In Case you missed It with Christina Williams is an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment, playing Case you missed a Gang. Welcome back to Case you missed It with Christina Williams. Here on iHeart Women's Sports, and Season two has officially commenced. First and foremost, I want to thank y'all for supporting us all through season one and season two is gonna come
back bigger and better. So I'm super excited about this week's guest, and he has officially joined the Friend to the Show club. Please welcome back to the show, ESPN and NBC analyst with China Robinson to the show. China, welcome back to the show.
Thanks for having me, Christina. I am okay with being friends of the show, but I want to be family of the show. So I'm gonna keep working towards that's my goal. I like that.
I like that we can change it family to the show.
I like that.
I'm gonna start using that, all right, Lochina. Before we dive into this week's headlines, we like to start off the show with sharing a win of the week, and so I'll let you go First, what was a win for you this week?
Oh? Boy, I would say a win for me was I got to spend some time on the West Coast. I covered a couple games. I had Dallas at Seattle and then I had the Aces at the Valkyries, so I stayed out west. Beautiful weather for the most part, so that was great. But I also got to spend time with family and friends. And I just love when I can work but also have some ballots. I have two brothers that live in California that I don't get
to see very often. My mom happened to be in Cali visiting my brother, so it just felt really warm and fuzzy having family and friends around, you know, working with Angel and Pam feel like family. My husband joined for the trip, so it was just a lot of fun. I was that's probably my win. It's just getting to be with my people. I spent time with Xena who worked with the Valkyrie, and Ashley Stars. Yeah, so it was fun. I love that.
I love that whenever you can find that balance between work and family time. I think mine's was something similar to yours, and my win of the week was having a girl's night out. I went out with Roz and Maria. I don't know if you know dj Ria. She uh is the intery announcer for the New York Liberty for all of their home games. So we had a little girls night over over the weekend and it was much needed just to have that quality time with the girls. So yeah, I love that.
Listen, I can't play with Roz. You a good one because I can't. Roz got me. She always if I know, if I want to hang out, if I really want to get out, and she knows all the people, all the parties on the Hank Spot. So but I try to be in a bed of like nine thirty. So I don't know if I would have been able to hang that night. Listen, I'm young, but I was able to hang. So I'm proud of myself. Good for you.
Let's get into this week's headlines the w NBA season. We're about a month into the season, the twenty twenty five season, and so there's a lot to dive into. But I want to start with the Las Vegas Aces because this is a team that retooled in the off season in terms of the roster, adding players like Jeweloyd, Rookie Alia and I but this team is struggling in the first half of the season, and so I want to ask you, is it too early to hit the panic button on the Las Vegas Aces.
Christina, I'm gonna say yes. I'm gonna say yes, it's too early to hit the panic button on the Las Vegas Aces because technically, as of today, they're still fifth in the standings right, not bad, and they've only played seven games of a forty four game season. However, I do have concerns. I do have concerns. I will say. So I had the Aces at New York. When I say I had the Aces, I was calling the game at New York to open the season that Barclays, and then I had them again on the road with the
Golden State Valkyries. And what I will say is that there probably been more stretches this season where I haven't recognized Vegas than moments when I have, and that includes even watching them on film. And they've picked up some wins, but they've just had some really baffling moments. And I am a numbers girl. I always like to go back to the numbers. So I checked to see kind of where Vegas is on paper, and then I'll get into
kind of how or why I think we're here. So Vegas right now is twelfth in field goal percentage in the league. This is out of thirteen teams. They're thirteenth in assists, tenth in bench points, twelve in rebound margin, and twelve in opponent's points in the paint. That is not the Vegas team that we all know, not the
two time champs. And every team is going to have it off night, So that's what I'm saying, Like, I don't want to over exaggerate this, but at the same time, there have been two two many off nights this year, and so yeah, I absolutely have concerns. And I know that Becky Hammond talked to the media after the Golden State Valkyries lost and she was like, hey, we have a hard condition. The effort wasn't there where it needed to be, that they let their defense affect their offense.
