The9450

DA is back on the mic for his first episode since the 2024 WNBA Finals. On this solo episode of 'Keep'n It 9450,' he dives into the complex and often hostile fan culture surrounding two of the league's all-time greats, Candace Parker and Sheryl Swoopes. From Parker's controversial player rankings to Swoopes's comments on Caitlin Clark, DA explores the fan outrage and asks a powerful question: Do these legends have the right to critique the game they helped build without being subjected to slander? Get ready for a passionate and detailed breakdown of a crisis in WNBA fan culture.

🏀 Weekend Recap: Indiana Fever 88, Dallas Wings 78 (August 1, 2025)

• The Indiana Fever handed the Dallas Wings an 88–78 defeat in front of a sold-out crowd at the American Airlines Center .
• Originally hyped as a marquee matchup between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark, Clark remained sidelined due to injury—putting extra pressure on Dallas’s rising star Bueckers .
• Paige Bueckers led the Wings with 22 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals, but she also struggled with turnovers and isolation offense late in the game .
• Dallas shot poorly: went just 2-of-15 from three and were outrebounded 44–30 (including being outmuscled on the offensive glass, 14–4) .
• Arike Ogunbowale did not play in the fourth quarter, raising questions about rotation and late-game execution .
• Coach Chris Koclanes voiced frustration, citing guard defensive lapses and rebounding issues—while calling for growth and consistency in a young roster still seeking identity .

Key Themes:

1. Identity missing without Clark – Dallas showed up but lacked spark and cohesion.
2. Bueckers’ breakout or burden? – Strong individual effort overshadowed by poor team context.
3. Depth concerns – Coach Koclanes questioned rotation decisions and minutes distribution late in close games.

📝 Episode Overview

Corey breaks down a signature road performance as the Wings toppled the defending champs, New York Liberty, 92‑82 on Monday. Despite their record struggles, Dallas dominated early, overcame depth disparities, and secured one of the most complete wins of their season.

📊 Key Segments

1. Game Recap & Context

• Final: Wings 92, Liberty 82. Dallas improved to 8‑19, New York dropped to 17‑8 🌟
• Dallas held a commanding 31‑19 first quarter, extended to 63‑36 at half

2. Statistical Highlights

• Arike Ogunbowale: Career/franchise-high 14 assists, 20 points; just one turnover
• Paige Bueckers: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals on 58.3% shooting
• Wings forced turnover advantage and converted it into efficient scoring

3. Liberty Struggles

• New York missing core players: Stewart, Sabally, Burke ruled out
• Liberty opened slowly, allowed first-half field-goal percentage near 59%, fell into early deficit they couldn’t climb out of
• Postgame near–40-minute team meeting called by players and coach to address energy and effort issues

4. Dallas’ Standout Identity

• Wings led wire-to-wire: dominated both in transition and half-court execution
• Late in Q4, Liberty rallied 20‑3 over first ~8.5 min of quarter, trimming deficit to 6—but Dallas held composure

📝 Episode Overview

Corey dissects the Wings’ latest setback at home versus the Nevada squad. From the Aces’ surgical shooting to Dallas’ faltering defense and missing star power, this episode digs through box score details, narrative shifts, and takeaways for the Wings’ next steps.

📊 Topics Covered

1. Game Recap & Context

• Las Vegas cruised to a 106–80 win in Arlington, ending Dallas’ short skid and bringing the Wings to 7–19 on the season, while the Aces leveled at 13–13 .
• Key storyline: Wings rested rookie guard Paige Bueckers, who averages over 18 PPG. Dallas is just 1–5 in games without her .

2. Aces’ Offensive Explosion

• Six players scored in double figures, led by Jackie Young with 24 points and five 3-pointers .
• Bench duo Jewell Loyd (20 pts off bench) and Kierstan Bell (19 pts) combined for seven triples; Las Vegas hit a season-high 15 threes .

3. Wings’ Stat Struggles

• Dallas shot a decent 59% from the field in Q1, but allowed a first-half surge that led to a 56–44 halftime deficit .
• Wings totaled just 10 points off turnovers, while the Aces turned Dallas’ 12 turnovers into 26 points .

4. Dallas Standouts

• Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 18 points, while Haley Jones added a season-high 15, DiJonai Carrington had 14, and Teaira McCowan posted a double-double (12 pts, 13 reb) in just 17 minutes .

5. Key Discussion Themes

• Impact of absence: How does Dallas adapt with Bueckers out due to load management?
• Defensive lapses: Needed adjustments to stop the Aces’ shooting wave.
• Rematching up: What should be the approach against elite teams like Vegas?

In this forward-thinking episode, Lolivia Pope is joined by journalist Meghan L. Hall to explore an idea that could shift the WNBA landscape: bringing the 2026 All-Star Game to Atlanta.

With the 30-year anniversary of the 1996 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team approaching, Meghan outlines why ATL is more than just a backdrop—it’s a strategic, symbolic, and cultural home run. The duo explores the city’s media infrastructure, the Dream’s recent momentum, and how Atlanta’s role in political and social justice movements aligns with the W’s values.

🗂️ Topics Covered:

• Why 2026 All-Star makes perfect sense for Atlanta
• Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Olympic Women’s Basketball Team
• Atlanta Dream’s road wins and growing momentum
• The Southeast’s untapped potential as a WNBA market
• Atlanta’s infrastructure, media reach, and cultural capital
• The WNBA’s legacy of activism and ATL’s place in that narrative
• How cities are selected for All-Star Weekend + what comes next
• Meghan’s call to action for fans and media to support the idea

📣 Sponsors:

• SeatGeek – Use code 9450 for $15 off your first ticket purchase
• Welshmode Coffee – Start your day with purpose. Bold coffee for bold minds.

