The Las Vegas Aces are not a championship team anymore and we need to accept that
This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time. Hope you’re having a good week so far.
I’m saying it right here and now: The WNBA is going to have a new champion this season.
Any hope for a three-peat should’ve faded on Tuesday night when the buzzer sounded and the Aces lost 93-90 against the Wings.
That loss alone isn’t ending their season. Vegas is still a playoff team and — according to the standings — the 5th best team in the W. But, whew boy, it doesn’t feel like that, does it?
Since returning from the Olympic break the Aces are 2-4. Their only two wins have come over the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Sparks — two teams below .500. Three of those four losses are against the Lynx (twice) and New York Liberty, both championship-contending teams. The eye test tells you that Vegas isn’t anywhere close to the level of its best competition.
The numbers tell you that, too. Vegas’ point differential this season is a paltry +3.8, according to ESPN’s data. That’s a solid range for an upstart playoff team. It’s good enough to get to the big dance but not good enough to win it all.
READ MORE: The Aces are failing A’ja Wilson during her MVP caliber season
It’s a long way away from last season when the Aces’ +12.5 point differential was the best in the league. It’s much closer to 2019’s +3.4 when the Aces were a semifinal out. But, honestly, this team doesn’t feel good enough to make it to the semis.
Obviously, any team with A’ja Wilson on it should theoretically have a shot. But the rest of this team is not playing up to the standard. Kelsey Plum’s 14.7 PER is her lowest since 2019. Jackie Young’s 56 percent true shooting mark is a long way away from the 65 percent clip she shot at last season. Chelsea Gray has been slowly returning to form since coming back from injury. The rest of this team just kind of isn’t working defensively.
The reality is this: The Aces are a good team. But good isn’t good enough when you’ve got three other teams (and maybe a fourth if Seattle acts right) playing for championships.
A’ja Wilson is the best player in the league. But the weight of carrying a team in this league at this time is a little too much for anyone to bear. And that’s a shame. It would’ve been nice to see some history made.
The closing window
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The NCAA may be delivering some power back into the hands of college football coaches and teams next spring.
The NCAA’s FBS and FCS oversight committees are recommending that the sport move to having just a single 30-day transfer window in December, according to ESPN.
As things currently stand, the transfer window is 45 days long, with 30 coming in December through January after conference title games and another during a 15-day window in April.
The committees recommended these changes in the name of “roster stability.” Nearly 4,000 names entered the transfer portal in 2024, with nearly 1,200 of those names entering during the April window, according to 24/7 Sports. The thinking is that this might cull some player movement.
But I wonder if there’s a chance it does a bit more damage. Since the window will only be during bowl season, we may run into a scenario where a key player decides they want out and makes that move ahead of an important game. That’s why that April window was key — it gave the athletes who were thinking about leaving a bit more flexibility when doing so.
The NCAA had better hope that it doesn’t regret this. I think it just might.
Naomi’s moment
Naomi Osaka hasn’t really looked like herself on the tennis court since returning from her hiatus. She’s shown us glimpses of the player who was once the No. 1 player in the world, but they’ve typically been few and far between.
She was back again on Tuesday when she dominated No. 10 seed Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 at the U.S. Open, giving Osaka her first top-10 win in over four years.
After the match, Osaka just let the emotions flow. She teared up after the win. Rightfully so.
Naomi Osaka in tears after her win over Ostapenko at US Open tells you all you need to know.
Last year, she was dreaming of coming back to this place, but said she didn’t know if she could.
Today, she has her answer.
What a journey. What a player.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 27, 2024
Just two weeks ago, Osaka said, “I don’t feel like I’m in my body” when playing. She couldn’t do things that once felt routine for her. She didn’t directly question whether she belonged, but you could tell the question was there.
On Tuesday, that question was answered. She still belongs. At her best, she can still beat the best. That’s great news for us and bad news for the field at the U.S. Open.
READ MORE: This is the best version of Naomi Osaka we’ve ever seen
Quick hits: The Caution list … So much for technology … and more
— Here’s Robert Zeglinski with a potential fantasy football bust on all 32 teams
— Andrew Joseph explains why the NFL won’t actually be using automated first-down technology this season.
— Charles Curtis ranks the new Dairy Queen fall Blizzard offerings. Yum.
— LeBron James refuses to let Bronny call him “Dad” on the court. Here’s Andrew Joseph.
— Five fantasy football players who will become household names this season, from Blake Schuster.
— Here are Christian D’Andrea’s five most interesting players from cut-down day in the NFL.
That’s a wrap, folks. Let’s do this again tomorrow. Peace!
-Sykes