Breaking down A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and every WNBA 40-point scorer in 2023

first 50 point game of her career. Congrats are in order to Asia Wilson, that girl. This is one of the greatest players of all time and she's just starting to play, which is crazy. Run the Tape is presented by AT&T 5G. Welcome to another edition of Run the Tape. I'm pumped to be joined by my colleague and friend, Andrea Carter, and y'all, we are getting into the 40 point games because the 40 pointers are hot as this tea this season, okay? I love this cup so much I've rubbed the logo off. But anyway, you gotta know this, there have been 22 40 point games in WNBA history, three in a single season was sort of the high. This year, Dre, we're already at 10 with games left to be played. Yeah, it's unbelievable, Monica. There are 10 40 point games is more than the previous 12 seasons combined. In the last 12 seasons total, we've had nine 40 point games in the WNBA. So to already have 10 before the season's even over, before the playoffs has started, has been so much fun to watch. The way these players are competing, the way they're getting buckets, it has been incredible. All right, and so I'm glad to have you with me because we gotta do a little philosophy on what made this year such an incredible breakout. But before we get into our think tank on that, let's get to the tape. And we have to start with the player with not one, not two, but three 40 pieces in this season. And that would be the Liberties on Branis Tua. I think the most fantastic thing about Brianna Stewart and the numbers that she's been able to put up is the fact that it's on a new team, with new teammates, with a new head coach. So when you think about someone going to an entirely new organization and being able to put up big time performances, it is a testament to one, her skillset, right? Her length, how smooth she is, how composed she is, how patient she is, her basketball IQ, the way she reads defense. She read the defense, whether they were switching, whether they were crowding her space, whether they're going under, going over, she read the defense like she was reading a children's book just with complete ease, like reading her ABCs. But it's also a testament to her teammates. It's a testament to her coaches for being able to create an offense where Brianna Stewart can thrive and everyone continues feeding her the basketball. That's also the best part about these 40 point performances is the way the teams find the hot hand. Come on now, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Keep going to your teammate. I love the point about the new team though, Dre, because there was so much made about the firepower on this Liberty roster. John Paul Jones, Brianna Stewart, Benaji Lane, Sabrina Inescu, and they have really figured out a way to make it work, especially post the All-Star break. But as you mentioned, of the three 40 point games, to me, it's gotta be game one, 45, versus the Fever to open the season. That is still sort of the most impressive just because of the sheer rawness of that roster. And it was like, oh wow, is this what the Liberty are in for this season? And it absolutely was an omen for what's to come as she's having an MVP style year. Also too, let's not forget, two of those 40 point performances were also just casually coupled with 12 rebounds. So you're getting 40 points and you're getting 12 rebounds, just dominating both ends of the floor. It's been really fun to watch Brianna Stewart as a New York Liberty superstar. Yeah, and then I know we're talking about her scoring, but let's not forget, she's also averaging one and a half block and steal this season as well. So she's figuring out a way to play defense for Sandy Brandello and company. All right, that's three of them. We still got seven more to get into. So let's keep this thing rolling. And we're going to one of the younger 40 point performers, an all-star this year by the commissioner selection to injury. And that will be Ryan Howard in Atlanta. And I gotta say, because I was one of those people that was kind of like, hmm, I like this young lady. I can see the talent. I have some questions about maybe the translation to the WNBA game. And of course last year, being rookie of the year silenced that. But this year, a 40 point only continues to build on who she can be in this league. Yeah, it's incredible. You know, so many people were talking about Ryan Howard and her motor, right? Going into the WNBA, what's her motor going to look like? And the thing about Ryan is she has a constant motor. She is constantly hunting shots. She is constantly looking for opportunities to score the basketball, to get her teammates involved. It doesn't have to be these explosive bursts of speed all the time for her to dominate the game. And my favorite thing about her game this season is head coach Tanisha Wright challenged her to get even more in her bag. So yes, catch and shoot, we know she is an absolute sniper from beyond the arc. We know