Vandersloot Moves into #5 on WNBA's All-Time Assists List

[ZagDad84]

With the start of the WNBA's season this summer, Courtney Vandersloot has moved past Becky Hammond into #5 on the all-time WNBA's assist leaderboard.

#1 - Sue Bird - 2,841 (active - 39 years old)
#2 - Ticha Penicheiro - 2,599 (retired)
#3 - Lindsay Whalen - 2,345 (retired)
#4 - Diana Taurasi - 1,891 (active - 38 years old)
#5 - Courtney Vandersloot - 1,717 (active - 31 years old)
#6 - Becky Hammon - 1,705 (retired)

Here is the link to the current WNBA all-time assist leaders: https://www.basketball-reference.com...st_career.html

Can CV catch Sue Bird and become the all-time assist leader, giving the Zags the all-time assist leaders in both the NBA (John Stockton) and the WNBA?

Over the past 4 years (including so far this year), CV has averaged 8.5 assists per game. Sue Bird is currently playing at age 39 and Diana Taurasi is playing at age 38. Both Bird and Taurasi are playing at relatively high levels with average assist levels of approximately 5.5-6.2 per game. Assuming all three players continue to play at their current averages, CV will out assist both Bird and Taurasi by 75-100 assists per year (50-75 assists this year) while all three players continue to play.

Bird is currently 1,124 assists ahead of CV and Taurasi is 174 assists ahead of CV, but CV is reducing these differences every year the players continue to play. Assuming CV averages 280 assists per game (her average over the last 4 years), CV would catch #4 Taurasi and #3 Lindsay Whalen some time during the 2022 season and #2 Ticha Penicheiro during the 2023 season. Using the same assist averages, it would take CV 4-5 years after Sue Bird retires to catch and pass Sue Bird to become the all-time WNBA assist leader.

So Can CV catch Sue Bird and become the WNBA's all-time assist leader?

If, CV stays healthy and productive and she plays long enough, she has a very good chance to become the WNBA's all-time assist leader.

Statistical History of CV: https://www.basketball-reference.com...andeco01w.html
Statistical History of Sue Bird: https://www.basketball-reference.com...birdsu01w.html
Statistical History of Diana Taurasi: https://www.basketball-reference.com...auradi01w.html

ZagDad

[seacatfan]

10 more today (should've had at least 3 more, teammates kept blowing it on bunnies). I just don't know if she'll play long enough to catch Bird, but I think looking at her season totals and averages she is without a doubt the best passer ever in the WNBA. Thanks for starting up the watch again.

[ZagDad84]

Congratulations to former Lady Zag Courtney Vandersloot on being awarded this week's Co-WNBA Player of the Week. CV's stats over the three (3) games last week:

�� 14.6 points, 9.7 assists & 3.0 rebounds per game
�� Shooting Percentage = 0.517%
�� Two double-doubles
�� 2-1 overall mark

Way to go Courtney.

Link to Picture from the WNBA: https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1292...786566/photo/1
Link to Chicago Sky Twitter posting with video clip: https://twitter.com/chicagosky/statu...77987071889410

Zag Up,

ZagDad

[Zag Swagger]

#Sloot!

[TerpZag]

Congratulations Courtney!



Gonzaga WBB Twitter Link

[SkipZag]

Such a great player...

When I introduced her to my granddaughters, she was great with them.

Go Sloot!!

Go Zags!!

[webspinnre]

Catching Bird is going to be tricky, but if anyone can do it, it's Sloot.

[seacatfan]

I kept thinking it would be really hard to catch Bird, but it might be more doable than I realized. The main thing is Sue has to retire at some point! Sloot is a little bit less than 1100 assists behind. Probably 300 in a season isn't something she can replicate every year, but certainly somewhere between 200 to 250 is reasonable. Her previous 3 seasons have been 218, 258 and 300. At that rate if she plays 4-5 years after Bird stops playing, she'll be in the neighborhood. She's only 150 behind Taurasi so she should pass D the next season once DT hangs her sneakers up and move to #4. Whalen isn't too far beyond that.

[webspinnre]

I kept thinking it would be really hard to catch Bird, but it might be more doable than I realized. The main thing is Sue has to retire at some point! Sloot is a little bit less than 1100 assists behind. Probably 300 in a season isn't something she can replicate every year, but certainly somewhere between 200 to 250 is reasonable. Her previous 3 seasons have been 218, 258 and 300. At that rate if she plays 4-5 years after Bird stops playing, she'll be in the neighborhood. She's only 150 behind Taurasi so she should pass D the next season once DT hangs her sneakers up and move to #4. Whalen isn't too far beyond that.

