Why the Minnesota Lynx’ Kayla McBride is a re-emergent WNBA All-Star

If there’s one factor that has outlined the Minnesota Lynx’ success in 2024, it’s 3-point taking pictures. And if there’s one participant on the Lynx who defines that taking pictures, it’s Kayla McBride.

The Lynx (11-3) are in third place within the WNBA standings, thanks largely to an offense that emphasizes flooring spacing and selflessness. Although Minnesota options one of many league’s best players in Napheesa Collier, its strategy to scoring the basketball hinges upon enjoying as a unit, turning down good pictures for excellent ones and stretching opposing defenses skinny with scoring threats at each place. That offensive philosophy has definitely labored up to now. Minnesota at present ranks No. 2 within the WNBA in offensive rating, scoring 105.6 factors per 100 possessions, and No. 1 in effective field goal percentage at 53.9 %.

It’s been McBride’s spectacular taking pictures that’s fueling these numbers. Now in her eleventh WNBA season, McBride has been recognized for years as one of many league’s deadliest jumpshooters, and he or she has the accolades to show it, together with a trio of All-Star appearances and an All-Rookie nod in 2014.

The run McBride has been on in 2024, nevertheless, is excellent even by her requirements. She’s at present averaging 17.1 factors per sport, her most since signing with the Lynx in 2021, and taking pictures an unbelievable 49.5 % on 3-pointers, making 3.5 of them per contest.

Let’s take a step again for a minute and contextualize these statistics. In accordance with Across the Timeline, solely six different gamers within the WNBA are getting up as many 3-pointers per sport (seven) as McBride is, and none of them are connecting on practically as many. It’s not hyperbole to say that nobody is taking pictures the ball in addition to McBride.

In actual fact, not many gamers in WNBA historical past have. Only two players—Sabrina Ionescu in 2023 and Kelsey Plum in 2022—have shot 40 % or higher on seven 3-point makes an attempt per sport. If the 2024 season ended in the present day, McBride would go down as having by far essentially the most correct high-volume taking pictures marketing campaign because the league’s inception.

After all, there are nonetheless fairly a couple of regular-season video games remaining in 2024 (26, to be precise), and to take care of this sort of marksmanship all through a full 40-game schedule could be an inconceivable feat, even for a shooter of McBride’s caliber. If we’re strictly speaking All-Star credentials, although, the numbers she’s placing up give her a stable case. It goes with out saying that McBride has been one of many WNBA’s most effective scorers—her 64.1 % efficient area purpose share ranks second amongst gamers who’ve totaled at the very least 100 area purpose makes an attempt—however she’s additionally having the most effective playmaking season of her profession, chipping in 3.9 assists per sport in Minnesota’s egalitarian offensive system.

McBride’s sport isn’t the flashiest, and to the informal viewer, she might not stand out as a lot on a Lynx crew that will reasonably every of its gamers excel of their respective roles than have one or two hog the highlight. That doesn’t make her any much less deserving of an All-Star nod in 2024, although; she’s having a taking pictures season for the ages, and it’s instantly contributed to her crew’s profitable methods.