rebounder from the guard spot. Brown-Turner has been a steady factor for the Wolfpack, even though she has not had her most efficient season, shooting just 35.9 percent from the field. Her draft stock could hinge on her consistency and ability to make tough shots in March.

Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, F, USF

Mendjiadeu has been a walking double-double for South Florida this season, averaging 17 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. While she has limited range, she has elite efficiency, shooting 60.2 percent from the field this season. The effort she puts forth on the glass is desirable for any franchise looking to create second-chance opportunities. At 6-4, she has the length, strength and motor to hold her own as a proShe has a shot to go much earlier than most are considering. and has a chance to go much earlier than most are expecting her to.

Myah Selland, G/F, South Dakota State

The sixth-year guard has played more minutes than anyone else on this draft board, with over 3,860 and counting. The reigning Summit League Player of the Year impacts the game in nearly every way and is the only active Division I player in the country to score over 1,800 points, collect 750 rebounds and have over 400 assists. She also leads the Summit League in assist-to-turnover ratio. Between her experience, knowledge of the game and overall skill set, she deserves consideration as a late-round draft option.

Shaylee Gonzales, G, Texas

There were questions as to how Gonzales’ game would translate to Texas after a decorated career at BYU. The 5-10 guard has put up big numbers her entire career, and her 12.5 scoring average this season is notable considering she is getting close to five fewer shots per game with the Longhorns. Gonzales has a good handle on the ball and can serve as a great complement to a primary ball-handler in the backcourt. She can score at all three levels and has the body control and strength to finish at the rim in traffic.

That's how you start the game. 🤘 @shayleegonzales pic.twitter.com/YWlIpeKs4A

— Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) February 25, 2023

Erynn Barnum, F, Arkansas

The 6-2 redshirt senior is having a great season this year for the Razorbacks, averaging 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. She is used to an up-tempo system, is an excellent rebounder and finishes strong around the rim. A WNBA team will need to see the potential to expand her ball-handling and perimeter shooting for her to stick to a roster.

Rebeka Mikulášiková, C, Ohio State

Mikulášiková has come into her own this season for Ohio State. Her confidence is at an all-time high as she hones a European skill set with her unique size and powerful game. At 6-4, she can play with her back to the basket and is efficient around the rim, but what makes her so special is her ability to stretch the floor. WNBA teams are always looking for the combination of size and perimeter shooting, and Mikulášiková is averaging a career-best 34.5 percent from deep this season. She still has NCAA eligibility and has yet to decide what she will do after this year.

Sydney Taylor, G, UMass

Taylor has great instincts as a well-rounded guard. The 5-9 sharpshooter has been a prolific scorer the entirety of her career, with half of her shots coming from the perimeter. She has proven that she can get hot and knock down multiple 3s to shift the momentum in a game. She reads defenders well and can run off different actions to create her shot. Given the consistent need for versatile, perimeter shot-makers, Taylor deserves a look in this upcoming draft.

Quinesha Lockett, G, Toledo

Having scored over 1,800 points over four years at Toledo, Lockett has demanded the attention of defensive schemes the entirety of her career. At 5-10, she has a quick first step that allows her to attack her defender’s hip, slide by and finish at the rim. While she can shoot the 3, she’s averaged only 30 percent from the perimeter at Toledo. Lockett has been a consistent scorer, rebounder and defender during her career and is a key reason the Rockets were considered preseason favorites to win the MAC. Lockett deserves a good look as a late-round option.

Lauren Ebo, C, Notre Dame

Ebo has gained considerable experience as a fifth-year grad student for the Irish after playing four years with Texas. At 6-4, Ebo has imposing size and strength on the interior. Her numbers have steadily increased every season, with the center averaging 9.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent from the field. Ebo’s game could translate to the WNBA as a traditional, low-block presence who’s able to play out of the pick and roll.

KK Deans, G, Florida

Deans is undersized as a guard, but her strength and motor make Florida go. The way she plays the game makes her seem much bigger than her 5-8 frame. Deann has shown an ability to get hot from the perimeter, making 2.3 3-pointers per game for Florida this season. She sees the floor well and can create for her teammates. What makes Dean special is her no-quit mentality and ability to impose her will on opponents. She has definite late-round potential.

👌 from 👌@kkdeans with 14 points in the first half against Georgia#NCAAWBB x 🎥 @GatorsWBKpic.twitter.com/vNDMoPsOEZ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) January 8, 2023

Kiki Jefferson, G, James Madison

The 6-1 guard leads James Madison with 18.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game this season. She made the midseason watch list for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Jefferson has good body control in the lane, can see the court well and is both a versatile scorer and elite rebounder from the guard position.

Starr Jacobs, F, UT Arlington

Jacobs was also named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year watch list as the Reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year and WAC Preseason Player of the Year. After a monster redshirt junior campaign, the 6-2 forward leads UT Arlington this season with 17.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on nearly 50 percent shooting from the field. While she’s not a perimeter threat, Jacobs has elite length, athleticism and leaping ability. She also passes the ball exceptionally well and has good control of her length in the paint.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

Editor’s Note: To close out the year, we are recognizing our best stories of 2022. This is the fifth in that series, originally published on July 25. The other stories feature the NWSL’s journey to a historic CBA, Naomi Girma’s rise to stardom, the Indiana Fever’s new era and the rebirth of Indiana basketball.

At 9 years old, Kelsey Plum found herself on the couch, locked into an infamous rivalry game between UConn and Tennessee on TV. Something about the prestige of the matchup, the competitiveness of the game and the aura of Diana Taurasi instantly grabbed her focus.

“At that moment, I started playing basketball,” she says.

Her newfound interest quickly turned into a love as Plum began tagging along with her father to pick-up games, where nobody treated her any differently because of her age or her gender.

“He would tell the guys, ‘Listen, I know she’s my daughter, but treat her like I don’t know her. Beat her up, foul her, block her shot. Whatever you need to do, but don’t go easy on her.’ My dad used to say, ‘If you don’t make shots, we’re going home early.’”

When she was 10 years old, with unwavering confidence, Plum plotted her future.

“I told my mom, ‘I just want to let you know I’m going to be playing in the WNBA,’” she recalls.

“She’s got an ability to laser focus on what’s important now, better than anybody that I’ve ever been around,” says Mike Neighbors, Plum’s college coach. “She can focus and eliminate all the noise and lock in on what’s important. I have never seen a person do it the way she does.”

Seventeen years later, a 10-year-old’s premonition came true. After a record-setting collegiate career at the University of Washington, Plum entered the WNBA in 2017 as the No. 1 overall pick and is now playing the best basketball of her career in her fifth season with the Las Vegas Aces. Earlier this month, she was named All-Star Game MVP in her first appearance.

If you look past the awards and the stat lines, you’ll notice something about Plum this year. Beneath her big smile is an inner peace, and it’s shining through in every facet of her life, especially on the basketball court.

But, as she’ll tell you, that hasn’t always been the case.

Chasing the record

Kelsey Plum remembers the chatter, even when she wasn’t really listening for it.

In the fall of 2016, Plum’s senior season at Washington, she started to close in on the 16-year-old Division I all-time scoring record set by Missouri State’s Jackie Stiles. With each game-high performance and monster scoring night — 44 points against Oregon in December, another 44 against Stanford in January — the inevitability of the feat set in.

On Feb. 25, 2017, in Washington’s last game of the regular season, Plum scored 57 points against Utah on her senior night to reach 3,397 points for her career. The NCAA’s new Division 1 scoring leader was also on her way to breaking the single-season scoring record and sweeping every major Player of the Year award while the Huskies marched to their seventh Sweet 16.

Plum averaged 31.7 points on 53 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point line to finish the season with 1,109 total points. Leaving Washington with 3,527 career points, she remains the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to this day.

In April 2017, the WNBA beckoned. Plum was the consensus No. 1 pick, the future face of the San Antonio Stars. Her career lay ahead of her, just as she’d envisioned it 12 years earlier. And yet, when Plum closed her eyes, something wasn’t right.

“In college, people really noticed all the records and accolades and all the stuff broken, but I was really hurting in terms of my identity and trying to figure out who I was as a person at that time,” she says.

Plum’s pursuit of the career scoring record was the single biggest story in women’s basketball that season, becoming so intoxicating that it took on a life of its own for the senior guard.

