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Team USA crushes Hungary before France, Germany and Spain also cruise into the World Cup semi-finals
Well, that was anticlimactic. The quarter-finals of the 2026 FIBA World Cup left little suspense, as all four games ended in blowouts. Now the semi-finals are set, and we have Team USA taking on Spain and France playing against Germany on Saturday. Before we preview these matchups, let’s review how these four teams earned their […]
A still-early look at the leading candidates to win World Cup MVP
As the 2026 FIBA World Cup has reached the knockout rounds, the number of teams still playing shrinks by the day. This will ultimately lead to one country winning gold, but another prize is on the line: the TISSOT MVP of the tournament. So far, who is the favorite to win the tournament’s top individual […]
World Cup gameday discussion: These four stars are the most important players in the quarter-final matchups
By the end of the day on Thursday, only four teams will remain in the FIBA World Cup. Among all the talent that will take the floor in Berlin, these four players will have a significant say in determining which four squads will still be standing, advancing out of the quarter-finals and into Saturday’s semi-finals. […]
Is Team USA still the World Cup favorites? Or, have France and Belgium made stronger cases to win it all?
As other teams fight for a quarter-final spot in the FIBA World Cup, Team USA, France and Belgium are all unbeaten and ready for the next phase. It’s not a shock that this trio made it out of the group stage undefeated. Team USA has won this competition four-straight times. France proved they are a […]
These three players have impressed in the World Cup. Do they also belong in the WNBA?
WNBA stars will always draw the biggest crowds at the World Cup, but what would FIBA play be without lesser known players putting on headline performances? Going into the knockout rounds, a handful of international stars already have put on for a global audience. Have they proven that they also deserve a(nother) shot in the […]
World Cup gameday discussion: Why China and Australia should cruise into the quarter-finals
Two more spots remain in the 2026 FIBA World Cup quarter-finals. Hungary and Germany punched their tickets yesterday. Will Puerto Rico or China and Italy or Australia join them? The Puerto Ricans, after finishing in third place in Group C, take on China, the second-place team from Group D (11:45 a.m. ET, HBO Max). Then, […]
Why the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever face the most pressure in the WNBA playoffs—and why the Las Vegas Aces face the least
As the 2026 WNBA postseason approaches, I have a feeling that all eight playoff teams will hold their own and make it an interesting first round. Any team could go on to win it all, but some teams need to win more than others. So instead of picking who is most likely to win, let’s […]
World Cup gameday discussion: Look for Hungary and Germany to advance to the quarter-finals—and here’s why
Now, the 2026 FIBA World Cup starts to get real. Group play is complete, and a quartet of single-elimination quarter-final qualification games are up. On Tuesday, the second- and third-place teams from Groups A and B will be striving to extend their tournaments. First, Hungary, the second-place finishers from Group B, take on Japan, who […]
Did Team USA’s dominant win over Czechia to close out World Cup group play ease concerns?
Monday was the final day of FIBA World group play, and the action didn’t disappoint. Team USA dominated against Czechia, Belgium best Australia and Mali’s Cinderella story came to an end. The group winners are Spain (Group A), France (Group B), Belgium (Group C), and Team USA (Group D), so they’ll automatically advance to the […]
World Cup gameday discussion: Who’s advancing? Who’s out? What’s next? Here are the stakes ahead of the final day of group play
The 2026 FIBA World Cup completes group play on Monday, Sept. 7, with all 16 teams playing their third and final group game. For some teams, the final group match will be perfunctory. That’s true for the United States and Group D. Even if they made things way too interesting against Italy. At 2-0, Team […]
Rather than a display of dominance, Team USA survived for a disgusting three-point win over Italy at the World Cup
Well, Team USA had tons of trouble with Italy. Less than six months ago, Team USA defeated Italy by 34 points in the World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On Sunday in Berlin, Germany, Team USA squeaked out a three-point win, 55-52. On paper, the Italians may not have had any advantages […]
Mali’s historic win over Spain injected the World Cup with emotion, excitement and unpredictability
Why should we have expected predictability from the FIBA World Cup? On the second day of the tournament, the results immediately defied any “if-then” logic. In Friday’s Group A action, Japan defeated Mali in a competitive game before Spain beat Germany in a blowout fashion, establishing Spain as the presumptive favorite to win the group. […]
World Cup gameday discussion: How will head coach Kara Lawson and Team USA approach their second game of the tournament?
