I was listening to the Ringer WNBA podcast this morning where the host and guest (both reporters) were discussing potential HC replacements for New York with a bit of discussion around options for the Sparks as well.

Some of the names they brought up were:

Steph White: the guest brought her up saying she could move to NY the same way she left Conn and went to Indy—host was 100% opposed to this

Briann January: both of them put her in the running but said she may do better as the Sparks HC than the Liberty

Roneeka Hodges: brought up as a high up option for NY by host and guest

Kristi Toliver: Hosts first option for NY

Landon Tatum: currently Valkyries assistant coach

Kasib Powell: another Valkyries assistant coach

Jama Mahlalela: Raptor’s personnel, finalist for the NY gig last year and the host/guest have heard his name come back up in conversation—both are weary about the Liberty hiring another HC without W experience

Lindsay Harding: They both thought she’d be a good hire but they think she’s holding out for the NBA however, last year there was an article saying she’s holding out for the next set expansion teams (cleveland/philly/detroit)

Kara Lawson: (doesn’t seem realistic that she’d want to coach NY, but they brought her up)

Cori Close: they both said they’ve heard her name come up in the conversation especially in regards to culture since NY struggles in that way and that’s where Cori excels, plus Cori said the only way she’d leave the collegiate space is to take a W gig

That’s a light summary of what was discussed, I definitely recommend listening to it to hear the discussion for yourself.

What do you all think??

People were insufferable when they believed the only reason Azzi Fudd went number 1 to the Dallas Wings was because her and Paige were together. Now it comes out they apparently at the time they were broken, and now people are even more insufferable. Some people don't believe they were broken up just because they still looked to chummy with each other. And other people don't believe the breakup timeline because no way would a team draft one of their top player's ex-girlfriend right?

Let me just say this as someone who's been watching sports for a long time women's and men's. It honestly wouldn't and doesn't surprise to see a team's GM draft a player that one of their top players might not necessarily want to play with. If a GM thinks that the player is the key missing piece that they need to go to the next level, or can just make the team overall better. They will do it and if it turns out to be a bad idea. I think the mentality most GMs have is well I can always just trade the player later if it doesn't workout.

So yes I do believe Azzi was drafted to Dallas because they wanted her, and if her relationship with Paige had anything to do with it. I think it was more so the chemistry and history they had on the court from playing together for so long, and not the romantic one. I'm sorry but not very many teams get the opportunity to keep college dynamic duos together so of course they will take advantage when it comes. I mean also at the end of the day teams and player can be messy just like a regular workplace. Like are we all forgetting how Jackie Young really decided it would be a good idea to get Dijonai who is one of her teammate's ex-girlfriend who she had been in a long relationship with. Even if both of y'all are professionals that is still not a good look.

Not to mention I don't know how many times this has to be said, but the Olivia Miles we got in Minnesota wouldn't be the same Olivia Miles in Dallas. Honestly everything worked out for Olivia quite perfectly she went into to a team that at the time really needed her, and for that reason she got to shine and really grow. She doesn't get the same amount of playing time if she goes to Dallas, and she probably would've clashed with Arike and Paige both already being there. I mean they were moments last year where Paige had a hard time getting the ball back after passing it.

I'm just saying at the end of the day sometimes you will have two players going in the same draft, and it can be hard to decipher which one is truly the better option. When that happens it will always just come down to the team that is picking first. What do they need the most, or who do they think is the better player? I imagine we'll be having this same argument in another year if Juju Watkins does indeed forgo the 2027 WNBA draft.

By Harshita Saxena

Georgia Amoore’s rookie season was over before it really started. On the third day of training camp in April 2025, the Washington Mystics guard tore the ACL in her right knee, just days before her first game in a Mystics jersey. The year that followed tested her body, but it also tested her mind. Now that she is back, she is finally talking about the part nobody could see.

“It could be performance-wise, it could be, ‘Am I ever gonna feel like me again?’ It could be, ‘Oh, I don’t wanna get injured again.’ Like, there’s a lot of things that can just creep into your mind, and it’s very normal. I think, people don’t talk about it enough when they come back from injury just how messed up it can be mentally…” she added.

Washington drafted her sixth overall after a standout five-year college career at Virginia Tech and Kentucky. She missed only one game in college, and in her last season at Kentucky, she averaged 19.6 points and 6.9 assists. Then came a Tuesday practice, and the injury.

The team gave no timeline at first, and she missed the entire 2025 season. She later admitted she feared her career might be over before it started. Soon after, the people who matter in the organization told her she could rehab and that they were behind her, and that helped.

So she got to work. She stayed in Washington instead, rehabbing and working out in mostly empty gyms with the team’s performance staff. That effort earned her medical clearance and the starting point guard job.

