If you count yourself amongst the people who called for Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides to free Celeste Taylor, Monday’s news was probably not what you wanted to hear. The team announced that they had waived the No. 15 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Considering the team’s defensive struggles, a primetime perimeter stopper like Taylor should have gotten more minutes, if only to see if the hype surrounding her defensive abilities would translate to the pros. Well, after five games and a total of 16 minutes, she’s gone, with her memorable moments taking place off the court, like when she cried immediately after being selected or when her teammates sang “Happy Birthday” to her.

Seeing the camaraderie in the latter video is so awesome and heartwarming, making you forget that pro ball is a business. The cut was a cold reminder of that. As pointed out by Sides:

That was just a really hard decision. Celeste did everything we asked, she’s a great teammate, she talked the most as a rookie. She felt really comfortable communicating on the court. It was just really hard to let her go, it was a business decision. One of the hardest thing we have to do in this business.

In 2023, 15 of the 36 players that were drafted to the W made the opening-day rosters; this year’s rookies took only 13 of the 144 roster spots. Four of them were second-round picks. It’s great that Taylor got to experience the WNBA, a chance that isn’t afforded to many women athletes. It would just be better if we’d been able to see her get a fair shot at keeping her roster spot.

Taylor is gone to make room for Damiris Dantas, a 6-foot-3 forward from Brazil who last played in the W two years ago. She couldn’t join the team at the early stages of training camp because of visa and personal issues, and she’s also had a right knee injury that needed healing. Additionally, Temi Fagbenle should return from her foot injury soon, meaning the Fever’s frontcourt rotations could get interesting. We’ll see how the moves affect NaLyssa Smith, who’s been crucial for Fever’s good play so far.

The recent loss to the Sky, while devastating, came after a very good game. Let’s hope the promising play continues when the team returns to action on Thursday night, visiting the Seattle Storm (10 p.m. ET, Prime Video). If the Fever can remain competitive with the best of them, the rumors of tanking and Sides’ job being in jeopardy should die down. At least for some time.

The Mystics have come a long way from their 0-12 start, winning four of their last five games despite dealing with a number of injuries. So what has this hot streak revealed about the team?

Emily Engstler can play!

In their two games against Dallas last week, Emily Engstler exploded for 23 and 13 points off the bench. I’ve been a fan of Engstler since her time at Syracuse.

Her versatility on both ends of the court has been a revelation for the Mystics, as well as her outside shooting; she’s 6-of-8 from three in her last two games. Engstler has shown that she can be a reliable scorer and a tenacious defender. Her energy and hustle have been infectious, but it’s her versatility and quickness on that end that has made her such a bright spot for the Mystics during this stretch.

Ariel Atkins’ hot streak

Ariel Atkins has stepped up as a leader in the absence of some key players. After struggling to start the season, her scoring was very instrumental in the Mystics’ recent games against the Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky.

In their victory over Chicago, Atkins scored 29 points and added three assists. From June 11 to 19, Atkins averaged 24.7 points and 3.3 assists while shooting 63 percent from the field, 44 percent from 3 and 85 percent from the free throw line. If Atkins can find this groove consistently during this next stretch, it will be huge for a Washington team that is facing a gauntlet of opponents.

Stifling team defense

The Mystics’ team defense has been instrumental in their recent success. They have posted a 99.6 defensive rating during this five-game stretch, which is almost four points better than their regular season average. Their ability to switch on defense and communicate effectively has disrupted opposing offenses. It helps that they’ve played against some offensively inept rosters, allowing them to overhelp off poor shooters.

In their two wins against the Dallas Wings, the Mystics held Arike Ogunbowale to six points on 3-of-11 shooting and 23 points on 9-of-21 shooting. Ogunbowale has been tasked with creating the most offense in the league so a lot of her shots are extremely difficult, but Washington deserves a lot of credit for keeping her out of rhythm The same goes for Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard, who they held to 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Washington has been particularly effective in applying pressure and forcing turnovers.

