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As her basketball star grows, Ayoka Lee embraces the moment

Ayoka Lee is cementing herself as one of the top players in the nation this season. (Photo courtesy of Kansas State Athletics)

If you didn’t know the name Ayoka Lee by this point in the women’s college basketball season, you do now. The Kansas State junior center lit up the scoreboard, and then Twitter feeds and TV highlight reels on Sunday, setting the NCAA’s single-game scoring record with 61 points in the Wildcats’ 94-65 win over then-No. 14 Oklahoma.

The performance may have given Lee national recognition overnight, but she has been befuddling opponents and attracting WNBA attention all season long.

In the Wildcats’ season opener in early November, Lee scored 43 points against Central Arkansas, at the time setting a new Kansas State scoring record and a career high. Two weeks ago, she nearly led the Wildcats to an upset of then-No. 7 Iowa State, recording 38 points and 11 rebounds in Kansas State’s eventual 73-70 loss.

As Lee continues to put up big numbers this season, especially against ranked opponents, speculation about her WNBA Draft status increases. While she is eligible for the 2022 draft, she said Tuesday she plans to stay at K-State for another year. Lee, 21, doesn’t like to think about the future. She knows all too well how quickly things can change.

In spring 2018, Lee had committed to play basketball for K-State and was ready to take her game to the next level. But during a game at the State Tournament in Minnesota, Lee jumped in the air on a routine basketball play, landed awkwardly and tore her ACL. The Byron High School senior was beside herself.

“It was kind of like, how does this work now?” Lee says. “Like, I’m coming, but I’m not able to do anything. I have all this stuff I have to take care of just with this injury.”

Lee shifted her attention to the recovery process, but it didn’t start off as she hoped. At first, she rehabbed at home in Byron with limited resources. Her physical therapy wasn’t as intense or thorough as it needed to be, so by the time she got to Kansas State, she was lagging behind. Instead of dwelling on it, she got right to work.

By January, Lee was cleared to participate on the practice squad. The 6-foot-6 center spent the rest of her freshman year at K-State doing individual workouts and getting in extra time with the strength coach, trainers and basketball coaches.

“She’s been like that since day one, even when she was non-contact when she first got here,” says K-State head coach Jeff Mittie. “We could just see how talented she was and how hard she worked. She’s the same person every day. What you see is what you get with her.”

In the fall of 2019, she finally stepped onto the court as a Wildcat, and the work she had put in quickly paid off. As a redshirt freshman, Lee averaged 15.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes per game and was named 2019-20 Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

“I probably wasn’t on too many scouting reports that season,” Lee says. “It was just one of those things where I feel like a lot of college freshmen might come in wanting to do [well]. I honestly didn’t have a ton of expectations. … It was just really exciting to come in right away and be able to have that impact.”

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Lee has scored in double figures in every game this season. (Photo courtesy of Kansas State Athletics)

Peyton Williams, a senior forward at Kansas State that season, saw Lee develop in front of her eyes. A double-threat tandem on the court, together they led the team in scoring and rebounds.

“I know that Yokie is a great person and a hard worker, even as a freshman,” says Williams, who now plays overseas for Hainaut in France. “Even when she’s not on the court now, she’s getting things done, doing what she needs to be doing. You never have to worry about her doing the little things and doing the important things. I think she’s got her head on straight, and she’s been a leader from a young age.”

After Sunday’s historic performance, Lee is second in the nation in scoring, just behind Iowa sensation Caitlin Clark with 25.5 points per game, third in blocks (3.5) and 20th in rebounds (10.9), all while shooting 58.6 percent from the field. Against Oklahoma, Lee showed just how scary good and efficient she can be, going 23-for-30 (76.7 percent) from the field and 15-for-17 (88.2 percent) from the free-throw line.

ESPN women’s college basketball analyst Brenda VanLengen has watched Lee’s game evolve over the past two seasons.

