The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Good Follow - WNBA Season Preview: Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Plus Deja Kelly joins the show & more!

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

This week on Good Follow: Valkyrie's own, Monique Billings joins Ros and Logan for a complete WNBA season preview, giving us all the players to watch and storylines to follow. Can the Lynx finish what they started? Is the Liberty able to repeat? Are the Fever as scary as they seem? Later, Ros sits down with former Oregon Guard Deja Kelly to discuss her time with the Las Vegas Aces and her draft night experience. Finally, Logan shares her NWSL pick of the week presented by DraftKings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You're listening to DraftGames Network. Hey, what's up everyone? Welcome to Good Follow presented by DraftKings. I'm Roz Golden-Widde and that's my co-host, Logan Hackett, and returning to the show, we got a big one and a good one, our girl WNBA vet, Mo Neek Billings of the Golden State Valkyries. What's up y'all? What's up Mo? Hey, how y'all doing?

You're in the Bay settling in for the season, aren't you? I'm in the Bay. I've been growing my roots out here for a couple of weeks now. First game of the season is this week. I'm excited. I know, I can't believe the WNBA season is officially about to begin. So I'm gonna take you through what we're serving up on our good follow menu for this show. Um, we have a WNBA season preview. We

are going team by team Eastern and Western Conference. Then we're gonna tap back in for the 2025 draft class. And then please stay with us for an exclusive interview with former Oregon guard, Deja Kelly joins the show. Fresh off of her experience and time with the Las Vegas Aces, she shares about training camp and her experience. And then what's next for her? So it's a really nice interview with Deja Kelly. I can't wait to get to it.

And as always, y'all, thank you for subscribing, commenting, liking, pressing all the buttons, following our socials. And don't forget new episodes drop every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Eastern time. So let's dive into a season preview with key players, X-Factors, and then our thoughts on each team. And we're going to start with the Eastern Conference. So we have the reigning champions, the New York Liberty, and they're a top caliber team

that seemed to just get better in the off season. Though we have Menaishah, Laney, Hamilton out for the season, their roster still looks pretty good. Their stars are Sabrina Inescu, Brianna Stewart and Jon-Kell Jones. And their X Factor comes with Natasha Cloud's integration into the backcourt. So, Roz, you are the Liberty analyst. Give us the tea on the defending champs. And do you think they can repeat? I do think the Liberty can repeat. I don't think it's going to be easy at all by no means. This isn't a team that's just picking up where they left off. They have a lot of new, I mean,

they have a lot of returners too, but even those returners, some of them are in new roles. And then for those new faces, there's going to be a period of meshing that they need to do this season. So I've got a ton of thoughts, of course, on this team and the Liberty. But if I could run through notes, I mean, Brianna Stewart, that's your MVP candidate from last season. And I wonder, is she going to have a more efficient shooting year? You know, Stewie didn't shoot that ball that well from three. In fact, probably her career worse, 29 percent.

So, hey, in the first in the last preseason game, she shot seven for nine from the field. We're hoping for more efficiency from her. And of course, the Liberty bring back in Marine Johannes. You know, she's a fun, exciting player to watch. And she, you know, has a lot of explosive scoring, especially from three to add. You mentioned Natasha Cloud. I'm wondering how her and Sabrina Onescu either play with each other or in tandem for each other.

You know, Natasha said, I'm bringing a dog to New York City. I think the Liberty are going to need that dog. And Sabrina added all that dribble penetration last season. I'm wondering what the next step forward is for her. But I mentioned like dog grit, like without Benigelene Hamilton, Kayla Thornton is now playing with you Mo, yeah, the Golden State Valkyries. You got a dog over there. You know, you also miss players who

are willing to play defense who were versatile. And so I'm looking at somebody like Rebecca Gardner as maybe an X factor. You know, she's coming off of injury. The Liberty played the long game with her, but when she was healthiest and at her best, you know, in Chicago, she was versatile, long, active, energetic, defensive, and maybe can help fill that gap. The last things I'll say about the Liberty is this.

Jonathan Cole, the GM, he's got a tight. Like the Liberty are deep with these like five tenon up wings who are versatile, stretch the court, can defend, are long, are competitive. You know, don't forget Leonie Fiebes comes back from winning a chip overseas. I'm including Natasha Cloud in that. I'm including Rebecca Gardner. Hey, Kennedy Burke is going to build off of last season. They all fit that model. And then lastly, Niara Sabali, who we love to see, like when she's been healthy,

the sky's the limit for her. I happen to know in speaking with the coaching staff, they are so like high on her. So what is, does she get more minutes? Does she get a bigger role? And if so, then coach, you know, Brandello, how do you mix her minutes with John Quill Jones minutes with Brianna Stewart's minutes? Um, and that's a nice problem to have, I think. So, uh, they're super deep, right? Talking about problems to have. Um, I definitely see someone like Nihara actually getting more minutes. I think she was a key factor of why they won that game that last game last year in the WNBA final. She came in, brought that

spark, brought that energy. And I think that's something that we'll see with New York. They're so deep. You just named a whole bunch of players. I'm like, dang, you're right. I got to guard all these players, lifting them off in my head. Missing Benajelani, obviously, is something that I'm not going to say will hurt the team, but they're definitely going to miss her. But Rebecca Gardner being able to be there to step up. Yeah. UCLA Connect, Johannes off the bench as well. Like these are lethal guards.

