Valkyries 4-Game Win Streak, All-Star Watch & Juste Position Talk | Podhalla

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[UNKNOWN]: Thank you.

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[SPEAKER_00]: It is an early morning edition of Pothala.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I want to thank Konrato, Pascal again, for joining me, Brian is on vacation.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I know it's a little bit of the quiet before the storm, because the Valkyries have a huge game later today against the team that they need to get a little revenge on, the Minnesota Lynx, and it's actually,

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[SPEAKER_00]: the kickoff of like an incredible span of five games against five of the best or four of the best teams because you've got a couple doubles there for the best games in the WMBA.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And so what we're going to do today is I want to look back a little bit because the the Valkyries are on a four game winning streak and we'll we'll think about, you know, some of the things that maybe we have learned about this team from this winning streak and then also look ahead

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[SPEAKER_00]: because they can either make an incredible claim that they themselves are one of the top teams in the WNBA, or they can kind of float a little bit depending on how many of these games that they win.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And still stay a really good team, but I also want to mention recording on June

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[SPEAKER_00]: having this day off is great and I'm so happy that it's a national holiday and I always think about okay like what can I learn what can I do what can I talk about?

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't know that there's a better league to cover when it comes to what Juneteenth is than the WNBA, uh,

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[SPEAKER_00]: You know, if you listen to the athletic podcast, Lasia always talks about how the league is really about black women and about black queer women.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And so to have a discussion to talk about the WMBA to prop up the WMBA today, I think is very relevant.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So appreciate folks for who are chime in and if you're listening to the podcast version on the audio, appreciate you as well.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We are recording before the links game.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So if you're listening to as after the links game, you already know what happened, but we do not know.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So Toronto, you're obviously in the mix, you're closer to this team than most.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to I'm going

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[SPEAKER_00]: Please struggle to put away Phoenix at home.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Phoenix is not a good team.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Phoenix has some good players, but just not overall good team.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And then they struggle to put Seattle away on the road.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Again, Seattle not a good team, young team.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They're some of their best players are really young, but then

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[SPEAKER_00]: The sparks come into town and the Valkyries cook the sparks shut down Kelsey plumb one of their more impressive wins of the year and then there's a little bit of like a litmus test game against the wings the wings and the Valkyries very close in in record the wings themselves.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Last year.

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[SPEAKER_00]: not good, but they, you know, that they have page, they bring in AZFUD and they have turned their team around and the Valkyries after a little bit of a rough first quarter, just kind of control that basketball game for the rest of the of the three quarters.

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[SPEAKER_00]: What did you learn about this team over those last four games as far as how they're competing and measuring themselves against the

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[SPEAKER_01]: Well, I mean, on a piece that I'm still working on like for for better for worse, they are they are actually one of the most, they being the Valkyries.

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[SPEAKER_01]: They are one of the most consistent teams.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And I know like if like certain fans, especially even Valkyries fans here that they're like, what?

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[SPEAKER_01]: But in terms of their process, you know, again, the manner in which they defend their

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[SPEAKER_01]: It's consistent game to game and I don't all lay that out like an upcoming article so obviously then right it's it's the results that can kind of vary From either game to game or even from like quarter to quarter, but in this specific for game winning streak you're really sorry to see.

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[SPEAKER_01]: We know is known that the Bakery is our very prideful bunch, you know, again, from like the inception of this franchise, but even when they had won those games against Phoenix and Seattle.

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[SPEAKER_01]: there was a lot of frustration, very visible frustration, audible frustration, if not like anger, you know, I think they were extremely disappointed in themselves.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, as you said, I mean, they are trying to establish themselves as being closer to a contender, as opposed to a, you know, kind of like a bubble playoff team.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And yes, this, this stretch, the four games that we've already had and these upcoming games mean a lot to them, but I think the thing that really disappointed themselves or what they were really disappointed about was there.

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[SPEAKER_01]: what they believe was a lack of defensive focus, you know, or, you know, like just a overall defensive inconsistency because ultimately they still truly believe that they are the best defense in the league.

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[SPEAKER_01]: The numbers right now I think they're like,

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[SPEAKER_01]: statistically speaking, like in terms of defensive rating, they're the third best, you know, at time of this recording, but that's unacceptable to them.

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[SPEAKER_01]: They think that they're capable of so much more.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I think these last two games, against both the sparks and the wings, they really prove that.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I know the coaching staff,

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, because it's not just Natalie and the Cossay, but because it's Paul and Tatum sugar Rogers, all the video coordinators, they really put it like the onus on themselves because, you know, they, you know, they are the ones who are responsible for scouting the opponents and coming up with the defensive game plans.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So they definitely feel like they are responsible for a lot of those defensive inconsistencies or miscuses.

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[SPEAKER_01]: they want to kind of confirm to themselves and to the fan base, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: That that is still their identity and I think, you know, they've made a massive concerted effort to really, you know, lock in on that end of on that end of the floor.

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[SPEAKER_00]: You know, Natalie made an interesting comment to the press.

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[SPEAKER_00]: I want to say it's like a couple weeks ago now where she talked about

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[SPEAKER_00]: the effort level being there for the entire game.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And you know, when you watch basketball, you're like, oh man, these players are playing their butts off.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And so I don't, I wonder, you know, if that comment was about physical effort or just emotionally, mentally, everything being locked in.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Because it looks like, and we don't know, because like I mentioned, the next five upcoming games are huge games against really good teams.

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[SPEAKER_00]: but it looked like in that sparks game that they'd kind of like figured out a lot of stuff.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Now the sparks themselves had been playing some pretty good basketball.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Kelsey Plum had been out earlier in the year, but she's killing it.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They held her.

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[SPEAKER_00]: I know Cam Brink got her.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Cam Brink has had so many injuries, you know, and throughout her WMBA career so far.

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[SPEAKER_00]: But it did seem like something it turned on for them and then you watch the wings game and you're like, okay, like there's something there's something that looks different about this team from that level like the their ability to just turn it up and take the basketball away from the other team take the game away kind of kill some of these runs and then go on runs of their own

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[SPEAKER_00]: I would I would love to hear what Nat thinks kind of about their effort now, but also you don't want them to peek in, you know, the first quarter of season.

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[SPEAKER_00]: There's a lot of basketball left to go, but do you sense that something about this team has changed from like maybe.

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[SPEAKER_00]: They have figured some things out.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe it's this rotation that is currently happening.

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[SPEAKER_00]: I thought Kia Stokes played great against LA, but it kind of was a good match up for her.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And you see there, they are continually willing to go small with necessary shepherd for the wings was killing the Valkyries, but it was almost like

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[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, just let her.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Just let her get hers.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We'll stop what we'll stop everything else.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We'll stop page.

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[SPEAKER_00]: We'll stop AZ and if Shepherd gets her buckets.

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[SPEAKER_00]: She gets her buckets.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Do you see any of like sort of a figuring out of themselves happening right now?

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[SPEAKER_01]: yeah i mean again like that to me is where i do believe like even with like you know the ups and downs the winds and losses where i do feel that Natalie still has like the locker room like you know body and they're all on the same page because it was often it was gabby Williams it was Veronica Burton

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, they were the ones also kind of echoing Natalie Nicosi's sentiment saying that like they were, you know, pissed off of themselves.

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[SPEAKER_01]: They didn't but bring the necessary effort from the onset of the game.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I remember Gabby said like, um, after the Seattle game that she feels that they were like kind of careless that they kind of, um, you know, just thought that like they could carry over the momentum from the Phoenix game, you know.

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[SPEAKER_01]: that they all think they can give more effort and to your question earlier, I think it is both emotionally and what they do on the court.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Again, in terms of everyone being bought in, even if you're not on the floor, being locked in, understanding what's going on, being able to provide your teammates with any insight you see from the bench.

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[SPEAKER_01]: that really has been something that they've been trying to emphasize at certain points, I kind of like in terms of the on-court effort, given that let's be real, like these even in this four game winning streak, like,

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[SPEAKER_01]: Natalie will like the box course says nine players are playing, but if you really look at it, it's like a seven player rotation.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, because in all likelihood, like whether it's Charlie's Andalucini or Tipees, Caitlin Chen outside of this last game against Dallas, some of those players that make a couple minutes like a cameo or appearance in the first half, they don't get second half minutes.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So,

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[SPEAKER_01]: you know, she's really playing a six seven player rotation.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And so I was just kind of thinking to myself, like, I know they want to give Max effort, but is it hard?

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[SPEAKER_01]: Is it difficult to do so when you're playing, you know, heavy minutes, you know, and you're not going deep into the bench, but

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[SPEAKER_01]: Um, as you were saying, I think the lineup combinations, I think they're settling in on lineups that they like, not just players that they think do well, but specifically who should be playing with whom.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, I think, uh,

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I, before we hopped on, I was just kind of thinking about like the defensive identity of this team.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I know we don't always like to make like NBA comparisons, but they just seem very similar to the 2021 Milwaukee books.

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, in the sense that like now to be fair, they had Brooke Lopez and, and, and Janis, but still like right the box of that of 2021 like their MO on defense was.

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[SPEAKER_01]: We're gonna completely shut off the pain.

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[SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna completely shut off the pain and then they're gonna try to rely on their length, and their quickness to try to recover onto the perimeter when teams inevitably have to kick out, because they're not getting any clear shot at the rim.

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[SPEAKER_01]: That's just actually what the Velcro is do.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Even though they don't record a lot of blocks,

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[SPEAKER_01]: They don't give up a lot of clean looks at the rim and if you look at the teams that like were able to take advantage of it, it seems like

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[SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's really the aces, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: We're like, Asia Wilson, yeah, okay.

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[SPEAKER_01]: You want the Valks want the opposing front court to like, you know, basically try to beat them from the mid range or from outside the elbows.