“Her size is tough to contend with,” says VanLengen. “She’s a true center. She’s got good footwork, she runs pretty well, good work ethic — preparing for games and also on the court. She works hard for position. That’s what sets interior players apart. She works to get rebound position, to get post-up position, to pin her defender as the ball is reversed. Those things are not easy every night when you get all the attention from defenders.”

The ability to hit a smooth 15-foot jumper is just another weapon Lee has added to her arsenal this season.

“A year ago, people really tried to front her a lot. They were really trying to deny her catches, and a lot of her scoring was just on angle plays, lob plays,” Mittie says. “The evolution of her game has been the ability to score over people and to do it eight, 10 feet away from the basket.”

Kansas State’s improvement from a 9-18 team in 2020-21 to a 15-4 squad that’s third in Big 12 play this year is also due to the players Mittie has recruited. Freshman guards Serena Sundell, Jaelyn Glenn and Brylee Glenn have stepped up to provide perimeter help so that, when Lee is double- or triple-teamed, she can kick the ball out with confidence, knowing any one of them can hit the shot.

“Because of Lee’s presence inside, you have to pay extra attention to her,” VanLengen says. “That means players on the perimeter are gonna have opportunities. If they’re shooting well — which, right now, they’re shooting really well from 3-point range — then you can’t double- and triple-team Lee. To me, that’s one of the most dangerous combinations in a team.”

Lee’s familiarity with K-State’s Big 12 opponents has translated into confidence for herself and her team. She senses a different vibe this season, a kind of synergy on the court that was cultivated back in June, when Mittie would be working late and catch players practicing or working out at the gym.

“I’m just so proud of them, honestly. Just like being able to come in and put the work in, and just have a drive where they want to come in and have that impact is great,” Lee says. “I think we have big goals. I think if we keep coming every day, keep working hard, take it one game at a time, I think we can go far.”

Still, as well as Lee and the Wildcats have been playing, questions linger about her overall physical health and long-term durability. The bulky, gray brace she wears on her leg is a constant reminder of her injury.

“I think ACLs can be tricky,” she says. “I think a lot of people have lingering repercussions from it. It’s just kind of one of those things.”

Lee has been proactively working to extend the longevity of her career, but she’s not thinking about what might or might not happen down the road. Her approach to everything in life, on or off the court, is to be where her feet are, to keep learning, growing and enjoying each step along the way.

“She’s in the moment, that’s one of her strengths,” Mittie says. “She just wants to enjoy practice with her teammates.”

When Williams came home from France during the holidays, she was hoping to go to a K-State home game. It ended up getting canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, but she was able to visit with her former teammates.

“I got to see [Yokie], and she was mature when I knew her, but she’s been taking steps. I think that’s also a testament to her, the person and player, is that she understands that there’s always room to improve,” Williams says. “I mean, that’s one of the greatest lessons in life, first of all — you’re never done growing. But also, as a player to understand that, I think that’s really important and that contributes to her being in the moment.”

Lee has three years of NCAA eligibility left at K-State, because of the year she sat out and the extra year players gained from the COVID-19 pandemic. She has already graduated with a degree in psychology and is pursuing her masters in couples and family therapy. While she’s open to the WNBA and thinks it would be a great opportunity, she wants to to be a sports psychologist someday. Tearing her ACL helped her gain a better understanding of athletes’ mental health.

“It’s been a blessing,” Lee says. “It’s reminded me not to take anything for granted. To be where my feet are and enjoy every part of the process.”

Now that Lee has definitively etched her name into the NCAA record books, people will continue to speculate about her basketball future. But her goal is to finish the season strong and lead the Wildcats on a run in the NCAA Tournament. She’s focused on the moment, and that’s as far as she’s willing to look ahead.

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League.” Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.

USC’s McKenzie Forbes: From Gap Year to the NCAA Tournament

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate McKenzie Forbes. 

Here are five things to know from our conversation with the graduate transfer from Folsom, California.

#1 Inspired by USC’s Head Coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, McKenzie wants to be a basketball coach or work in the front office in the future.