And so, yeah, the Liberty, they do seem like they're picking up right where they left off. The Liberty are a good team that got better, but we also have Connecticut who are a good team that kind of went more downhill. They finished in third last year, and their team looks very different this year. They're stars of Marina Mabry, Annie Samuro, and Tina Charles.

And then their X Factor is added international experience and rookie talent. And I think all around, they're just in a very interesting place right now, not only with their roster, but it was announced just yesterday that they're not only being sold, but also likely relocated. So Mo, I'll start with you. How will the Sun respond to the mass exodus of their players, including one of the biggest names of their franchise, Alyssa Thomas? Yeah, I mean, it's a rebuilt season from what it looks like to me.

They might not see it that way, but they have new players, new faces. They have a vet like Tina Charles, which the young ladies like Mauro are able to look up to. I think it's Mabry's team for sure, if she's able to run the show and the team kind of gets behind her, having Diamond to Shield will be great.

I think they have a lot of key players and it can actually talking about relocation that can kind of bring maybe an exciting buzz. We don't know where that's going to be, but that's something that can be kind of exciting. I think they might be a sleeper team. I think they're going to be better than people expect. First of all, just just to keep on Marina, like this wasn't the situation she had asked for or, you know, when she asked for a trade to Connecticut and gets there. But I think this is where she showcases she's a pro and she is and makes the most of of,

you know, a big role with this team. And I want to come and shout out Tina Charles, who's one of the greatest players of the woman's game period. You know, you're talking about the all-time leading rebounder in the history of the game. Number two, all-time in points. That's only after Diana. Like she just had a very a resurgent season in Atlanta where she was a focal point of that. I think I think Tina Charles has a lot of juice left and she comes back to the franchise that originally drafted her, where she won an MVP, where they remember a lot of glory. And of course, she played at Yukon. I think it could be a special, it could be, like you said, it could be more

special than people are making the season out to be for them. And I'm going to also keep an eye on, obviously, Anissa Morrow, who missed the preseason with an injury. That's Mo. That's so crucial for a rookie. Like when she does get back and you're just going to get thrown into the fire. It's nice as a rookie being able to have those reps for sure. And it's like keeping it real. You're fighting for spots. And so it's like you want to be able to in preseason in camp have an opportunity to show what you're doing.

I feel like the thing I'm gonna probably miss the most about Connecticut is having Alyssa Thomas and Duana Bonner, but with that, I'm very excited to see what Duana Bonner does because she's going to, or she has gone to Indiana and they're going to have a turnaround of a season. Last year they finished sixth overall and their stars are Caitlin Clark, Alia Boston, and Duana, with their X Factor also coming from Duana

and her veteran experience and playoff experience. But last season, Indiana had no players on their team who had won a championship. And this year they added Duana Sigg-Colson and Natasha Howard, who combined for seven championship titles. Not to mention the addition of Sophie Cunningham, who is bringing a fiery personality to the team,

and she seems to be integrating super well. But with that, they still have their young core. So do y'all think that they can turn around last year's Playoff Spark into a huge breakout season? Yeah, I totally think so. They look scary good. They look like just a really, really great team, a lot of great vets, a lot of energy,

obviously around Caitlin Clark. I think they did a great job in free agency, bringing the right type of players into this market. So I think if they can figure their stuff out, they're going to be scary. Yeah. And I think the figuring out period is important. They certainly loaded up on talent, but they've got to like establish identity and trust and roles and I actually like the way they brought in the right mix of Personalities like you know you mentioned to want to bonner

She's kind of got like from what I've heard from doing reporting around the league over the years a respected voice She's got a natural nurturing about her almost like a mom of the team You know Sophie's obviously got that that's spunky toughness. That's contagious. Sid Colson keeps a locker room light. Um, I'm excited for year two for Caitlin. We all see she's gotten bigger and stronger and we wanted to see her develop the floater. She did that. Um, and preseason, what I, what stood out to me is boy, she, she feels a stat sheet, you know,

like points, assists, rebounds. She's on the offensive end of the court. She makes so much happening from, from tempo and pace to playmaking. She rebounds well out of the guard position. And I like the fact that she got some rest. She was low key this summer. She worked out. She doubled downstate in Indiana. And then in her off time, she was golfing.

She was at Pacers game. She went to Taylor Swift concerts. And I think that's healthy, like mentally and emotionally coming off of just all of the attention and whirlwind that came from college to the pros. But the biggest thing I think for the Indiana Fever, and remember when we interviewed, you know, Stephanie White, the coach of the Fever, she said, we've got to be a better defensive team. And the good news is they've really only got one way to go defensively is up from last season. Um, and she said she's even going to hold Caitlin accountable on the defensive end and

they have an influx, not just of experience and, and championship experience. They've got players like DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, um, Turner, they all work on defense. And so I think that's going to be a great identity shift. Also excited to see what Stephanie White challenges with Aliyah Boston. She said it's going to be a lot more than just pick and roll. She's going to challenge her to be a facilitator. So I think that's very exciting for Aliyah Boston.

