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WNBA anonymous poll: Award picks, expansion and offseason outlooks

Emma Meesseman, Candace Parker and the Sky are hanging onto the top seed for the WNBA playoffs. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

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.

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Teammates A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum have each made strong cases for the MVP award this season. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images

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.

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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.

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Alyssa Thomas ran away with the votes for WNBA DPOY. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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.

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Rhyne Howard has helped lift the Dream into the playoff conversation in her rookie season. (Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

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.

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Sabrina Ionescu and the Liberty are looking to make the playoffs for the second straight season. (Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)

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.

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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