A'ja Wilson returns home to the University of South Carolina in Columbia with her Las Vegas Aces to take on the Puerto Rican National Team in a WNBA exhibition game on May 11, 2024.
It's astonishing, the Clark Effect! it got so many people to fall in love with Iowa Hawkeyes (including me) that even after Kate Martin leaves the team and gets drafted in the WNBA, and then the team that drafts her - back to back champions for the last two seasons - has a pre-season game, all everybody wants to know is - 'Does Kate play? When does she come on?' Go Kate!
I loved watching the bench (and the entire arena) erupt for that Dyashia/Kate play! So much support for the rookies. That’s gonna give them more confidence.
thanks for the recording and careful attention to detail like panning up to show the score. wild that this wasn't broadcast! this was such a special game for a'ja, gamecocks and their fans! those mvp chants for a'ja warmed my heart! super cute to see megan and kate play together, love seeing so much syd and kb and my girl dyashia was balling as usual!
She’s very shy, but I think this team is going to be the best thing to bring her personality out more and make her feel comfortable. She is a phenomenal player.
You are welcome! I'm glad that you brought it to my attention too. I'm happy that people are able to watch the game with me since it was not televised. We owe it all to you. Thank you!
If the rookies from college were supposed to come out and be intimidated and awed by the veterans, no one told Kate Martin. She was slugging it out with the best of them. She is a beast!
Learn fundamentals, then practice fundamentals until you are consistent at them. When you can't catch the ball without bobbling it, it bogs everything down. They are trying to play full speed and can't perform consistently.
A'ja Wilson coming back to South Carolina was one of the Major focuses. They have a Statue of her in front of the arena. She is one of the best players in the world. Google her. The Aces are the WNBA's defending Champs.
I wanted to see Kate Martin play during her debut, but the game was too boring to watch. I had to shut it off after halftime. The Ace frontline are a bunch of hotdogs, running up the score like that during an exhibition game! Not seeing Kate rotating in gives the impression they are going to cut her. Perhaps it might be better that way. Otherwise she'll be living the silent death of being stuck as a benchwarmer.
She came in just after the start of Q4, scored 5 points, made a couple of assists and a couple of solid defence plays. 5 points in a quarter is - squeaky, this - a 20 point game. So not bad.
I kinda thought about that too. Why just play last year's team in an exhibition game? Is it a status thing or what? I was glad to see Martin get some time in, but it's pretty hard to figure out what she can do when you are already up by 40. I would have started the rookies to put them under some pressure from the start.
The only thing that I can think of as to why they played Aja most of the game along with a few other starters is because it was Aja Wilson Day. Aja is from Columbia, SC. South Carolina is her alma mater, and they just awarded her with a statue in front of the Colonial Life Arena so I think this game was more of a celebration for Aja with all the Gamecock fans.