“It was all people cared about, you know? There was never a, how am I doing? And it’s not anyone’s fault, it’s human nature,” Plum says. “You see something happening like that and people assume life is great because, you could argue, I probably played one of the best individual years of basketball of all time.”

Plum stayed private off the court as she suffered with anxiety, depression and heavy suicidal thoughts. She was taking antidepressants to get her through the day, and sleeping pills to get her through the night. In between, she was switching on and off of different medications, in search of any form of relief.

“I was living on the edge in terms of just trying to make it through the day. It was brutal,” she says. “I want to be clear that this is not anybody’s fault. Nobody knew I was hurting. I didn’t tell anyone that I was hurting.”

Neighbors, Washington’s head coach, only knew that he wanted to divert as much attention as he could from Plum and the record chase back to the team.

“As a team we tried not to focus on it — everybody else was already doing it,” says Neighbors. “We wanted to focus on our team goals, as we had a lot of pressure on us that season trying to get back to the Final Four.”

While Plum put her head down with the team that season, deep down she continued to suffer.

“It was like the better I did at basketball, the worse I felt on the inside. It was like my identity felt completely gone,” Plum says. “I was just known as the girl that was going to break the record, and that was it.”

Handling the national spotlight

At first, the cameras seemed like a good idea.

During Plum’s senior season, she and the Washington coaching staff had agreed to an in-depth documentary that would tell Plum’s story and pull back the curtain on her history-making season. As the production got underway, they quickly started to realize what was being asked of them was more than they’d signed up for, and that the intent of the film was shifting.

“I had TV cameras following me around on campus, I was on ESPN every other week, I had extra security hired because I would get ambushed at games,” Plum says. “For the first time in my life, I was like, woah, this happened so fast. I don’t even know how to deal with it.”

Back in 2017, Washington and other college programs across the country didn’t have the mental health resources and support staffs that teams do now. As the spotlight on Plum grew brighter, they didn’t have much to rely on outside of themselves.

“That documentary turned out completely different than we had been led to believe, and then the extra security needed,” Neighbors says. “It’s not that we wanted to do it, it’s that there was a need for it.”

Even as Plum’s senior season wound down, her life did not. In a span of eight days, Plum was in eight cities accepting national awards, negotiating professional deals, attending the Final Four, and walking onto the stage at the WNBA Draft in New York City before turning right around to pack and leave for San Antonio.

Plum put her studies on pause for the final quarter of school (she eventually finished her degree while playing professionally in Turkey). It was a lot for anyone to bear, let alone have time to process mentally.

“She had no chance to be a college senior,” Neighbors says. “Those are grown adult decisions and interactions, and as much as you want to think you’re grown, you’re not grown at that age.”

Transition to the WNBA: The battle continues

On the night Plum was selected as the No. 1 pick in the draft, while her family and friends went out to celebrate, she retreated to her hotel room to lay down.

“I was in just a very dark, dark place,” Plum says.

The expectations followed Plum to San Antonio and enveloped her. After she rolled her ankle in training camp and missed the first three games of the season, she forced herself to try to come back too soon. In her WNBA debut against the Dallas Wings on May 25, she scored four points in just over 12 minutes.

The Stars started the season with 14 straight losses and went on to finish 8-26 and last in the WNBA standings.

Ahead of the 2018 season, the team moved to Las Vegas and was rebranded as the Aces. After another losing season and missed playoff opportunity, the team started to put it together. Plum did her part on the court, averaging 8.8 points and starting 80 of the 96 games she played across her first three seasons, while the Aces finished fourth in 2019 and advanced to the semifinals.

“I didn’t play terrible. It wasn’t terrible. It just wasn’t what people thought it would be,” she says.

Plum had become a scoring machine her senior year at Washington. There was an expectation that she would produce similar numbers in the pros. When it didn’t happen overnight, a lot of the same people who praised her just months before started to question her abilities.

“You start to realize how much you value other people’s opinion,” Plum says. “When it’s going good, it’s going great, but when it’s going bad, it broke me.

“People were like, ‘What’s wrong with you? Did you forget how to play basketball? I miss the old Kelsey. I miss the Washington Kelsey.’ It was just absolutely brutal.”

Plum’s internal battle raged on as she continued to question her value and identity outside of a game, a record or an expectation.

“I think that you work for something your entire life, thinking that it’s going to bring you that satisfaction, and when you finally get it, you realize it’s the emptiest thing in the world,” she says.

“I just was like, well, what am I even here for? I did everything I was supposed to do, everything everyone told me I should do, and I did it and I feel like just absolute s—t. I don’t even know who I am, I don’t even know what I like to do, I don’t know anything about my value outside of basketball. I didn’t know anything.”

An unexpected blessing

As the Aces headed into the playoffs in 2019 for the first time in five years, Plum felt something shift on the court. Starting three of the five games they played before elimination, she was suddenly playing and shooting more freely. Taking 3.6 more shots a game, she averaged 15.2 points on 49.2 percent shooting from the field and 52.9 percent from 3 while also dishing out 7.8 assists.

But despite the breakthrough in her game, her mental struggles remained.

In June 2020, three years after she’d broken the NCAA scoring record, Plum was preparing for her fourth season in the WNBA and her first Olympics with the United States’ 3×3 team when it all came screeching to a halt. She was playing pick-up basketball in Portland, Ore. when she planted her left foot and felt a pop.

Plum soon learned she had torn her Achilles, an injury that would sideline her from USA Basketball and the Aces for the 2020 WNBA season, played out over three months in a “bubble” in Bradenton, Fla. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of panicking at the initial diagnosis, Plum felt a sense of peace.

“I remember getting driven to the hospital, and one of my best friends took me and you could tell he was visibly upset,” she says. “I remember looking at him and thinking, you know what, it’s going to be OK. It was almost like a sigh of relief.”

Between her whirlwind senior season at Washington and the grueling year-round WNBA and overseas playing schedule, Plum had been going nonstop for the last five years. The fast-paced lifestyle was all she knew.

“It was like, well, I definitely can’t do anything now, so let me just take a second and take a deep breath. I felt for the first time my life kind of stood still,” she says.

During her recovery, she received some of the best care in the world from top surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the same doctor who performed Breanna Stewart’s Achilles surgery a year earlier. From there, Plum focused on rest and physical therapy as the 2020 WNBA season carried on without her.

While she physically was on the road to recovery, her life had also finally slowed down. It gave her the opportunity to focus on her mental health. Plum started working with a full-time mental coach, who encouraged her to practice meditation and gratitude and rediscover her spiritual side.

“I knew that when I came back to basketball, the skill was there. I was not worried about that,” she says. “It was me just being able to focus on those other areas. It was kind of just getting everything else full circle so, when I came back, I would be better prepared foundationally.”

Plum also joined Neighbors’ staff that fall at the University of Arkansas, where he’d been hired as head coach days after Plum’s senior season at Washington. Serving as a graduate assistant not only helped her take her mind off the injury, but also allowed her to view the game from a different perspective and make an impact in a new way.

While away from the WNBA, Plum would get phone calls and messages from teammates and friends. They told her that if she’d had to miss a season, the 2020 bubble season was the one, which helped ease her mind.

Two years after the injury, Plum is playing MVP-level basketball. After winning a gold medal with Team USA in the first-ever Olympic 3×3 basketball competition in Tokyo last summer, she’s now leading the Aces in scoring — and is behind only Stewart in the league —with 20.1 points per game on 41.5 percent shooting from 3 and in a career-high 33 minutes per game. With a game-high 29 points in Las Vegas’ 84-66 win over the Sparks on Saturday, Plum helped the Aces clinch a playoff spot for the fourth straight season.

WOOF! WOOF! 🐶

Plum-Dawg led all scorers in the Aces' playoff-clinching win over the Sparks 💪@kelseyplum10: 29 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL pic.twitter.com/trx2lGvfZH

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 24, 2022

The attention off the court has ramped up again, but she feels far more equipped to handle it. Days after winning All-Star Game MVP, she signed on with GSTQ, a women’s lifestyle and luxury collection, as a brand ambassador.

By sharing her story now, Plum wants to help others facing their own battles with mental health.

“I understand that God has brought me through this, not just to build my character, but to maybe help someone else,” she says. “I know there’s somebody — maybe it’s in this next draft, or not even in basketball, just in life — that’s going through it and maybe doesn’t have to go through it the way that I did.”