Overcoming adversity

The Mystics’ ability to overcome adversity has been a testament to their character and determination. Despite dealing with numerous injuries, the team has found ways to win. Aaliyah Edwards missed multiple games in this stretch and recently, Washington lost Karlie Samuelson with a hand fracture.

With four wins in their last five games, the Mystics have built momentum and confidence. As they continue to get healthier and integrate returning players, the team will be tested on Thursday against the Connecticut Sun (7 p.m. ET, League Pass) and Saturday against the Las Vegas Aces (2 p.m. ET, League Pass), two teams poised to compete for a title. The recent performances have shown that the Mystics have more talent than just their rookie duo of Edwards and Julie Vanloo who could be a part of their long-term future.

When you think of Iowa guards starting their rookie season in the WNBA, you likely think of Caitlin Clark. However, another former Hawkeye guard is making an impact—and her name is Kate Martin.

While Clark was the No. 1 pick by the Indiana Fever, earning all the praise and attention, no one rolled out the red carpet for Martin. In fact, on draft night, she attended to support her teammate, but was selected by the Las Vegas Aces in the second round with the No. 18 pick. “I had seen my name in some mock drafts and whatnot,” Martin told Swish Appeal, “but I was there supporting Caitlin obviously, and then I heard my name a little earlier than expected, and it was just amazing.”

While getting drafted into the WNBA is hard, staying on the roster is even harder. Not many thought Martin would be good enough to make the team, given that the Aces are back-to-back champions looking to three-peat.

Still, despite the odds being stacked against her, Matin was one of three second rounders in this year’s draft to make it on a WNBA roster after the end of training camp. “I found out a few days ago, and I cried,” Martin said during media availability after it was official she made the team. She continued:

I was so excited. I felt like a lot of hard work was paying off. Whenever you come into a team like this who are back-to-back world champions, you don’t really know what your odds are going to be. I was really proud of myself and really happy that I gave myself the opportunity to make the team and be alongside some great teammates.

Martin’s numbers may not shock and awe, as she’s averaging a mere 4.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists during her 17.2 minutes of play per game, but she’s on a team that has no time or patience for development. The Aces are expecting to win it all, and if you’re on the floor, that’s because the franchise believes you can impact winning at the highest possible level. She did just that when she played the Clark-led Fever and scored 12 points on 3-for-5 shooting, helping the Aces win, 99-80.

While her offensive production is helpful, it is her defensive tenacity that makes Martin so good. In practice, she’s going up against the likes of Kelsey Plum and now Chelsea Gray, not only getting tested by them but also pushing them and helping the best get better. She can be a Swiss Army knife on this roster, a role that has gotten her so much love from Aces fans.

It’s one of the reasons why, despite being a lower-minute role player, she was 12th in the first round of All-Star fan voting returns. Martin was flattered and humbled by it all, but also stressed how many other players were more deserving of that attention.

Isn’t that such a perfect response from Martin? On draft night, she was in New York not for herself, but for Clark. When she found out she made the Aces roster, she cried tears of joy. And when fans stuff the ballot box for her, she thinks of the other players who should be getting those votes instead. No wonder her nickname is “The Glue.” She’s so valuable and necessary to ensuring a team sticks together, but she just does that job without expecting the shine or the attention.

Every title team needs a Martin—a player who sacrifices for the greater good, who not only does the grunt work but embraces it. Someone who is a cog in the machine and makes sure the engine runs well.

In this rookie class, there may be bigger names getting a lot of attention, but Martin may be the only one who will play minutes in games that matter come playoff time.

5-foot-11 Jada Dapaa is full of positive energy. As the length of this interview attests, she is a passionate, intelligent and fun person. When playing for Saint Francis during the 2021-22 NCAA season, she was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year, NEC Most Improved Player and an All-NEC First Team member. Although she is now sidelined with an injury, she doesn’t plan on ending her basketball career. At least not yet.

How were you recruited, and what made you decide on Saint Francis?

