Kiki Iriafen and TVO head to USC, WNBA training camp and more! | April 30

This weeks edition of Women's Basketball Weekly is now out: On the docket a look into WNBA training camp, more signature shoes talk, Kiki Iriafen and TVO head to USC, coach Tomika Reed gets a promotion, and WNBA players reach to Candace Parkers retirement
Chapters:
0:30 - WNBA Preseason
3:47 - Indiana Fever
10:13 - LA Sparks
11:19 - Dallas Wings
13:10 - New York Liberty
14:57 - Atlanta Dream
16:10 - Chicago Sky
18:00 - Signature shoes
21:14 - Transfer news
26:10 - Tomika Reed
32:27 - Candace Parker
42:48 - Thanks for watching
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Quita Loves Sports is a women's basketball commentary channel primarily focused on women's college basketball commentary and WNBA commentary. The goal is to share insights and information about the game that we love.
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#womensbasketball #espnw #ncaaw #womenscollegebasketball #ncaawomensbasketball #dawnstaley #kamillacardoso #caitlinclark #angelreese #cameronbrink #paigebeuckers #kimmulkey #angelreese #karalawson #haileyvanlith

[@nigelcrow2121]

Damn USC gonna be stacked! 😲 Kiki, Juju.

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

I love Coach Reed challenging her players in her introduction speech. I think she will be building some fantastic ladies with her mindset.

[@user-vg1cr5fz3n]

Caught the Indiana Fever day two presser and loved, loved, loved Erica Wheeler. Indiana is doing a great job promoting the entire team. The Hype creates so much excitement abive and beyond Caitlin Clark.

[@go2hvn2008]

AB and Lyssa Smith are two of my all time favorite players, but I dislike Sides and Dunn for waiving Henny. PERIOD.T

[@rachelhileman9062]

I am so disappointed in myself for not joining the WNBA fandom until now. Watching Erica Wheeler being so supportive and excited for her new team mates, and her positivity is awesome. It makes me sad that i haven't witnessed it in the past.

[@justinewaller6813]

Can’t wait for fever to play🔥🔥

[@LaJuneGotOils]

Quita, I also noticed that Altanta is bringing in SC alumn. Interesting to see how they do.

[@user-mm2bk2uu1u]

I hope they can get attendance going. That facility stinks though. The location is weird but I guess they thought that was where their market is. The Hawks just don’t draw fans especially when they were at Ga Tech and before that. Even when they made their last playoffs no one came out

[@go2hvn2008]

HENNYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!

[@LaJuneGotOils]

I will be in Dallas to see Wings and Sky game on May 18th!!!!!!! 🏀⛹🏽‍♀️🤩

[@jakobmoore949]

You and me both

[@Radowitzki]

Can't wait for the Juju and Kiki era!

[@marcusb.3038]

Glad Kiki didn’t take the easier route with South Carolina. It will go well with her resume’.

[@go2hvn2008]

@@marcusb.3038 "Easier route" with Dawn's #1, undefeated 2023-24 National Champions???? Gamecocks don't need KiKi anyway.

[@jessicagreen8883]

@@go2hvn2008Didn’t realize how sensitive SC fans were. Going there would be the easier route. That team is stacked. No need to be in your feelings.

[@TGWithTheSoda]

Kiki and JuJu boutta go crazy

[@go2hvn2008]

That's if JuJu will share the ball...

[@user-mm2bk2uu1u]

Azura Stevens was a big reason the Sky won that championship. She came on so strong in the latter part of that year. She was much more physical and did everything as a fan you could hope for. Candice had a big influence on her.

[@amywilliams1443]

Great update, thanks! Raegan is from Colorado. I’m going to miss CP, I’m sad she didn’t get a farewell tour.

[@magnificentmarc707]

Thanks! This was a wealth of good info for someone who is just getting into the WNBA like myself. I appreciate it 👍🏾🏀💯

[@benjones390]

SC has 10 starters who all plays great defense. You won't see 3 players scoring 20 points each (super team 😂). You better bring a deep bench. SC is the real USC. ✌🏿

[@gualbertogarcia305]

KEEP FEEDING Me those INDIANA FEVER workouts.

