Really enjoyed (the parts I could hear of) the interviews, Jeff! Excellent work. I'm feeling more excited about the season after hearing them, though I do wonder how Diggins-Smith's extended time away from high-level basketball will play out. I'm generally optimistic about how the season can go, but realistic about my expectations of how quickly things will come together. I'm especially eager to see a (hopefully) healthy Jordan Horston, and the strides she takes.
Yeah, I did my best with the audio. Unfortunately, we were around many others also doing interviews and so that's what that extra noise was. I think probably Skylar's interview is the most difficult to hear.
I think SDS will still be able to play and play well. But it's probably for the best if she isn't expected to play 35 MPG and can play closer to 30 per game. I know she's been working really hard. She mentioned she's lost 50 pounds since giving birth.
On paper, I think the Storm could win the championship but I could also see them finishing maybe as low as 5th. I do think it'll take some time to gel just as we saw happen with New York last year. But there is the potential that they end up just out-talenting teams even early on and winning even when they haven't perfected everything.
To your last point, I am also eager to see Jordan Horston's growth in Year 2. Especially, if she is fully healthy which she wasn't in her first season. Jordan has the potential to be a lot better just because of the talent around her this year.
Awesome interviews Jeff! I hadn’t realized the depth of relationship between Jewell & Skylar until the presser & your interview. Also hadn’t a clue that Sky and Nneka were so tight. I keep reiterating it, but Jewell did us such a solid by re-upping last season. Let everybody start working. It sounds like Jewell was working hard at it too!!
The franchise definitely emphasizes the importance of Jewell re-signing for two more years at the end of last season as a huge role in what they were able to accomplish this off-season. I'll be working on another article soon about everything that's stood out to me but that is definitely one thing. It's not a coincidence that Jewell's loyalty was specified multiple times and how that allowed them to be more aggressive in Free Agency.
Especially, when we look at the 2023 off-season. From my understanding the team had been in negotiations with a lot of other players to build around Jewell and Stewie. But without Stewie's commitment those players opted to sign elsewhere. And then Stewart eventually left as well putting the team behind the 8-ball. This off-season was the opposite with that, where they could approach Free Agents with a vision that guaranteed Loyd's return and upcoming All-Star Ezi Magbegor as well.
Great interviews, Jeff. It is very exciting to think about the possibilities. I had no idea either that Sky and Nneka were so well acquainted and had been talking about where they might end up with free agency. And since Skylar was like Jewell's big sister at Notre Dame they had that great connection, too. And was it Skylar or Nneka who said Jewell would come around at 13 (or 15) to hoop with the older lady hoopsters around Chicago (and probably some of the men, too). It was also interesting to hear that Nneka and Ezi are both Nigerian so there's another connection. It's too bad that you can't get away a little bit from the crowd to reduce the extraneous noise. Isn't there a piece of software that can filter out the extra noise and make it easier to listen to? I thought there was but I don't know what it's called. I am definitely looking forward to this new WNBA season coming up. Oh, I'm glad that they talked a little bit about Jordan Horston and Dulcy Fankam-Menjiadeu, too, and how they will also benefit from the new Storm stars. I'm sure that Sami and Jade Melbourne will, too, and even Mercedes. It's interesting that Coach Quinn didn't mention that they needed to add another guard - just another frontcourt player or two. I wonder if she expects Jordan to play some at the 2 as well as the 3. She definitely could although I would think that Sami is Jewell's main relief and either Sami or Jade would spell SDS.
Really enjoyed (the parts I could hear of) the interviews, Jeff! Excellent work. I'm feeling more excited about the season after hearing them, though I do wonder how Diggins-Smith's extended time away from high-level basketball will play out. I'm generally optimistic about how the season can go, but realistic about my expectations of how quickly things will come together. I'm especially eager to see a (hopefully) healthy Jordan Horston, and the strides she takes.
Yeah, I did my best with the audio. Unfortunately, we were around many others also doing interviews and so that's what that extra noise was. I think probably Skylar's interview is the most difficult to hear.
I think SDS will still be able to play and play well. But it's probably for the best if she isn't expected to play 35 MPG and can play closer to 30 per game. I know she's been working really hard. She mentioned she's lost 50 pounds since giving birth.
On paper, I think the Storm could win the championship but I could also see them finishing maybe as low as 5th. I do think it'll take some time to gel just as we saw happen with New York last year. But there is the potential that they end up just out-talenting teams even early on and winning even when they haven't perfected everything.
To your last point, I am also eager to see Jordan Horston's growth in Year 2. Especially, if she is fully healthy which she wasn't in her first season. Jordan has the potential to be a lot better just because of the talent around her this year.
Awesome interviews Jeff! I hadn’t realized the depth of relationship between Jewell & Skylar until the presser & your interview. Also hadn’t a clue that Sky and Nneka were so tight. I keep reiterating it, but Jewell did us such a solid by re-upping last season. Let everybody start working. It sounds like Jewell was working hard at it too!!
The franchise definitely emphasizes the importance of Jewell re-signing for two more years at the end of last season as a huge role in what they were able to accomplish this off-season. I'll be working on another article soon about everything that's stood out to me but that is definitely one thing. It's not a coincidence that Jewell's loyalty was specified multiple times and how that allowed them to be more aggressive in Free Agency.
Especially, when we look at the 2023 off-season. From my understanding the team had been in negotiations with a lot of other players to build around Jewell and Stewie. But without Stewie's commitment those players opted to sign elsewhere. And then Stewart eventually left as well putting the team behind the 8-ball. This off-season was the opposite with that, where they could approach Free Agents with a vision that guaranteed Loyd's return and upcoming All-Star Ezi Magbegor as well.
Great interviews, Jeff. It is very exciting to think about the possibilities. I had no idea either that Sky and Nneka were so well acquainted and had been talking about where they might end up with free agency. And since Skylar was like Jewell's big sister at Notre Dame they had that great connection, too. And was it Skylar or Nneka who said Jewell would come around at 13 (or 15) to hoop with the older lady hoopsters around Chicago (and probably some of the men, too). It was also interesting to hear that Nneka and Ezi are both Nigerian so there's another connection. It's too bad that you can't get away a little bit from the crowd to reduce the extraneous noise. Isn't there a piece of software that can filter out the extra noise and make it easier to listen to? I thought there was but I don't know what it's called. I am definitely looking forward to this new WNBA season coming up. Oh, I'm glad that they talked a little bit about Jordan Horston and Dulcy Fankam-Menjiadeu, too, and how they will also benefit from the new Storm stars. I'm sure that Sami and Jade Melbourne will, too, and even Mercedes. It's interesting that Coach Quinn didn't mention that they needed to add another guard - just another frontcourt player or two. I wonder if she expects Jordan to play some at the 2 as well as the 3. She definitely could although I would think that Sami is Jewell's main relief and either Sami or Jade would spell SDS.