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Drop Off: Alyssa Thomas switching hands, will Syl repeat as MVP?

By Ben Dull

UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT- May 7: Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Connecticut Sun take a free throw during the Connecticut Sun Vs Los Angeles Sparks, WNBA pre season game at Mohegan Sun Arena on May 7, 2018 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT- May 7: Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Connecticut Sun take a free throw during the Connecticut Sun Vs Los Angeles Sparks, WNBA pre season game at Mohegan Sun Arena on May 7, 2018 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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Welcome to the Drop Off, a piece you can expect each weekday morning (and occasionally on weekends) throughout the WNBA season hitting on major themes of week — or night before — and sharing some of the great work others are doing in covering the league.

WNBA teams have until Thursday afternoon to cut their rosters down to 12. The Dallas Wings have already done so. There will be a flurry of transactions up until that Thursday deadline. Stay up to date on each move with our training camp transaction tracker.

Now let’s get right to it. Today’s main focus: A 2017 All-Star and All-Defense selection appears to now be shooting free throws right-handed.

AT switches it up 

That’s Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun. Now entering her fifth WNBA season, she has not been seen as much of a threat outside of the paint as a shooter; she has attempted just eight three-pointers in four seasons. The free throw line, however, is what became a bit of a cause for concern. Thomas dipped to 56.7 percent on a career-high 201 free throw attempts last year in the regular season.

In their second round playoff loss to the Phoenix Mercury last season, Thomas shot 4-6 at the charity stripe — all of them of the left-handed variety as we had grown accustomed to seeing:

Thomas shot 5-16 from the line in Connecticut’s three preseason contests with the opposite hand. She attempted just one jump shot, but even that lone attempt stuck out for the same reason (for reference, a 2017 jumper also included):

What does this all mean for Thomas and the Sun, who project to be one of the top challengers to the Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx? At some point, if Thomas becomes a liability from the charity stripe, teams may selectively look to foul her.

If this all works out? Teams pray that they’re able to keep her out of the lane and get out in time to tag all of Connecticut’s shooters, because this roster is built to complement her as its playmaking power guard.

Can Fowles really repeat?

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MAY 12: Sylvia Fowles #34 of the Minnesota Lynx makes a gesture during a pre-season game against the Chicago Sky on May 12, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MAY 12: Sylvia Fowles #34 of the Minnesota Lynx makes a gesture during a pre-season game against the Chicago Sky on May 12, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The 2018 MVP race will be a fascinating one. There was no doubt as to whether Sylvia Fowles was deserving of the award last year. Things will be very different now. Whether or not you believed it or thought it mattered, a narrative was out there that Maya Moore was having a bit of a ‘down year’.

You don’t have to reach far to read the tea leaves out of Minnesota’s training camp thus far. They’re going to do what they can to put Fowles in position to win another one. What happens, though, if Moore enters the discussion once again? We saw this in Los Angeles last year with the Sparks.

Nneka Ogwumike earned MVP honors in 2016 with a season for the ages — 66.5 percent from the field and 86.9% from the line to go with 19.1 point / 9.1 rebound / 3.1 assist / 1.2 steal / 1.1 block per game averages. She finished within four three-pointers and five free throws of a 50/40/90 shooting season in 2017. And yet, when the time came, the Sparks pushed Candace Parker as the team’s MVP candidate.

I imagine many others would likely feel equally torn between Minnesota’s two best players if Fowles sustains her level of play and Moore’s overall numbers climb back up a bit.

Is it the right way to go about things? Everyone defines ‘most valuable’ a little bit differently. So I’ll say this much: Speak regularly (and listen to what others have to say!) about these awards because this season is going to really fly by, perhaps more so than any other.

Links I Like

Here’s Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune on Seimone Augustus, whose passing was key to their team success and Fowles’ MVP candidacy. Yesterday I highlighted one of their best scoring actions, which Augustus appears to have mastered.

Here’s Marc Allard of the Norwich Bulletin on Morgan Tuck, Jasmine Thomas and Rachel Banham gaining confidence from their time spent playing overseas.

The league announced Monday that 49 regular season games will be shown on NBATV this season. Start planning those watch parties.

Get ready to hear a whole lot about legalized betting on sports. If the WNBA gets in on this early and does it right, it could help infuse a bunch of cash into a league that desperately needs to increase player salaries.

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