[@MaseratiHolly]

*Jewel Lloyd shoe is fire*

[@finisher3x]

USC is the new super team. JuJu's efficiency should skyrocket with TVO and Kiki playing alongside her. As for Coach Tomeika Reed, she is the real deal. Remember, she scared the hell out of LSU in the tournament 2 years ago, and probably should've won that game.

[@go2hvn2008]

USC is NOT the new super team and neither is UConn. Oklahoma, Texas, Notre Dame, don't sleep on them, but we all know who's going to win it all in 2024-25, SOUTH CAROLINA!!

[@user-mm2bk2uu1u]

Utah swept USC the last two years since Pili transferred. Pili avged 30.5 ppg this year against USC and never lost to them. USC is a monster now.

[@aaronsmith9983]

Great commentary

[@PhillipSiddiq]

Good morning. Have you considered applying for media credentials to cover the WNBA?

[@shamarial0ng]

The problem with the Sparks is that all of the guards play alike and like you said they have no identity in the post. Which makes me a little nervous for Cam. Will they be leaving her on an island this season? Will she have a proper pnr situation? Idk. But Curt will have to find a way to get his rookies involved in the offense

[@amarachidesi]

Cool rundown section

[@Wydillius]

10:28 Shoutout sketch😂😂

[@NKChole]

Yup Indiana media team is working over time. I love it.

[@officertdavis]

I love the fact that she said homgree... lol

[@Lilquan2004]

Wow Kate Martin sound exactly like Clark WTF 😂😂

[@go2hvn2008]

But I'm pulling for Brea Beal to make the roster instead of Martin.

[@Librababy90s]

Everybody so quick to say southern Cali gone win it all but guess what dawn gone have the last laugh.

[@kimberlysingleton2205]

I am a Dallas Wings fan and usually attend 2-3 games a season. I’ll definitely attend more when they move from Arlington to Dallas. 😎

[@user-mm2bk2uu1u]

Skyler Diggens Smith is a good player that will be on a mission this year

[@go2hvn2008]

And Muhl will get cut.

[@johnlinvill8819]

Good to see USC gonna challange Cocks next yr

[@cmkirn]

OK…Oklahoma now makes sense👍🏻

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

Indiana Fever and the story of 3s. 3 of the top 25 NCAA all-time 3 point shooters. 3 teammates from Team USA U19 gold medal squad.

[@user-eh6cd6wm3z]

Hopefully we will meet up in the SEC/Big 10 challenge 🤞

[@DonKJB]

Lynx v Sky pushed to Friday nite bc of Tumberwolves v Nuggets on Saturday pm.

[@user-mm2bk2uu1u]

Quinta that was a great overview. Right now the WNBA is not looking very interesting. The injuries for the Wings and Satou Sabally hurts the league a lot. I lived in the Dallas area and Arlington is a great place to go be forgotten in the Metroplex market. I’d be more likely to go to a Wings game in Downtown Dallas for sure. I know season tickets are way up but in general the Wings don’t exist in Dallas. No one was paying any attention to them. They needed Sabally to give them an identity and keep the momentum. Without her their back to just Ireke and that’s not enough. The emergence of Sabally was everything. This really sucks

[@kenswift12345]

@user-hb6ot5vf1ithe Fever will make the playoffs. That’s their goal. Nothing about it is overblown.

[@APOTI_FRANK]

🏀

[@cmkirn]

Does DelDonne get paid for her year off? Still under contract? On sabbatical? Guaranteed a spot next year?

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

If USC just took two stand-outs from the portal, wouldn't that more than likely remove Juju's chance to break Caitlin's record? I know a lot of people want Juju to do that, but I think adding scorers to the roster will lessen the need for Juju to score as much. Caitlin scored as much as she did out of necessity not ego.

