South Carolina women’s basketball: Gamecocks in the WNBA – Week 13

Allisha Gray and Te-Hina Paopao had big weeks while A’ja Wilson made history. Catch up on all the Gamecocks in the WNBA. 

On Wednesday, Wilson became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 5,000 points and 500 blocks. She is one of only 10 players with 500 blocks. It was her 152nd 20-point game, which was tied for third-most in league history (she now has sole possession), and put her in a tie for the fourth-most 25-point games.

On Sunday, Wilson became the first player in WNBA history with 30 points and 20 rebounds in a game. She recorded 32 points and 20 rebounds (plus five assists!) in the Aces’ win over Connecticut. 

Wilson is also tied with Tina Charles for the most 20-point, 15-rebound games in league history (six). She has 30 games with 30 or more points, tied for third all-time. 

The MVP race isn’t over yet.

Atlanta Dream (20-11)
Allisha Gray
31 games (31 starts), 35.3 mpg, 18.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.1 spg
Gray recorded her 15th career 25-point game against Chicago. Eight of those games have come this season. Gray probably won’t win MVP, but with Atlanta tied for the second-best record in the league, she’s going to get some votes and possibly end up All-WNBA.

Last week:
at Chicago (86-65 win): 34 minutes*, 25 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, block 
at Phoenix (74-66 win): 36 minutes*, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, steal

Te-Hina Paopao
30 games (7 starts), 14.4 mpg, 5.5 ppg, 1.9 apg, 1.5 rpg, 44.0 3P%
Similarly, Paopao isn’t going to win Rookie of the Year, but she has a strong case for the All-Rookie team, even if Atlanta has to be forced to play her. Against Chicago, Paopao had Atlanta’s best plus/minus. Then, against Phoenix, she had a block and steal in the final moments to clinch one of Atlanta’s biggest wins of the season. Paopao had been starting in place of injured Rhyne Howard. Howard returned Sunday but was ineffective before getting ejected. That forced Karl Smesko to put Paopao back in the game. In the same game, Jordin Canada had to be helped off the court with a leg injury. If she misses time, Atlanta will be forced to keep playing Paopao.

Last week:
at Chicago (86-65 win): 36 minutes*, 12 points, 2 assists, rebound, block, 3-5 3PT
at Phoenix (74-66 win): 15 minutes*, 5 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, block, steal, 1-3 3PT

Upcoming games:
Wednesday, August 13 at Seattle (10:00 ET, ESPN3/League Pass)
Friday, August 15 vs Seattle (in Vancouver) (10.00 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 17 at Golden State (8:30 ET, NBA TV/League Pass)

Chicago Sky (8-23)
Kamilla Cardoso
27 games (26 starts), 25.9 mpg, 12.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.9 bpg, 51.9 FG%
Cardoso ran her streak of double-doubles to seven in the win over Washington. The streak was broken against Atlanta, but she is playing the best basketball of her professional career.

Last week:
vs Washington (78-64 win): 31 minutes*, 16 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists
vs Atlanta (86-65 loss): 35 minutes*, 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals
at Indiana (92-70 loss): 20 minutes*, 6 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, block

Upcoming games:
Wednesday, August 13 at Connecticut (7:00 ET, League Pass)
Friday, August 15 vs Golden State (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)

Dallas Wings (8-24)
Tyasha Harris
5 games, 16.5 mpg, 4.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 45.5 3P%
Harris injured her left knee against Connecticut on May 27. Initially, there was optimism that it wasn’t long-term, but unfortunately, Harris underwent season-ending surgery on June 10.

Golden State Valkyries (15-15)
Laeticia Amihere
19 games, 13.9 mpg, 6.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.3 apg
Amihere has fallen out of Golden State’s rotation. She made a brief appearance in the blowout of Los Angeles.

Last week:
vs Las Vegas (78-72 loss): DNP-CD
vs Los Angeles (72-59 win): 2 minutes, rebound

Upcoming games:
Monday, August 11 vs Connecticut (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Wednesday, August 13 at Washington (7:30 ET, League Pass)
Friday, August 15 at Chicago (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 17 vs Atlanta (8:30 ET, NBA TV/League Pass)

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Indiana Fever (18-14)
Aliyah Boston
32 games (32 starts), 30.0 mpg, 15.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg, 53.8 FG%
Indiana limped to the end of a road trip and then cruised to a blowout of the Sky. Boston’s numbers reflect that roller-coaster week. Against Phoenix, Indiana lost point guards Sydney Colson and  Aari McDonald to season-ending injuries. With no point guards available, the Fever used Boston as a point center against Chicago.

Last week:
at Los Angeles (100-91 loss): 34 minutes*, 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, block
at Phoenix (95-60 loss): 26 minutes*, 4 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, block
vs Chicago (92-70 win): 24 minutes*, 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, steal

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 12 vs Dallas (7:30 ET, ESPN)
Friday, August 15 vs Washington (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 17 at Connecticut (1:00 ET, NBA TV/League Pass)

Las Vegas Aces (18-14)
A’ja Wilson
28 games (28 starts), 30.5 mpg, 22.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.1 bpg, 1.6 spg
In between record-setting games, all Wilson did was score 29 points on her 29th birthday. It’s A’ja’s world, and we’re just living in it. 

Last week:
at Golden State (78-72 win): 32 minutes*, 27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
vs Seattle (90-86 win): 35 minutes*, 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists
vs Connecticut (94-86 win): 37 minutes*, 32 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals

Upcoming games:
Wednesday, August 13 vs New York (9:30 ET, ESPN)
Friday, August 15 at Phoenix (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 17 vs Dallas (3:30 ET, ABC)

Los Angeles Sparks (15-16)
Sania Feagin
12 games, 5.1 mpg, 1.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.5 bpg
In the blowout loss to Golden State, Feagin made her first appearance since Cameron Brink returned from a torn ACL.

Last week:
vs Indiana (100-91 win): DNP-CD
vs Connecticut (102-91 win): DNP-CD
at Golden State (72-59 loss): 3 minutes, rebound
vs Seattle (94-91 win): DNP-CD

Upcoming games:
Tuesday, August 12 vs New York (10:00 ET, NBA TV/League Pass)
Friday, August 15 at Dallas (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 17 at Washington (3:00 ET, ESPN3/League Pass)

Seattle Storm (16-16)
Tiffany Mitchell (First 16 games with Las Vegas)
28 games (3 starts), 14.7 mpg, 3.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg
Seattle traded for Brittney Sykes last week to get more backcourt production. Since Sykes was added, Mitchell has seen her playing time decrease.

Last week:
vs Minnesota (91-87 loss): 15 minutes, 5 points, block
at Las Vegas (90-86 loss): 3 minutes, steal
at Los Angeles (94-91 loss): 6 minutes, rebound, assist

Upcoming games:
Wednesday, August 13 vs Atlanta (10:00 ET, ESPN3/League Pass)
Friday, August 15 vs Atlanta (in Vancouver) (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Sunday, August 17 vs Phoenix (6:00 ET, League Pass)

Unsigned
Zia Cooke
24 games, 10.4 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 0.5 apg, 0.5 rpg
On August 5, Cooke was traded from Seattle to Washington and subsequently waived by the Mystics.

Bree Hall
2 games, 3.9 mpg, 1.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Golden State waived Hall on Monday, June 30, to create roster space for players returning from EuroBasket. It wasn’t a surprise, but hopefully Hall put herself on the league’s radar.

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