Dana Evans couldn’t keep up with the torrential downpour of notifications that kept her phone abuzz after the Aces opened the WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night at Michelob Ultra Arena.

The burst of congratulatory messages and social media mentions was a result of the 5-foot-6-inch guard’s stunning performance in the 89-86 Game 1 win.

With 21 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the 3-point line, Evans tied the WNBA record for most 3s off the bench in a finals game while also becoming the first player in finals history to make five threes and record four steals in a game.

“It’s surreal,” the 27-year-old said at practice Saturday morning. “All the hours, the long nights and early mornings. It’s paying off.”

The moment of reflection wasn’t a sign of contentment, however, as Evans told reporters in the aftermath of Friday’s victory that she and the Aces aren’t satisfied. Evans said she “just (wants) to win” — and keep winning.

That level of competitive drive got Evans through the stony path that saw her beat the odds to get drafted out of Louisville in 2021, then landed her in Las Vegas via trade this offseason after it wasn’t a fit with the Chicago Sky. More importantly now, it’s what makes Evans such a valuable addition to the second-seeded Aces as they look to secure a third WNBA title.

Just ask A’ja Wilson, the league’s four-time MVP, who equaled Evans’ scoring for the Aces on Friday night.

“Dana is our battery,” Wilson said. “She makes us play at a different pace. I told her we go as she goes, and that’s a quick pace. But we are going to always try to follow her because we know she’s very hard to stop.”

Coach’s competitor

Louisville women’s basketball head coach Jeff Walz watched Evans shine with the Aces on Friday night from a bar in Colorado during a getaway with his family for fall break.

He snapped a photo during Evans’ walkoff interview with ESPN after the win.

“One of the smallest players in the league but the biggest heart,” he wrote as he shared the picture via X and tagged Evans. “So proud of you and Love you.”

It was one of the many posts that Evans missed, but it didn’t matter. She and Walz exchange texts after nearly every game. The sustained bond isn’t unique for Evans. The Gary, Indiana, native also speaks with her high school coach just as regularly. But that doesn’t mean it was always smooth sailing.

“I walked in as a freshman and told him that I wanted to be in the WNBA,” Evans recalled of her early days with Walz. He was the right guy to make it happen, as 12 of the program’s 14 WNBA draft picks have developed under his tutelage.

Evans and Walz both agree that the ensuing conversation came with a warning that Evans probably wouldn’t like Walz some days, which Evans happily accepted.

“So we butted heads, but I always kept in the back of my mind that it was for me to be better, Evans recalled.

One of Walz’s favorite stories to tell is that Evans told him she wondered if she “picked the wrong school” after she played 18 minutes as part of a talented roster in a win over Florida State during her sophomore year. “Maybe you did,” he responded.

He learned something about her character when she apologized the next day, then went on to become the only player in Louisville program history to win a regular-season conference championship in each of her four seasons.

Fittingly, Evans also finished with the fewest losses and best winning percentage in program history.

“She’s as competitive of a player as I’ve ever coached. And I knew that when I recruited her,” Walz said.

Throughout their time together, Walz learned that Evans plays better when she’s a little mad. She already had a chip on her shoulder with people doubting her due to her size.

Now, with the Aces, Evans doesn’t even need outside noise.

“I find little things to turn me up,” Evans said. “If somebody scores on me twice, that’s gonna turn me up. I hate getting scored on. I’m just super competitive. I want to be perfect. I just look for stuff. It’s kind of crazy, I don’t know, but it gets me going.”

Aces coach Becky Hammon, easily one of the toughest in the league, couldn’t think of a time that she has clashed with Evans. She doesn’t ever want Evans to get in her head or question anything on the court.

“I don’t know if she’s ever played with a coach like me who wants her aggressive 100 percent of the time,” Hammon said. “I just want her to go crazy out there. … I think she’s the fastest player in this series. Use what the good Lord gave you.”

Walz agreed, saying there’s “no question” that Evans would beat anyone on Aces or Mercury’s roster in a foot race.

“That’s (Hammon’s) wild card that not everyone else has,” he said. “I’ve been impressed with the way that Becky’s allowed her to play, understanding that she might turn the ball over because she’s playing so fast but it will still be worth it.”

Even Aces point guard Chelsea Gray — who the entire team agrees is most likely to become a coach when her playing career ends — is willing to push Evans, who often comes in to replace Gray.

“We have a lot of confidence in what she’s able to do, no matter who we’re playing,” Gray said. “I see those moments when she gets irritated. Whatever she’s got to do to find it and tick her off. I’m good with that. I’ll yell at her if she wants.”

Gray later admitted that she has in fact yelled at Evans, but that no one on the team is free from the “smoke.”

Evans doesn’t mind it at all.

“If somebody snaps on me or gets on me, I’m not gonna take it personal because we’ve developed great relationships off the court,” Evans said. “We have such a talented team. (That’s what) really brought us so much closer. We really want to do it for one another.”

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on Twitter.

Up next

* Who: Mercury at Aces

* What: WNBA Finals, Game 2

* When: Noon Sunday

* Where: Michelob Ultra Arena

* TV: ABC

* Radio: KWWN (1100 AM, 100.9 FM)

* Line: Aces -3; total 164½

Source link