Roz, you mentioned the vibe of the team and how they're getting along. And that actually brings me to the next team, which is Atlanta. And to me, they kind of give cousin vibes. Whenever I see them together, I'm like, oh my God, it just feels like a whole bunch of cousins together. I love this. But they were eighth overall last season, and their stars are Brittany Griner, Ryan Howard,

Brianna Jones, and Alicia Gray. With their X Factor coming from experience again with Griner and Walker Kimbrough bringing 20 years combined of playing professionally. But they also have a new offensive minded head coach and Carl Smesco. But Mo, how tough is a front court of BG and Brianna Jones? Oh man, the toughest. And those are the ladies that I have to guard. They were actually the team that I was most interested to see in the preseason, because I'm just like, hey, how is this going to work?

You know, you have two very dominant bigs who have normally typically played the five position. Okay, what does that look like? Obviously, you know, we see them stepping out shooting three. That seems to be a big identity for the team. I'm actually really impressed with Tahina Pow-Pow. She's looked really good. She just looks comfortable. It looks like a seamless transition for her from college. So that's been nice.

Obviously Ryan Howard is gonna do Ryan Howard things. No drop off there at all. Alicia Gray as well. Having played for Atlanta for so many years, it seems like they have like an identity shift going on. So I think that's really cool to see their team that I'm really looking forward to play against. You know, you mentioned the rookie Tahina Pow Pow, like, you know, she might have

she might have an opportunity to do more. I'm saddened by the injury to Jordan Canada, who missed a lot of time last season and had a great unrivaled showing. And, you know, they'll miss the defensive tone that she sets as well as she's got a quiet leadership about her. I hope the injury is not that serious. Um, but I think like, I think there's more that to go for Alicia Gray and Ryan Howard. I mean, I know Alicia was already like, she dominated all star weekend.

She won the skills, she won the three, she was an all star. She was one of the best players at unrivaled. I think she's got more to do. I'm excited for it. Ryan Howard personally told me while I was reporting at Unrivaled, she said, this is a breakout season. We already know Ryan is a bucket. But I think the challenge for her is, are you going to challenge yourself

to be as great on defense as you are on offense? Because she is capable when she's locked in on defense. And then we started this all off with the big girls. I just want to shout out BG. We don't realize how hard it is. How could we? Coming back from everything she endured and experienced in Russia,

and she talked about like how hard it was to lose weight. She is lean right now. She is in shape. She's described herself as rejuvenated and it doesn't just happen the first year back. It takes some time and like with this new scene set, I'm excited for her and happy for her and I let's see what she does. Actually with that another team who I don't really know how to feel about especially with their preseason was the Mystics and they were

following the dream in ninth overall. Their stars are Brittany Sykes,, Steph Dolson, Shakira Austin and Aliyah Edwards. And their X factors come from the rookies, Vickiki Irifin and Sonia Citroen, who had a great preseason. But with Elena Del Don's retirement marking an end of an era and their last season being derailed by injuries. Do you all think that the Mystics are able to have a successful full reset this season? Yeah, yeah able to have a successful full reset this season?

Yeah. Yeah. I think a successful reset, of course. I actually, again, this is another team that I'm like, well, it looks like the only way is up. And so much of the issues they had last season was because of health. You can't get continuity. You can't have, if you don't have availability. So I'm hopeful we see the continuance of a healthy Shakira Austin. This was a highly touted number three draft pick. I thought she shined at Unrivaled. I was there in Miami, the extra space being healthy. She held herself accountable and showcase how her size meets her versatility. Also, Aliyah Edwards, another player that should be getting a lot

of confidence out of Unrivaled showed us that her skill bag, her bag of skill and tricks is very deep in the one-on-one competition. And as you mentioned, I thought that Sonia Citron and Kiki both had at least one game in preseason where they really shined. And they showed that like they understand the game at a high level and have good basketball instincts. And I just want to shout out my vets. Sometimes we forget the vets. Brittany Sykes and Stephanie Dolson. Yeah. You know what you're going to get from them. And so when you got a whole lot of new in your franchise, it's nice when you can look over to them and be like, Hey, set the tone for the game. I see a lot of just young energy. I think if they're able to figure their stuff out as well, they have a new coach. So Rozzy brought up the word rejuvenated earlier.

That's what I see as a possibility for this team. I feel like they could be pretty fast as well, but last in the East in last year's season, we have the Chicago Sky. And their stars are Angel Reese and Courtney Vanderstute with the X Factor coming from the development of rookie Haley Vinlith, her synergy with Angel Reese, as well as Camila Cardoso

coming off of a great offseason in China. And her and Angel together are called the skyscrapers. They've already been looking great. But with a revamped roster and their new head coach, Tyler Marsh, is this a start of a new era for them? Yeah, definitely the start of a new era. I think that they had a pretty solid season last year. So I think if they're able to just kind of pick up

where they left off, keep building off of that, a team with a mix of young and with some vets, I think that helps having a veteran point guard in VanderSloot, I think is super helpful, is gonna be great for a player like Angel Reese. So yeah, I'm really excited to see what they do with their pieces. I think the Chicago sky have the potential to be a little surprising as a team. You know, like there's no there's there's no days off in the WNBA.