Actually, it’s funny story. I was originally not recruited by anyone to go play basketball. I had no offers. And around the end of my senior year of high school basketball, in around February, I joined an AAU team, or rather, another AAU team; I switched teams. And Coach Joe [Haigh], who was the head coach of Saint Francis at the time, saw me because his daughter was on the AAU team. So I actually met his daughter first on my AAU team, and then that’s how I got to know him. And he saw me play a couple AAU games, and he found out that I was a senior and I wasn’t committed anywhere, doing anything really. And he kind of approached me and said he was interested. We came to the conclusion that I was gonna go to Saint Francis as a walk-on and then kind of figure things out from there because they were already out of scholarships.

And how did you eventually get your scholarship?

So, funny story also. During my freshman year as a walk-on, I ended up getting concussed, and I was out for two months. And then it turned out that Coach Joe had to step away from the team and our athletic director became our head coach. And it was a little bit crazy with all that. So then I came back after two months with a completely different coach and some other new things within the system and stuff like that. I didn’t play and then was deciding if I even wanted to stay at Saint Francis at that point, because everything that I kind of went there for wasn’t there anymore. So then my sophomore year, another coach came in, Coach [Kelia] Whittington. And she gave me my scholarship for the rest of my remaining three years at Saint Francis. And I kind of just told myself, “Well, I’m now on scholarship. I’m getting my school paid for. Like, oh, this is a dream for a lot of people. Why leave and go do something else? And, I still love basketball.” So, kind of, “Just stick it out and do the best I can and try to make the most of it,” was my mindset after my sophomore year.

And what happened before your fourth year at Saint Francis? Because up until then you were sort of, under the radar, slowly improving. And then there’s this big explosion where suddenly people noticed you, noticed your skills, you get more minutes, you get the award for Most Improved and Defensive Player of the Year. So did you work extra during the summer?

Definitely. So my sophomore year was also the COVID year. So that’s when everybody was sent home around March. I indirectly had lost some weight. And, people were telling me, like, “Oh, JD, you look good…blah blah blah.” But I wasn’t trying to. And It wasn’t because of COVID. So I told myself, “Let’s try and go on a diet, and let’s try and work to see how fit I could get while we’re in this lockdown.” And I actually ended up losing about 50 pounds.

Wow.

Yeah. I know. I lost a decent amount of weight. Every day I was working out. I was always doing something. I was thinking about how I can now be the best version of myself. And then going into junior year, I started to get a little bit more playing time. I wanted to make the most kind of the time that I had on the court any way to help the team win. I started watching a lot of basketball as well. Before I’d only ever really watched the NBA, but then I started just becoming obsessed with watching collegiate basketball, any form, men’s or women’s. I ended up becoming obsessed with the WNBA, the NBA, knowing players in and out, stuff like that. I was trying to boost my IQ, trying to make myself the best player I could be.

Why did you decide to transfer to Fordham? Was it supposed to increase your chances of getting drafted? Or what was the thinking behind the move?

Going back, I knew I got that COVID year back. So I knew for sure that I was gonna go do my fifth year and go get my master’s somewhere. And at the beginning of senior year, I kind of told myself, “Saint Francis is a very small private school in the middle of kind of nowhere Pennsylvania.” So I felt like I wasn’t exposed to enough college-wise, outside of basketball, even though we were traveling and doing stuff all the time. We even got to go to Australia. But I think I wanted more, since I didn’t plan to be playing professional basketball after my fifth year. The plan was always to just try and go into work with the degrees that I had. So I think I wanted to not only get my master’s, but also be somewhere just more exposed to the work fields and people who are in the work fields, who could either inspire me or could help me in any way to kind of get the next part of my life, after that fifth year of school. So I ended up talking to a bunch of different schools. I went on a couple visits and then, actually, I ended up choosing Fordham because it kinda just felt right. I like the coach there. It was in New York. What’s a better place to try and get your foot in the door, right? And, one of my old teammates that I played with on Saint Francis, actually her sister was on the Fordham team as well, so that definitely also gave me a little bit more incentive to wanna join.

Business analytics… so you’re a numbers person? One of those Moneyball people?

