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Mikaylah Williams: LSU coach Kim Mulkey is ‘staying on my tail’

Mikaylah Williams scored the most points by an LSU freshman in the NCAA era on Tuesday. (Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)

No. 2 recruit Mikaylah Williams has had an eye-popping start to her freshman campaign, including a 42-point performance in LSU’s win over Kent State on Tuesday.

Williams’ 42 points were the most scored by an LSU freshman in the NCAA era and the second-most all-time. For the 18-year-old guard, it “all starts in practice.”

“How you practice is how you play,” she said. “Coach Mulkey has been riding me and riding me and staying on my tail about working hard and effort. So that in practice showed to the game today.”

Mulkey has known what Williams is capable of since recruiting her out of Parkway High School in Shreveport, La. A consensus top-two prospect in the Class of 2023, Williams was a big get for the Tigers.

“I’ve been riding her because I don’t think she knows how good she is. You saw today what she’s capable of doing,” Mulkey said. “She’s a special talent. I guess it’s just those moments where you feel that rim is as big as the ocean.

“I want to be that coach that pushes her beyond the limits. I think you’re just seeing her scratch the surface.”

The hard work is paying off for Williams, who had never scored more than 35 points in a game before Tuesday.

“I work hard for putting out what I put out,” she said. “I applaud my teammates for finding the hot hand and helping me get to this success.”

Williams has been a bright spot for LSU, who came into the year with sky-high expectations as the reigning NCAA champions and have dealt with early-season adversity. Ranked No. 1 to start the season, the Tigers lost their opener to then-No. 20 Colorado. Then Mulkey held star Angel Reese out of the second half of the Kent State game, calling it a “coach’s decision,” and drama surrounding the team erupted on social media this week.

Through the challenges, LSU players are trying to stick together and find positives, such as the play of freshman Williams.

“It makes me feel good to get Mikaylah a pass and see her score,” LSU teammate Aneesah Morrow added after the Kent State game. “I get to see the work that Mikaylah puts in every day. It’s a nonstop thing. She’s very consistent and works hard every day. To see that pay off is amazing.”

As Season Tip-Off Approaches, WNBA Roster Cuts Come Down to the Wire

rookie kate martin at wnba training camp with the las vegas aces
A top-notch rookie class means tough decisions for WNBA teams faced with finalizing 12-player rosters. (Ian Maule/NBAE via Getty Images)

Teams around the WNBA are under pressure to finalize their 12-player rosters before Monday's league-enforced deadline.

Teams must cut their 2024 rosters down to just 12 spots from as many as 18 training camp players. And while this year’s WNBA draft class is undoubtedly rife with talent, only 18 draftees remain rostered ahead of Monday's final cuts. Last year, just 15 of the league’s 36 draftees made it onto their team’s opening-day squad. 

And it's not just rookies. Veteran players are also on the chopping block, even former title-winners: On Thursday, the Minnesota Lynx waived 2021 WNBA champ Ruthy Hebard.

But with every wave of cuts, players that survive dismissal inch closer to claiming a coveted roster spot. The Las Vegas Aces have already reached that magic number 12, opening the door for draft picks Dyaisha Fair and Kate Martin to stay on with the reigning champs.

Additionally, Dallas has whittled their training camp group down to 12. Fifth overall pick Jacy Sheldon and undrafted rookie Jaelyn Brown continue to remain in the mix. 

Other teams, meanwhile, still have decisions to make. Seattle currently lists 13 players, while others like New York still have a full 18 players in training camp. It’s likely that the final preseason game will tip roster decisions one way or another as coaching staffs continue to evaluate performance and playing time. 

But being cut doesn't mean the end of the road for everyone. Should players be waived, they can still be signed to short-term hardship contracts with teams carrying injured players on their permanent rosters. 

The 2024 WNBA season kicks off on Tuesday, May 14th.

Angelina, Morgan Weaver Avoid Season-Ending Injuries

nwsl Portland Thorns forward Morgan Weaver
Portland Thorns forward Morgan Weaver has been cleared of season-ending injury concerns. (Troy Wayrynen/USA TODAY Sports)

Two NWSL teams avoided some major setbacks on Thursday, as both Portland’s Morgan Weaver and Orlando’s Angelina were cleared of season-ending injuries after undergoing scope procedures earlier this week. 