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[SPEAKER_01]: That's like Asia Wilson's sweet spot, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: Right.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, as you were saying in these games, against like, you know, LA Dallas,

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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you'll get, you know, maybe Hambee and Jessica Shepherd, you'll get a couple touches inside, but you know, they're going to crash the paint and they're going to make it such a point where like you can't get a clean pass off to to the wing.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And it's, it's been working.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I know in terms of, again, the effort that the players are talking about,

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[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, and pleased about the Valkyrie's peel switches, the last couple games, and it's true.

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[SPEAKER_01]: It's true.

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[SPEAKER_01]: That's that's why, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: Like, you know, as the game or on against Dallas and LA, you saw becoming increasingly more difficult for, um, the wings and the sparks to get like clean catch and shoot looks.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and even if they were like,

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[SPEAKER_01]: open.

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[SPEAKER_01]: It wasn't, you know, it was like late in the shot clock.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So they'd have to be rushed.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I mean, again, the, the, the, the level of execution on defense has been a lot sharper.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And so yeah, I think they know they're going to need that moving forward.

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[SPEAKER_00]: How much of the we believe team to you, uh, how much of that team do you think about the warriors we believe team on a daily basis, being a big warriors fan that that you are.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, like most diehard warrior fans, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: I hold him in high reverence, even though they weren't even close to winning a championship, you know, I know my friend that you met who accompanied me at, you stay as me in green event.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Like for my birthday, a couple of years ago, he had met Barnes, say how he birthday to me.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, that's cool.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So the reason I bring up that team is because Dallas had the MVP in Dirk and what the Warriors did.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So obviously, basketball's played a little bit different in, you know, the 2007 that then today.

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[SPEAKER_00]: but Dirk would kind of get the ball and he'd hold it and he would make a decision and the warriors would come with a late double from the weak side and it was just flustering him.

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[SPEAKER_00]: Now they had some length also on the court.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I was like thinking like can you do that to Asia and I think the difference is because Asia's gonna be the person to make the right pass or she's gonna score the ball and I think the difference is

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[SPEAKER_00]: is she is so much, she is so tall and she is so skilled and she is so athletic that she can sort of handle anything that you throw at her, that the Valkyries could throw at her in those moments.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And Brian, Brian always says that.

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[SPEAKER_00]: the the ACEs are just kind of like the the one team that the Valkyries just really do not have an answer for because of Asia.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to be interested to see how they attack how they attack Asia on Sunday.

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[SPEAKER_00]: But at the same time, watching how they have been playing some of these bigs lately, especially with the small lineup, you do see Gabby Williams kind of come in late.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And she's, you know, she's not a small person.

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[SPEAKER_00]: She's got some nice, she's got some nice width on her arms, length on her arms.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And, but the timing of it is, you know, these defensive players, the Burton and Gabby, and even to some extent, Kayla Thornton, they've great timing, great defensive instincts, and against a lot of teams who think that they can just, oh, you know, the valkers are small, they can actually fluster those teams, but it does seem like Asia is the one person that is like

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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, definitely.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I would say also like a healthy and a fecicolier.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Um, because I know that there are several times last year, even when the Valkyries kept the game close, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: She's just like the ultimate bailout.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

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[SPEAKER_01]: It could be from anywhere.

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[SPEAKER_01]: It could be like from the baseline.

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[SPEAKER_01]: It could be from the elbow, you know, somehow.

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[SPEAKER_01]: She's just like getting off like this last second shot.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And it's, it's on target.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Perfect arc.

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[SPEAKER_01]: like you said, unflustered, but yeah, I mean, overall, I think what makes it a lot more difficult to for the boundaries to kind of keep things close with the aces is that like when they do successfully force the ball out of Asia Wilson's hands and even if it's late in the shock clock, I mean Asia, she does have like Jackie Young, she has Chelsea Gray, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: She has multiple players who

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, who are also good decision makers themselves, but they can actually create a quality look, you know, like they can self create a quality look late in the shot clock.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Like, you know, they could get something decent going.

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[SPEAKER_01]: So that will be interesting on Sunday.

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[SPEAKER_01]: But for this for a game when you should, I mean, you've seen just how, you know, like locked in and how, um,

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like decisively, they can really clamp down on defense, um, and I think, you know, like when you hear a lot of, at least for me, when I hear a lot of the reporters from the visiting teams, media that travels with a team, they always comment on like, you know, both like the physicality and the attention to detail that the balcony show on defense,

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[SPEAKER_01]: you know, they can just kind of see and feel how like suffocating it can be at times.

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[SPEAKER_01]: And I think again, I do think they have another level to reach on on defense.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Ultimately, these last couple games, it's been a lot better in terms of their offensive execution, but and the numbers do favor them and we can't get into that, but

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[SPEAKER_01]: what they need to have a little bit more consistency with.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I think they want like a higher floor.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Let's put it that way with their offense, right?

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[SPEAKER_01]: Where they could feel good about being able to maintain that consistency from like kind of possession to possession.

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[SPEAKER_00]: the we have a comment in the chat and I want to get your thoughts on it, rotation.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So this this comment says, uh, Nikos, I should play the starting scores and give them more playing time together, Burton, Salon, Gabby, even more so against the links, which is kind of interesting because, uh, Checi has been starting.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And I think she's played well in some stints, but when her shot is not going, and you see them trying to get her going very early.

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[SPEAKER_00]: She'll take, you know, she'll get a couple shots.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And just the three-pointer has not been falling for her.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And you wonder,

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[SPEAKER_00]: you know, are they going to make a change?

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[SPEAKER_00]: We just said they got a they're on a for game winning streak.

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[SPEAKER_00]: So I imagine things are going to be the same.

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[SPEAKER_00]: But Kyle Charles had been starting while Chetchi was hurt.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And then you have Janelle Salon who is one she might I see their second leading score or something.

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[SPEAKER_00]: She comes in off the bench and you know she's just she's looking to shoot her three

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[SPEAKER_00]: What do you think about how they have been starting these games?

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[SPEAKER_00]: And then rotationally, you mentioned the really a seven person rotation.

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[SPEAKER_00]: And do you think that they, they will make any adjustments?

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[SPEAKER_00]: Are they just going to kind of ride what has been working right now?

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[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, yeah, I, I personally,

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[SPEAKER_01]: would prefer that catchy come off comes off the bench.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I think that they want again another like you know knocked down three point shooter.

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[SPEAKER_01]: I know like you know her her shots been a little bit inconsistently, but I'm going to go with her entire body of work, you know, I think that too many people like kind of.

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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, get a little turned off by a resency bias, but I think, you know, she's proven throughout the entirety of her career that, you know, she can kind of find her rhythm.

21:41.317 --> 21:54.083
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think Natalie wants, again, another like legitimate scoring threat, you know, three point threat out there, especially one that she knows that opposing teams, they will respect her shot from out there.

21:54.564 --> 21:59.826
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, they're going to look to try to, you know, run her off the floor and everything like that.

22:00.026 --> 22:00.547
[SPEAKER_01]: And frankly,

22:01.187 --> 22:08.161
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, in the the first game of the season when we were on the road against Seattle, I mean, you know, before touchy.

22:09.362 --> 22:35.196
[SPEAKER_01]: took the hit to the face or whatever like that like she was kind of showing just how good how effective she is when she attacks close outs, you know, um, you know, she has a little bit of like a Kobe to her game, you know, especially that turnaround fade away Jay and everything like that aesthetically pleasing, but at this point in her career, I think that she's probably more suited she and Janelle essentially kind of in my opinion.

22:35.896 --> 22:40.262
[SPEAKER_01]: play the same position like they're they're stretched for especially for the boundaries.

22:40.783 --> 22:49.817
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's kind of in the problem with Chetchi in the starting lineup is that there's a little like she's she's very unsolved as she

22:50.958 --> 22:59.605
[SPEAKER_01]: makes good reads, but a little bit more ball handling than she probably should have to be doing, especially like kind of like making like connective swing passes and anything like that.

23:00.085 --> 23:05.609
[SPEAKER_01]: It's better when she catches the ball on the wing or on the elbow and then just let her go to work, right?

23:05.870 --> 23:08.332
[SPEAKER_01]: One, two, dribble, pull up, whatever it is.

23:09.853 --> 23:13.395
[SPEAKER_01]: She's able to do that, like when she's in the second unit.

23:13.856 --> 23:14.616
[SPEAKER_01]: As you said earlier,

23:15.637 --> 23:32.227
[SPEAKER_01]: uh... the analytics definitely favor carol's like a lot like you know her with the other four starters uh... i mean like they run rough shot over the league now the thing is is coming off the bench carol's just as effective and i think not only knows that which is why it's like okay

23:33.285 --> 23:44.152
[SPEAKER_01]: we can kind of have her come out there and to me fair, I've really loved Kyle and Charles, essentially quarterbacking the defense for the second unit.

23:44.672 --> 23:47.915
[SPEAKER_01]: Like if you watch her, you know, and sometimes the camera,

23:48.795 --> 24:04.928
[SPEAKER_01]: on the broadcast, you know, you're not really focused on someone who's not defending on ball, but I mean, like, when she's like a second line defender, you'll see her, like, calling out when and where to switch her screen navigation has been fantastic.

24:05.008 --> 24:06.069
[SPEAKER_01]: And I love that they do that.

24:06.189 --> 24:12.453
[SPEAKER_01]: I love that they don't start out with her on the point of attack, because when they switch, then she's on there, like on whoever's on ball, and then

24:13.214 --> 24:15.375
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, she can cause even more havoc.

24:15.536 --> 24:16.676
[SPEAKER_01]: It's, it's awesome.

24:17.557 --> 24:32.627
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and then for Janelle, I think, I think Natalie is quite aware that Janelle is definitely one of our best scorers, but because of that, I think she wants to keep Janelle fresh for like to close out quarters.

24:33.507 --> 24:45.230
[SPEAKER_01]: You know like she she wants him one to come out attack the second unit, but then she's a little bit more fresh She has more poppin or step to be able to kind of be one of the closers down the stretch.

24:45.810 --> 25:00.533
[SPEAKER_01]: The trade off though is again These slow starts off instantly and that I think is where they're trying to find the balance We'll see we'll see but again, it's it's kind of like you know as you said right like the more are they win

25:01.573 --> 25:04.155
[SPEAKER_01]: the less likely they're going to.