that. But now you're seeing some more spins. You're seeing one foot fades. You're seeing bump and fades. You're seeing crossovers. You're seeing a little bit more of Ryan Howard and her bag. I love the way Atlanta plays. They're a fast paced team. They like to get up and down the floor. And I think with Ryan dropping 40 in her second year in the league is just a little glimpse of what we're going to see from her in the future because she can flat out score. I don't know what it is about her shot. If it's her hand, if it's the release, if it's how soft it is, if it's the backspin, I don't know what it is, but the ball goes up and every time it goes up, I think it's going in. She's just that type of sport. To me, she's such a rhythm player, right? Like we'll get into some of these a little bit later on, folks don't necessarily feel I'm using the three point ball or killing it in the paint, but Ryan is such a rhythm player. It doesn't matter the spot. It matters if she's in rhythm because she's gonna figure out a way to put the ball in the basket. No, that's such a good point. And speaking of being in rhythm, that 43 point performance was on 14 of 20 from the field. So it's not even like she's efficient with it. 70% from the field as a guard when you put up at least 40 points, it is remarkable. The point you made about being in rhythm is so good for Ryan because in the games where she struggled, it's just been a rhythm thing. That is 100%. When she is in rhythm, she is on point. Yeah, and I think though, as we talk about Ryan in rhythm, you mentioned that game, the efficiency, but it was also nine of nine from the free throw. And so if Ryan, this is when you know Ryan's not in rhythm. She can't, she's not at the free throw line. Cause that means she's somewhere waiting or standing. You know what I mean? Like if she's getting to the line, she's seeing that ball going from the free throw line, then everything else starts to open up. Good stuff, Dre. I love this. You're the right person for this job. It's so much fun. Now I'm just like repicturing Ryan and like her hesitations and the way she changes speeds and the way she keeps defense off balance. And that's what sometimes leads to those fouls. It's just, it's great basketball, Manny. It's great basketball. All right, let's get to an OG on this list who is no stranger to performances that turn our head. In fact, this particular player dropped 40 plus, it was 42 officially, in the game that also made her, well, she was already the GOAT in terms of scoring in the league, but gave her a beautiful round number of 10,000 points scored and that'll be the one and only Diana Tauravi, who I remember we had the game, we didn't have the game on our air for work, but we had the game prior when she needed 27, I think. So why not just round it up to a nice 42? Yeah, and it's been like, since that performance, I feel like they've been on a bit of a heater, like offensively, the entire team is shooting the ball better. She's shooting the ball better from a field goal percentage standpoint. And it's like, once she is hot and on fire, it ignites everyone on that team. It's so much fun to watch. You mentioned her being an OG, being a veteran, and still having that significant of an impact on her teammates and their confidence level and their performance level. Just think of how inspiring that is, right? To what I can only imagine if I'm on that team and I watch Diana Tauravi put up 42 points and make it look easy and effortless. It's like, oh, I have to give my all for this person because she is giving her all for me and for this team night in and night out. The inspirational value of that kind of performance for that team, a team that has been struggling, was huge. Yeah, definitely. I agree with you on that one. All right, let's keep this thing rolling. We're going Jule Lloyd. Yes, because Jule, 41 points when the Storm played the Lynx. And the thing about Jule, I know the percentages are going to be a little bit off because of how many shots she has to take for her team to be successful. She has to. I had some of Seattle's first games of the season and I was like, the first question I asked Jule was what is your physical conditioning like? Because everyone knew that she was going to have to work and put up shots and get buckets and depend on the other end. So yes, she puts up 41 points on a ton of shots, but the degree of difficulty, Manny, on some of the shots that she has to take. Over two players, off of one foot, with the shot clock winding down, with no time left, with the game on the line. Like if there was a statistic or degree of difficulty, there probably is at this point, it's 2023. Jule Lloyd's degree of difficulty in terms of mechanics and in terms of time and score and situation, unbelievable. She has to score so many one-on-one, one-on-two baskets to put up 41 points and continue the effort that it takes to put the ball in the basket for her team, it's remarkable. You know, we just talked a little bit about Phoenix and you probably