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Happy Friday! Have a great weekend, everyone. âď¸
Thereâs a lot of womenâs basketball to watch over the next few days. The new UPSHOT League tips off today (more on that below), plus weâve got eight WNBA games across Friday and Sunday.
What to Know About Womenâs Basketball Today
1. Lisa Leslie to Be Honored With Statue Outside Crypto.com Arena đŤĄ
The Los Angeles Sparks announced that Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie will be honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. The statue will be unveiled during a ceremony on September 20 in Star Plaza. (ESPN)
WHY IT MATTERS: This honor is a long time coming. Leslie is one of the most important players in WNBA history. She spent her entire WNBA career with the Sparks and helped lead the franchise to back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. She was also a 3-time WNBA MVP, 8-time All-Star, 2-time Finals MVP, and the first player in WNBA history to dunk in a game.
Sheâs now the second player to receive a statue outside a WNBA arena, following Sue Bird in Seattle last year. Sheâll join Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille OâNeal among the sports icons honored outside the LA Arena.
đłď¸ Which Lisa Leslie achievement stands out most to you?
2. Hardship Contracts Are Already Being Used đ¤
Despite expanded rosters and the addition of developmental players this season, WNBA teams are already using hardship contracts. Both the New York Liberty and Golden State Valkyries signed hardship players during opening week. (Front Office Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: Many hoped the two new developmental roster spots added under the latest CBA would help ease depth issues. So far, that hasnât really happened. Developmental players donât count toward hardship eligibility and can only be activated for 12 games, so teams are already running short on available players. It shows the league may need to tweak developmental player rules or eventually add more full roster spots.
3. The UPSHOT League Tips Off Today đŁ
The UPSHOT League officially launches its inaugural season today. The four-team developmental league will stream games globally on YouTube. (Yahoo Finance)
WHY IT MATTERS: The WNBA doesnât have a true G League of its own, so thereâs curiosity around what the UPSHOT League could become. The league features former WNBA players, recent draft picks, and standout college players looking for another opportunity to develop professionally. This yearâs roster includes former first-round picks Jasmine Walker and Asia âADâ Durr, as well as Amiya Joyner and Shyanne Sellers.
đ¤ From Our Partners: We occasionally share sponsored resources our readers might enjoy:
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OVERTIME âąď¸
Make It a Double: Angel Reese recorded the 51st double-double of her career this week. She has 51 double-doubles in just 66 career games.
Houston, Here We Come: The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors officially approved the Connecticut Sunâs sale, clearing the way for the return of the Comets.
Middle Name Swoopes: Donât miss this touching interaction between Sheryl Swoopes and a fan named after her.
đłď¸ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked which rookie has impressed you most so far, and Olivia Miles led the way with 59% of the vote. Jovana Nogic and Pauline Astler also received strong support, while many of you wrote in Gabriela Jaquez, Raven Johnson, and Flauâjae Johnson.
