iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Enjoyed it. Thought you were having too much fun appearing on everyone else’s pod. 😊

R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

One of my favorites. Came across her jersey tucked into a storage box last month. Yo beget Brunson so it still felt like a piece of that Monarchs squad survived the Maloofs. Angel isn’t as strong as those two but she does have the motor.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Great article Marisa. Glad the Merc beat is staying in the Valkyries Courtside family. From the press conference it sounded like Stokes said “in year two” not “in our year too.” Just going by the video I saw but I know you were there live.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Didn’t the pool report basically accuse Stewie of lying? Can’t believe those refs are still working these games.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Thanks! Her shooting efficiency in the playoffs is up so that’s part of the leap. But there’s been a clear plan to manage her minutes after she played such heavy minutes in Seattle. Feels like it hurt her for some of the individual awards but may help her get to the championship.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Lots of debate btwn fans & media about whether Gabby has been this good all year or the playoffs are an aberration. @mingemi.bsky.social @richardcohen.bsky.social has anyone compared regular season vs. playoff stats per 100 mins? Her counting stats and mins were lower than most all-stars

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Owner has said that all Valks game will be played at Chase Center. They’ll get priority and scheduled concerts like Doja Cat are getting bumped to contingency dates. They’ve already moved one show that conflicted with a semifinal game. Valks won’t have a repeat of last year.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I couldn’t lose with Kehlani in the building! - Gabby Williams probably

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Maybe. They fired Sandy after she won their only championship.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

They don’t re-seed each round so they? Home court in the semifinals helps but unless the Fever beat the Aces in game 3, I feel the same.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Phee becomes an unrestricted free agent and Lynx move forward building around Miles. They just didn’t have enough time to integrate Phee into the system and get her back to full health.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

That one’s gotta hurt but glad it was Nneka herself and not one of her teammates who missed it.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Hoping she got that out of her system. Sticking with a lineup that had no connection on either end of the court for what? Counter to everything Nat has done all year.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

@richardcohen.bsky.social @mingemi.bsky.social any talk about whether Coach Nakase, in her WNBA role, & Coach Toupane have discussed play styles or development for the French players? The styles seem similar making it potentially easier to slide back & forth between the 2 squads. Coincidence or no?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

French national team is calling her the Wiz so I think that’s as close to official as you get.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Brittany said the new commissioner needs to align messaging to what the players need & want. How does that jibe with the role of a commissioner who serves the league owners and is hired by Adam Silver? As the ownership base shifts and the league becomes more mainstream not sure values are aligned.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I’m just glad there’s no expansion draft next season. Cherish the moments this squad has together.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Yep. When Kaitlyn gets taken in the Sirens expansion draft, hopefully they can slot Tanaka in.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Strange following the World Cup through the lens of the WNBA social account. They’re only highlighting Team USA even though the league has expressly said that international growth is a goal. Why wouldn’t you highlight all of the WNBA players like the teams are doing? Very short-sighted by the W.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Same way I felt after learning Swin Cash is part of the 16% investor group in the league itself. Love her and her commentary but…

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

They doesn’t have to have a personal relationship w/ all players but you can’t have the 4-time MVP saying your only relationship is when she hands you a trophy. Or a former 2-time MVP saying she’s not sure the commish knows she retired. More infrastructure is needed but everything can’t be delegated

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Think she deserves credit for getting them through the pandemic and to expansion on the other side. But I’m dinging her for the valuation on sale of 16% of the league and the W’s share of the new media deal. Don’t know if she was even at the bargaining table for the latter. Seemed a fait accompli.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

My lip reading clocked her saying “Get the fuck off me” after the play. I’d call that a couple of words. 😂

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Kelsey and Gabby were chatting it up during All-Star. Should make for an interesting free agency.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Nice! Thanks for doing this. Putting in my guess before I watch the vid. Looked like they switched the bigs to hard hedge instead of drop coverage on the PNR. Bigs were too deep in the paint in the 1st quarter so they were giving up the midrange.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Thanks. I heard her called Wizards 1st but you’d think the Liberty are more likely to know her actual nickname. Jackie do you know if she has a preference?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Nickname question for you. I’ve seen the Liberty call Marine the Magician and the WNBA and elsewhere call her the Wizard. Is this a translation issue or are there really dueling nicknames? @richardcohen.bsky.social

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Factual but a little misleading to say 2-6 against top teams including Indiana. Valks are 2-1 vs. Indiana and the only loss came on a road back to back. They haven’t been able to beat the Lynx and Aces but they own the tiebreaker over all the other playoff teams.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Wonder if this is tied to refs being trained on the NBA side where this is standard practice

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Any reason they didn’t assign her to the SF team given her Bay Area ties?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Natalie tightened her rotation in last year’s game 1 of the playoffs & it was a mistake that contributed to the loss. She went back to her regular rotation in game 2. Hoping she learned the lesson & won’t repeat it. Would be interesting to hear her take on last yr. The offense off the bench is vital

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I noticed. Lynx and Aces seem to be able to lose to everyone but the Valks. My dream playoff scenario is Valks at 2 and Aces slip to 4, let them and Minny duke it out to see who gets to the finals.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

After slipping from 6 to 8 because they didn’t have the tiebreakers last year, it’s a welcome change.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Valks have it over ATL, Fever, Wings, Mystics and NYL in case things get spicy in the homestretch

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

So if you waive someone after the deadline for contracts to become guaranteed, they don’t get paid out the full contract just the prorated portion? If that’s the case, how is this any different than LVA waiving Carter last month?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Fair point. The timing sucks. No need to give the Liberty FO too much credit. But with only 2 moves at the deadline, it’s not like the trade market was so robust that BLH is now locked out of going to a team that would’ve been a possibility last week. What team do you think would be the best fit?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Is there a spin to this that waiving her was the most respectful thing they could do - pay her out & let her choose her own preferred destination? Could a contender w/o salary cap room still be able to sign her as long as they can open a roster spot? What’s the least amount they can pay?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Jackie on the Valkyries in 2027 would be something to see. 🤞🏾

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Heard a reporter say that by signing her now they’re the only team that can offer her the supermax next season. Is that true?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

I struggle with overpaying for talent they can acquire in free agency. They need a shooting guard &/or a post with more offensive firepower. Between Phee, Jackie, either of the Kelseys, and Nneka, I think they can pick up someone in the offseason. Any idea what free agent they almost signed this yr?

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

In Valkyries land, @ericapricot.bsky.social coined the phrase “Always close enough to hurt.” Luckily this year we’re on the winning side more often than not.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I’ve seen it online. Can’t remember if it was @ericapricot.bsky.social’s discord or elsewhere

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

On the Courtside podcast, you guys talked about Nat converting Juste to a PG but initially she said a primary ball handler. Long-term, I think she’ll be a 2 and slide into Ceci’s spot but if Nat’s confident in her as a lead guard she & VB can play together & get VB off ball & relieve some pressure.

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R.S. Locke / Royal Suitor @royal-suitor.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Got it. Thank you. So if Valks drafted in the no. 8 spot and that player made the team out of camp, their contract would be guaranteed and they wouldn’t be able to waive them and use that salary to sign another player?

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