You know, she had her reasons, and coaches know their team. So I'm not saying I know this team any better than Becky does, but I just didn't see the same level of tenacity, of intensity of connectedness that I'm used
to seeing. Now, let me also say they are missing some pieces that I think would be helpful, right, missing Megan Gustison, Cheyenne Parker tyas they are very shorthanded at the power forward position, so much so that Chelsea Gray has had to play power forward, as has Tiffany Mitchell. Nothing against those two, but that's not their best position on the floor, and that's where you find yourself down
in terms of rebound margin. Right. Also you're down a little bit in terms of helping the pay defensively missing players like that, and you keep me honest if they're missing somebody else. Thore's the only two I could think of. The Other aspect of this is that they have had
changes to their coaching staff in the off season. There's been some changes to their defense and some very obvious changes to their roster, right, And that is one place that I want to point because number one, it does take time, right, and there's some gelling that clearly hasn't
happened in the starting lineup. They're trying to incorporate Jewel Lloyd, but also coming off the bench, the experience of like a Tiffany Hayes at Alicia Klarkke Sidney Coulson even experience wise, you know, that's that's a lot and and you're not looking at this in terms of one player is better than the other or one fit is better than the other.
I'm talking pure experience. I'm talking players that have been in a lot of different situations and have played a lot of minutes one, championships, whatever the situation is, been in the starting lineup for teams that have made the playoffs. So that's where there's a dip in. This bench unit is interesting, very talented, but they are a group that is going to need to assemble and get comfortable very very soon in order to support this Ace's team because
they need it. Right Like, when your starters aren't going, like Becky alluded to, then you need some people that can come in and help to make adjustments. So, without getting into all the things, because that already was a lot, those are some things that I think can help Las Vegas and that are different. That familiarity, that chemistry, that is something that can build through the course of the season. But I am absolutely shocked with what I saw at Golden State this past weekend.
I think the entire women's basketball community was shocked at Vegas slipping one to the Valkyries. But to your point, you mentioned how Chelsea Gray is playing out of position sometimes and it seems like Asia Wilson, although she's been dominant this season, she also has to pick up a lot of the load for the team. How have you seen her carrying that responsibility of even more of a load for this Las Vegas Aces team.
I mean, she's carrying you very well. As this weekend she was first in steels in the league, first in blocks, second and rebounding, second in points, so individually she's doing great. But I will say that Asia looked very frustrated this weekend, like she was very frustrated. I know a lot of that was pointed at the officials, but there was no room in the pain for her to operate. She had two and three people on her everywhere, and so I do absolutely believe that there has to be more balance.
And we know what Chelsea Gray is capable of, we know what Young is capable of. Who Jackie, I feel terrible. She never has a bad night. I'm not gonna say she never, but it's not often. If she's healthy, it's not often. She walt. We looking at the box score and she has zero points, which I think was zero field goals, which I think was the case for a long time this weekend, and so you know what these players can do. You know what joll Lolly can do.
But Asia definitely has started off strong, but needs some help and probably more so at that power forward position.
Well, we know that teams have the ability to make trades during the regular season. I think the trade that line is sometime in August. But what do you think from your perspective as an analyst, what do you think the Las Vegas Aces have to do in order to play their best basketball?
Yeah? Well, you know what I would if I put my GM hat on. Your hope is that the pieces that you have brought together start to click. Someone like a Crystal Bradford who Game one when I had the Aces, the expectations were high of her, and now Becky's like she's got some work to do on defense. Or you know a player like Tiffany Mitchell, you know, continues to get comfortable and can contribute in a significant way, Dana Evans.
And so that's the number one hope as a GM because making changes or trades during the season does not sound sexy, right Like It's like okay, because then you're starting all over again. So if you truly believe you know Becky and I think you know Nicky Fargus is is filling in in that GM position for right now or doing handling some of those responsibilities. But if you believe this is the group, they have to show it.
But also your starters. And so when you start to talk about the starting unit gelling, it's maybe there's something in this new defense that just isn't really catching or maybe there's just too much change in what they're trying to do schematically that isn't catching on. But when you bring in a player like Jewel Lloyd, who is very different from Kelsey Plumb. I hate when people talk about plug and play, you know they're saying just you know,
a trade off. No, every player is different. You've got to figure out what works best for this particular group. That's what you hope happens.
Well, hopefully the Las Vegas Aces can find a way to turn it around sooner than later. But moving right along the Commissioner's Cup. Play has started already in the WNBA, and teams like the New York Liberty and Minnesota Links
are standing at the top of the respective conferences. Aside for the aside from the financial incentive that the Commissioner Cup offers the players and the team, how do you see teams approaching the first half of the season knowing like they have a chance at winning five hundred thousand dollars? But also how do you see them approaching the first half of the season.
