The Lunar Owls aren’t off to a great start. They are one of two still winless teams, and they have struggled to just avoid getting crushed by other teams. One big reason for those struggles is losing Napheesa Collier before the season even started. As if that wasn’t enough yet, Skylar Diggins wasn’t able to play in any of the team’s first three games due to a lower leg injury.
Without Collier and Diggins, the Lunar Owls are relying heavily on Marina Mabrey and Aaliyah Edwards to create offense. Both have been great. The Lunar Owls’ real problem is that they can’t get much production out of Rebecca Allen, Rachel Banham, and Temi Fagbenle.
The Lunar Owls lost their status as a potential contender as soon as Collier announced that she wouldn’t be able to play, but that doesn’t mean they can’t at least try to be competitive. So, head coach DJ Sackmann will have to figure out how to get more out of Allen, Banham, and Fagbenle. Skylar Diggins’ return may be the key to that. The Lunar Olws need someone other than Marina Mabrey to create shots for the rest of the team and set the role players up for success rather than asking them to create for themselves when that is not something they have a lot of experience doing at the pro level.
Banham, Allen, and Fagbenle need to be put in a better position to contribute
All three of Allen, Banham, and Fagbenle are new to Unrivaled, which is vastly different from the WNBA. All three have skills that could be invaluable in Unrivaled’s fast-paced three-on-three setting, though.
Allen showed some solid defense in her first three games, Banham is an excellent 3-point shooter, and Fagbenle runs the floor well for a big. Nevertheless, all three rank among the least productive players early in the season. There could be several reasons for that: maybe, Unrivaled’s unique setting just isn’t a good fit for them, or, maybe, they just need to be put in a better position to play their role.
All three have made their living in the W as role players and by playing off star players. So, having a true point guard on the court should help them be more productive, even if it is still only in short stints.
Diggins averaged six assists per game in her most recent season with the Seattle Storm and 4.7 in her first Unrivaled season. She finished second in assists per game behind Chelsea Gray. Once Diggins makes her season two debut for the Lunar Owls, the team’s focus will be to get her, Mabrey, and Edwards going together, but her presence should also make a big difference for Allen, Banham, and Fagbenle.
If the Lunar Owls cannot get Diggins back soon or can’t get more out of Allen, Banham, and Fagbenle, the team could be in for a brutal season.