We are officially in full swing with the WNBA season and it's shaping up to be a fun one with the expansion of teams and arguably the most talent the league has ever seen. WNBA first basket props are some of the best ways to get into action as you don't have to sweat the entire game before it cashes. Of course, these are high variance, long odds similar to first touchdown in football, but that is why the odds allow for a nice payout when you get one right. Over a long sample size, the risk gets rewarded. Remember to shop around as odds vary widely across books and remember this is for first point scorer, so free throws also count.
We missed a couple of first basket bets last time so let's bounce back today. Here are the best first basket bets for the Friday, June 12th slate.
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Friday's Best WNBA First Basket Scorers & Bets
Last Time: 0-2 | Season: 6-17 (+21.15U)
Toronto Tempo vs. Washington Mystics
We start in the nation’s capital for a Commissioner’s Cup matchup, and the tip is where I want to begin building this one. Shakira Austin handles the jump for Washington and she has been dominant at the circle this year, winning nine of her 10 jumps, while Nyara Sabally has struggled badly on the Toronto side at just over twenty percent. That is about as lopsided a tip edge as you will find, so I am confident Washington gets first crack at the rim.
From there, the question is who finishes it, and the trends point right at Austin herself. When Washington wins the tip, the first possession runs through their bigs at a high clip, and Austin’s usage in those early sets makes her the natural target on a quick post touch or a putback. She is also a strong free throw draw, which matters since first point bets cash on free throws too. It's a chalky play but they're chalky for a reason, and still at almost 4/1, there's some value here.
Pick: Shakira Austin (+380 at FanDuel)
Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm
Out in Seattle, we have the Valkyries visiting the Storm, and this one is trickier because the tip is closer to a coin flip. Kameron Stokes jumps for Golden State and Seattle will likely be Dominique Malonga, but that has changed recently so keep track of starting lineups. While Malonga has been solid on the tip in her two efforts, the offense is just tough to trust for Seattle. I would rather lean on which team actually scores first regardless of who controls the opening possession, and Golden State has been the more efficient offense in the early going.
The name I keep landing on is Flau’jae Johnson for the Storm. Seattle’s first basket data shows opponents getting their early looks from the perimeter at a high rate, and Johnson scored the first bucket in the most recent meeting between these two on a three. She is a primary initiator who gets a touch on the opening set, and at this point on the board the odds pay you handsomely for a player who is genuinely in the mix. I will take the shooter who already has history doing exactly this against Seattle.
Pick: Flau’jae Johnson (+660 at DraftKings)