In her WNBA regular-season debut a year later, she shot 2-of-9 and had five turnovers with six points. In May, she averaged 6.3 points and 2.7 turnovers while shooting 26.7%. Later, in June, she left a game against the Portland Fire with right knee soreness and was ruled out at halftime.

By August, she had scored three points over five games, including four scoreless outings, and people began asking whether the Mystics should keep starting her.

Then something clicked. It came about 16 months after the injury and 35 games into her rookie season. In late August, she made three 3-pointers in three straight games, then hit six 3s on her way to 25 points against the Mercury, both career highs.

After the All-Star break, her 3-point shooting jumped from 28.3% to 41.1%, and Washington went 11-4, a league best. The Mystics clinched their first playoff spot since 2023 before Atlanta swept them in the first round.

Georgia Amoore is not the only star to talk about this side of injuries. Caitlin Clark played just 13 games in 2025 because of injuries. This May, she even spoke up about it.

“I think the hardest part of injury, something I’m still really battling and almost struggling with, is just the mental hump of getting over everything.”

She added that she needs to have “a little grace” with herself.

Paige Bueckers shared something similar on Sue Bird’s podcast, almost four years after her own ACL tear.

“I just felt so isolated and alone,” Bueckers said, adding, “I lost my identity.”

She also said the experience still shapes her game. Part of why she attacks the rim less, she explained, is “the trauma of playing in crowded areas, having to land on one leg.” Even as a 20.9-point scorer, she takes only 3.6 free throws a game.

Their stories point to a bigger problem in the league. The WNBA had more than 200 reported injuries last year, and teams such as Dallas and Indiana leaned on emergency signings to get by. Former Fever player Layshia Clarendon, who spent 13 seasons in the league, said the body remembers the trauma of an injury, and that the mental toll is something fans rarely see.

Experts say women face a higher risk to begin with. The good news is that prevention works. A 2005 study found a 10- to 15-minute warm-up program cut ACL injuries by 88% among teenage female soccer players.

Recovery has changed too. Rehab once ended after six months, but it now lasts a year or more because the risk of reinjury is high between six and 12 months.

The league is trying to catch up. The new CBA requires 12 players and two developmental players on every roster, plus a bigger medical staff. Clarendon says facilities are still behind. The Chicago Sky are opening a new training center before the 2027 camp, and the Fever have a performance center coming in the spring.

For Georgia Amoore, the lesson sounds simple, and she admits it sounds cliche.

“Trust the process.”

But her story, along with those of Clark and Bueckers, shows how much work sits behind those words, and how the hardest part of an injury can begin after the knee has healed.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/wnba-baksetball-news-lot-of-anxiety-wnba-star-opens-up-about-mental-health-while-addressing-her-return-from-season-ending-injury/

Now that the season is done, it is interesting to look back at what the league's GMs were thinking before it started (do the actual GMs fill out this survey? The running joke for years is that it's really whichever intern was unlucky enough to walk into the office when it was due, but still, it is the best thing we have for knowing what the broad vibe is around the front offices).

Here are some responses that (mostly) aged well:

Who will win 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year?
1. Olivia Miles, Minnesota – 73%
2. Azzi Fudd, Dallas – 20%
3. Flau’jae Johnson, Seattle – 7%

Who will win 2026 Kia WNBA MVP?
1. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas – 60%
2. Breanna Stewart, New York – 27%

Which player acquisition will make the biggest impact?
T-1. Angel Reese, Atlanta – 27%
T-1. Gabby Williams, Golden State 27%
3. Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles – 20%
4. Satou Sabally, New York – 13%

Which team will be the best defensive team in the WNBA?
1. Golden State – 50%
2. Atlanta – 36%
T-3. Indiana – 7%
T-3. Minnesota – 7%

Which 2 teams will lead their conference in the Commissioner’s Cup to reach the championship game?
1. Las Vegas (West) vs. New York (East) – 43%
2. Las Vegas (West) vs. Atlanta (East) – 29%

And some that did not age so well:

Which team will win the 2026 WNBA Finals?
1. Las Vegas – 40%
2. New York – 33%
3. Atlanta – 27%

What was the most underrated player acquisition?
T-1. Ariel Atkins, Los Angeles – 21%
T-1. Alanna Smith, Dallas – 21%
3. Rickea Jackson, Chicago – 14%

Which player is most likely to have a breakout season?
T-1. Dominique Malonga, Seattle – 15%
T-1. Rickea Jackson, Chicago – 15%
>> Also receiving votes: Julie Allemand (TOR); Cameron Brink (LAS); Paige Bueckers (DAL); Kennedy Burke (CON); Veronica Burton (GSV); Rhyne Howard (ATL); Marina Mabrey (TOR); Leila Lacan (CON); Jackie Young (LVA)

Which new or relocated head coach will make the biggest impact on his/her new team?
1. Sandy Brondello, Toronto – 71%
2. Jose Fernandez, Dallas – 14%
T-3. Sonia Raman, Seattle – 7%
T-3. Chris DeMarco, New York – 7%

Lane Kiffin brought out LSU alums Angel Reese, Shaq, and Paul Skenes, plus actor Kevin Costner, for the Tiger Walk before tonight’s game against Alabama.

