The commitment to social justice has taken on special meaning for Angel McCoughtry, who leads the Las Vegas Aces back into action Saturday versus the New York Liberty after two days of games not being played across the league.
McCoughtry is in her first season with the Aces (11-3), but the five-time All-Star has not shied from being among the WNBA's leaders when it comes to this unprecedented summer of action among the players and teams fighting for the causes they believe in. McCoughtry was the driving force to have the name of Breonna Taylor, an African-American EMT worker in Louisville, Ky. who was killed by police as she slept in March, on the back of the team's jerseys in the "wubble" where they are playing in Florida.
"Change is the ultimate championship," McCoughtry said Thursday on Twitter. "We have used our bubble to highlight the injustices going on, but the game of life is more important than the game of basketball and us pro athletes believe it's time for a change."
Her actions have had a clear impact upon her team. During a vigil Wednesday after the first day of games were postponed, Aces coach Bill Laimbeer offered some poignant words on the players' movement he has seen while contrasting it to his playing days with the Detroit Pistons.
"You have come so far. The changes that you have made have been phenomenal, both on the court, which your talent level is second to none in the history of this league, but also off the court for how you have grown," Laimbeer said in the video, which was posted to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe's Twitter page according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I've been asked numerous times this year about the difference between professional basketball today and when I played.
"I answer it this way. When I played, the owners dominated, the media dominated and the corporations dominated, and the players were in a closet. Today, the players control the action. You have the narrative. There's no question about that. It's a given. It's a fact, and you are expressing it. And that's a good thing."
McCoughtry and the Aces, who had their high-profile showdown with league-leading Seattle rescheduled for the final day of the season Sept. 13, have won three straight games after holding off the Dallas Wings 96-92 on Tuesday. A'ja Wilson had 26 points and nine rebounds while McCoughtry contributed 12 points in 16 foul-plagued minutes.
With six rookies on their roster and the No. 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu sidelined with a sprained ankle on top of this entire season, the young Liberty (2-12) could be forgiven if finding life in the "wubble" occasionally overwhelming.
The team released a statement Thursday regarding its own social justice initiatives, noting the day would have marked its fourth annual UNITY Day game, which this year "is devoted to telling Breonna Taylor's story and highlighting the #SayHerName campaign. In light of today's protest, our UNITY Day will be rescheduled at a later date. While we will not take the court today, we will continue to stay loud in our pursuit of social justice."
New York snapped a seven-game losing streak Tuesday night, upending Chicago 101-99 as Layshia Clarendon hit a pair of decisive free throws with three-tenths of a second to play. Amanda Zahui B. totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds and hit four 3-pointers for the Liberty, who went 14 of 30 from beyond the arc and shot 55.9 percent overall.
The Aces rallied for a 78-76 win in the first meeting between the teams as Wilson hit a go-ahead basket with 6.9 seconds to pay. Las Vegas held New York scoreless over the final 2:07 and overcame a five-point deficit in the last 3:22.