When asked what she would tell that somebody, her mind traces back to her lowest points, and what she wished she knew then.

“You can’t do it by yourself. You have to try to build those strong support systems. Your identity can’t be ‘so and so, the basketball player’ because I promise you, it’s not enough. You’ve got to have something else outside of it,” says Plum, who’s rediscovered the joy in spending time at home, visiting with her family and pulling off pranks.

“Finally, remember why you started playing. I lost that joy for a couple years and I think that people saw that. They didn’t mean to say, ‘We miss the Kelsey from Washington.’ They meant to say they miss the creativity and competitiveness and the love of the game. Instead of out there playing scared, or out there playing not to make a mistake, you’ve just got to remember why you started in the first place. I play because I love this game.”

Mental health is a daily journey for Plum. While recovering from her Achilles tear, Plum began to value her quiet time, allowing herself to reflect and refocus on the things that matter most to her. She still journals and writes down 10 things she is grateful for every morning, and then visualizes herself succeeding in whatever the day might bring.

“I feel like it was just a great time of peace and being alone with no noise,” she says. “I thank God for it every day. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me in my career — probably in my life so far.”

A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ No. 1 pick the year after Plum, has watched her evolve over the past five years, through the good and the bad. This season, Plum is living and playing with a joy that, for the first time, isn’t tethered to outside expectations.

“I think she understands that she doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone,” Wilson says. “Once she got past that, I think that’s when the floodgates opened for her. When you have someone that has found themselves on and off the court, that’s what you see in the beauty of her game right now.”

With the help of her daily routines, Plum is focused most of all on being present. When she has a great day at practice or a double-digit scoring night in an Aces win, it’s easy to smile and lift up the people around her. But when she has an off night, that feeling comes just as easily.

That’s how Kelsey Plum knows she’s grounded, and healing with each day.

“I’m having so much fun in life right now. This team is unbelievably fun and wild and it’s just a joy. It’s pure joy,” she says. “I feel like God has given me so much in this life, and in any situation, wherever I am, I feel like I try to bring a light and a joy to life.

“And for the first time in a long time, I feel like myself again.”

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

The 2023 WNBA Draft Lottery took place last week, setting the draft order just as the NCAA women’s basketball season gets underway. It’s never too early to start analyzing WNBA teams’ needs and the pro potential of top college prospects.

While the next versions of this could look very different based on changes to the draft order and players’ stock rising and falling, our first-round mock draft will serve as a starting point. So, let’s have some fun with it.

Note: This mock draft is taking into account draft-eligible student-athletes. It is unknown right now who will declare for the 2023 WNBA Draft and who will opt to use their fifth year of NCAA eligibility.

1. Indiana Fever

Aliyah Boston, F, South Carolina

Indiana couldn’t have secured the first No. 1 draft pick in franchise history at a better time. The Fever are still in the midst of a full-fledged rebuild, most recently naming longtime WNBA assistant Christie Sides as their next head coach.

Indiana could use franchise talent at any position to build around for the future. Assuming the reigning National and Defensive Player of the Year Aliyah Boston declares for this year’s draft, she is the clear No. 1 pick. The South Carolina forward is a generational talent with her combination of size, offensive and defensive impact and experience.

At 6-foot-5, Boston makes everyone around her better, requiring opponents to game-plan specifically for her night in and night out. She is an elite rebounder, especially on the offensive glass. She is also an efficient shooter even when facing double and triple teams, shooting nearly 77 percent from the field through the first two games this season and 55 percent from the field for her career.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech

The Lynx will look to retool this offseason as they turn the page from the Sylvia Fowles era. This is a pivotal moment for Minnesota, who scored big with the No. 2 pick in the lottery. The direction they take with this pick will follow them for years to come, and what they need most is an interior presence in the post, followed by a point guard.

If Elizabeth Kitley declares for the draft, Minnesota would be remiss not to seriously consider the center. Kitley brings versatility and efficiency on offense, length at 6-6 and strong rebounding instincts. She arguably is the most skilled of any post player in this class with her ability to play with her back to the basket, face up and attack off the dribble, and advance the ball in the open court. She can also stretch the floor with an improved 3-point shot. Kitley offers the full package that WNBA teams covet.

3. Atlanta Dream

Haley Jones, G, Stanford

The Dream could certainly afford to add a dominant forward this offseason, but I think they’re better off fulfilling that need in free agency. Their next area of concern is the backcourt after the team finished last in the league in assists per game last season.

Haley Jones is in a category of her own with her combination of size, athleticism, versatility, court vision and basketball IQ. While it is too early in the season to evaluate how much she has improved her perimeter shooting, Jones’ assist numbers have increased every season she’s been at Stanford, with the senior averaging 3.8 through five games this season. She has great instincts and can defend any position on the floor.

4. Washington Mystics

Diamond Miller, G, Maryland

Newly named head coach Eric Thibault said in his introductory press conference that he intends for the Mystics to play with more pace and space on both offense and defense next season. Diamond Miller is exactly the type of two-way player who can thrive in that system.

Miller has the rare blend of length, as a 6-3 guard, and athleticism that can fit into any WNBA offensive scheme. She’s used to playing in a high-paced offense under Brenda Frese at Maryland, averaging 17.3 points, 2.3 assists and two steals while shooting a career-best 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Miller’s future hinges on her consistency after she missed the majority of her junior season with a knee injury. If Miller can stay healthy and continue to showcase her unique skill set, she has the potential to be a home-run for any franchise in this draft class.

5. Chicago Sky

Ashley Joens, G/F, Iowa State

It is difficult to predict what exactly the Sky’s needs are this early in the offseason, but roster change feels imminent. Most of the Sky’s core players are unrestricted free agents, and there is always the possibility that 14-year veteran Allie Quigley retires.

Chicago is going to need scoring, versatility and high IQ to replace the skill they might lose. Ashley Joens fits that mold well as a tough fifth-year guard who brings high-level experience, a nonstop motor, competitiveness and versatile scoring abilities. The 6-1 guard has averaged over 20 points per game and 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc her last four seasons in Ames.

While Joens has been one of the most offensively prolific scorers in the country for years, she impacts the game in a multitude of ways. She is a strong rebounder from the guard spot, she can take advantage of mismatches while playing with her back to the basket, and she has great vision as a passer and an elite understanding of the game. Joens is rarely rattled on the court, and she would be a great addition to a Sky roster that might be in rebuild mode.

6. New York Liberty

Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State

The Liberty were able to piece together their backcourt last season to give Sabrina Ionescu the ability to play off the ball, but now they’re tasked with finding a more permanent solution and depth for the future.

Jacy Sheldon is a versatile scorer who can play on or off the ball and does a good job of reading what the defense gives her. The 5-10 guard is a career 35 percent 3-point shooter and is an efficient finisher at the rim, an area where the Liberty struggled last season. While Sheldon might take some time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the WNBA game, she is tough enough to compete on the defensive end, currently leading the nation with 8.5 steals per game. Sheldon could be just the complementary piece the Liberty need for Ionescu to take the franchise to the next level.

7. Indiana Fever

Grace Berger, G, Indiana

The Fever’s future is promising with a roster full of young, skilled talent, but they still have holes to fill. Indiana struggled to take care of the basketball, score efficiently and defend last season, making room for a poised combo guard who can help bring all the talent on this roster together.

Fifth-year guard Grace Berger has been a consistent leader and calming presence for the rising Hoosiers, with the ability to process the game three steps ahead. Berger can play on or off the ball as a complementary guard, and she can create for others, averaging a career-high 5.7 assists through three games this season. At 6-1, she has the size, strength and athleticism to make the jump to the pros. Berger is smooth off the dribble and can create space for herself with an elite mid-range pull-up. She’ll need to continue to work on her perimeter shot, but she would be a piece to the puzzle that this Fever roster does not currently have.

8. Atlanta Dream

Rickea Jackson, F, Tennessee

I would be surprised if the Dream ended up keeping this pick. It’s more likely that they include it in a trade package for a top free agent, but if they don’t, they could use it for additional depth at the forward position.

If Rickea Jackson fell to No. 8, Atlanta would be hard-pressed to pass on her. Jackson can go get her own shot, averaging 16.2 points per game during her college career and a career-best 7.7 rebounds per game this season. With a quick first step toward the rim, she’s tough to defend off the dribble. As more of a natural wing, she has the size and skill to expose mismatches and play in an up-tempo, pro-style system.

