Tag: A’Ja Wilson

A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Loyd just obliterated the WNBA single-season scoring record

The WNBA is full of ballers who do nothing but break records.

In the WNBA’s 27th season, the history books are not only being rewritten, they’re being obliterated.

The league is growing at a tremendous pace, gathering the attention of fans along the way. For example, the WNBA draft audience increased by 42 percent between 2022 and 2023, and midseason viewership on platforms like ESPN was up 46percent, averaging 548,000 viewers per game.

More eyes on the sport mean more people see history made in real-time. In a season that saw future hall of famer Diana Taurasi hit 10,000 career points, paving the way for future generations, it’s only fitting that another record of hers fell.

A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Jewell Loyd all have resumes as long as a basketball court, but they are pursuing greatness just like Taurasi, and greatness stops for no one.

All three broke the WNBA single-season scoring record (860 points) in a photo finish to see who could walk away with the crown. Ultimately, Seattle’s “Gold Mamba” fought through injuries to make it happen. It’s honestly an incredible feat and should be celebrated.

She is, as the kids say, an absolute “dawg.”

A’ja Wilson’s 53-point burner is one of the best scoring performances in basketball history and we shall respect it as such

A’ja Wilson’s 53-point burner is one of the best scoring games we’ve ever seen. EVER.

This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Here’s Mike Sykes. 

A’ja Wilson lit the Atlanta Dream on fire Tuesday night with her epic 53-point performance. She also lit the internet on fire, too.

But the more I think about it, the more I feel like this incredible performance could use some added perspective.

Wilson’s game on Tuesday is one of the greatest scoring performances we’ve ever seen. Not just in the W. In the NBA, too. Throughout the history of basketball itself.

Let me be clear here: I always hate NBA comparisons when it comes to the WNBA because the league has its own spectacular history. We don’t have to compare these incredible women to the men’s side of the game for validation.

In this case, though, I think it just adds to the historical context of what Wilson just accomplished. Because y’all, we’ve rarely ever seen anything like this before. Seriously.

Let’s just start with what she did. Wilson dropped 53 points while making 20 of 23 shots from the field. She only shot one 3-pointer and hit 20 of 21 free throws. Wilson accomplished all of that in 33 minutes total, which is wild. You can watch the buckets here. They’re impressive.

With this performance, Wilson became just the third player in WNBA history to score at least 50 points in a game. She tied Liz Cambage, who scored 53 points in 2018, and surpassed Riquana Williams, who dropped 51 back in 2013.

Wilson dropped her 53 the fastest. Cambage played for 37 minutes against the Liberty and Williams played 34 against the Silver Stars. Wilson only played for 33 minutes out of a possible 40 against the Dream.  If Wilson got closer to that 40-minute mark? This could’ve easily been a 60-point game.

Don’t worry, there’s more. Wilson is the only player in WNBA history to score that much that quickly, per Stathead. Only eight players in the history of both the WNBA and the NBA have done that. Wilson is now one of them. And it only took her 23 shots to get there.  Kyrie Irving is the only other person who can make that claim.

When it comes to being one of the best scorers in the W, Wilson’s name doesn’t often come up — especially on the WNBA side. People will think of names like Diana Taurasi, Arike Ogunbowale, and Breanna Stewart. They’re absolutely right. Those are some absolute buckets. They can compete with anyone.

But after today? Put Wilson’s name there, too. She put on a clinic. And it’s one that we won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Quick hits: Chris Jones ain’t coming to work today … Caleb Williams might not win the Heisman … and more

Chris Jones smiles after the Chiefs' Super Bowl 57 win
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

— Chris Jones told a fan he might be out until Week 8 as his contract holdout situation with the Chiefs gets worse. Cory Woodroof has more on how that impacts the betting side.

— Prince Grimes has a list of eight candidates to win the Heisman this year and, no, none of them are Caleb Williams.

— Here’s Caroline Darney on everything we know about these high-profile stars parting ways with Scooter Braun.

— Robert Zeglinski has the 9 best win total over/unders for the 2023 NFL season.

That’s all, folks. Be kind to one another today.

A’ja Wilson’s WNBA record-tying 53-point game had basketball fans in awe

A’Ja Wilson had a night for the record books.

If there was any doubt that Las Vegas Aces superstar A’Ja Wilson was the best player in the WNBA, her performance on Tuesday night did plenty to support the idea.

Wilson dropped 53 points on the Atlanta Dream, which tied the WNBA single-game scoring record held by Liz Cambage for a Dallas Wings game in 2018.

It was a remarkable achievement for Wilson as she became only the third player in WNBA history to score more than 50 points in a game.

She’s the reigning MVP winner in the WNBA, and with a performance like this, she may well just repeat once the award is given out again this season.

Wilson’s performance was quite literally one for the record books, and WNBA fans know how special it is that they get to watch an all-time athlete like Wilson operating in her prime like this.

We won’t be surprised if Wilson has another career night like this one day.

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The Las Vegas Aces are still the superteam to beat in the WNBA and don’t you forget it

The Las Vegas Aces are WNBA champions for a reason.