If I'm being one hundred percent honest, Christina, I think these teams this year are just focused on getting their footing. And that's nothing against the Commissioners Cup because everybody wants five hundred thousand dollars. I would like five hundred thousand dollars, okay, same see, So nothing against the Commissioner's Cup. And I
think it's a great event. I think it's wonderful. But I also think most of these teams wish it was happening in August because this is the I'm not going to call it downside, but the growing pains of the activity of free agency is that teams take time to gel. It's also a byproduct of eight head coaches that are on different teams this year, either new to the league or you know, changed, like Stephanie White being one of
those eight. She was already a head coach but you know, doing it for another organization, And so what that spells out to me is that we're not seeing the best basketball right now. You know, teams are trying to figure
it out. There's just been wholesale changes to not just starting lineups, but like WNBA All Stars and champions, changing teams supporting cast I don't know if there's ever been a year where I've seen more first year players like that graduated from so and so university three years ago, didn't get drafted, went overseas, but hey, now we're back and we actually made a roster. Like I'm just it's gonna take time. So I don't know that teams are
as honed in. Of course they would love to win the Commissioners Cup, but I think a lot of these teams would like to just be playing well and get into a rhythm and figure things out for their own team and organization for the long run.
Yeah, that's definitely an interesting perspective and take on like how teams are approaching the Commissioners Cup games in the first half of the season, and you're right, teams are just simply trying to figure it out in the first half of this season. But I do feel like the Commissioner's Cup to some point it sort of indicates or foreshadows the teams that we might see later on in
like the postseason or potentially the finals. I mean, last year you had the New York Liperty Minnesota Links both compete at the Commissioner's Cup and then also was the finals team as well in the year before, the Aces Liberty the same thing. So it's very interesting how the Commissioner's Cup can serve as some sort of foreshadowing farli on in this year.
And I was gonna say, those are the probably the teams that are excited about the Commissioner's cupping that five hundred thousand dollars is New York in Minnesota because they look great, right like they came in strong, they're undefeated, Like, yeah, they they have moved past that phase one if we're trying to get it together that everybody else is kind of in And you know, Atlanta's played well, Phoenix has played well, Aces and stretches, the Seattle stretches. Get that.
But I think most teams that are not Minnesota New York are like, let's find our consistent groove, let's find our consistent starting lineup, Let's figure out our rotations, like all of those things, Who's going to EuroBasket, who we got to replace? Like, those are the kind of things I think these teams are more concerned about right now.
Yeah, Liberty and Links are, like your problems are not my problem that part. But sticking with those two teams, I mean, both teams as of today are still undefeated to start the season, some of their best starts in franchise history. I know that you've been covering the game for a really, really long time, but have you ever seen something like this where two teams have been dominating out the gate at the same time.
Yeah, I'm sure there has been. But again, I go back to the free agency period, which is, you know, not historically what we're used to, and so teams probably came in a little more balanced, fewer changes. I know, there weren't as many head coaching changes as we're seeing this year, and so it was probably a little more difficult for two teams to just kind of extend the way that the Liberty and Links have. But they look strong.
You know, I'm really impressed with both teams, both organizations, and it just gives me chills to think about how we ended last year, the fact that we get seven games in the finals this year, and not to say that I'm like deadlocked on Liberty and Links being there, but right now, if you ask me to put my money on it, that's who I would say it's going to play in the finals.
No, I agree, I mean, right now, those are the two teams that I would predict, obviously, and it's pretty easy to predict because they're playing so well right now. But you talked about how continuity has been like the through line for these two teams in terms of having an advantage in the first half of the season chemistry wise, to make everything click when you look at these two teams, No, Visa Collier is playing out of this world right now.
She's leading the league in scoring and fifty forty ninety as well. From your eyes, what's clicking for NEFISA and this Minnesota Links team on both ends of the floor.
