Swish Appeal
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All the ways that the Court Origins game between the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty was perfect for the WNBA
LOS ANGELES — June 21, 1997, will be a legendary day for as long as the WNBA exists. This date marks the first-ever WNBA game between the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks. They met again on June 21, 2026 to celebrate that inaugural matchup. The 18,043 fans in attendance received a stellar basketball […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Appreciating the past, present and future of the league on a monumental milestone
Tonight, the New York Liberty visit the Los Angeles Sparks, just as they did exactly 30 years ago, competing in the first-ever WNBA game (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Micahya Costen captured the significance of that inaugural contest. Where were you on June 21, 1997? Although my memories are fuzzy, I’m pretty sure 10-year-old me was […]
How the first-ever game between the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks launched 30 seasons of WNBA basketball
“Welcome to the Great Western Forum, and a festive atmosphere here in Los Angeles. It is a sellout and then some,” Hall of Fame broadcaster Hannah Storm said on NBC’s broadcast of the first-ever WNBA game. The camera pans from a Ferris wheel to a young girl shooting a basketball in the massive parking lot […]
Is Alyssa Thomas’ streak of consecutive WNBA playoff appearances in jeopardy with the 2026 Phoenix Mercury?
In classic Phoenix Mercury fashion, relatively unknown players stepped up to lead them to a 20-point victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday afternoon. Valeriane Ayayi debuted in the WNBA in 2015; she went for career-highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds Saturday in what is now her second season 11 years later. Although a […]
How the Portland Fire’s recent slide has exposed their defensive deficiencies
The Portland Fire began the 2026 season as one of the WNBA’s most pleasant surprises. One of the league’s two newest expansion teams, not much was expected of the Fire during their inaugural season, but a 6-4 start, highlighted by multiple upset wins and Coach of the Month honors for Alex Sarama, quickly put Portland […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Can the Seattle Storm or Phoenix Mercury not only snap their losing streak, but also begin to turn things around?
Before the 2026 WNBA season began, Edwin Garcia wondered if the Seattle Storm might regret their offseason decisions. Should the franchise have made re-signing veterans Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins and Gabby Williams a priority, rather than jumping into a rebuild? In contrast, Zack Ward endorsed Seattle’s direction, citing them as big winners of the 2026 […]
WNBA gameday discussion: What will be the next outstanding feat from Minnesota Lynx rookie phenom Olivia Miles?
It’s time to admit that I was too low on Olivia Miles. She is miles ahead of where I thought she would be, not just as a rookie but at any point in her WNBA career. The playmaking vision was not in question; however, I was skeptical whether she had the athleticism to hang defensively, […]
Through 15 games, have the Indiana Fever proven to be a legit championship contender?
Through the first month and a half of the 2026 WNBA season, the Indiana Fever have a net rating just under +6 points per game. It’s the kind of number that should put a team firmly in the championship conversation. However, it might come with an asterisk. The Fever rank just seventh in offensive rating, […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Led by Angel Reese, can the Atlanta Dream solve their Indiana Fever issues?
A 2025 Atlanta Dream regular season that finished with a franchise-record 30 wins and No. 3 seed ended with a first-round postseason exit at the hands of the No. 6-seed and injury-plagued Indiana Fever. The playoff series testified to Fever’s resiliency, and exposed the Dream’s lack of it. The favored and more talented team, Atlanta […]
Is the WNBA really ready for a 50-game season starting in 2027?
Ready or not, even more WNBA basketball is on the way. On Wednesday, the league announced that the 2027 WNBA season will be a 50-game season. With 15 teams, that gives fans 750 games to observe, analyze and obsess over. Here’s what Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said about the decision to further expand the WNBA season: […]
How the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces reached the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game
Over the years, the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup has been an indicator of the league’s best teams. This year, now that the group stage games are over, we have an answer for the elite teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences: the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces. Both dominated Cup play, going a combined 12-1 […]
After a disappointing start, the New York Liberty are the hottest team in the WNBA, and looking like championship favorites
The New York Knicks’ NBA championship, won this past Saturday night, was top of mind for the New York Liberty on Sunday. It’s true, NYC basketball faithful have put years of heartache to rest between what the Libs accomplished in 2024 and what the Knickerbockers claimed in 2026. However, the Liberty were built to be […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Will the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx give us a chaotic finish to Commissioner’s Cup play?
