New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Diggins expected to commit to UConn
Taurasi’s return, Seattle’s title quest top 2020 storylines
Better late than never, the WNBA is back. The 24th season tipped off Saturday at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
There figures to be no shortage of storylines as the league tries to navigate its way through a truncated 22-game slate, and playoffs, amid a pandemic. Let’s look at a few of them.
FEWER GAMES, GREATER SENSE OF URGENCY
Most years, one rotten week wouldn’t necessarily doom a team’s season. But this isn’t like most years. While the WNBA stuck with their traditional playoff format — single-elimination first and second round games and best-of-five semifinals and finals — the regular season was reduced from 36 games to 22. Losing streaks will be magnified and slow starts may be insurmountable.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The Connecticut Sun flourished at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2019, posting their best regular season home record (15-2) since 2011. But this year they will have no such advantage. The league will have three games a day, split between two courts at Feld Entertainment Center, which is a 20-minute drive from where teams are staying at IMG Academy.
A NEW PLATFORM, THE JUSTICE MOVEMENT, IS LAUNCHED
The WNBA has made social justice a central focus of its season, allowing players to wear warm-up shirts that say “Black Lives Matter” on the front and “Say Her Name” on the back. Opening weekend will be dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement, during which teams will don uniforms to seek justice for female victims of police brutality and racial violence.
CONNECTICUT AND WASHINGTON (MAYBE) TAKING A STEP BACK
Both the Mystics and Sun could face an uphill battle getting back to the WNBA Finals. Defending champion Washington reloaded in the offseason, acquiring former UConn great Tina Charles in a blockbuster with New York. However, Charles received a medical exemption and won’t play. Reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne might also sit out, along with Natasha Cloud and LaToya Sanders.
Connecticut swung a deal for three-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, but will be without its best player, Jonquel Jones, who chose
If things go as expected on Sunday, UConn will be getting a commitment from a guard who will remind fans of an accomplished Husky guard from the past.
Rahsool Diggins, a 6-foot-1, Class of 2021 combo guard out of Philadelphia, is expected to commit to the Huskies. Virtually every recruiting service is predicting Diggins, the 2020 Philadelphia City League MVP and Philly Catholic League Player of the Year as a junior at Archbishop Wood, to choose UConn.
If that happens, the Huskies will be getting a high-level player guard with point guard skills, who can also shoot and score. Diggins boasts a high basketball IQ and good feel for the game. He can shoot from deep and midrange, finish at the rim, is very shifty with the ball and is an elite passer who can hit teammates for lobs, kick-outs or passes out of the pick-and-roll.
Diggins needs to get a little stronger and is not an explosive athlete in the James Bouknight/ Andre Jackson realm, but is definitely athletic enough.
In short, he’ll remind Husky fans of A.J. Price, the former point guard who led UConn to the Final Four in 2009 and played six seasons in the NBA. UConn assistant Tom Moore was the point man for both players’ recruitment.
Diggins, who should have Archbishop Wood as a favorite to win the Philly City League title this season, is currently ranked as the No. 41 overall player and No. 6 point guard in the nation by rivals.com and No. 58 overall and No. 8 at point guard by 247sports.com.
Diggins would join a UConn backcourt in 2021-22 that should also include R.J. Cole as a senior and Jalen Gaffney as a junior. Bouknight is likely to leave for the NBA after his sophomore season this winter.
Although Diggins is listed as a point guard, he’ll have plenty of opportunity to play off the ball if Cole and Gaffney are still there.
not to play over concerns about COVID-19. Two other key starters from last year — Shekinna Stricklen and Courtney Williams — are now with Atlanta.
IF WASHINGTON’S NOT THE FAVORITE, THEN WHO IS?
Assuming their luck changes, the Seattle Storm could be in line for another special season. Sue Bird, an 11-time All-Star and the league’s oldest player at 39, and 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart are both back and raring to go after missing all of last season with injuries.
WHICH ROOKIES ARE POISED TO THRIVE?
Sabrina Ionescu was otherworldly in college. The first player in NCAA history — men’s or women’s — to record 2,000 career points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds, Ionescu was a no-brainer to go No. 1 in the draft to New York.
While Ionescu’s the Rookie of the Year favorite, her former Oregon teammate Satou Sabally isn’t far behind. Sabally, who bypassed her final year of eligibility and was selected second by Dallas, is widely considered the most pro-ready prospect. There’s also No. 4 pick Chennedy Carter, who should handle the ball plenty on a lackluster Atlanta team.
THE GOAT IS BACK
Diana Taurasi is now 38 and has played only six games over the last year because of injuries. Though she’s in the twilight of her career, Taurasi — or “The Goat,” as she’s been popularly dubbed — said she feels as good as she’s felt “in a long time.”
Phoenix added Skylar Diggins-Smith and Bria Hartley this offseason, teaming them with Taurasi and Brittney Griner, to make one last run at a championship.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER FORMER HUSKIES?
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis was traded to Connecticut, landing her back in the state where she starred as a collegian. Morgan Tuck was shipped to Seattle, where she’s reuniting with Stewart. Katie Lou Samuelson is looking for a fresh start in Dallas alongside a familiar face, Moriah Jefferson. Gabby Williams and Stefanie Dolson are together again in Chicago, along with Azura Stevens. Minnesota drafted Crystal Dangerfield, much to the delight of Napheesa Collier. Megan Walker is one of seven — yes, seven! — rookies in New York. Veterans Kia Nurse and Kiah Stokes are there, too. Did we miss anyone?
THE KIDS ARE HAVING FUN
Sun guard and New Haven native Bria Holmes was accompanied down to Florida by her fiancé and 1-year-old daughter, Diona. Hartley brought her 3-year-old son Bryson. While they aren’t the only children in the “wubble” — the nickname some WNBA players have adopted — they are among the most popular.
Diona, or Baby D as she’s affectionately known, became a viral sensation after the Sun tweeted a video of her wearing headphones and rocking to music in her stroller . Likewise for Bryson, who was captured by the Mercury playing with a camera during practice.
Players with at least five years of experience were allowed to take a plus-one — such as a spouse or significant other — to help with childcare, but some opted not to bring their little one(s) along because of health concerns or responsibilities back home.