Jackson’s time at Mississippi State was plagued by head coaching changes. The extent to which she buys in and evolves under Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper this season will determine how teams evaluate her. If she can fine-tune certain areas of her game and improve her defense, I see no reason for her not to be one of the top prospects in this class.

9. Seattle Storm

Dyaisha Fair, G, Syracuse

Assuming the Storm don’t use this pick in a trade for a veteran, they could clearly use depth at the point guard position in the wake of Sue Bird’s retirement. While time will tell how well Dyaisha Fair transitions from the MAC to the ACC this season, she has the potential to be the most dynamic guard in the 2023 draft class.

Fair can flat-out score the basketball, tallying over 2,000 points in three seasons at the University at Buffalo and averaging 20-plus points per game since she was a freshman. She is a shifty guard with a high motor who also impacts the game on the other end of the floor as a pesky on-ball defender. She can create for herself and score at all three levels, shooting a career-best 37 percent from the field her junior year. At just 5-5, Fair has also averaged 4.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game for her career.

10. Connecticut Sun

Aijha Blackwell, G/F, Baylor

It’s the end of an era in Connecticut, where the roster could look vastly different next season. Regardless of the changes to come, it seems safe to assume the Sun will need depth at the wing/forward position.

Aijha Blackwell is one of the most elite rebounders in the country with her power and explosiveness to the glass. With a pro-ready frame, she gets to the free-throw line often and can defend anywhere on the court. At 6-0, Blackwell has been a bit of a tweener during her college career, primarily playing forward. Her ability to shift over to the wing permanently will be crucial to her WNBA draft stock, but Blackwell has all the tools to make the change. She can handle the ball in the open court, be aggressive in transition, finish through contact and score at three levels. While her full-time perimeter transition could take time, she’ll be one of the most sought-after prospects in the draft because of her upside.

11. Dallas Wings

Stephanie Soares, F/C, Iowa State

Depending on how free agency shakes out, there is a good chance the Wings add size and depth in the paint. That leads me to my surprise pick in Stephanie Soares.

Players with Soares’ skill set don’t come around very often. At 6-6, she can protect the rim with her size and athleticism while also stretching the floor with a 3-point shot. Through her first three games with the No. 7 Cyclones this season, she is averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.3 assists. Teams will continue to evaluate how the two-time NAIA Player of the Year’s game translates to the physicality of the Big 12, but Soares has the potential to be a hidden gem for first-year head coach Latricia Trammell if the Wings can be patient with her development.

12. Minnesota Lynx

Charisma Osborne, G, UCLA

The Lynx can’t afford to have a bad offseason — the moves they make in the next six months will define their trajectory for years to come. After securing elite size, length and skill in Kitley, Minnesota has a chance to cure their backcourt woes by adding a point guard with this pick.

Osborne can play on or off the ball, has the size and speed needed for the WNBA and is one of the most efficient guards in the class when attacking off the dribble. She can also make defenses respect her from the perimeter as a career 33-percent 3-point shooter. Osborne seems to be on a mission early in her senior year with UCLA, averaging career-highs in points (20.3) and rebounds (10.7) per game.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

The 2022 WNBA Finals stage is set as the No. 1 Las Vegas Aces and No. 3 Connecticut Sun will square off in a best-of-five series in pursuit of each franchise’s first-ever championship.

The Aces, after finishing a league-best 26-10 in the regular season, swept the Phoenix Mercury in two games before beating the Seattle Storm 3-1 in the semifinals. First-year head coach Becky Hammon was named WNBA Coach of the Year, while A’ja Wilson earned the league’s Most Valuable Player award for the second time in her career.

The Sun went 25-11 to close out the regular season before defeating the Dallas Wings 2-1 in the opening round of the playoffs. On Thursday, they knocked off the defending WNBA champion Chicago Sky in a crucial Game 5 finale to advance to their fourth Finals in franchise history.

The Aces went 2-1 against the Sun during the regular season, with all three games decided by eight points or fewer. On May 31, the Aces won 89-81, and two days later the Sun pulled off a 97-90 victory on the road. It has been nearly two months since the teams last met. Las Vegas won their lone game in Connecticut on July 17, 91-83.

With anonymous insight from two current WNBA coaches, who studied and game-planned against Connecticut and Las Vegas during the season, we break down the key questions of the matchup and what it will take for either team to win a title.

First, the Sun are 10th in the league with 15.6 turnovers per game, while the Aces led the league with just 11.7 per game. Connecticut averaged the same amount against the Aces in their first three meetings this season. In their one win over the Aces, the Sun limited their turnovers to nine. Taking care of the basketball will be especially important for the underdogs.

Second, the Sun are not only the top rebounding team in the league but also first in offensive rebounds, pulling down 10.2 a game. They also average a league-best 13.5 points off second-chance opportunities, whereas the Aces average 6.9 offensive rebounds per game, the second-lowest mark in the WNBA during the season.

Third, half of Connecticut’s points come in the paint, whereas Las Vegas generates around 38 percent of its offense in the paint. Whichever team can control the paint consistently in this series will have a major edge.

Here is what the two WNBA coaches had to say about this Finals matchup.

How do you contain the Aces offensively?

Coach 1: Naturally playoff basketball slows down, and I don’t necessarily think that there is going to be an intention of slowing the game down. Connecticut is going to play their pace, and that has been how they’ve had success. The issue is going to be if they don’t take care of the basketball. If they have 23 turnovers again, they won’t win. Connecticut doesn’t normally take a shot early in the shot clock unless it’s a true fast break. At this point, you are very seldom trying to change what you do except alter a few things to neutralize the opponent. That might come in an occasional blitz or an occasional trap on some people, just trying to steal some possessions here and there. Everyone is too familiar with each other at this point.

Coach 2: As coaches, we always say, ‘Continue to do what got you there, but you’ve got to throw wrinkles in at this stage of the game.’ Connecticut has to focus on transition defense and dropping three and defending the rebound because Connecticut can pick up in the full court. Let’s talk about Chelsea Gray — I love her and she’s on fire. She prefers that middle range, middle right side of the floor and averages about five jump shots a game. I would pick her up a little bit before halfcourt if they can. If you notice, she will turn her hip into the defender; she doesn’t like pressure. If she does that, it takes away the shot clock and also takes away half of her vision so she doesn’t see the floor as well. So get up, pressure her, make her get the ball out of her hands.

When it comes to A’ja Wilson, throw Jonquel Jones at her. She’s shooting 58 percent at the rim this season and she loves the left block. But Connecticut a lot of times has played behind her, and there’s no way I’d let her square up her shoulders to the ball, especially on the left block. I would over-deny her. I would extend that arm, make her catch it extended off the block but also make the guards pass it to her towards the baseline. Vegas is going to expect the double team, so I would hold onto that wrinkle for later in the game and see what happens.

Kelsey Plum is Kelsey Plum — you have to match up with her in transition right away. That’s where the drop three comes into the equation. Riquna Williams is an offensive spark plug off the bench. I’d make her put it on the deck. She doesn’t make great decisions in traffic, and if you give her a straight-line drive, that’s different. Same thing with Theresa Plaisance. Eighty-five percent of her shots are from 3. Make her put it on the deck and she’s turnover-prone. I would run her off the line.

You have to get Vegas into their bench — that’s their lack of depth.

What are the keys for each team to be successful?

Coach 1: Vegas is going to be Vegas. They’re not trying to do anything any differently, and that is to outscore you. That’s the key. They figured out that they need to feed the monster first. That also plays to their need to establish an inside presence and play from the inside out.

Vegas is going to have to defend without fouling because that slows the game down. It results in easy points and will force them to have to get into their bench.

Sometimes we just assume that they’re a really good rebounding team, but they’re not. So, Vegas is going to have to rebound the basketball. Their offense is a lot of 4-out-1-in, quick shots, long rebounds, other people can get it, so you have to pursue the glass.

For Connecticut, if they can make more free throws than Vegas attempts, that’s a plus for them.

Defensively, it’s about containing the three-headed monster of Las Vegas, and you do that by breaking rhythm. Now, that’s easier said than done. You can’t have a steady diet of one scheme. Vegas kind of helps that at times because Wilson gets away from the block a lot. There have been moments when she wasn’t getting on the block a lot and she had sort of fallen in love with the jumper. For opponents, it’s like please shoot that jumper all day, and that favors Connecticut. Your percentages go down. Now Wilson’s percentages are good from the perimeter, but they aren’t what they are in the paint. It’s a game of percentages in a five-game series.

