2024 WNBA Discussion Thread

[VolBall09]

Alright yall!

Who’s your team? Who you got for the ship. Preseason games start next week, predictions?

 

[DarkPhoenix]

It’s hard for me to have a team because if I go with the players I like, those teams have players I don’t like from their college days so I can’t root for them. As individuals I root for Candace Parker, Rickea Jackson, Shakira Austin, Rae Burrell and Angel Reese.

 

[VolBall09]

It’s hard for me to have a team because if I go with the players I like, those teams have players I don’t like from their college days so I can’t root for them. As individuals I root for Candace Parker, Rickea Jackson, Shakira Austin, Rae Burrell and Angel Reese.

You have a type!

That’s a really nice list. I love the game of each in their own way.

 

[VolBall09]

Of course, I’m most excited for Indiana and Dallas tipoff. Everyone wants to see it translate to the next level. Hoping CC torches them in her first game.

She was in a pressure cooker for 3 seasons and barely broke a sweat. Just built different imo.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

You have a type!

That’s a really nice list. I love the game of each in their own way.

i didn’t even think of it like that until I looked it over again. I guess I do have a type lol.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Of course, I’m most excited for Indiana and Dallas tipoff. Everyone wants to see it translate to the next level. Hoping CC torches them in her first game.

She was in a pressure cooker for 3 seasons and barely broke a sweat. Just built different imo.

That’s a game I’ll watch because Arike is fun to watch and I can’t wait until she cooks whoever is guarding her.

 

[lvocd]

Of course, I’m most excited for Indiana and Dallas tipoff. Everyone wants to see it translate to the next level. Hoping CC torches them in her first game.

She was in a pressure cooker for 3 seasons and barely broke a sweat. Just built different imo.

There's a big part of me that doesn't trust the Fever to not find a way to screw this up somehow.

Other longtime Fever fans will understand.

 

[CoryDallasLV]

Of course, I’m most excited for Indiana and Dallas tipoff. Everyone wants to see it translate to the next level. Hoping CC torches them in her first game.

She was in a pressure cooker for 3 seasons and barely broke a sweat. Just built different imo.

I’m definitely excited for Dallas. I have season tickets!!!

 

[knoxvol52]

Caitlin Clark signs deal for $28 million with Nike I believe.

That's great is she single asking for a friend?

 

[th2421]

Alright yall!

Who’s your team? Who you got for the ship. Preseason games start next week, predictions?

The Liberty is my team! I'll be at a couple of their first home games, including hosting Seattle to see Jordy play. I'm excited to see how she does in her second year.

My early rough guess at season standings:
1. Aces
2. Liberty
3. Storm
4. Sun
5. Wings
6. Lynx
7. Mercury
8. Dream
9. Fever
10. Sparks
11. Mystics
12. Sky

Not sure where Brionna Jones and Satou Sabally are in their current injury status, but I think the Sun and Wings could end up lower if they're not healthy. I only really feel sort of confident about the top 2 and bottom 3. Teams 3-9 feel like they could all finish anywhere depending on injuries, chemistry integrating new players, young players developing quickly, etc.

 

[knoxvol52]

My team is the Houston Comets with Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoopes.

 

[Amb3096]

The Liberty is my team! I'll be at a couple of their first home games, including hosting Seattle to see Jordy play. I'm excited to see how she does in her second year.

My early rough guess at season standings:
1. Aces
2. Liberty
3. Storm
4. Sun
5. Wings
6. Lynx
7. Mercury
8. Dream
9. Fever
10. Sparks
11. Mystics
12. Sky

Not sure where Brionna Jones and Satou Sabally are in their current injury status, but I think the Sun and Wings could end up lower if they're not healthy. I only really feel sort of confident about the top 2 and bottom 3. Teams 3-9 feel like they could all finish anywhere depending on injuries, chemistry integrating new players, young players developing quickly, etc.

I have to envision that the Fever will finish higher than 9th. Less because of Clark, but more if they have a healthy Boston and Smith along with the supporting cast (and Clark's court awareness/passing skills).

 

[lvocd]

I watched a short Twitter vid posted of the Fever getting some court time today, and seeing, again, Clark taking that little bunny hop which is technically (Imo, anyway) a travel, it made me wonder if opposing staffs will try to get that front and center onto the radar of WNBA officials.

Can you imagine how thoroughly that would have to mess with her mentally after eating off that illegal move for years without it being called?

Or maybe I'm wrong and she's completely legal. All I know is, if I were C.Clark, I'd be asking for an answer to whether it technically is legal or not NOW while she still has a little time to work on it if it isn't. But even then, that would have to be an almost impossible habit to overcome after having set up a gazillion shots that way over many years.

 

[madtownvol]

I watched a short Twitter vid posted of the Fever getting some court time today, and seeing, again, Clark taking that little bunny hop which is technically (Imo, anyway) a travel, it made me wonder if opposing staffs will try to get that front and center onto the radar of WNBA officials.

Can you imagine how thoroughly that would have to mess with her mentally after eating off that illegal move for years without it being called?

Or maybe I'm wrong and she's completely legal. All I know is, if I were C.Clark, I'd be asking for an answer to whether it technically is legal or not NOW while she still has a little time to work on it if it isn't. But even then, that would have to be an almost impossible habit to overcome after having set up a gazillion shots that way over many years.

Pretty much everyone does that little shuffle hop when they shoot. If refs started calling that tight, WNBA games would have final scores of 14 to 12 (and its not much different in the NBA, Steph Curry wears out a pair of shoes every time he sets up for a three).

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

Indiana. The only reason I’ll pay a bit of attention to the WNBA is because of Caitlin Clark.

 

[chuckiepoo]

My team is the Houston Comets with Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoopes.