could put Seattle in that same sort of bucket as the team trying to work it out, right? It's been a major shift of the Seattle of old, obviously Stewie's in New York. Jule is truly the centerpiece, but you know what that organization is doing, and I know this is a little bit sidebar, Azeem Magomagor being a first-time All-Star this year, the productivity there. I think Jordan Hurston, I think she's had a solid year as a rookie. So there are things to me that are very promising with the Seattle squad around Jule Lloyd, obviously. They've been in a ton of close games, doesn't always necessarily pan out, although they've gotten a few here lately on the back half of the WNBA season. But I agree with you, not only the scoring load, but also just the leadership load that Jule Lloyd is now having to navigate. Not that she's not up to the challenge, but there's a lot on her shoulders. She's a competitor, as is Noel Quinn and the rest of that squad. And so you go from winning championships, literally, to fighting and clawing for wins, and you still have to be the catalyst as far as scoring and keeping everybody on the same track moving forward. Yeah, it was special too. You know, Sue Bird, I was there for her Jersey retirement ceremony, and Sue Bird spoke to how special it's been to watch Jule lead this team this season. I love that. And I just think that when you have a leader, as Sue Bird is, if you're gonna put one word on her, you could say goat, of course, but Sue Bird is a true leader, like a leader of people. And she spoke to Jule and her leadership, and I've seen it. Like, I mean, I watched Seattle when they were down, I don't even know the total number, to Washington, and then fought back in that game. And I've seen Jule positive in huddles and when things are struggling and they've gone four minutes without scoring and she goes over and chats with Noel Quinn just to figure out what they wanna do. And she's not rolling her eyes. She's not throwing her hands up. She's not, you know what I mean? Like, there's not a level of frustration that maybe even if she feels it internally, cause she is a competitor, like you said, it's not showing outwardly. And I think that is a true testament to the leader she is, to her maturity, because Noel Quinn said, she was like, last year and years before, if Jule was struggling, we could just put her on the bench and let her collect herself and go back on the floor. Now Jule has to work through those rough patches first, out there on the floor while also leading the rest of the team. And that's new for her as well. So I think in terms of everything that Jule is handling, for her to put up 41 points, make history again, in a historical season for the W already, has been really cool. Yeah, I definitely agree with you on that one. Now, one of her, since I teased it already, she had 39 in this game, but Enrique Aguilera for the wings, who actually, I've been really impressed with this season, and not just because of Enrique, but I liked what they got going with the Twin Towers thing. I think Latricia Trammell has done a really good job with that group. Their defense is something that you cannot sneeze at. Obviously, they got Satu Sabu, who also is the first time all-star. But let's talk about Enrique, because we know Enrique is certified bucket getter. And this particular game versus the Storm was so much fun. Yeah, can we give a quick shout out to Notre Dame? Because Jule, Enrique, going at it. Like, that was just, hey, what a special moment for Notre Dame. The thing that's really cool about Enrique is also the degree of difficulty and how she is able to get her shot off, off of the dribble. You have to think, Enrique's listed at 5'8". So it's not like she's got the greatest vision to see over defenders that are on her. When the defense engages in traps, when they engage in hard hedges, she is able to create so much space off the bounce. And she has such a quick trigger. My favorite part, Bonnie, was at the WNBA All-Star Game when Enrique was like, yeah, I genuinely don't think anybody can guard me. And I was like, yeah, we don't either, for the most part. Like, who can? And there are so many players that I've talked to this season about Enrique, and all of them say, going to make tough shots. Like, you can't even get Matt because she's going to make tough shots, whether it's a side step, whether it's a step back, whether it's a one foot off the inside out, falling away from the basket. Now, as a defender, you just have to let those go because she's just that good. Get as hard as possible and expect her to make hard shots. And that's a quality night against Enrique. You know, and we had Atlanta and Dallas for our season opening weekend. And I gotta give coach LT a shout out because she called this to my attention. As much as we celebrate Enrique as a scorer, her assists are actually up this year. She's taking a bump in terms of being able to distribute the basketball. She's up to four and a half this year from 3.3 last year. And obviously the