Here is the Sports Rabbi’s weekly update from the Holy Land’s persons of interest currently playing in the WNBA (in alphabetical order) – whether they’re signed on to play in the Israeli Women’s Premier Basketball League (the Athena Winner League) next season or whether they’re otherwise intrinsically connected to the Holy Land, we are here to let you know how they’re traveling in the W!

Player: Kalani Brown
College: Baylor University
Draft: 2019, Round 1, Pick 7
Current WNBA Team: Dallas Wings (10-9, 2nd in Western Conference, 6th overall)
2023-24 Israeli Team: Maccabi Bnot Ashdod
Summary: Brown was released from the Wings a couple of weeks ago, only to be signed to a hardship contract by the team for the remainder of the season the following day. Over the last three games, the Wings have gone 2-1 (splitting a pair of games with the Las Vegas Aces, an 82-89 loss away and an 80-78 win at home, as well as a 77-76 win over the Indiana Fever at home), with Brown not taking part in the games due to being in concussion protocol.

Player: Leigha Brown
College: University of Michigan
Draft: 2023, Round 2, Pick 15
Current WNBA Team: Connecticut Sun (14-5, 2nd in Eastern Conference, 3rd overall)
2023-24 Israeli Team: ASA Jerusalem
Summary: Brown was drafted by the Atlanta Dream and then a month later traded to the Sun. Over the last two games, the Sun have gone 2-0 at home (93-73 over the Seattle Storm and 92-84 over the Washington Mystics), with Brown playing just under 17 minutes in the first win for 2 points, 3 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals, while getting only 34 seconds of court time in the latter win.

Player: Maya Caldwell
College: University of Georgia
Draft: 2021, Round 3, Pick 33
Current WNBA Team: Indiana Fever (5-14, 6th in Eastern Conference, 10th overall)
2023-24 Israeli Team: AS Ramat Hasharon
Summary: It was announced late last week that Caldwell, who played with Maccabi Ramat Gan last Israeli season, has signed with AS Ramat Hasharon for the upcoming season. Over the last three games, the Fever have gone 0-3 (83-90 away to the Minnesota Lynx, 88-96 away to the Washington Mystics and 76-77 at home to the Dallas Wings), with Caldwell playing 13 minutes for 6 points and 2 assists agains the Lynx, while averaging 1 assist and 0.5 steals in 4 and a half minutes over the latter two games.

Player: Alysha Clark
College: Middle Tennessee State University
Draft: 2010, Round 2, Pick 17
Current WNBA Team: Las Vegas Aces (17-2, 1st in Western Conference, 1st overall)
2023-24 Israeli Team: — (2022-23 with Elitzur Ramla)
Summary: A former Team Israel player who was signed as a free agent by the Aces in the offseason, Clark and the star-studded Aces continue to set the pace (9-1 over the last 10 games), going 2-1 in the last week (splitting a pair of games with the Las Vegas Aces, an 89-82 win at home and a 78-80 loss away, as well as a 113-89 demolishing of the Minnesota Lynx away). Clark again made an impact in the wins, averaging 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in just under 29 minutes, while she didn’t hit the scoreboard in the loss.

Player: Jennie Simms
College: Old Dominion University
Draft: 2017, Round 2, Pick 18
Current WNBA Team: Phoenix Mercury (4-14, 6th in Western Conference, 12th overall)
2023-24 Israeli Team: Elitzur Ramla
Summary: After missing out on playing Israel’s last game at the recent Women’s EuroBasket in Tel Aviv, Simms was signed less than a week later by the Mercury, after she was previously released by the team prior to the regular season and the EuroBasket. Over the last three games, the Mercury have gone 1-2 (a 95-99 away loss to the New York Liberty, a 64-75 away loss to the Minnesota Lynx and a 78-72 home win over the Los Angeles Sparks), with Simms not appearing in two of the games and not making an impact in the 1:18 she did play.

Abby Meyers, who appeared in last week’s update, was released by the Washington Mystics during the week.

Current Standings
1. Las Vegas Aces (17-2)
2. New York Liberty (13-4)
3. Connecticut Sun (14-5)
4. Washington Mystics (10-8)
5. Atlanta Dream (10-8)
6. Dallas Wings (10-9)
7. Minnesota Lynx (9-10)
8. Chicago Sky (8-11)
9. Los Angeles Sparks (7-12)
10. Indiana Fever (5-14)
11. Seattle Storm (4-14)
12. Phoenix Mercury (4-14)