…is wydt…

 

[chuckiepoo]

I watched a short Twitter vid posted of the Fever getting some court time today, and seeing, again, Clark taking that little bunny hop which is technically (Imo, anyway) a travel, it made me wonder if opposing staffs will try to get that front and center onto the radar of WNBA officials.

Can you imagine how thoroughly that would have to mess with her mentally after eating off that illegal move for years without it being called?

Or maybe I'm wrong and she's completely legal. All I know is, if I were C.Clark, I'd be asking for an answer to whether it technically is legal or not NOW while she still has a little time to work on it if it isn't. But even then, that would have to be an almost impossible habit to overcome after having set up a gazillion shots that way over many years.

They allowed Harden his step back three. They will allow for stardom.

 

[glv98]

Hope they learned fm the legends and not the Lakers they saw on the floor! Rough basketball yr in LA.
Training camp starts this weekend. Tough on the college players who are barely a month out fm their season. Hope overuse doesn't catch up w RJ's right calf muscle again. First preseason games next weekend, Rickea vs Jordy in her very first game.

 

[lvocd]

Hope overuse doesn't catch up w RJ's right calf muscle again.

I'd be willing to bet the farm that it was the sudden extra weight RJ was carrying at the time that caused that injury. There was way more stress on her body during that time than it was accustomed to. But now that she's in optimum condition, I really don't worry so much about that leg being a problem for Rickea.

 

[glv98]

I'd be willing to bet the farm that it was the sudden extra weight RJ was carrying at the time that caused that injury. There was way more stress on her body during that time than it was accustomed to. But now that she's in optimum condition, I really don't worry so much about that leg being a problem for Rickea.

Probably a combination. She played all summer. I've often wondered about the plan to bulk her up last summer, which clearly backfired, tho it did help her alot in international play last summer. Sam tweeted pics of RJ in the weight room all summer, promising great results. New training staff this year.

On one of the draft night interviews she talked a little about the injury and how much it undermined her confidence. Said she wondered if she would come back and "completely suck". Very UnRickea. Also talked about how disappointing it was to have that whole summer of hard work go "down the drain." Just part of a really tough year.

Not about to get any easier, the Sparks are going to pretty much completely suck this year. Good news is most see RJ getting plenty of playing time.

Also will be interesting to see where Jordy fits in with the much improved Storm. Great opportunity for her playing with some great players.

 

[lvocd]

Probably a combination. She played all summer. I've often wondered about the plan to bulk her up last summer, which clearly backfired. Sam tweeted pics of RJ in the weight room all summer, promising great results. New training staff this year.

On one of the draft night interviews she talked a little about the injury and how much it undermined her confidence. Said she wondered if she would come back and "completely suck". Very UnRickea. Also talked about how disappointing it was to have that whole summer of hard work go "down the drain." Just part of a really tough year.

Not about to get any easier, the Sparks are going to pretty much completely suck this year. Good news is most see RJ getting plenty of playing time.

Also will be interesting to see where Jordy fits in with the much improved Storm. Great opportunity for her playing with some great players.

She wasn’t bulked up in the weight room. She was bulked up in the pizza parlors and doughnut shops.

This is how she came into Knoxville after the summer. That ain’t weightlifting.

 

[glv98]

She wasn’t bulked up in the weight room. She was bulked up in the pizza parlors and doughnut shops.

This is how she came into Knoxville after the summer. That ain’t weightlifting.

View attachment 636971

Can't speak to nutrition but check Sam's tweets. She tweeted about RJ in the weight room all summer. Called it "gainzzz" with thumbs up. Think it was an over reaction to RJ being way too slender and too easily dislodged the year before. RJ's workouts last summer seemed carefully orchestrated. Her thigh muscles at Americup were huge and talked about. She was MVP of her team and all tourney. Could never have done that "fat". But the "gainzz" were wrong for her body type.

Actually, thinking back, the whole team in the weight room was a big emphasis of LV social media last summer. I have a feeling that's about to change to more endurance conditioning with the new staff.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Not true. Check Sam's tweets. She tweeted about it all summer. Called it "gainzzz" with thumbs up. Think it was an over reaction to her being way too slender and too easily dislodged the year before. Everything RJ did last summmer was carefully orchestrated. If she carbed up it was under supervision. Her thigh muscles at Americup were huge and talked about. She was MVP of her team and all tourney. Could never have done that "fat". But it was wrong for her body type.

I didn’t want to talk about it at the time but I was worried when I saw how different her body was. I think it would be better to slim down and have more quickness for her size at 6’2.

 

[glv98]

I didn’t want to talk about it at the time but I was worried when I saw how different her body was. I think it would be better to slim down and have more quickness for her size at 6’2.

Which she did, very quickly. I worried about lack of quickness too but it sure didn't hurt in Mexico. It was a bad idea overall, but it sure made a difference against Edwards, who just a few months earlier had monkey fliped RJ and grabbed her in a scissor lock. Didn't happen when they met again in Mexico.

Will be interesting to see the Sparks' training staff's approach.

 

[madtownvol]

She wasn’t bulked up in the weight room. She was bulked up in the pizza parlors and doughnut shops.

This is how she came into Knoxville after the summer. That ain’t weightlifting.

View attachment 636971

Lvocd, body shaming is not your usual MO. It is hard to judge from that pic since RJ is standing relaxed and "not flexed".

She looked much stronger in those earlier season games and was moving just fine, with her usual explosiveness.

Calf muscle strains, like any overuse injury can come from all sorts of causes. In a "hip bone is connected to the thigh bone", something like tight hamstrings or any kind of muscle imbalance between quads and hammies can create stress that gets absorbed by other muscles, like those in the calf until they can't handled it any more.