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Kalani Brown · With the home stretch before the month-long All-Star and Olympic break closely approaching, the objective, for the Dallas Wings, was simple: string together enough victories to stay within reach of the No. 8 seed until reinforcements could arrive. For Kalani Brown, executing that strategy, ironically, involved using her strength to get to her spots and scoring, even after reinforcements arrived. Searching for an opening during a chaotic offensive set that featured screens, flares, and around-the-court activity, Brown puts her 6-foot-7, 245-pound frame to use, overpowering Aliyah Boston for deep positioning in the paint’s heart. Elevating forcefully with Caitlin Clark rotating down to help, Brown connects on an and-one finish, padding Dallas’ already-impressive double-digit lead in the first half. Routinely finding the gaps needed to carve out space for reasonable looks around the rim, Brown was perfect on July 17, 2024, tying her season-high in scoring with 13 points (on six-of-six shooting), alongside three boards, two assists, and one block in 19 minutes, ultimately helping Dallas successfully survive the Indiana Fever’s comeback attempt. · State of Mint