[@scalum28]

I would think Juju wants to win championships more than scoring titles. Given thats something Katlin wasn’t able to do.

[@Lilquan2004]

Theirs like a 30% chance Kate Martin makes the team simply because aces back to back champs they don’t need help I think no rookie they brought in is making the team sadly

[@go2hvn2008]

I agree, but I pray Brea Beal gets a chance!

[@user-eh6cd6wm3z]

Their is know super teams in women's college basketball

[@marcdaddy33]

NCAAW always had super teams - Uconn and Tennessee. Even this year Uconn was a super team but half the team was injured.

[@user-eh6cd6wm3z]

I'm not talking about 8-10 years ago I'm talking about right now we have parity in the college game next season their will be at least 6 teams that could win the national championship.

[@go2hvn2008]

@@marcdaddy33 UConn won't be a super team even if ALL of them are back.

[@JaidenFigueroa005]

@@go2hvn2008UConn will always BE that team! They made it to final four with only 7 players… so I’m curious as to what makes you think they don’t won’t be better with a full healthy roster?

[@undisputedtruth4954]

I expect these rookies to hit whatever constitutes the dreaded "rookie wall", at some point, if the women's game has that. I don't think fans realize these college athletes work on their game, body & endurance at their schools roughly 10-11 months a year, so they're all kinda tired & battered; even if youth is blinding them. In Many ways, they're still on mama's porch, in college. They still have a room at home. If they don't get drafted, they go home to begin the job hunt. Now, I'm not saying they'll all suck, but fatigue is sudden when you're young because you don't recognize it at 21 like you will at 31. By 31, you know when you need a break, but at 21 you haven't met Tired to know it when it hits. A friend of mine played in the NBA, and he told me he went to doctors, team doctors, and finally had a vet invite him over to the house to eat with the fam, then later they talked, the vet described exactly what young'n was feeling before laughing it off. He got answers from the vet that the medical people couldn't or wouldn't talk about. He then had to get on the vets schedule just to be taught how to properly maintain himself in the off-season AND throughout the regular season. He still crashed out halfway thru his 1st playoff series, while the vets cranked it up. He wasn't ready to sustain it at a higher intensity, despite having a strong 2nd season. Let's give these ladies proper respect. Some have babies, so there's never really a day off from life or basketball because you don't have the option of getting outta shape if you plan on keeping your job.

[@jacobwatson3781]

NBA is 82 games, college is half that. WNBA is around 40. NBA rookies don have a wall since they're playing double the amount of games and traveling more. The rookies in W do not get a break since season starts so quick. Compare W to NBa for rookie wall isn't an apples to apples comparison.

[@user-gn3wq1mt7g]

The one thing that Southern Cal will have to be concerned about next season is this: not enough basketballs to go around. With so many scorers, sharing the basketball with teammates could become a problem. It will be interesting to see if Kiki or JuJu will be their leading scorer.

[@TheDisruptiveOne]

Kennedy smith is the one to watch. Does she fit with Juju? They want to do a lot of the same things imo.

[@user-eh6cd6wm3z]

Kennedy Smith will work with Juju she plays both sides of the ball and doesn't look to score like juju does

[@jessicagreen8883]

@@user-eh6cd6wm3zJuju made PAC 12 defensive team so she plays both sides. Juju is a shooting guard and should be looking to shoot/score. That’s her job.

[@user-eh6cd6wm3z]

She did 😮 ok

[@user-pt9wq9zz3u]

Our lady Gamecocks have Real Work today! USC out of California UConn Texas maybe a sleeper is out there waiting..

[@TravisGarnett]

@32:29 - 🧡#A💛#C💙3❤

[@wf2442]

Remember the super team we thought was gonna happen in LSU last year?

[@jessicagreen8883]

Smith got injured and Poole left the team. Both key components and they paid for it all season.

[@brewton2146]

If KP coulda been the PG and smith healthy it would’ve been a repeat.

