The WNBA officially wrapped up the 2026 season on Halloween night, when the Golden State Valkyries took down the Atlanta Dream 68-63 to win their first ever championship title. We’ll have more on the Valks and their impact later, just know that history was made and it’s officially official: defense does win championships.

With the WNBA behind us, it’s the perfect time to transition to college basketball, which tipped off yesterday in Rome. You’ll notice some changes to my weekly newsletter, but the goal is the same: cover everything happening across women’s basketball.

Moving forward, every edition will break down into three sections: The Pulse (news, recent articles and how my predictions fared against ESPN and the wheel), On The Court (Top 25 predictions, rankings and must-see games) and The Big Picture (WNBA offseason news, my Free Agency Tracker and any updates to the 2027 Mock Draft).

Ready? Let’s open the playbook!

THE PULSE

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing? *WNBA Season Edition

🥇ESPN’s Postseason: 17-6 (74%) | Regular Season: 204-81 (73%)

🥈Allison’s Postseason: 16-7 (70%) | Regular Season: 210-107 (67%)

🥉Wheel’s Postseason: 11-12 (48%) | Regular Season: 155-130 (55%)

📰 On The Docket ~ Recent & Upcoming Articles

• Ready to Rise: The Ultimate Women’s College Basketball Preview

• 🔜 WNBA Offseason Series

• 🔜 What every team can learn from the Golden State Valkyries

• 🔜 2026 WNBA Challenges Analysis

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ Women's Hoops News

• Golden State Valkyries Win their First WNBA Championship in 2nd Year of Existence

  • The Valks beat Atlanta 68-63 in the league’s first-ever Game 7 on Halloween night in the Bay

• Gabby Williams Named WNBA Finals MVP

  • Averaged 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.6 steals & 0.7 blocks in Finals

• WNBA Broadcasting 2027 Draft Lottery on ESPN on November 15th

  • Houston Comets, Toronto Tempo, Washington Mystics, Seattle Storm, Portland Fire & Los Angeles Sparks will participate

• Houston Comets1 Unveil Revamped Logos Ahead of 2027 Season

  • They did not keep original design from 1997, but paid homage to their 4 championships in the new logo

• South Carolina adds new recruit to 2027 class

  • No. 7 prospect Jordyn Palmer committed to South Carolina on October 23rd over Ohio State, UCLA, Penn State

• Minnesota loses star guard Tori McKinney for 2026-27 season

  • McKinney suffered a knee injury in practice last month, will miss entire season

• Preseason AP All-America Women’s Team Announced

  • Sarah Strong (UConn), Juju Watkins (USC), Mikayla Blakes (Vanderbilt), Madison Booker (Texas) & Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)

• Unrivaled Announces 2027 Roster Updates & Schedule Release

  • November 4th: Club Roster Reveal | November 6th: Schedule Releases

ON THE COURT ~ NCAA Women’s College Basketball

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Monday, November 2nd

(20) Maryland vs. (1) South Carolina | 12:00 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: South Carolina ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: South Carolina (92.7%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Maryland ❎

Lipscomb vs. (8) Vanderbilt | 12:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Vanderbilt ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Vanderbilt (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Lipscomb ❎

Alcorn State vs. (19) Ole Miss | 12:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Ole Miss ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Ole Miss (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Ole Miss ✅

UC San Diego vs. (16) Washington | 2:00 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: Washington ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Washington (97.5%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Washington ✅

Lehigh vs. (11) UCLA | 2:30 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: UCLA ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: UCLA (98.9%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: UCLA ✅

(21) Oklahoma vs. (12) UNC | 2:30 pm ET | ESPN2

• Allison’s Prediction: UNC ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: UNC (51%) ❎

• Wheel’s Prediction: Oklahoma ✅

(3) USC vs. UNLV | 4:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: USC ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: USC (93.7%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: UNLV

Cornell vs. (2) UConn | 5:00 pm ET | Peacock

• Allison’s Prediction: UConn ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: UConn (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Cornell

Bellarmine vs. (7) Louisville | 5:00 pm ET | ACC Extra

• Allison’s Prediction: Louisville ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Louisville (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Bellarmine

Wofford vs. (25) NC State | 5:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: NC State ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: NC State (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Wofford

Harvard vs. (17) Minnesota | 6:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Minnesota ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Minnesota (89.7%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Harvard

Southern vs. (22) Oklahoma State | 6:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Oklahoma State ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Oklahoma State (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Oklahoma State ✅

