The WNBA season is entering its All-Star and Olympic break, and both of the Ohio State players taken in the 2024 draft have had very different journeys to this point.
Guard Jacy Sheldon has made a steady climb and played more than 30 minutes in four of the Dallas Wings’ last five games. Phoenix Mercury guard Celeste Taylor, for a brief time, was no longer one of the 144 players on a WNBA roster.
Sheldon, who was drafted fifth overall, became a fixture in the starting lineup as of the team’s June 20 game against the Chicago Sky. In the 25 games she’s played during her rookie season, Sheldon is averaging 5.3 points per game.
In Dallas’ final game before the break, Sheldon faced her old Big Ten rival, Cailtin Clark for the first time in a WNBA regular-season game, and Sheldon helped the Wings beat the Indiana Fever 101-93. Sheldon scored 11 points in that Wednesday matchup, going 3-5 from the 3-point line.
It was announced earlier this week that Sheldon will spend her offseason playing professionally in Australia, having signed a deal with Townsville Fire.
Taylor has had to deal with more uncertainty. On June 25, she was cut from the Fever, who had drafted her in the second round with the 15th pick.
Less than three weeks after the Fever waived Taylor, the Phoenix Mercury signed her to a seven-day contract. That was July 12, the same day the Mercury faced Indiana, and Taylor would grab three rebounds, record 5 assists, and steal the ball twice against her former team.
With Indiana, Taylor saw just 16 minutes of playing time across four appearances. Taylor has nearly tripled her playing time in three games since joining Phoenix, totaling 46 minutes and leaning into her role as a defensive stopper.
Like Sheldon, Taylor has an offseason plan to play in Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League. She signed with the Sydney Flames on July 10.
The WNBA regular season returns August 15th, following the conclusion of the Paris Olympic Games.
bmackay@dispatch.com
@brimackay15
Source link : https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/women/2024/07/19/former-buckeyes-jacy-sheldon-celeste-taylor-wnba-rookie-season-update/74006444007/
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Publish date : 2024-07-19 06:03:57
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