[@go2hvn2008]

The Dream is my new WNBA favorite because they have HENNY!!!

[@ErikaErdely]

Why has she been cut a couple times? Do you believe it's because of her size? I'm starting to feel that way wince being new to watching the WNBA

[@undisputedtruth4954]

JuJu, KiKi & Talia? They're winning it all. No college team has 3 players who can't give you 22+ every night.

[@Lilquan2004]

SC your blinded by they depth

[@TheDisruptiveOne]

Talia is not that good. Decent player. Gives them more experience. Not sure she makes a top 20 guard in the country list though.

[@go2hvn2008]

@@TheDisruptiveOne I agree, 100%

[@-InfoStation123]

People like this person is fake saying USC is the best team, not near it, SC is the best team period, it show how people like this is not very successful in life, because this is wishful thinking and stuck in dreaming, but word to wise

[@MaseratiHolly]

*quita, does Marquesha Davis have a change on making the Liberty 🗽team⁉️*

[@QuitaLovesSports]

She has a shot but it’s an uphill battle for sure

[@user-mm2bk2uu1u]

Tamika Green looks like a winner. She isn’t playing around. The color green is an awful color though. How many teams with green uniforms look good?

[@gphillimo]

Why is Elena Delle Donne sitting out? Is it in protest or something else?

[@alyssiab.]

She wanted to be traded to Mercury or Aces and it didn't happen. Quita probably covered it already

[@SCole29]

Watching syd get locked out scares me because I think she might actually get cut fr this year😭. I heard UConn decided to pass on beers because of her racist/homophobic views. Is that true? The UConn fanpages seem to be happy she’s not going there

[@deekwilliams3255]

DT needs to go now

[@latoyajavis7511]

Sc is the real USC. JuJu,Talia or KiKi made it pass the Elite Eight😂

[@TheDisruptiveOne]

USC is probably the second best team now.

[@rmatthews3473]

Hahahaha 😂

[@TheDisruptiveOne]

Yes. South Carolina is #1 until someone beats them. The interesting thing about a matchup with USC is that USC would have the two best players on the floor. So depth versus stars.

[@Lilquan2004]

@@TheDisruptiveOne SC has depth and stars you seen how good they freshmen was in they first championship game

[@TheDisruptiveOne]

Fulwiley has the most potential. But coming into the season. Juju and Iriafen are better than anyone on South Carolina.

[@Lilquan2004]

@@TheDisruptiveOne your blinded by SC depth SC players are capable of dropping 20+ points a game they don’t because 1 they have depth meaning they aren’t needed to drop 20-25 a game and 2 because they are a team first and unselfish with the ball you put juju on SC she only averaged about 15 points a game instead of 28+

[@Bludersbunch]

Big East is so mid...UConn recruiting will suffer.

[@go2hvn2008]

Big Easy will be even MORE mid, look at Morrow, Olsen, they were TIRED of loosing to UConn. They need to rename the Big East to the BIG UConn. UConn recruiting has gone down hill since 2017. If UConn depended on CT high school players, they would have to shut the women's BB team down. Another interesting point, UConn #1 recruits since C. Williams, PB, A. Fudd, and now Sarah Strong, have not and will not win a National Championship. Great high school recruits and portal transfers are no longer buying "Come play for the basketball capitol of the world" any more.

[@soundsbyparis]

Facts. There’s no competition at all

[@aquilac4458]

Gamecocks is the only USC.

[@kimberlysingleton2205]

As a big fan of women’s college basketball and big respect for South Carolina and Southern Cal, I have always referred to South Carolina as SC and Southern Cal as USC. I’ll continue to do so.

[@jessicagreen8883]

This is not based in reality.

[@latoyajavis7511]

That part

[@nextdayheir3329]

USC is in California and South Carolina is South Carolina. The name itself speaks volumes across the sports world now…why even compare the two? Ask Cheryl Miller where the real USC is…

[@CocoComplex]

“USC” is bigger than women’s basketball, it’s a brand. The school didn’t gain this recognition off of being good at one sport. Accept reality.

