South Carolina women's basketball: Gamecocks in the WNBA - Week 2

Zia Cooke is playing the best basketball of her professional career, and Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso are ruling the paint. Catch up on all the Gamecocks in the WNBA.

Atlanta Dream (4-1)
Allisha Gray
5 games (5 starts), 34.7 mpg, 21.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.8 bpg
vs Dallas (86-69 win): 34 minutes*, 16 points, 4 rebounds, assist, steal, block
vs Phoenix (82-80 win): 36 minutes*, 18 points, rebound, steal

Madina Okot
5 games, 10.0 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg
vs Dallas (86-69 win): 8 minutes, 5 rebounds, block
vs Phoenix (82-80 win): 7 minutes, 2 rebounds

Te-Hina Paopao
5 games (1 start), 19.4 mpg, 7.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, 40.0 3P%
vs Dallas (86-69 win): 13 minutes, 9 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3-3 3PT
vs Phoenix (82-80 win): 14 minutes, 3 points, 2 assists, rebound, 1-1 3PT

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Okot took her rookie lumps last week, but that happens. After starting the season 0-7 from three, Paopao is now shooting 40% as one of Atlanta’s top reserves. Gray’s numbers are down a little from last season, but that is because the retooling Atlanta did in the offseason has given her more help. She’ll gladly take having the best record in the league over scoring 20 points every night.

This week:
Wednesday, May 27 at Minnesota (9:00 ET, USA)
Friday, May 29 at Portland (10:00 ET, Ion/League Pass)

Chicago Sky (3-3)
Kamilla Cardoso
6 games (6 starts), 26.1 mpg, 14.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 2.0 apg
vs Dallas (99-89 loss): 33 minutes*, 24 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, block
vs Minnesota (85-75 loss): 23 minutes, 17 points, 7 rebounds, steal, 9-9 FTs

It was a good news, bad news week for Chicago. The good news is that Cardoso is averaging career highs and nearly a double-double. The bad news is that the Sky is 0-2 since Rickea Jackson was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

This week:
Wednesday, May 27 vs Toronto (8:00 ET, League Pass)
Friday, May 29 vs Minnesota (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)

Golden State Valkyries (3-2)
Laeticia Amihere
5 games, 15.0 mpg, 5.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 bpg
at New York (87-70 win): 13 minutes, 5 points, 8 rebounds, steal
at Indiana (90-82 loss): 11 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, assist

The Valkyries may not be sure what Amihere will give them from game to game, but she always seems to be productive. Not everyone can be a superstar, and Amihere seems to have found a home and a role.

This week:
Monday, May 25 vs Connecticut (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Thursday, May 28 vs Indiana (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime
Sunday, May 32 vs Las Vegas (3:30 ET, NBC)

Indiana Fever (4-2)
Aliyah Boston
5 games (5 starts), 24.1 mpg, 16.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.8 bpg
vs Portland (90-73 win): 21 minutes*, 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, block
vs Golden State (90-82 win): 29 minutes, 20 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Bree Hall (Developmental player)
Has not appeared in a game
vs Portland (90-73 win): Inactive
vs Golden State (90-82 win): Inactive

Tyasha Harris
6 games (1 start), 12.5 mpg, 2.2 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
vs Portland (90-73 win): 29 minutes*, 7 assists, 2 steals, rebound
vs Golden State (90-82 win): 2 minutes, no stats

Raven Johnson
6 games, 12.5 mpg, 3.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.3 apg
vs Portland (90-73 win): 22 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, assist, block
vs Golden State (90-82 win): 15 minutes, 7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

After missing the first game of her college or pro career, Boston returned with back-to-back 20-point games and tied her career-high with 16 rebounds against Golden State. It took an absence for Indiana to remember how important she is, apparently.

Harris started against Portland when Caitlin Clark was unavailable, but it still seems the Fever is transitioning to Johnson as the primary backup point guard after trying to split the role between Harris and Johnson for the first few games.

This week:
Thursday, May 28 at Golden State (10:00 ET, Amazon Prime)
Saturday, May 30 at Portland (8:00 ET, CBS)

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Las Vegas Aces (4-2)
A’ja Wilson
6 games (6 starts), 28.9 mpg, 24.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 bpg, 1.0 spg
vs Los Angeles (101-95 loss): 35 minutes*, 24 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals

The Aces only played one game last week, and Wilson somehow had a quiet game despite a dominant stat line. Las Vegas is 0-2 at home this season, losing following their ring ceremony and banner raising. Fortunately for them, the Aces are likely done honoring last year’s championship.

This week:
Thursday, May 28 at Dallas (8:00 ET, Amazon Prime)
Sunday, May 31 at Golden State (3:30 ET, NBC)

Los Angeles Sparks (3-3)
Sania Feagin
1 game, 3.0 mpg, no stats
at Phoenix (97-88 win): DNP – Left leg
at Las Vegas (101-95 win): DNP – Left leg

Ta’Niya Latson
3 games, 2.9 mpg, 0.7 ppg, 0.3 rpg
at Phoenix (97-88 win): DNP-CD
at Las Vegas (101-95 win): DNP-CD

Neither former Gamecock played last week. Feagin is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury. The Sparks are trying to convert Latson to point guard, and after a rocky start, she has fallen out of the rotation.

This week:
Friday, May 29 at Washington (7:30 ET, Ion/League Pass)
Saturday, May 30 at Connecticut (6:00 ET, League Pass)

Seattle Storm (3-4)
Zia Cooke
6 games, 19.5 mpg, 12.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.7 apg
vs Connecticut (80-78 loss): 19 minutes, 10 points, 4 rebounds, assist, steal
vs Connecticut (77-59 win): 24 minutes, 25 points, 5 rebounds, assist, steal
vs Washington (97-85 win): 17 minutes, 10 points, 2 assists, rebound

Cooke averaged 4.8 points as a rookie, then her average decreased each season after. Until now. Cooke had 11 career double-digit scoring games coming into the season, with eight as a rookie. She already has five this season, including four in a row. Cooke has set a new career-high twice this season and had her first game of 20 points or more. Seattle has taken advantage of a week schedule to start the season, but at least they are winning some games.

This week:
Wednesday, May 27 vs Washington (10:00 ET, League Pass)
Saturday, May 30, at Toronto (1:00 ET, League Pass)

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