25:04.755 --> 25:09.137
[SPEAKER_01]: But she did show some willingness, like, um, what game was it?

25:09.417 --> 25:17.042
[SPEAKER_01]: Was it, I think it might have been the saddle game, the saddle game, where coming out of second half, she put tip into the tip and genel into the starting lineup.

25:17.602 --> 25:18.523
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, so I mean,

25:19.857 --> 25:26.700
[SPEAKER_01]: I think right now, she kind of likes this rotation, but I definitely agree.

25:26.780 --> 25:40.366
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I definitely think that there is more merit to starting Janelle, but we've seen how like jaw, you know, again, when they identify that mismatch, they will hunt it, you know, relentlessly.

25:40.386 --> 25:44.167
[SPEAKER_01]: And again, I think that's why they want her coming off the bench for now.

25:48.783 --> 25:53.107
[SPEAKER_01]: jaw is essentially, like the backup five.

25:53.908 --> 25:55.570
[SPEAKER_01]: We won of the backup fives.

25:57.832 --> 25:59.734
[SPEAKER_01]: So I totally understand it.

26:00.935 --> 26:05.300
[SPEAKER_01]: I may not agree with it, but if that's the way they wanna go, I get why.

26:06.921 --> 26:09.704
[SPEAKER_00]: My eyes tell me,

26:10.687 --> 26:13.408
[SPEAKER_00]: that Janelle is rebounding a little bit better.

26:13.468 --> 26:13.948
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know.

26:13.968 --> 26:26.553
[SPEAKER_00]: I just pull up the numbers, but you know, one of the problems with them going to that lineup is I would see Janelle's instinct was not necessarily to box out and get that rebound.

26:26.953 --> 26:29.734
[SPEAKER_00]: Her instinct was like someone else is going to get that rebound.

26:29.774 --> 26:30.755
[SPEAKER_00]: I need to get down court.

26:31.075 --> 26:32.595
[SPEAKER_00]: And so you would see that hesitation.

26:32.756 --> 26:36.637
[SPEAKER_00]: And now it does look like she is rebounding a lot better.

26:37.237 --> 26:39.058
[SPEAKER_00]: Another thing that you talked about, Kyle Charles,

26:40.583 --> 26:42.504
[SPEAKER_00]: We love making these warriors comparisons.

26:44.326 --> 26:49.389
[SPEAKER_00]: She's like, she reminds me of Igwoodala in a way.

26:50.370 --> 26:58.555
[SPEAKER_00]: And when she comes into the game, defensively, she adds a layer of leadership and a layer of like

26:59.852 --> 27:03.055
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to, you know, we need to make the right decision.

27:03.095 --> 27:04.536
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to calm things down a little bit.

27:04.556 --> 27:07.099
[SPEAKER_00]: Now it's harder to do that on defense than it is on offense.

27:07.179 --> 27:09.021
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you can have the ball and do that on offense.

27:09.041 --> 27:11.283
[SPEAKER_00]: But on defense, you can definitely see it.

27:11.343 --> 27:13.445
[SPEAKER_00]: And then she's been hit in that corner three.

27:13.745 --> 27:17.348
[SPEAKER_00]: She's been shooting it, you know, not hesitating.

27:17.368 --> 27:18.509
[SPEAKER_00]: She's been getting that thing up.

27:19.290 --> 27:21.412
[SPEAKER_00]: I, it is amazing.

27:22.633 --> 27:46.610
[SPEAKER_00]: How she has really just become a fabric of this basketball team considering how available she was last year and and she it's just been she's one of my favorite players to watch, but also not one of the players that necessarily, you know, I think people think about when they're watching valkyries games, so when she comes in like she just makes things happen.

27:48.019 --> 27:48.679
[SPEAKER_01]: No, definitely.

27:49.299 --> 27:51.220
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I've always really appreciated her mindset.

27:51.480 --> 27:56.221
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I know like during training camp at opportunity to like ask her, you know, to interview her.

27:57.241 --> 28:02.482
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm not saying any of her teammates like their mentality is wrong.

28:02.502 --> 28:16.406
[SPEAKER_01]: I think all of them come in with a great approach to how they want to, you know, get better, which allows the team to get better, you know, they're all in agreement of what their team goals are,

28:18.567 --> 28:37.526
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, varies and with Kyla like maybe she does internally have a chip on her shoulder but she's never really cared herself like that, you know, it's really all about like, you know, again, trying to show herself what she can do, you know, and again, just trying to help others.

28:38.407 --> 28:40.470
[SPEAKER_01]: It's not about like ever proving anyone wrong.

28:41.430 --> 29:08.591
[SPEAKER_01]: And I don't know, I feel like when she has that kind of approach, it allows her to again, you know, just she seems to be really good at being able to tune out the noise, you know, I think she's very aware of, you know, the struggles to kind of latch on to a team, you know, in the first couple years in the league, but yeah, she's kind of carries herself with a lot of maturity and she likes to put that responsibility on herself and I think that manifests on the court.

29:09.751 --> 29:13.012
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I like your Igadala comparison.

29:13.032 --> 29:14.132
[SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of funny, right?

29:14.192 --> 29:23.634
[SPEAKER_01]: I think I've kind of calmed Gabby to maybe Philadelphia, Igadala, you know, and I think she could press you to a little better though.

29:23.674 --> 29:28.335
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, Kyla is probably like Warriors, Igadala was not a bad thing, right?

29:28.395 --> 29:36.917
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, but that his role is basically to run that second team, to be the guy to be the guy

29:39.975 --> 29:42.276
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, it's actually kind of incredible if you think about it.

29:42.416 --> 29:53.902
[SPEAKER_00]: Because now we see dream on today as doing some of those things and you had both dream on and Igoudala being able to bring up the ball, being able to make good decisions on offense.

29:54.023 --> 30:01.026
[SPEAKER_00]: And then both defensively, their marvels, defeat like, gosh, how did that where you're to even lose ball games the way that they were put together.

30:01.046 --> 30:03.247
[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, like, you know, I think she,

30:04.248 --> 30:10.150
[SPEAKER_00]: you know, she's she's she was not a sure fire prospect.

30:10.550 --> 30:26.334
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure in the same way that it would dolla was, but I think she just brings a level of defensive intelligence and ability to the team when they need it and it's a lot of it is like sometimes like you don't really see her

30:27.514 --> 30:52.859
[SPEAKER_00]: doing something and then out of nowhere you see her and you go oh my gosh like she's doing all these things that the camera is not really picking up and it is she's just been a lot of fun to watch but you know she had her she had her struggles it earlier as well like she was starting then she wasn't starting and now it seems like she's definitely figured out what that role is off the bench for herself yeah yeah and you know one final thing about Kyle at like

30:54.387 --> 31:06.608
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, we have a lot of terms for like, you know, like super sub players, whether it's like, you know, Swiss army night for utility player and stuff like that glue guy and while all of those apply to her like.

31:08.120 --> 31:26.357
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, you often say that like those types of players, they can affect the game in multiple ways outside of like say scoring right and that again that don't also applies to Kyla, but I think what kind of separates herself or the reason why she's really established herself in the rotation is that.

31:27.378 --> 31:39.573
[SPEAKER_01]: She already know like she knows she is you were saying right like that that basketball intelligence the IQ she knows what the team needs in that moment, you know like I think like she's like

31:41.380 --> 31:43.921
[SPEAKER_01]: She doesn't need like Natalie to tell her like, hey, right?

31:43.941 --> 31:45.241
[SPEAKER_01]: You see this, we need that.

31:45.301 --> 31:48.521
[SPEAKER_01]: Like she has like that sense of this is what the team needs.

31:49.042 --> 31:50.282
[SPEAKER_01]: And again, that's why you're saying, right?

31:50.302 --> 32:01.104
[SPEAKER_01]: It seems like she kind of comes out of nowhere doing whatever it is, right, crashing the offensive glass, making right like the timely like off-ball screen, the back cuts, the curls.

32:02.764 --> 32:06.025
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's really cool to watch her, especially like in person.

32:06.245 --> 32:10.166
[SPEAKER_01]: Cause again, right, like sometimes you don't really, the camera doesn't really focus on who's off-ball,

32:11.006 --> 32:17.949
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, so I'm I'm glad to see that um, you know, she's kind of string along together, some some really good performances.

32:19.330 --> 32:30.435
[SPEAKER_00]: I want to talk about Gabby and Veronica Burton, especially as it pertains to all star kind of stuff, but I just wanted to mention, especially for these last couple of games,

32:40.568 --> 32:51.295
[SPEAKER_00]: And she's doing a crossover into a running sort of Tim Hardaway S, like running hook shot as that has been going in.

32:51.956 --> 32:59.281
[SPEAKER_00]: And then of course, your best isoplayer, I think, is tip haze and when tip gets in the game, they're different.

32:59.301 --> 33:04.464
[SPEAKER_00]: Like you said, hunting matchups, getting tip the right matchup and then just letting her go.

33:04.604 --> 33:06.906
[SPEAKER_00]: And that it seems like it's like, okay.

33:07.406 --> 33:24.451
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, they, they run their very similar offense, lots of, you know, lots of cuts, cuts out their dribble hand off and movement and then when all else fails, if you can get the right match up, you just like, okay, we just need someone to cook and both of those players have been had been doing that a little bit last couple of games.

33:24.991 --> 33:31.353
[SPEAKER_00]: So Gabby and Veronica, we, we know the all star voting and all that stuff like I personally.

33:31.973 --> 33:36.138
[SPEAKER_00]: I cared a lot more about voting for the All-Star game when I was a little kid than I do now.

33:36.278 --> 33:42.024
[SPEAKER_00]: I understand why from being in PR perspective, like, yeah, fans should be compelled to do it.

33:42.604 --> 33:50.472
[SPEAKER_00]: But I'm talking about from a real perspective of, are they all stars or all they are they not?