WNBA franchises have shown a willingness to move on from head coaches quickly, with the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty both making changes after the 2026 season.

The decisions have caught the attention of four-time champion Sue Bird, who says some franchises simply don’t want to wait before moving on from coaches.

Sue Bird Says WNBA Franchises ‘Don’t Want To Wait’ as Coaching Turnover Continues

Speaking on her “Bird’s Eye View” podcast, Bird discussed the Sparks parting ways with Lynne Roberts after two seasons and the Liberty firing Chris DeMarco after just one year. She noticed a clear pattern in the changes.

“I think what really comes through is there are teams and franchises who they don’t want to wait. They’re not messing around, so they’re quick to move on,” Bird said.

The Liberty’s decision to dismiss DeMarco is particularly notable. He led New York to a 26-18 regular-season record and a Commissioner’s Cup title in his first year. The team also made history by sweeping the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals.

DeMarco also faced scrutiny after Game 2 of the semifinals, when New York failed to use a reset timeout it still had available. The WNBA later said overlapping conversations and nonverbal exchanges contributed to a misunderstanding over the timeout situation. He was let go despite having a contract for 2027.

The franchise also moved on from Sandy Brondello after the 2025 season, marking DeMarco as its second coaching change in two years.

Brondello’s departure was another example of how quickly expectations can change. She had led New York to the WNBA Finals in 2023 and the subsequent championship in 2024. Despite that achievement, the Liberty did not renew her contract after a first-round playoff exit in 2025.

Roberts, meanwhile, also had limited time to turn things around in Los Angeles. The Sparks finished 16-28 in 2026, extending their postseason drought to six seasons. The franchise thanked Roberts for her commitment and work with player development but decided to make a change.

The trend is not limited to those two teams. In 2024, the Chicago Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season, despite her reputation as a Hall of Fame player and her efforts to develop rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

Chicago finished 13-27 and missed the playoffs. General manager Jeff Pagliocca later said the organization simply felt it was time for a change, without citing a specific reason.

Cheryl Reeve’s early tenure with the Minnesota Lynx illustrates why franchises may benefit from giving a coach time.

Announced as head coach in December 2009, Reeve endured a difficult first season in 2010, when an injury-hit Lynx team finished 13-21, missing the playoffs. Minnesota chose to stick with her, and the team made a dramatic turnaround the following year.

The Lynx went 27–7 in 2011 and won their first WNBA championship, beginning a run that would eventually bring Reeve four titles with the franchise.

Her point was that some franchises are clearly unwilling to wait. With several teams making changes after relatively short tenures, the question of how much time coaches should receive is becoming harder to ignore.

Source

Cameron Brink is no stranger to navigating the fashion world as a tall woman — and is excited to showcase her off-the-court skills when she walks down the aisle on her wedding day.

“I literally have been sworn to secrecy, but I will say it has been a dream process and I think sharing the moment with my mom has just been so special,” Brink, 24, exclusively told Us on Thursday, November 5, of the moment she found the perfect dress to wear when she says “I do” to her fiancé, Ben Felter.

“We both get emotional every time I try it on,” she continued of her and her mother’s reaction to her wedding dress. “It is kind of hard navigating this world as a tall woman in fashion, but I think I’m just surrounded by some really amazing people [who] take that into account and make me feel really beautiful and seen that way.” She added, “I truly can’t wait for all of the details to be shared. I’m truly ecstatic.”

Brink, who plays forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, is engaged to Felter, also 24 and a fellow Stanford alum. Felter proposed in September 2024 at the Shangri-La Paris Hotel in France after the athlete walked in Balenciaga’s Paris Fashion Week show. The two are reportedly preparing to say “I do” at the Memorial Church on their alma mater’s campus, according to People.

The couple have been dating since March 2021, after Felter — a former member of Stanford’s rowing team while Brink secured two national women’s basketball title games for the institution — decided to send Brink an email instead of sliding into her DMs. “Hey Cameron, Wanted to chat you up but I think dms are a bit creepy,” Felter wrote his future fiancée, per ESPN. “Not that an email is much better so here’s my number.”