The real key is how long Sloot wants to play. If she wants to play until she's 39 or 40, I think she'll have a good shot. I could just see her being the kind of person who decides at 36 or 37 that she has other interests.

[ZagDad84]

The real key is how long Sloot wants to play. If she wants to play until she's 39 or 40, I think she'll have a good shot. I could just see her being the kind of person who decides at 36 or 37 that she has other interests.

I think Sue Bird will retire after next year (got to get that 5th Olympic Gold Medal) and in that case, as long as Sloot stays healthy and productive and plays to 36 or 37 her chances are really pretty good at being #1.

If Sue Bird keeps getting hurt, that will help Sloot as well. Bird missed almost all of last year and has only played in three games this year accumulating a total of 10 assists while CV has picked up 71 assists so far this year.

As of today, the difference in the number of assists is 1086 and will continue to drop as long as Bird continues to heal up from her bone bruise.

Here is the updated WNBA all-time assists leaderboard: https://www.basketball-reference.com...st_career.html

ZagDad

[SkipZag]

Another key could be her teammates and how good the team is. She needs teammates that can put the ball in the hoop.

A couple of years ago the team struggled making it difficult to score.

In the last couple of years, the Sky has become her team. Her leadership has stepped up... reminds me of her senior year.

Time will tell and hopefully the body will allow her to have a long run.

Go Zags!!

[ZagDad84]

From the WNBA:

Vandersloot, Parker Garner Players Of The Week Honors For Week 4
August 24, 2020

Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky (3-0 record during the week) averaged 19.0 ppg, 11.3 apg and 1.67 spg (Eastern Conference Player of the Week).

Article Link: https://www.wnba.com/news/vandersloo...rs-for-week-4/

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From the WCC:

Courtney Vandersloot Wins WCC Alumni Player of the Week Honors
Women's Basketball
8/24/2020 1:00:11 PM

Former Gonzaga All-American made more WNBA history last week

SAN BRUNO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference announces its WCC Alumni Player of the Week honors for the summer, presented by University Credit Union. The Week Eight honoree is former Gonzaga All-American Courtney Vandersloot.

A three-time All-American for the Zags, Vandersloot turned in another impressive week in the WNBA’s “Wubble” averaging 19 points, 11.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds for the Chicago Sky, leading the club to a 4.0 game lead in the Eastern Conference standings at 10-4. The MVP candidate became the first player in league history to post a 15-point, 15- assist and 5-rebound game, accomplishing the feat in an 84-82 victory against the Las Vegas Aces (8/18).

The only three-time WCC Player of the Year in conference in history, Vandersloot capped Chicago’s 3-0 week with a 23-point, 9 assist outing in an 87-76 win against Indiana on Saturday. The two-time WNBA All-Star was the first player in NCAA history – male or female – to finish a career with 2,000 points and 1,000 assists. Vandersloot has led the WNBA in assists four times, including the last three straight, and ranks sixth on the career charts.



For her efforts, Vandersloot was named WNBA Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks.

Article Link: https://wccsports.com/news/2020/8/24...ek-honors.aspx

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From the WNBA:

A’ja Wilson, Courtney Vandersloot Named WNBA Players of the Month
September 1, 2020

Courtney Vandersloot of the Chicago Sky (9-5 record during the month) averaged 13.6 ppg, 9.5 apg and 1.3 spg (Eastern Conference Player of the Month).

A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces (11-1 record during the month) averaged 20.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 2.2 bpg (Western Conference Player of the Month).

Link: https://www.wnba.com/news/aja-wilson...-of-the-month/

Way to go Courtney,

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

Sloot is not only doing it on the court, but she is also helping out the school teachers of chicago.

Check this out: https://www.donorschoose.org/courtne...TE7se2WdiVpKPA

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

We have all been following Sloot and her movement up the WNBA all-time assists leaderboard.

In the last game (loss to the Minnesota Lynx), CV's wife (Allie Quigley) became the Chicago Sky's all-time leading scorer (passing Sylvia Fowles) with 3,002 points (and counting). Sloot has scored 2,897 points so only 105 points behind Quigley for the all-time, Chicago Sky leading scorer. Allie is currently 34 years old and CV is only 31 years old, so if CV and Allie play to the same age, Sloot will have a couple of additional years to catch Quigley.

ZagDad

[seacatfan]

Out of curiosity, the other day I looked at stats for 2019 and 2020 thus far, to see how much ground Sloot is gaining on the two active players ahead of her in assists. Of course Taurasi and Bird have both missed quite a few games, so it is glaring. Over that time period, Sloot has 470, DT 104 and Bird only 34. Sloot is gonna be darn close to 200 assists even in this significantly shorted season, shes at 170 w/ 4 games left. If she maintains her average, she'll get there. She's up to 1855 for her career.