We're Running Out Of Words To Describe Her (Presented by AT&T)
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I think we're running out of adjectives to describe her. Every time I think she's shown us everything she has in her bag, she shows us something else. This is Queens of the Court. What's up, everybody? It is your favorite duo of all time.

Welcome to another episode of Queens of the Court, an Odyssey original podcast produced in partnership with the WNBA. I'm your girl, Cheryl Swoops. And I'm Jordan Robinson. And court is in session. We got a big court date today. We got a lot.

To get to, first let me ask, first week without WNBA action, how was it? I didn't like it. I missed it. Well, I missed it, but there was so much other stuff going on that it kind of filled a little bit of that void. But it was different. It was different not being able to turn on the TV or where all the different places we can watch the game. So it was a little different.

But I know someone is pretty busy, though. Congrats on the new show. Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. Don't have it for you. Thank you. It's called Team USA now. It'll be all about Team USA. And I'm interviewing all these Olympians. And it's so much fun. Thank you. That's awesome. I appreciate it. That's awesome. You're welcome. You're very welcome. So deserving.

It's been a lot of fun and we're going to talk a little Team USA later. But as we're recording this, we're a few minutes away from the opening ceremony and I'm so excited. Like this is such a fun time and I just feel like we all we need this. We need to all come together to root for Team USA. So I'm just looking forward to it. It's going to be a blast. Well, for me, even

Like opening ceremonies was always when it was like real, right? Like the Olympics that I was blessed enough to play in. So that's when it was real to me. And even as a fan watching, I'm like, okay, it's opening ceremonies. It's happening. It's happening. It's real. I'm like so excited, but I will tell you this.

I'm ready for the Olympics to be over with. So we can get back to WNBA action, baby. For selfish reasons. Yes, I'm with you there. I'm with you there. And because the WNBA is on a break right now, that does not mean the news is stopping. And I want to start with the biggest news story that hit was the new media rights deal. And this has kind of been something that

We have been talking about with the growth of the league and wanting to put a dollar amount specifically to, okay, the viewership numbers are up. The attendance numbers are up. How is the league going to cash in on this? And I kind of just want to give you the highlights of what this media deal looks like. Okay, let's do it.

So this is Doug Feinberg over at the AP. He kind of broke it down. So there's going to be more than 100 WNBA regular season games that will be broadcast each season through an 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon Prime, and NBC. The league announced this on Wednesday. There wasn't a value attached to it, but a source said,

A person familiar with the deal confirmed with the AP that it's going to be about $200 million a year for the league. To put that in perspective, right now, about $60 million a year for the WNBA. So we went up. The price went up. But 11 years later.

It's a long time. It's a long time. So the deal is set to begin in 2026 and run through 2036. But here's the key part for me. It can potentially be evaluated after three years and that can give the WNBA a chance to ask for more money. So that was my whole thing is like, are we locked in for 11 years and this is never changing? Meanwhile, the value is going to keep increasing, right? Yeah.

So a three-year check-in feels good for me to be like, hey, we've already gone through what you thought we were going to do. We've blown it through the water. Give us more money. So I feel good about that. Well, I feel good about that, but I'm going to keep it real. Tell me what that means for the players. Right.

No, like I get it. It looks good on paper, but as a former player and someone who's an advocate for players today, what I just need to know what that means for players, like salary increase, how much of a salary increase, when does that start? How does that happen? How do you deter? Do you know what I mean? Like I still have so many questions regarding it. So I'll keep my comments very minimum right now.

I think those are great questions. And, you know, the players union, Terry Jackson, who who's the executive director of the union kind of said that she's like,

you know, this is great and all, but I don't want the WNBA to kind of undervalue themselves. That's essentially what she was saying. You know, I want to see how the NBA and how the league got to 200 million, because I think we're all saying it could be more. It

It could be more, more money. So I, to your point, I think that's the next layer of this developing story. How does that going to trick trinkle down into the players? Also a little caveat, the marketing in game, all of those price tags or anything that goes with that are going to be on the network. So the league is,

is going to have that 200 million and they're not going to have to divvy it up and have to splice it up into marketing and paying other, you know, media members like that. So.

Well, Jordan, first of all, this is long overdue in my opinion. And this is stuff we we talk about every single week on the show. Just how much more the players deserve. Right. So, yeah, great start. And there is no doubt this is happening now around this rookie class and just the excitement of women's basketball. Right. The players who are just every day showing up and showing out.

But when I look at the very near future of the W and the talent that will be entering the W, Paige Beckers, Juju Watkins, like you can go...

down the list because there's so much talent in the collegiate game right now that will eventually be in the W. I mean, this media rights deal, to me, that's why when you said in three years it can be reevaluated, I'm like, okay, I can work with that, but I still need to know what that means for the players. Great question. I'm going to find that out and keep digging as this story develops, but

It's a great place to start. Yes. Great place to start. We like the increase. We like that it's money attached to all of this rah-rah around women's basketball. And it's not just like, oh, great. Everyone's watching the WNBA. No, put up the money. Put up your wallets. So we'll take it. Show me the money. Must be.