I guess you could say that. Just don’t call me Brad Pitt. I was originally doing an engineering degree when I started first at Saint Francis, and then I switched over to management information systems, and I absolutely loved it. Fordham didn’t have a master’s in that, so I kinda just went the business analytics way because it’s very similar to the topic. Yeah, I love numbers. I love knowing, for example, the turnover to assist ratio, and trying to understand the game, try to make sense of the game just by reading the stat sheet and reading the numbers. Even though, you know, there’s players out there and stuff that the stat sheet won’t tell you. There’s always different ways that you can understand the game through stat sheet. So I’m definitely a numbers person in that sense.

What made you decide to move to Ireland? Because you said that the plan wasn’t originally to go pro, but you eventually decided to move abroad to Ireland. Its basketball is pretty unknown, even for us in Europe.

I ended up deciding very late in the middle of summer. I wanna say I really didn’t get the ball rolling until almost July, on trying to play pro. Looking at some teams and getting a couple offers, speaking with my agent, I decided to go to Ireland. I think it was just the fact that I again, I didn’t know much about the overseas basketball life and stuff like that like that. I also think it was me just kind of playing it a little bit safe. You know, it’s an English speaking country. I didn’t have to face a language barrier. It felt, you could say, safe to my mom, sending her baby away overseas to go play basketball. When I got there, some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Irish people are so welcoming, and I have nothing but great things to say about them. The basketball side is definitely trying to make its way up there, I think. But you know, every country’s different when it comes to basketball trying to be the top sport or fit or kind of compete with other sports in their own country.

After three months you go to England, to Newcastle. Was the culture and the team very different?

I ended up there around February, around Valentine’s Day. I decided to go to Newcastle. Funny story, was originally looking at the WBBL (Women’s British Basketball League) before I had even chosen Ireland because I was just interested at looking at teams and leagues that I could possibly play in as a rookie and stuff like that. And nothing ended up coming up in the UK in the first place, and then somehow God just makes his plans work [so] that I ended up there in the second half of my rookie season. Absolutely great people over there. Great program going on over there. Nothing bad to say about Newcastle at all. Some of the most loyal fans I’ve seen in my in my life of basketball.

The Geordies, right? There are certain stereotypes about them. In the US, you’ve got Jersey Shore; in the UK, they have Geordie Shore…

One thing is, I think when they have a team that they set their mind on or they have any type of person, team, club, whatever it is that they’re supporting, you can’t tell them otherwise. I saw adult fans and children, mothers and families travel all over the UK just to watch us play, not knowing if we would get beaten by another team by 30 or make it a tight game and possibly squeeze out a win. From the moment I landed, nothing but just great things to say about them. So supportive, so helpful, very loving and caring as well. I say the Geordies take care of their own. If you’re in their circle, you’re in their group, whatever, you’re taken care of. They take care of their own for sure, and they’re definitely very proud people as well.

Before we will get to the sad ending of the season, what other positives can you mention about your stay in the UK?

It’s been a long time coming just for Newcastle in general, with the basketball team. And then making it to the championship game this season after a lot of people didn’t believe we would was definitely a moment I’ll never forget because throughout my entire collegiate career I won, I believe, only two playoff games. So it was very nice to not only advance past the first round, but then past the second round and stuff. And to get to the championship game and be a part of that was absolutely amazing. And then there was the Caledonia game to send us to the championship game and I actually had food poisoning.

Flu game?

Yeah. It was either food poisoning or a stomach bug. It was one of the twp. But yeah, it was no fun, but all my teammates were trolling me the whole time saying, “flu game, flu game, flu game.” But yeah, that was that was definitely a little bit crazy. Don’t order a salad at a burger place. I had to find that out the hard way.

But that’s not the tragic ending I wanted you to talk about.

So I’ll take you through it a little bit. I played three games with them across three weeks before I had an avulsion fracture on my right ankle during practice. I’ve sprained my ankle so bad that a little piece of bone just ended up coming off with my ankle. I didn’t break it or anything. Just a little tiny flake came off with my ankle. So that had me out a little bit longer than I personally had expected because I’ve never really been injured or had to sit out due to injury for my entire career. So it was definitely new to me. I was in a boot for four and a half weeks. It was supposed to be six, but I was doing kind of all the right things. I got out of the boot early. And then the rehab and all that stuff—getting back and making sure that I was genuinely ready to play—was almost another five weeks.

