In partnership with
Did someone share this email with you? Get daily womenâs basketball updates straight to your inbox. Sign up here!
What to Know About Womenâs Basketball Today
1. Sky Add Natasha Cloud, Waive Van Lith đ
The Chicago Sky made a late preseason move, signing veteran guard Natasha Cloud to a one-year, $555,000 deal. The team also waived second-year guard Hailey Van Lith, citing Cloud as a better fit with their style of play. (ESPN)
WHY IT MATTERS: The Sky waited until just days before opening night to bring in a 10-year vet. Cloud was one of the top free agents still available and adds defense, leadership, and a strong voice in the locker room. The timing is tight, so it may take a little time for the group to click. On the other side, Van Lith was a fan favorite and played a steady role off the bench as a rookie. The move makes basketball sense, but itâs still a tough one for fans.
đłď¸ Which would you rather have on your team?
2. ESPN Drops Preseason Power Rankings đ
ESPN released its preseason power rankings ahead of opening day, with the Las Vegas Aces at No. 1 after keeping their championship core intact. The New York Liberty come in at No. 2, followed by the Atlanta Dream at No. 3.
WHY IT MATTERS: Let the debates begin. Vegas at the top makes sense, but everything behind them will rightfully get picked apart by fans. These rankings give us something to talk about before the season tips off, but they are not the final word. Once the games begin, we will quickly see which teams look like real contenders.
3. WNBA Raises Fines for 2026 Season đ°
The WNBA is increasing fines for technical fouls, flagrant fouls, and flopping under the new CBA. (Front Office Sports)
Key Takeaways include:
Technical fouls will now cost $500 for a playerâs first three, doubling after that.
Flagrant fouls are now $500 per point, with a Flagrant 1 counting as one point and a Flagrant 2 counting as two.
Flopping penalties will start with a warning, then move to a $100 fine that increases with each violation.
WHY IT MATTERS: Players are earning more, and the penalties are going up too. In some cases, fines are as much as 2.5 times higher than last season. Even with that jump, they are still not rising as fast as salaries. This is the league adjusting to bigger contracts while still trying to keep control of the game.
đ¤ From Our Partners: We occasionally share sponsored resources our readers might enjoy:
Every headline satisfies an opinion. Except ours.
Remember when the news was about what happened, not how to feel about it? 1440's Daily Digest is bringing that back. Every morning, they sift through 100+ sources to deliver a concise, unbiased briefing â no pundits, no paywalls, no politics. Just the facts, all in five minutes. For free.
OVERTIME âąď¸
Sab Down: Sabrina Ionescu is expected to miss the Libertyâs first four games after rolling her ankle in Sundayâs preseason game, but she avoided a major injury.
MVP Looks: Paige Bueckers, Aâja Wilson, and Angel Reese showed up at the 2026 Met Gala, bringing WNBA presence to one of the biggest nightâs in fashion.
