From the Los Angeles Sparks playing the Nigerian National Team to Caitlin Clark making her return to the WNBA court with the Indiana Fever, there were storylines galore on the first day of WNBA preseason action.
Here are some of the most notable highlights from Saturday night’s five-game slate of preseason openers. In the comments, let us know what stood out to you, as well as what you’ll be watching for as preseason play continues.
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Rickea Jackson was traded this offseason from LA to Chicago and made her Sky debut against the Phoenix Mercury. Albeit in what became a 108-104 Sky loss, she was fine in her first showing, scoring 15 points.
Jackson got to the paint and to the line, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. Overall, she was her typical explosive self and played well. She also led the team in minutes played with 21. Considering that preseason results don’t matter, Chicago may have lost on the scoreboard, but Saturday was a win for the organization.
For the Mercury, Kahleah Copper was explosive, scoring 19 points on an efficient 7-for-12 shooting from the field. Kiana Williams also had a strong game, scoring 16 points, including five 3-pointers.
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Is Cameron Brink’s offense developing for LA?
While LA made big offseason moves that focused on building a more veteran team around Kelsey Plum by bringing back Nneka Ogwumike and trading the aforementioned Jackson for Ariel Atkins, Cameron Brink was the Spark who stood out in their preseason game.
With Ogwumike sitting out, Brink got the start and scored 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting. She also had a pair of steals and blocks, showcasing her defensive dominance.
The Sparks dominated Nigeria, easily winning 89- 63.
Beyond Brink’s play, Kelsey Plum looked like herself. She scored 22 points and had a team-high plus-minus of +30. For Nigeria, two players were in double figures in this loss, with Pallas Kunaiyi scoring 11 and Uche Izoje with 10.
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Caitlin Clark returns with rust for the Fever
It was a light day for Caitlin Clark in the Fever’s 109-91 win over the New York Liberty.
She played for 17 minutes, and her shot was off, going 2-for-10 from the field and only one 3-pointer. Again, this is preseason, so just getting some reps and coming out healthy is progress in the right direction. It’s clear Clark is an All-Star player, so no need to overanalyze an exhibition contest.
While Clark was rusty, Kelsey Mitchell was in midseason form. She had 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting. Rookie Raven Johnson also had a good debut, playing for 18 minutes and scoring six points on 3-for-3 shooting.
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For the Liberty, Breanna Stewart was on fire. She had 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting, and Han Xu played well with 20 points on 60 percent shooting. Both of these teams showed signs of why they are early favorites to win it all.
Lauren Betts makes the best of her Mystics debut
It’s not regular-season play, but Lauren Betts made her WNBA debut for the Washington Mystics.
Offensively, she struggled, going 2-for-7 from the field. But, she still got her points thanks to promising free-throw shooting, as she finished 9-for-10 from the charity stripe.
Sonia Citron looked ready for Year 2. She scored 12 points, but the developing Mystics still lost to the Minnesota Lynx, 77-66.
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Minnesota had a balanced atack with no players in double figures, but had a whopping 14 who scored. That’s something you won’t see once the games count.
The upside is high for young Storm stars
It was a tight contest late, but the Golden State Valkyries got the better of the Seattle Storm, winning 78-76. The game was even at 75 when Mariella Fasoula scored during the closing minute to secure the result.
While the Storm lost, they certainly look like a young exciting team. Flau’jae Johnson was an offensive flamethrower with 14 points.
Dominque Malonga scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Zia Cooke came off the bench and scored 10 points.
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For the Valkyries, Veronica Burton was sharp scoring a team-high 14 points in the win. Fasoula matched that point total for Golden State.
