Carla Leite, the Portland Fire's point guard, is having an impressive season, with her performance continuing to evolve and improve. In her second year in the WNBA, Leite has transformed into an offensive powerhouse, averaging 15.5 points and 6.2 assists as the team's starting point guard. Her recent performance against Toronto, where she scored 27 points and dished out 11 assists, marked her sixth double-double of the season and her third 20-point double-double. This is particularly remarkable, as the metric system has no impact on basketball statistics, so a double-double in French remains a double-double.
Leite's development as a point guard has been a key focus for the team. Prior to this year, she primarily played as a shooting guard, but her role has evolved as she has adapted to running the offense. This has required her to develop new skills, such as passing and controlling the pace of the game. Leite's speed with the ball has been a significant weapon, allowing her to drive to the basket and either score or find an open teammate. However, she has also been working on slowing down and baiting the defense into getting out of position, which has led to more successful plays.
Leite's development as a passer has been so impressive that her coach, Alex Sarama, is getting nitpicky about her performances. Against Indiana, she had 12 assists but also 7 turnovers, which Sarama felt was not her best performance. However, on Thursday, Leite committed only 4 turnovers, and Sarama was much more pleased with her performance, noting that she was 'far more in control'.
Leite's development has also extended to her 3-point shooting. In 2026, she has made 36.7% of her shots from deep, with 2.1 3-point shots per game. Sarama believes that there is still a lot more to come from Leite, and he wants her to start taking more off-dribble threes. He thinks that if she can do that, the defense will have to respond, which could lead to even more impressive performances.
Despite her impressive statistics, Leite has made it clear that she has no interest in her stats. She just wants to win games, and she has been successful in doing so. Leite's development as a player has been a key factor in the Portland Fire's success, and her ability to adapt and improve has made her a cornerstone of the team. As the season continues, it will be fascinating to see how she continues to evolve and improve, and how her development as a point guard will impact the team's performance.