Is that Deion Sanders? No. Who was that? Yeah, it was. Was that Deion? Yeah. Speaking of money, I want us to talk about the mid-season awards. This is a great place to pause with the break going on to see who we would give our awards to.

And there's a price tag if you win these awards. You get a check. And we like that. We like more money going into WNBA players' pockets. Let's go.

Let's start with... And I'm so curious about this. I don't know who you're going to pick. We didn't discuss this before. Can we say this? This isn't official. We know nothing. This is just what Jordan thinks. And this is what I think right now where the season is, right? We're just having a little fun. Just a little fun. Just a little fun. Yeah. So we're going to start with...

First and second team, all WNBA. And I kind of told us, like, let's pick, you know, two to three players who we think should be their name should be on that list. And, you know, we're talking about money. Reminder, each member of all WNBA first team will receive $10,300. And each member of the second team will receive $5,150. So, yeah.

You get a little check if you get on these lists. So Cheryl, I'm going to start with you. Who do you think deserves some extra money and who's been showing out this first half of the season? Okay, so are we both doing first team first or you want my first and second? I want your first and second. You want my first and second. All right. Duh, Asia.

Laquita Shaniqua-Wilson. Yes. First team without question. So I wrote some names down. And we're doing two to three players. Yes, yes. To make your case. Why they should be on the team. My first team is Asia. No brainer. That's all I'll say. I don't have to say anything else. That's obvious. Nafisa. I think she's having an incredible season. Here's the part that's always tough for me, though.

When a player has to sit out, like misses quite a few games, do they continue to stay on that list? I don't know, right? Because Nafisa, the entire season, I thought she has been playing exceptionally well. So I would for sure put her on first team. But since I said what I just said, let's just remove her for a second. And I'm going to go Asia,

Stewie and Kalia Copper. Yes. On my first team. Great picks. Great picks. Great picks. Do you want my second or do I get to hear your first? Yeah. So I, I also had Ka and we have the same, you know, when you look at the first team, it's the best five players in

In the league. Like that's how I, how I look at it. And Asia Stewie and Ka. And what I want to talk about Ka real quick, because she has never made an all WNBA team, which is crazy to me. It's crazy. But she's averaging 23 points and she's had eight.

eight 30 point games so far and we are in July yeah like we are not even all the way through so she had and I think she still has more to give in the second half and so at first I had her on my second team but when I thought about still the upside oh for sure I would put her on my first team and

And I also look at Ka, right? Because when people look at Asia Stewart, they're like, those are no brainers. Absolutely. Like, I don't know how they couldn't be first team. The other thing I look at when I look at Ka is besides what she's averaging and the 30 point games, like she, she has single handedly.

won games for the Mercury down the stretch. I just think she's having that type of season and not just on the offensive end. I also think she's getting it done defensively. So yeah, those three for me are no brainers. Yes. I like that. Okay. Who you got? My second team. I have, um,

And so again, I know people, lots of times they look at records, right? Like they look at the team, the standings and records and they're like, what really? So don't be mad at me, but De'Erica Hamby, I have her for second team. I like this. De'Erica is playing out of her mind. So she deserves that to me. So I have De'Erica Hamby. Oh, it's kind of tough for me. I, I have Sabrina Unescu on second team.

I have Arike and Jewel. I know it's two to three, but those are four that I'm like, those four absolutely deserve to be. And you could make an argument for Jewel Lloyd to be on the first team. I was going to say Jewel has historically been on the first team. And I think I would put her on my first team. I also teetered. I was like...

If the first team was able to have six players, then I think I would put Sabrina. Jordan, no. You don't get to change the rules. I know. I know. But I feel like Sabrina has been second team the past two seasons, but she's playing better this season. So I feel like when we look back, it's going to be like, okay, Sabrina has won two.

all WNBA second team for three seasons straight, but this season she's playing better. Yeah. Just because she's won it for three seasons straight, that doesn't necessarily mean she makes first team. Okay. I'm I hear you, but ma'am who's on your second team. Okay. So I also had De'Arica Hamby. I had Arike. She hasn't made an all WNBA team since 2021. Okay.

And I think she deserves to be on the second team. But I also have a huge, bold, all caps, the record. How much does that matter? This feels like an individual award. It should be. No, it should be. Giving buckets, she should be on this list. And so those were my two. I had Sabrina teetering. And who did you say?