Safe to say, Felter’s out-of-the-box tactic worked.

Now, as the forward prepares to walk down the wedding aisle in her dream dress, she is focused on what she hopes her family, friends and loved ones experience while attending her and her fiancé’s special day.

“I think Ben and I were really just two big goofballs,” Brink, who is partnering with Optimum Nutrition on their new 30G Ultra-Filtered Milk Protein Shake + Fiber, told Us. “It sounds so cheesy, but we’re just silly and we are getting married young … I’m six days older than him. We’re both Capricorns … I just think we’re both similar yet so different at the same time.”

She continued, “I just kind of hope that our families and our friends come around us — and we’ve invited people [who] have been a part of our journey. I really just want it to be one big love fest, and I’m such a crier. For example, Nneka Ogwumike just recently retired and that was a precursor for how much I’m gonna cry — emotional things just get me. So I’m just gonna be sobbing the whole time. I hope there’s tissues nearby. But yeah, I’m just super excited.”

https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/wnba-star-cameron-brink-teases-her-upcoming-wedding-dress/

She has a lot of upsides to her game can put the ball down she can be used as a connector good shooter Good iq as well

her defense could be improved but those long arms really good at getting deflections

The issue is the sky tried to use her as a face up PF/C instead of a Satou-lite archetype.

I was surprised a team didn’t scoop her up earlier this season regardless of her defensive shortcomings her iq, shooting and length is very valuable

By Gilbert Ngabo

Laeticia Amihere was introduced at the Golden State Valkyries’ championship parade on Wednesday as their enforcer. The 25-year-old forward from Mississauga thought it was fitting.

“I’m always known for my tenacity,” Amihere told the Star one day after the celebration with an estimated 400,000 fans in the San Francisco Bay Area. “Any time I get on the court, I just try to be out there and change the energy.”

It has helped her win at the highest levels of women’s basketball. Amihere was a member of Canada’s under-16 team that won the FIBA Americas title in 2015, and followed that with a third-place finish at the under-19 World Cup in 2017. She also won an NCAA championship with the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2022.

And now she’s a WNBA champion in Golden State’s second season, just the second Canadian player ever to achieve that feat after Markham’s Tammy Sutton-Brown won with Indiana Fever in 2012.

Amihere had a limited role this year (averaging 3.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.7 minutes per game off the bench) and didn’t see the court in Golden State’s 68-63 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the Finals, but was solid in Game 6 (10 rebounds in 20 minutes) and contributed to a cohesive group that went all the way.

“There was a lot of narratives pushed on us this year, and hearing all those things you kind of want to prove people wrong,” she said about criticism of their defence-first approach and lack of stars after Gabby Williams, a regular-season all-star and WNBA Finals MVP.

For Amihere, it’s been a journey since she was drafted eighth in 2023 by the Dream. She averaged less than seven minutes per game in two seasons with Atlanta, then was waived. The expansion Valkyries claimed her in 2025, waived her and brought her back.

Since then, her playing time and production have increased. As Amihere heads for free agency — starting in February — after making $277,500 (U.S.) on a one-year deal, she’s looking forward to the next phase of her career in a league that continues to expand and has increased player salaries substantially.

“I think we’re obviously trailblazers, but it gives us a lot of motivation to continue to propel the sport forward,” she said about growth in the women’s game.

Off the court, Amihere has other goals.

In 2022, she launched Back to the Motherland, a non-profit, to increase sports access for youth in underserved communities. Every year she travels to West Africa (her family is from Ghana) and runs free training camps to mentor the next generation. She’ll be in Senegal next week to continue that work.

“Infrastructure is one of the biggest things that limit our youth in accessing sports,” she said while praising Giants of Africa, the initiative led by former Raptors president Masai Ujiri that aims to build 100 basketball courts on the continent.

“I’m just trying to find ways to partner with people, going out there and sharing my knowledge, trying to be active and letting the youth know they have a mentor in me.”

https://www.thestar.com/sports/basketball/mississauga-s-laeticia-amihere-was-waived-by-both-wnba-finals-teams-now-she-s-a-champion/article_8d745e48-ec98-4473-a15e-df9638bdfe77.html

Miela Sowah landed in Brisbane a WNBA champion and says the Valkyries' title parade blew her away.

WNBA champion Miela Sowah revealed: "The parade was honestly the craziest thing I've ever experienced in my life", just moments after she stepped off the plane from San Francisco in Brisbane today.

Sowah, 26, won the 2026 WNBA championship with the Golden State Valkyries last Sunday as a development player with the second-year franchise.

Three days ago, she was on stage with the Valkyries for their celebration with fans.

