This 25th anniversary WNBA season has been filled with ups and downs and the rookies haven’t been highlighted as they should. What do i mean by that?: they haven’t gotten as many minutes as they deserve. You ask how are they suppose to get better? Well, by playing them they’ll get better and learn from the vets. Not sure why the coaches haven’t given them the chance to play. This collaboration is not about stats or ranks is more about getting to know the rookies. The BWS family will break down the rookie of the year for you all.
Penny – Dana Evans
Lookin’ good in that 💙, @Danaaakianaaa #skytown pic.twitter.com/Y1bTsMCLF4
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) June 3, 2021
My rookie of the year is Dana Evans drafted 13th overall in this year’s draft. Was picked up by the Dallas Wings. The 5’6 guard has seen few minutes during her early W career, however, she got traded to the Chicago Sky in the middle of the season for fellow rookie Shyla Heal. Getting picked up by the Sky was the best thing to happen to Evans. She is getting more opportunities to showcase her talents.
You can see her personality on the court and her passion for basketball. Seeing her smile is everything. Evans went from playing 4 minutes with Dallas to 7 minutes with Chicago. Let’s talk about Evans’s weapon which is her shooting ability. Plus she gets to learn from of the best to ever do it, Courtney Vandersloot. To be a sponge and take notes from Sloot has to be a blessing. Dana has a bright future in the W and my prediction, she is going to be an all-star in this league. Her personality + game = longevity. Let’s all root for the shorties in the game.
Chris – Rennia Davis
If there is one thing sports fans from Duval County are familiar with it’s losing. Rennia Davis probably felt right at home as the Lynx opened the season 0-4. Projected to get drafted in the top 5 in this year’s draft, Davis fell to No. 9. When she finally makes her WNBA debut she will be an asset defensively off the bench for Minnesota, but until then she gets to learn the game from some great vets like Sylvia Fowles and Kayla McBride.
Aislyn – Destiny Slocum
One up-and-coming rookie that I adore is Destiny Slocum. She is currently the only active rookie for the Aces and is a special part of this year’s Aces squad. If you are a huge women’s college basketball fan-like me- then you probably recognize her name from Maryland, Oregon State, or more recently Arkansas. I really love Slocum’s game because you can tell how knowledgeable she is about basketball when she is on the court.
Playing five years of college basketball may have contributed to this but when you see her on the court she looks more experienced than being just a rookie. Don’t forget to guard her when she’s on the court because Slocum is a shooter and phenomenal at shooting the 3. Not only does she have game on the court, but off of the court as well. You can catch her in her fire attire before the games and it is shown on the Las Vegas Aces social media. I mean how can you not like Destiny Slocum?
Thomas – Aari McDonald
ROTY. PERIODT. pic.twitter.com/PKPjDTsVXr
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) May 27, 2021
Like any rookie, they watch and learn from their experienced teammates to advance their game. Aari McDonald has had an up-and-down season this year. In some games, the guard showed shooting that helped Arizona to their first NCAA National Championship appearance. In others, McDonald’s looked timider on the floor, thinking twice before shooting, causing turnovers, or failing to win one-on-one matchups.
The WNBA game still looks fast to Aari. Over time that will need to change to keep McDonald’s spot in the league and it’s possible. If McDonald learns the confidence to attack the basket like Chennedy Carter or take a shot at a moment’s notice, like Courtney Williams, she’ll wreak havoc on defenders.
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