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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Angel Reese is Headed to Atlanta 😲
The Chicago Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. (ESPN)
WHY IT MATTERS: Not a quiet start to the WNBA offseason. Reese is one of the most recognizable players in the league, a 2x All-Star, and last season’s leading rebounder. She’s also the only player in WNBA history to average at least 12 rebounds per game in a season, and she’s done it twice. Now she joins Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray in Atlanta, which suddenly looks like a team to keep a close eye on.
For Chicago, this one is harder to figure out. They just moved a cornerstone piece for future picks, and it leaves a lot of uncertainty heading into this season. The Sky went 1–13 last year in games Reese missed, so her impact was clear. The upside is flexibility, with five first-round picks over the next three drafts, but that’s a longer play.
🗳️ What was your first reaction to the Angel Reese trade?
2. New Executive Order Targets College Sports 🏛️
A new executive order aims to reshape college athletics, introducing a one-time transfer rule, a five-year eligibility cap, and limits on NIL deals. The order is set to take effect August 1. (CBS Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: This doesn’t immediately change the rules, and it’s far from settled. A lot of what’s included here, especially around transfers and athlete pay, has already been challenged in court, with decisions favoring players. Legal challenges are expected here too, including questions about whether a president can actually define college eligibility rules. What this does is further amplify calls for Washington to legislate a federal solution to college sports. To date, Congress has struggled to pass a comprehensive bill.
3. NCAA Tournament Expansion Is Coming 📈
The NCAA is expected to move toward expanding both the women’s and men’s tournaments to 76 teams. The proposal would add eight more play-in games to the current First Four. (Yahoo Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: This would be one of the biggest changes to March Madness in a long time. More teams means more opportunities, and more programs getting a shot on the national stage. But it also changes the feel of the tournament a bit. More play-in games means a longer opening round, and those games haven’t always felt like a true part of the event. It also raises a fair question about fit on the women’s side, where upsets are less common and the gap between teams can be pretty wide.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Floodgates Open: Over 1,000 players entered the transfer portal on the first day it opened, including eight from Tennessee, who now have zero returners for next season.
Front Office Shake-Up: The Washington Mystics have parted ways with GM Jamila Wideman after one season, with head coach Sydney Johnson taking over basketball operations.
Draft Decision: Notre Dame’s Cassandre Prosper is heading to the WNBA Draft after a Most Improved season instead of using her final year of eligibility.
