No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

The Golden State Valkyries have quickly established themselves as a successful franchise in the WNBA. Brian Hamilton returns to join Sabreena for a closer look at the team’s rapid rise and the blueprint behind their immediate impact.

The duo breaks down the many factors fueling the Valkyries’ success — from prioritizing the player experience and creating an electric home-court atmosphere at Ballhalla to building a competitive roster featuring lesser-known players who have made a major impact. They also examine how Golden State has maximized its talent and why All-Star Gabby Williams chose to join the franchise in free agency.

Before diving into the Valkyries, Sabreena and Brian discuss Team USA’s roster for the FIBA World Cup, the balance between veteran leadership and emerging young talent, and what the next generation of the program could look like.

Finally, we wrap with the must-watch matchups of the weekend.

REFERENCES:

Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers lead USA Basketball’s necessary youth movement by Sabreena Merchant

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese to make FIBA World Cup debuts with U.S. women’s national team by Annie Costabile

Inside the Golden State Valkyries’ billion-dollar success that’s setting a new WNBA bar by Brian Hamilton
Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers lead USA Basketball’s necessary youth movement by Sabreena Merchant

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese to make FIBA World Cup debuts with U.S. women’s national team by Annie Costabile

Inside the Golden State Valkyries’ billion-dollar success that’s setting a new WNBA bar by Brian Hamilton

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Exclusionary practices in sports can have a lasting impact on athletes, communities, and the way we think about fairness, opportunity, and belonging.. To help unpack this complex and often divisive topic, Zena is joined by Dr. Anna Baeth, author of Fair Game: Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports.

Dr. Baeth takes a closer look at the conversation around trans athletes in women’s sports, addressing common questions, examining the data, and providing context around the concerns and misconceptions driving much of the debate.

But first, we start with the newest addition to the WNBA. The Cleveland Sirens have officially unveiled their team name and branding, and Zena and Sabreena take a closer look at the inspiration behind the identity, the reaction to the new look, and how Cleveland’s newest franchise connects to the legacy of the Cleveland Rockers.

REFERENCES:

Cleveland Sirens reveal name and logo as 2028 WNBA expansion team by Sabreena Merchant

Sophie Cunningham wants to put focus back on basketball: ‘What are we doing?’ by Zach Powell
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The WNBA trade deadline has come and gone, and while the league didn’t see a flood of moves, one blockbuster trade changed the conversation. Zena and Sabreena break down the Phoenix Mercury’s acquisition of Kelsey Plum from the Los Angeles Sparks and discuss what this move means for Phoenix’s playoff hopes and the race for the postseason.

Before diving into the trade deadline fallout, the duo opens the show with the ongoing controversy surrounding Sophie Cunningham’s comments on transgender girls in youth sports, which sparked rallies and counter-rallies WNBA games. Sabreena breaks down what happened at those rallies, the conversations happening around the league, and Cheryl Reeve’s call for leadership, accountability, and inclusivity within the WNBA.

To close out the episode, we look ahead to the future of All-Star Weekend and discuss which cities could be strong contenders to host the 2027 WNBA All-Star Game.

REFERENCES:

Cheryl Reeve: WNBA must be ‘safe space for everyone,’ regardless of viewpoint by Devon Henderson

WNBA power rankings: Olivia Miles has Minnesota Lynx soaring by Sabreena Merchant

Dallas Wings to play home games at American Airlines Center in 2027 by Sabreena Merchant

Connecticut Sun trade Aneesah Morrow to Toronto Tempo by Annie Coastabile
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Sabreena and Annie share their live reactions to Kelsey Plum's trade to the Phoenix Mercury and what it means for both franchise.

REFERENCES:

Los Angeles Sparks deal Kelsey Plum to Phoenix Mercury in a blockbuster move by Sabreena Merchant
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YT: @No-Offseason
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The WNBA trade deadline is approaching, and the rumors, speculation, and potential moves are heating up. Sabreena and Annie break down the complexities of player contracts, the challenges of making trades within the league’s salary cap structure, and which players could realistically be on the move.

Before diving into the trade market, the duo discuss some of the league’s recent optics and the conversations surrounding them — including the WNBA’s social media controversy after the league posted and later deleted a video featuring a wager between Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, as well as the incident involving Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton, who was suspended by the league following an interaction with fans supporting Sophie Cunningham during a game.

To close out the episode, we answer a listener's question about rebuilding in the WNBA: When is the right time for a team to start over and build for the future?

REFERENCES:

WNBA deletes, apologizes for social media post showing wager between Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers by Devon Henderson and Annie Costabile

Storm owner suspended after interaction with fans supporting Sophie Cunningham by Mark Puleo

We played WNBA general manager with your trade proposals. Who says no? by Sabreena Merchant

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No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: NoOffseason@theathletic.com

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YT: @No-Offseason
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.