When the Golden State Valkyries signed Janelle Salaün this offseason, the team got a steal. Just four games into the season, Salaün already looks like a cornerstone for the Valkyries’ future and a young star in the making.
She currently leads the Valkyries in points and rebounds per game, averaging 13.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1 steal. Her contributions have helped the Valkyries to two wins over the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks and a much-improved performance in the rematch against New York.
Despite the great start to the season, Salaün has to improve a key element of her game. So far, the 23-year-old hasn’t been very efficient with her two-point shots.
Janelle Salaün must improve her scoring inside the arc
Salaün is shooting the three well to start the season, converting 44 percent of her 6.3 attempts. She has relied heavily on her outside shot, struggling to convert attempts inside the arc.
Over four games, Salaün is shooting only 35.8 percent from the field and 28.6 percent on two-point shots, struggling especially in the paint (outside the restricted area) and the mid-range. She attempted six shots in the paint but only made two of them. Likewise, Salaün is currently only shooting 22.2 percent from the mid-range, converting four of her 18 shots.
That kind of inefficiency inside the arc is not the norm for Salaün. While playing with Famila Schio in Italy, Salaün shot 53.8 percent on two-point shots in the Italian league and 47.2 percent in Euroleague games. That is the kind of shooting efficiency Salaün needs to bring to the Valkyries to reach her full potential in the WNBA.
Some more time on the court with her new team should improve her scoring inside the arc. The defense in the WNBA is somewhat different than in Europe, especially when she has to go up against strong teams like the Liberty. Salaün has also drawn some tough defenders already this season. In her first game against New York, Breanna Stewart guarded her, forcing many difficult shots.
Moreover, defenses can collapse and clog the paint against the Valkyries because the team has not been a consistent 3-point threat yet. So, if opponents aren’t guarding the 3-point line, choosing to make it difficult for players to get to the rim instead, it makes sense that Salaün’s 3-point shooting percentage is much better than her two-point percentage.
Scoring against strong defenses and getting into the paint is something Salaün needs to learn to do at the WNBA level, however. She has the talent and versatility to become an All-Star in the WNBA. Becoming a true three-level scorer is the key to reaching her potential.