So I was not playing for almost two months. It was unfortunate, but, you know, the team kept playing. I was definitely supportive there on the sidelines, doing what I could, saying what I could during practice, stuff like that. My teammates definitely helped me get through that, but I did know that I was gonna be able to make a return before the end of the season. So in my mind, I really just cared about playoffs at that point. And then a couple practices after the Caledonia game, I actually ended up tearing my Achilles, rupturing it in practice, unfortunately.

Everyone, including me, was still very hyped and very excited to go to the championship game against London in London at The O2. It was just monumental for the club, everybody in the club, all that stuff. So there was definitely still good vibes going around, and my teammates loved pushing me around in a wheelchair, so I could get to London because I there was no way I was missing that game. I think that while I was there, I was able to contribute in a way that made a difference for the team. And I’m just proud of what the team accomplished still at the end of the season, even though we didn’t get the chip at the end of the end of the season. I think I have no regrets, and I’m absolutely proud of what we did.

And what’s your status now?

I’m just trying to take it day by day. I do intend on playing again. But for now, it’s just time to finally sit down and just chill out. I’m not good at sitting still.

A special thank you to Thomas Prodromou of Flash Agency for arranging the interview.

The Minnesota Lynx were not favored to win the Commissioner’s Cup, but they did just that on the road on Tuesday, beating the New York Liberty, 94-89. It took a dominant third quarter, during which Minnesota held New York to just 10 points, for the Lynx to gain the advantage and control the game.

The Lynx got it done thanks to the best performance of Bridget Carleton’s WNBA career, which included 23 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in the win. The Commissioner’s Cup MVP has been the Lynx’s MVP all season: Naphessa Collier. She scored 21 points, grabbed six rebounds and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line and a flawless 3-for-3 from the 3-point line.

The victory not only brought hardware and bragging rights for Minnesota, but also dollars. The team won $500,000, which will be divided among the roster. The Lynx also earned an extra $10,000 for their chosen charity, Gender Justice, which focuses on advancing efforts for gender equality. The Liberty earned $5,000 for its charity, Women Creating Change.

The opening quarter was balanced, with the Liberty narrowly edging out the Lynx 27-23 after one. New York got the lead thanks to a 7-3 scoring burst in the final 88 seconds of the frame. Sabrina Ionescu led the charge, playing every minute of the first and scoring seven of her 23 points. The Lynx trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but midway through the second quarter, they went on a run to cut the deficit back down to just three points, thanks to Collier and Carleton scoring 13 of the team’s second-quarter points.

With the game even at 55 and 4:41 left in the third, the Lynx got red-hot from deep, converting on three-consecutive 3-pointers to take control. With a six-point edge heading into the final 10 minutes, Minnesota added to that lead with buckets by Natisha Hiedeman and Cecilia Zandalasini, extend their advantage to 10. However, the Liberty wouldn’t go quietly into the night, as Breanna Stewart scored nine-consecutive points to get the Liberty within one point.

Minnesota was able to create separation once again with timely baskets from Carleton, and Collier seemed to hit a crucial 3-pointer every time they needed one. With under two minutes left, Carleton hit one from deep herself, and the Lynx had a comfortable 11-point lead they would never relinquish. While the Liberty kept chipping away, they ran out of time, losing at home and unable to defend their 2023 Commissioner’s Cup title.

Closing thoughts

Every year, the Commissioner’s Cup has served as a barometer for the league’s elite teams. For anyone still skeptical about the Lynx, this victory should put you on notice. They beat the team tied for the best record in the WNBA, and they aren’t far behind themselves with the third-best record.

Collier is coming into her own and entering her prime. Role players like Carleton can explode anytime, and Kayla McBride is still a bucket. By the looks of it, the Lynx will have something to say about who wins it all this year, and playing them will be a matchup no team will look forward to come playoff time.