درباره این اپیزود
We react to the WNBA returning from the FIBA break and why the league’s promotion still lags behind the on-court product. We break down the playoff picture, debate Indiana’s real ceiling, and argue over what the next commissioner must do to grow women’s basketball the right way.
• FIBA break impact on momentum and why the return felt under-promoted
• What the next WNBA commissioner should prioritize including player relationships and global diversity
• Teams that disappoint including Phoenix and the Sparks and what went wrong
• The widening talent gap plus why incoming stars and expansion could rebalance the league
• Seeding chaos at the top and how matchups could swing everything
• Indiana Fever strengths and flaws including defense, composure, and shot selection
• Dark horse talk around the New York Liberty and how coaching affects contenders
• MVP debate with A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Mitchell, and the limits of rookie MVP arguments
Go ahead, like, go ahead and subscribe in the comment section. Let us know who you got going to WNBA Finals. Go ahead and subscribe, hit that link in the bio for some merch.
https://mixed-vibez-drip.printify.me/
یادداشت ها را نشان دهید 🔗
رونوشت 🔗
00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.440
Welcome, welcome, welcome back to another episode of From My Perspective.
00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.439
I'm your boy Deion coming back to you with another wonderful episode.
00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:12.560
And it's a WNBA edition episode.
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:16.719
Because we got our man Lamont here, the WNBA guy.
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:22.480
But y'all know I'm joined by also the man, the myth, the legend himself, Captain Hader.
00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:23.679
Q, how you doing today?
00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:24.879
Hey man, what do it is?
00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:25.679
You already know the vibes.
00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:26.320
Your boy, Mr.
00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:26.640
Bell.
00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.480
Like I can't tell your name upon the spot.
00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:30.160
Might not get you the mock.
00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:32.240
Hey man, I am blessed.
00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:33.039
That's blessed.
00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:35.280
What I've been saying for the past week.
00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:36.399
I am blessed.
00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:40.880
But like I said, uh to the lead in, we got Lamont.
00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:44.320
He is back to talk about the WNBA as.
00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:46.079
No, WNBA, they had their break.
00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:48.240
They just got back a couple days ago.
00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:50.240
And we're basically at the end of the season.
00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:53.359
The last game, the last day of the season is the 24th.
00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:57.439
And then when you listen to it to this episode, we're recording on the 21st.
00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:05.120
So last day is a freeze for you too cute.
00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:05.920
Yeah.
00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:06.879
Oh, there you go.
00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:07.280
Thank you.
00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:11.359
Got some seating issues to figure out, but we will be figuring it out.
00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:13.760
But we got Lamont to talk about here.
00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:15.599
Uh Lamont, how you doing today?
00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:17.599
I appreciate y'all having me on, man.
00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:18.480
I'm doing great.
00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:20.959
Uh we're almost down to playoff time.
00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:26.079
So watching these seedings go, watching um, like we got a big game right now in New York and Atlanta.
00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:28.480
A lot of playoff implications there for rankings.
00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:29.760
So I'm doing good, man.
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.359
We got football, we got WNBA, basketball coming up in the month.
00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:34.239
I'm happy, man.
00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:43.840
Uh, before we get going, I know me and Q, we kind of talked about a little bit a couple episodes ago when we saw that the WBA has this FIBA break.
00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:45.920
I don't know how you feel about it.
00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:50.719
Me and Q didn't like it, and we kind of feel like it might have kind of slowed down their momentum.
00:01:50.799 --> 00:02:01.040
And I also think I don't know if you can blame WNBA or if you can blame the networks itself, but they did a terrible job promoting their comeback uh from from break.
00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:05.920
Like I didn't really know they came back until I saw that there was a game being played.
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:14.240
So I think they did a terrible job, and I think that break maybe had slowed down their momentum what they had, but hopefully they can gain it back since the playoffs was there.
00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:16.319
How you feel about this break that they had?
00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:18.159
Uh, I understand it.
00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:30.159
I don't know if there's much you can do about it, but what upsets me the most is that these players won't play in the all-star game because they're scared of injuries and things like that, but then you go to FIBA and you ball out, right?
00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:40.479
You're not worried about injuries and nothing like that going over there to play, but you can't play, you know, when you're over here for some something outside of the regular season of the WNBA.
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:43.680
So um that was just like if you're gonna ball now, you can ball then.
00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:48.000
I get people want to play for their countries um and they're gonna ball out a little bit more there.
00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:57.599
But I would, what I wasn't what I did like though about the break is that you got to see players that you don't really see in the WNBA ball out to their full capacity, right?
00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:04.479
Because they are now the number one on their country's team when they're like the number four or number five option here in the WNBA.
00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.439
And it just goes to show just how talented the WNBA is.
00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:16.159
And because I'm so into the WNBA, I didn't really notice until you said something that there was a lack of coverage when the WNBA is coming back.
00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:20.319
I knew because I'm on Twitter and I'm following every single WNBA page on Twitter.
00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:23.680
I'm following like every single WNBA page on TikTok.
00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:26.000
So those things pop up for me a little bit more often.
00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:33.599
But for somebody who's not creating content around the WNBA and needs to be in all these pages, you probably wouldn't know that they're coming back.
00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:41.759
So that is a huge disservice for the fans and the newer fans that are coming on to the WNBA that they didn't know that this was coming back after such a long break.
00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:44.479
They were gone for maybe what, three weeks or something like that.
00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:47.680
Um, very long time not to promote them coming back.
00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:52.319
So there's been a lot of things in the WNBA when it comes to promoting that they've missed the mark on.
00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:57.439
And I'm hoping that with this new commissioner coming along, whoever it may be, they improve on that.
00:03:57.759 --> 00:03:58.400
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:00.560
I mean, I'm completely forgot about that.
00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:02.639
She did the commissioner did step down.