But, you know, you mentioned Angel Reese. She rewrote the rebounding books, record books last season. And I think the biggest question is like, is she going to be a more efficient and skilled offensive player? I saw that she was willing to put the work in this off season, um, add on rival. She did a lot of work with Lisa Leslie and there's just something undeniable about her spirit that like lifts a team up. And that's part of why I think like Chicago, you know, could be tougher than maybe than you would expect. And then not to mention they surrounded, uh, Angel Reese, Camila Cardozo with veteran guards and a lot more shooting production.

This, this guy team is going to shoot more threes and be better offensively. And you've got VanderSloot, Ariel Atkins, you've got Kia nurse, um, Haley van lit. I thought had a nice preseason, but those veteran guards, like that's going to create better spacing on the court. And you know, I mentioned Camila Cardoso, she had a very nice off season as well. She played in China. It was confidence raising for her. I expect those two with more space to eat in the paint. Well, y'all, we are halfway there. So coming up, Ros, Mo, and I will be breaking down the teams in the West. We'll be right back. Welcome back to good follow.

I'm Roz. She's Logan and that's Mo Monique Billings is still rocking with us as we continue to preview the WNBA teams at the start of the season here. So starting off strong with the Minnesota Lynx, they finished second overall last season and this probably, or this has to be the team with the least movement in the offseason. They have their key players with Nafisa Collier, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams, but their X Factor comes with them returning their entire starting five.

So after a controversial game five loss in last year's finals, can the Lynx finish what they started? I think they ended in a great place. So I think they'll pick up from where they left off for sure. When you look at them, it's like, how are they so dominant? How do they do this at such a high level? But I think it's just the work ethic that they put in. I have a lot of respect for them.

Such a hard team to play against. A team that you think if you're battling with, sometimes you're going back and forth, but then they just have, when I played against them last year, closed out all of those games that I played against them. So they're very experienced having played in a game five in a finals coming back with a lot of heat. Yeah. I think that experience goes a long way.

Another advantage they'll have is continuity, but I am concerned because so many teams in the WNBA loaded up on talent. And so obviously, they have Nafisa Khali are coming back when you have someone who's in the running for it. She was so dominant in unrivaled play that it had us saying, is Fee the best player in the world,

like right now? And I mean, she really, her dominance on both ends of the court, her high skill, her movement without the ball, her motor, her IQ, her screening for others. I mean, it's just a beautiful game to watch. So you have a good starting point there. My concern is, is there more that you can squeeze out of an Atlanta Smith out of a Courtney Williams out of Kayla McBride?

These are all players who really found a home and like have had a Renaissance moment last season with with the links. Do they continue to have more? Is it enough or have they hit a ceiling? Bridget Carlton. Oh, she did really well with all of her extra opportunity in minutes, but now we're meeting. Oh, she's trying to hit that big shot. So I am concerned about that, but I think to your point, Mo, like the experience and the continuity goes a long way. I'm gonna shout out one more person. Could Alyssa Peely have a bigger role this season? I was actually in Nashville at Athletes Unlimited,

and I saw Coach Reeve there, and she came there to watch her play. And I think she's hopeful for her to, you know, step up and have more opportunity. There is nothing I love more than an Elissa Pele three down the stretch. Like she just nails them. I love it. But I feel like Minnesota in a way is mirroring Las

Vegas as in they're a very good team, but you don't know what's going to happen with them. And they finished fourth last season. Their star is, of course, three time MVP Asia Wilson. And they also have the core of Chelsea Gray and Jackie

Young and then the X Factor coming with the addition of Jewel Lloyd who enhances their perimeter defense. Now with their preseason I feel like they stepped into the villain role and they had to wave some very talented players which could be a testament to the talent on their team this year. So after falling short every 3p and losing their veterans like Kelsey Plum, Sid Colson, and Tiff Hayes, do you think they can regroup and reclaim their dominance this season? Here's my take on the Aces. I think the Aces are going to be better than they were last season. It was a down season for them. We'll start with the reigning MVP, Asia Wilson is rested. She didn't play unrivaled. She used the offseason to work out to launch her signature

sneaker to hard launch her relationship and love. And I think that's going to be important for her. You know, there's a lot of wear and tear. Don't forget players like herself and much of the aces starting lineup. They were all in the Olympics too. Like it was just like, go, go, go, go, go. They played for straight through the past couple of years. Plus their last seasons have been long. Remember they played through championship runs. And so it's just it's a lot of wear and tear on the body. I was at unrivaled. I saw Chelsea gray with my own eyes.

That's enough for me to say the ACEs are about to be good. Cause Chelsea was healthy and rejuvenated and unrivaled play. And we could see how much when she's healthy, she dominates the game and like controls everything that's happening for everyone else. And a large part of why the Aces struggled a bit last season, Chelsea wasn't healthy. Jackie Young, we're talking about somebody who's already an all star in Olympian, but I think she could like break out from like star role player on a on a stud team

and maybe even be a superstar this year because she's like her body is strong. She plays at ranges. She's great both ways with Kelsey Plum leaving. It kind of opens up a little bit of space for her. And I think she's also just matured into like mentally, emotionally just really knows who she is in this league. And so like, I think this could be a big year for her as long as she's healthy. I mean, health is a reoccurring theme. And I covered the Warriors during the peak of their dynasty.

