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San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Valkyries' pace continues to slow as injuries mount, schedule gets busier
Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase described the kind of team she wanted before they ever took the court as playing at a quick rate. 'We're gonna play fast pace and obviously, we're gonna shoot some 3s,' she said on Dec, 12. 'That's what we're gonna do.' But the Valkyries haven't been very fast, especially lately. Golden State averages a WNBA-high 16.1 seconds per offensive possession, per analytics website pbpstats. Excluding second-chance opportunities (when the shot clock resets to 14 seconds), the Valkyries average 15.1 seconds. Their 2,233 total possessions are the fewest in the WNBA. Nakase attributed the slowing pace to the condensed schedule and mounting injuries. 'After this, we'll have six (games) in 10 (days),' Nakase said following last Wednesday's loss to Las Vegas. 'So I think that has something to do with pace. We play with so much energy, especially on the defensive end, obviously, and the physicality to rebound, that the schedule kind of doesn't help. I think that's why.' With so many players in and out of the lineup — Golden State has used a league-leading 19 players — and little consistency in where they go for their scoring, the Valkyries have had to be more deliberate about offensive process than anticipated. By far, Golden State has been the slowest team in the league off opponent misses at the rim — which is usually a fast-paced situation for offenses to move in transition. The Valkyries average 13.21 seconds per possession, more than a full second slower than any other team. 'It's a long season, and teams get to know you and how you play better, and you have to adjust,' Cecilia Zandalasini told the Chronicle before Saturday's 72-59 win over Los Angeles. 'I think teams have made adjustments to us defensively, but we just want to take our good shots when they're there, sometimes that's sooner or not.' The universal stat for judging speed in the WNBA is pace — the number of possessions a team uses per game or, more commonly, per 40 minutes. It measures how quickly a team plays, reflecting the number of offensive possessions it has within a given timeframe. The Valkyries' pace per game is 77.49, the lowest in the WNBA. The Valkyries' top runners are no longer with the team. They had their fastest pace with Julie Vanloo (94.2 on and 91.7 when she was off the floor) and Steph Talbot (93.5 pace on and 91.7 off). Other players who have moved on like Kyara Linskens, Bree Hall and Chloe Bibby ranked near the top in pace. Kayla Thornton, out for the season with a knee injury, was Golden State's best transition finisher before the All-Star break with 2.3 fast break points per game, while Monique Billings, currently out for three weeks, is the only big the Valkyries have played with at a rapid pace (92.5, fourth-highest on the active roster). 'A lot of new faces can play into it,' Tiffany Hayes told the Chronicle. 'But also, as everyone knows, defense is our thing, and when we don't get that done, a lot of our stats seem to fluctuate. When we don't get stops, a lot of things don't go our way.' The Valkyries' pace is only slightly quicker in wins (77.57) than losses (77.42) in defeats. Given their circumstances they have adapted to a more deliberate, intentional offensive approach. Their pace has slowed during each month of their inaugural season: from a 98.4 in May to 89.7 in August — and is at 89.47 since Thornton last played (July 16). Some of that is that the Valkyries are playing more cohesively when they move the ball well — their assist numbers are better when they win — but they also need to find a way to score in transition. 'We're doing better in our half-court sets,' Temi Fagbenle said. 'Which is good, but I think we also need to have a good balance of transition, quick-paced flow and process, so just finding that balance is our next step.'
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Angel Reese sets WNBA rebounds mark, offense ‘finally coming through'
June 30 (UPI) -- Angel Reese continues to pull down rebounds at a WNBA record rate, but says she also is recovered from a "terrible" offensive start and is "finally coming through" for the Chicago Sky. Reese made the comments in her postgame news conference after totaling a game-high 24 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal in a 92-85 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday in Los Angeles. "I went through a storm for the first eight games where I couldn't finish and it was frustrating," Reese said. "But I trusted my work and my teammates trusted my work. "I'm finally coming through and finally finishing efficiently and it's leading to wins for us." With her 16 rebounds, Reese became the first player in WNBA history to collect at least 15 rebounds in four consecutive games. Her record rebounding streak started June 22, with a 19-board performance. She followed that game with 17- and 18-rebound efforts before setting a new WNBA record against the Sparks. Reese scored 18 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win. She went 10 of 19 from the floor. The All-Star forward went just 21 of 68 from the floor through her first seven games this season, making 30.9% of her attempts. Reese is shooting 47.1% (48 of 102) over nine appearances since then. She shot at a 48.9% clip over her last three starts. The Sky went 2-5 during Reese's seven-game slump, when she averaged 9.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. They are 3-4 over her last seven games, when she averaged 15.1 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. "I struggled in the first eight or nine games in not being where I should have been," Reese said. "Obviously, it happens. I was very hard on myself, tough conversations with myself, tough conversations with people that kept it real with me in telling me what I can get to work on and need to be better at and also getting into a new role. "This is the first time in a long time I'm being a point guard and being a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and guarding all five positions too. Just trying to come out with that, but I trust my work. I have great conversations with [WNBA legend] Lisa Leslie, talk to [former Sky coach] Teresa Weatherspoon every day. Just being able to have great people in my corner that really push me and know my potential." The Sky trailed by as many as seven points in the third quarter before rallying to earn their second win in three games. They outshot the Sparks 48.5% to 41.7%, including a 42.3% to 32.1% edge in 3-point shooting. Veteran guard Ariel Atkins totaled 20 points in the victory. Fellow guards Kia Nurse and Rachel Banham and forward/center Elizabeth Williams chipped in 14, 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Sky. Reese, whose 24 points were the second-most scored Sunday by any WNBA player, is now averaging 12.4 points and a WNBA-high 12.6 rebounds per game this season. She made 40.6% of her shots through her first 16 appearances of 2025, an improvement from her .391 shooting percentage as a rookie. "I'm just trusting my work," Reese said. "I put my head down every day and just grind. That's all I do. I don't do it for cameras. I don't do it for publicity. I don't post me in the gym and I'm not going to. I put my head down every day and work. I'm very versatile in what I do on and off the court and I prioritize when I'm at work. When I'm at work it's time for work. "I come here every day and try to do everything for my teammates. ... It means a lot to me to be named with such great players and just continue to know I can be better every day and continue to be great." The Sky (5-11), who sit in 10th place in the WNBA standings, will take on the first-place Minnesota Lynx (14-2) at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday in Minneapolis. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
