No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

From negotiations to victory — the WNBA and its players reach a historic CBA deal. Zena and Layshia, joined by Sabreena, break down key changes in revenue sharing, salary caps, and player benefits, as well as the timeline for the upcoming season.

Next, Zena and Layshia explore the evolution of CBA negotiations, the influence of star power, and the players’ fight for dignity, representation, and equality.
Finally, we wrap up with a new segment, ‘And One More Thing,’ highlighting a story or idea worth your attention.

REFERENCES:

What’s next for the WNBA after reaching a historic CBA deal? by Sabreena Merchant

WNBA, players reach verbal agreement on new CBA after marathon negotiations by Mike Vorkunov, Sabreena Merchant and The Athletic Staff

Check out The Athletic's Interactive Bracket
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No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at [email protected]

Show Links:
-YouTube: @No-Offseason
-Instagram: @tanooffseason
-TikTok: @no_offseason

Credits:
-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita
-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm
-Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zena Keita, Sabreena Merchant, Chantel Jennings, and our newest co-host—former WNBA star Layshia Clarendon—react LIVE to the seedings, snubs, and surprises revealed in the Women’s NCAA Tournament bracket, breaking down their March Madness picks in real time. Our resident bracketologist, Eden Laase, also joins the show to share her insights and analysis of the bracket.

REFERENCES:

UCLA’s path to the Final Four requires getting through the tough Sacramento 2 Region The Athletic

2026 women’s March Madness bracket picks: Why Chantel Jennings picked UConn to win it all by Chantel Jennings

Download The Athletic's printable bracket

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No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at [email protected]

Show Links:
-YouTube: @No-Offseason
-Instagram: @tanooffseason
-TikTok: @no_offseason

Credits:
-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita
-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm
-Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The WNBA CBA negotiations are still ongoing, with no deal reached yet. Zena and Chantel break down the latest developments in the talks before diving into the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament and the dynamics of the current Team USA roster.

Then, our resident bracketologist Eden Laase joins to dig into the biggest bracket storylines — from the battle between UConn and UCLA for the overall No. 1 seed to the bubble drama surrounding Colorado and Clemson. They unpack how conference tournament results are shaking up the field, what it means for teams fighting to get in, and why programs like USC and Tennessee could slip a bit lower than expected in the seeding.

REFERENCES:

Overnight WNBA, players’ union talks fail to result in collective bargaining agreement: Reports by Sabreena Merchant

WNBA proposes higher salary cap in latest CBA offer, but still no deal by Chantel Jennings

Caitlin Clark shines with double-double in dominant Team USA victory by Sabreena Merchant

Women’s NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: Will Clemson, Iowa State, Virginia make the field? By Eden Laase

Catch us live this Sunday at 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET on YouTube for our bracket reactions!

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No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at [email protected]

Show Links:
-YouTube: @No-Offseason
-Instagram: @tanooffseason
-TikTok: @no_offseason

Credits:
-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita
-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm
-Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No Offseason is expanding to three episodes a week with the addition of new co-host former WNBA star Layshia Clarendon. Find us Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays wherever you get your podcasts.
__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at [email protected]

Show Links:
-YouTube: @No-Offseason
-Instagram: @tanooffseason
-TikTok: @no_offseason

Credits:
-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita
-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm
-Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

USA Women’s Basketball tips off Wednesday in Puerto Rico. Zena, Chantel and Sabreena dive into how Team USA is preparing for the World Cup, plus the return of Caitlin Clark to game action. They also break down the latest in the CBA talks as the drop-deadline approaches.

From there, they share their conference tournament takeaways from around the association—debating whether UCLA has done enough for the overall No. 1 seed, if West Virginia improved its seeding, and which mid-majors caught their attention this weekend, plus more.

We wrap things up with Two Takes and A Fake

REFERENCES:

Caitlin Clark preparing for Team USA debut, feels ‘even better’ than start of last season by Chantel Jennings

Women’s conference tournament takeaways: Texas takes down South Carolina by Chantel Jennings, Cameron Teague Robinson, Sabreena Merchant and Grace Raynor

Women’s basketball power rankings: If LSU can’t beat South Carolina, is it a tournament threat? by Sabreena Merchant

Check out Zena’s exclusive interview with WNBA star Napheesa Collier here!

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No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at [email protected]

Show Links:
-YouTube: @No-Offseason
-Instagram: @tanooffseason
-TikTok: @no_offseason

Credits:
-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita
-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm
-Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.