Skip to main content

The WNBA playoffs began Tuesday, and two former Cal players will be involved in the postseason bid for a championship.

Kristine Anigwe and Reshanda Gray are both members of the Los Angeles Sparks, who begin their playoff push tonight (Thursday), when the Sparks play the Connecticut Sun in a single-game elimination round.

Neither is expected to get extended playing time in the postseason, but anything can happen in the playoffs.

Anigwe, a first-round draft pick after being a second-team All-American at Cal in 2019, was traded from the Dallas Wings to the Sparks in May after an uneventful rookie season.  She has not had much playing time with the Sparks, who went 15-7 in the shortened regular season.

Anigwe is averaging 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds while playing in 17 games this season. She did start one game, a September 4 contest against Seattle when Nneka Ogwumike was out with an injury. Anigwe played 14 minutes in that game and collected two points, three boards and a block.

Her best game came on September 9 in a blowout of the New York Liberty, when she collected 14 points, six rebounds and one block in 20 minutes.  She did not score in the only two games she played since then.

Gray, a second-round pick in 2015, played in 10 games this season averaging 6.2 minutes and 8.1 points without making a start. She started 10 games for the New York Liberty last season before being traded to Los Angeles on June 27. 

She has not had many opportunities with the Sparks. Gray has played in just one game since August 31, registering four minutes without scoring in a September 9 win over New York.

The other former Cal player who played in the WNBA this season was Layshia Clarendon, who averaged 11.5 points for the New York Liberty, which failed to reach the playoffs after going 2-19 in the regular season.

All of the WNBA postseason games are being played at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Here is the remaining WNBA postseason schedule, with all times being Pacific time.

Second round

Thursday, Sept. 17
Single elimination
Phoenix Mercury at No. 4 Minnesota, 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)
Connecticut Sun at No. 3 Los Angeles, 6 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)

Semifinals
Best-of-five
Las Vegas is the No. 1 seed; Seattle is the No. 2
Sunday, Sept. 20
Game 1: TBD, 10 a.m. (ESPN/ESPN App)
Game 1: TBD, noon (ABC, ESPN App)

Tuesday, Sept. 22
Game 2: TBD, 3 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)
Game 2: TBD, 5 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)

Thursday, Sept. 24
Game 3: TBD, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)
Game 3: TBD, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)

Sunday, Sept. 27
Game 4*: TBD, 10 a.m. (ESPN/ESPN App)
Game 4*: TBD, noon (ABC, ESPN App)

Tuesday, Sept. 29
Game 5*: TBD, 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)
Game 5*: TBD, 6 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)

WNBA Finals
Best-of-five
Friday, Oct. 2
Game 1: TBD, 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)

Sunday, Oct. 4
Game 2: TBD, noon (ABC/ESPN App)

Tuesday, Oct. 6
Game 3: TBD, 4 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN App)

Thursday, Oct. 8
Game 4*: TBD, 4 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN App)

Sunday, Oct. 11
Game 5*: TBD, noon (ABC/ESPN App)

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by searching: @si.calsportsreport

Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Cal Sports Report on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.