When weighing in on what makes a good coach, McKenzie said x’s and o’s are important but “Coaching is a lot of relationship managing and people managing. I think you have to be a good people person and be able to build those relationships, but also in that same breath, you can’t be afraid to have people dislike you in moments. I think that’s a big part of leadership.”

#2 McKenzie says the trajectory of her career changed when she made the decision to transfer from Cal to Harvard.

 In order to transfer, she was forced to take a gap year and spend a lot of time in the gym. “I completely transformed my body and, going into the Harvard season, felt like I was a completely different player. Going to Harvard and playing in a more mid-major conference, I had the ball in my hands a lot more than I might have if I transferred to another Power 5. It really developed other parts of my game.”

#3 How does McKenzie think USC will do in the Women’s College Basketball Tournament?

“I’m not going to give a typical interview answer. I want a Final Four. We have that potential and capability. Like why not? Why not us? I think we have all the pieces.”

#4 Her older brother, Marcus, was her biggest mentor growing up.

“He was basically my trainer from Elementary school on until he went to college.”

#5 Fun facts about Forbes:

She can juggle and she was the quarterback of her Pop Warner football team. “I was slow but I could throw it!”

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

Christen Press back training with Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Christen Press #23 of Angel City FC waves to fans following a game between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with her club team Angel City. 

Angel City FC coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL.

Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on."

"Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith re-signs with Portland on record deal

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Caitlin Clark offered $5 million to compete in Ice Cube’s league

IOWA CITY, IOWA- MARCH 25: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates as time runs out in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during their second round match-up in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 25, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been offered $5 million to play in Ice Cube's Big3 league, he confirmed on social media Wednesday after the offer leaked.

"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube wrote on social media. "But I won't deny what's now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn't we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."

While there has yet to be a women's player in the league, both Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie have been part of the league as coaches and won championships.

"The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men's pro team, and she won the championship in her first year," Ice Cube continued. "Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes."

Ice Cube, whose name is O’Shea Jackson, says that the offer was made with the intention that Clark be able to compete in the WNBA “offseason.” Clark is largely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in April. But it’s unclear how the scheduling of the two leagues would work. 

The 2024 Big3 season is set to tip off on June 15, with 10 games spanning through mid-August. The WNBA regular season, meanwhile, begins on May 14 and ends on Sept. 19.

On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, Jackson said that the league has yet to hear back from Clark. 

“We just need an answer, as soon as they are ready to give it to us,” he said. “It’s always 50-50 till we get a no. At the end of the day, it’s a generous offer.”

The offer – as well as the confusion on Jackson’s part about the timing of the WNBA season – caused some current WNBA players to react. 

"It's funny cause I be seeing his son at W games.. they don't talk?" wrote former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard

"So no other women's basketball player has came to mind in the last 7 years?" wrote Lexie Brown, adding that she'd support if Ice Cube wanted to build a women's iteration of the league. She later discussed it on the Gils Arena Show, noting that his reasoning of wanting to “uplift and support WNBA players and women athletes” is a “cop out.”

Kalani Brown, meanwhile, told Clark to "take that money" and start a women's Big3.

WNBA salaries has been a talking point in recent months as more collegiate stars declare for the league. WNBA stars have often made more money playing abroad than they have in the WNBA. Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15, with a rookie salary of $76,535 for lottery draft picks (Nos. 1-4) that rises to $97,582 by her fourth season. But she also has an NIL valuation of almost $3.5 million.

Diana Taurasi famously skipped the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian club, who paid her more to sit out than she would have made in the W. Her contract with the club was reportedly near $1.5 million per year.

Jackson also seemed to suggest that his league could be an alternative to going abroad

“America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he wrote. Although it’s unclear whether or not the rapper intends to make offers to additional WNBA players. 

While the league does hold prioritization rules in its CBA, those typically apply only to players playing in overseas leagues. It’s unclear whether or not that would prevent Clark’s participation in the Big3 league.

WNBA players that don’t want to go overseas currently have the option of playing in Athletes Unlimited, which competes in the WNBA offseason.

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