Latest news with #Improved
Boston Globe
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
The true Caitlin Clark effect? She shoots from so far away, she's forcing the rest of the WNBA to adjust.
Clark had an obvious card in her back pocket. 'Why are you shooting so close to the line?' she asked. 'You've got to scoot back further.' Advertisement Bird took a couple bounces, then stepped a couple feet inside the line 'Because back in my day,' Bird said. 'The line was around here.' Indeed. When Bird came into the W in 2002, the 3-point line was 19 feet, 9 inches from the basket, and the average 3-point attempt was from 21 feet. Clark was just a kid then, begging her father to dig up their lawn and pour cement in the driveway so she could extend her 3-point range, but the WNBA — and basketball as a whole — already was shifting. Range was increasingly important, and shooters were increasingly comfortable and capable of pulling from distances that would've been hard to fathom when the league was born in 1997. In 2004, the league pushed the line back to 20 feet, 6.25 inches, with the average shot following. In the 13 seasons since it adopted the international standard 22-foot, 1.75-inch line in 2013, it's continued moving out, to an average of 24.4 feet away this season. Advertisement Clark's range remains in a class of its own. As a rookie, she took 355 3-pointers from an average of 26.7 feet from the basket. Injuries have interrupted her sophomore season, but in 10 games this year, she's taken 83 threes from an average of 27 feet. As a whole, though, shooters are inching closer to the half-court logo no matter the league. Connecticut's sharpshooter Marina Mabrey, Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers, and the Los Angeles Sparks's Julie Vanloo all pull threes from an average of 25.6 feet. New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who 'Obviously, year after year, you continue to see more talent in this league,' said Burton, who's making a run at Most Improved Player in a breakout season for the Golden State Valkyries. 'I think it's a testament to the talent in this league.' Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins has never been shy about getting shots up, averaging 24.2 feet on 126 threes as a rookie in 2018. Eight seasons later, she's pulled 77 from 25.1. 'When those two feet hit,' teammate Angel Reese said, 'I know it's going up.' As audacious as the shots seem, they serve a practical purpose. Advertisement 'The way that I'm being guarded, if I can just have more space and be able to knock that down, it gives our drivers more opportunities to attack and it gives more people more space to get into the lane,' Atkins said. 'If I'm there and my feet are set, honestly, it's going up. I don't get a lot of open shots. You don't see a lot of people helping off of me. So I try to keep the spacing. I don't necessarily know where my feet are at all the time, but if it's open, it's got to go up.' Burton agreed. 'It provides better spacing when I'm deeper outside,' she said. 'Sometimes [defenses] push us out of the paint, they push us outside the 3-point line, so being able to knock those down is something I work on pretty consistently.' Golden State's Veronica Burton is one of nine WNBA players whose 3-point attempts come from an average of at least 25 feet. Scott Strazzante/Associated Press For Vanloo, moving farther away almost was a necessity. Her long-range shooting was no secret in the Turkish Women's Basketball Super League, where she had four games with seven made 3-pointers. When she arrived in the W last year and knocked down 72 of 220 long-range attempts, teams took notice, and catching around the 3-point line wasn't always an option. 'People know that I like to shoot and I'm a shooter,' Vanloo said. 'And I think that as the game just evolves, people just guard me as a shooter. That's how you know you've got to expand the range.' She sees it as a part of the modern game. 'Watching the NBA, you watch guys like Stephen Curry play, you see how far they shoot the ball and you just kind of want to play the same way,' she said. 'You just practice it and it's kind of effortless, so why not? Advertisement 'I think that's why it's so important that these young girls, when they start playing basketball, they work on their shooting. Because if you can shoot, it just makes the game easier.' For what it's worth, Sue Bird had range in her day. She came into the league shooting about 2 feet beyond the 19-9 3-point line, and was firing from 24.3 on average when she left in 2022. Vanloo took a deep breath at the thought, almost unable to fathom shooting a three from inside 20 feet. 'I'd just make sure I'm behind the line,' she said. 'That's something you're never going to have with me, is a 2-pointer with my foot on the line.' Julian Benbow can be reached at
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chennedy Carter Sends Message After Calls Mount to Join Caitlin Clark