numbers just kind of have climbed over the course of her career. And so I think smart scores also, smart being the key word, smart scores also become really good passers, especially when they know that if I just move the ball a few times and the defense has to account for my teammates, honestly, ultimately this is going to make my job a little bit easier when it's time for me to score. And so I agree with you. I think as Enrique continues to grow and as Dallas is a team that's going to be in the post season, unless barring some crazy debacle down the stretch, I am curious about the adjustments in the post season and the nature of a series. Because to your point, right? Like, in the case of both Jewel and Enrique, but Enrique's team is in a different position. There are so many small like nuances and tweaks from game to game that I just think will be thrown at her in terms of really trying to slow her as a scorer. Now, granted, no matter what you do, the defense is always at a disadvantage and Enrique handles both left, right. You know, the crazy step back in particular going to her left, she could finish through contact. Like there's so many ways that she can score. But I do just wonder about the nature of a series in terms of the load that she bears. But Natasha Howard and Satya Savitri have been having tremendous seasons for the Wings as well. And so maybe there's not as much pressure on her in the post season as we've seen in the past. Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. Two points there. You mentioned the assists. Also, Enrique's top 10 in the league in steals. So it's not like she's only an offensive player. She's averaging just under two steals per game. So I actually think she's a little bit of an underrated defender just in terms of her hands and her activity level on that end of the floor. And then in terms of a series, you're mentioning- Time out. We love Enrique, we know that. But let's talk about this defender thing again. Cause I've been looking at this all year, right? Her timing is fantastic. Oh, I was like- Her timing is fantastic. Yes. No, no, no. I still think there's room for growth in terms of keeping people in front. Unless she gets pissed off. Agreed. Okay. That's fair. But statistically, the number speaks for itself in terms of being top 10 in the league in steals. But yes, the one-on-one defense, the one-on-one defense is where there can be a jump. But the off the ball defense, activity level and instincts there, give it to her. Okay. A hundred percent. We're on the same page. Got it. All right. I didn't say she was like a locked down one-on-one defender. Well, because obviously, and maybe we need to do another run of tape because the conversation is now coming up of like all defensive team, right? And I think it's slightly misleading just to go to stats. That makes sense. Yeah, I'll give you that. I'll give you that. Right? I mean, there's a conversation and we're going on a whole tangent. This is what happens when y'all let me talk basketball with Dre. So we're gonna get back to the 40 point games. But like, this is, you know, we coming down to awards and we gotta look and we gotta be perceptive and we gotta understand context and all the things. So it's gonna be great. Correct. All right. We're keeping it rolling with our 40 points because we are not done just yet. I remember watching this game, like, I don't know if it's because this player is so tall and shoots threes, but it was really like, wow, she just came in today. Like she is on one. And that would be Dawana Bonner who dropped 41 in June versus the Aces, y'all. Maybe that's what also made it impressive. The Aces are the defending champion, wah, wah, wah. And DB was like, that's cool. We put the basket in the ocean today. Thursday is when she dropped 41 points, five of seven from beyond the arc. I think 16 of 23 or 24 from the field, like an efficient 41 points, she was on a heater. Tuesday, she scored five points on two of nine from the field. So it's the bounce back for me that made the most, the biggest impression in terms of what Dawana Bonner was able to do. To go from scoring five points against the defending champions, flush that from your mind, reset two days later, and then dominate the game. Like they did not have an answer for Dawana Bonner. They were deep threes. She had so much confidence. And that's like true veteran leadership in my opinion, to show people, hey, you can flush that away. It doesn't matter how long you've been in the league. You could still score a career high. Dawana Bonner and Diana Taurasi showed us that. So I think that it was the bounce back for me and really leading up to that game against the Aces on the Thursday, she was shooting 25%. She was struggling from beyond the arc, could not find her stroke. She found it against the Aces, carried it up through being another all-star. I don't know if all the excitement in the off season was just about the super team. So people forgot about the sun or if we weren't quite sure what the sun would look