00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.159
Uh, in your eyes, I'm gonna just go ahead and lead into that before I give it again.
00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:12.479
In your eyes, whoever they get, what do you think their mission should be as their commissioner?
00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:16.240
Promoting the diversity of the WNBA.
00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:22.560
Sonia Citron, would do even like Sonia Citron's from Cape Verde, right?
00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:24.560
Like nobody knows that, right?
00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:32.240
And that's a huge fan base that will be missing from the WA people from Cape Verde knew that, oh, Sonia Citron from where I'm from, right?
00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:35.040
Now you got a whole new fan base of people coming in.
00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:38.160
You know, uh NEC is from Africa, right?
00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:40.800
You got a you know, another, you know, fan base there.
00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:52.240
Um, like they're they're missing the mark here, I think, with the WNBA and advertising um their uh the diversity that's in the WNBA.
00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:57.680
People from Australia and you know, people from Canada and all kinds of places that are here.
00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:59.680
They have to advertise that.
00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:08.720
So with the break, it was like you said, it was like two to three weeks.
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:20.399
I feel like it caused a problem for a lot of teams because of some fact you was either you were potentially hot going in, or you you end up coming out cold on the other end.
00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:27.600
I want to ask you as far as the break, who how could should it be changed though?
00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:33.759
Because from my perspective, I think it should be changed because it's not fair to the teams.
00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:38.319
See that the only I'd I would love for it to be moved, right?
00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:40.639
And not be in the middle of the WNBA season.
00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:43.439
Uh thing is that this is international play, right?
00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.160
They're not going to change the rules for one country, right?
00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.600
So um that's where it kind of gets difficult.
00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.720
They're not going to move FIBA because of the WNBA.
00:05:52.879 --> 00:06:01.920
Um, that would take pretty much the whole entire world to say because of the WNBA, we're gonna move our national, our you know, international competition.
00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:08.639
Um, that's like saying you want to move the Olympics because of a certain you know country, and you can't really do something like that.
00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:14.240
So um I'm fine with if that because I don't know if there's a way to do that.
00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:25.680
So I'm kind of fine with it being the way that it is, um, as long as the players keep their integrity and they're playing just as hard in the WNBA as they're going to play in FIBA.
00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:27.519
I get that.
00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:42.079
I see with that, I think it's hard because like I look at the Joker, Joker and the NBA, and like when he gets for his country, or Luca for that matter, when they put the put that country jersey on, they do seem to do play a little hard.
00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:53.360
He is the MVP over there when he played for Germany, and when he gets to the States, like you said, he's like seventh, eighth man on the NBA team in the United States.
00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:57.279
I wish it would, I wish some of it is I don't think they have the opportunity.
00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:00.399
Some of it is I just don't think they play as hard.
00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:09.199
Um, but with the playoffs coming up, let's talk about some teams that maybe we make the playoffs and did leave live up to expectations.
00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:18.240
Is there a team that maybe you thought was gonna make the playoffs at the beginning of the season or even towards the middle of the season that just it didn't happen for them?
00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:28.560
Um go check out my page because I talked about this before the season started, who I wanted to be in the playoffs and who I think won't make the playoffs, and it actually panned out the exact way.
00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:36.000
Now, the rankings may have been a little bit different, but everyone who didn't make the playoffs, I predicted that like I planned on them not making the playoffs.
00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:39.920
Um, but someone who what's a little bit surprising is Phoenix, right?
00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:41.600
Phoenix was in the championship.
00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:44.160
Now they're out of the playoffs this year, right?
00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:51.279
So um the watching Phoenix Mercury, but they they really don't have much, which is why it's not that disappointing.
00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:54.639
It's hard to root against Alyssa Thomas Hall of Famer, right?
00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:57.199
Khalia Copper, she's from Philly, like I'm from Philly.
00:07:57.279 --> 00:07:59.839
So always gonna root for my girl Khalia Copper.
00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:09.120
But outside of them two, there really isn't much there, especially with them losing uh Joe Von Nogic uh for um for personal reasons.
00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:13.360
She was their rookie and she was looking amazing for them.
00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:15.519
Um, so that that that hurt a lot.
00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:20.639
They got Kelsey uh plum late in the season, not couldn't really do too much with that, right?
00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:22.560
But for next season, that'd be a great addition.
00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:27.680
So uh seeing someone who was on top last year to then be out of the playoffs this year is a little bit disappointing.
00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:29.519
And then um also the Sparks.
00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.159
I thought the Sparks were gonna be way better than what they were.
00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:37.919
Um, with NECA coming over there, this is got the doing her farewell tour, right, with LA.
00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:42.080
Um, Dearca Hamby really wasn't the Dearca Hambe we saw last year.
00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:45.679
She played well, but not up to her full potential, I would say.
00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:52.799
Um, so I was really disappointed in uh the lackluster performance that the Sparks gave out this year.
00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:55.039
Very terrible on the defensive end.
00:08:55.840 --> 00:09:05.759
And you know, when I think of the Sparks, because to me, I guess because of Cameron Green, I would assume that they would be better on defense than what they had.
00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:14.159
Imagine she did have an injury last year, and I know she's working herself back, so I don't want to lie, I don't want to seem like I blame her, but I would expect the defense to be better for the Sparks.
00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:16.480
And it just didn't pan out there for the mission.
00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:22.559
Yeah, because bringing NECA on um really stunted the growth of Cameron Brink for this year.
00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:30.879
This was supposed to be her year to really take that starting lineup and really flourish, but she had to take a back seat after being injured and having to take a backseat, right?
00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:37.759
To now being healthy and having to take a backseat because you got NECA and D'Erica in the uh front court there.
00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:40.399
So it it really did her a disservice.
00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:45.519
But I think that next year is you're going to see a different version of Cameron Brink.
00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:50.879
She was called out by her coach earlier this season, and she started to play so much better.