So I had Enrique, De'Erica Hamby, and then Sabrina on the second. Yeah. Well, that, that, no, no, no, ma'am. No, ma'am. Those are good though. I'm going to, I'm going to keep my list to absolutely see what happens. I know. I was going to say, um, just shout out to, uh,

our producer James can you write these in so we don't forget when we go to the end of the year and we can look back and see who was right and who was wrong please James I'm trying not to I gotta keep up with you being right all the time I'm trying to be right I knew you were going there oh man okay okay now let's get to one that I think we both agree on we're gonna get to the MVP

It's Asia Wilson. No question. It's absolutely Asia Wilson. No question. I think we're running out of adjectives to describe her because dominant doesn't even feel right anymore. 27 points per game, 12 rebounds, leading the league in blocks, has broken so many records. We're just shrugging because it's like, it's Asia Wilson. Yeah, like...

Every time I think she's shown us everything she has in her bag, she shows us something else. The thing I really love about her game this year is her three-point shot. And it's a real legitimate three-point shot. Like you got to get out and guard her beyond the three-point line now. And to me...

When a player can add more and more and more to her game, that just makes them that much more dominant. Asia ain't playing with nobody this year. And she said, listen, in case y'all are questioning if I should be MVP, let me just show you. And I'm going to go back to whoever this fourth place vote person was. What in the world could you possibly been thinking? But whatever. Yeah. And honestly, I don't.

don't even know who's a close second. You know, Nafisa was a big talker. And to your point about Nafisa Collier...

With how the WNBA season is, she was really only out like a week, like a week and a half, but that was like five games, you know, like in WNBA season stretch, it wasn't, she wasn't out for months at a time. It's just been a few weeks, but that translates to a lot of games. So

She would have to kind of make up for those games in the second half, but it's not going to come close in the MVP conversation. But I think it could still make a case for her making all WNBA for the start of the season. But Asia Wilson, I mean, when she came with the platinum wig in media day, Asia, that just set it off. That set it off. She was serious. She was serious. So...

I think that one was a no-brainer for both of us. Feel good about that? Easy. James, you don't have to document that one because we already know that one. We know that one. And if it's not hers, we riot at dawn. All right. This one. Yes, we do. Rookie of the Year. Oh.

What a hot button topic. Let's save this one for last. Okay, let's do that. We're going to come back to that little teaser. Let's do. Let's do. Little teaser. Okay. We're going to skip right ahead to most improved player of the mid-season awards, which I don't know. Maybe we agree on this one, but go ahead. Kick it off. Well, here's the interesting thing. And I know she won't, but

Like, like Asia can even win this. You know what I mean? Not because her game has just changed that much in a year. Okay. I just had to put that out there. So I kind of like, I kind of love that. She just gets all of them. She really could, but that won't be hers. I, um, I have two.

And the first one is without a doubt to me, Dejanay Carrington. Dejanay has just everything about her game. She's elevated what she's doing for Connecticut. She has made them a better team. She's playing both ends of the court. She's defending. She's guarding the other team's best player. She's scoring the ball. I just love her game this year. Like she's very intentional about everything.

her play this year in every sense of the word. And the other one I had for this is Sabrina. Oh, I like that pick. Yeah. I, um, I just, I think Sabrina has finally like, I feel like she's playing more relaxed in a way this year. Right. Like she's not putting all the stress on her. She's not all into what social media has to do and say, and, um,

granted, Caitlin's probably taken some of that off of her, right? So it's just given her a place where she could just go play basketball. And I think not only she's doing what she does, right? She's shooting the three ball. She's shooting it very well, but I've been impressed with her ability to actually put the ball on the deck and attack and get to the hole and finish. So those, those are my two. Those are great picks. I had DJ and a Carrington as well.

I think she not only has shown a different and improved role on this team, I think she is being looked to more as like, hey, we're in a drought. We need Dijon A. We need you to go get us a bucket. And that wasn't her role in these past few years on Connecticut. Even just looking, I have a side-by-side of her stats where

In 2023, it was 32 games to now 24 games, up in points. She's averaging 12 this season to 8 last season. Minutes, up in minutes. She was 17 averaging last season, all the way to 29 this year. And like you said, too, with the defensive side. You know, we're going to get to Defensive Player of the Year, but it doesn't always go to guards. And I think this is her...

opportunity to say you are most improved on both ends of the floor you are an anchor of our team now and uh I think she I think she gets it and she deserves it especially after that all-star snub this is something that this is an award that is definitely within her grasp that I hope she gets

Totally agree with that. And, and, you know, another player I just want to put out there, I don't think she will win it, but I think she's had a, having a better season. Jordan Horston. Yeah. That would be fun. Yeah. Jordan Horston, man. And she came into a starting lineup for them and has been talk about a new role has really been able to come into their own app and only in our second year.

