It's the first full week of WNBA action post-All-Star game, and teams are kicking it into high gear as the playoff race begins.
3 highlights from the WNBA this week:
New York signs International MVP Emma Messeman: Belgium's Emma Messeman just helped her national team to gold at the EuroBasket tournament, but she's been an impact player for years. She won Finals MVP when the Washington Mystics won a championship in 2019, and despite opting to not play in the WNBA over the past few seasons, instantly changes the dynamic of any roster. When there was buzz that Messeman was thinking of making a return stateside, New York, Minnesota and Phoenix rose as suitors for her to sign with. In the end, she chose New York because of the existing relationships she has with players like Natasha Cloud, Breanna Stewart, coach Sandy Brondello and more. Her addition to the Liberty roster just adds to their championship caliber and bolsters their position as repeat favorites.
Paige Bueckers has yet to score below 10 points in a game: The rookie made her WNBA All-Star debut this past weekend as a starter, and in recent weeks, has surged to the top of Rookie of the Year conversations. The No. 1 Overall draft pick is averaging 18.2 points per game for her Dallas Wings, displaying her mature basketball IQ and skills on the court. One fun fact about the season Bueckers is having is that she has scored at least 10 points every time she has played. She has double-digits in every contest she's been available for in her rookie season. She made her presence known in Saturday's All-Star Game by making the first basket of the game, which also happened to be the first-ever 4-point shot — a fun addition the league made for All-Star weekend.
Caitlin Clark's scans showed "no sign of further injury": Another young player who was meant to start in the All-Star Game, but couldn't, was Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever star aggravated her groin last week, causing her to miss the Fever's final game before the All-Star break. Shortly after, it was announced Clark would miss both the 3-Point contest and the game itself during All-Star celebrations in Indianapolis. She then missed Tuesday's game in New York, and was seen and evaluated by doctors on the team's road trip. On Thursday, the Fever announced that those evaluations showed no further damage or injury to pre-existing injuries, but Clark would be out for the foreseeable future. There is no timeline on her return to the court as she continues to rehab that groin injury in Indiana. While it's good news no serious injury was found, it will be a test of patience now as the only thing Clark can do is wait until her body heals.
2 games to watch this weekend:
Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty: Friday, July 25, 7:30 p.m.
Two teams that have been battling for second place in the WNBA standings will meet in a Friday night battle. There is no word yet on if Emma Messeman will be available for New York, but the Liberty have Jonquel Jones back from injury, which is a huge help to their offense and defense. While the Liberty currently have a 1.5 game lead over the Mercury for that 2nd place spot, growing that to a 3.5 game lead would be just what the Liberty want ahead of a slew of games against the Minnesota Lynx in the coming weeks.
Dallas Wings vs Golden State Valkyries: Friday, July 25, 10 p.m.
Fresh off her All-Star debut, Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings won a great game against the Seattle Storm. The best thing for them right now would be to stack up some wins and attempt to climb in the standings. Their next game is Friday against the Valkyries, and it could go either way. While the fact that the game is in San Francisco, and the Valkyries "Ballhalla" is one of the best home courts in the league, the Wings can use the momentum they gained on Tuesday to help them soar. Golden State on the other hand are 1.5 games out form the sixth place ranking in the WNBA, and every win for them will help them secure that playoff berth in their first franchise season.
1 WNBA story to watch: The Trade Deadline approaches
While the WNBA Trade Deadline is not as big of a deal as its NBA counterpart, it has risen in significance over the past few years. Teams are more likely to make mid-season moves these days, just based on the fast-paced environment of the league and the freedom players have to make their own decisions in the offseason.
The Trade Deadline is on Aug. 7, and it would not be shocking to see some transactions go down before the clock strikes. Teams will be throwing around trade assets and player rights, especially as the expansion of the league with two new teams will affect next year's season greatly. There is also the fact that about 80 percent of the league will be unrestricted free agents after this season, so stakes are low for trading personnel.
Teams may opt to cash-in on "rental" players (players on expiring contracts) if they think they could impact their teams in the playoffs. Minnesota continues to be a team to monitor in that regard, just knowing they opted to go that route last season and pick up Myisha Hines-Allen. Now that New York has made the move to sign Emma Messeman, the Lynx may be more motivated to play their hand a little as well in an attempt to match the Liberty's moves.