Sports history books are meant to be rewritten. Every mark is supposed to be surpassed, and every feat is meant to be outdone by a member of the next generation.

But this WNBA season, that whole thing is starting to sound like a broken record.

Today’s Lineup

Cardiac Caitlin

Highly-touted rookies are nothing new in sports. Each year’s new class comes with its own set of hype and expectations, especially the players blessed enough to go #1. But how often does a top pick not meet those expectations… and then shatter them?

That’s exactly what Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has done in her first WNBA season, giving fans across the nation a major case of Indiana Fever. The ROTY frontrunner dispelled any notion that she’s just a scorer by breaking the league’s all-time single-season assist record over the weekend, as her 317th dime passed the mark set by Alyssa Thomas just last season.

It seems there’s a new broken record every week this WNBA season, with A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese also breaking the single-season scoring and rebounding marks, respectively. It’s all part of a major push forward for the W, which has seen record levels of attendance and fan engagement all season long. But make no mistake! The players are doing their part too. 🙌

Ink for Okoro!

In the latest edition of everyone’s favorite reality show, the NBA offseason, Cavs wing Isaac Okoro inked a 3-year, $38 million deal to stay in Cleveland for the next few years. Since being drafted fifth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Okoro has carved out his role on the defensive end, locking down opponents on the perimeter and forming a deadly duo with former DPOY-runner-up Evan Mobley, who also signed an extension earlier this summer.

After locking down their core stars, Cleveland will look to build on their playoff appearance from a season ago. Before 2023 and 2024, the last time the Cavs made the playoffs without LeBron James was 1998. We all love the #kidfromAkron, but we also love to see Cleveland establish a modern identity of their own!

Number Notes

Every hooper has their number for one reason or another, whether the number itself hold some sentimental value or just that it was the last one left in the closet. Let’s break down some of the best.

Kobe Bryant’s #24 - A new beginning!

Kobe has the most iconic pair of numbers in league history, with both #8 and #24 hanging in the rafters forever. But it’s the latter that has the best story, because the Mamba changed to his new digits in 2006 as a sign of growth, citing a greater level of maturity as compared to his rookie year.

Many also speculate it was to stake his claim as superior to Michael Jordan’s #23, but I guess we’ll never know. If that is true, Kobe really took the phrase “one-up” literally!

Shawn Bradley’s #76 - The obvious choice.

When Shawn Bradley was drafted by Philadelphia with the second pick in the 1993 draft, he became one of the top three tallest players in league history at seven feet, six inches. What should a 7’6” player for the 76ers wear? #76, of course! And weirdly enough, his FT% during his final year in Philly was 76%…

Damian Lillard’s #0 - Numbers to letters?

In perhaps the only case of a player’s number actually representing words, Dame wears #0 as a nod to all the obstacles he’s had to overcome to reach NBA superstardom. The big “O” on his jersey signifies (1) the town of Oakland, where he grew up, (2) Ogden, Utah, where his alma mater Weber State is located, and (3) Oregon, the state where he made a name for himself in the NBA.

Plus, our unofficial addition: when the clock nears zero, you know it’s Dame time!

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, try to spend a little time in nature! These weeks in between summer and fall are some of the most beautiful of the year, and appreciating them is a great way to center yourself. See you soon!

-Walker Carnathan