Man, what a ride the WNBA season has been already! We’re at the midway point and the scoring has been absolutely OFF THE CHARTS. Remember Marina Mabrey of the Toronto Tempo dropping a record-tying 53 points against the Los Angeles Sparks? Yeah, that was nuts. And don’t even get me started on Caitlin Clark. She put up the WNBA’s first-ever 45-point and 10-assist game, and yep, she did that against our very own Seattle Storm. Even Kahleah Copper from the Phoenix Mercury had a ridiculous 41-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Sparks. Players are just going off, right? But for all those jaw-dropping individual performances, one super elite stat line is still completely out of reach: the 50-40-90 club.
The Gold Standard: What 50-40-90 Really Means
This isn’t just about scoring big in one game. The 50-40-90 club is the gold standard for shooting efficiency over an entire season. We’re talking 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from deep, and 90 percent from the free throw line. That’s consistent, lights-out shooting from everywhere on the court. In the entire history of the WNBA, only two players have ever pulled it off: Napheesa Collier and Elena Delle Donne. Think about that for a second. Two. Legends. That’s it. And right now, as we hit the middle of the season, nobody is even on track to join that incredibly exclusive group. But hey, a few players are getting super close, and we’ve gotta talk about who’s got the best shot.
Fever’s Secret Weapon: Sophie Cunningham is Knocking
First up, we’ve got Sophie Cunningham from the Indiana Fever. She’s been having a seriously productive season, embracing her role as a backup wing who can just go off in bunches. Cunningham is currently averaging 9.4 points, and her shooting splits are looking spicy: 48.4 percent from the field, 43.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 89.4 percent from the charity stripe. These are career marks in all three categories for her, which is just insane! She’s already got that deep shot above 40 percent, and if she can just bump her free throws by a mere 0.6 percent, she’s there. The big hurdle is getting her overall field goal percentage up by 1.6 percent. That’s tough, especially for a perimeter player; only eight have hit 50 percent or better in at least 10 games this season. But Cunningham’s shown she can improve, so don’t count her out of this historic chase.
Bueckers’ Ascent: The Dallas Star is Oh-So-Close
It’s no shocker that Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings is also a legitimate contender for the 50-40-90 club. This woman can flat-out play. She’s currently shooting a stellar 51.8 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from three, and 87.2 percent from the free throw line. Bueckers has the overall field goal percentage locked down, which is huge! She just needs to improve marginally from the charity stripe and, more importantly, from beyond the arc. The good news? She takes 4.5 threes per game, so the volume is definitely there for her to bump those numbers up if she gets a little hotter. She’s made massive improvements to her outside shot, too, going from 33.1 percent in her rookie season to over five percent better this year. The one slight dip? Her free-throw shooting, which was 88.8 percent last season.
This chase for 50-40-90 is a true test of consistency and skill, and it reminds you just how rare it is. Our Storm, by the way, just had a tough one, falling 105-102 to the Minnesota Lynx. Every shot counts, whether you’re chasing a win or a place in history. Let’s keep watching to see if Cunningham or Bueckers can make the jump and join Napheesa and Elena in that legendary club before the season wraps up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Swish Appeal.
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