Gabe's Favs: 2022 WNBA Opening Weekend
Natasha Cloud has been telling people that she is a shooter and proved it on Sunday. That's why she's on my favs list.
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Welcome to the first installment of Gabe’s Favs. We all have players who have a special place in our hearts. Dwyane Wade forged my love of this sport of basketball, so he will forever be a Gabe Fav. But typically, I fall in basketball love not with superstars but with players who succeed in different and interesting ways.
Boris Diaw is a prime example. When Diaw played for the Spurs, his passing, cutting, and unorthodox defense added a wrinkle to my brain. I didn’t know that you could play basketball like he played it. He was also one of the coolest basketball players on the planet for a nerdy college student. He had an espresso machine in his locker and couldn’t wait to retire to sail around the world.
So that’s what I’m looking for. Players who not only play basketball well, but also play it differently. The ones who make us chuckle with glee at the little things they do. Sometimes, I’ll be talking about players who make me understand something about the world outside of basketball. Sometimes, I’ll spend 300 words talking about a tiny aspect of their game. And sometimes, we’ll just do some normal basketball analysis. Let me know who your favs are in comments or on twitter!
1. Natasha Cloud
People are saying it: Natasha Cloud is a shooter, now. By “people”, I mean Natasha herself and by “saying”, I mean Natasha yelling it.
She hit four of her seven three point attempts against Minnesota in the second game of the season after going 0-for-4 in the season opener. That puts her at 36.4% in 2022 on 5.5 attempts per game, which would be the high water mark of her career in terms of attempts. Cloud also went 34-for-80 (40.5%) from deep during the Athletes Unlimited season in winter.
Cloud’s shot faltered last year (27.4% on 3.5 3pa/g) after a huge leap forward in 2018 (38.6% on 3.1 3pa/g) and a jaw-dropping 2019 playoffs (37.8% on 5.1 3pa/g). I think we can write off 2021 a bit because of Elena Delle Donne’s absence and Cloud’s rust after sitting out of the Wubble. She’s also working with better teammates and spacing than last season, with EDD back and Rui Machida in the fold.
The biggest question for Cloud is whether she can make threes off the dribble, which will change the pick-and-roll calculus for defenses. She went 9-for-41 on threes off the dribble in 2021 and 4-for-27 in 2019, according to Synergy Sports. She has been telling everyone who will listen that teams can’t go under on her anymore and hitting shots like the one below will make that true (even though this was against a switch). I’d be shocked if Cloud doesn’t improve on her career mark of 19% on these attempts.
Cloud is the first entrant in Gabe’s Favs because she was a big part of me getting into the WNBA. I started watching the league in 2018 for the first time with more than a passing interest. Cloud and Kristi Toliver made up a perfect backcourt for me with Cloud’s defense and Toliver’s inventiveness. Then, I learned more about her and got to cover the Mystics since their 2019 championship run. I’ve come to admire the way that Cloud balances having fun and taking things seriously. I could go on about Cloud’s other abilities (such as her excellent pick-and-roll decision making, how she attacks the rim, and her rugged defense). But I’m sure she’ll be featured often in this space.
2. Lexie Hull
Speaking of Natasha Cloud, what she did to Lexie Hull was just nasty.
Dropped the rook like a sack of potatoes. Obviously, you don’t get on Gabe’s Favs by getting your ankles broken. Hull’s response is why she’s here. First of all, she got up and finished the play. Then, she posted a picture of her and Cloud on instagram with the caption “officially welcomed.” I love that. You’re going to get embarrassed as a rookie in the WNBA. Heck, you’re going to get embarrassed at your first job no matter your profession. Just gotta eat it and move on, hopefully with a life lesson learned.
Hull’s attitude has defined the Fever so far. They got down by 20 early against Washington, but stormed back to get within 6 in the 4th quarter. They also hung tough with the Los Angeles Sparks until the end. Against LA, the Fever came so close to putting together runs that may have won the game. For example, Hull smacked the ball away from Liz Cambage for a potential transition opportunity but Jordin Canada (a Gabe Fav candidate) pokes it away at the last second.
The team’s five rookies probably all have their answer to the Knuckleheads’ question of “who was the first person to bust yo ass in the league?” But they’re improving by the minute. Don’t get it twisted, this team is going to lose A LOT. Still, the Indiana Fever are fun and interesting for the first time in a few years.
3. Jocelyn Willoughby
Welcome back, Jocelyn Willoughby! After missing the entire 2021 season with an Achilles tear, she put up 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, a block, and an assist in the New York Liberty’s win over the Connecticut Sun. Sabrina Ionescu’s 25 points will get the headlines (and a tik tok from me later this week), but a healthy Willougby will be a difference maker for New York.
As a rangy 6’0” wing defender, Willoughby can guard 1 through 4 and allows New York more options defensively. She was able to go under-1 on pick-and-rolls and off-ball screens to stick with Alyssa Thomas, her primary assignment against Connecticut.1 She provided as much resistance as an undersized player can against AT in the post. Willoughby also harassed Jasmine Thomas as the point of attack defender.
Her defensive versatility not allows the Liberty to play a variety of pick-and-roll coverages but also should alleviate a lot of strain on the Liberty’s offensive weapons. On the play above, Sami Whitcomb is playing point guard offensively but guarding the corner shooter. DiDi Richards and Michaela Oyenwere filled that role admirably last season, but Willougby is stronger and wiser right now.
And I haven’t even mentioned her offense. She’s a smart cutter and caught Alyssa Thomas sneaking over to help a couple of times. Her deep ball looked a little shaky (1-for-4 from three), but she was confident and has been a good three point shooter since college. Most importantly, Willoughby got this absurd and one with a eurostep on perennial DPOY-candidate Alyssa Thomas. Really happy that she’s healthy now.
Alright that’s all I have time for this week. We’ll do this again soon. But apologies to: Chicago’s frontcourt trio of Candace Parker, Emma Meesseman, and Azurá Stevens; Brittney Sykes; Rui Machida; Jordin Canada; Kelsey Plum; and Aisha Sheppard.
Happy National Shrimp Day!
Yes, Alyssa Thomas had 25 points to lead the Sun. But by my rough count, only 6 points (along with a foul) came against Willoughby. Please correct if you have a correction.