Morehead State vs. (14) Kentucky | 6:30 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Kentucky ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Kentucky (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Morehead State

UIC vs. (18) Ohio State | 6:30 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: Ohio State ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Ohio State (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: Ohio State ✅

SE Louisiana vs. (9) LSU | 7:00 pm ET | SECN

• Allison’s Prediction: LSU ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: LSU (99%) ✅

• Wheel’s Prediction: LSU ✅

Tuesday, November 3rd

Green Bay vs. (4) Duke | 7:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Duke

• ESPN’s Prediction: Duke (98.5%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Duke

Rhode Island vs. (24) WVU | 7:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: WVU

• ESPN’s Prediction: WVU (96%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: WVU

Oral Roberts vs. (15) TCU | 7:30 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: TCU

• ESPN’s Prediction: TCU (98.2%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Oral Roberts

Wednesday, November 4th

Campbell vs. (25) NC State | 6:00 pm ET | ACC Network

• Allison’s Prediction: NC State

• ESPN’s Prediction: NC State (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Campbell

• 2027 Record: TBD

Detroit Mercy vs. (23) Illinois | 7:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Illinois

• ESPN’s Prediction: Illinois (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Detroit Mercy

• 2027 Record: TBD

Queens vs. (8) Vanderbilt | 7:30 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Vanderbilt

• ESPN’s Prediction: Vanderbilt (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Queens

• 2027 Record: TBD

FDU vs. (6) Texas | 8:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Texas

• ESPN’s Prediction: Texas (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Texas

Stetson vs. (7) Louisville | 8:00 pm ET | ACC Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Louisville

• ESPN’s Prediction: Louisville (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Stetson

• 2027 Record: TBD

Thursday, November 5th

Le Moyne vs. (15) TCU | 7:30 pm ET | ESPN+

• Allison’s Prediction: TCU

• ESPN’s Prediction: TCU (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: TCU

• 2027 Record: TBD

(2) UConn vs. (5) Michigan | 6:30 pm ET | FS1

• Allison’s Prediction: UConn

• ESPN’s Prediction: UConn (58.1%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Michigan

• 2027 Record: TBD

Northern Kentucky vs. (14) Kentucky | 6:30 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Kentucky

• ESPN’s Prediction: Kentucky (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Northern Kentucky

• 2027 Record: TBD

Central Michigan vs. (18) Ohio State | 6:30 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Ohio State

• ESPN’s Prediction: Ohio State (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Ohio State

• 2027 Record: TBD

North Alabama vs. (19) Ole Miss | 7:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Ole Miss

• ESPN’s Prediction: Ole Miss (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: North Alabama

• 2027 Record: TBD

George Washington vs. (24) WVU | 7:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: WVU

• ESPN’s Prediction: WVU (96.5%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: WVU

• 2027 Record: TBD

Texas Southern vs. (9) LSU | 8:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: LSU

• ESPN’s Prediction: LSU (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: LSU

• 2027 Record: TBD

Eastern Illinois vs. (10) Iowa | 8:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Iowa

• ESPN’s Prediction: Iowa (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Eastern Illinois

• 2027 Record: TBD

UCI vs. (11) UCLA | 10:00 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: UCLA

• ESPN’s Prediction: UCLA (97.4%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: UCLA

• 2027 Record: TBD

Pacific vs. (16) Washington | 10:00 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: Washington

• ESPN’s Prediction: Washington (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Pacific

• 2027 Record: TBD

Friday, November 6th

Morgan State vs. (22) Oklahoma State | 6:00 pm ET | ESPN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Oklahoma State

• ESPN’s Prediction: Oklahoma State (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Morgan State

• 2027 Record: TBD

Stonehill vs. (13) Notre Dame | 7:00 pm ET | ACCNX

• Allison’s Prediction: Notre Dame

• ESPN’s Prediction: Notre Dame (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Notre Dame

• 2027 Record: Stonehill: TBD | ND: 1-0

Saturday, November 7th

(17) Minnesota vs. Marquette | 3:00 pm ET | ESPN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Minnesota

• ESPN’s Prediction: Minnesota (90.6%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Marquette

• 2027 Record: TBD

Southern vs. (23) Illinois | 3:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Illinois

• ESPN’s Prediction: Illinois (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Southern

• 2027 Record: TBD

Northern Colorado vs. (6) Texas | 8:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Texas

• ESPN’s Prediction: Texas (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Texas