This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Here’s Mike Sykes. 

The WNBA still runs through Las Vegas and it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon if the league’s “super team” faceoff from Thursday night is any indication.

The Aces and Liberty went head-to-head for the first time this season last night. We’ve all been waiting on this matchup for months, salivating just thinking about it like a kid in a candy store. These two are the clear favorites throughout the league to make it to the WNBA Finals. And why wouldn’t they be? The rosters are stacked.

On one side you’ve got a squad led by A’ja Wilson. Behind her are three star guards Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum. Oh, yeah, and they signed Candace Parker in the offseason to boot.

But then, on the other, you’ve got Breanna Stewart — who might be the league’s best player — along with Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot and a bunch of talent behind them.

This matchup is the stuff of dreams, man. These are two of the most talented teams that we’ve ever seen in the WNBA with the two best players in the league on their rosters. Thursday night two prize fighters going head to head in the ring, at last. We’d all been waiting so long for it.

And then the Aces just had to go in and tear the Liberty apart. They beat New York 98-81.

We had a close first half, sure. But it never truly looked like the Aces struggled. The Liberty on the other hand? Man, was it hard for them to get buckets.

Breanna Stewart shot an uncharacteristic 6-of-15 from the floor. Ionescu only scored eight points and could only shoot two 3-point attempts. Betnijah Laney’s -16 plus-minus in the box score was the best out of every player in the starting lineup. New York was absolutely dismantled.

The Aces looked like champions. That makes sense because, well, that’s what they are. They know how to play together — the core has been together for years at this point. It shows. There’s a reason this team will probably set the league’s wins record.

The Liberty will probably be better the next go-round. These teams play each other three times in August. I don’t expect the matchup to be this lopsided again.

Now, once again, I cannot wait to see it.

Quick Hits: James Harden on the move? … NASCAR taking it to the streets … That’s a whole lotta hail … and more.

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

— Our Charles Curtis has seven potential trade destinations for James Harden, who somehow has decided he wants to be traded. Again.

— Here are six things to know about NASCAR’s first-ever street race coming to downtown Chicago, from our Michelle Martinelli.

— THIS IS A WHOLE LOT OF HAIL ON COORS FIELD. WHAT IN THE WORLD?

— Charles Barkley surprising Ernie Johnson by giving him the news that he’s going into the broadcast Hall of Fame is so cool. Cory Woodruff has the moment here.

Be kind to one another.

5 sports documentaries we’d love to see Netflix do after Quarterback

Stars from other sports should get this cool spotlight, too.

With the release of Quarterback (and Captains, Drive to Survive, and Full Swing before it), Netflix has now created four inside-look documentaries at the lives of different professional athletes.

The point of these kinds of productions isn’t necessarily to feature the biggest names, per se. It’s to tell an interesting story, regardless of that individual’s quality. Because, in the end, we want to learn something new about someone who carries intrigue and maybe a slight air of mystery about them.

That got me thinking. Now that the NFL, Men’s soccer, F1, and golf have all been covered by the relentless streaming-service machine, what other significant sports trios should get this up-close-and-personal treatment? There’s so much room for flexibility and creativity that I almost think it’d be a mistake for Netflix not to branch out elsewhere. Honestly, I’d probably gobble up anything that lets me see the day-to-day life of a sports star.

But maybe that’s just me. (I don’t think it is.)

From a few baseball stars and WNBA dynamos to the next Big Things in the NFL at the college level, here are a few ideas for Netflix to tackle next in the first-person sports documentary world.

My parameters for my selections are simple:

  • An athlete can be a big name/star in their respective league or sport.
  • An athlete can be merely Very Good as a member of a contending and/or championship team.
  • An athlete can be some kind of rising star or young phenom with a seemingly impossible amount of hype behind their professional prospects.
  • Athletes in one league or sport are grouped together as a trio to offer three contrasting kinds of day-to-day perspectives.
  • Above all, I suspect that the names I picked would simply present the most interesting stories to learn about. That’s why I chose them. Point blank.

Note: This list is in no particular order.

Celtics Jayson Tatum, Grant Williams spotted taking in separate WNBA games over the weekend

There’s an entire league of high-level basketball to watch if the finals sting too much, and these two Celtics took advantage.

Fans of the Boston Celtics are not the only ones among us looking for a basketball fix right now with only two teams left in the NBA having left a league-sized hole in our viewing habits. But there is an entire league of basketball taking place alongside the Denver Nuggets – Miami Heat finals series that is perhaps too raw to watch for Boston fans in the first place.

And that would be the WNBA season currently unfolding alongside the last gasps of the NBA’s 2023 postseason, with loads of exciting action to watch in person or online, with at least two members of the Celtics roster electing for the former.

The duo in question was star forward Jayson Tatum and reserve swingman Grant Williams, the latter an outspoken fan of the women’s game.

A’ja Wilson gave Tom Brady superfan Kelsey Plum some necessary advice after the QB purchased stake in Aces

Kelsey Plum should probably listen to her teammate on this one.

Tom Brady might be retired, but he isn’t straying too far from the sports world he knows and loves.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced Thursday that he purchased a stake in the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.