And I remember Steve Kerr used to say, fresh blood matters. And obviously, he would know from all the dynasties he's been a part of. There's an erosion that happens year after year after year with the same people. And so the influx of Jewel Lloyd is good. Jewel had lost publicly said she lost her confidence and joy in Seattle. And she looked like it.

Her efficiency and shooting was horrible. And so now she can come here. She looks like she's having more fun. There's less pressure on her. I think it's good. It's the same question every year for the Aces. It's the depth. Ross, you definitely hit all the points. I'll keep it short with this one.

I mean, it looks like the Aces definitely shook things up in free agency, but they're a season team. A lot of great vets, a lot of star power on that team. So yeah, I definitely agree with you. I see them having a better season than last season. And following them in fifth, we have the Seattle Storm, I definitely agree with you. I see them having a better season than last season. And following them in fifth, we have the Seattle Storm, which Jewel Lloyd came from.

And they're stars this year are Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams, and Neko Gwameke, with their X factor being that their core four is returning. And they have the rookie sensation Dominique Malonga. Now, Coach Quinn's defense first mindset is probably going to propel this team, but how do you think that they can turn their turnovers into points?

When I think of Seattle, I think of just a gritty team, very gritty. I think that starts with both Neca and with Skyler Diggins. They just have that energy about them and playing against them, it's nothing easy at all. Bringing Gabby Williams in for a full season. You brought up Malunga. She looks fantastic in her preseason game.

Another rookie who's come in and it's looked very seamless. So I'm expecting big things for them. I think that they might've felt like they under achieved in playoffs last season. So I think they're coming have felt like they under achieved in playoffs last season. So I think they're coming back feeling like they have a lot to prove a lot more in the tank. Another team that's kind of brought back their key players. So I think they're going to come back where they left off. Yeah. I think the storm last season were not consistent as a team. You didn't know what version of them you were going to get from game to game. I expect them to be a lot more consistent this year. I think the continuity that

they do bring back is very important and the new faces that they bring in are super veteran and very talented. I actually expect the storm to be a strong team. You know, even just think defensively, Moe, Eze Magbagor, Nneka Agumake, Scott can get intense in lockup. Gabby Williams, Alicia Clark. And don't forget the length and the rim protection of Malunga, the rookie. That's a defensive squad, right Mo? That's a squad. That's a squad. And so I think, you add that, plus they were in last place last season in shooting.

So you have Alicia Clark, you have Lexi Brown who are some scorers who can space the Clark a little bit. Erica Wheeler comes in, she could play one or two. She's very buoyant. But this whole thing is going to be anchored around Skyler Diggins and Nneka Agumake, two of the greatest very different types of leaders in women's basketball. Nneka had one of the best seasons of her career last year, and Sky crushed unrivaled. And I think like last season during the storm season, she was still coming back and playing her way into shape from having a child.

So I expect like this Seattle team, even though they've been crushed by ACL injuries, three key ACL injuries, I still think they're gonna be a very good team. Rose, you're talking about a sleeper team, and I think that's going to come from Phoenix Mercury in a way. They finished seventh overall last season and their stars are Alyssa Thomas, Satu Sabli and Clea Copper, which in my head immediately seeing those on paper. I'm like, OK, as long as those three are firing on all cylinders, they could have something going here. But their X Factor is playing positionless and up-tempo basketball.

And although the team is completely different from last year, losing players like DT, BG, Natasha Cloud, and Sophie Cunningham, it feels like it's too early to form a new identity. But Mo, you spent some time on this team last season and played a preseason game against them. So what do you see developing for the Mercury this season? Yeah, it was like a little homecoming,

being able to go back playing Phoenix. A lot of great vibes there. They were pretty good playing against them. I think that, like you said, it's early, but it already seems like they bought into Coach Nate's system. They know how they're trying to play. They wanna play fast.

They wanna play position-less. A.T.'re trying to play. They want to play fast. They want to play positionless. A.T. being able to be the point forward. She was looking for saw to call Leah copper didn't play in that game. But I think when she returned, she steps in and it's like their big three is just so dominant. Hard to guard. They have great role players as well.

Kalani Brown bringing size off the bench, having to play against her. Uh, Celeste Taylor, another player who I played with last season. I think she has stepped up her game a lot. So you brought up the word sleeper team, Logan. I definitely see them being a sleeper team as well. Yeah, I kind of agree with that because I feel like I don't fully know what to expect for the Phoenix Mercury. I know what to expect out of that big three.

I'm really clear on what they can do and I'm excited to see how this works with the three of them together. Um, but I think for the rest of the team, we've got some time here to see how rotations and spots end up rounding out around them. But you know, when you have Alyssa Thomas, you're going to have a tough team, defensive personality, physicality. You can have, she's also very cerebral. You run her, your offense through her and she's going to get people going.