33:51.273 --> 33:52.234
[SPEAKER_00]: It feels like,

33:53.095 --> 34:07.002
[SPEAKER_00]: Gabby has pushed herself into another level of kind of elite guard play and I would I would guess that she's going to make the all-star team What do you think about Veronica Burton's chances?

34:07.142 --> 34:17.508
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you get two valks players if the valks are in this upper echelon of teams or Do you think that you're only getting one and maybe one of these ladies is left out of the game?

34:19.175 --> 34:20.777
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I think they have a good shot at too.

34:21.478 --> 34:33.635
[SPEAKER_01]: I know that might seem like a little bit optimistic or ambitious, but I think Veronica, I mean, when you factor in like the coach is voting and everything like that, Veronica.

34:35.316 --> 34:38.298
[SPEAKER_01]: is extremely respected around the league.

34:38.538 --> 34:51.143
[SPEAKER_01]: And for, right, you know, rightfully so, you know, I think they recognize not just the fact that, like, you know, yes, as she was the most improved player last year, but you see how impactful she is game to game again, right?

34:51.203 --> 34:59.827
[SPEAKER_01]: Being one of like the most efficient, like passers or assist leaders in the league, arguably one of the best,

35:02.148 --> 35:04.929
[SPEAKER_01]: defensive like guards in the league.

35:05.489 --> 35:09.510
[SPEAKER_01]: I definitely think that when all send done she should be in the mix for an all defensive team.

35:11.470 --> 35:14.591
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think there is as you're saying, right?

35:14.611 --> 35:24.813
[SPEAKER_01]: Like if we're like a top four ish, you know, seed, you know, I think there's a good shot because again, you know, a lot of the

35:27.742 --> 35:30.604
[SPEAKER_01]: It's not just what's happening this season, right?

35:30.744 --> 35:35.827
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, you know, fans, especially the coaches, they can't help but think of also what they saw last season.

35:36.428 --> 35:41.771
[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like there is like that carryover, where she'll get more consideration.

35:42.652 --> 35:45.373
[SPEAKER_01]: Would I, would I personally guarantee it?

35:45.574 --> 35:54.820
[SPEAKER_01]: No, just again, because there are so many like players who are having fantastic seasons, several of whom are very popular amongst the fans.

35:57.577 --> 36:06.620
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, but I do think that at least from the coaches perspective, I could see the coaches voting in both, um, a Gabby and Veronica.

36:07.941 --> 36:15.623
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think it would be quite a, like, we're, we're here moment.

36:15.763 --> 36:25.847
[SPEAKER_00]: If you get both guards, because both guards have really been the engine to get the team going, like a lot of times when the Valkyries go on these runs, it's because

36:27.310 --> 36:31.571
[SPEAKER_00]: Gabby tipped a pass Veronica's got it, they're running on the other side.

36:31.911 --> 36:33.512
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, Kale Thortan as well.

36:33.532 --> 36:38.633
[SPEAKER_00]: I think Kale Thortan's also needs to be mentioned.

36:39.814 --> 36:51.957
[SPEAKER_00]: She, her offense isn't as explosive as it was last year, so I don't think she's necessarily in the same, in the same communication about that, but you see her being active with getting things going as well.

36:52.377 --> 36:53.798
[SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, the two guards are,

36:54.358 --> 37:05.427
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, they just set the, they just set everything for this basketball team offensively and defensively and you want to talk about like kind of the engine or the heart and soul of the team or whatever, like it starts with them, I think.

37:06.448 --> 37:16.577
[SPEAKER_01]: And with regards to Gabby and VB like, especially these last two games, like let's be real, like after that's Seattle game.

37:17.825 --> 37:18.765
[SPEAKER_01]: like Gabby was pissed.

37:19.086 --> 37:19.666
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

37:19.706 --> 37:21.747
[SPEAKER_01]: He was really pissed.

37:22.467 --> 37:32.932
[SPEAKER_01]: And these last two games against the sparks and the wings, at least why did the Valks have a little bit more early success offensively?

37:33.632 --> 37:40.274
[SPEAKER_01]: They basically funneled everything through Gabby and VB, and I can't, you know, like, you look at the results like you can't complain too much.

37:40.314 --> 37:58.038
[SPEAKER_01]: I get I know that they want to have a very like, you know, pass heavy, you know, offense, but I think, again, going back to where we're saying, right, they can't afford to continue having like these slow starts and like so many empty possessions to start games.

37:58.078 --> 38:02.479
[SPEAKER_01]: So totally understand it, but going back to, you mentioned,

38:03.539 --> 38:03.601
[SPEAKER_01]: you

38:04.952 --> 38:07.353
[SPEAKER_01]: Her role is completely different than last year.

38:07.693 --> 38:10.574
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying it's better, I'm not saying it's worse.

38:10.954 --> 38:15.675
[SPEAKER_01]: What we can tell from the rotations, she is the backup center, right?

38:15.955 --> 38:18.556
[SPEAKER_01]: Now, we may have our feelings about the TCME here.

38:18.976 --> 38:21.637
[SPEAKER_01]: We have literally not seen Nadia Fengal at all.

38:23.297 --> 38:27.238
[SPEAKER_01]: Ashton Fractal has not been activated in the last couple of games, and that's fine.

38:27.258 --> 38:30.399
[SPEAKER_01]: You want to try to be conservative with your DP players,

38:35.275 --> 38:37.817
[SPEAKER_01]: I have been asking her about this since training camp.

38:38.377 --> 38:45.923
[SPEAKER_01]: When I had this feeling like just looking at the roster, I was like, I think she's gonna have to play some backup vibes.

38:46.103 --> 38:50.927
[SPEAKER_01]: So she is like the definitive backup center now.

38:51.067 --> 39:00.174
[SPEAKER_01]: So yes, like her numbers aren't as like her box score totals aren't as gotty as they were last year or at least the scoring totals.

39:00.814 --> 39:02.456
[SPEAKER_01]: But my gosh, I give her

39:03.376 --> 39:07.437
[SPEAKER_01]: So much props because she has completely had to reinvent her game.

39:07.457 --> 39:22.682
[SPEAKER_01]: Like the way she approaches the game and she's done it really well I think she gets tired of me asking about like her offensive rebounding and like her off ball screen setting But she's she's on point and for someone coming off of a knee injury.

39:23.002 --> 39:30.325
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think it's I still think it's kind of crazy that they would be having her play this many minutes as a small ball five, but

39:31.285 --> 39:57.665
[SPEAKER_01]: uh... she's doing it and i know you mentioned uh... katelyn and tip earlier that line up where it's katelyn tip kylah genel and kt where it's not catching on i don't expect it to i call katelyn and tip slash sisters um... and then you know you have kylah again that you crazy egaliability player and then you have our small ball front court

40:00.347 --> 40:02.429
[SPEAKER_01]: Now again, you're only using it again second units.

40:02.449 --> 40:03.329
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see how it goes.

40:03.389 --> 40:04.610
[SPEAKER_01]: It ends up thinking you're using it.

40:05.151 --> 40:07.392
[SPEAKER_01]: But it's an interesting balance, right?

40:07.412 --> 40:12.476
[SPEAKER_01]: You have John and KT stretching the floor, but they're the front court players.

40:12.916 --> 40:22.704
[SPEAKER_01]: You have the two honestly tip and Caitlin are probably the best at going one on one off the dribble.

40:23.384 --> 40:25.586
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like tip, again, at 36 has

40:27.590 --> 40:29.211
[SPEAKER_01]: the quickest for step on on the team.

40:29.271 --> 40:30.592
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that's really debatable.

40:30.692 --> 40:35.795
[SPEAKER_01]: Caitlyn's probably the second best Veronica's just really good, like as a bowling ball, right?

40:35.815 --> 40:37.096
[SPEAKER_01]: She's like, go into you.

40:37.116 --> 40:38.037
[SPEAKER_00]: She's so strong.

40:38.137 --> 40:38.437
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

40:38.837 --> 40:41.319
[SPEAKER_01]: And then Gabby just has like, she's like a gazelle.

40:41.339 --> 40:44.861
[SPEAKER_01]: She has like the long strides and it really like throws off defenders timing.

40:44.941 --> 40:46.963
[SPEAKER_00]: But in the end, the ability is stuff on a dime.

40:46.983 --> 40:51.966
[SPEAKER_00]: If she needs to pull up for a shot or a setback, like she's got so much such great footwork there.

40:52.467 --> 41:15.192
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, but so the manner in which they're all affecting the game has been really fun to see because it's probably not what they really I don't think that's what they envisioned when they came together for training camp, but here we are right and tip almost goes left 99% of the time Caitlin goes right.

41:15.952 --> 41:23.520
[SPEAKER_00]: 95% of the time, and still they can get to their spots and do what they need to do, which shows you kind of what you were saying with their, with their first steps.

41:23.560 --> 41:24.561
[SPEAKER_00]: That's pretty incredible.

41:25.562 --> 41:29.125
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and again, I did talk about that like last game.

41:29.326 --> 41:32.208
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, let's see if this continues, but I so Caitlin,

41:33.365 --> 41:37.008
[SPEAKER_01]: has been the thing in this, this early part to the season, right?

41:37.028 --> 41:38.449
[SPEAKER_01]: Like the sample size is growing.

41:38.489 --> 41:41.971
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, huh, like, you're like, she's a fish in, right?

41:41.991 --> 41:46.254
[SPEAKER_01]: I think she's like around 48% in isolation's, you know?

41:46.594 --> 41:50.137
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's like on what, like 18, I want to say like 18 isolation attempts.

41:50.157 --> 41:54.760
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, that's for a backup guard who's minutes of going up and down, like that's not too bad, right?

41:54.820 --> 41:59.844
[SPEAKER_01]: So we'll see, if they can get that kind of production from that second unit, like,

42:00.713 --> 42:05.255
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, like for better for worse, it makes now he feel good about like this, this rotation.

42:05.275 --> 42:16.340
[SPEAKER_00]: All right, and since we are the you stay podcast, we do have to talk about you stay and I've been getting some comments on our YouTube channel of renunciations.

