Just some feelgood content via IG. Congrats to the happy couple! I hope they both enjoy that surreal "well, back to work after the wedding!" feeling as the W season draws to a close.

The set a FIBA World Cup record with 21 three-pointers against Nigeria earlier today.

They are loaded with W players (Williams, Salaun, Malonga, Johannès, Lacan, and more).

Team USA has a lot of talent as always, but I don't know... That was a lucky break they caught against Italy in group play.

France can defend and shoot at a high level. If these two teams matchup (with Team USA featuring popular players like Clark and Reese), it would be one of the most viewed games in Women’s FIBA/Olympic history.

In a corresponding move the Minnesota Lynx waived Eliška Joklová

https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/news/final-phase-set-at-the-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026

https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/standings#B

Especially for those who don't usually watch international basketball, I am curious who has stood out to you as someone you'd like to see get a chance in the W - or just see more of in general?

Italy's Matilde Villa is probably the most obvious one not currently tied to a team - the Dream held onto her rights for awhile but let go of them this year. She'd only played limited minutes while she was coming back from an ACL this most recent Euro season. Clearly she is now recovered, and still only 21.

For those playing along at home, the players who have not been in a W roster yet but whose rights are already held by W teams: Spain's Iyana Martin (Fire) and Helena Pueyo (Mercury), Japan's Kokoro Tanaka (Valkyries), Korea's Lee-Seul Kang (Mercury), Hungary's Eszter Ratkai (Mercury), Belgium's Nastja Claessens (Mystics but she's now playing NCAA, will be a senior at K state this season). Martin is the one most obviously ready for the W.

I don't know if I necessarily see China's Shuyu Yang at the W level, but she's only 24 and is playing in Australia this upcoming WNBL season, so I'm interested to see her development there. She was great against Italy today and also key in China's win over Hungary. She also just has a huge fanbase.

Then there's Zhang Ziyu, a prospect who is going to vex every mock draft-er for the next six months.

The WNBA’s next commissioner will need to take a different approach, but they will also be dealing with a different context. The WNBA has the interest and investment of the NBA now. Fifteen NBA-affiliated owners have stakes in WNBA teams. Three more NBA ownership groups are starting up expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, and even more want in.

The job will require political savvy and bridge building. It will require someone who has enough institutional wisdom to understand the league without being bogged down by the culture of defensiveness and cynicism that has overtaken it. It will require someone who can simultaneously nurture the popularity of Clark and the expansion teams in Golden State, Portland, and Toronto, which are catering to dedicated, deep-pocketed, and diverse fan bases.

Jackie Young: A+
Paige Bueckers: A
Breanna Stewart: A-
Angel Reese: A-
Caitlin Clark: B+
Rhyne Howard: C+
Napheesa Collier: C-
Aliyah Boston: C-
Chelsea Gray: D+
Kahleah Copper: D
Sonia Citron: Incomplete
Kiki Iriafen: Incomplete

A lot of the International Teams play together in their respective leagues which don't fall in the same period of the W.

I know that Team USA does a few three to four day camps to introduce players and test chemistry but should they do like a two-three week thing so they don't just show up mid season to the olympics?

USA (2-0) vs Czech Republic (0-2)

Time: 2:45 ET/11:45 PT

Location: Berlin, Germany

Apologies from Cecilia Zandalasini after arguing with the referee at the last minutes of the game.

Tuesday

Hungary vs Japan (Winner plays USA)

Germany vs Korea (Winner plays Belgium

Wednesday

Italy vs Australia (Winner plays Spain)

Puerto Rico vs China (Winner plays France)

ELIMINATED TEAMS:

Mali, Nigeria, Turkey, Czech Republic

Honestly I’m surprised they would post a video of Kara ripping into them but happy to see it.

“Let this be the last time that a team plays with more passion than us throughout the course of the game.”

Hopefully everybody knows what a basketball is tomorrow.

Newbies deferring to the vets, vets barely got a dawg in them, no one wants to step on each others toes, everyone playing iso ball, missing threes, missing, layups, missing free throws.

Please let this be a one off.

Mine is that we're losing because there are no more big shorts wearers. DT, AT and Jewell are all gone and so is that spunk apparently.

Good morning everyone it’s MONDAY

It means it’s time to overreact to YOUR favorite team/teams!

Let’s get DRAMATIC

After reading way too many articles here is a list of people that have been tossed into the circle of names that could have the potential to be the next commissioner.

Add in any other names that you have heard

• Laura Gentile, former ESPN executive and espnW founder
• Bethany Donaphin, SVP, Head of WNBA League Operations
• Mark Tatum, NBA deputy commissioner (Tatum previously served as the WNBA’s interim president before Engelbert was hired in 2019)
• Swin Cash, Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer
• Jennifer Rizzotti, Connecticut Sun president
• Micky Lawler, commissioner, Unrivaled
• Renie Anderson, NFL executive vice president and chief revenue officer
• Maura Healey, governor of Massachusetts
• Suzanne Abair, Atlanta Dream co-owner and CEO
• Nadia Rawlinson, Chicago Sky co-owner and operating chairman
• Jess Smith, Golden State Valkyries president
• Nneka Ogwumike (IMO there is not enough business experience to even consider her)
• Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty
• Kamala Harris
• Michelle Obama