Yeah, you know, we're seeing a meteoric rise by Anfisa Collier. And I can't even sit here and say this hasn't always been who she was. I think in coming to Minnesota, she obviously became a mother fought back from that, you know, giving birth to get into great shape and really got in the gym. But also in her early years there,
I think she was really deferring to Sylvia fouls. She has so much respect for sel and really just wanted to learn from her, wanted to play alongside her, just wanted to, you know, be the perfect robin to the batman. And now we're just seeing a monster being unleashed. Like not only has the playing style of Minnesota kind of changed after the retirement of Sylvia Fowls and we're seeing more open floor, we're seeing more opportunity for slashing in back cuts, which are things that no Fisa is a
genius at. But she is just very unique with her skill set. And what I mean is like we forget she's six'. One she takes up so much space on the basketball. Court she is uber, skilled like you, know can do, anything can score from. Anywhere BUT i think the part that really stands out to me this year is how well she's shooting the three. Ball AND i WISH i had looked at her. Numbers i'm gonna try to pull them up, here BUT i don't know that
she's ever shot this well in her. Career AND i Know this is a short sample, size but it just extends all the places on the floor that you have to guard, her and all of the different skill sets that she can put on display when she's shooting well from long, Range LIKE i think it says this year she's shooting forty three percent from from, three AND i know the fifty forty ninety is in play for her right. Now but her best shooting last year she shot thirty one.
Percent the year before that she shot twenty nine point eight, percent the year before that she shot twenty five, Percent and the only year she was closed was in twenty twenty she shot forty one, percent but that was only in twenty two. Games so to, me that's the aspect of her game that is opening up even. More it's
just her comfort, level BUT i love seeing. It she is the front runner in it FOR mvp right, now and none of those numbers speak to her impact defensively and how versatile she is and the number of types of players that she can. Defend she's just such a unique player AND i love seeing her blossom to start the.
Season so With, CHINA i know that The liberty and The aces they have a history and a Rivalry, brandish who are alluded to it in one of her postgame press conferences that she feels like The aces are more of a rival to The liberty than The. Links but after last year's finals, loss and with how great both teams are, playing would you that this would be the new rivalry of the W, nba The liberty and The.
Lakes. YEAH i think it's gonna take a couple more chapters for that to be the. Case and it sounds wild saying that because The liberty In vegas's rivalry was
almost like. Overnight BUT i do think the difference is, that and in that is that the number of players that had won, championships, Right Brianna stewart was coming in having already won champion some, championships you, know The, aces obviously we were, champs and so, like there was a certain level of proof in those resumes that championship was in the. PEDIGREE i Think minnesota still has to prove that THE fisa hasn't won one. Courtney williams hasn't won
one THAT i can think. OF i know she's played in. Finals kaylen, McBride i believe has. It so this is a group that is not quite BUT i think once they take that step of winning a, championship then people will start to look at them as more of a. Rival BUT i think because of what bringing A steward bought in Because John Quell jones was a FORMER. MVP i, mean no one on The Minnesota lynks team has even won AN mvp. AWARD i, mean if i'm if i'm
If i'm miss, speaking you, know you tell. Me but that's, real that's, real and so that kind of heavyweight comes with, expectations and that's where that top of the food chain rivalry was born With Asiah wilson And company and The New York, liberty WHICH i think The links are on their way, there but not.
Quite, well that's a great perspective of a great way to look at. It you have to add some more to your.
Resume that's the, Trophy, okay you got to.
Have. Yeah, Well i'm certainly looking forward to seeing what The links do for the rest of the. Season BUT i want to move right along To. Dallas Page beckers has been clear to, return and she's been out for a couple of games due to an. Illness so when you look at This dallas, team you know they've built it Around page And Arika gumbwalle to help with rebuild the. Team, however we talked about the eight new coaches in THE, wnba And dallas is a team that is suffering FROM
i only want to say. Suffering there's a lot to be figured out with this new, system new, coach new. Roster they start the season one. Nine how much pressure do you think there is on this young core to turn things around in this.
SEASON i don't think there's a lot of pressure from being one hundred percent, honest AND i don't mean any disrespect to this roster whatsoever BECAUSE i like the, pieces BUT i believe and let me see How i'm gonna get around to. This, well first of, all we just talked about new, teams new. PLAYERS i think they only returned three players from last, Year tierra mcow And Matti segress And Arika. Gooble so that's a completely new, roster a first TIME wnba head coach right In chris, Coklanis
so there's some kinks to be worked out. There like that's the difference in the conversation we were having about The aces And Becky hammond is because even though her assistants have Changed becky has done this at a high level in won and played all those, things and so there is a lot of grace. There but WHAT i will tell you About, dallas AND i believe this, wholeheartedly their season will be won or lost in the post
and that's. Period Like Melissa smith has so much potential AND i don't think we have even scratched what she's capable. Of she's gonna have to find that next. Level she's gonna have to play like that number two pick every, night like she has the weight of the world on her. Shoulders mai sha Heinz, allen WHO i think is, outstanding who is a versatile, player who's a great, leader who has the most playoff experience on that, team she is going to have to show up and show out for that.