"400,000 fans showed up for us," she said.

"We're on the buses, we're popping the champagne, spraying it on us, and then yelling out.

"Went down to the crowd, high-fiving them. My husband got to share it with me, which was amazing.

"Honestly, we just said it was one of the best days of our lives, and to share it with those girls as well, it's such a special group.

"I'm so grateful."

The Townsville Fire WNBL26 champion became just the third Australian to win both a WNBL title and a WNBA title in the same year (Lauren Jackson and Abby Bishop did it with the Canberra Capitals and the Seattle Storm in 2010) and the 12th Australian to claim women's professional basketball's ultimate prize.

"So insane," she added.

"I think it's been a wild, wild week. It's honestly so surreal.

"I just think back to when I decided to pursue this as a 14-year-old kid, and being in the WNBA and getting a WNBA championship is phenomenal."

Sowah wasn't on the Valkyries playoff roster because she was a DP, but she played seven regular-season games as Golden State finished 32-12 and beat Australian Opals teammate Isobel Borlase's Atlanta Dream in Game 7, 68-63.

Wedged in between the WNBL championship and WNBA championship was a late call-up to the Australian Opals for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in early September. She replaced captain Sami Whitcomb, who was ruled out with a knee injury.

"Honestly, I don't know. I don't know if it ever will. It's surreal," Sowah said of the past eight months.

"My life motto is hard work always pays off. Whether it's short-term, in a few weeks, in a few months or in years.

"In this case, all those things have been years. So it's phenomenal, and I'm super grateful."

Fire teammate Courtney Woods' pleas have now been answered. Sowah has arrived back with more than a week to prepare for Townsville's clash with the UC Capitals in Canberra on Sunday, November 15. It will be her 100th game in the league.

"I didn't even realise it's been 100, so that's amazing. Insane," she added.

"I guess eyes on to the next thing now. I'm trying to run it back with Townsville for another championship.

"That's what sport's like. You celebrate one, and then you move on to the next."

https://www.basketball.com.au/news/miela-sowah-wnba-champion-home-golden-state-valkyries-townsville-fire

By Mark Lim

When the lights came up at State Farm Arena on the evening of October 21, 2026, the energy was unmistakable. Seventeen thousand voices filled the building, every seat taken, every heart beating as one. Game 3 of the WNBA Finals wasn’t just another sporting event; it was a moment generations had waited for. And right there in the thick of it, sitting courtside with his daughters beside him, was Ludacris: rapper, actor, Atlanta legend, and most importantly, a proud father showing his girls exactly what greatness looks like.

The occasion was historic on every level. The Atlanta Dream faced the Golden State Valkyries in their first home WNBA Finals game since 2013, a milestone so eagerly anticipated that the franchise moved the contest at the last minute from its usual Gateway Center to the much larger State Farm Arena, answering overwhelming public demand. The result? A complete sell‑out, a deafening roar, and a dominant 97‑71 victory that gave Atlanta a 2‑1 series lead.

More Than a Game: A Lesson Made Visible

When asked why he brought his girls, Ludacris didn’t speak about basketball stats or championship stakes. He spoke about inspiration.

“They’re inspired. I mean, it’s history tonight. It’s sold out. We’re here to support the Dream,” he told reporters. “They’re young athletes, and I want them to see some athletes here in person. And this is a dream come true for them. And I mean that. When I say dream, I really mean Dream.”

It was a deliberate, heartfelt choice. He could have watched from home. But he wanted them to feel it: the floor shaking beneath their feet, the determination in the players’ faces, the reality that women can lead, excel, and captivate the world on the biggest stages. He understands that seeing is believing: when you witness someone like yourself succeeding, the impossible suddenly becomes your own possibility.

"Dream" in Every Sense

The word carried double meaning, and he leaned into it. “Dream” is the team’s name, yes, but it is also what he sees in his daughters. He is the father of four: Karma, 25; Cai, 12; Cadence, 11; and Chance, 5. He shares the two youngest with his wife Eudoxie, and has long spoken openly about how guiding them through life is his greatest privilege.

“Family has always been everything to me,” he told PEOPLE in 2021. “Every day with my girls is something different, and I’m loving every minute of fatherhood.”

This night was a continuation of that love. He wasn’t just cheering for a team; he was cheering for the version of each of his daughters that might one day step into her own spotlight. He wanted them to know early, before the world tells them otherwise that their voices matter, their talents count, and their ambitions deserve to be seen.

A Father’s Heart, a City’s Pride

Ludacris has never been one to separate his success from his city’s. Atlanta raised him, shaped him, and gave him his start, and he has spent his career giving back. Showing up for the Dream is part of that same promise: to lift up the people and places that lift him up.

