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Aliyah Boston Reveals the Closest Thing to a WNBA G League
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- Aliyah Boston Reveals the Closest Thing to a WNBA G League
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Indiana Fever signed forward Michelle Onyiah out of the Upshot League on July 31, making her the first player from the new league to land a WNBA contract. Aliyah Boston pointed to Onyiah on the 54th episode of Post Moves when a listener asked whether the WNBA will ever have its own version of the NBA G League.
"I hope so," Boston said. "I mean, we have, we have like, there's like a league. I think it's Charlotte Upshot. I think it's Upshot. It's in Charlotte. Upshot League."
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"I think that people are kind of using that as a G League without officially calling it that because like one of our developmental players, [Michelle Onyiah], she came from Upshot," Boston continued. "So I think it is kind of being used. It probably can be used a little bit more, but I'd probably say that's probably the closest thing to it."
Onyiah, a 6-foot-3 forward who played college basketball at California, had been with the Charlotte Crown. She led the Upshot League in blocks per game before the Fever signed her. Earlier in the year, she went through training camp with the New York Liberty.
Indiana signed her to its second developmental roster spot. Bree Hall held the first, and the opening came after the Las Vegas Aces signed Justine Pissott away from the Fever.
Upshot Sent Four Players to the WNBA
The Upshot League began play May 15 with four teams: the Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove, Jacksonville Waves, and Savannah Steel. Donna Orender, the former WNBA president, co-founded it with Andy Kaufmann. Its inaugural season ended in late August.
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Three more Upshot players followed Onyiah. Greensboro guard Christyn Williams signed a developmental contract with the Dallas Wings in August. Savannah guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and Jacksonville guard Shyanne Sellers went to the Los Angeles Sparks, with Sellers called up Aug. 31.
The new CBA gives each WNBA team two developmental roster spots. Players in them do not count against the salary cap.
Parker Says Veterans Don't 'Cannonball' In
Another listener asked co-host Candace Parker what it is like for a veteran to join a new team. Parker signed with the Chicago Sky in 2021 and won a championship in her first season there.
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"I think older players, when you're coming in or when you're a vet that's coming in, you don't ever cannonball in," Parker said. "You more so feel it out. You feel the team, the dynamic. When I went into Chicago, I knew there were going to be a lot of things that I could bring to the equation. And I knew we were all wanting to win a championship."
"But I tried to get there and just try to figure out what, how everyone else ticks, like how I can help [Kahleah Copper] be better, how I could help, you know, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley be better, like what they liked," Parker continued.
The Atlanta Dream finished 30-14 in the regular season. DeWanna Bonner signed with them in late August after the Phoenix Mercury bought out her contract. She entered the semifinals having played in 100 playoff games, the most in league history.
With Allisha Gray hurt in Game 1 of the semifinals against New York on Oct. 4, Bonner scored 23 points off the bench in a 92-82 win. Atlanta swept the Liberty to reach the Finals for the first time since 2013. Through the first five playoff games, Bonner started twice and averaged 26.4 minutes. It was the fifth Finals trip of her career.
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"And I think as a vet, you kind of understand moments more," Parker explained. "So when everything is going good, usually you let it roll and when things kind of are a struggle, that's when you know it's your role to kind of step forward and share your experience."
"And so to see DB, you know, go from Indy to Phoenix last year and then now from Phoenix to Atlanta this year, to see like the impact she had and the moments that she had in that series, you know, it was huge," Parker added. "And I think that everybody needs a great vet."
The Dream lost Game 7 of the Finals to Golden State 68-63, and Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said the Dream played "the best defense you could play" in the series.
Bonner is in her 17th WNBA season. She has won two championships.
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"I hope so," Boston said. "I mean, we have, we have like, there's like a league. I think it's Charlotte Upshot. I think it's Upshot. It's in Charlotte. Upshot League."
"I think that people are kind of using that as a G League without officially calling it that because like one of our developmental players, [Michelle Onyiah], she came from Upshot," Boston continued. "So I think it is kind of being used. It probably can be used a little bit more, but I'd probably say that's probably the closest thing to it."
Onyiah, a 6-foot-3 forward who played college basketball at California, had been with the Charlotte Crown. She led the Upshot League in blocks per game before the Fever signed her. Earlier in the year, she went through training camp with the New York Liberty.
Indiana signed her to its second developmental roster spot. Bree Hall held the first, and the opening came after the Las Vegas Aces signed Justine Pissott away from the Fever.
Advertisement
Upshot Sent Four Players to the WNBA
The Upshot League began play May 15 with four teams: the Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove, Jacksonville Waves, and Savannah Steel. Donna Orender, the former WNBA president, co-founded it with Andy Kaufmann. Its inaugural season ended in late August.
Three more Upshot players followed Onyiah. Greensboro guard Christyn Williams signed a developmental contract with the Dallas Wings in August. Savannah guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and Jacksonville guard Shyanne Sellers went to the Los Angeles Sparks, with Sellers called up Aug. 31.
The new CBA gives each WNBA team two developmental roster spots. Players in them do not count against the salary cap.
Advertisement
Parker Says Veterans Don't 'Cannonball' In
Another listener asked co-host Candace Parker what it is like for a veteran to join a new team. Parker signed with the Chicago Sky in 2021 and won a championship in her first season there.
"I think older players, when you're coming in or when you're a vet that's coming in, you don't ever cannonball in," Parker said. "You more so feel it out. You feel the team, the dynamic. When I went into Chicago, I knew there were going to be a lot of things that I could bring to the equation. And I knew we were all wanting to win a championship."
"But I tried to get there and just try to figure out what, how everyone else ticks, like how I can help [Kahleah Copper] be better, how I could help, you know, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley be better, like what they liked," Parker continued.
Advertisement
The Atlanta Dream finished 30-14 in the regular season. DeWanna Bonner signed with them in late August after the Phoenix Mercury bought out her contract. She entered the semifinals having played in 100 playoff games, the most in league history.
With Allisha Gray hurt in Game 1 of the semifinals against New York on Oct. 4, Bonner scored 23 points off the bench in a 92-82 win. Atlanta swept the Liberty to reach the Finals for the first time since 2013. Through the first five playoff games, Bonner started twice and averaged 26.4 minutes. It was the fifth Finals trip of her career.
"And I think as a vet, you kind of understand moments more," Parker explained. "So when everything is going good, usually you let it roll and when things kind of are a struggle, that's when you know it's your role to kind of step forward and share your experience."
"And so to see DB, you know, go from Indy to Phoenix last year and then now from Phoenix to Atlanta this year, to see like the impact she had and the moments that she had in that series, you know, it was huge," Parker added. "And I think that everybody needs a great vet."
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The Dream lost Game 7 of the Finals to Golden State 68-63, and Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said the Dream played "the best defense you could play" in the series.
Bonner is in her 17th WNBA season. She has won two championships.