Chennedy Carter Sends Message After Calls Mount to Join Caitlin Clark originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former WNBA guard Chennedy Carter spent last season with the Chicago Sky. Leading the team in scoring, Carter averaged 17.5 points and finished fourth in Most Improved Player voting. Advertisement Despite her impressive 2024 campaign, Carter did not land another WNBA job prior to the 2025 season. Now playing in Mexico, the 5-foot-9 guard is averaging 17.2 points and 4.8 assists in 11 contests for Adelitas de Chihuahua (via Asia-Basket). As Carter continues to prove her scoring ability at the professional level, many fans have been calling for her to get another opportunity in the WNBA. This includes Indiana Fever fans. While Carter is under contract in Mexico, making an in-season move to the WNBA impractical, that didn't stop fans from believing she'd be a fit alongside Caitlin Clark in Indiana. Advertisement "It was my immediate thought," said one. "I'm with it," said another. "I'd love this!" exclaimed one. "Her and CC would be 🔥," one added. "I'm down it would be an interesting story," another stated. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and former Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter (7)Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Last season, Carter made headlines with a hard away from the play foul on Clark. Knocking Indiana's rookie to the ground, Carter then made comments on social media questioning what Clark brings to the game besides 3-point shooting (via Bleacher Report). This incident, along with Carter's history of behavioral issues, certainly makes her a polarizing player. That said, many Fever fans believe she can bring a scoring punch and toughness the team needs. As these calls have been mounting, Carter issued a message on X. Advertisement "championship in mexico loading," she wrote. "check back end of the month!" While it's unclear if she is directly addressing the calls for her to make a WNBA comeback, it is interesting timing and wording. Seemingly focused on winning a championship in Mexico, Carter urged her followers to check back in at the end of the month. Throughout Carter's professional career, she has been involved in multiple reported off-the-court issues. In 2023, the LA Times reported Carter had been released by the Los Angeles Sparks. The report stated Carter was "benched for poor conduct" prior to her release. She was also suspended by the Atlanta Dream for "conduct detrimental to the team" in her first WNBA stint. Advertisement Related: Angel Reese Makes Request Before Indiana Fever Game Related: Caitlin Clark In Disbelief With Her Indiana Fever Teammate on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
NBC Sports
04-06-2025
- Business
- NBC Sports
WNBA Futures 2025: Betting, odds, expert picks, best bets including Bueckers, Clark, Collier, More
The WNBA season is three weeks underway and with injuries to Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, let's take a look at the updated race for MVP and Rookie of the Year, plus the battle between A'ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier for Defensive Player of the Year. All odds are courtesy of DraftKings and subject to change. WNBA MVP Ladder: With Caitlin Clark out for at least another week, Napheesa Collier has surged ahead to become the MVP favorite as of Memorial Day. The Minnesota Lynx are 7-0 entering Tuesday's slate, one of two undefeated teams remaining, so it's natural for Collier to be the MVP leader after averaging 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. A'ja Wilson appears fazed out for MVP due to the new look of the Ace (4-2 record), but she is the leader for Defensive Player of the Year after 13 combined blocks and steals in the past two games and a total of 29 stocks in six games. WNBA DPOY Ladder: The only news for this award is the rise of Jonquel Jones (+800). As stated last week, following her strip of Clark in the final seconds of a win over the Fever, Jones saw her odds drop from +1400 to +800. She's posted three steals and three blocks over the past three games since the win and has been a driving force for the 7-0 New York Liberty. WNBA ROY Ladder: Sonia Citron (+1200) continued her impressive start becoming the first rookie to 100 points, while Kiki Irafen (+1000) leads all rooks with four double-doubles and 10.2 rebounds per game. However, it's all about Paige Bueckers (-950). The No. 1 overall pick moved from -320 to -450 to -950 over the course of three weeks. Like Clark, Bueckers is injured right now, but it's short-term and should not affect voting. Vaughn Dalzell's WNBA Futures Bets: 2 units: Stephanie White to win Coach of the Year (+115) 2 units: Minnesota Lynx to win Championship (+340) 2 units: A'ja Wilson to win MVP (+225) 2 units: Napheesa Collier to win MVP (+150) 0.5 unit: Napheesa Collier to win MVP (+300) 0.5 unit: Angel Reese to win DPOY (+2000) 0.5 unit: Aliyah Boston to win DPOY (+3500) 0.5 unit: Kamila Cardoso to win DPOY (+5500) 0.5 unit: Aliyah Boston to win Most Improved Player (+1500) 0.5 unit: Kamila Cardoso to win Most Improved Player (+3000) Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: - Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) - Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) - Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) - Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
NBC Sports
01-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Atlanta's Dyson Daniels wins Most Improved Player with two-way play
For his first two NBA seasons, Dyson Daniels was fighting just to get minutes off the bench in a crowded New Orleans guard rotation. He was improving, but not getting a chance to show off that growth. Then this summer he was traded to Atlanta as part of the Dejounte Murray deal. Atlanta was starved for quality two-way wings and gave Daniels a legitimate chance — and he thrived. He averaged 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds a game while playing elite defense, finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Daniels improved his scoring by +8.3 points per game, rebounds by +2.0 per game, assists by +1.7 per game, and steals by +1.62 per game from last season. All that earned him the NBA's Most Improved Player award. Biggest leap in the league. A season to remember for The Great Barrier Thief 🇦🇺 Daniels got 44 first-place votes from the panel of 100 global media members who vote on the awards. Clippers big man Ivica Zubac — who has had a standout playoffs after a great regular season — came in second in the voting (23 first-place votes), with Pistons star Cade Cunningham (15) third. The Nuggets' Christian Braun (9) and the Lakers' Austin Reaves (3) rounded out the top five. When the award was announced on TNT's Inside the NBA, the Bendigo, Australia, native did the interview from his home in the island nation — with his father making an appearance in the background. Dyson's dad popped into the interview to hype up the MIP 😂🎈