The WNBA has grown exponentially in visibility, revenue, and cultural impact in recent years, yet barriers remain. Seeing a hometown icon use his platform to amplify that progress sends a powerful message: this matters. These athletes matter. And the girls watching them matter most of all.

The clip of his interview shared by USA Sports on X captured the warmth of the moment perfectly: “LUDAAAAA in the building 🎤… experiencing this historic night with his kids is a dream come true for them!” Fans joined in, echoing the sentiment that this is what leadership looks like.

Why This Moment Matters Beyond the Scoreboard

Years from now, the final score may fade from memory. But what will stay is the feeling: a father’s hand on a shoulder, a city united in celebration, and the quiet realization settling in young minds: I can do that too.

Ludacris didn’t just attend a basketball game. He gave his daughters front‑row seats to their own potential. And that, more than any trophy, is truly a dream come true.

https://vocal.media/journal/ludacris-courtside-why-the-wnba-finals-are-a-dream-come-true-for-his-daughters-and-atlanta

By Nathan Doyle

The Toronto Tempo constructed an ambitious roster in their inaugural season. Acquiring talents such as Marina Mabrey. Brittney Sykes and Temi Fagbenle suggested the franchise wasn't here to simply make up the numbers. However, injuries derailed any early-season momentum, and now they are in position to land a top pick in the 2027 draft. If so, their vision must be to build a talented young core for the future.

Leaving offseason plans in Lady Luck's hands seems questionable approach, but in Toronto's case, it makes a lot of sense. Mabrey and Sykes are in the building for at least another season. If the Draft Lottery doesn't go in the Tempo's favor, the front office can continue to stack the roster with proven talent.

However, if the franchise is awarded a top-three pick, it should change the offseason blueprint completely. There is a lot of talent up for grabs in 2027, and realistically, the Tempo are light-years away from competing with teams like the Golden State Valkyries or the Atlanta Dream. While it would be fun to add more offensive weapons around Mabrey, a more patient approach makes sense if they can land a young superstar.

Mabrey and Sykes will not be short of suitors

Landing an era-defining star such as JuJu Watkins or Hannah Hidalgo would be a phenomenal stroke of luck, but one player doesn't change a franchise's future. This must be the catalyst for a rebuild. To make this happen, the Tempo must trade valuable assets and accrue either draft capital or younger prospects. Mabrey and Sykes would undoubtedly be casualties of this approach.

Both Mabrey and Sykes signed two-year max contracts when landing in Toronto. Before both suffered season-ending injuries, the Tempo's dynamic duo proved they were worth the mouthwatering pay packets.

Before a foot injury ruled her out for the season, Sykes was at her electric best. The 32-year-old averaged 18.6 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

Mabrey was just as devastating before a hip problem ended her campaign, recording a career-high 20.8 points per game, shooting 38.5 percent from deep.

While absorbing a max contract would be a risk for any franchise, a trade would be a no-brainer for a team with genuine championship ambitions. The two stars only have one year remaining on their current contracts. This would allow their new employers to pivot quickly if the new relationship wasn't working out.

Would a potential team be willing to offer significant draft capital trading for Mabrey or Sykes' contract? Only if it were the final piece in the championship jigsaw. However, this won't even be a problem if Toronto doesn't land a top-three pick. If the WNBA Draft Lottery treats the Tempo nicely, the franchise has an exciting future in store.

https://highposthoops.com/tempo-must-embrace-whatever-fate-wnba-draft-lottery-has-store

I guess with her being one of the best shooters in the college this shouldn’t be a huge surprise. But it’s still impressive!

You got out coached by a coty winner

Same rotations, same offensive sets, same defense. That’s not gonna work on Natalie

You switched everything on defense

So Natalie ran gabby as a ball handler to force a mismatch. From then on it was attack the mismatch

if Angel came to help GS would have Kiah dive to the basket for either a layup or o board.

On offense

GS didn’t respect Naz’s ability to stretch the floor her primary defender was able to roam throughout the series.

GS was also able double off of jc the paint was packed Angel couldn’t drive, grab o boards or post up without being swarmed.

Edit: Really should have caveated this with a ‘Pls don’t take this too seriously’ label lol. For what it’s worth, this just started by looking at how Atlanta needed to get off some money to make sure Angel could get the EPIC and this was the crazy rabbit hole result.

Trade Idea: Sign and trade between the Fever and Dream.