Yeah, but I'll just close this out by saying because of the snub I feel Dejanay got, she absolutely deserves this one for sure. Another player too that during the second half of the season I think will turn up because of that snub as well. Like Asia did the fourth place vote, Dejanay's doing it for the all-star snub. Yes, still some time to turn up.

you want to do six player of the year? I do. And I'm curious to see who you have on this. Okay. You know, I have, I have Tiffany Hayes. I have Tiffany Hayes coming in. The aces got this,

six player of the year with Alicia Clark last year. And maybe this is just a testament to Becky Hammond's rotations, just having weapons coming off the bench. But Tiffany Hayes, she's averaging almost nine points a game, almost 50% for the field, but it's more of an energy shift when she comes into the game, especially because the aces have had notorious slow starts this season and

And that has been their Achilles heel of like,

I don't know, just a slow, okay, we know we're going to win, but we're just not getting it going. And Tiffany Hayes has been the signee to come in and say, all right, what you need me to do? Like, I'll get a steal. I'll take a charge. I'll make a three. Get us a bucket. Get you off the dribble, whatever you need. So I like Tiffany Hayes coming in retired, unretired, and then winning six player of the year. I like that story. Yeah.

Yeah. I thought about this and thought about this. So I agree with you on Tiffany for sure. But prior to Tiffany coming in, I had a couple and one spoon messed it up because she moved Kennedy Carter into the starting lineup, which is great. That would have been an easy one. But before that, I was like Kennedy Carter, sixth player of the year, no doubt about it. Right. And so I think she's

play too many games. This is a starter now to get considered. So anyway. And here's what's interesting. Before Tiffany got to the Aces, I was like, Kate Martin...

Coming in off the bench for the aces, just doing the little things, do whatever it was her teammates asked of her. Like she was doing it. She was getting it done. So I was like, she could be that player too. But then Tiffany came and now Tiffany's it. So yeah, I'm there with you. And to be honest with you, Jordan, I sat here and I thought about, I'm like, I went like team by team trying to think of like that first player off the bench and

You know, another player that I, that I love, but you never know if she's going to play when she's coming in, like Lexi Hull. I feel like when Lexi Hull comes in for Indiana, she brings that intensity, that, that grit. She just plays hard. She plays both ends of the floor, but yeah, without question, I'm going to roll with Tiffany Hayes. I love it. I think with Kate Martin, I,

Even though she might not get it this season, I think that is where she will live. Like that is where she will be as a career player. Like an Alicia Clark. They call her mini Alicia Clark because that wherever she goes, I can just see her being that utility player. So even though she might not get it this season, I think we see six player of the year awards in the future for Kate Martin. Oh, for sure.

Probably a few years. I know in a few years, another name that just kind of popped in. I want to throw out there. Kayla Thornton for the Liberty has, she's had some starting positions because of some rotations, you know, when salute was out. Yeah. But for most of the time she's coming off the bench, getting you a bucket, locking down somebody who's having an on night. She can give you a corner three, like no other option.

Kayla Thornton might be in the running for this. Agreed. Yeah, that's a good one. That's a good one. Nope, that's a real good one.

Thank you for sharing that. Yeah, yeah. I feel like we're kind of good at this. We kind of know a little something. Can we get a vote for real? I know a little something. All right. How about Defensive Player of the Year? This one's a tough one for me. This is an award you won three times, Cheryl.

You've won it three times. And that's why it's tough for me. Because I have three players that I think are very deserving of it. And I won't be mad if any one of the three win it. Asia Wilson. Asia defensively just is everywhere on the floor. Ezzie Magbogor. That's my pick. I think is an incredible defender. And I don't think people talk about her defense enough.

So, Ezzie absolutely is very deserving of it. But I'm going to roll with the guard. And that guard is Dejanay Carrington. Hey, rolling hard. Well, and here's why. Not to say that they don't. But when I look at

the players that Dijon is defending night in and night out, she's guarding the other teams, not only the other team's best guard, sometimes she's defending the forward. So the bill, the fact that she can do that and she has shut some people down this year. Yes. Like there's something to be said about that. Whereas like, yes, Izzy and Asia have, um,

I mean, as excuse me, as he and Asia have done the same thing. But to me, I feel like it's a lot harder to defend on the perimeter and keep someone in front of you and keep someone out of the paint than it is to actually guard someone on the block. And of course, post players are going to disagree with me. But also, you know, Dijon is picking players up full court like that.

She's made that commitment this year, and I think she deserves to be awarded for it. I like it. I like it. I had Dijonay, and I wanted to look back to see who was the last guard to win this award, and it was Elena Beard. She won it back-to-back, 2017-2018. Wow.

It's been a long time. It's been a long time. And even, you know, before that, it's just not always, even in the NBA, just not always given to the guards. But I'm with you. It's time. I'm with you. It's time.

