Happy Tuesday, Ball-Knowers!

Tyler is running point this afternoon on the newsletter while Andrew recovers from a devastating game three loss for his New York Knicks. Luxury Tax is back this week, focusing on the New York Liberty and Breanna Stewart, who took home WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.

As of now, the plan is for Chauny to have Boots on the Ground for Thursday’s big matchup: New York vs. Atlanta. So stay tuned for some additional content for the Ball-Knowers there as well as a few other features that should be hitting the paid feed in the next few days! After a few weeks of getting our feet under us, the flow is starting to roll here on NCS.

Onto the newsletter!

Andrew and Tyler hit YouTube to run through Monday’s Five Out

Tyler brings his game recaps from last night’s triple header

Brian Fleurantin from Black Rosie Media and the WBB Roundup Newsletter joins Luxury Tax to discuss Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty’s win streak…

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As if A’ja Wilson wasn’t good enough, she went and somehow managed to get better.

For the past three or so years the only real hole to poke in Wilson’s game was not having a reliable three point shot. And frankly, it didn’t matter that she didn’t have it because of how ridiculously good she is at just about every other thing on a basketball court.

Well…she has a three pointer now by the way. And while taking 2.5 threes per game so far, is shooting it at 55.6%. Really the only argument against Wilson’s ascendency to the top of the WNBA food chain in years past is now gone, she might have even Space Jam’d the three ball away from her former lone competitor at the top in Stewie. While it might not be at a ridiculous volume, the third level of scoring has now been accessed confidently.

Against the Storm it took the form of a corner three, contested three, didn’t really matter the variables around the shot, the confidence and fluidity taking it remained the same for A’ja.

The best shot you can give up to A’ja Wilson is now officially a consistently makable one for her, a player that was already in the GOAT argument. Good luck WNBA!

Ok ok do I actually think Olivia Miles is going to win MVP? No. But if the season stopped today is she not near the very top of the list??

Sue Bird chose her as her pick for MVP through this season so far, and while the player we just spoke about certainly has a good shout and was Cheryl Miller’s pick (and would be mine so far), I saw people on social media bringing immediate drawback to the idea that Miles would be in the conversation.

And look I know and truly try my best to not read too much into the social media takes HOWEVER COMMA HAVE WE BEEN WATCHING THE SAME SEASON?

When I look at Most Valuable awards across all sports I look at the same three factors. Stats, standings, storyline.

Olivia Miles has the offensive stats, leading the Lynx in points and assists. The Minnesota Lynx are sitting at the top of the standings currently. They have done it without Napheesa Collier.

Check. Check. Check. Will it be an actual argument once we are done with all 44 games? Hindsight will let us know that. But there is a legit Olivia Miles for MVP case to be made so far.

There is simply no such thing as a normal Indiana Fever game in the 2026 season. Even with Kiki Iriafen going down in the first half, the Mystics battled back from a double-digit deficit to force a down to the wire game.

And oddly enough, I think it might have been exactly what the Fever needed.

There is a pinpoint moment where I think the exhale happened. When Caitlin Clark’s game winning shot hit the bottom of the net, yes there was obvious jubilation from her Fever teammates, but Clark threw the three fingers up and celebrated towards the Mystics.

For all of the body language discourse surrounding the Fever this season, something about seeing Clark not only show up when her team needed it but also show that she is still the same player personality wise given the microscope. You can like the taunting or you can hate it. I personally love this aspect of Clark’s on-court personality.

You change the outcome of that shot, you immediately dive back into the #discourse surrounding the Fever, and maybe change the outcome of this season. It felt that serious to me in the moment. But Clark lining it up from deep and knocking it down after the Fever let the Mystics back in the game could be the moment the Fever need to exorcise some early season demons and get rolling.

Connecticut Sun still looking for consistency through early season by Jack Church, HerHoopStats

Jonquel Jones says Connecticut still 'feels like home' as Sun honor franchise legend by Maggie Vanoni, CTInsider

The Power of a Legend: Cynthia Cooper Details Her Legendary Career by Mya Peterson, WSLAM

Support Brian’s WNBA writing and newsletter over at WBB Roundup…

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