After having limited opportunity in her first season, Ola Kosu has been thrown into consistent rotational minutes due to the Lynx extensive front court injuries. Below, I dove into the recently turned 21 year olds flashes of brilliance defensive and more.

Over the last four games, Ola Kosu has quietly played the most minutes of any Lynx bench player.

Jaden McDaniels got some offseason ink. Amongst the work he got done, it looks like there is a Cartoon Network leg sleeve. (via @OneSessionInk on IG)

The Jose Alvarado 4Q sequence. Working off the tilted defense the Spurs were sending towards Jalen Brunson. Dribble drive to find OG opposite, keeping an active dribble to get to the cup around Champagnie, and drilling a three all in 1.5 minute span.

The Knicks spinning the disappointing stint from Yabusele into Dalen Terry, who was re-routed for Jose Alvarado, was an easy move and has paid some real dividends. Terry was also released the next day. I was worried about his playoff viability but his 4Q tonight was incredible.

Antonia Delaere channeling her inner Jordan McLaughlin/TJ McConnell/Jose Alvarado with a made basket inbound assist.

Ola Kosu's development this season alone and also gaining more trust from Cheryl has been awesome

Back to back games with a good post entry find from Ola Kosu. Finding Teaira McCowan late vs Seattle. Then after Courtney Williams got the switch for Nia Coffey, Kosu finds her with the lofted pass vs Dallas.

Another look at this Horns Flare look with Kayla McBride as the screener and Olivia Miles on ball. The dynamics of McBride's shooting gravity, Miles passing and driving are dangerous. Miscommunication between Azzi Fudd and Arike Ogunbowale, Paige Bueckers is late in low-help.

Lynx 3Q ATO vs Dallas Horns entry, Olivia Miles flares. Natasha Howard initiates the two-player action with Kayla McBride. One mistake from Arike Ogunbowale and KMac gets the backdoor.

Dallas puts two on the ball on Courtney Williams, Natasha Howard rolls into a short roll situation. Ola Kosu slips behind the backside defense, Flash finds her.

Some more defensive flashes from Ola Kosu vs Dallas. — Stunting in a 2v1 corner situation, also covering the corner 3PA. — Perfect wall up, two-handed block in drop coverage.

Loved this moment between Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams. Could not save the transition kick ahead. They laugh it off, KMac pets Court's head lmfao.

This was one of my favorite Lynx ATO's last season. Wide pin, DHO, swing swing, guard cross screen for a post-up.

Good work from these young Lynx fans. Simple and straight to the point. We have Miles, and you don't.

Pretty good defense from Dallas here, just better offense from Kayla McBride. The Lynx get the switch for Natasha Howard on the ball screen, but they scram switch. The post touch for Howard is not as fruitful until KMac relocates off-ball to the slot for a three.

Minnesota Lynx defensive data amidst the Dallas game last evening

Beautiful connectivity from the Lynx here defensively in the 2Q vs Dallas. Ola Kosu slides from the corner to wall up the roll, Antonia Delaere drops to the corner on the kick, Nia Coffey turns her head and finds the next pass, Delaere with gap help and a corner close out.

The Lynx 5-out principles and team spacing allow Olivia Miles to eat downhill. If the Lynx had a non-shooting frontcourt player at the dunker spot here, Alanna Smith would be able to help with ease, but instead, you see her second guessing her help off Nia Coffey.

that'll play

Here is that same Horns entry look for Kayla McBride. Fakes the handoff to Courtney Williams again, but it creates enough separation for a three.

the mask battle

The confidence Olivia Miles has in her jumper is something I will continue to monitor. A transition early clock pull, hmm.

nice

Mid-range assassin Courtney Williams

Angle ball screen for Courtney Williams gets the switch, she kicks to Olivia Miles who then is able to deliver a post entry pass to Natasha Howard for the mismatch make over Paige Bueckers.

Same SLOB look here in the 1Q for the Lynx vs Dallas. Kayla McBride rejects the Natasha Howard screen, Nia Coffey finds Flash for her first three of the season.

Watching the Lynx and Cheryl Reeve’s offense has single handedly boosted my X’s and O’s and set knowledge lol

The positioning with Ola Kosu still needs some work at times, especially when guarding more dynamic players, but she has shown some really good flashes this season overall. On top of that, she has a block rate of 5.1% and a steal rate of 3.5%.

Obviously, this pass from Olivia Miles was getting a ton of traction bc it was sick, but again, loving the screening from Kayla McBride in the Spain PnR here. Great flow amidst a broken poss. KMac's gravity as a flare target + ability to be a willing screener is so valuable.

Left to right double drags continue to be fruitful for Olivia Miles and the Lynx offense. Miles gets the switch here onto Awa Fam, and gets to the cup for the crafty finish. This simple set has so many routes for success when you have Olivia Miles on your team.

Great defensive connectivity from the Lynx here. Olivia Miles is just a touch behind on the ball screen, so Natasha Howard has to slide over to help. Natisha Hiedeman looks to find the roll but there is Kayla McBride pinching from the corner to take it away.

Here is that same action from the Lynx vs Seattle.

These drives from Ola Kosu over the last two games stood out. She plays with such impressive force for a recently turned 21 year-old. I continue to be bullish on her flashes. She is smaller for a front court player, but her low center of gravity, balance, and physicality pops.

Two Olivia Miles buckets vs Seattle on this Horns Flare step-up screen look.

I have been keying in on how Olivia Miles is being guarded and how she works around it. Semi-transition ice screen coverage here from Jordan Horston. Stefanie Dolson though is at the level, allowing Miles to reject and get to the rim. Empty corner gives space + and no low help.

The Olivia Miles passes are fun

Liv is already succeeding through the adjustments, it’s getting to very scary territory.

When I was writing my Nia Coffey/Natasha Howard piece I was saying to myself, "databallr needs to add WOWY and ON/OFF for the W," and here we are. Howard's data...

Reporters and broadcasts love to bring up athletes familial traumas but I really love how deeply grounded KAT is to his late mother. Every time he talks about her or is asked about her is always a special statement. Loved that post game presser.

OG Anunoby’s development since Indiana doesn’t get talked about nearly enough, he was sick there in his SO year, but he has come so far. Crazy that he’s still only 28.

When you force Keldon Johnson to play in the half-court and not get free transition run outs like he did vs the Wolves, he is not nearly as impactful. Shocker.

watching the kat narrative flip in terms to his play and also personality in live time is truly fascinating

Nia Coffey has had some outlier 3P shooting to start the season, the recent Chicago game helped. However her drastic increase in 2P FG%, up 15.3% from her previous full-season (I typo’s the team it was ATL lol) career high in and up 22.9%! from her career-average has stood out.

The biggest change for Natasha Howard has been her rim rate. 79.5% of Howard's shot attempts have been at the rim, which is a drastic difference from her previous four seasons between Indiana, Dallas, and New York, where she relied on more mid-range and non-rim paint shots.