Blue Devils in the WNBA Update - June 5

DURHAM N.C. -- As the WNBA season continues to progress, the Blue Devils in the WNBA are making impacts in their own unique ways. Just this week, Lexie Brown was signed to the Chicago Sky, giving Duke a total of six players in the WNBA, which ranks the Blue Devils tied for third with Baylor and Rutgers. The Duke players currently active in the league this season are: Chelsea Gray, Elizabeth Williams, Haley Gorecki, Jasmine Thomas, Leaonna Odom, and Lexie Brown.

Here is a full breakdown on how the players are performing up to this point in the season—

Chelsea Gray-- Duke '14
Las Vegas Aces (WNBA), 5-11, Guard
2021 Stats: 9 games, 12.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG
With the help of Chelsea Gray, the Las Vegas Aces have won three out of the last four games. The Aces are currently ranked third within the WNBA and second in the Western Conference to the reigning WNBA champs, the Seattle Storm. In Gray's last four games, she has managed to improve her averages in three of the four categories listed above. The only category that did not improve was PPG, which was 12.7 PPG through five contests. Gray had her best performance of the season on May 28 against the Indiana Fever. In that matchup, Gray collected her first double-double of the season with a season high of 19 points and 12 assists, which was also a season high in the 113-77 victory for the Aces. Gray will take the floor again on Saturday, June 5 when the Aces meet the Washington Mystics at 1 p.m EST.

What a pass from Chelsea Gray?? pic.twitter.com/pCNTmqUP0R
— ESPN (@espn) June 3, 2021

Elizabeth Williams-- Duke '15
Atlanta Dreams (WNBA), 6-3, Forward/Center
2021 Stats:-- 7 games, 5.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 1.1 BPG

Since the start of the 2021 season, Elizabeth Williams has started all seven games that she participated in for the Atlanta Dream. On Saturday, May 29, Williams played her best game of the season and helped contribute to the Dream in the 90-87 win in overtime versus the New York Liberty. In that contest, Williams posted her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. But the biggest play from that game came from Williams on the defensive side of the ball, when she rejected Betnijah Laney (#44 on the New York Liberty) to send the game to overtime. The Dream are still situated in third spot within the Eastern Conference with a record of 4-3. The next team set to oppose the Dream will be the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, June 5, at 7 p.m. EST.

BLOCK before the buzzer ??

Elizabeth Williams helps the Atlanta Dream force OT against the NY Liberty ??pic.twitter.com/bl8YanQSy4
— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) May 29, 2021

Haley Gorecki-- Duke '20
Phoenix Mercury (WNBA), 6-0, Guard
2021 Stats:--

Since being signed with the Phoenix Mercury, Haley Gorecki has had very limited playing time. Gorecki's
only appearance this season came against the Dallas Wings on May 29. Gorecki helped Phoenix come
out on top with an 89-85 victory. The Mercury are currently seated third in the Western Conference
behind Chelsea Gray's Aces team and fifth in the WNBA with a 5-3 record. Gorecki and the Mercury are
not scheduled to take the floor again until Wednesday, June 9, at 10 p.m. EST against the Dallas Wings.

Taking it all in.

Welcome to The W, @HaleyGorecki! pic.twitter.com/p7MJQ0n6Gm
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) May 29, 2021

Jasmine Thomas-- Duke '11
Connecticut Suns (WNBA), 5-9, Guard
2021 Stats: 7 games, 11.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.9 RPG, 0.9 SPG

Coming into the 2021 WNBA season, Jasmine Thomas was just 23 assists away from breaching the 1,200
total assist mark over her career in a regular season with 1,177. After missing the first two games due to
injury, Thomas earned her 1,200 assist on May 30 against the Minnesota Lynx. In the game, Thomas had
14 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds in the 74-79 OT loss to the Lynx. Thomas currently ranks seventh
amongst active players and 17th all-time in assists with 1,207 assists. The Sun remain in first place in the
Eastern Conference with a 7-2 record and are second in the WNBA only to the Seattle Storm. Thomas
will have another opportunity to bolster her stats Saturday, June 5, at 7 p.m. EST against the New York
Liberty and another former Duke player, Leaonna Odom.

Climbing the charts in Connecticut. Congrats, @jaszthomas! ????#BornForThis pic.twitter.com/aa1jqsM8k9
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) May 31, 2021

Leaonna Odom-- Duke '20
New York Liberty (WNBA), 6-2, Forward
2021 Stats: 1 game, 7.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 1 APG, 1 SPG

Leaonna Odom, up to this point in the season has only participated in one contest because of a lingering
achilles injury suffered prior to the start of the season. The game that she did play was against the Las
Vegas Aces. Odom played only 12 minutes in the contest but managed to contribute seven points, one rebound, and one assist in a game the Liberty lost to the Aces by a score of 94-82 on June 3. The New York Liberty and the former 15th overall 2020 pick are scheduled to battle the Connecticut Sun on Saturday, June 5, at 7 p.m. EST.

Welcome back Leaonna Odom ??

?? https://t.co/DmZgIy4o21 pic.twitter.com/7gmF8AC8OC
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 3, 2021

Lexie Brown-- Duke '18
Chicago Sky (WNBA), 5-9, Guard
2021 Stats: 1 game, 2.0 PPG, 4 APG, 1 RPG

Just this week, Lexie Brown was signed to the Chicago Sky after getting waived by the team just prior to
the start of the 2021 season. Brown is entering her fourth season in the WNBA, one season with the
Connecticut Sun, two with the Minnesota Lynx, and now with the Chicago Sky. Brown has only
competed in one game for the Sky against the Phoenix Mercury. In that contest, Brown played 20 minutes and helped the team by contributing two points, four assists, and one rebound. The Mercury came out on top in that contest 84-83, but Brown and the Sky will have another opportunity to redeem
themselves on Saturday, June 5 at 3 p.m. EST as the Chicago Sky take on the Los Angeles Sparks.