30-06-2025
- Sport
- UPI
Angel Reese sets WNBA rebounds mark, offense 'finally coming through'
June 30 (UPI) -- Angel Reese continues to pull down rebounds at a WNBA record rate, but says she also is recovered from a "terrible" offensive start and is "finally coming through" for the Chicago Sky. Reese made the comments in her postgame news conference after totaling a game-high 24 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal in a 92-85 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday in Los Angeles. "I went through a storm for the first eight games where I couldn't finish and it was frustrating," Reese said. "But I trusted my work and my teammates trusted my work. "I'm finally coming through and finally finishing efficiently and it's leading to wins for us." With her 16 rebounds, Reese became the first player in WNBA history to collect at least 15 rebounds in four consecutive games. Her record rebounding streak started June 22, with a 19-board performance. She followed that game with 17- and 18-rebound efforts before setting a new WNBA record against the Sparks. Reese scored 18 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win. She went 10 of 19 from the floor. The All-Star forward went just 21 of 68 from the floor through her first seven games this season, making 30.9% of her attempts. Reese is shooting 47.1% (48 of 102) over nine appearances since then. She shot at a 48.9% clip over her last three starts. The Sky went 2-5 during Reese's seven-game slump, when she averaged 9.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. They are 3-4 over her last seven games, when she averaged 15.1 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. "I struggled in the first eight or nine games in not being where I should have been," Reese said. "Obviously, it happens. I was very hard on myself, tough conversations with myself, tough conversations with people that kept it real with me in telling me what I can get to work on and need to be better at and also getting into a new role. "This is the first time in a long time I'm being a point guard and being a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and guarding all five positions too. Just trying to come out with that, but I trust my work. I have great conversations with [WNBA legend] Lisa Leslie, talk to [former Sky coach] Teresa Weatherspoon every day. Just being able to have great people in my corner that really push me and know my potential." The Sky trailed by as many as seven points in the third quarter before rallying to earn their second win in three games. They outshot the Sparks 48.5% to 41.7%, including a 42.3% to 32.1% edge in 3-point shooting. Veteran guard Ariel Atkins totaled 20 points in the victory. Fellow guards Kia Nurse and Rachel Banham and forward/center Elizabeth Williams chipped in 14, 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Sky. Reese, whose 24 points were the second-most scored Sunday by any WNBA player, is now averaging 12.4 points and a WNBA-high 12.6 rebounds per game this season. She made 40.6% of her shots through her first 16 appearances of 2025, an improvement from her .391 shooting percentage as a rookie. "I'm just trusting my work," Reese said. "I put my head down every day and just grind. That's all I do. I don't do it for cameras. I don't do it for publicity. I don't post me in the gym and I'm not going to. I put my head down every day and work. I'm very versatile in what I do on and off the court and I prioritize when I'm at work. When I'm at work it's time for work. "I come here every day and try to do everything for my teammates. ... It means a lot to me to be named with such great players and just continue to know I can be better every day and continue to be great." The Sky (5-11), who sit in 10th place in the WNBA standings, will take on the first-place Minnesota Lynx (14-2) at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday in Minneapolis.
Fox Sports
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert: Caitlin Clark 'most popular athlete in America'
Indiana Fever and former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark took the WNBA by storm in her rookie season, and nobody sees that more than the commissioner of the sport. Saying that Clark is "the most popular athlete in America," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert explained her perspective on Clark's quick impact on the sport. "It is a balance, but she's a generational talent. No league is ever about one player, but in this case, Caitlin brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W. And there's no denying that impact," Engelbert said on Thursday's edition of "The Bill Simmons Podcast." "You want to balance making sure that you're also promoting your other stars, like an A'ja WIlson, like a Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier … that's why this year is sustain and gain. Sustain the momentum we had last year and gain even more new viewers." In her rookie season (2024), Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, averaged 19.2 points, a WNBA-high 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 41.7/34.4/90.6, helping the Fever reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Granted, they were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun. Clark earned an All-Star nod, both All-Rookie and All-WNBA honors and claimed the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award; she also finished fourth in MVP voting. Next season, Clark and the Fever have 41 of their 44 scheduled regular-season games in a prime-time slot, which is a WNBA record. They open the 2025 season at home against the Chicago Sky on Saturday. As for the other players whom Engelbert mentioned, Wilson is a three-time MVP and two-time WNBA champion; Stewart is a two-time MVP and three-time WNBA champion; Collier is a four-time All-Star and the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Engelbert has been WNBA Commissioner since July 2019. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Women's National Basketball Association Indiana Fever Caitlin Clark Get more from Women's National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