[@ALLCITY73]

Outside of the draft video, Sky social media team is hot garbage. That rookie presentation was completely embarrassing

[@sallystege7163]

I'm 66. I know trash, please. Catch on.

[@warrenpeace5150]

All that outrage about A'ja not having a shoe and there was a shoe already in the works; A'ja knew she had a shoe coming but still let everyone brew up a hate-storm on social media about it.

[@Wydillius]

Eh I don’t really think it’s her fault. She’s at the will of Nike to release information, and all we saw today was AI generated nonsense, they don’t even have anything actually designed, so what would there be to announce anyway? Plus she’s already the face of a shoe line so anyone “brewing a hate storm” is just misinformed and it isn’t A’ja’s job to police the internet

[@jessicagreen8883]

Because it should have been out by now. The season starts in a couple weeks. They should have been promoting over the spring and during March Madness. Nike is dragging their feet.

[@User_xxCqvmQ]

These superteams in college is just bad for the league. The parity should always be there. Players should know that they can take the another route by carving their own path. Superteam in any sport bores the hell out of many sports fan.

[@skproductions8495]

when uconn had superteams no one was complaining.

[@marcdaddy33]

This is why Caitlin Clark making it to back to back championships was remarkable and why I didn't like people gloating at her losses. She was not a part of a super team- even if Kate Martin makes the roster for the Aces. So leading her team to the title game against a stacked Gamecocks team was an incredible feat.

[@User_xxCqvmQ]

@@skproductions8495 I think many people just flat out don't care about WCBB back then unlike now. I mean that's the result of having a superteam it's like you already know who's gonna win so why watch? It's just boring to watch a sport dominated by superteams. No excitement at all.

[@shawndellmatthews2647]

Please define “super teams”. Coaches using the portal to “stack” their team or a coach being able to recruit the best of the best? That is two different methods. You cannot fault a coach for being able to recruit the best of the best and the player choosing the school they want to attend. It’s called a choice. Players pick a college for a multitude of reasons.

[@Susan-in7bd]

I agree! Part of the fascination/popularity of the Iowa Hawkeyes was they were not a super team! They did the impossible and were just plain fun to watch.

[@burdphil]

JuJu will get her championship now and she’ll eventually break Caitlin’s scoring record so everyone will be able to relax again 😅

[@warrenpeace5150]

why's that?

[@user-eh6cd6wm3z]

Juju isn't guaranteed a championship now or later lol😂 and she's got a long way to brake Caitlin Clark's record your jumping way ahead of yourself 😮 Wow

[@rmatthews3473]

Hahahaha 😂

[@Lilquan2004]

She’s not breaking that record 😂 she has a lot more help now more than Clark had her entire career meaning she’s not gone be dropping 35+ every game more like 20-25

[@go2hvn2008]

@@user-eh6cd6wm3z Personally, I'd rather hear JuJu's name that PB or Fudd.

[@jeromedanielson4422]

Who is Nec-ka? It's pronounced Nee-ka (Nika)

[@TheDisruptiveOne]

I would be surprised if Nika made a wnba roster. But the storm have a weaker training camp roster than most teams. So, she may have a chance. Would have had no chance in New York.

[@go2hvn2008]

@@TheDisruptiveOne Muhl will not make the Storm team, she'll probably be like Evina Westbrook, being picked up on hardship contracts.

[@SeshatPG82]

Nneka Ogwumike's first name is pronounced "Nec-ka" so Quita pronounced it correctly.

[@michaels.2331]

AI is great, but AI is limited because it does not have creativity.

[@user-pt9wq9zz3u]

Somebody open Dianna ears from Phoenix ! Move on and let these young people have a chance 20 years Retire please tied of watching you..

[@sallystege7163]

Look. Your affection for AR is offputting. A hairpuller, mocker, trash talk to a coach (UCLA) is just trash to me. Trash.

[@arlethalewis3318]

Keep crying.