Satu Sabli is the unicorn for a reason. Like when she's been healthy, she's been an all star. So that's the biggest issue. And then Kahlia Copper, you know, is a bucket and really puts pressure on you off the bounce and is coming off of a career season. So like, I think if the, if the, if those are your big three that you're building around, you're in a good spot. Now it was announced that Dallas got the number one pick in the NBA draft this season, and Dallas has the number one pick in this year's WNBA draft picking up Paige Becker's. I think they're going to turn into a basketball city now.

But last season they finished 11th overall. We don't know what that's going to go this season. Their players to watch are Paige Becker's, Erika Gombole, Dijonay Carrington, and Maddie Segrist, with their X Factor being a new coaching staff and offensive additions made in the off season. Just watching them play in preseason, do they have the defensive strength to make a playoff run? That's actually one of the areas that I'm unsure about, you know, what they're going to be defensively and also how they're going to do with size.

You know, Tierra McCowen is going to anchor them and you know, does her thing in the paint and then Myisha Hines-Allen as well, who's undersized but is a longtime vet and has proven to be productive despite that. But I think like if we were pointing out where there's less depth, it might there Versus they're stacked as far as bodies on the wings and for the guards And I think that that depth will be good to keep a rick a from having to play the most minutes in the league again This season But even when I look at that guard group, I'm like, okay Outside of a rick a gumbo Wale in a half court set who can create their own shot one-on-one

And I'm not fully sure yet because page is obviously in a half court set who can create their own shot one on one. And I'm not fully sure yet because Paige is obviously the best player coming out of college this season, the number one draft pick. But on the on the on the pro level, is she going to be as as efficient as she was in college? Is she going to be able to get her shot off? We'll see. You know, she was really good at creating for others. Dejanae Carrington is the most improved player. Can she build on that? Add on rivaled, she was working with Phil Handy, the renowned skill coach on adding

wiggle to her offensive game. And she's got to be able to score a bucket, especially when they're under duress. They're looking at her to be one of their go-to offensive players. We know she can lock up and D up. And then the breakout player I'm looking at is Maddie Segrist. She's got size. She can score. She was just named champion at athletes unlimited that should give her confidence. And she's a young player. Last season.

She was disrupted in her rhythm with injuries and a finger injury and stuff. So I think, you know, there's room for her to establish herself as a as a number two or number three scoring option there with our Rike? Super young team. We keep bringing up the word rejuvenated, but I think that's what I see here with this team. Roz, you brought up the two players that came to my mind. Maddie Segrist, I think she had a great season last year. Again, you brought up AU. I think she's coming in with a lot of confidence.

And then I think Dejane too, I think those are the two players that are gonna be aggressive to score, should be aggressive to score, looking to score. I think she's coming in with a lot of confidence. And then I think Dejane too, I think those are the two players that are gonna be aggressive to score, should be aggressive to score, looking to score. I think both of them could have breakout seasons. And yeah, I'm excited to see Dallas. And with Dallas, I'm kind of getting the same vibes

from the LA Sparks who finished last, last season. And their stars are Kelsey Plum, Derricka Hamby, Ray Burl and Rekia Jackson. With the X factor, just coming with the fact that they have more depth this season and getting Cam Brink back will really help them, especially on defense. But after a disappointing season last year,

will new coach Lynn Roberts and the addition of Kelsey Plum turn things around? I like coach Lynn Roberts. You remember from the Pac-12, right? I do, and she has a couple of coaches on her on her staff actually that are from the Pac-12. Yeah, I like what she did with Utah and I'm enthusiastic about what she can do with LA. She's offensive minded. You mentioned Cam Brink. I think that we don't know exactly when she's going to come back and like what version of herself she'll be.

So, Rekia Jackson, when Cameron went down last season, I thought really shine, she can build off of that. And I also think Azarae Stevens, that's my girl. I thought she, I think she's so versatile with so much size. She is like, she's like you Mo, she's got a lot of light to her. And I thought she did well at Unrivaled.

Maybe she could see an even bigger presence. You know, you mentioned Kelsey Plum. She's the real deal. And Kelsey Plum has been laying low purposefully. She doesn't want, she needed some time away from the limelight. And I think she has a fresh slate. She honorably played her role with the Aces

and improved every year in that role. And now she gets to be the face of an offensive face of a franchise. And I know that she's ready for it. Um, I'm going to call out a name breakout season, perhaps from Ray Burrell, who has had an, a tough journey in the W and at unrivaled really showcase that she's got like gazelle-like athleticism, but she's added confidence and hard work, really hard to add skill. And I think like she could be a bigger contributor this year. And I know that D'Erica Hamby really empowers her. That's her OG and vet.

And D'Erica has been an all-star level player for the last year or so now. And she's a baller. She's going to outwork you, D'Erica is. And I know she's going to be a leading leadership voice in that locker room, her and Kelsey Plum. And I'll just shout out our show. Like D'Erica was on our show doing an interview and talked about the healing that happened in that relationship since, you know, they both left the Aces. So there's a lot to see unfold here for for L.A. Well, the last team we have is most very own Golden State Valkyries

playing in their very first season. And we have Tiffany Hayes, Kate Martin, Kayla Thornton, and of course, Mo herself, Monique Billings, and the X Factor here kind of comes with the uncertainty of this team, of the identity that they're building and their gameplay. On top of that, I feel like it is very international heavy. You'll have a lot of international players and people might not know what to expect with that, but in your first preseason game, y'all played at Chase Center and it was so loud that you could hear it through the broadcast. And I remember just watching it thinking, this is so heartwarming to see something like this.