Now, while a retired athlete purchasing a stake in another pro team isn’t something we’ve never seen before, Brady’s move is particularly funny because of the specific team he’s joining. If you remember, Aces star Kelsey Plum is huge Brady fan — so big, she barked at him during a game he was sitting courtside last season.

A full-circle moment, Plum was ecstatic to hear the latest news Thursday, but teammate A’ja Wilson had some timely and hilarious advice for her.

A word to the wise, indeed.

It’s probably not a good idea to bark at your employer. Though with Brady’s background as a fiery competitor known for barking at his own teammates, he might actually respect it.

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Tom Brady is beginning retired life by purchasing an ownership stake in WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces

Tom Brady is joining another championship team.

After winning seven championships in the NFL, five-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady is joining another champion.

The 45-year-old former quarterback has reportedly purchased an ownership stake in the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces are the reigning champions in the WNBA and the majority owner of the franchise is Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.

Brady’s purchase is still subject to the approval of the WNBA’s league office and his minority stake is for an undisclosed amount. But his new affiliation with the team should have a positive impact on the organization.

He posted a video confirming the report:

Brady spoke about why he decided to get involved:

“It was a matter of time before I was back in the building with some of the greatest athletes in the world and I grew up with three older sisters. They were all incredible athletes in their own right. They were role models for me. It’s where my love of women’s sports began.”

Brady attended a game in Las Vegas last summer and watched Aces star Kelsey Plum score 18 points. He then sent her an autographed jersey and her reaction was priceless.

The Aces, coached by WNBA Coach of the Year Becky Hammon, have an incredible roster for next season.

WNBA All-Star MVP Plum is joined by two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker, two-time WNBA MVP A’Ja Wilson, WNBA Finals MVP Chelsea Gray, and WNBA Most Improved Player Jackie Young.

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2023 WNBA draft is April 10 and to be televised exclusively on ESPN

This year’s draft class is exceptionally talented with South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston leading the way.

The 2023 WNBA draft will be held on Monday, April 10. It will be exclusively televised on ESPN from 7-9 p.m. EST and available on the ESPN app.

According to the WNBA’s website, fans have multiple ways to get involved with the draft and follow along:

Launching in March, Draft Central on wnba.com will enable fans to access multiple offerings in the days leading up to the draft. Elements will include an interactive draft board; prospect profiles with insights powered by SAP; in-depth features on the top draft prospects; coverage of all draft events; and more.

Fans will also be able to access an array of content across WNBA channels that will include the unique stories and personalities of the prospects via Instagram and TikTok; a Twitter Spaces mock draft debate; cross platform live coverage including the Orange Carpet and more.

The draft consists of three rounds and 36 picks. The WNBA only has 144 roster spots, so the higher a player is picked the larger likelihood they will make a roster. Only a small percentage of players drafted make a WNBA roster.

The league is looking to expand in the next few years, but has no concrete plans for expanded rosters. Leagues such as Athletes Unlimited provide 44 more roster spots for elite basketball players to play domestically, but many opine it is still not enough to harness the sheer talent of women’s basketball players in the United States.

However, the top picks of the draft are almost guaranteed a spot. The last 10 No. 1 overall draft picks were:

2013: Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury

2014: Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut Sun

2015: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

2016: Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm

2017: Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (formerly San Antonio Stars)

2018: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

2019: Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces

2020: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

2021: Charli Collier, Dallas Wings

2022: Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

The WNBA held its 22nd annual draft lottery on Nov. 11 to determine the order. The Indiana Fever received the first pick. The Minnesota Lynx have the second pick. The Atlanta Dream are third and the Washington Mystics (via Los Angeles Sparks) have the fourth pick.

The full lineup of picks for the first round is below:

Pick Team
1 Indiana Fever
2 Minnesota Lynx
3 Atlanta Dream
4 Washington Mystics (via Los Angeles)
5 Chicago Sky (via Phoenix)
6 New York Liberty
7 Indiana Fever (via Dallas)
8 Atlanta Dream (via Washington)
9 Seattle Storm
10 Connecticut Sun
11 Dallas Wings (via Chicago)
12 Minnesota Lynx (via Las Vegas)

This year’s draft class is exceptionally talented with South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston leading the way. She is projected to go No. 1 in the draft and when you look at her 2022 accomplishments, not to mention her whole career, it is hard to disagree.

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A’ja Wilson just had one of the most decorated years in basketball we’ve ever seen and here are all her awards

A’ja Wilson just keeps on winning

Michael Jordan in 1992. Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994. Breanna Stewart in 2018. LeBron James in 2012.

Those are some players who had some of the most decorated years in basketball that we’ve ever seen. They absolutely racked up awards. MVP’s, championship trophies, gold medals, defensive player of the year awards. You name it and they’ve got them.

A’ja Wilson just joined that class herself with the season she had in 2022. She won her first WNBA Finals a couple of weeks ago. Then, immediately after, she went over to Australia and won another gold medal. 

Wilson has had quite the year. Here’s a quick list of everything she won in this 2022 campaign.

It’s more than most players can ever hope for in their careers.

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