like under Steph White, but the sun had been rolling and they are a legitimate title threat in my mind, 100%. Connecticut's been incredible. And Steph White has them flowing in terms of their old offense, Losebree Jones, their new offense that they've had to tweak. I think she's bringing out the best in AT. I think she's bringing out the best in DB. It's been really cool to watch them thrive under so many new circumstances. Also, I mean, bringing out the best in DeJanay Kingston. Like I think she's had a tremendous year in the six woman conversation. And like, you could just kind of see year three, I believe for her. Like you could just see the jump in her game just in terms of the confidence that she's playing with. She's not forcing anything. And of course it helps to be playing alongside an MVP candidate today. And this is subject to change. Today, my MVP, the day of recording this, in Alyssa Thomas. But I just think Connecticut has just, could not get enough credit for what they've been able to do this season. I can dig it. I mean, she's doing something that we have, we're talking about these 40 point performances. We could have an entire segment on Alyssa Thomas and the history that she is making solely by herself in terms of triple doubles. Like we've never seen anything like it. We will use the MVP thread though to get into our next 40 point performance. Because if she's not in your MVP conversation, clearly haven't watched the league at all this year. And that would be the reigning MVP and defensive player of the year, Asia Wilson, who dropped 40 in one of the most unique ways that one can do it. How about you tell it, Dre? I mean, she dropped 40 points for the first time ever without hitting a three pointer. No one has done that. In the history of 40 point performances, including the 10 that we have seen this season, none of them have not included a three pointer until Asia Wilson's 40 point performance against the Mystics. She was efficient. Her left-handed range, pull-up shot, when she shoots it with confidence, the way she can get it off, her quick release, she took over that game. I'm talking spins, finishes at the rim, extended left-hand finishes, a steal to get out in transition. I think that took her to 40 points. It was a steal on the defensive end into a left-handed layup going in transition. Asia Wilson would be my defensive player of the year. Definitely all defense. I'm just gonna keep circling back to this all defensive team. No, I love it. Let's do it. But Asia getting it done without hitting a three pointer. She has shown that she can knock down threes. Didn't need it for that 40 points against the Mystics. Mystics, obviously struggling with injuries. They're missing their two best interior defenders, in my opinion, Shakira Austin and Elena Deleon. And Asia took complete advantage of that in terms of her offensive production. Just was relentless in terms of getting to her spots and knocking down shots and finishing at the rim. It's easier said than done to be the type of player that is that high of a level all the time. But for Asia to just turn it around and bounce right back and say, oh yeah, here I am, in case you forgot, was really special. You're happy for players, no matter who they are. You're happy for players when they struggle and they find themselves again, or they're having a hard time and they turn it around. Because I know for me as an analyst, I want every single player, every single night to play their best. And we got one more 40 piece that we got to talk about. And it's a beautiful round number 40 piece for Kelsey Plum versus the Lynx. Now this one for Kelsey, the efficiency here also crazy. 14 of 18, girl, unconscious. 14 of 18 is wild, especially as a guard. Unconscious. Her left hand getting to the rim, it's her craftiness with her dribble and the way she's able to change speed and the way she's able to get to the basket that I absolutely love. Her quick release. One of my favorite things about Kelsey Plum with her threes is her feet don't have to move. She can catch the basketball and just go right into her shot without needing to gather, without needing a step. If you watch her feet on her threes, it's so impressive. It's like, she's like, oh, what do I have? Oh, three. It's just incredible the way she scores, the way she plays with her teammates, her crafty finishes under the rim, the cuts that she makes. When the ace's offense is flowing, there gets to be lane lines for her to cut and for her to get to the rim. And it's just, it's really cool to watch her score on the inside, knock down threes on the outside and just give that effort in that half court offense. Smart fans that have been watching, we've seen the ace's bench be depleted. But as we start turning the corner toward the back, what, slice of the season? I don't wanna put a number on it because it's the last few games. Her conditioning, like, I think Kelsey's conditioning is something that you kinda gotta know to know in terms of understanding what it feels like to