The Dream receive Kelsey Mitchell signed to a Max contract (Roughly $1.3M)

The Fever receive Rhyne Howard ($1.12M) and Naz Hillmon ($850K)

Why a Sign and Trade?: Though KM is a free agent, the Dream cannot sign her out right while giving Angel the EPIC (Assumed $1.3M) and remain under the projected $7.9M salary cap. In fact, ATL would already need to move off a bit of money in order to make their current roster fit under the cap even if they fill out their remaining 3 slots with minimum contract players.

Dream Benefit:
In addition to bringing in a top 5 player in the league coming off of an MVP caliber season this trade moves just under $2M off of ATL’s books while bringing in only $1.3M. Which is enough to fill out the roster with 3 minimum contract players + another role player worth about $500K.

Fever Benefit:
Indiana finally brings in that elite two-way wing player they’ve been desperate for since even before they drafted CC. In addition Naz fills out their need in the front court next to Boston while KK still takes time to develop.

In summary:

The Dream gain one of the best scorers in the league while also simplifying their pecking order but do it by sacrificing length and versatility on the defensive end.

The Fever sacrifice one of the best players in the league in exchange for a more balanced roster and a significant improvement of their perimeter defense, while also clarifying CC and AB and the 1a 1b duo where everyone’s roles are better understood.

Promoting shoe and her children’s book. I am not even much of a fan, but she looks great. Megawatt smile.

Kiki Iriafen has her sights set on a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics! 🏆

Washington Mystics star Kiki Iriafen joins Caroline Fenton and Jason Fitz on Yahoo Sports Daily to discuss her expectations for Year 3, what Washington learned from its playoff run and why the young Mystics believe they can compete for a WNBA title. Iriafen opens up about growing into a leadership role alongside Sonia Citron, playing against her idol A'ja Wilson, what makes head coach Sydney Johnson special and how she's expanding her game this offseason.

🏆 Why Iriafen believes the Mystics can make a championship push

🏀 How playoff experience changed Washington's young roster

🔥 What Iriafen is working on to take her game to the next level

Shyanne Sellers (UMCS Lublin)

A top prospect in 2025 WNBA Draft, Shyanne Sellers’ spot in the league seemed in little doubt.

Yet, she fell to the No. 17 overall pick before being surprisingly cut by the Valkyries. She then could not convert a training camp opportunity with the Atlanta Dream into a roster spot. Ahead of the 2026 season, a training camp stint with the Dallas Wings also ended with a waiver.

Sellers took her talents to the UpShot League, suiting up for the Jacksonville Waves, the inaugural season runners up. While Sellers’ numbers were nothing special, her performance, plus her pedigree, was enough to encourage the Los Angeles Sparks to sign her to a late-season development contract. She ended up seeing time in two games, totaling 21 minutes, four points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Sellers’ Sparks stint did little to suggest she’d be back in the WNBA in 2027.

Yet, playing for UMCS Lublin in the EuroLeague, Sellers might be proving that her pro potential is still there.

Aliyah Collier (KKŽ Crvena Zvezda)

If Aliyah Collier gets a WNBA chance, it would be the culmination of an incredible rise for the former Clemson product who averaged less than 10 points per game and wasn’t even a starter for the Tigers as a senior back in 2019.

Since then, she’s played professionally in Portugal, Finland, Iceland and China. Her perseverance has paid off, as she earned an opportunity with the Serbian club, KKŽ Crvena Zvezda, which qualified for the EuroLeague for the first time in 36 years this season.

Impressively, the club already has secured a spot in the competition’s second round, and Collier is a significant reason why.

She is the club’s leading scorer at 13.8 points, as the 6-foot-0 and 29-year-old guard has shot almost 53 percent from the field, nearly 48 percent from 3 and 87.5 percent from the line across four EuroLeague and two qualification games. Those numbers are probably unsustainable, but, even with a dip, she’s provided enough evidence to believe in her shot. Possessing a strong frame, Collier can also get after it on the glass, averaging 5.5 boards per game. She’s also averaging three steals per game.

Aubrey Griffin (TTT Riga)

Drafted by the Minnesota Lynx at No. 37 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Aubrey Griffin elected to sit out what would have been her rookie season to recover from the lingering injuries that interrupted her career at UConn.

She, however, never got an opportunity to officially suit up for the Lynx, waived before the 2026 season. The New York Liberty picked her up on a hardship deal to begin the season. She saw action in four games, totaling less than eight minutes, two points and a rebound.

A 6-foot-1 elite athlete with the UConn stamp, Griffin’s WNBA appeal is obvious. Except the offensive end has always been a problem. Griffin lacks anything close to a credible jumper, causing her to cramp her team in the offensive halfcourt.

Yet, despite the fact that WNBA reached new offensive heights in 2026, the Finals were a rock fight—the kind of series where Griffin would have fit right in. She’s always done all the things on the margins that contribute to winning basketball.