00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:52.879
She's just not getting the minutes yet.
00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:57.440
So when next year, when she sees those minutes, you're going to see a different Cameron Brink.
00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:03.600
So, yeah, we like I said, we're getting into the playoffs.
00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:07.840
I'm looking at the standings who obviously we know who who's going to be in it.
00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:10.480
Um we're still talking about teams that's not in it.
00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:15.440
It's kind of crazy how it's worked out for the WEB this season.
00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:22.799
All the teams that didn't make it are under 500, well under 500 to be exact, and all the teams that are in the playoffs are above 500.
00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:25.039
That's kind of where you usually don't see that happen.
00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:30.879
Like, there's no, like, where nobody is fighting for a playoff spot, everybody's just fighting for teening.
00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:40.159
Uh, that I don't know, I don't know how that plays with the Raiders, but I don't think that is great for not, you know, you like some teams to still be in it, fighting for the final thing.
00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.240
How would you think they would change that?
00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:49.200
Uh or do you think just the talent will eventually come together and these you know records will probably get a little bit more equal?
00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:52.879
But right now there's a huge line between the good and the bad.
00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.360
Um, I think it's a it's a compilation of things.
00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:57.279
I think it's a compilation of injuries.
00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:04.080
Um, and the young talent that's coming into the league is really starting to phase out some people in the WNBA.
00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:10.320
We're about to see a massive, a massive surgence in talent coming into the WNBA.
00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:15.279
I'm talking about the likes of people like Olivia Miles, Paige Beckers.
00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:21.279
Like, you're going to see a whole busload of these type of players coming into the WNBA in the next two, three years.
00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:29.840
That's what's going to make the WNBA more competitive because there's only a few amounts of teams that have that prolific young talent right now.
00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:32.879
Soon all these teams are going to have talented players like that.
00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:40.000
And I think that type of diversity in rosters are going to um help these teams be a little bit more competitive.
00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.519
Because when you look at the Sparks, they don't have any.
00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.960
Cameron Brink was supposed to be their young talent that they just brought on as supposed to be this big prolific talent, right?
00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:50.879
Not playing right now and coming off the bench.
00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:53.039
Well, not playing last year, coming off the bench this year.
00:11:53.200 --> 00:12:01.919
You're talking about Phoenix, Joe Von Nokic was supposed to be their rookie out for personal reasons, but I don't think she was going to be anything to get them into the playoffs right now, anyway.
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:05.759
Um, you look at uh who else didn't make the playoffs here?
00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:14.240
Toronto dealt with a lot of Toronto looked like they were that they were going to make the playoffs with um Brittany Sykes before she got injured.
00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:21.759
Uh her and um oh man, while I just whiff on her name, hitting all the threws there in Toronto.
00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:27.279
Um oh man, I'm so glad my computer just crapped out on me here.
00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.360
Um so I can't see.
00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:33.840
Uh because I know what you're talking about, and I am drawing a blank on the net.
00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:40.799
Dang, but her um Isabel Harrison had a really good start to had a really good season this year with Toronto.
00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:44.399
Um you had Kiki Rice who started off slow.
00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.759
She had the ankle injury, right?
00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:46.799
She had the ankle injury.
00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:52.000
She's one of those players like Paige Becker's Olivia Miles, those young players coming into the league, just had injuries.
00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:53.679
So that really hurt Toronto.
00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.639
Portland has a bag of players.
00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:58.320
I'm talking about a bag.
00:12:58.399 --> 00:12:59.679
I love Portland.
00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:03.039
Um, they just don't have oh well.
00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:06.720
I mean, they got Carla Lee, which is a I think she could be a big time score.
00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:12.240
Um, but they're just missing, they're just missing one little thing there for them to be a playoff team.
00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:18.879
Um, but yeah, once they start getting, once these players start coming in, you're gonna see that that playoff race is gonna look a lot closer.
00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:24.000
Let me ask, with more players coming in, but you're also gonna have more teams coming in.
00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:33.759
Do you think the amount of players that's coming in is gonna be able to not only make it more competitive with the current teams, but also with the new teams coming?
00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:35.039
Oh, absolutely.
00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:42.240
There's so many people coming in, and I'm not that big into college, into women's college basketball or men's college, just college sports in general.
00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:55.759
I'm just not a big fan of college sports, so I don't know all their names, but I do know I have seen a lot of players, a lot of highlights being in the WNBA world of a lot of talent coming out this year and next year.
00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:58.799
There's a girl that's in like, I think high school right now, Gigi.
00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.679
She was part of the all-star uh game.
00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.440
Girl can ball just like just like any of the guys, man.
00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:06.399
Girl got game.
00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:12.399
Hannah Hidalgo's coming into the league this year, um, who I think she should be the number one pick.
00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:15.440
Um she played, I believe she played with Olivia.
00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.559
Yeah, they did in number.
00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:17.679
Yeah.
00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:21.039
Um, so you got Hannah Hidalgo coming in this year.
00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:31.120
We got Audi Crooks, who's um who'll be coming into the league soon, played at Iowa, uh, Iowa State, I believe, and now she transferred over to Oklahoma.
00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:35.840
Look at look look at look at me go not watching college basketball.
00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:40.799
Yeah, I don't know how well her game will translate, but she she's dominated in college right now.
00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:47.600
A lot of people are a little skeptical about her size, but I look at a girl named Reagan Beers that plays for uh Phoenix.
00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:52.159
She dropped 11 points in 11 minutes last night, and she's been doing that.
00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.240
Whenever she gets minutes, she's getting buckets.
00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:56.879
And she has a bigger build just like Audi Crook.
00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:58.639
So I think she'll be able to be successful.
00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:06.720
She's got to be able to move her feet and get up and down the floor because right now they're just gonna run fast on whatever team she's on, the other teams are gonna go fast.