Team and Then tierra, McCowan Like, dallas has yet to figure out how to consistently make her an. Advantage AND i don't know if that's an end season thing or an off season, thing OR i don't know exactly what it. Is i'm not with their organization in and out every, day but there has to be a way to figure out how to incorporate her more Consistently i'm set in the. Backcourt you. KNOW i know people have their issues With
Rique gobwal and her shots and all that. Stuff, listen you would want her on your team rather not having her on your, team, Right that doesn't concern. Me djna's, great, Ty. Harris you can denound the list of, players Even maddie secrets who could play at the, three and she may be end up being the answer in the post because
she's been playing so. Well but their front line has to, perform AND i Think geiselsolder is starting to kind of come along, Too AND i can't remember who else they have in their post, rotation but looking at their starting unit With Heinz, allen With Melissa, smith that's where this conversation begins and ends for me in terms of What dallas has to do or has to have in order to start to find their way in addition to getting paid back. Healthy of, course, yes of.
Course and so my last question for you in terms of the, Headlines so he talked about their front court and how it starts and ends with their front. Court, well last Week Lee yoru requested a Trade Crum, seattle And i'm told that there could be a deal done as soon as the end of, tonight when you're recording this or, tomorrow, okay when this show. Releases so when you look at the market, realistically the trade, market what are some teams that you think will be a good
thing For. LEE i Think dallas could probably make a, move not just my own, OPINION i think she could be a good fit there With tierra McCallan sent working out what do you think she?
Could but if you're not able to properly Incorporate tia, macaw what you're gonna do with links? Now he, is he is more. SKILLED i think she plays with more. Pace she also is can stretch the floor from What i've seen as a recent right that, Part i'm not sure what would be the best. FIT i don't know that It's. Dallas but WHAT i would say About lee is that what we saw last year in the finals was two teams that really played positionless basketball and played
more of a five out. Look AND i do think that in order to compete with those, teams you have to that has to be the emphasis of your focus in terms of your core. Group and so While, lee from WHAT i, understand was saying she didn't think she was playing a big enough. ROLE i don't know if that had as much to do with the team as it does her, position, RIGHT.
I think it was. HER i think it was like a little bit of, both because she's playing behind so many, people, RIGHT i think that's what it.
Was, Yeah AND i, mean don't get me. WRONG i think she's a phenomenal, player BUT i think she has to really make it clear what is she looking for in terms of minutes and playing time. Exactly teams are already solidifying their, rotation SO i don't know that this is a smart move for. HER i think if you start to look at teams like A, connecticut you, know, MAYBE i, Mean washington plays at such a fast pace
and they've actually been looking pretty. GOOD i Think camilla needs to be getting a boatload of the minutes In. CHICAGO i wouldn't have to go through and. Look BUT i just don't feel either in terms of current rotation or playing. Style it's not a huge free agency move in my. Opinion it's not necessarily something where everyone is circling the wagons to try to get. IT i think she's going to have to figure it.
Out and on that, Note La, CHINA i want to thank you for joining us this week on In Case You Missed it With Christina williams to break down the, headlines and you have officially joined the family of the.
Show.
Group so super happy that you're able to be here.
To say thank, You. CHRISTINA i feel so. Honored DO i get to give a speech? Now, No i'm. Kidding thank you and keep doing a great job with all your. COVERAGE i love it AND i am happy to join any.
Time all, Right, Tom i's going to do it for this week's episode Of In Case You Missed it With Christina williams here On iHeart Women's. Sports don't forget to rate for you and subscribe to the. Podcast and next week on the, show we have very special guests joining, us and so stay. Tuned In Case You Missed it With Christina williams is An iHeart Women's sports production in partnership With Deep Blue sports And. Entertainment you can find us on The iHeartRadio, App apple, podcast or wherever you
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