All Posts

Because people sometimes forget Engstler wasn’t viewed as a late developmental project coming into the WNBA. She was selected fourth overall for a reason. The league saw the upside immediately.

It was Bueckers directing traffic before possessions developed. Ogunbowale forcing defensive attention even without the ball. Shepard fighting through contact for rebounds. Kuier recovering defensively and shrinking space around the rim. The reactions from the bench every time momentum started shifting further toward Dallas.

Chicago had moments where they tried attacking inside physically, but Shepard consistently made those possessions more difficult. Not always through highlight plays, but through positioning, awareness, and activity around the basket.

And one of the loudest moments of the night came the second Yueru checked into the game Monday night. The reaction from the crowd felt immediate.

Bueckers has more room to read. Ogunbowale has more space to create. Fudd becomes harder to lose off the ball. Siegrist can slip into open areas and keep possessions alive. Shepard can anchor the interior and clean up everything around the basket.