00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:09.600
Um, and she might slow them down a little bit.
00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:14.080
And also, Juju, I think that's probably coming back.
00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:19.200
Juju Watkins coming in, is she's like the co I think she's gonna be like the Kobe at the WNBA.
00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:22.720
I'm telling you, that Juju Watkins is a different breed, man.
00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:24.799
She's I think she's better than Olivia.
00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:28.639
I'm telling you, like, she's a different breed of player.
00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:34.240
You know, you say that saying that now sounds crazy, right?
00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:38.080
But if we hadn't said it last year, you were just saying Juju's better than Olivia.
00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:39.600
Everybody would have been like, yeah.
00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:48.480
But now it's like after the season that Olivia had, it's kind of like, oh no, because that woman was balling.
00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:51.200
Yeah, and that was no not to Olivia.
00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.000
Yeah, no, I don't know.
00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:58.879
That's how great Juju is, but like, so it's something about Juju that that really stood out to me.
00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:06.080
There was a game prior to her be her uh tearing her ACL, there was a game where she shot terrible.
00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:12.559
I think she shot like 20 something percent from the field, missed everything, and everybody was down on Juju.
00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:20.559
She stayed in the gym after that and put up like 500 shots, something crazy like that, came out the next game and dropped 50.
00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:27.840
Like that's the type of killer instinct that she has, which is why it reminds me of Kobe, that Mamba instinct, right?
00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:29.519
That Mamba mentality.
00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:31.600
She is a killer, right?
00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:40.960
On the on a court, and just Olivia, Olivia does more in terms of like assists, rebounding, right?
00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:43.759
Um, like more like a Swiss Army knife.
00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:49.519
Um I I see Juju could put up Juju could put up points like Asia Wilson if she wants to.
00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.000
30 points a game every single night.
00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:53.279
30 to 50.
00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:55.200
Like every night if she wanted to.
00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:56.720
Like she's that good.
00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:01.600
Well, so let's uh let's go back into the playoff picture.
00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:04.720
We're actually not gonna talk about the winners and the teams that's looking good.
00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:14.480
You mentioned earlier that you believe, no pre-pod, that you believe that the Valkyries probably could get the Lynx to be the number one overall seed in the WNBA playoffs.
00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:18.480
And I pulled up the schedule just to see how realistic that is.
00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.160
And looking at the schedule, the Valkyrie have a real chance.
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:29.599
Uh the Lynx, they play the fever, then the Valkyrie, they play uh Portland, and then uh the Lynx actually the Lynx played a fever twice.
00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.960
Fever twice, back to back.
00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:35.680
Lynx played a fever twice, and the Valkyrie end the season with Portland and uh Link Spark.
00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.960
So it's two bottle feeders.
00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:49.200
So they actually got a real shot to be so to even to make that even more, you know, of a to give you even more of a reason why they would get that number one spot.
00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:52.559
Um, Washington beat Indiana last night.
00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:57.839
Now, Indiana, which is not which is not far-fetched, right?
00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.359
Washington beat Indiana, which is Washington has shown to be a scrappy team.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.240
I'll be scared to face Washington in the first round, right?
00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:08.799
But what I would be surprised to see is Indiana Fever lose out.
00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.240
I don't think Indiana Fever is gonna lose out for the rest of the season, right?
00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:13.519
Those last three games.
00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:17.440
I don't think they're gonna lose out, which would mean Minnesota's gonna drop one.
00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:23.119
Minnesota drops one, and as you saw, the schedule isn't that difficult for the Valkyrie moving forward.
00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.640
They're only one game behind.
00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:27.039
The Valkyries would then take the number one seed.
00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.400
Why are we bringing up negative stuff talking about Indiana Blues?
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:33.519
I don't really feel like that.
00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.880
I don't really feel like having my bad, my bad kill.
00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:52.480
I wanna let's let's talk about the fever for a minute.
00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:58.960
Since you brought up the fever and the negativity, let's talk about the positivity with the Indiana fever.
00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:04.720
Um I feel well, I think going into Indiana fever.
00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:32.079
Um let me not be negative because I said I was gonna be positive.
00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:38.480
You you feel like the Indiana people have a real shot.
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:43.599
I know I asked you this last time, but I don't want to ask you again because I don't want to see if your answer changed.
00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:44.400
I don't think they do.
00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.440
He said that quick too.
00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:49.839
He didn't even let you get the question fully.
00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:57.200
I just want to see if his answer changed because in fact, like I said, Dean, going into the break, and I get it, that was three weeks ago.
00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:03.359
I understand, I understand, but you couldn't tell me that it was too many teams playing better than Indiana.
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:11.519
And that could probably go into what you were saying before, teams that were surging prior to the fever break, and now they come back and they're not playing at that level.
00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:17.440
Um uh, I think that the Indiana fever sitting in the fifth spot.
00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:22.160
Do you think that they're a fifth spot team or you think they're better than being a than a fifth spot team?
00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.759
Realistically, I think they are.
00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:29.039
I think they the fourth best team.
00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:31.039
I think they're better than the fifth seed.
00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:36.960
I think they can be I think they're talented enough to be a third seed, to be honest with you.
00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:47.519
They don't play, they don't play well enough to get to that spot, and they're sitting in the fifth spot under them with their talent shows to where they should be.
00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:50.799
They're sitting in that fifth spot because they don't play to their potential.
00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:53.200
And it really comes from that defensive end.
00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.960
They are talented enough to be one of those top three teams.
00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:06.960
But until they hone in on that defense, and they have shown spurts where they could play some defense, but they're the highest scoring team, and they're fifth in the rankings.
00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:13.359
You talk about three spots out from eighth spot, like then, like they're they're not that far ahead.
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:19.200
They could even drop, you know, they gotta play Minnesota twice, yeah, you know, to end the season, you know.