play 35 plus minutes. Then I was listening to a broadcast of the aces just preparing for the next matchup with the Liberty. And the analyst and play-by-play Carolyn Peckin team, we're talking about her going to go lift weights after games. Like, the way that she has poured into her body to be prepared for the moment, whether it's 40 or otherwise, like, just so incredibly impressive. And I just don't know if that gets the credit that it's due because not everybody is doing that. Yeah, that's important. And it's especially important, you mentioned it with the pieces that the aces are missing right now. There is a lot of pressure on the starting five. I think if you're the aces, everything is now geared toward handling either the Sun or the Liberty. What that looks like, I'm not 100% sure. But without the depth and understanding, you gotta, there's that fine line between rhythm as you head into the playoffs and rest. Like, that is gonna be a tough decision for the new Hall of Fame head coach, Becky Hammond. Yeah, exactly. We're gonna put that Hall of Fame, the Hall of Fame is coming to work. Last thing, and I'm gonna let you go because this has been an excellent edition of Run the Tape. These 40-point performances, are they more about offense or defense? I think they're more about offense. Like, I definitely think they are more about these teams, one, playing at a faster pace, having more positions, the ball popping, right? That one-second rule that Coach White talks about and that all the coaches talk about, that one-second rule in terms of getting the ball out of your hand. Also, in terms of teams, knowing who has the hot hand, like I mentioned earlier. Like, I'm out here watching some of these games, especially some of the ones that I've seen in person, and it's not bad defense. Like, it's a closeout, but she's four feet beyond the three-point line, and she's just thinking of D'Vaughn O'Connor. She's four feet beyond the three-point line, and she can put the ball on the floor, so you're not gonna overrun her way out there. So you give a little closeout, chop your feet so she can make a decision, and she just knocks it down, right? Or she spins around the defense and scores over the defense. It's not like these 40-point performances, or just think about Asia Wilson against the Mystics. They were mid-range jumpers over high hands. You know, like, they're not all one-open, easy layups. They're competitive, highly skilled 40-point performances. I watched Breanna Stewart turn on the baseline and score over two trying to contest her shot. Like, it's just an elite level of shot making and an elite level of offense. If it was someone just turning and spinning for layups left and right, or the defense is breaking down and they're just driving for buckets left and right, I'd be like, oh yeah, the defense is terrible this year. But I just do not think that's the case. I think the defense is standard where it needs to be, and the offense has been elite. Watch that Liberty offense in particular, because there seems to be so many options off of every pass. And like, whether it's a team whose defense you like, they brought the defend, or a team that has lots of room to grow. They all seem to get tripped up on the same things in terms of Breanna cutting off of those screens and the way that Vanderson was able to move the basketball. Like, I'm like, mind blown by what the Liberty have been able to do on offense. And that's not even just with Stewie, but just how fluid it looks, especially after the all-star break with John Paul Jones practically averaging a double-double now. In terms of offensive weapons, when you take away plan A, plan B, we have plan C, D, and E in terms of scoring the basketball. Like, okay, you finally take away Breanna Stewart curling that screen at the elbow that seems to get left and right, but now John Paul Jones is popping and she's gonna hit you with three, right? Or you finally take away Sabrina on the handoff action, Slutty's just gonna fake it and go in for a layup. So in terms of their plays and the offense, right, you send a double team, we're gonna kick it to Maureen across the court. She's a few steps behind, but it doesn't matter because she can knock that down. So in terms of offensive weapons and offensive options, New York, to me, is in a really good position in terms of the flow that they have. Yeah, I would definitely agree with you on that, but it's gonna be exciting down the stretch. A lot of these teams, to your point, more possessions have been fantastic to watch in transition or even at secondary break. You got incredible point guards like Sloot and Chelsea throwing behind-the-back passes. People just launching from three in transition, which I personally love, but actually connecting, not just missing shots. This was a blast, Dre. Thanks so much for joining me for Run the Tape. All right, well, this is a 40-point performance. You did great. Thanks, you too. Thanks, Dre. This episode of Run the Tape is presented by AT&T 5G. Fast, reliable, secure.