Gray is a problem. We threw all we could at her. She’s tough. We just wanted to break her rhythm. The second key is Plum. She’s hard to trap, but when you scheme for her, if she doesn’t get her touches, she gets kind of thirsty so you know when it’s going up. Try and get Wilson to fall in love with the face-up perimeter game and get Plum antsy. Nobody has been able to crack that code, but you have to contain the three-headed monster.

You’ve got to try to get Vegas into their four-guard lineup. When we first did it, it was to rest Wilson and hide Kiah Stokes. The longer they do that, it works in the Sun’s favor. It stresses them out more than the other because their playbook is shrunk. You can switch 85-90 percent of your screens, and then when they are switching everything, they have two place — if you don’t change — where they have to cover for one another. We wanted them to go to that because we knew what they were going to run.

Coach 2: Connecticut must communicate on both sides of the basketball. They’ve got to contain every player that steps on the court, get to the free-throw line, limit turnovers, box out. Offensive rebounds are also going to be big for Sun, and getting extra possessions and being able to rely on their paint points. Vegas allows a lot of paint points — that should play in the Sun’s favor majorly. Transition defense is very important, and they have to execute with discipline on offense with great spacing. Las Vegas is not overly aggressive on the first pass, so that works in Connecticut’s favor to able to run their action.

Defensively, the Sun can throw them off rhythm by throwing some traps at them, overplaying them and keeping them out of the middle of the floor. A lot of their drives and penetration come from the middle of the floor, so keep them pinned to the sideline.

Vegas has to have a no-paint mentality. Keep Connecticut away from the paint. I would sag off a bit, other than a couple players who you know can get hot, maybe DeWanna Bonner or Natisha Heideman, but really keep them off the offensive boards. Vegas has to block out.

The Aces need to be themselves, find their rhythm early and strike first. Establish Wilson early and get her going. Limit their turnovers because that’s how Connecticut gets a lot of their offense. Maybe bigger than any other stat, Las Vegas has got to rebound the basketball, which is a daunting task against the Sun at times.

Who has the edge in the paint? Backcourt?

Coach 1: Vegas has the advantage in the backcourt offensively for sure, but it depends on what you’re looking at. They’re not trying to play any defense. And then Jackie Young, if they run certain things, you can neutralize her if you put her in a ball screen with your best four and they switch. If Connecticut can make the fourth or fifth pass, get to the third side of the floor and it will slow the game down, it will stress out their defenders on the perimeter outside of Young, and that can be hugely beneficial.

Coach 2: Connecticut has the edge in the paint, I mean that’s how they get all their points by forcing turnovers, getting out in transition. It’s what they do. Their weakness is 3-point shooting. When they start playing individual basketball, it’s usually caused by ball pressure and teams not giving them paint touches.

Vegas has the best guards right now. Jackie Young is a silent killer. She and Kelsey Plum are unmatched if they’re in their flow and playing well.

What makes the Aces so good offensively?

Coach 1: Chelsea Gray. That’s not taking anything away from the MVP. The MVP doesn’t run the offense. The MVP is being directed to the conductor. She orchestrates it all.

Coach 2: They can score from any area on the floor, one through five. They play a little bit of that positionless basketball. Teams are forced to try and pick their poison, and it has been a headache for everyone all year long. Everyone on this team has improved, and they’re playing in a style that only enhances each of them. Everyone is in extraordinary shape and can go forever. They have a swagger and a confidence to them that goes unphased a lot of the time.

What makes the Sun so good defensively?

Coach 1: It’s length and physicality. You think about DeWanna Bonner at the three, that’s length. Alyssa Thomas at the four, that’s physicality. Jonquel Jones speaks for itself. But that same length can play with pace and crash the offensive boards, so they aren’t just one dimensional in their length. And if the ball is making extra passes, that’s when it really comes into play. You can’t play pretty against them. They won’t allow it.

I mean this in a complimentary way, but Thomas is not the most skilled. She is the least skilled of all of them out there, but her heart is the most skilled. Courtney Williams has an edge. Even if Odyssey Sims comes in for two minutes, she has an edge. They’re not going to be bullied, they aren’t going to be punked. While Vegas is the favorite, if Connecticut can muck it up, it can get ugly and Vegas can get frustrated.

Coach 2: I love Connecticut’s defense and I love the physicality. That’s what they do best. They take pride in that physicality. At times, they will drop three. At times, they will do their full-court press, which is really good. We know their defense keeps them in games. They’re active, aggressive, their shell is tight, they bring intensity, they will switch and shoot the gaps, they will ice, they will hard hedge, they force middle on pick-and-roll and force to players off hand, they play behind in the post (although I would change that a bit in this first game). They trap at times. They are last in blocks, but that’s not a big deal. They are good at altering shots and they clear the rebound.

What is it about Becky Hammon and Curt Miller that has gotten them to this point?

Coach 1: They both have a core that has experience. So then it comes down to how much experience do they personally have with their given core? Who can hold true to what’s gotten them there and challenge their players to do it better without abandoning it in the heat of the moment?

In terms of adjustments, Curt lost at point guard. So, he will be making more adjustments. Becky won’t have to in the moment. That’s OK because he has that core, he’s been doing it more. That gives Becky a chance to focus elsewhere. I think whatever lack of experience Becky has with her core, Gray and Plum help that. The MVP, DPOY and MIP all help that.

Coach 2: It’s their preparation and taking pride in what you do and doing everything you can possibly do to help your team be successful. These are things they have been preparing for since day one. They are smart, they understand the game, and they are teachers of the game. When you have a strategic mind, the way those two do, this is what you’re going to get. They listen to their players, they get advice from their players. They watch so much film. It’s a chess game, saying ‘what if this happens?’ And being ready for it. Knowing time and score, knowing special situations, who they are going to pick on. They are fully and totally prepared, and that is why they are in the championship game.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

The WNBA playoffs and end-of-season awards are right around the corner. With five playoff spots secured, and five other teams vying for the final two slots, it’s time to address some of the biggest debates in our anonymous poll.

We contacted 20 league personnel consisting of general managers, head coaches, assistant coaches and PR representatives from all 12 franchises to get their take on 11 important questions.

Who is league MVP so far this season?

A’ja Wilson, LV: 8
Kelsey Plum, LV: 6
Breanna Stewart, SEA: 3
Candace Parker, CHI: 1
Courtney Vandersloot, CHI: 1
Sylvia Fowles, MIN: 1

While this year’s MVP race does not feel as clear as those in recent memory, the results at the top were somewhat definitive, with Las Vegas Aces teammates A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum making up 70 percent of the vote.

Wilson, drawing eight of the twenty votes in our poll, is second on the Aces in scoring at 19.6 points per game, the third-highest mark of her career. The 2020 WNBA MVP has also shown off her expanded game this season, shooting a career-high 50.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3.

Plum leads the second-place Aces in scoring at 19.9 points per game this season. Her efficiency from beyond the 3-point line and ability to create for her teammates, evident in her career-high 5.1 assists per game, makes Plum a true MVP contender.

There is also a clear MVP case for Stewart, who accounts for 27 percent of the Storm’s points per game and leads the WNBA in win shares, though she received only three votes here. The overall lack of votes for players on the reigning champion Chicago Sky is also surprising given how much Candace Parker and Courtney Vandersloot have contributed to the team’s league-leading 25-9 record.

Sylvia Fowles is having a memorable farewell season, but she doesn’t stack up with the rest of the top contenders, mainly due to the Minnesota Lynx’s middling record.

Who is the Most Improved Player so far this season?

Jackie Young, LV: 5
Kelsey Plum, LV: 5
AD Durr, ATL: 2
Natisha Heideman, CON: 2
Aari McDonald, ATL: 2
Azurá Stevens, CHI: 1
Natasha Howard, NY: 1
Teaira McCowan, DAL: 1
Victoria Vivians, IND: 1

You can make a strong case for all nine of the players who received votes for Most Improved Player, but it’s still clearly a two-person race between Plum and Jackie Young. Let’s take a look at some of their side-by-side statistics from last season to this one.

The most glaring difference to me is the increase in Plum’s minutes from 2021 to ‘22. The guard is playing an additional seven minutes per game this season, and with the ball in her hands more thanks to first-year coach Becky Hammon’s offensive system, it’s less of a surprise that her numbers have increased as a result.