00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:26.240
So um they could drop, and because they're not playing to their full potential, is the reason why I don't have them as a championship team.
00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:30.799
So I I'm gonna have a little homer moment real quick, Beyond I'll let you ask that question.
00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:32.799
But homework here.
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:34.720
You're right.
00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:41.279
The offense is best backcourt, probably I've ever seen.
00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:59.200
I feel like the reason I keep asking this question is because of the fact we have shown the glimpse, glimpses on the defensive end, and I feel like when the players, especially having these two games versus Minnesota, you know you have to bring it at the end of the season.
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.160
It's gonna be playoff atmosphere.
00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:08.400
I feel like if they can, I feel like they could get the defense right.
00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:10.000
We right there.
00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:11.200
You said yourself.
00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:15.279
We have the talent to be a top three team in the WNBA.
00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:17.599
Aaliyah Boston.
00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:22.720
I want her to be a little bit better on defense.
00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.799
That may be their Achilles Hill.
00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.960
That could be their Achilles Hill.
00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:29.039
Also, Kaitlin can't be a cone.
00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:32.400
She's gonna have to, she's gonna have Kaaitly Clark's gonna have to learn how to be Steph Curry.
00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:40.240
Steph Curry never became a great defender, great defender, but he he also became, he didn't become so such a big of a minus as a defender.
00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:49.680
If Caitlin Clark moves her feet, is Aaliyah Boston goes to being that great defender that we know she can be, because she has shown that time and time again.
00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:54.400
I feel like we are, you know, we can we could lift the truck personally.
00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:56.079
That's just that's just my perspective.
00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:59.039
So first round, you know they're getting Atlanta.
00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.279
Yeah, and that's the WBA wants that.
00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:04.079
That's that's gonna put on TV.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:08.079
But the playoffs are shaping up exactly the way I would love to see it happen, right?
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:14.160
In the first round, we're gonna get Atlanta and um and uh Indiana.
00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:19.359
And when you look at that roster, aliyah Boston can't hold the candle to Angel Reese.
00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.799
Um, Angel Reese is gonna play circles around Aliyah Boston.
00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.759
Ooh, circles.
00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:28.640
Um, and then you got Alicia Gray.
00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:32.400
I don't know who, I mean, Kelsey Mitchell's gonna have to guard Alicia Gray.
00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:35.519
Um, and I think that's gonna be the matchup to watch.
00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:40.880
And I think that shows who's gonna win this game is Alicia Gray versus Kelsey Mitchell, right?
00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:47.759
Um Alicia Gray can sometimes take a backseat and not play, and she has a hard time playing against Indiana.
00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:50.880
She only averages 13 points a game against Indiana.
00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:52.960
Um Alicia Gray.
00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:55.680
So that could be um Indiana.
00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:58.400
I mean Atlanta's Achilles heel is Alicia Gray.
00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:00.240
They need the most out of Alicia Gray.
00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:03.599
Ryan Howard is going to ball out and give you a 30 PRA every single night.
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:05.440
I'm not really worried about Ryan Howard.
00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:07.599
Jordan Canada dropping assists.
00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:12.559
She's gonna have um Caitlin Clark is gonna have a very hard time against Jordan Canada.
00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:19.599
And I'm gonna that's I think Jordan Canada defensively is going to give uh Caitlin Clark fits.
00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:22.799
Caitlin Clark can't get frustrated.
00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:25.519
If she don't, she has a tendency to get frustrated.
00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:28.400
When you get physical with her, she she can't play.
00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:30.079
She goes out, she can't play.
00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:38.319
She gets out of her element, she gets she so she gets too busy talking to the referee instead of playing your game and trying to figure something else out.
00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:40.559
Man, having four conversations.
00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:47.359
Come on.
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:49.440
I mean, she she does that.
00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:50.799
Uh I'm not not saying that.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:53.759
She can also shoot you out of a game, true, right?
00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:57.039
You know, she'll just start throwing up, she wants to be the hero, right?
00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:02.000
So she starts throwing up threes into the game, it's close, and it's like you don't need the threes right now.
00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:02.960
Run your offense.
00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:06.400
What I think she's the best at is assisting the basketball.
00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:11.119
I think when it comes to assisting the basketball, it's the point guard, Chelsea Gray.
00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:14.319
And then right under her is Caitlin Clark.
00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:19.519
Like she is phenomenal at getting her team involved and making her teammates better.
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:23.680
And I think that's what she should hone in on more than trying to hit the threes.
00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.440
Yeah, I always say that.
00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:32.240
If she is the past first point guard and she's setting up Kelsey Mitchell, Kelsey Mitchell's setting up Aliyah Boston.
00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:37.680
If we can get Hall, and you know what I'm saying, and uh Cunningham to knock down some threes.
00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.920
We are the beat just because in fact we're gonna outscore it.
00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:43.200
Yep, exactly.
00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:54.240
You gotta be able to drop 90 to 100 points a game in order to compete with Indiana Fever because you know Kelsey Mitchell and um Caitlin Clark can both put up 30 a game.
00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:54.799
Yeah, yeah.
00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:55.839
Same time.
00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.519
Same time, you know.
00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:05.200
I'm gonna let the we talk about teams that Lamont doesn't think is gonna win the championship.
00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:07.759
Let's let's uh let's ask Lamont who do you have?
00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:14.079
Because obviously the Lynx is probably the betting favorite or the people's favorite Valkyrie, they look good.
00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:23.519
I'm still not gonna count out the aces as long as if they got that woman with the uh Wilson on the back of her jersey, I'm not gonna count them out.
00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:25.440
So those are my three.
00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:34.079
I'll I'll let you talk about the fever, but as you know, I don't I'm not they're not really in my vision of who I think is gonna win.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.680
But who what do you got, Lamont?
00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:42.880
I think it's I I wanted it to be the Aces versus Atlanta before the season started.
00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.599
That's who I wanted the championship to be.
00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:55.920
Now, looking at what we got, I think it's it comes through Minnesota, Golden State, or Indiana.
00:26:56.960 --> 00:27:03.119
If if Indiana gets past Atlanta, Indiana got a clear shot at this.
00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:09.440
So um I don't like the aces since Nelissa Smith is not there anymore.
00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:11.519
Uh Melissa Smith was still there.
00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:16.160
I think Aces is a clear um contender to be in the finals.
00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:20.799
But without Nelissa Smith, I don't think Stephanie Talbot's gonna be able to help them get there.
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:28.400
And Asia Wilson, as phenomenal as she is, um and Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, uh they go back to back.
00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:33.039
They've done it once to do it, you know, again is gonna be very difficult.
00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:35.519
Indiana, you heard it.
00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:36.960
Oh, go ahead, go ahead, Kim.
00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:43.039
I was gonna say, now you heard that he did say he said Indiana at the end, reluctantly.
00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.000
You know, I'm not I'm no hater, I'm not gonna count them out, right?
00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:58.640
I know how talented they are, and if they get past Atlanta, they're gonna learn a lot about being about about defense, and I think that's gonna propel them into a championship run from there.
00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:08.720
Um, it would do it, it would, I would be very disappointed in Indiana if they didn't get a championship with this team because I honestly feel like Kelsey Mitchell may be on her way out if they don't.
00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:09.759
All right, all right.
00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:11.920
So obviously, we're talking about the teams that you like.
00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:18.160
What about the team that you're not sure about, but you think they possibly, you know, you you mentioned the Mystic is in there, they're a nice team.
00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:32.319
Is there a team, you know, probably what, five, six, seven, eight that you feel like if they catch the right day, the stars align, the right wind blows that they might could end up in the championship game?
00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.920
New York Liberty.
00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:38.559
New York Liberty is sitting at the sixth spot right now, I believe.
00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.079
Um you're right.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:47.119
They are they have uh they have a history of championships, they have a pedigree of winning, a history of championships.
00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:54.000
They've got Brianna Stewart, the most winning women's basketball player ever when it comes to college championships.
00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:57.839
She's got four of them WNBA titles, Olympic gold medals.
00:28:58.079 --> 00:29:01.839
Like she is the most women winning women's basketball player.
00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:04.240
I will never count Brianna Stewart out.
00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:11.599
Um uh she's got Sabrina Yonescu there, who was basically being compared to Steph Curry before Caitlin Clark came in.
00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:16.240
And remember, Sabrina Yonescu was in a three-point contest with Steph Curry, you know.
00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:26.400
So you got Sabrina Yonescu in the X Factor, Leone Phoebech, um, as small forward there, uh replacing Ben Nigelaney when she was with that team.
00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:29.519
Leone Phoebe has been looking great when she's healthy.
00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:38.559
And then you got John Quell Jones, like just 6'6 beast, you know, um, to get getting boards and dropping buckets, and she can shoot from the three.
00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:41.440
So I'm not I'm not going to count New York Liberty out.
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:43.279
They're just badly coached.
00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:50.720
Uh losing losing uh Sandy Brondello hurt them a lot, and which is why they're so low in the rankings.
00:29:50.880 --> 00:30:00.319
But they're so talented, they may be able to get past that coaching, um, you know, that that that coaching weight that's pulling them down a little bit.
00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:02.160
All right.
00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:05.680
Uh Dion, we mentioned it earlier.
00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:06.960
The commissioner.
00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:10.160
What is your thoughts on the commissioner that's going out?
00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:15.759
I think she was, I don't think that was on her own.
00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:18.480
I don't think she did that on her own.
00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:26.480
I I think there was too much divisiveness going on, and she didn't know how to handle this.
00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:30.400
Um, she's a very talented woman, you know, very successful.
00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:35.599
She was a uh a senior leader at Deloitte before she came over to the WNBA.
00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:37.440
She knows her stuff, right?
00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:53.200
But outside of the operations, um I think she lacked a lot in helping her players be seen, um, helping her fell players feel protected, um, and and helping with the diversity of the WNBA.
00:30:53.359 --> 00:31:00.559
I don't think that a lot of people um respected her, and she said a lot of things that hurt a lot of people, you know, publicly.
00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:02.480
She said some things.
00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:09.440
Um so I think that her relationship with the players were now tarnished to a point where she had to go.
00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:20.160
And um I I would like NECA to be the um the new commissioner, but I don't think that she has the the background.
00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:24.559
I mean, she was the uh the players um you know president, right?
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:27.440
Um the players association president.
00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:35.359
I don't think that's enough of a resume to be, you know, the the commissioner of the WNBA.
00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:37.119
Um can she handle it?
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:38.720
She's a very smart girl.
00:31:38.799 --> 00:31:39.759
I think so.
00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:47.920
But I would like her to be like a VP, you know, operations type of person first before going right into commissioner.
00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:48.319
Okay.
00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:49.440
Yeah, that's what I was thinking.
00:31:49.519 --> 00:32:05.200
Maybe if she's not the commissioner, make sure she is on that side because then you have someone from the player's perspective to help her own the commissioner that you know, maybe you wouldn't follow into so many pitfalls that exactly the previous commissioner fell to imagine.
00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:13.039
It was a lot of stuff thrown at her that she probably wasn't yeah, wasn't even thinking about or had a plan for.
00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:16.559
Operations and relationships are two different things.
00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:24.160
Um, and uh, I do know, as me being a senior operations leader, that I lean on my relationships a lot to get things done.
00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:30.640
And I do know that once relationships are tarnished, it's really hard to get those back and to improve on your operations.
00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:39.839
Relationships may not may not be the engine that creates revenue, but it's the engine that helps the revenue engine run, right?
