In the latest episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, Hunter Cruse and Lincoln Shafer discuss some WNBA free agency news, including veterans Tiffany Hayes and Alysha Clark leaving the Las Vegas Aces and point guard Courtney Vandersloot returning to the Chicago Sky. They also discuss several signings of international players, including Janelle Salaün, Leïla Lacan and Shaneice Swain.
Early in the episode, Shafer looks at what the Sky have done in free agency so far and how those moves could help the team improve on its 13-27 record from last season:
“It’s an interesting free agency for a team that’s on the rise. They have their young core that they want to build around, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, who both had pretty exceptional rookie seasons. So what they want to do there is add shooting, defensive versatility on the perimeter.
“And [by adding] Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen … what they hope to get there is that kind of shooting and help spacing the floor. … [Vandersloot] is keeping defenses honest on the perimeter still and also one of the best passers in the history of the league. So that’s something that’s absolutely a boon to young post players.”
Later in the episode, Cruse and Shafer break down the Los Angeles Sparks’ signing of Swain, a 21-year-old Australian guard who they originally drafted in the second round in 2023. Swain is currently averaging 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for the Sydney Flames in Australia’s WNBL. Shafer explains why he’s bullish on her potential:
“She’s taking a ton of threes. … [She’s] a pull-up 3-point shooting threat who also is a pretty solid passer and has shown flashes as a downhill playmaker and a driver. It’s something that you can put with [Sparks returners] Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson [and] Cam Brink when she gets healthy again, and you can get real results out of that. If you’re getting to a place where you have to put two on the ball in pick-and-roll against her and you’re getting Dearica Hamby short-roll opportunities, that is just absolutely devastating for defenses to have to deal with.
“So yeah, I really like Shaneice Swain. She’s young, she’s very athletic, she’s a scorer, and [she] has shown growth as a playmaker. … This is a fun signing for Los Angeles if she can put it together in the WNBA.”
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