But I'm all in on Ezzie. I'm all in on Ezzie McIntyre. I'm not mad about it, though. I'm not. I think she's been going back and forth with Asia. It's one of those things, like, Asia has won it so much, like, that anyone is even competing with her. It's like, okay, you should, they should have a look at that award. She's sitting at two, almost two and a half blocks per game. She had eight blocks in a single game.

I think also too, the part about Ezzie is how is her team talking about her on the defensive end? And this is something that Nneka said actually, just about her presence of the court that

there's a stature that when she's playing on defense that serves as an anchor, like the protector that we have down there, not as a bailout, but as someone who can really just finish the job. I love her attitude towards defense. I know what she's capable of, but I think her attitude is what really turns it up a notch. And just having, I feel like as he came into this season with an attitude, like this is where,

I can make a difference on the Seattle storm team. And she has put her best foot forward. She was also snubbed from the all-star team, probably one up there with one of the biggest snubs. So she has that extra chip on her shoulder. So I'm going, I'm going as he, but I don't hate your picks. I think those are really, really good.

Really, really good. If Dijon A comes away with most improved and defensive player of the year, wow. Wow, wow, wow. I won't be mad with either of those. Yes. Because they're all very deserving. Mm-hmm. All right. Is it time? Yeah, it's time. It's time. The year.

What a hot topic. Hot tamale. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. Gosh. I went first on defensive player of the year. So you go first. Here's what I'm doing. I'm shaking. I'm shaking shit up. I know. I know who your pick is. I'm going to play the devil's advocate. You might not know who my pick is. I might not know. I guess.

I'm going, I'm going Caitlin Clark wins rookie of the year. And here's why I'm making my case. She was tasked with more for her team than any other rookie in this class. She was automatically put on this team to be the star, the role, everything, the ball in her hands, the most, she already owns the franchises single season assist record and got her first career triple double in the first year.

triple double by a rookie in the league's 28 year history. The game right before the break, just in case we were teetering, maybe deciding she broke the WNBA single game assist record with 19 previously held by Courtney Vander Sloot. She leads the league in assists. She also has, you know, 17 points per game, some slight. And, uh,

Yeah. She's not shooting the three Paul ball. Great. She's about 32%, eight attempts per game, by the way, only second to Arike and she got to bring down those turnovers turnovers. She's at five and a half a game, but I think Caitlin Clark could be a rookie of the year. That's my case. Oh, not the gap. Listen, and it's, it's a great case. Um,

Like I can't argue with any of that stuff you just said, because it's all true. So I'm going to make my case for Angel Reese. And before I make my case, let me say this. First of all, I really pray and hope they don't do co-requis of the year. Oh, no. I know a lot of people are like, yeah, let's do it. I'm like, no, let's don't. No, we don't. No, we don't. Let's not. No. One or it's one or the other. Right. Yeah.

Here's my case for Angel. First of all, Caitlyn has done, I think, exactly what was expected of her with Indiana, right? The reason why they drafted her, what the expectations were. And I think she's done just that. Angel, on the other side, I'm not sure if people thought she would be doing what she's doing. 14 double doubles in a row.

right? 14, I believe has never been done before as a rookie. That is insane. The other side of that is my opinion. Caitlin has way more talent around her on her team to help her be successful than Angel has with Chicago. And

For Chicago to be sitting where they are in the standings, right now, playoffs started, they're in the playoffs. Angel Reese is a big part of that. She's a big part of why they are. The other thing,

When you talk about MVPs, at least for me, I don't just look at scoring, right? I look at their overall game. What do they contribute on the defensive side of the ball? What else do they do besides scoring? So for me, even when I look at like rookie of the year, it can't just be about one particular thing. Yes, Kaitlyn, her passing, her assist, insane. Her ability to see the floor and get the ball where it needs to be.

Beautiful. Angel to me, though, she is having to defend some of the best post players in the game. Not just in the league, but in the game. Night in and night out. There is no break for her. There is no break for her. The other side of that, defensively, Kaitlyn's not defending the other team's best perimeter players. Okay.

So for Angel to be able to defend the way she's defending and still score the basketball, rebound the basketball. Rebounding is the best thing Angel. I don't know if I've ever seen anybody rebound the basketball the way she does. It's just her knack for the ball, knowing where it is, when to go get it. As a rookie, what she is doing is crazy. It's just crazy. So.

what I think and I hope not I don't know but what I think it may come down to honestly and I've just heard a lot of people say this and I believe it too will come down to their record like who finishes where

I don't, I don't necessarily like that, but it is one day to the next, you know, but one day to the next, it's like, whoa, like Caitlin just did this. She's rookie of the year. The next game. It's like, Angel just did this. She's rookie of the year. Just don't make it co-rookie of the year. Like pick one and roll with it. Yeah, I agree with that. I will say this. It's, it is a tough decision. And I think you could make an argument for both players. That's my argument.

