Jewell Loyd

Having just found themselves on the wrong side of a game-winning shot against the Atlanta Dream just a dozen days prior, the Seattle Storm couldn’t have asked for a better scenario for retribution. At home, and with one of the WNBA’s most statistically-productive crunchtime scorers at the helm, Seattle kickstarts what ultimately becomes an excellent play design by working Jewell Loyd and her fellow All-Star backcourt mate on a pass-and-pass-back sequence. Flawless in helping Seattle execute its decoy plan, Loyd then uses a veer action, receiving a screen back towards the top of the arc before burying a clutch, go-ahead 3-pointer with under 30 seconds to play. Loyd — who owns WNBA history’s No. 1 field goal percentage in the final 30 seconds of tie-or-take-the-lead situations — offered further illustration to her “Gold Mamba” nickname in the thrilling win on August 28, 2024. Helping Seattle draw closer to momentum heading into the postseason, Loyd’s final contributions added up to 28 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and five 3-pointers across 37 minutes.