Best WNBA Player Props Today: Young and Plum Heave Away

Young lasers Lynx

Once upon a time, the major hole in Jackie Young’s otherwise outstanding offensive game was her lack of a reliable perimeter shot. And while she failed to cover herself in glory during All-Star Weekend’s 3-point contest, that should not distract in the slightest from the fact that Young has transformed into one of the most lethal shooters in the league.

For the season, Young is shooting a preposterous 49.5% from behind the arc, on a career high 4.9 attempts per game. She’s comfortable shooting off the dribble and off the catch and her hitting a pull-up three in transition has become one of the Aces’ favorite ways to completely break the will of their opposition. 

Young’s consistency from outside is the most remarkable aspect of her improvement; over her last 10 games, she’s hitting exactly 50% of her triples, good enough for 2.8 makes a game, and only once hitting fewer than two in a game. Getting this at prop at significant plus money (+124) would be enticing enough even before considering her opposition.

The Minnesota Lynx do less to defend the 3-point arc than any team in the W — and by a wide margin. They allow 26.2 opponent 3-point attempts per game, nearly four per game more than the second-highest team. That gap is the same as the difference between the last-placed team and the second-highest. The level to which they simply disregard defending behind the arc is legitimately a bit stunning.

This quirk in Minnesota’s defense should give Young ample opportunity to cash in at this number. Indeed, Young’s season highs in 3-point makes and attempts (5-9) came against these same Lynx just a couple of weeks ago.

Jackie Young prop: Over 2.5 3-pointers (+124 at FanDuel)

Plum pickings

On the basis of the same logic as the Young prop, I’m also backing Kelsey Plum to come through from distance against the lowly Lynx. Plum hasn’t had the same scorching season from three that Young has, but she’s rounded into form quite nicely of late. After a slow start from behind the arc this season, she’s now back above league average at 37.4% and rising rapidly.

While Plum has been just as liable to drive and attack off the catch as she has been to bomb away this season, her 3-point shot volume has seen a return to her prior-season levels over the last five games or so. Over those five games Plum is taking 6.8 attempts from behind the arc per game while hitting them at a 41.1% clip.

Most notably of all, she went 6-9 from behind the arc against the Lynx on July 9, her most makes on the year and tied for her season high in attempts, putting further proof to the theory that Minnesota is a soft defense against determined 3-point shooters. At the same plus money value that Young is getting, this is a no-brainer.

Kelsey Plum prop: Over 2.5 3-pointers (+124 at FanDuel)

Unsung Wing

The Dallas Wings are making waves this season. They’re now up to second in the Western Conference at 12-9, they’ve won four straight, and they own the distinction of being the only team so far to take down both the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty this season. While most of the credit has (deservedly) been laid at the feet of their Big Three of Arike Ogunbowale, Satou Sabally, and Natasha Howard, there’s another player who’s gone mostly unnoticed for her contributions.

That player is Teaira McCowan. McCowan joined the Wings just last season after spending her first three years as a member of the Indiana Fever. She’s one of the tallest players in the WNBA at 6-foot-7, and her combination of size and touch makes her a nightmare matchup for a diminutive team like the Los Angeles Sparks. 

While McCowan's numbers for the season as a whole are right in line with her career numbers, the Wings have shown a willingness to make her a focal point over this current winning streak. She’s scored 14.2 points per game over her last five on 54.5% from the field, and only once did she fail to score 12 or more points in that same span.

After starting the season playing in the low 20s in minutes per game, her role has steadily grown to where now she’s regularly at or above 30 minutes played per game. With a growing amount of trust from her teammates and the coaching staff to produce, I love getting McCowan’s points prop at this number.

Teaira McCowan prop: Over 11.5 points (-113 at FanDuel)