The institution of the Commissioner’s Cup, intended for 2020 but delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was intended to introduce early-season excitement into the WNBA regular season by adding an event with both competitive and financial stakes. Six season in, has the WNBA’s in-season tournament met those goals? Overall, I lean towards the […]
The Cameron Brink breakthrough is happening for the Los Angeles Sparks
On Saturday, the Los Angeles Sparks couldn’t close out the Phoenix Mercury in the fourth quarter on the road, and the contest headed to overtime. Los Angeles was trying to extend their winning streak to three games and get above .500 for the first time this season. With the stakes high and the pressure on, […]
Why Brittney Sykes should be the Toronto Tempo’s first-ever WNBA All-Star
WNBA All-Star voting tipped off late last week, sparking the far-too-early conversations about which players sit atop the league’s hierarchy. With two expansion teams, All-Star spots are becoming more and more competitive, and neither the Toronto Tempo nor the Portland Fire probably expected to roster an All-Star in their inaugural season. But as both teams […]
Can SoCal’s Los Angeles Sparks and NorCal’s Golden State Valkyries become the WNBA’s next, great rivals?
Rivalries can’t be created and manufactured like a product in an assembly line. They have to be fostered and developed organically, across years and generations. In basketball, such organic rivalries often happen between comparable teams vying for common goal. This was true with the Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx of the mid-to-late 2010s, […]
WNBA gameday discussion: An electric offense has the Las Vegas Aces on the verge of a trip back to the Commissioner’s Cup championship game
At the opening of Commissioner’s Cup play, I posited that the Minnesota Lynx could become the first-ever two-time Cup champions. It’s not impossible for the 2024 Cup winners to still complete that feat. But, the 2022 champs made Minnesota’s task much more difficult. The Las Vegas Aces, instead, are in pole position to represent the […]
WNBA fantasy grab bag: Why you better buy low on the Chicago Sky’s Azurá Stevens before it’s too late
When Azurá Stevens returned to the Chicago Sky on a multi-year, seven-figure contract, it was widely assumed that she’d play a big role. Stevens was coming off a career year with the Los Angeles Sparks, and with her offensive skill and defensive mobility, she seemed like a perfect fit in Chicago next to Kamilla Cardoso. […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Is your favorite star one of the league’s most gifted grifters?
Just yesterday, our Eric Nemchock highlighted how the Phoenix Mercury, despite their disappointing overall record, are, in fact, winning. They’re winning the foul game, as the Mercury, led by Alyssa Thomas, are drawing fouls at a high rate, while committing them at a low rate. As Eric notes, free throw rate is one of the […]
WNBA numbers to know: Despite a losing record, the Phoenix Mercury are winning the foul game
Much has been made about the WNBA’s officiating this season, which, to be fair, does not make it unlike any other season. But a sharp increase in foul calls has drawn the public ire of coaches and players alike, leaving many to wonder if last offseason’s “points of emphasis” regarding physical play and freedom of […]
WNBA gameday discussion: The Minnesota Lynx-Las Vegas Aces rivalry resumes in a consequential Commissioner’s Cup contest
What was on pace to become the preeminent WNBA rivalry appeared to be put on pause. On Saturday night, we might find out that it is, in fact, back on. Undefeated Commissioner’s Cup combatants meet in Sin City, with the Las Vegas Aces hosting the Minnesota Lynx. The 4-0 Lynx sit atop the Western Conference […]
WNBA game notes: Although eclipsed by Sonia Citron’s buzzer beater, Marina Mabrey delivered some signature mayhem in DC
WASHINGTON — As she walked off the court Friday night at CareFirst Arena, Marina Mabrey gave Sonia Citron a little side tap. Citron was headed in the opposite direction to celebrate with her teammates just moments after her contested buzzer-beater from mid-range off a jump ball had secured her Washington Mystics an 86-85 win that […]
A Sonia Citron game-winner, plus Lauren Betts’ best game, proves the potential of the Washington Mystics
This young team is starting to become a problem for the rest of the league. The Washington Mystics, leading the majority of the game, were left to fight until the very last millisecond (literally), to pull off an 86-85 win against the Toronto Tempo on Friday night. It wasn’t until the final 11 seconds of […]
Kelsey Plum is the Los Angeles Sparks’ MVP. Who else is worthy of quarterly honors in LA?
The Los Angeles Sparks have played over a quarter of their 2026 games and have found a perfect combination of success and failure, going 6-6. With 25 percent of the action now complete, it’s time to present quarterly team awards. These will be similar to WNBA’s end-of-year awards, but with only Sparks players considered. So […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Are these first-time All-Star candidates deserving of a “2-for-1 Day” vote?
The second day of WNBA All-Star Voting is the first of three “2-for-1 Days,” where all fans’ votes count twice. Should you spend one of your votes on a potential first-time All-Star? Tonight, before the 11:59 p.m. ET double-dip deadline, four players will have the chance to make their first-timer case. Let’s see if they’re […]
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