42:16.380 --> 42:24.644
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm just going to keep playing it every time, just until the broadcasters listen enough to get close to you stays pronunciation here.

42:27.859 --> 42:29.940
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, okay.

42:29.960 --> 42:34.603
[SPEAKER_00]: So she, uh, I guess her parents were in.

42:34.703 --> 42:35.664
[SPEAKER_00]: Are they still here?

42:35.724 --> 42:36.685
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm assuming they're still here.

42:36.705 --> 42:43.068
[SPEAKER_00]: Then I'm going to make that short of a trip, but uh, photo of her with her parents on the court.

42:43.969 --> 42:47.791
[SPEAKER_00]: And I didn't really, I haven't really read anything about it.

42:49.762 --> 42:52.043
[SPEAKER_00]: But she didn't play, obviously.

42:52.063 --> 42:56.784
[SPEAKER_00]: I think she got in late in that sparks game for a couple of minutes.

42:57.585 --> 43:00.766
[SPEAKER_00]: But she didn't play against Dallas.

43:02.706 --> 43:07.308
[SPEAKER_00]: We talked earlier about the rotation and kind of how it's been working and they're on this winning streak.

43:07.348 --> 43:13.130
[SPEAKER_00]: So it's kind of, you can't really argue with their success outside of,

43:14.413 --> 43:24.790
[SPEAKER_00]: It would be nice to see her develop a little bit Natalie has talked about kind of changing her position and I don't know if that was kind of her way of saying.

43:26.725 --> 43:34.008
[SPEAKER_00]: changing a position as hard and getting her in the mix is going to be harder, she's going to learn this new thing, so maybe it's going to take longer, like she didn't say it like that.

43:34.668 --> 43:36.689
[SPEAKER_00]: But where do where do things stand?

43:36.709 --> 43:44.272
[SPEAKER_00]: Because there's a, you know, I hear it loud and proud from the, from the use day community about the frustration of her not playing.

43:44.292 --> 43:47.634
[SPEAKER_00]: It seems like she's taking in stride, like I don't sense that she herself, and

43:48.354 --> 43:49.755
[SPEAKER_00]: is showing frustration.

43:49.815 --> 44:01.000
[SPEAKER_00]: She knows kind of where she stands and she knows her missing the beginning of the year probably hurt her, but she's got her standards and morals about what she wants to do in her career too.

44:01.540 --> 44:03.401
[SPEAKER_00]: So where do things stand do you think with her?

44:04.481 --> 44:08.203
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, with regards to why is

44:09.402 --> 44:27.019
[SPEAKER_01]: You stay and even for two a certain extent let's see me here like why are they all of a sudden both out of the or why are they out of the rotation like you know last time I was on the pod right we were I can't remember who the opponent was but we were six and five right and I said like okay.

44:29.682 --> 44:33.946
[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to look a lot better if the team is seven and five is supposed to six and six right.

44:34.628 --> 44:37.634
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that same mentality has carried over.

44:37.894 --> 44:46.088
[SPEAKER_01]: If I had to guess from Natalie's perspective, you set it yourself of how challenging the upcoming Slate of Games is gonna be for the Balkaries, right?

44:46.249 --> 44:47.090
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like

44:48.079 --> 45:14.065
[SPEAKER_01]: they really want to bank in as many wins early in the season so that they're not having to play catch up like they were last year right when they went on that losing streak heading into the all-star break you know and they had to dig their way out you know to to creep back into the playoff picture I think they want to be ahead of the count throughout the season now does that mean that's not to say that like playing you stay means they're going to lose no

45:15.305 --> 45:25.608
[SPEAKER_01]: But I think it's not that she doesn't, in my opinion, I don't think it's necessarily that she doesn't trust, you stay, she doesn't trust the line of combinations yet.

45:25.648 --> 45:30.490
[SPEAKER_01]: That's how, if I'm looking at it somewhat realistically, but also optimistically, that's how it looks.

45:30.570 --> 45:38.152
[SPEAKER_01]: Now, from you stay as point, I think it's a little, I know, I think she has been nothing but professional.

45:38.472 --> 45:40.133
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's a little frustrating because

45:41.772 --> 45:44.794
[SPEAKER_01]: Like Natalie is telling us, right, the media.

45:44.914 --> 45:48.256
[SPEAKER_01]: She's telling the fans that you stay is doing everything right.

45:48.936 --> 45:57.142
[SPEAKER_01]: You're telling us that like you like what you're seeing in her progress and yet a couple hours later, she's another like a DNP all over again.

45:57.182 --> 45:57.622
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah.

45:57.722 --> 46:07.168
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like I said, if it's it's tough, and what I say like you should be like some pathetic for Natalie and the coaching staff, it's tough because

46:09.322 --> 46:16.828
[SPEAKER_01]: As long as the team keeps winning, it's still going to be talked about, but you don't hear it as much, right?

46:16.848 --> 46:28.236
[SPEAKER_01]: Like it's not going to be as loud of a talking point, but as soon as the team loses, and if you fail to score points, it's going to look bad.

46:28.276 --> 46:34.500
[SPEAKER_01]: And then those questions will come up, probably even more specifically, you know, the thing about it, though, is again,

46:35.501 --> 46:36.161
[SPEAKER_01]: you stay.

46:36.882 --> 46:43.364
[SPEAKER_01]: She's been on the record that like she doesn't particularly feel comfortable being a point guard.

46:43.764 --> 46:44.484
[SPEAKER_01]: Make them fake.

46:44.504 --> 46:46.405
[SPEAKER_01]: Like she is a playmaker.

46:46.805 --> 46:52.307
[SPEAKER_01]: She is not just a scorer, but she's more of like a playmaking shooting guard like a wing.

46:52.828 --> 46:55.769
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, she likes to be able to play off of another point guard.

46:56.469 --> 46:56.989
[SPEAKER_01]: And I get it.

46:57.049 --> 47:00.250
[SPEAKER_01]: You're basically saying that, you know, Natalie saying she doesn't really trust

47:04.992 --> 47:28.987
[SPEAKER_01]: and we've seen it right like Gabby will essentially be like point Gabby made every now and then tip we'll kind of have a couple of like you know on ball reps like you know as a facilitator but um it's it's interesting that like I mean everyone has had to adjust their game but like given what we knew about her like being able to play her as a wing like as a point forward

47:30.581 --> 47:45.492
[SPEAKER_01]: It would seem like that would, that would still be beneficial to this team, like why can't she play off of Caitlin in the second unit, you know, but I get it right you you want to play Kyla, you want to keep the John KT pairing together.

47:45.552 --> 47:50.997
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, someone has to sit, you know, I mean, tip again when you said right her minutes have been inconsistent in second half.

47:51.037 --> 47:57.862
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe there's an opportunity for JJ to eventually crack that in, but it is odd.

47:59.047 --> 48:03.510
[SPEAKER_01]: Because again, I know that we may be like fourth in offensive rating.

48:04.230 --> 48:06.592
[SPEAKER_01]: But again, I think where Valkyrie's fans see it, right?

48:06.652 --> 48:09.213
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just those offensive walls, right?

48:09.253 --> 48:11.174
[SPEAKER_01]: The string of like empty possessions.

48:12.235 --> 48:17.038
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think you stay in theory could mitigate that, right?

48:17.578 --> 48:23.382
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, she was what a top five score and all of your league, right?

48:23.722 --> 48:26.044
[SPEAKER_01]: She scored more than Gabby, you know?

48:29.763 --> 48:34.407
[SPEAKER_01]: It's still an odd thing to see here completely out, but I don't know.

48:34.527 --> 48:39.311
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, four games and seven days, the team doesn't really have an opportunity to really practice.

48:40.112 --> 48:44.756
[SPEAKER_01]: When they do, it's really just like, you know, light shoot around, you do film work.

48:45.376 --> 48:47.037
[SPEAKER_01]: So I suppose,

48:48.319 --> 49:05.634
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, they need an opportunity where like, you know, the schedule slows down a little bit, have an opportunity to get more reps with like the first unit, you know, at least the main rotation players because right now, a majority of her work is with the stay ready group, which is all the players who basically don't play, right?

49:05.694 --> 49:09.597
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, Mila Soa, Plectal, you know, not if and all.

49:10.098 --> 49:13.641
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think they do need to see her really get more

49:15.062 --> 49:20.486
[SPEAKER_01]: like extended reps, you know, inscrimages with, yeah, like the main rotation of layers.

49:22.227 --> 49:29.611
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to, you know, basically say what Nat is saying or doing is necessarily wrong.

49:29.671 --> 49:42.600
[SPEAKER_00]: She's seeing this team every day, but I'm with you in that I don't use, if you look at what the Valkyrs expect their guards to do for Autocon Gabby,

49:44.050 --> 49:51.182
[SPEAKER_00]: there's an athleticism deficiency there with you stay compared to both of those guards.

49:51.202 --> 49:54.787
[SPEAKER_00]: And so there's that, but also

49:56.186 --> 50:18.112
[SPEAKER_00]: You made a great point about if she's there forward and she can she can ball handle and and make passes for other folks that is actually a positive aspect of that position where you bring something that the team doesn't necessarily currently have right now and I compare it going to make this wild comparison.

50:20.773 --> 50:29.840
[SPEAKER_00]: Someone who I'm not the biggest fan of right now for reasons other than his baseball career, but Buster Posey, who's the president of baseball operations for the Giants.

50:31.238 --> 50:34.160
[SPEAKER_00]: So, Buster Posey came up as a catcher.

50:34.260 --> 50:37.702
[SPEAKER_00]: He's like this fantastic leader, and he's doing so many great things.

50:38.382 --> 50:39.683
[SPEAKER_00]: Then he tears up his knee.

50:40.323 --> 50:48.868
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, and the fans are like, well, maybe we should move him to first base, because it'll change the trajectory, to lengthen his career.

50:48.988 --> 50:58.473
[SPEAKER_00]: And my argument was, if you put Buster at first base, you basically take away everything he's good at, which is the catching position controlling the game, being the leader on the field.