Meanwhile, in just 2.6 more minutes per game, Young has made her biggest improvement in 3-point shooting, averaging 44.1 percent in 2022 compared to 25 percent last year. That level of efficiency, combined with her overall production for the 24-10 Aces, gives her the slight edge in my book.

Who is the Coach of the Year so far this season?

James Wade, CHI: 7
Becky Hammon, LV: 6
Tanisha Wright, ATL: 5
Mike Thibault, WSH: 1
Curt Miller, CON: 1

Three years after winning his first and only Coach of the Year award, James Wade leads our anonymous poll with seven total votes. Hammon, in her first year coaching Las Vegas, follows closely behind with six. Tanisha Wright rounds out the majority with five, while reigning Coach of the Year Curt Miller and Mike Thibault each received one vote.

It’s hard to argue against the coach who has led his team to a 25-9 record and the top of the league standings, one game ahead of the Aces. Wade and the Sky won the championship last year after a below-average regular season, and they have maintained that dominance consistently in 2022.

Beyond Wade, Tanisha Wright deserves major consideration for the way she has turned a young Atlanta Dream team from a league bottom-dweller into a playoff hopeful in her first season at the helm.

Who is the Defensive Player of the Year so far this season?

Alyssa Thomas, CON: 9
Breanna Stewart, SEA: 3
A’ja Wilson, LV: 2
Natasha Cloud, WSH: 2
Emma Meesseman, CHI: 1
Jonquel Jones, CON: 1
Skylar Diggins-Smith, PHX: 1
Brittney Sykes, LA: 1

I was surprised by these results because I personally do not see the DPOY race as clear-cut as this list indicates, but our respondents sure did.

Leading vote-getter Alyssa Thomas has been a force in her first full WNBA season since 2019 after dealing with multiple injuries. She’s contributed in every area for the third-place Connecticut Sun, even recording her first two triple-doubles this season.

The forward is averaging 1.7 steals and 8.2 rebounds per game, with 6.1 of those coming on the defensive glass. Her 93.4 defensive rating is seventh in the league and has helped pace the Sun, who lead the league with 8.9 steals per game and are allowing a third-best 77.9 points per game. As a team, Connecticut has maintained a 94.8 defensive rating, the third-highest in the league.

Which team is having the most disappointing season so far?

Phoenix Mercury: 6
Minnesota Lynx: 6
Los Angeles Sparks: 3
Dallas Wings: 2
New York Liberty: 2
Indiana Fever: 1

It’s hard to argue against the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx being at the top of this list. Both teams finished in the top five of the league standings last year, with the Mercury making it all the way to the WNBA Finals.

The Lynx dealt with a revolving door of injuries and signings early on in the season that dug them a hole so deep, it didn’t look like they’d even have a shot at returning to the playoffs for the 12th straight year. They’ve rebounded in the second half of the season, and with Napheesa Collier returning to team up for one final run with Fowles, they could surprise some people if they secure one of the final two spots. They inched ever closer Wednesday night with an 86-77 win over Phoenix, and now sit tied for seventh with four other teams.

The saga of the Mercury started with a coaching change and the absence of Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years by a Russian court last week while being wrongfully detained on drug charges. Losing Griner altered the entire makeup of the team — on a physical and emotional level — and disrupted any consistency they had built from last year’s deep playoff run.

Despite that and the midseason contract divorce with Tina Charles, the Mercury have been resilient behind the play of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi and have a shot to sneak their way into the playoffs (while hoping Taurasi recovers from a quad strain).

Which team has been the most surprising this season?

Atlanta Dream: 15
Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty: 1
None: 1

This is perhaps the least shocking result of our poll. With a new ownership group, front office and coaching staff, the Dream have completely revamped their culture in one year. They added a franchise cornerstone in 2022 No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard, and the future is bright, if not here already.

After a hot start to the season, Atlanta was hanging around the top four through the first half of the season. Now at 14-20, they’re tied for seventh and have an opportunity to secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2018.

The voter who chose the Sky said it was due to the fact they went from a .500 regular-season team last year to the best record in the league this year. And one voter was not surprised by anything that transpired this season.

Should the WNBA expand?

Yes: 18
No: 1
Roster expansion first: 1

Based on the results, it is clear that the majority of those involved in the league believe the WNBA is ready for expansion, as more talented players get pushed out of the league each year due to a limited number of roster spots. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said as much, revealing during All-Star weekend that the league will add up to two teams no later than 2025. She has also said that 10 to 12 cities are on the league’s short list for possible expansion markets.

One respondent believed the WNBA should hold on expansion, while another voted for roster expansion as a bigger priority than team expansion at this time.

Which city would you most like to see the WNBA expand to?

Bay Area: 7
Toronto: 3
Nashville: 3
Philadelphia: 3
Houston: 1
Denver: 1
Charlotte: 1

That brings us to our next hot topic of where the league should next establish its roots. The Bay Area remains a heavy favorite between fans and team personnel, earning the most votes in our poll. Engelbert said during All-Star weekend that she considers the Bay Area a “top candidate” for expansion.

Which team will be the last one to make the 2022 WNBA playoffs?

Liberty: 7
Dream: 6
Lynx: 4
Sparks: 1
Mercury: 1
Winner of ATL/NY

The majority of voters feel the Liberty have what it takes to inch into the playoffs. Two straight losses had dropped the Liberty out of the top eight, but they rebounded Wednesday night with a 91-73 win over Dallas and still have an opportunity with two games remaining against the Dream. One voter noted that the final spot will come down to the winner of Atlanta and New York in their regular season finale.

Which team will just miss out on the 2022 WNBA playoffs?

Sparks: 8
Dream: 6
Lynx: 4
Mercury: 2

Things are certainly grim in Los Angeles for the Sparks, who have lost seven of their last eight games and are slipping out of the playoff picture at 13-21. That streak has transpired since Liz Cambage’s unceremonious departure from the team on July 26. Chennedy Carter, the Sparks’ other big offseason acquisition, has also raised questions while getting little playing time this season. Los Angeles is currently on the outside looking in of the four-way tie for seventh place and has two games left to try to grab the final playoff spot.

Which franchise has the biggest uphill battle after this 2022 season?

Fever: 9
Sparks: 8
Mercury: 2
Dream: 1

The majority of our respondents agreed that the Fever and the Sparks have the most work to do in the offseason. Both teams dealt with midseason coaching changes — the Fever from Marianne Stanley and the Sparks from Derek Fisher — and a rebuilding roster.

The Fever are a bit further along after completely tearing things down last offseason to build from the ground up. Their 5-29 record and 16-game losing streak is not a reflection of the strides this team has made this season with competitive rookies who have gained valuable experience.

The Sparks traded away valuable assets and their 2022 first-round draft pick to secure Cambage and Carter in free agency. After agreeing to a contract divorce with Cambage and getting limited minutes from Carter, this upcoming offseason will be one of the most critical periods in Sparks franchise history. The good news is Los Angeles will always be a destination for free agents, especially once they name their new coach and GM. The majority of players on the current roster will also be free agents after this season, leaving the team with the cap space to make key signings.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

At 9 years old, Kelsey Plum found herself on the couch, locked into an infamous rivalry game between UConn and Tennessee on TV. Something about the prestige of the matchup, the competitiveness of the game and the aura of Diana Taurasi instantly grabbed her focus.

“At that moment, I started playing basketball,” she says.

Her newfound interest quickly turned into a love as Plum began tagging along with her father to pick-up games, where nobody treated her any differently because of her age or her gender.

“He would tell the guys, ‘Listen, I know she’s my daughter, but treat her like I don’t know her. Beat her up, foul her, block her shot. Whatever you need to do, but don’t go easy on her.’ My dad used to say, ‘If you don’t make shots, we’re going home early.’”

When she was 10 years old, with unwavering confidence, Plum plotted her future.

“I told my mom, ‘I just want to let you know I’m going to be playing in the WNBA,’” she recalls.

“She’s got an ability to laser focus on what’s important now, better than anybody that I’ve ever been around,” says Mike Neighbors, Plum’s college coach. “She can focus and eliminate all the noise and lock in on what’s important. I have never seen a person do it the way she does.”