And I think it was 17, between 17, 11,000 fans showing up for a preseason game. So Mo with that. 17,000 showed up over for the preseason game, Mo. The bagels are. I'm already seeing. I love the energy in this city, the synergy. As a team, we're figuring our stuff out.

It's been exciting to get on the floor. You know, everyone is curious to see what we're gonna look like. I wanna say we're just as curious too, because we're still figuring it out game by game. But the willingness is there, the want to work hard for each other, the want to buy into coach Natalie's system.

I think we're all doing those things as a team. We're working really hard. I mean, every team has worked extremely hard in their camps, right? But me being daily with my team, being able to see the work, being able to see the growth, I think our chemistry will continue to grow, our identity. We want to be killers.

And so I think that if we bring that defensive mindset, that grittiness, tough mentality, I think that we'll get there. But I'm really, really excited for this season for us. What is your team strategy on the offensive end? A lot of spacing. Coach Natalie likes spacing, and she wants to play fast. She wants layups, she wants threes, she wants versatility.

She wants players not really having to think too much, but just being able to play together in a good flow type of way. And I think that's something that we'll just build, continue to build over time. We had a lot of people in our training camp. And so trying to figure out who they're going to keep, I know they have tough decisions to make there. But yeah, I think offensively, just being able to have flow and rhythm

and a lot of spacing. Well, Mo, thank you so much for joining us. I cannot wait to see you out on the court and the Valkyries in their regular season action. But y'all next up, Ross sits down with former Oregon guard Deja Kelly. We'll be right back. The NBA playoffs are in full swing and the intensity just keeps rising.

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Welcome back to Good Follow. Today's episode is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings, the crown is yours. Well the rookie class, they have been shining in preseason play despite a handful of them being waived just before the start of the season. I had the chance to sit down with former Oregon duck Deja Kelly, who is fresh off of her experience with the Las Vegas Aces, their training camp and preseason campaign. And she sits down with me for an interview and talks through her experiences

from March Madness to training camp to what she sees as next for her career. What was that glimmer of doubt right after going undrafted? It was... I mean, going undrafted was tough. That was... I mean, I tell my family, that was one of the hardest nights of my life, really, especially because of how unexpected it was for me. And, you know, my...

One of my lifelong dreams was to hear my name called, walk across the stage, hold my jersey, like, and that was one of the main reasons why I went, whether I was invited or not, and to not hear my name that night and to, it was tough to figure out how do I move forward, you know, how do I continue to try to prove myself? I didn't get an opportunity at that time. Like, what is this going to look like for me? What are the next couple of months going to like?

Just a bunch of kind of a little bit of self-doubt. But honestly, it was it was a quick switch. Once I had a conversation with my family and lots of conversations with God, just how do I move forward? I have a couple options here. I can either just be like, okay, well, you know, it is what it is. You know, I guess I don't belong. And I could have let those thoughts win or it was like, okay, I can move forward, put one foot forward and really seize any opportunity that I get, because all I needed was one.

And that's all we kept saying. That's all me, my family, my team around me just kept saying, like, all we need is an opportunity. And that's all I was praying for. And once the ACE is called, it was a dream come true for an organization like that, a championship winning organization, to reach out to me and invite me to training camp

and invite me to compete for a spot. I mean, that was something that completely shifted my perspective and like, yeah, all I needed was that one opportunity and to see how it all panned out and how I try to take advantage of every moment and every single day that I was a part of the ACEs organization.

Like that was something I would not have imagined three years ago, I mean, three weeks ago on draft night. So yeah, the way the script flipped, it was such a blessing and it was so fun to see how it unfolded. But yeah, I mean, going from one of the lowest points in one of the lowest nights of my life to now walking out of training camp, waved or not, with my head held high with how it all went,

how it all panned out. I know that I'm going to be good. And again, I know that I belong in the league and to be able to get that experience these past couple of weeks, I'm truly grateful for. You're going to be good in life. couple of weeks I'm truly grateful for. You're going to be good in life. Thank you. What has shined to me is the character. Your character has shined through this. The way you have risen to the occasion to show grace,

to keep showing up, to step up, you're chasing your dreams. And it's really public. You are super vulnerable. And I literally, when we came on, I was like, this is only going to make the testimony even even better and bigger. And, you know, and all of that. And also, you know, the the glory feel even better because, you know, nothing is a straight line.

And one of the cool parts of your path is that you got to play with the Aces. This is a team where they've got four Olympians. You're playing with Becky Hammond. Also, not only a basketball legend, also one undrafted. You're playing with the reigning MVP in Asia Wilson. Like, what are some of the takeaways that you take from the experience of being around the Aces during that time? Like, there's no.

