We are well into 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 scorers are some of the best ways to get in on the action, as you don't have to sweat the entire game.
Of course, these are high-variance bets with long odds similar to first touchdown scorer bets in football, but that is why the odds allow for a nice payout when you get one right. With a large sample size, the risk is rewarded. Remember to shop around as odds vary widely across sportsbooks. Remember, these bets are for the first point scorer, so free throws also count.
We went 0-3 last time out, so let's bounce back today. Here are the best WNBA first basket bets for Friday, June 19th.
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Friday’s Best WNBA First Basket Scorers & Bets
Last Time: 0-3 | Season: 6-22 (+16.15 units) | Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Washington Mystics vs. New York Liberty
We open in Brooklyn, where the 6-7 Mystics visit a New York team that has found its footing, winning eight straight and climbing back to the top of the league with a nearly complete roster.
The tip is the one spot Washington can hang their hat as Shakira Austin has been one of the best jumpers in the league at better than 80%, but she is banged up and questionable. Jonquel Jones has won close to 78% of her jumps at home this year, so if Austin sits, New York is even more likely to control the opening possession.
Even when the Liberty loses the tip, they still get the first look. They have scored the first basket in nearly 78% of their home games, and half of those first buckets have come from beyond the arc, with another big chunk on layups.
The forwards have done the bulk of the damage, too, accounting for half of New York’s first baskets, while the guards chip in the rest. Breanna Stewart and Marine Johannes lead the team with two first baskets apiece.
Stewart is the obvious play if you want the safer side. She can score from anywhere, is a focal point of the offense out of the gate and Washington has shown they will give up early looks to forwards.
If you want to chase a larger number, Johannes is the move. With Sabrina Ionescu still working back to full minutes after her ankle injury, New York’s early offense has been running through the frontcourt and their international shooters. I am happy to take a swing on the value play, but my official play will be Stewart.
Pick: Breanna Stewart (+477)
Toronto Tempo vs. Connecticut Sun
The other of my two selections is a coin flip. This is a fun spot because the matchups actually point us in a direction. Nyara Sabally handles the tip for Toronto, but she has been brutal in the circle on the road this year, winning none of her four away jumps and just two out of nine overall.
I always seem to line up with when Connecticut is playing because I feel like I'm always talking about Brittney Griner. She sits on the other side at 75%, and Connecticut wins the tip over 70% of the time at home, so I expect the Sun to get first crack.
I'm tempted to go right back to Griner. She's such a clear option, and Toronto has consistently allowed layups as first buckets, with five out of eight first baskets allowed coming from at the rim. But I keep coming back to a value play I referenced on Wednesday.
Since Leila Lacan has returned to action, she's taken three of the Suns’ first shots to open the game. While she's only made one of them, the opportunity is still abundant and hard to question. At such long odds, you're getting great value here that can’t be passed up. If you want to be safe, though, you can go with Griner.
Pick: Leila Lacan (+770)