Seventeen years later, a 10-year-old’s premonition came true. After a record-setting collegiate career at the University of Washington, Plum entered the WNBA in 2017 as the No. 1 overall pick and is now playing the best basketball of her career in her fifth season with the Las Vegas Aces. Earlier this month, she was named All-Star Game MVP in her first appearance.

If you look past the awards and the stat lines, you’ll notice something about Plum this year. Beneath her big smile is an inner peace, and it’s shining through in every facet of her life, especially on the basketball court.

But, as she’ll tell you, that hasn’t always been the case.

Chasing the record

Kelsey Plum remembers the chatter, even when she wasn’t really listening for it.

In the fall of 2016, Plum’s senior season at Washington, she started to close in on the 16-year-old Division I all-time scoring record set by Missouri State’s Jackie Stiles. With each game-high performance and monster scoring night — 44 points against Oregon in December, another 44 against Stanford in January — the inevitability of the feat set in.

On Feb. 25, 2017, in Washington’s last game of the regular season, Plum scored 57 points against Utah on her senior night to reach 3,397 points for her career. The NCAA’s new Division 1 scoring leader was also on her way to breaking the single-season scoring record and sweeping every major Player of the Year award while the Huskies marched to their seventh Sweet 16.

Plum averaged 31.7 points on 53 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point line to finish the season with 1,109 total points. Leaving Washington with 3,527 career points, she remains the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to this day.

In April 2017, the WNBA beckoned. Plum was the consensus No. 1 pick, the future face of the San Antonio Stars. Her career lay ahead of her, just as she’d envisioned it 12 years earlier. And yet, when Plum closed her eyes, something wasn’t right.

“In college, people really noticed all the records and accolades and all the stuff broken, but I was really hurting in terms of my identity and trying to figure out who I was as a person at that time,” she says.

Plum’s pursuit of the career scoring record was the single biggest story in women’s basketball that season, becoming so intoxicating that it took on a life of its own for the senior guard.

“It was all people cared about, you know? There was never a, how am I doing? And it’s not anyone’s fault, it’s human nature,” Plum says. “You see something happening like that and people assume life is great because, you could argue, I probably played one of the best individual years of basketball of all time.”

Plum stayed private off the court as she suffered with anxiety, depression and heavy suicidal thoughts. She was taking antidepressants to get her through the day, and sleeping pills to get her through the night. In between, she was switching on and off of different medications, in search of any form of relief.

“I was living on the edge in terms of just trying to make it through the day. It was brutal,” she says. “I want to be clear that this is not anybody’s fault. Nobody knew I was hurting. I didn’t tell anyone that I was hurting.”

Neighbors, Washington’s head coach, only knew that he wanted to divert as much attention as he could from Plum and the record chase back to the team.

“As a team we tried not to focus on it — everybody else was already doing it,” says Neighbors. “We wanted to focus on our team goals, as we had a lot of pressure on us that season trying to get back to the Final Four.”

While Plum put her head down with the team that season, deep down she continued to suffer.

“It was like the better I did at basketball, the worse I felt on the inside. It was like my identity felt completely gone,” Plum says. “I was just known as the girl that was going to break the record, and that was it.”

Handling the national spotlight

At first, the cameras seemed like a good idea.

During Plum’s senior season, she and the Washington coaching staff had agreed to an in-depth documentary that would tell Plum’s story and pull back the curtain on her history-making season. As the production got underway, they quickly started to realize what was being asked of them was more than they’d signed up for, and that the intent of the film was shifting.

“I had TV cameras following me around on campus, I was on ESPN every other week, I had extra security hired because I would get ambushed at games,” Plum says. “For the first time in my life, I was like, woah, this happened so fast. I don’t even know how to deal with it.”

Back in 2017, Washington and other college programs across the country didn’t have the mental health resources and support staffs that teams do now. As the spotlight on Plum grew brighter, they didn’t have much to rely on outside of themselves.

“That documentary turned out completely different than we had been led to believe, and then the extra security needed,” Neighbors says. “It’s not that we wanted to do it, it’s that there was a need for it.”

Even as Plum’s senior season wound down, her life did not. In a span of eight days, Plum was in eight cities accepting national awards, negotiating professional deals, attending the Final Four, and walking onto the stage at the WNBA Draft in New York City before turning right around to pack and leave for San Antonio.

Plum put her studies on pause for the final quarter of school (she eventually finished her degree while playing professionally in Turkey). It was a lot for anyone to bear, let alone have time to process mentally.

“She had no chance to be a college senior,” Neighbors says. “Those are grown adult decisions and interactions, and as much as you want to think you’re grown, you’re not grown at that age.”

Transition to the WNBA: The battle continues

On the night Plum was selected as the No. 1 pick in the draft, while her family and friends went out to celebrate, she retreated to her hotel room to lay down.

“I was in just a very dark, dark place,” Plum says.

The expectations followed Plum to San Antonio and enveloped her. After she rolled her ankle in training camp and missed the first three games of the season, she forced herself to try to come back too soon. In her WNBA debut against the Dallas Wings on May 25, she scored four points in just over 12 minutes.

The Stars started the season with 14 straight losses and went on to finish 8-26 and last in the WNBA standings.

Ahead of the 2018 season, the team moved to Las Vegas and was rebranded as the Aces. After another losing season and missed playoff opportunity, the team started to put it together. Plum did her part on the court, averaging 8.8 points and starting 80 of the 96 games she played across her first three seasons, while the Aces finished fourth in 2019 and advanced to the semifinals.

“I didn’t play terrible. It wasn’t terrible. It just wasn’t what people thought it would be,” she says.

Plum had become a scoring machine her senior year at Washington. There was an expectation that she would produce similar numbers in the pros. When it didn’t happen overnight, a lot of the same people who praised her just months before started to question her abilities.

“You start to realize how much you value other people’s opinion,” Plum says. “When it’s going good, it’s going great, but when it’s going bad, it broke me.

“People were like, ‘What’s wrong with you? Did you forget how to play basketball? I miss the old Kelsey. I miss the Washington Kelsey.’ It was just absolutely brutal.”

Plum’s internal battle raged on as she continued to question her value and identity outside of a game, a record or an expectation.

“I think that you work for something your entire life, thinking that it’s going to bring you that satisfaction, and when you finally get it, you realize it’s the emptiest thing in the world,” she says.

“I just was like, well, what am I even here for? I did everything I was supposed to do, everything everyone told me I should do, and I did it and I feel like just absolute s—t. I don’t even know who I am, I don’t even know what I like to do, I don’t know anything about my value outside of basketball. I didn’t know anything.”

An unexpected blessing

As the Aces headed into the playoffs in 2019 for the first time in five years, Plum felt something shift on the court. Starting three of the five games they played before elimination, she was suddenly playing and shooting more freely. Taking 3.6 more shots a game, she averaged 15.2 points on 49.2 percent shooting from the field and 52.9 percent from 3 while also dishing out 7.8 assists.

But despite the breakthrough in her game, her mental struggles remained.

In June 2020, three years after she’d broken the NCAA scoring record, Plum was preparing for her fourth season in the WNBA and her first Olympics with the United States’ 3×3 team when it all came screeching to a halt. She was playing pick-up basketball in Portland, Ore. when she planted her left foot and felt a pop.

Plum soon learned she had torn her Achilles, an injury that would sideline her from USA Basketball and the Aces for the 2020 WNBA season, played out over three months in a “bubble” in Bradenton, Fla. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of panicking at the initial diagnosis, Plum felt a sense of peace.

“I remember getting driven to the hospital, and one of my best friends took me and you could tell he was visibly upset,” she says. “I remember looking at him and thinking, you know what, it’s going to be OK. It was almost like a sigh of relief.”

Between her whirlwind senior season at Washington and the grueling year-round WNBA and overseas playing schedule, Plum had been going nonstop for the last five years. The fast-paced lifestyle was all she knew.

“It was like, well, I definitely can’t do anything now, so let me just take a second and take a deep breath. I felt for the first time my life kind of stood still,” she says.

During her recovery, she received some of the best care in the world from top surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the same doctor who performed Breanna Stewart’s Achilles surgery a year earlier. From there, Plum focused on rest and physical therapy as the 2020 WNBA season carried on without her.

While she physically was on the road to recovery, her life had also finally slowed down. It gave her the opportunity to focus on her mental health. Plum started working with a full-time mental coach, who encouraged her to practice meditation and gratitude and rediscover her spiritual side.

