Coach Becky Hammon apologized to Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young for playing her all 40 minutes in the series-clinching first-round win, but acknowledged Young is "built for these moments: physically built, mentally built, emotionally built." Since being drafted No. 1 in 2019, Young has appeared in 286 of 292 regular-season games and all 59 playoff games, averaging over 30 minutes per game across six seasons. As the defending champions trail the Golden State Valkyries 0-1 in the semifinals, Young's performance is critical for Game 2 on Wednesday (9:30 ET).
Teammate Chelsea Gray and former World Cup teammate Caitlin Clark praise Young's complete game. Clark noted, "I don't really think there's a single flaw in her game." Young posted career highs this season with 18.9 points, 6.8 assists, 2.3 three-pointers, and 92.8% free throws. However, she struggled in Game 1 with 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
A Princeton, Indiana native who won an NCAA title at Notre Dame in 2018, Young has won championships at every level including Olympic gold in 3x3 and 5-on-5. Introduced as "Special Agent Zero" at home games, the Midwest-fundamental player aims to lead the Aces to a record-tying fourth WNBA title.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing