Rose/Mist Q1 was huge for Unrivaled strategy and WNBA free agency

And all because of Vandersloot. The Rose targeted her relentlessly and it didn’t matter whose she guarded. When a team runs posts isos for Lexie Hull multiple times in a row with a 100% success rate, you have to take the defender off the floor. It turns out that by having fewer people on the court, it’s very easy to target a bad defender time after time and play her off the court. Makes me wonder if other teams paid attention and we see more if that on weak defenders.

As for free agency, that five minutes of tape might be enough to kill and Vandersloot as a free agent signee momentum. Reports are circulating that the Sky have her as a high priority. A highly diminished offensive presence and potentially worse than zero defender might not be great first option for cap space.