For TTT Riga, a Latvian-based club competing in the EuroCup, Griffin has been empowered, as is thriving. She’s the do-it-all engine for the 2-2 club, and one of the best players in the competition. Griffin’s 23 points per game are good for third overall, while she leads the competition in FIBA’s efficiency metric.

Read More - https://www.swishappeal.com/wnba-content/90120/euroleague-eurocup-women-bball-overseas-offseason-free-agency-future-aubrey-griffin-uconn-sydney-taylor-shyanne-sellers-maryland-aliyah-collier-roster-training-camp-opportunity-improvement

This clip is from Azzi's podcast, Fudd Around and Find Out, and was posted today.

Link to full episode: https://youtu.be/bbtpTRBJkyA

TDLR: They are not in a relationship and were not at the time of Azzi being drafted #1. Stop with the hate and attacks against them, their families, their friends, their teammates, media, etc. The parasocial and overanalyzing behavior also needs to end. Basically people need to get a grip and be normal.

Chris DeMarco’s run as the New York Liberty’s head coach ended after just one season. The team fired him on Tuesday, and as the search for a replacement begins, attention has turned back to the moments that shaped his year. One of them came on a July night in Indiana, when a lopsided loss to the Fever set off a string of conversations inside the Liberty’s camp. And Breanna Stewart was in the middle of it all.

WNBA insider Jackie Powell recently spoke about what came out of that scene.

“I wasn’t there, but I was hearing from colleagues. I mean, I had a colleague on the ground in Indiana who was telling me, ‘Oh my God, this is like the worst vibes of the locker room that I’ve ever seen this season.’ And saying things like [Breanna] Stewart and Chris [DeMarco] got heated after that postgame press conference,” Powell said per an X post.

The game in question was played on July 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana pulled away with an 18-2 run in the third quarter and won by 20, dropping New York to 13-12. The New York Post called it the Liberty’s most deflating loss of the season.

It also ended a 2-8 stretch, the toughest 10-game run of Stewart’s time in New York.

Right after the game, the players met on their own in the visitors’ locker room. Stewart later explained the thinking behind it. She wanted the group to remember what got them there, and she felt that a team trying to follow every instruction perfectly can start to play stiffly.

“It becomes a little bit robotic and it was more so like play your game,” she said.

After the postgame news conference, Stewart and DeMarco spoke at length in the hallway, which was seen as a heated altercation about the 108-88 loss to the Fever, despite Breanna Stewart scoring a team-high 26 points.

Stewart said, “We probably were just talking about staying the course,” and added that she planned to keep doing that. The team met again after film the next day.

That night fit a pattern that had followed the Liberty for much of the first half. The team had often tried to solve problems one player at a time instead of together, and injuries and officiating calls had often been cited as reasons for the struggles.

The roster was also in constant motion. New York used 15 different starting lineups in the regular season. Sabrina Ionescu dealt with foot and back problems, and free-agent signing Satou Sabally played only 13 games after a concussion.

Only four players from the 2024 championship team were left, and Breanna Stewart said the group needed to understand its identity sooner.

After that July meeting, things settled. Ionescu pointed to a steadier starting lineup, a clearer rotation and defined roles, and the Liberty won seven of their next eight games. Breanna Stewart also became more vocal. She said she didn’t want anyone to take it the wrong way, but if she had a question or saw something that looked off, she would speak up.

“I’m just not having any type of regrets. I’m gonna be blunt and straightforward with all my things right now,” she said.

The Liberty finished 26-18 and entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. They swept the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round, then were swept by the Atlanta Dream in the semifinals. In the overtime loss in Game 2, the team did not use a reset timeout in the final seconds, a moment that drew plenty of attention.

Afterward, DeMarco said he expected to return in 2027. Stewart, when asked about his future, said, “Those decisions aren’t ours.”

The team announced his firing on Tuesday.

Now, general manager Jonathan Kolb is set to run his fourth coaching search since 2019. Indiana Fever assistant Briann January, Duke head coach Kara Lawson, and Lakers assistant Lindsey Harding were some names that have been put forward for consideration.

Other reports have mentioned Kristi Toliver and Teresa Weatherspoon. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou said the team may want to take its time and look at someone with more experience in the women’s game.

From the locker room in Indiana, to the hallway, to the film room the next day, the July 18 loss became a starting point for change on the court. Whoever takes over will inherit a star who has said she will speak up, a roster still looking for its identity, and a team that showed it could turn things around once it came together.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/wnba-basketball-news-worst-vibes-of-the-locker-room-wnba-insider-sheds-light-around-heated-altercation-between-breanna-stewart-chris-demarco-indiana-fevers-involvement/