Angelina has been described by her club as "week-to-week," while Weaver has been placed on Portland’s 45-day injury list. 

The Thorns won their May 4th game without Weaver 2-1, continuing their season turnaround, while the Pride remain one of two unbeaten teams in the NWSL.

In other injury list news, Christen Press posted a video on Thursday of her running with a trainer and doing drills, providing further updates on her road back from a June 2022 ACL tear.

Angel City coach Becki Tweed has told reporters that Press is back with the team, but has not issued a timetable for her return to the field.

New WNBA Team Reportedly Coming to Toronto in 2026

wnba 2023 canada exhibition game in toronto
After seeing huge success with preseason games in Canada, the WNBA is setting its sights north of the border. (Jordan Jones/NBAE via Getty Images)

A group led by Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum will bring a new WNBA franchise to Canada, CBC Sports reported early this morning. 

Set to begin play in 2026, the team will be owned and operated by Tanenbaum's Kilmer Sports Inc. Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, Argos, and Marlies. He originally explored an expansion team via MLSE, but was turned down by other members of the board. 

The Toronto addition will be the WNBA's 14th team. It follows the Bay Area's WNBA Golden State, which will debut in 2025. 

An official announcement is expected May 23rd in Toronto, according to reports. 

"We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets but have no news to report at this time," a WNBA spokesperson said in a statement. Tanenbaum's Kilmer Sports group, meanwhile, told CBC Sports that his organization has “no update at this time.”

In April, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that Toronto was among the cities being considered for WNBA expansion.

The WNBA has a growing footprint in Canada, as the league's held wildly successful exhibition games north of the US border for the last two seasons. 

In 2023, a preseason matchup between Chicago and Minnesota sold out Toronto’s 19,800-capacity Scotiabank Arena. This past Saturday, the league drew more than 16,000 fans to Edmonton for a preseason showdown between LA and Seattle.

The Toronto team will reportedly play at Coca-Cola Coliseum, an 8,000-seat arena which is currently home to the Marlies as well as Toronto’s PWHL franchise.

Las Vegas Aces Make White House Return After Back-to-Back WNBA Titles

president biden with las vegas aces a'ja wilson at white house 2023 wnba championship celebration
President Joe Biden welcomed A'ja Wilson and the rest of the 2023 WNBA Champion Aces back to the White House. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The Las Vegas Aces took to the White House yet again on Thursday to celebrate their 2023 WNBA championship victory

The decorated team was hosted by President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and First Lady Jill Biden, marking the first time the Bidens have welcomed the team personally.

Last year, Harris hosted the Aces after the Bidens were unable to attend due to a last minute conflict. Harris applauded the team for their 2022 win, pointing to the "grit and determination" they showcased en route to their WNBA Finals win over Connecticut. 

The Aces won back-to-back championships in 2023, becoming the first WNBA franchise to repeat the feat since 2002. More impressively, they did so without 2022 Finals MVP Chelsea Gray and center Kiah Stokes, both of whom were sidelined with injuries for the title-clinching Game 4. Star forward A’ja Wilson ended up claiming the 2023 Finals MVP honors.

Following the team’s White House visit, the Aces will visit Wilson’s alma mater South Carolina for an exhibition game against the Puerto Rico women's national basketball team. According to head coach Becky Hammon, the unconventional matchup came about when other WNBA teams lacked interest in facing the reigning champs in preseason play.

"We just started kind of building from there," Hammon told the Las Vegas Review Journal. "It’s really cool for players to go home, and that’s where she’s from. She’s the centerpiece of our whole organization."

Kelsey Plum jokingly called Wilson the "mayor of South Carolina" before citing the trip as an opportunity to build team chemistry ahead of their season opener against Phoenix on Tuesday.

"We have some new pieces, and we’re just trying to figure out where our rhythm is," Plum said, referring to recent roster prospects like Iowa grad Kate Martin, among others. "Because when the season starts, it happens fast."

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