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Good morning! ☕️
We’ve got the WNBA Finals to look forward to this weekend, and college basketball is right around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited about all of the women’s basketball ahead. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you Monday.
What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Two Teams Chase Their First WNBA Title 🏆
The Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream tip off the best-of-seven WNBA Finals this Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco. Whichever team wins will celebrate its first WNBA championship. (ESPN)
WATCH GAME 1: Saturday, 3:30 PM ET - NBC or Peacock
WHY IT MATTERS: Expect defense to play a big role, as Golden State and Atlanta finished first and second in defensive rating this season. The Valkyries swept all three regular-season meetings between the two teams, but they haven't faced each other since July 4. Atlanta has since added DeWanna Bonner and enters the Finals riding a 10-game winning streak.
🗳️ Who do you think will take Game 1?
2. WNBA Names Its 10 Best Defenders 🛡️
The WNBA announced its 2026 All-Defensive teams, with A'ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Gabby Williams, Rhyne Howard, and Shakira Austin earning first-team honors. The second team features Veronica Burton, Jordin Canada, Sonia Citron, Breanna Stewart, and Kiah Stokes. (Yahoo Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: You know the saying, “Defense wins championships”? This year’s Finals are a perfect example, with the Dream and Valkyries each having three players named to the All-Defensive teams. There are also some exciting firsts among this year’s selections. Reese and Austin earned their first All-Defensive selections, while Howard moved up to the first team after making the second team last year. Citron made the second team in just her second WNBA season.
3. Columbia Suspends Head Coach Megan Griffith 😳
Columbia has suspended women's basketball head coach Megan Griffith for the first three games of the season following an outside review of complaints about her behavior during past practices. Current players have publicly supported Griffith, describing their experience with her as "overwhelmingly positive." (USA Today)
WHY IT MATTERS: The news raises a larger question about how coaching expectations are changing. Tough-love coaching has long been part of sports, but there's growing attention on how coaches communicate with and treat their players. Columbia hasn't shared the specific behavior behind the suspension, so it's difficult to judge this particular decision.
📺 A Women’s Basketball Fan’s To-Do List
The WNBA Finals tip off this weekend, and women's college basketball is right around the corner. This mug is for anyone who's ever rearranged their schedule to catch a game. If watching women's basketball regularly makes its way to the top of your to-do list, this one's for you.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Shooting Hand: Atlanta's Allisha Gray is cautiously optimistic about playing Saturday as she recovers from her left (shooting) hand injury. She was seen getting shots up at Thursday's practice.
Knee Fix: Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston had surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in her right knee.
Tuned In: ESPN averaged 1.4 million viewers across eight WNBA playoff games, up 23% from last year. That's the network's most-watched WNBA postseason yet.
🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: With the WNBA promoting responsible sports betting, we asked whether you bet on WNBA games. And wow, this was our most one-sided poll result yet! A full 98% of you said “No way.”