51:00.314 --> 51:03.455
[SPEAKER_00]: are great for a catcher, but very average for a first baseman.

51:04.016 --> 51:12.539
[SPEAKER_00]: And that's kind of how I see you stay as a point guard or as a primary, Mary ball handler.

51:12.879 --> 51:14.460
[SPEAKER_00]: I think you expose

51:15.500 --> 51:16.742
[SPEAKER_00]: some of her weaknesses.

51:17.582 --> 51:26.472
[SPEAKER_00]: Whereas if you allow her to be, you know, a, this is an easy comparison to me.

51:26.592 --> 51:30.516
[SPEAKER_00]: I've seen other people make it if you're not an old school warriors fan, you may not get it.

51:31.861 --> 51:34.463
[SPEAKER_00]: Chris Mullin when Chris Mullin was was with the warriors.

51:35.063 --> 51:40.006
[SPEAKER_00]: He also was not fleet-footed enough to play the back court.

51:40.046 --> 51:44.908
[SPEAKER_00]: He was actually drafted as a two guard at the St. John's and they're like okay, you have the height to play small forward.

51:45.209 --> 51:57.376
[SPEAKER_00]: Athletically you're you're better for the small forward position in the NBA and yet he still had all of those same playmaking abilities and ball handling abilities that he had in college because he was a guard in college.

51:57.836 --> 51:59.237
[SPEAKER_00]: And so I think

52:00.077 --> 52:06.800
[SPEAKER_00]: that would benefit her in that she could shoot the basketball and she can make so many good decisions.

52:07.480 --> 52:14.283
[SPEAKER_00]: And she's probably going to be able to play make from a position that they don't really currently have playmaking today.

52:14.363 --> 52:16.664
[SPEAKER_00]: So that is my opinion on her fit.

52:16.744 --> 52:19.146
[SPEAKER_00]: But again, you know, I'm not seeing her every day.

52:19.206 --> 52:22.027
[SPEAKER_00]: So what I hope though is that

52:22.627 --> 52:49.048
[SPEAKER_00]: this change in position or change in usage or whatever that they see from her that it is really about here's where we're going and thus we see her as a fit rather than well I kind of need an excuse to not play her so this is what I'm going to tell fans in the media like I hope it's the former not the latter and I you know I kind of it's kind of hard to to say what I think about it because we know that

52:49.728 --> 52:52.651
[SPEAKER_00]: they are very light on details at sometimes.

52:52.711 --> 52:54.332
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't want to give away their hand.

52:55.313 --> 53:05.382
[SPEAKER_00]: So you don't know what to think about what they say, but my hope is that they do have a plan for her because I do want to see her out there in the limited time that we do have with her.

53:06.283 --> 53:08.344
[SPEAKER_00]: She's willing to make a pass that

53:09.205 --> 53:11.968
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think other folks would even see sometimes.

53:12.849 --> 53:19.435
[SPEAKER_00]: And so much so that the person she is passing to is not really ready for that pass.

53:19.555 --> 53:30.025
[SPEAKER_00]: So if we're going to see that, I think she needs some reps with some of those players to make sure that they're all in sync, you know, at the time where maybe she'll be used a little bit more.

53:31.434 --> 53:36.438
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I definitely agree with all that, you know, again, I've talked to you to you, stay about it.

53:37.198 --> 53:41.181
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, she is very familiar, right?

53:41.201 --> 53:46.805
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, like, she definitely understands the balconies offensive concepts.

53:46.825 --> 53:48.546
[SPEAKER_01]: And I've asked her a number of times.

53:49.627 --> 53:53.670
[SPEAKER_01]: She thinks like, you know, she, I think she definitely believes that she can, um,

53:54.873 --> 54:02.741
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, kind of like acclimate to the way the balance operate offense, but, you know, we're about what 15 games in the season.

54:03.962 --> 54:07.005
[SPEAKER_01]: We still like the balance still play at the slowest pace in the league.

54:07.045 --> 54:08.447
[SPEAKER_01]: Now that's not like the worst thing.

54:09.327 --> 54:09.628
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.

54:09.668 --> 54:11.830
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, like you play slow, but you execute well.

54:12.310 --> 54:12.611
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

54:12.911 --> 54:13.271
[SPEAKER_01]: Right.

54:13.372 --> 54:16.274
[SPEAKER_01]: I just bring it up because it's like, okay, we play small so much, right?

54:16.314 --> 54:16.455
[SPEAKER_01]: Like.

54:17.331 --> 54:40.396
[SPEAKER_01]: Wouldn't it be whoove the team to play up tempo right and make use of your smaller use your speed advantage and I've asked you about that and you know she says like she's not sure if necessarily she could be playing it like some breakneck pace, but if they want to make continue playing at like a somewhat slower pace and to execute in the half court offence as you said right the types of

54:47.719 --> 54:58.455
[SPEAKER_01]: The herbility like, you know, to layer her passes right to put it like in her teammates shooting pocket or to hit them in stride those are the types of things that would actually make the half court offense even more efficient.

55:00.298 --> 55:01.298
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think she's aware of that.

55:02.038 --> 55:08.400
[SPEAKER_01]: And so yeah, I think that multiple things can be true.

55:09.361 --> 55:17.663
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I know it's easy to be skeptical if not cynical when you hear Natalie's comments, but it's true, like they don't,

55:18.423 --> 55:41.728
[SPEAKER_01]: now he's showing you with the rotations that she does not trust anyone outside of Veronica in Caitlyn to really handle the ball like you know like to be a point guard like you know with extended extended stretches and even Caitlyn at times like which is why like this last game I was surprised you know that first possession when Caitlyn checked in

55:42.588 --> 55:45.171
[SPEAKER_01]: She allowed something to kind of trap her baseline.

55:45.211 --> 55:45.892
[SPEAKER_01]: It was a turnover.

55:45.932 --> 55:49.296
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought she, you know, like some games, Caitlyn's kind of been on a short leash.

55:49.857 --> 55:53.321
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm glad that now he kept her in and we saw what ended up happening, right?

55:53.361 --> 55:53.481
[SPEAKER_01]: So

55:55.448 --> 56:10.697
[SPEAKER_01]: I do think that Natalie thinks that J.J. really can be like a point guard, which if that's the case, then you said that means Natalie shows has like some level of trust in her, right?

56:11.098 --> 56:11.258
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

56:11.278 --> 56:22.804
[SPEAKER_01]: She really does like have this optimistic outlook for her, but again, I just like a lot of fans like letting you and I've been talking about I just think that what J.J. can come in and do already.

56:23.825 --> 56:26.347
[SPEAKER_01]: cannot only fit, but help out the team.

56:26.387 --> 56:29.790
[SPEAKER_01]: At the very least, she's already one of the teams best three-point shooters.

56:29.830 --> 56:32.533
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that is true.

56:33.614 --> 56:43.362
[SPEAKER_01]: We shall see, I want to see this time next week and it's no offense to Washington, but we have two games against Washington, the weird scheduling.

56:45.987 --> 56:51.791
[SPEAKER_01]: if she can like, you know, kind of get in some playing time there, you know, then okay, right?

56:51.811 --> 56:53.752
[SPEAKER_01]: Let let let let's see what this is going to look like.

56:53.772 --> 56:57.274
[SPEAKER_00]: And you know, Nat is a point guard herself.

56:57.474 --> 56:59.355
[SPEAKER_00]: So she understands the position.

56:59.415 --> 57:01.777
[SPEAKER_00]: She understands all that it takes to do it.

57:01.837 --> 57:10.482
[SPEAKER_00]: And again, like I'm not at the point where I'm questioning her like she knows best and like that is her her job.

57:10.542 --> 57:12.323
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just sometimes when they talk,

57:13.188 --> 57:28.863
[SPEAKER_00]: because of historically that they are talking around stuff sometimes, you just kind of wonder what's the real meaning behind the meaning, but I'm still completely giving them the benefit of the doubt with how use days, use it just because they're winning, they're 10 and 5.

57:28.903 --> 57:31.806
[SPEAKER_00]: You cannot argue with the success right now.

57:32.786 --> 57:34.048
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, so,

57:35.598 --> 57:44.025
[SPEAKER_00]: The history of this podcast actually started before the Valkyries even started playing last year.

57:44.726 --> 57:52.273
[SPEAKER_00]: Brian and I would do like a last 10-minute segment of our Warriors podcast, which we called the Deathline Up.

57:52.933 --> 57:57.938
[SPEAKER_00]: And we haven't done a lot of Deathline Up podcasts in a bit because we really wanted to focus on Pothala.

57:58.984 --> 58:17.629
[SPEAKER_00]: But because I have you on here, and I know how close you are to this process and to the warriors, I did want to ask you about the warriors upcoming draft, which is next to the NBA draft, next Tuesday, first round, and then Wednesday, the second round.

58:18.289 --> 58:20.710
[SPEAKER_00]: So we're gonna do a flip here.

58:21.931 --> 58:34.083
[SPEAKER_00]: We're going to do a little bit of the death line up with conrado here just a short segment to end this show because I'm super interested in what you think they are going to do and also.

58:36.370 --> 58:39.673
[SPEAKER_00]: I am not a college basketball, watcher necessarily.

58:39.973 --> 58:42.236
[SPEAKER_00]: I probably watch a little bit more women's than men's.

58:42.576 --> 58:46.199
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm not really even aware of some of these folks.

58:46.399 --> 58:51.744
[SPEAKER_00]: So you can even talk about it, like a novice is listening.

58:52.145 --> 58:53.666
[SPEAKER_00]: But the lawyers have the 11th pick.

58:55.187 --> 58:57.349
[SPEAKER_00]: Mike Dunlavy had a press conference the other day.

58:58.323 --> 59:05.227
[SPEAKER_00]: who knows what they're going to do, you know, talk about someone who talks about a lot of things and doesn't really say anything, don't leave these so good at that.