For shy Barbie. Again, I don't agree with you. There is something beautiful about watching Angel Reese rebound the basketball and just straight up attack the boards. I love that she's coming in as a rookie and whole teams are having to

change a scheme. I feel like this is both of them, but specifically with we need to do a better job rebounding. If we out-rebound the Chicago Sky, we will win the game. That is something that they can tangibly say, but talking about schemes, whole teams are coming in and saying...

Okay, don't go under that screen if Kaitlyn Clark has it on the pick and roll. But then you can't double because then she's going to pass to Aaliyah Boston. And then if you bring help to Aaliyah Boston, she's going to kick it out to Kelsey Mitchell. And so whole teams are scrambling constantly because Kaitlyn Clark has the ball up top.

Without question, right? I love that it's a race. I love that it is not a for sure shoe-in person. This is... Which I honestly...

totally agree with your point of over exceeding expectations Angel Reese has definitely done that because I think a couple months ago even when she decided to declare for the WNBA people were already giving the rookie of the year award to Caitlin Clark and now even the conversation it

Now it's a conversation. Now it is a race to the finish and we are all going to be on pins and needles of who wins it, which is way more exciting and way more fun that I think is also just going to be a battle for years to come. Like just like how we're going MVP for MVP with Stewie and Asia. Like this is a precursor to that.

And I do. I love it. But I do think, right, like whichever one of them wins it, very deserving of it. But I also think there really is something to be said about a player. I don't know if Chicago is in the playoffs right now without Angel, right? Yeah. Is Indiana in the playoffs right now without Kaitlyn? No. No. No.

Well, but they were close, right? But when you look at the overall team, like the pieces that they have, without question, Indiana has better players than Chicago from top to bottom. No doubt about it. How about that? How about that? Okay. Well, they had three all-stars. Chicago had one. Okay. Yeah. I'm going through the roster in my mind right now. Okay. Okay.

I would argue let's take it to court. I'm taking it to court. I'm taking it to court. I'm saying Caitlin Clark has allowed, has elevated those players games on through her passing, through her assist, through the attention that she's garnering, that she's giving Kelsey Mitchell and Aaliyah Boston better looks than they were creating for themselves before. That's what I'll say.

In this rookie of the year context. Oh, I don't disagree with that. But let's also remember Aaliyah Boston was rookie of the year last year. Absolutely. And an author. Kelsey Mitchell has always been a bucket.

Like she can just flat out score the basketball. A player that we don't really talk about, and I think we should, because I thought she was playing exceptionally well before she got hurt, Fag Benle. Then you got Melissa Smith. And they brought in Katie Liu, who's a shooter. Like if you go down the roster, player for player. I feel that.

Like, look at Chicago. Kennedy Carter is a just can't nobody guard her. They just can't. But after that. Yeah. Like, but who else? Because I guess I know they got Camilla. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you can't be you can't just be blinded by her. No, but seriously, I like it. And then Elizabeth Williams is hurt. Izzy is hurt. But those are all post players. I'm looking at the guards.

And now they don't got Marina Mabry. So no, no. Geez. Forgot about that. Who is going to be that person to step up? Maybe Rachel Bantam comes in and it's like some fiery second half of the season. Maybe. And then Mariah Jefferson, who hasn't played all season. Right. Okay. All right. All right. But it's going to be a good one.

It's going to be a good one. I feel like what we are toying with and discussing, this is what everyone is thinking about. Like when we are having to decide who is rookie of the year, there are so many factors. Whereas I feel like years prior, it's just been, oh, this was the number one pick.

This is rookie of the year. That's not the case. And I'm happy for that. I love that we can have more, not even debates, just conversations about these topics and have it be centered around basketball and how they're playing and what their team and the roster and records, all of that. All right. How do you feel about that? I love it. I like it. I like it. I like it. We brought it. We brought it to court on our cases.

That was a heavy caseload. Let's go. It's going to be good time awards season come the end of the season. But that was just at the midway point. We still got more to come on the show. We're going to take a quick break. Then we're going to answer some mailbag questions. Calling.

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No matter what you're going through, you are never alone. Join me on my podcast From the Heart with Rachel Brathen every Friday. Each episode is like sitting down with your best friend for a cup of coffee. From self-care tips to inspiration for healing, this podcast offers the chance to return to nature, return to community, and return to who you are at your core. Straight from my heart to yours. Listen to and follow From the Heart with Rachel Brathen on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome back to Queens of the Court. It's time for our list of mailbag segment. This week's mailbag segment is delivered by Amazon Prime. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Let's get to the first one. I'm a...

