The WNBA is about to wrap up their season, and head into the play-offs. It has been an exciting season. Before this season, there were many girls basketball fans (followed their HS teams or college teams), who did not really follow the WNBA. Even the most enthusiastic girls basketball fan probably could not have named more than 3-4 WNBA teams and their nicknames. Today many of these people have taken the WNBA under their personal umbrella of “girls basketball.”
There are many Caitlyn Clark fans, who have now become WNBA fans. And there are some who were more just men’s basketball fans, who have now become WNBA fans. How many new fans “girls basketball” has gotten, I am not sure. But it is obvious there are considerably more eyes and maybe more hearts rooting for WNBA teams, who also will become “girls basketball” fans in general. Here’s hoping the interest in HS girls basketball will see a bounce in both spectators and participation.
Here are some of my random thoughts on the Fever and the WNBA:
The Fever have taken huge steps during this season. They have used the season to develop a core group who have each gotten better, and who play well together. Caitlyn Clark and Aliyah Boston have developed into a great ball screen tandem. Boston has become a proficient player on the short roll when she catches the ball at the high post area.
Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell get it as far as getting out and running on the break. Clark is connecting with them for usually 6-10 points per game on pass ahead fastbreak layups.
Lexie Hull would get my vote for most improved. Before the All-Star break it was obvious that even in limited minutes Hull was giving the Fever defense and hustle. She got numerous loose balls and offensive rebounds. She gave them an active and long player to put on the other team’s best scorers. But she could not shoot. When they were playing whiffle ball at the break, I wrote I wish I got to see tape of Hull on the shooting gun instead of playing whiffle ball. She must have done something, or maybe it was just being giving consistent minutes. She has gone shooting in low 20’s from three to leading the WNBA in three point shooting percentage. She is shooting somehing crazy like 70% since the All-Star game. So when you see Boston having easy choices at the high post, Clark punishing defenders and getting to the basket, or Mitchell with great backdoors- realize a lot of that is credited to spacing that Hull now provides.
Kelsey Mitchell may have become the best off the ball guard in the WNBA. She is a great shooter, who needs very little space. She is quick going to basket. If they need a basket, Mitchell is the one to set up- she seldom misses. Together with Clark, they now are in the conversation as the best guard tandem in the W.
Getting the ball to Clark on the rebound outlets, and letting her run the offense in the full court is the best thing the coach has done during the season. Making Clark a true point is good for the Fever. Clark is terrific in transition. In the half-court, things are much more predictable for her- she seems to know what she is looking for. Her turnovers are down and hopefully will continue down. She is developing more of a mid-range game. It is exciting to see her game continue to grow.
Clark was not great early in the year with her emotions and her reaction to refs. It seems like in the last two weeks, she has reverted back to bad habits. Last night the Ace got a wide open three because Clark was jogging back on defense and whining to a ref. I would like to see her not be so reactive to all the calls or lack of calls.
With expansion, the Fever will lose some of their depth and they have very little depth. They need help at the power forward position- it is an inconsistent position for them. Hopefully the draft will help them at this spot, or give them depth other places.
At the beginning of the year when I was frustrated with the Fever’s ineptness on offense, I suggested Coach Sides needed to meet with or at least study some of the Golden State actions that they used with Curry. While the Fever now have 2-3 actions they use that the players are getting comfortable with-
- high ball screen with Clark and Boston
- Boston zoom action or backdoor with Mitchell
Indiana still gets low grades on their offensive schemes. When they play good defensive teams like the Aces and the Lynx, they seem to only score if they do get transition or if Mitchell/Clark generate something one on one. With two great threats like Mitchell/Clark, if they just did the Warriors simple post split action, it might result in some easier looks. Sides has gotten them from Point C to Point B, but unless she develops some better schemes, they won’t get to Point A. The players have developed but their schemes are limited.
Iowa fans are not Illinois fans, so while sometimes irritating, there are more rational Iowa fans than Illinois fans (just my bias). I started watching the Fever because of Clark. Somewhere in the first 10 games, I became less Clark fan and more Fever fan. Today I am a Fever fan. On Facebook and social media, the posts of many Iowa fans shows me that most of them have made the same transition. These Iowa fans can rave about Mitchell, Hull, and Boston.
But there are still too many Iowa fans that are that player’s parent you never want to sit next to at a game. They are keeping track of their child’s minutes, and stats. They complain when anyone else shoots if they miss, or if their child doesn’t get the ball. The other night after a tough loss vs the Ace, an Iowa Hawkeye-Caitlyn Clark’s my daughter fan posted something like- “I get so tired of those other players missing layups.” Yep, no mention of how well Hull and Mitchell get out and run. Just concerned their girl was losing a couple assists.
I would love to be present for the meeting with refs at the beginning of the year. Obviously the WNBA is in the entertainment business. Clearly marketing has told them that people don’t like to watch FT shooting. So the answer becomes one of two things-
1- Call fouls early in the season in an attempt to clean things up.
2- Don’t call much, let them play.
The WNBA has chosen #2. There are too many non-basketball defensive plays that go unpunished. There is too much banging on the perimeter. I would love to see the WNBA instituting officiating like the NBA that allows for more freedom of movement.
Getting through the first round of the play-offs will be a tough chore for the Fever but I am looking forward to watching the play-offs.
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