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Lolivia Pope: @Lolobyke
• Meghan L. Hall: @ItsMeghanLHall
• Network: @The9450 on Twitter | @the9450 on IG and TikTok
• Subscribe & Review: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms

Do YOU want the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game in Atlanta? Share your thoughts using the hashtag #AllStarInATL or tag us on social.

Aya Abdeen breaks down the Phoenix Mercury’s rollercoaster weekend — from a tough Friday night loss at Barclays Center to a resurgent win on Sunday afternoon in D.C.

In this episode:

• 🗽 What went wrong vs. the New York Liberty and how the Mercury let a first-half lead slip
• 💪 Alyssa Thomas’s back-to-back dominance, including a near triple-double performance
• 🧠 Adjustments from Friday to Sunday: how Phoenix used defense and ball security to overwhelm the Mystics
• 🔁 The importance of Satou Sabally’s return, and how Kahleah Copper is being worked back into rhythm
• 🔮 What’s next for the Mercury heading into the playoff push

📲 Follow & Subscribe

🎙️ Subscribe to Codename: Mercury on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods

🐦 Follow Aya on Twitter: @ayabdeen

📡 Follow the network: @The9450 on Twitter

🗣️ Like. Rate. Review. Share with fellow W heads!

The Aces reminded everybody why they’re still the standard A’ja dropped a casual 37 & 10 and made history again. But the Wings didn’t back down. Paige showed composure beyond her years and nearly led Dallas all the way back.

In this episode, Corey breaks down:

A’ja’s dominant night

Paige stepping into her moment

The Wings’ record-setting ball movement

Why that fight last night matters for Dallas going forward

🗽 In this episode of Codename: Liberty, KDot is joined by basketball scout and international hoops expert Alford Corriette to break down the New York Liberty’s first half of the WNBA season and forecast what lies ahead in the second.

From team chemistry and rotation depth to areas of improvement, KDot and Alford dive into what’s working—and what needs tweaking—for the Liberty to stay in the title hunt. Then, in a special international scouting segment, Alford reveals some of the top global talents to watch for the 2026 and 2027 WNBA Drafts.

This one’s for both Liberty diehards and draft junkies alike.

🏀 Topics Covered:

• Liberty midseason performance breakdown
• Coaching adjustments and depth concerns
• Second-half expectations and playoff implications
• X-factors and lineup predictions
• Top international draft prospects for 2026 & 2027
• Global growth of the women’s game

📣 Sponsors:

• 🎟️ SeatGeek – Use code The9450 for $20 off your next ticket purchase
• ☕ Welshmode Coffee – Power your scouting sessions with premium flavor

📱 Follow Us:

• Twitter: @kdotlew3h
• IG & TikTok: @the9450
• Subscribe: The9450 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform

🎧 Tap in, subscribe, and share with fellow Liberty and WNBA fans!

🔥 In this episode of Codename: Mercury, host KDot sits down with Aya Abdeen to break down the Phoenix Mercury’s first half of the 2025 WNBA season. From nail-biters to tough road losses, the duo unpacks the highs and lows in the Valley.

Aya dives into Phoenix’s identity shift, key performances, and what the stats reveal about this team’s current trajectory. Plus, what’s the real impact of the DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas reunion? And how far can this core go?

The second half forecast includes playoff possibilities, lineup adjustments, and Aya’s bold prediction for who needs to step up down the stretch.

🏀 Topics Covered:

• Last two games recap (win vs. Valkyries, loss vs. Lynx)
• Offensive and defensive trends
• Bonner & Thomas chemistry
• Midseason player report cards
• Second-half expectations & playoff push
• Aya’s bold predictions and X-factors to watch

📣 Sponsors:

• 🎟️ SeatGeek – Use code The9450 for $20 off tickets
• ☕ Welshmode Coffee – Start your morning with bold flavor and focus

📱 Follow Us:

• Twitter: @kdotlew3h | @ayabdeen
• IG & TikTok: @the9450_
• Subscribe: The9450 Podcast Network on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts

In this episode of Beyond The9450, Brittany and Chanteé discuss a fan's Twitter post that questions a potential conflict of interest between Phee and Stewie, who are vice presidents of the WNBPA and co-creators of the three on three league, Unrivaled.

Brittany & Chanteé explore arguments for and against the existence of a conflict, considering factors such as Phee & Stewie's access to proprietary information and potential bias. The conversation also touches on the WNBPA's revenue sharing with players, highlighting that the current players receive an estimated 9.6% of league revenue - which is significantly lower than the NBA's 50-50 split, and discuss the need for improved economic models in future CBA negotiations.

The conversation then shifts to Brittany and Chanteé giving their opinions on whether Unrivaled is truly a competing basketball league to the WNBA.

What do you think? Is there a true conflict of interest? Is Unrivaled a competing basketball league to the WNBA?

📩 Share Your Thoughts: [email protected]

🔗 Follow & Subscribe:

📱 Twitter:

• Brittany: @wellnesssbritt
• Chanteé: @teygetsitdone24
• 21 Titles: @21Titles
• Network: @The9450

🎧 Available on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms

📺 YouTube: Subscribe to The9450 Network