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Swish Appeal

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Latest Entries

With the commitment of top-ranked recruit Oliviyah Edwards, South Carolina becomes the 2026-27 championship favorites

The fate of Oliviyah has been decided. And the decision is a delightful one for Dawn Staley and South Carolina Gamecocks. A consensus top-three ranked recruit in the class of 2026, Oliviyah Edwards, a 6-foot-3 forward from Washington state, had committed to Tennessee before decommitting earlier this month. That re-opened the recruitment of the McDonald’s […]

Why the Washington Mystics’ 2026 WNBA Draft decisions reeked of indecision

Just two weeks ago, I wrote about the Washington Mystics breakup with former General Manager Jamila Wideman right before the WNBA Draft, and what the cited “strategic differences” could have been that birthed a rift between Wideman and a front office that was once in her corner. I had hoped that the draft would shed […]

Four things to watch during the 2026 WNBA preseason, starting with the Dallas Wings

The 2026 WNBA season arrives with so many fascinating topics at the forefront of everything. But before the regular season tips off on Friday, May 8, we’ve got preseason basketball to dissect. Here are four compelling storylines that deserve your full attention. 1. What is José Fernández building with the Dallas Wings? New Dallas Wings […]

EXCLUSIVE: The sights, smiles and more from Atlanta Dream training camp

The second season of the Karl Smesko era is underway in Atlanta, and expectations are higher than ever. The Dream not only retained the core players—Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, Brionna Jones and Jordin Canada—that led the team to a franchise-record 30 wins, but also acquired Angel Reese. The excitement about what can be […]

Fenerbahçe Opet outlasts Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring to win 2025-26 EuroLeague Women championship

Congratulations to Fenerbahçe Opet, your 2025-26 EuroLeague Women champions! Fenerbahçe defeated Galatasaray Çağdaş Faktoring 68-55 in the final to claim the crown. A near triple-double of 13 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds earned Julie Allemand MVP honors. Emma Meesseman led Fenerbahçe in scoring with 20 points, joining Allemand on the All-Star Five. The championship […]

NBA

WNBA training camps open today! Here’s a look at all 15 rosters and more

The reason for all the activity surrounding the WNBA—the protracted-but-ultimately-successful negotiations for a new CBA, an expansion draft for the league’s 14th and 15th teams, the college draft, a flurry of free agency moves and more—begins on Sunday, April 19. That’s when WNBA training camps open and the league’s 15 teams begin their quest for […]

Who are the WNBA’s first-ever development players?

A new provision of the 2026 WNBA CBA is development players. In addition to the required 12 regular roster players, teams are permitted to add up to two development players. As the designation suggests, development players are young players, as only those with 0-3 years of WNBA service are eligible for such contracts, whom organizations […]

A $5 million supermax contract for A’ja Wilson is sure to be a winner, but what about the Las Vegas Aces’ other big bets?

When evaluating the in-progress offseason of the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, I suggested the organization’s run-it-back approach could be insufficient, as going back-to-back might require more boldness. Since then, the Aces have become high rollers, making several big bets that could cinch or sink their repeat bid. One of those bets is an all-but-guaranteed […]

The three most questionable (or worse) decisions WNBA teams made this offseason

With a new CBA, two expansion teams, tons of free agents and the college draft, a lot has happened around the WNBA just a few weeks. Every WNBA team is either trying to retool, rebuild or run it back. However, not all moves placed teams in a position to accomplish their objective. Here are the […]

So far, the new WNBA CBA has resulted in team-building chaos over consensus

It’s easy to see that all the negotiation and consternation required for the WNBA and WNBPA to agree to a new CBA was worth it. Peruse Her Hoop Stats’ handy team salary cap sheets, and the jump in player salaries from the 2025 season to the 2026 season is incredible. Simply, WNBA getting paid what […]

For better or worse, the Los Angeles Sparks are no longer rebuilding

Over the past few years, the Los Angeles Sparks have been a rebuilding team. They were trying to build through the draft with top picks. Success didn’t come, though, as they had the worst record in the WNBA in 2024 and have missed the postseason for five-consecutive years. Through the 2020s, the Sparks have built […]