59:06.027 --> 59:17.594
[SPEAKER_00]: But what are your thoughts on who is sitting there, or who may be sitting there for them at 11, and who would kind of fit into, at least what we believe this team is going to be.

59:17.634 --> 59:20.916
[SPEAKER_00]: There's so many things that they still need to do to put together a roster.

59:21.196 --> 59:23.137
[SPEAKER_00]: But who do you like at 11 for them?

59:24.594 --> 59:24.894
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

59:25.154 --> 59:33.416
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, as for Mike Dunlevy Jr., I mean, he said it himself the other day, he held his pre-draft presser where he said, we need everything.

59:33.776 --> 59:37.157
[SPEAKER_01]: So I mean, like, they really could go in a number of directions.

59:37.177 --> 59:42.658
[SPEAKER_01]: I've had the opportunity to sit in for some of the warrior's draft prospect workouts.

59:43.198 --> 59:43.938
[SPEAKER_01]: So that's pretty cool.

59:44.398 --> 59:47.959
[SPEAKER_01]: I get to see them kind of, you know, interact with the media

59:53.619 --> 01:00:07.691
[SPEAKER_01]: meant to be fair, this draft class, this draft class is fairly deep in the sense that I think there are a lot of prospects who can come in both have like, you know, some long-term upside, but they also can contribute from day one.

01:00:08.672 --> 01:00:10.254
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just in different ways.

01:00:11.194 --> 01:00:15.158
[SPEAKER_01]: They basically brought in a number of prospects at every position.

01:00:15.819 --> 01:00:19.502
[SPEAKER_01]: So I do like Mike Dunlip is not wrong.

01:00:19.522 --> 01:00:19.622
[SPEAKER_01]: They

01:00:21.043 --> 01:00:22.265
[SPEAKER_01]: go any direction.

01:00:22.446 --> 01:00:22.686
[SPEAKER_01]: Right?

01:00:22.946 --> 01:00:31.921
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, they've brought in a lot of really interesting and intriguing like power forward in center prospects.

01:00:33.219 --> 01:00:36.081
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, today they're actually bringing in Ademara.

01:00:36.461 --> 01:00:41.524
[SPEAKER_01]: He's like the seven four center from Michigan's National Championship team.

01:00:42.025 --> 01:00:45.707
[SPEAKER_00]: That's the, uh, Vasini has mocked to them in his latest mock.

01:00:45.747 --> 01:00:46.127
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

01:00:46.768 --> 01:00:49.129
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I really like Ademara a lot.

01:00:49.229 --> 01:00:53.072
[SPEAKER_01]: His work out like the workouts themselves are behind closed doors.

01:00:53.552 --> 01:00:56.734
[SPEAKER_01]: The media like myself were allowed to come in at the end.

01:00:56.754 --> 01:00:58.515
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and interview the

01:01:02.998 --> 01:01:05.780
[SPEAKER_01]: know how they feel about the team, you know, they're fit and everything.

01:01:05.820 --> 01:01:14.687
[SPEAKER_01]: So today, Mara is working with Korean Lopez who comes from the NBL, right?

01:01:14.767 --> 01:01:22.092
[SPEAKER_01]: The New Zealand breakers, but they will not be hosting any or having any media availability.

01:01:22.673 --> 01:01:23.734
[SPEAKER_01]: But Mara is

01:01:29.900 --> 01:01:54.119
[SPEAKER_01]: in the sense that right like this is just this crazy massive rim protector strong but then an incredible passer like you could legitimately run offense through him he could be like an offensive hub out of the high post he could find you know cutters or shooters from the low post just as a skill that you could definitely see fitting in with this current warriors team but it's something

01:01:57.562 --> 01:02:00.823
[SPEAKER_01]: Then, they've also brought in his teammates from Michigan, right?

01:02:01.303 --> 01:02:04.503
[SPEAKER_01]: Yaxel Lendiborg, who is another popular name amongst the fans.

01:02:05.203 --> 01:02:07.144
[SPEAKER_01]: He fancin' himself more as a wing.

01:02:07.584 --> 01:02:12.285
[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's more of a power forward, but he's kind of like, again, like a Swiss army knife guy.

01:02:12.305 --> 01:02:16.926
[SPEAKER_01]: His little ball handling, little shooting, really strong, so he can get inside.

01:02:17.686 --> 01:02:22.767
[SPEAKER_01]: And then there's Morris Johnson, who's like, 610, power forward, center.

01:02:23.747 --> 01:02:27.252
[SPEAKER_01]: and he's a guy who definitely charm the media.

01:02:27.272 --> 01:02:34.543
[SPEAKER_01]: He's a guy who's very easy to like, you know, very personal, very funny, but on court,

01:02:35.794 --> 01:02:59.337
[SPEAKER_01]: he's a guy that the warriors just have not had like in more than a decade like he's a true high flyer you know i mean you throw up anything in his vicinity he's dunking it but again also a very high cue guy makes the right pass showing some shooting flashes um i could definitely see them going with any of those guys if they're still on the board um and then they brought in a number of really

01:03:00.818 --> 01:03:23.134
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, like high upside guard prospects, uh, yesterday at the opportunity to interview Arizona shooting guard, Braden Burries, uh, and Alabama point guard LeBaron Fylon, uh, both of them just again, explosive scores, uh, very cerebral players, uh, both, both really, um,

01:03:24.225 --> 01:03:28.449
[SPEAKER_01]: Berries is a one-in-done player, Fylon played two years at Alabama.

01:03:29.330 --> 01:03:39.660
[SPEAKER_01]: Fylon had actually gone through the draft workout process last year, and then at the end, he decided to return to college, and it was a great choice for him.

01:03:39.900 --> 01:03:46.346
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he's literally shown improvement in almost every facet of his game, and he was already like projected to go in the first round last year.

01:03:46.366 --> 01:03:46.426
[SPEAKER_01]: So,

01:03:49.194 --> 01:03:50.935
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if I necessarily have a favorite.

01:03:50.955 --> 01:03:53.676
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I am high on a day Mara to the Warriors.

01:03:54.376 --> 01:03:57.577
[SPEAKER_01]: And again, I don't think it's just a fit for now.

01:03:58.257 --> 01:04:05.440
[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a type of guy that you would want moving forward for whatever the next generation of the Warriors it is.

01:04:06.400 --> 01:04:13.423
[SPEAKER_01]: I must say, I was laughing, listening to LeBarin, Fylon and Burries had the same sentiment.

01:04:13.443 --> 01:04:13.803
[SPEAKER_01]: They said,

01:04:15.501 --> 01:04:20.024
[SPEAKER_01]: as a child, as a child, they idolize F. Curry.

01:04:21.105 --> 01:04:37.315
[SPEAKER_01]: I long even went into detail about his Steph Curry jersey collection, watching it as a kid, you know, like in the living room with his parents, I'm like, you could potentially be Steph's teammate in like three days, like, I think that just goes to show Steph's longevity and everything like that.

01:04:37.396 --> 01:04:44.040
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, they've had a number of other interesting work players come in, but I feel like,

01:04:45.253 --> 01:04:51.022
[SPEAKER_01]: of the players I just mentioned, if they're on the board, if they're all on the board 11, like it's gonna be one of those guys.

01:04:53.386 --> 01:04:58.934
[SPEAKER_01]: Just because again, even the guys who are young, who are like one and done players, they've all shown the ability

01:05:00.117 --> 01:05:04.119
[SPEAKER_01]: to read and react.

01:05:04.659 --> 01:05:12.083
[SPEAKER_01]: And you know, in current system, you need to be able to make quick decisions, like quick and accurate decisions.

01:05:12.523 --> 01:05:13.764
[SPEAKER_01]: They've all shown that ability.

01:05:15.405 --> 01:05:20.548
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I think those are the types of guys they're looking at.

01:05:20.888 --> 01:05:24.590
[SPEAKER_01]: I know there are some other names they're on out there,

01:05:27.055 --> 01:05:31.137
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like those guys would probably be prioritized.

01:05:31.157 --> 01:05:34.199
[SPEAKER_01]: They'd be higher on Mike Dunleavy's draft board.

01:05:35.360 --> 01:05:40.503
[SPEAKER_01]: But we'll see, because a lot of those players are coveted from other teams.

01:05:41.403 --> 01:05:43.184
[SPEAKER_01]: So Dunleavy did mention, right?

01:05:43.224 --> 01:05:48.067
[SPEAKER_01]: There is the opportunity to maybe trade down a little bit while getting some other assets.

01:05:48.528 --> 01:05:49.688
[SPEAKER_01]: They'd totally be open to it.

01:05:50.329 --> 01:05:52.430
[SPEAKER_01]: I would be surprised if they moved up.

01:05:53.726 --> 01:05:59.092
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I guess it's not completely out of the realm possibility, but you know how.

01:06:01.177 --> 01:06:01.878
[SPEAKER_01]: conservative.

01:06:03.159 --> 01:06:11.967
[SPEAKER_01]: The warriors have been with their draft picks, you know, in Joe Lake up's tenure, like they don't just like to, you know, trade them, you know, like they're not so cavalier with it.

01:06:12.007 --> 01:06:19.574
[SPEAKER_01]: So I would think if they can trade down, like I know, like, for example, okay, C has I think like the 12th and 17th pick.

01:06:19.634 --> 01:06:21.836
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if they'd be willing to move up one spot.

01:06:22.537 --> 01:06:25.279
[SPEAKER_01]: I know Charlotte has, like, I think the 14th and 18th picks.

01:06:26.040 --> 01:06:30.865
[SPEAKER_01]: Right, maybe if Charlotte wants to move up to really get their guy at 11, maybe there's something there.

01:06:32.666 --> 01:06:37.331
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I think the war is like several of these players.

01:06:37.571 --> 01:06:41.034
[SPEAKER_01]: I think they would be super happy if they could walk out of the draft with two of them.

01:06:41.915 --> 01:06:46.159
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just to be determined how they go about getting that second first round pick.

01:06:47.700 --> 01:06:48.000
[SPEAKER_00]: So.