00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:42.480
It's like the alternator, maybe like of the engine, right?
00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:48.799
So you um you need those relationships, and they were just totally gone for the commissioner.
00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:53.359
And uh one last thing I want to ask.
00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:59.599
We season's our must have you gotta have you gotta have a war winner.
00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:00.960
We already know rookie.
00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:02.960
That's without question.
00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:06.240
We ain't even yeah, it's definitely going to definitely go miles.
00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.680
Right, that's without question.
00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:08.799
MVP.
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:11.759
Do you think it's a far foregone conclusion?
00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:13.440
That is anxious.
00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:14.880
Absolutely.
00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:16.240
No one else.
00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:18.559
Um no one else is strong.
00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:23.839
There can be conversations, she's not gonna be unanimous.
00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:35.119
There can be conversations, and it's not gonna be unanimous, absolutely, especially with all the division in WNBA, it's not gonna be unanimous, but when you look at what an MVP is, right?
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:42.240
Asia Wilson is that all the time, not some of the time, it's all the time.
00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:50.720
The only person I think that can rival her for MVP and deserves a conversation next to Asia Wilson is Kelsey Mitchell.
00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:56.799
And even then, when you put Kelsey Mitchell next to Asia Wilson, I'm taking Asia Wilson all day long.
00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:15.760
Oh I just feel like there should be, especially because when she broke the single season record this year, Kelsey Mitchell did, I feel like that should be more of a conversation about Kelsey Mitchell actually potentially winning the MVP.
00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:21.760
I know this probably gonna go to Asia, but like Deion said, it's not gonna be United.
00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:22.800
Yeah, yeah.
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:28.000
I mean, I'm gonna be I'm I'm I'm using very strong wording because I feel so passionate about who that is.
00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:28.800
But you're right.
00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:29.519
And I feel passionate.
00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:33.360
There is there's still arguments out there, right?
00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:36.559
I don't think Olivia Miles should be in the argument for MVP.
00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:37.760
You don't think so?
00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:42.800
Not uh not even she if you was a voter, where would you place her?
00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:46.800
If if at all in the top five, maybe fifth.
00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:48.400
Ooh, fifth.
00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:50.400
I'm thinking Olivia third.
00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:51.039
Really?
00:34:51.360 --> 00:35:01.760
I wonder who I can we can we please get the other two people that you gonna put ahead of Olivia because Brianna's Brian Brianna Stewart and Paige Beckers.
00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:05.920
I don't know.
00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:07.920
I understand the argument for Paige.
00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:14.320
My my question for you is because I've seen Nefisa Caller, she she you know was out for a while.
00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:18.960
Do you think the links are where they are without Olivia Miles?
00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:23.920
No, and that's strictly due to Nafisa Kalier being hurt.
00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:27.280
If Nafisa Kalier wasn't hurt, they'd be where they are right now without Olivia Miles.
00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:37.119
So Olivia Miles held things down while Nafisa Collier was hurt, but I don't think that her holding down the team while their superstar was out is enough for her to be MVP.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:40.639
I don't think any rookie should ever win MVP, I'll be honest with you.
00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:47.840
Um I just I just don't see a rookie coming in to and winning MVP.
00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:53.440
Uh I think it's a slap in the face to the people who've been in the league and putting up you know big numbers.
00:35:53.679 --> 00:36:01.920
Uh you you could talk about her being great and winning, you know, rookie of the year, but I think rookie of the year is the MVP for rookies.
00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:04.800
I don't I don't like a rookie winning MVP.
00:36:04.960 --> 00:36:06.880
And that could just be my own bias, you know.
00:36:06.960 --> 00:36:08.559
Uh it's just my own feeling on that.
00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:12.800
If somebody else has them in that argument, I'm not gonna tell you you're totally wrong, right?
00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:18.559
Every, I mean, this is all you know objective and through our own, like like the show, our own perspective, right?
00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:26.320
So for me, I feel like a rookie should never win MVP, but I'm not gonna argue somebody else who feels as though she should be in a in a conversation.
00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:28.239
I understand that.
00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:31.599
I just I don't I I see the argument for Paige.
00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:32.800
I do see the argument for Paige.
00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:34.159
The Brianna Stewart one.
00:36:34.239 --> 00:36:39.119
Oh no, I don't know if she should be ahead of Olympia.
00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:40.079
I just don't know.
00:36:40.239 --> 00:36:42.800
But that's just Brianna, Brianna Stewart.
00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:48.239
She she gets fouled so much because you can't guard her.
00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:53.199
Like, um, and she's still in year whatever she's in right now.
00:36:53.280 --> 00:36:56.400
I had I I'm so mad this computer went out on me.
00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:57.360
I'm not at home.
00:36:57.599 --> 00:37:09.679
Um that uh I'm I'm so mad that people can't really see just how great she is because of what's going on with the New York Liberty right now.
00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:17.920
Um, Brianna Stewart, even in you know, coming to the end of her career, is still have having 30-point games.
00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:23.360
She's she's scoring, she's rebounding, and she's assisting the basketball.
00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:27.119
She's doing it all at this age at a very high level.
00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:36.159
Um, I I think she should be in that conversation for well, I wouldn't say conversation, but in the top five for um for MVP.
00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.800
No, I get it.
00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:39.679
I respect it.
00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:45.039
Well, well, thank you again, Lamont, for coming on from our perspective.
00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:47.679
Uh, we greatly appreciate you second time here.
00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:52.079
I would love, I ain't even talked to Q about this, but I'm sure he will agree.
00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:58.559
But we would love to have you on the week before the WNBA finals.
00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:05.440
So I was gonna ask you, you know, your finals pick, but I'm gonna let you hold off until you know maybe we can get you in.
00:38:05.760 --> 00:38:08.000
I'll give it here and we can we can run it back.