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dyson Daniels wins NBA's Most Improved Player award after move to Atlanta Hawks
Dyson Daniels wins NBA's Most Improved Player award after move to Atlanta Hawks Show Caption Hide Caption Thunder's preferred matchup: Clippers or Nuggets? For The Hoops crew discuss whether the Thunder would prefer to face the Clippers or Nuggets in the second round of the NBA playoffs The "Great Barrier Thief" has swiped the NBA's 2024-25 Most Improved Player award. Atlanta Hawks guard and Australia native Dyson Daniels was named the league's Most Improved Player during Wednesday's "Inside the NBA" broadcast on TNT. Daniels got 44 first-place votes out of 100 ballots and a total of 332 points. Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers finished second with 23 first-place votes and 186 total points. Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons finished third with 15 first-place votes and 122 total points. Daniels averaged a career high in points (14.1), rebounds (5.9), assists (4.4), steals (3.0), field goal percentage (49.3%) and 3-point percentage (34%) in 76 starts this season. He had just 27 starts in the first two years of his career in New Orleans. Daniels nearly tripled his points per game average from 5.8 in the 2023-24 season while playing for the Pelicans to 14.1 points in the 2024-25 season, his first year in Atlanta. "This is my third year in the league, with my first two being in New Orleans. I felt like I kind of went in there and wasn't myself. I feel like I took a backseat role," said Daniels, who virtually joined the TNT broadcast from Australia, where it's early in the morning. "I came into this third year wanting to really put my foot down and show what I can do. I think it's just a small step in the right direction this year and I feel like I got a lot more in me." NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Stephon Castle wins back-to-back awards for San Antonio Spurs Daniels, 22, led the NBA in steals per game (3), total deflections (443) and in the combo category of steals plus blocks plus charges drawn (297). He's the first player to average 3.0 steals since Alvi Robertson in 1990-91. Daniels is only the second Hawks player to win the Most Improved Player honor. Alan Henderson was the first in 1998. Among Daniels' achievements: First player since Scottie Pippen (1994-95) to record at least 200 steals and at least 50 blocks and just one of seven players to accomplish that in the past 50 seasons. First guard to lead the league in steals plus blocks since Michael Jordan in 1987-88. The 22-year-old Daniels, who was acquired by the Hawks from New Orleans in a July trade, is the youngest player to record 200 or more steals in a season since 1973-74, when steals became an official NBA statistic. Just three players have recorded 200 or more steals since 2000: Allen Iverson, Chris Paul and Daniels. Collected 79 loose balls in 2024-25, good for No. 2. Who has won NBA's Most Improved Player award? Here's every player that has won the Most Improved Player honor since the first award was given during the 1985-86 NBA season: 2024-25 — Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks 2023-24 — Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (Voting) 2022-23 — Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz 2021-22 — Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies 2020-21 — Julius Randle, New York Knicks 2019-20 — Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans 2018-19 — Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors 2017-18 — Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers 2016-17 — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks 2015-16 — C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers 2014-15 — Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls 2013-14 — Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns 2012-13 — Paul George, Indiana Pacers 2011-12 — Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic 2010-11 — Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves 2009-10 — Aaron Brooks, Houston Rockets 2008-09 — Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers 2007-08 — Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic 2006-07 — Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors 2005-06 — Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns 2004-05 — Bobby Simmons, LA Clippers 2003-04 — Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers 2002-03 — Gilbert Arenas, Golden State Warriors 2001-02 — Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers 2000-01 — Tracy McGrady, Orlando Magic 1999-00 — Jalen Rose, Indiana Pacers 1998-99 — Darrell Armstrong, Orlando Magic 1997-98 — Alan Henderson, Atlanta Hawks 1996-97 — Isaac Austin, Miami Heat 1995-96 — Gheorghe Muresan, Washington Bullets 1994-95 — Dana Barros, Philadelphia 76ers 1993-94 — Don MacLean, Washington Bullets 1992-93 — Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Denver Nuggets 1991-92 — Pervis Ellison, Washington Bullets 1990-91 — Scott Skiles, Orlando Magic 1989-90 — Rony Seikaly, Miami Heat 1988-89 — Kevin Johnson, Phoenix Suns 1987-88 — Kevin Duckworth, Portland Trail Blazers 1986-87 — Dale Ellis, Seattle SuperSonics 1985-86 — Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