Team USA put on a clinic in their opening World Cup win over China. The dominance was driven by the American youth, or the “Young and Turnt” crew, with head coach Kara Lawson using the game as an opportunity to allow the rising generation of American talent to showcase their skills on the international stage. […]
World Cup gameday discussion: These underrated international stars are already shining in the tournament spotlight
After all 16 teams played their opening World Cup game on Friday, half of the teams are back at it today, navigating a tight turnaround as they aim to put themselves in position to advance out of the group stage and into the quarter-finals. The first day of World Cup play was a reminder of […]
China was bigger, but Team USA was way better in their opening World Cup win
Day 1 of FIBA World Cup action saw eight contests take place, and Team USA established themselves as the clear favorite. The Americans made the No. 4-ranked country, China, look pedestrian, beating them 94-61. Other favorites such as France took care of business as well. They beat Hungary 99-53. Spain also dominated, beating Germany 83-53. […]
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who has overseen the league’s growth and the challenges that have come with it, will retire at the end of 2026
On Friday morning, Cathy Engelbert surprised the basketball world by announcing that she was retiring from her role as WNBA commissioner at the end of 2026. Shams Charania of ESPN was the first to report the news. In a WNBA press release, Engelbert explained her decision. After more than seven years at the WNBA and […]
Op-Ed: How the late Gloria Steinem’s spirit lives on in the WNBA
Yet another monumental icon of society and culture has left us. On Thursday, the news broke that feminist activist and journalist Gloria Steinem passed away at the age of 92. Throughout her lifetime of service, Steinem stood on the front lines in the quest for gender equality. She broke ground as a journalist, launching the […]
Op-Ed: Skylar Diggins shows how not to back down while preserving mind, body, and spirit
On Tuesday, the Chicago Sky got the news that veteran guard Skylar Diggins will be sidelined for the remainder of the season as she continues to battle a lingering right knee injury. A season full of potential and optimism has come to an abrupt end. The Sky acquired Diggins right before the season began, along […]
Without A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, here’s how Team USA must change their identity to win a fifth-straight World Cup
When the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup tips off on Sept. 4, USA Basketball will begin chasing a 12th world title and fifth-straight gold medal. However, the roster that has landed in Berlin looks noticeably different than the one that squeaked past France for Olympic gold two summers ago. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are […]
Why the Washington Mystics’ supporting cast makes them a dangerous team entering the 2026 WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA has the best women’s basketball talent in the world. Every team’s supporting cast is full of players who have proven themselves somewhere at some time. However, one supporting cast deserves some extra attention: that of the Washington Mystics. Overlook the Mystics in the playoffs at your own peril. Not only do they have […]
Three not-too-serious predictions for Team USA as the FIBA World Cup tips offs
When dominance is the expectation, everything attracts extra scrutiny. That promises to be the fate of Team USA at the FIBA Women’s World Cup. Who’s playing? And how much? And with who? And when? The excess of elite talent adds extra weight to every decision made by head coach Kara Lawson and her staff, even […]
Even with a key injury and other uncertainties, the Las Vegas Aces are the favorites to again win the WNBA title—and here’s why
The Las Vegas Aces may have fallen short of a WNBA championship in 2024. And they will be without NaLyssa Smith for the rest of this season. But the way in which they re-asserted themselves as champions last year, with best player A’ja Wilson raising their ceiling through the roof as she ascended to GOAT […]
Could one of these three teams actually upset Team USA in the FIBA World Cup?
The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup tips off Friday, Sept. 4 in Berlin, Germany, and the United States is a heavy favorite to win it all. And for good reason. Team USA has won this competition the previous four times. The last time they lost a World Cup was in 2006, finishing third. Beating the […]
Three Washington Mystics are now headed to the FIBA World Cup. Who will contribute the most?
Early Monday morning, it was announced that Washington Mystics stars Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron have been added to Team USA’s FIBA World Cup roster, replacing A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum who will be inactive due to health reasons. Both Iriafen and Citron had attended the Team USA training camp in December, with Iriafen also […]
Get the best of Swish Appeal on the new SB Nation app
It’s a big day for Swish Appeal. Today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way to follow women’s basketball. You can download it by searching SB Nation for iOS or Android. A year ago we made some big changes to our community, including offering fewer ads and the addition of the […]
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