00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:10.800
Um we get uh for my finals.
00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:13.119
I got let me see, I got one, two, three.
00:38:13.199 --> 00:38:21.199
So right now, so if it ends the way I want it to be, is the Golden State at one, Minnesota at two, Las Vegas at three, Atlanta four.
00:38:21.360 --> 00:38:24.000
Uh they don't have conferences east and west.
00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:35.599
So yeah, so I'm gonna go with Indiana Golden State.
00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:42.079
Oh yeah, we definitely gotta have it on the before that.
00:38:43.119 --> 00:38:43.760
That's how it goes.
00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:47.440
So because I'm kind of talking myself, I'm kind of talking myself into Indiana.
00:38:47.599 --> 00:38:52.400
If Indiana gets past Atlanta, that's gonna be their biggest test right now.
00:38:52.480 --> 00:38:58.559
If they can play defense, if they can get past Atlanta, I think I think they go to the finals.
00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:02.639
Well, we're gonna hold you to that here in a couple weeks.
00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:03.920
Thank you again for joining us.
00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:07.760
Uh, before we get out here, do you got anything else you want to promote or say?
00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:17.199
No, um uh my Titans don't look good, so I can't really promote nothing about football right now because they just got dogged by the Eagles in the last two-minute run.
00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:19.440
But put some respect on Jalen Hurts' name.
00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:20.159
I will tell you that.
00:39:20.239 --> 00:39:21.280
That's what I'm gonna leave.
00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:23.760
Put some respect on Jalen Hurts' name.
00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:26.960
Hold on, time out, time out, time out.
00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:29.119
You a Tennessee Titans man?
00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:30.880
Yes, big time.
00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:34.239
Been a fan forever.
00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:36.159
I knew I saw reason I like you.
00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:46.239
So though I live though, I'm I'm from Philly and I live in South Jersey.
00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:49.840
Um, I root for the Eagles when they're on because that's a hometown team.
00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:55.039
But Warren Moon was one of the first black quarterbacks I saw um with the Houston Oilers.
00:39:55.199 --> 00:40:05.760
And then they doubled down on that and got Steve McNair, went to the Super Bowl, didn't lost by one yard um to the Rams, and then they um they then tripled down and got Vince Young.
00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:13.119
And then that didn't work out with Vince Young, and then it was we it's just been a myriad of cool quarterbacks like Cleveland ever since then.
00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:18.159
Um, and then we also had I call them the four horsemen, you know, Earl Campbell, Reggie.
00:40:18.239 --> 00:40:24.320
I mean, uh say Reggie, Earl Campbell, Chris Johnson, Derek Henry, Eddie George, right?
00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:26.480
Those prolific running backs.
00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:27.760
Good running backs, guys.
00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:31.840
Yeah, so I was I always liked watching the Tennessee Titans.
00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:39.840
And when they went to that Super Bowl, I said, No, after the Music City Miracle, I said, lock it in, that's my team.
00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:43.360
I'm rocking with them through everything through thick and thin.
00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:44.639
That's gonna be my squad.
00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:46.800
So that's I'm really good.
00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:49.039
I got a Kevin Byard jersey, that's my favorite one.
00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:51.280
I'm a huge Kevin Byard fan.
00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:55.599
Yeah, no, that's why uh everybody always asks me why I'm a Tennessee Titans fan.
00:40:55.760 --> 00:40:58.559
I was like, I saw Steven McNear and Eddie George.
00:40:58.639 --> 00:41:01.760
I see the black quarterback and the black brother back.
00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:03.840
That's all I ever that's all I ever needed.
00:41:03.920 --> 00:41:05.440
And then I've been a Tennessee Titans fan.
00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:07.360
And don't forget, we got Cam Ward now.
00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:09.840
Exactly, right?
00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:12.960
But I mean now it's a little bit more popular than it was back then.
00:41:13.440 --> 00:41:19.440
But um, when Eddie George took Ray Lewis uptown with that stiff arm and slammed Ray Lewis, that's when I became an Eddie George fan.
00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:20.639
I said, Oh, he's tough.
00:41:20.960 --> 00:41:21.599
He a dog.
00:41:22.159 --> 00:41:22.880
He a dog.
00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:27.519
Eddie George is a dog, it's his head coaching career right now in bowling green.
00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:29.679
But anyways, we ain't gonna we ain't gonna talk about that yet.
00:41:30.639 --> 00:41:31.679
We can say football for them.
00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:34.800
But uh yeah, thank you again, Lamont the W.
00:41:35.119 --> 00:41:36.960
I appreciate y'all having me on, man.
00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:41.760
Uh hopefully we get to see you in a couple weeks before the uh WMBay finals.
00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:43.039
But I'm your boy Dion.
00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:43.679
Thank you guys.
00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:46.400
Go ahead, like, go ahead and subscribe in the comment section.
00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:49.519
Let us know who you got going to WMBA Finals.
00:41:49.679 --> 00:41:53.679
Y'all heard what Lamar said he's got Indiana Fever and Golden State.
00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:55.840
Uh I'm still up in there.
00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:57.920
I'm still probably gonna ride with the Aces.
00:41:58.239 --> 00:42:00.159
I think the Aces is gonna win it all.
00:42:00.239 --> 00:42:04.239
Uh but go ahead, like, go ahead and subscribe, hit that link in the bio for some merch.
00:42:04.400 --> 00:42:04.480
Q.
00:42:04.719 --> 00:42:05.440
Go ahead and take us home.
00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:07.039
Man, y'all another battle, your boy, Mr.
00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:07.280
Bell.
00:42:07.360 --> 00:42:09.039
Aka AK say your name up on the spot.
00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:10.800
Might not get you the mouth.
00:42:10.880 --> 00:42:11.920
We're gonna see y'all on the next one.
00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:13.280
Y'all be easy, y'all be but.