We talked about this ESPN 100 best athletes list previously. So this is from SS Jackson 534. Did y'all see how they left off Brianna Stewart on the ESPN 100 best athletes? They are crazy to leave her off. They need to go back and look at her accomplishments. Stewie should have been on this list. Cheryl, what do you think? You have a furrowed brow.

Because this is so, can I say dumb? The list? It's dumb to me when, agreed, a player like Stewie, like how the, do you leave her off of it? How? Like, make that make sense. And so I love every player on here in the W. But even for me, when I look at it, I'm like, so it could, they couldn't have chosen based off of

awards of recognition because if they are there's no way I'm 81 and some of the other players are above me yeah I'm just saying but to leave Stewie off of it like makes it just makes zero sense

That's all I can tell you, SS Jackson 534, because I'm just as confused as you are. We're just as confused. Again, this is the top 100 athletes since 2000 from ESPN. The WNBA players on this list...

I don't know how they came up with the criteria or what, but the highest, the highest ranking WNBA player was 21. That was Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, 34, Maya Moore, 36, Candace Parker, 60, Lisa Leslie, 74, Cheryl was at 81, Lauren Jackson at 84, and Asia Wilson barely made the list at 90. Yeah.

That's like whoever gave Asia the fourth place vote last year. That's how crazy this is to me. Well, and this is not just basketball players. It's all athletes. My only thing when I saw that Stewie, because also Sue Bird didn't make this list either, but I'm like, maybe it's just pro, but she still has two championships, two MVPs, like...

I don't know. I'm like, really? Her four championships in college. No one has ever done that. That is so unmatched. What Stewie did. But that was my only thought. Like, maybe it's only your professional career, but I don't know. But Jordan, like, like we comment, we won four championships, like back to back to back to back.

So you do that from a team standpoint. And then if you go look at individual awards and accomplishments, like I'm even looking at the list, like help me understand what they were thinking. I don't know. Yeah. The whole list in general, the last thing I'll say just from an editorial standpoint is

it was a success because it has us talking about it. It had everybody talking about it. They did a slow rollout of clicky, you know, sections. It was also, you know, who they had a feature story on for ESPN. So I think that also factors into it as well. But from an editorial standpoint, they did their job of getting us talking. But if I'm Brianna Stewart,

I'm upset. And she should be. I'm upset. Yes. I'm upset. Okay. Delete. We're right there with you. Thanks for the question. It's just crazy to me. We are rejoicing in rage. All right. Yeah. We have another one from DJ Tiff.

Hey ladies, love you both, love the pod. Fresh off of a record-breaking All-Star game for the W, what are your thoughts on a rookies versus sophomores game getting added to the All-Star Friday night festivities along with the skill challenge and three-point contest? Next year seems like would be a perfect year to start. Angel, Cameron Brink versus Paige, Raven, Anissa, to name a few. I like it. I love it.

I love it. I think, yeah, I don't know. I do. I love it. Because even when I think about this year, like the rookies that could have played against the sophomores could be really interesting. And I think the W could always use something, add something more, right? Like I love the skills competition and the three, three X three this year. Why not? It's a great suggestion.

Great suggestion. And like we talked about in our all-star episode, let's keep building. Let's keep growing it to not just the all-star game. Like we want it to be a whole weekend with festivities and being able, I think too, with that rookie sophomore game, what I like about it is it gives us,

more players an opportunity to be a part of All-Star Weekend because we saw with the skills competition, even with the three-point competition, a lot of those players were already All-Stars that they had do other things. But if we can bring more players in so that this is a full weekend of activities, I would

I want to see more players on this big stage. So that's a great opportunity too. And not only that, so does Aflac give 55,000 to each player that wins or to the MVP? Like, listen, I'm all about putting a bag in the player's pocket. So I love that idea. I love that too. Another sponsored element. It could be fun. Let's go. It could be fun. I like that. These are great suggestions and I hope,

I hope the league listens to all these suggestions because these are coming from fans who really like they would sit down and watch a rookie and sophomore game. I think those viewerships, the viewership numbers would be through the roof just on these two classes and especially the next class. So that would be fun. Paige was already at all-star weekend. She was sitting courtside next to you. So it would be fun to see her on the court next year. Yeah. Yeah.

I can't wait. It's a great suggestion. Okay, that was fun. Let's start doing these more. Keep sending us your questions. From streaming to shopping, it's on Prime. Visit amazon.com slash prime to get more out of whatever you're into. We're going to take a quick break and then we're going to give out some flowers. And now a word from our sponsors at Betterment. Do

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Welcome back.

Brianna Stewart won 100 games in a row. I'm still not over it. I'm still not over it. Still doesn't make any sense. But we move on. Sue Bird's a five-time Olympian. What are we doing? What are we doing? Like four times. Let's move on. We will not be giving flowers to the people who voted. Who wrote that story? Sorry. Whatever.