01:06:49.229 --> 01:07:11.555
[SPEAKER_00]: Just to kind of show you how quickly a lot of the stuff changes, I feel like all of last week, we heard about the the Michigan wing the the older player and so does it sound like he is kind of fallen down the the list a little bit.

01:07:14.196 --> 01:07:14.476
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean.

01:07:16.293 --> 01:07:18.914
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, obviously, the Warriors want to win now.

01:07:19.574 --> 01:07:34.381
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think the logic behind the or the enthusiasm for Yaxel, right, the fans enthusiasm for the Warriors to draft Yaxel at 11 is because they believe that, again, as a super senior, right?

01:07:34.561 --> 01:07:35.101
[SPEAKER_01]: He's 24.

01:07:35.381 --> 01:07:36.041
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, older.

01:07:36.181 --> 01:07:41.964
[SPEAKER_01]: He is polished, like he's relatively more polished and he can step in and contribute from day one.

01:07:43.804 --> 01:07:44.905
[SPEAKER_01]: But at the same time,

01:07:46.415 --> 01:08:03.359
[SPEAKER_01]: When Kurt agreed to come back, they did talk about, like, you know, saying, hey, they do want to also be able to set the franchise up to be competitive even after he leaves, after stuff leaves, right?

01:08:03.419 --> 01:08:09.401
[SPEAKER_01]: So like, I think there is a willingness to kind of move away from, not necessarily move away.

01:08:09.441 --> 01:08:12.922
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, these last couple of years don't even, he has taken, like, players,

01:08:14.482 --> 01:08:17.585
[SPEAKER_01]: ready to compete now and a lot of them are like third or fourth year players.

01:08:19.606 --> 01:08:39.964
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just I think in this draft class, the younger prospects, the ones who are one in Duns, the ones who played two years, they've already shown a certain level of consistency, where even if they are considered like long term, like they have more room to grow, what they are already, they can contribute from day one.

01:08:40.905 --> 01:08:42.206
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think that's kind of why like

01:08:43.500 --> 01:08:48.282
[SPEAKER_01]: It's not like a lock that Yaxle would be the pick at 11.

01:08:48.723 --> 01:08:49.843
[SPEAKER_01]: But I definitely understand it.

01:08:49.963 --> 01:08:52.965
[SPEAKER_01]: And if that's the direction they want to go, that's cool.

01:08:53.325 --> 01:09:00.768
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just, I do think there is now some sentiment from, you know, people in the organization that like, this is who you're getting.

01:09:01.589 --> 01:09:03.009
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, this is it.

01:09:03.109 --> 01:09:07.271
[SPEAKER_01]: They're saying like, yeah, I don't, I think, and that's not a knock on him.

01:09:07.451 --> 01:09:08.152
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just, I think,

01:09:09.497 --> 01:09:23.205
[SPEAKER_01]: I think ideally they would want someone who has the ability to truly be a starter on a good team, not like a guy who's destined to be like, you know, a career six man, which again is not a bad thing.

01:09:23.265 --> 01:09:32.891
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's a lot of players would be fortunate to have that outcome, but I think here I think they see there are a lot of appealing options that potentially offer more than that.

01:09:33.432 --> 01:09:38.475
[SPEAKER_00]: So everyone who's kind of mocked to be in that spot, everyone's available, you would

01:09:39.705 --> 01:09:42.108
[SPEAKER_00]: for the warriors.

01:09:43.930 --> 01:09:44.871
[SPEAKER_01]: I probably would go Mara.

01:09:45.171 --> 01:09:45.972
[SPEAKER_01]: I would go Mara.

01:09:46.212 --> 01:09:55.182
[SPEAKER_01]: I am like if I've been on the record of the Michigan guys, I have Mara Morris, Johnson, Jr. and then Yaxel.

01:09:56.563 --> 01:09:59.427
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think just more as again, like he

01:10:00.525 --> 01:10:09.910
[SPEAKER_01]: hate to be a prisoner of the moment, but you see the spurs, you see the next, you see the pistons, you see the Celtics, like why don't we have bigs like that?

01:10:10.110 --> 01:10:22.797
[SPEAKER_00]: Right, you know, so like, but then the flip side is I think people still have people maybe still waking up in a nightmarish sweats on the idea that James, who I've been months of earlier.

01:10:24.218 --> 01:10:29.465
[SPEAKER_01]: True, true, but you know, I mean, like I said, right, you're not supposed to draft in fear.

01:10:29.505 --> 01:10:40.520
[SPEAKER_01]: You're supposed to take what you learned from those missteps, so yeah, I would, I would totally be happy with any of those guys, but again, those guard prospects.

01:10:42.230 --> 01:10:44.131
[SPEAKER_01]: are extremely intriguing.

01:10:44.491 --> 01:10:47.733
[SPEAKER_01]: Like I would not be mad if they went with any of those guys.

01:10:47.753 --> 01:10:50.895
[SPEAKER_01]: They also brought in Cameron Carr from Baylor.

01:10:50.995 --> 01:10:54.998
[SPEAKER_01]: He did not hold a media availability yesterday, but he was part of the workout.

01:10:55.978 --> 01:10:58.420
[SPEAKER_01]: Cameron Carr is like a six six guard wing.

01:10:59.180 --> 01:11:01.742
[SPEAKER_01]: I think he has like a seven, seven, one, wingspan.

01:11:03.402 --> 01:11:06.644
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, knocked down shooter, very athletic.

01:11:06.905 --> 01:11:07.125
[SPEAKER_01]: Like,

01:11:08.220 --> 01:11:13.043
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, these are the types of guys they've tried to get, but they haven't, right?

01:11:13.563 --> 01:11:18.746
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, you know, it's a lot easier to draft them than just try trade from, you know, so.

01:11:21.650 --> 01:11:23.371
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll see it'll it'll be interesting.

01:11:23.831 --> 01:11:28.934
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like again, there could be some opportunities for them to come out of the draft with two of these guys.

01:11:28.954 --> 01:11:42.401
[SPEAKER_01]: Because I think some, like, you know, guys, like, okay, see they don't really have the room to bring in two more rookies, you know, some of the other teams to drafting in the late teens in the early 20s.

01:11:42.441 --> 01:11:49.244
[SPEAKER_01]: So there could be an opportunity for the warriors to trade back just a little bit, still get the guy that they want and pick up an additional asset.

01:11:50.465 --> 01:12:02.607
[SPEAKER_00]: So we'll see, all right, remind people where they can find you where they can find your writing, where they can find your tweets, where they can find other podcasts that you're on, all that stuff.

01:12:03.428 --> 01:12:09.009
[SPEAKER_01]: As always, you can find me on Twitter at CP3 under score 777 and at the top profile.

01:12:09.329 --> 01:12:14.570
[SPEAKER_01]: You'll see the links to like all the things I'm involved with, but just in the like this upcoming

01:12:20.171 --> 01:12:25.892
[SPEAKER_01]: at the center hub underscore bb and there you'll see like the link to our substack.

01:12:25.912 --> 01:12:27.913
[SPEAKER_01]: So I have a couple like my draft e-vails.

01:12:28.653 --> 01:12:30.653
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll be writing about Hans Steinbach.

01:12:31.074 --> 01:12:33.714
[SPEAKER_01]: He actually came in and worked out for the Warriors yesterday.

01:12:33.734 --> 01:12:36.295
[SPEAKER_01]: He's a German center who played at the University of Washington.

01:12:36.755 --> 01:12:39.195
[SPEAKER_01]: So my e-vail for him will be up probably tomorrow.

01:12:40.256 --> 01:12:42.316
[SPEAKER_01]: And then all my Valkyries coverage,

01:12:50.559 --> 01:12:53.241
[SPEAKER_01]: L. A. Phoenix Connecticut.

01:12:53.682 --> 01:12:54.963
[SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, check it out.

01:12:55.784 --> 01:12:56.044
[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

01:12:56.104 --> 01:12:59.047
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you again for subbing for Brian.

01:12:59.588 --> 01:13:04.993
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, we'll we'll get you back on at some point quickly in the near future.

01:13:05.013 --> 01:13:07.996
[SPEAKER_00]: I think people enjoy your analysis of this team.

01:13:09.057 --> 01:13:13.422
[SPEAKER_00]: And like we said, like there's some really, really good.

01:13:14.042 --> 01:13:25.430
[SPEAKER_00]: like litmus test games for the valkyries to really see where they're going to position themselves and it starts tonight against the links and then you got to go back to Vegas on Sunday.

01:13:25.450 --> 01:13:32.695
[SPEAKER_00]: And so back to back you got two really, really excellent teams that they have to fight through.

01:13:32.735 --> 01:13:33.495
[SPEAKER_00]: So it'll be interesting.

01:13:33.515 --> 01:13:39.380
[SPEAKER_00]: And I love watching it because it's like so cool to see how this young team kind of

01:13:40.240 --> 01:13:54.281
[SPEAKER_00]: comes up against the adversity of these really good teams and you know so far it's kind of like they're close but they're they haven't been able to topple them them really and when they finally do when they finally get some of these wins against these guys I think it'll be

01:13:55.202 --> 01:13:56.643
[SPEAKER_00]: I think fans will be pretty excited.

01:13:56.663 --> 01:13:57.423
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm rooting for it.

01:13:57.643 --> 01:14:01.246
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll see if we can get a couple against these really good teams.

01:14:01.286 --> 01:14:06.208
[SPEAKER_00]: They've figured out how to play well against the liberty, but the liberty is also really hot right now.

01:14:06.268 --> 01:14:11.411
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm sure we'll not be the same game as it was last time.

01:14:13.032 --> 01:14:13.373
[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

01:14:13.853 --> 01:14:15.374
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks again, Konrado.

01:14:15.794 --> 01:14:19.256
[SPEAKER_00]: So for Konrado, I am WG.

01:14:19.336 --> 01:14:20.777
[SPEAKER_00]: We will see you when we see you.

01:14:21.277 --> 01:14:22.558
[SPEAKER_00]: Peace out.