“I knew that when I came back to basketball, the skill was there. I was not worried about that,” she says. “It was me just being able to focus on those other areas. It was kind of just getting everything else full circle so, when I came back, I would be better prepared foundationally.”

Plum also joined Neighbors’ staff that fall at the University of Arkansas, where he’d been hired as head coach days after Plum’s senior season at Washington. Serving as a graduate assistant not only helped her take her mind off the injury, but also allowed her to view the game from a different perspective and make an impact in a new way.

While away from the WNBA, Plum would get phone calls and messages from teammates and friends. They told her that if she’d had to miss a season, the 2020 bubble season was the one, which helped ease her mind.

Two years after the injury, Plum is playing MVP-level basketball. After winning a gold medal with Team USA in the first-ever Olympic 3×3 basketball competition in Tokyo last summer, she’s now leading the Aces in scoring — and is behind only Stewart in the league —with 20.1 points per game on 41.5 percent shooting from 3 and in a career-high 33 minutes per game. With a game-high 29 points in Las Vegas’ 84-66 win over the Sparks on Saturday, Plum helped the Aces clinch a playoff spot for the fourth straight season.

WOOF! WOOF! 🐶

Plum-Dawg led all scorers in the Aces' playoff-clinching win over the Sparks 💪@kelseyplum10: 29 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL pic.twitter.com/trx2lGvfZH

— WNBA (@WNBA) July 24, 2022

The attention off the court has ramped up again, but she feels far more equipped to handle it. Days after winning All-Star Game MVP, she signed on with GSTQ, a women’s lifestyle and luxury collection, as a brand ambassador.

By sharing her story now, Plum wants to help others facing their own battles with mental health.

“I understand that God has brought me through this, not just to build my character, but to maybe help someone else,” she says. “I know there’s somebody — maybe it’s in this next draft, or not even in basketball, just in life — that’s going through it and maybe doesn’t have to go through it the way that I did.”

When asked what she would tell that somebody, her mind traces back to her lowest points, and what she wished she knew then.

“You can’t do it by yourself. You have to try to build those strong support systems. Your identity can’t be ‘so and so, the basketball player’ because I promise you, it’s not enough. You’ve got to have something else outside of it,” says Plum, who’s rediscovered the joy in spending time at home, visiting with her family and pulling off pranks.

“Finally, remember why you started playing. I lost that joy for a couple years and I think that people saw that. They didn’t mean to say, ‘We miss the Kelsey from Washington.’ They meant to say they miss the creativity and competitiveness and the love of the game. Instead of out there playing scared, or out there playing not to make a mistake, you’ve just got to remember why you started in the first place. I play because I love this game.”

Mental health is a daily journey for Plum. While recovering from her Achilles tear, Plum began to value her quiet time, allowing herself to reflect and refocus on the things that matter most to her. She still journals and writes down 10 things she is grateful for every morning, and then visualizes herself succeeding in whatever the day might bring.

“I feel like it was just a great time of peace and being alone with no noise,” she says. “I thank God for it every day. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me in my career — probably in my life so far.”

A’ja Wilson, the Aces’ No. 1 pick the year after Plum, has watched her evolve over the past five years, through the good and the bad. This season, Plum is living and playing with a joy that, for the first time, isn’t tethered to outside expectations.

“I think she understands that she doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone,” Wilson says. “Once she got past that, I think that’s when the floodgates opened for her. When you have someone that has found themselves on and off the court, that’s what you see in the beauty of her game right now.”

With the help of her daily routines, Plum is focused most of all on being present. When she has a great day at practice or a double-digit scoring night in an Aces win, it’s easy to smile and lift up the people around her. But when she has an off night, that feeling comes just as easily.

That’s how Kelsey Plum knows she’s grounded, and healing with each day.

“I’m having so much fun in life right now. This team is unbelievably fun and wild and it’s just a joy. It’s pure joy,” she says. “I feel like God has given me so much in this life, and in any situation, wherever I am, I feel like I try to bring a light and a joy to life.

“And for the first time in a long time, I feel like myself again.”

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

The Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces remain in a tier of their own at the top of the WNBA standings with one month left in the regular season. The Seattle Storm continue to knock on the door, currently just two games back of the first-place Sky and playing their best basketball of the season.

The Aces made a splash this week, signing Kelsey Plum to a contract extension that will keep her with the team through 2024. In the middle of a dominant season, the All-Star Game MVP was on track to be one of the most sought-after free agents on the market this offseason. With Plum re-signed, the Aces will return their entire core for the 2023 season, showing their commitment to the current team under head coach Becky Hammon.

The Minnesota Lynx made a strong push the last two weeks, but have since dropped two of their last four games to remain in 11th place at 10-17. Following a tough travel swing, the Lynx have five days to rest and regroup before they host the Connecticut Sun in a back-to-back series this weekend. Minnesota’s playoff hopes are still very much alive as four teams are currently log-jammed in the standings, fighting for the eighth and final spot with nine games left to play.

D.C. gets stingy

In their first 21 games of the season the Mystics allowed their opponents 76.1 points per game on 43 percent shooting from the field. In their last six, Washington has flipped the script, allowing a league-best 72 points per game on 41 percent shooting.

Despite inconsistencies with the rotation and the occasional rest days for Elena Delle Donne, the Mystics have put themselves in a perfect position to make a playoff run. Currently fifth in the standings at 16-11, Washington sits just four games back of the top seed.

This Mystics team has parallels to last year’s Chicago Sky, who started the season on a losing streak and peaked at the right time to win their first WNBA championship. If the Mystics can continue to rely on their defensive tenacity, stay healthy and keep Delle Donne on the floor, they have enough offensive firepower to make anything happen at the end of August.

Connecticut gets reinforcements

On Monday, the Sun added Bria Hartley to their roster for the remainder of the season.

The ninth-year guard was traded from the Phoenix Mercury to the Indiana Fever in a three-team deal with the Chicago Sky in February that also included Diamond DeShields and Julie Allemand. Hartley averaged 8.7 minutes and 2.5 points in just 10 games for the Fever before she was waived last Friday.

Her divorce agreement with Indiana for $175,911 made her an affordable pickup for the Sun, who were dealt a tough blow at the beginning of the season when they lost starting guard Jasmine Thomas to an ACL injury. Without Thomas, Connecticut’s backcourt has lacked depth and experience on both ends of the floor, and the Sun have struggled with turnovers and defense at the guard position.

In 2020, Hartley had one of the best seasons of her career while playing at full strength for the Mercury, averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 assists and shooting 39 percent from the 3-point line in 25 minutes per game. If the former UConn standout can rediscover even just a portion of that form this season, the Sun’s bench will be even more dangerous down the stretch.

Storm hit their stride

After going 11-7 to start the season, Seattle is 6-1 since June 29 and is riding a four-game win streak into Wednesday’s game against the Sky.

The most glaring difference between the Storm’s first 18 games and last seven is their offensive production. While they aren’t shooting any better from the 3-point line, their overall field-goal percentage has increased along with their pace of play. The Storm have done a much better job of not settling for jumpers, and instead being aggressive and getting to the free-throw line more consistently.

Defensively, Seattle is also giving up fewer points to opponents, averaging 72 points conceded in the last seven games. Take a look at some of the Storm’s key statistics during the two stretches.

First 18 games vs. last seven

PPG: 78.7 — 86.0
FG%: 42.0 –46.6
TO per game: 13.3 — 14.6
RPG: 32.0 — 36.0
SPG: 8.5 — 9.6
FT attempts: 14.1 — 18.9
Defensive rating: 96.0 — 87.7
Pace: 95.47 — 99.09
Opp. PPG: 76.9 — 72.3

This is a big week for the Storm as they look to extend their winning streak on the road against Chicago on Wednesday and Phoenix on Friday. They return home Sunday to play the Atlanta Dream.

Week 11 Power Rankings

1. Chicago Sky (19-6) —
2. Las Vegas Aces (18-7) —
3. Seattle Storm (17-8) +1
4. Washington Mystics (16-11) +1
5. Connecticut Sun (16-9) -2
6. Atlanta Dream (11-14) —
7. Dallas Wings (11-14) +4
8. Phoenix Mercury (11-16) +2
9. Minnesota Lynx (10-17) -1
10. Los Angeles Sparks (10-14) -3
11. New York Liberty (9-15) -2
12. Indiana Fever (5-22) —

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.