Room for doubt, self doubt, like everything, everyone in that gym expects greatness out of each other and they do whatever they can to help pull that out of each other. And I think that's something that makes a championship team. So to be a part of that and see the ins and outs of an organization like that for my first time and for my first opportunity and experience in the WNBA, that is something I feel has prepared me more than ever for whatever my next step is, wherever that is. Because seeing how we pushed each other, how

Asia and Chelsea and Jewel and Jackie and down the line, how they were all so able to bring the best out of each other, even though while everyone's already at their peak, like everyone, like we're Olympians, the top of their game, the best in the W, like, and still being able to push each other and make each other better each and every day. The coaches holding everyone accountable each and every day from the top down, being able to see that as a rookie, you can only respect it because it's like, okay,

these vets who I'm learning so much from, they're also being held accountable too. And just seeing how like, that's what builds a championship culture. And again, I was just soaking up that whole culture, that environment. And I think that, like I said, has built a good foundation for expectations

that I not only have for myself, but what I know I can now bring to another team, or again, wherever that is. So it was such a humbling and grateful experience just being with them and again, seeing how they can just make each other better each and every day. Yeah, I mean, you could have got picked up by a team that's in rebuild mode and then it's kind of like

sometimes in some situations, that's the blind leading the blind. You don't see the culture of championship, Olympian pedigree, but you got that with the aces. So as a reoccurring theme here is like things seem to happen for a reason. You needed to get that. Absolutely.

That glimpse. And I want to talk about a major highlight that basically had you going viral. So in the two preseason games, again, average 12 points per game, but in that game against the Mercury, you hit the game winner. You got, you know, you're setting it up with the dribble. Then it's the step back, pull up, jump shot, and it's the game winner. And boy, I get goosebumps like watching you turn around and run screaming back towards the bench.

And what did that performance say to you in that moment and maybe to the basketball world? performance say to you in that moment and maybe to the basketball world? I think first for me, it just felt like a sense of gratitude, attitude of gratitude, just being able to be on the court in that moment for Becky to trust me in that situation. It was Asia's night, so it was like I was like, we need to win this for her. There were so many emotions around that having the support from all the vets hyping all of us up like that was one of the best moments of my basketball career really and again for that to be how my

W career starts Was such a bus gosh. I'm getting emotional now was such a blessing. Gosh, I'm getting emotional now. Was such a blessing because, sorry, I was not expecting it. Because, you know, it was just sense of happiness, just a sense of joy with that team. And again, to have all that support, especially after the game, you know, seeing all the love that I was getting on social media, I think that's the toughest part

because that can be brutal sometimes. And, dang, I'm so sorry. It's okay, it's okay. Yeah, but it was an opportunity that I'll forever be thankful to that organization for. Because it just, it built my character. It built, again, my foundation for what's to come in the future. I think, you know, you said it, everything happens for a reason, God makes no mistakes.

So to be able to, like I said, take advantage and seize the opportunity, seize the moment at the end of that game and really just take advantage and do my best and give my all and do anything that I can to just show why I belong, you know, just playing with an extra chip on my shoulder, that was my main thing just post-draft was,

that's what I gotta do. I just gotta continue to really not prove anyone else wrong, but prove myself right, because I know I belong. I know that this is where I'm supposed to be, and these are the moments that I know I can be in and produce in. And so again, for Coach Becky to give me that opportunity and trust me with the ball in my hands at that time, you know,

that just built a different level of confidence for me going into this next phase of my WNBA career. We really appreciate Deja's vulnerability and you can catch the full interview with Deja Kelly now on the GoodFollow YouTube page. Y'all do not want to miss the rest of Roz's combo with Deja's vulnerability and you can catch the full interview with Deja Kelly now on the Good Follow YouTube page. Y'all do not want to miss the rest of Roz's combo with Deja. Welcome back to Good Follow. This segment is presented by DraftKings. This Friday, the red hot number one Kansas City current face off against number two Orlando Pride.

To keep it simple, Kansas City has been on a roll and players are stepping up around 10-much Winga to help lead them to victory. Their midfield and offense have been on lock, scoring 18 goals in just 8 games, and to go with that, their defense is one of the best in the league, allowing only 6 goals. On the other hand, Orlando has had a dip in the past two games with a loss to Portland and draw against North Carolina. With that said, they are sitting in second so there has to be something there. If there is one team Orlando wants to beat and know they can, it is definitely Kansas

City. I'm rolling this down to one thing and know they can, it is definitely Kansas City. I'm boiling this down to one thing and that's consistency, which Kansas City is giving just that. They're sitting at the top for a reason and I'm picking them to stay there. The two players I expect to make big moves will be Barbara Banda who is rewriting the rules up top for Orlando and Dabinia who continues to be the creative heartbeat of KC's dominance. Kickoff is at 8pm Eastern time so follow along and tweet us with your your predictions at Good Follow Show. This segment is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings, the crown is yours.

It was so fun to kick it with you as always, Logan. And with all of you guys watching, listening wherever you do, thank you so much for rocking with us for this episode of Good Follow Show. Special thanks to to hoop stars, Monique Billings, Deja Kelly for joining us today. Good luck to you ladies at the start of the WNBA season here, whatever the future holds for you and whatever the season holds for you. Make sure you guys subscribe. All the things, social media handles, like comment, follow, all the things we enjoy, all the engagement. We're building this thing together. And Good Follow is presented by DraftKings. We drop every Wednesday, 7 p.m. Eastern.

Make sure you're there. It means a lot. We'll see you next time. Bye, guys.