I'm sending out some bouquets to some people who deserve it. And this is Giving Flowers presented by AT&T. Can I kick us off? Let's go. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about yours, mine. Let's do it. Okay. I want to give flowers to Coco Goff. Let's go. A tennis player who is adorable and also really, really, really good at tennis.

She was voted to be the flag bearer for Team USA during the opening ceremonies. The youngest to ever get that honor. And the first tennis player for Team USA to get that honor. Which is, wow. Just that sentence alone. But I've already started seeing chatter.

of people saying how, you know, this was her first Olympics. Maybe she doesn't deserve it. There's other players and athletes that maybe...

Stop. We're going to shut that down right now. Quick team USA athletes vote for who they want. They voted. So it doesn't matter what we think it is. The athletes who wanted, who did they want to represent team USA and they voted Coco golf. So this isn't about who won more medals or anything like that with her and LeBron James.

holding the flags for Team USA, two black athletes to represent USA. It just feels good. It makes me smile. I'm so proud of Coco. We have given her flowers before, especially after she's won some majors. The future is so bright for her. And I hope this gives her just some confidence going into these games and

That this is how her peers, the best athletes in the world of all sports, how they see her. So yeah, there's your flowers, Coco. Well, Jordan, I want to add one thing to what you said. It's like, it's always a great feeling when you feel appreciated, right? So even when it's stuff that the fans vote for, i.e. All-Star game, fans get a vote. It's a great feeling. But there is nothing better than knowing that

Your fellow athletes respect you. They appreciate you and they're voting for you to, to do something in this case, to be the flag bearer. When we got a chance to vote for Dawn Staley to be the flag bearer that like, that was all about her, but we felt so good about her being able to represent us and carry the flag. So to all those people who are like, she doesn't deserve it.

Shut up. Who cares what you think? But anyway, no, I'm so happy for her. And yeah. And LeBron, to your point, I don't know this. I'm going to say it. Is this the first time that we've had two black athletes be the flag bearer? I think that's a great question. Yeah. Wow.

Like who would have ever thunk it? I know that's not a word, but I'm saying it. I don't, I don't know. I don't know if I ever thought this moment would happen. I know. Right. It's special. It is special, which can I go now? Yes. Yes. Which leads me into this other moment and who I want to give flowers to. Yep. And I'm going to show you my shirt because I am wearing it.

You probably can't see it very good. But try to get through this without getting emotional. VP Kamala Harris, I am just giving her flowers, who will hopefully soon be the president. But I will say this. We talk about having two Black athletes be flag bearers, represent Team USA. I was...

and emotional when Barack Obama was running for president and became president. This right now for me is very different. The fact that we have a woman of color running for president of the United States of America, I think was a moment that we only dreamed of. I don't think I ever thought this could be a possibility. Um,

God, I know I'm crying because this is a historical moment. And for me to be living it and to be a part of it, and you know what, and to actually have a voice.

This is special to me. So I just want to give her her flowers. One for just being real, just being who she is. And I think I think I saw her do the Tamiya shuffle and I can't even do it yet. I need to learn that. We got to keep up.

Yeah, I got somebody. Whoever's listening, if y'all could teach me, please teach me. A bonus episode of us learning. Just a special moment. And gosh, I'm just glad I'm here to be able to witness it all. Much, much deserving flowers. We are passing out the roses, giant bouquets this week. Huge. Very, very deserving flowers.

people. Wow. Yes. I'm also getting emotional. I love this segment. It just gives us a chance to cry every single week. Also, we're seeing in our messages, it is confirmed that is the first time two black athletes are the flag bearers.

for Team USA at the Olympics. Wow. So history on history on history. Yeah. We love that. And we are we're living in it. So relishing in it even. Yes, we are. I've been all smiles with those news. But this has been fun. This has been Giving Flowers presented by AT&T. I love it every week. Please continue to review, rate,

Tell us any mailbag questions that you have. Send them our way. We love hearing them. Our email address is queensofthecourt at odyssey.com. And like always, guys, we appreciate you, the questions. We appreciate the messages, the tags, everything on social media. And if you don't know where to find us, you can find me at airsweeps22. And she, her, Jordan, because I didn't give you a little bit the other day, I'm going to try to give you some. She is at

Jordan R. I'll give you a little bit. Thanks! Queens of the Court is an Odyssey original created in partnership with the WNBA. The show is produced by the amazing James Jackson. The executive producers are Asha Saluja, Maddie Sprung-Kaiser, and Leah Reese-Dennis. Social media assistance from Isabella Apple, music from T-Storm Battle, and a very special thank you to Lena Moss Glazer and the one and only Alex Ozzie.

And court. Court. Is adjourned. Is adjourned.