• 2027 Record: TBD

Sunday, November 8th

Mercyhurst vs. (18) Ohio State | 1:00 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: Ohio State

• ESPN’s Prediction: Ohio State (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mercyhurst

• 2027 Record: TBD

George Mason vs. (20) Maryland | 1:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Maryland

• ESPN’s Prediction: Maryland (98%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: George Mason

• 2027 Record: TBD

(10) Iowa vs. (2) UConn | 2:00 pm ET | FS1

• Allison’s Prediction: UConn

• ESPN’s Prediction: UConn (85.2%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: UConn

• 2027 Record: TBD

(4) Duke vs. North Texas | 2:00 pm ET | ESPNU

• Allison’s Prediction: Duke

• ESPN’s Prediction: Duke (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Duke

• 2027 Record: TBD

Wright State vs. (5) Michigan | 2:00 pm ET | B1G+

• Allison’s Prediction: Michigan

• ESPN’s Prediction: Michigan (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Wright State

• 2027 Record: TBD

(24) WVU vs. Georgia Tech | 2:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: WVU

• ESPN’s Prediction: WVU (78.5%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Georgia Tech

• 2027 Record: TBD

(14) Kentucky vs. (25) NC State | 3:00 pm ET | ESPN2

• Allison’s Prediction: NC State

• ESPN’s Prediction: NC State (56.8%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Kentucky

• 2027 Record: TBD

Tarleton State vs. (15) TCU | 3:00 pm ET | ESPN+

• Allison’s Prediction: TCU

• ESPN’s Prediction: TCU (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Tarleton State

• 2027 Record: TBD

Morgan State vs. (21) Oklahoma | 3:00 pm ET | SECN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Oklahoma

• ESPN’s Prediction: Oklahoma (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Morgan State

• 2027 Record: TBD

(7) Louisville vs. USI | 4:00 pm ET | ESPN+

• Allison’s Prediction: Louisville

• ESPN’s Prediction: Louisville (98.2%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Louisville

• 2027 Record: TBD

(1) South Carolina vs. (12) UNC | 5:30 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: South Carolina

• ESPN’s Prediction: South Carolina (93.1%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: South Carolina

• 2027 Record: TBD

USU vs. (3) USC | 8:00 pm ET | BTN

• Allison’s Prediction: USC

• ESPN’s Prediction: USC (99%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: USC

• 2027 Record: TBD

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ AP Top 25 (Preseason)

1. South Carolina

2. UConn

3. USC

4. Duke

5. Michigan

6. Texas

7. Louisville

8. Vanderbilt

9. LSU

10. Iowa

11. UCLA

12. UNC

13. Notre Dame

14. Kentucky

15. TCU

16. Washington

17. Minnesota

18. Ohio State

19. Ole Miss

20. Maryland

21. Oklahoma

22. Oklahoma State

23. Illinois

24. WVU

25. NC State

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• November 2nd: (20) Maryland vs. (1) South Carolina

• November 2nd: (21) Oklahoma vs. (12) UNC

• November 5th: (2) UConn vs. (5) Michigan

• November 8th: (10) Iowa vs. (2) UConn

• November 8th: (14) Kentucky vs. (25) NC State

• November 8th: (1) South Carolina vs. (12) UNC

The Big Picture: WNBA Offseason

📝 Whiteboard Confidential

• ⚪ Radio Silence: Rachel Banham, DiJonai Carrington, Kayla Thornton, Emma Cannon, Karlie Samuelson, Stefanie Dolson, Kia Nurse, Temi Fagbenle, Isabelle Harrison, Kennedy Burke, Sophie Cunningham, Ty Harris, Myisha Hines-Allen, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Odyssey Sims, Alysha Clark, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Stephanie Talbot, Kierstan Bell, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Brianna Turner

• 🛍️ Shopping List: Napheesa Collier, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Kelsey Mitchell, Brittney Griner, NaLyssa Smith, Tiffany Hayes, Natasha Cloud

🏀 2027 (Mock) Draft Updates

1. Houston Comets: JuJu Watkins, USC

2. Toronto Tempo: Madison Booker, Texas

3. Washington Mystics: Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame

4. Seattle Storm: Kymora Johnson, UVA

5. Portland Fire: Mikaylah Williams, LSU

6. Los Angeles Sparks: S’Mya Nichols, Kansas

7. Los Angeles Sparks: Sarah Cissé, France

8. New York Liberty: MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU

9. Dallas Wings: Tessa Johnson, South Carolina

10. Indiana Fever: Khamil Pierre, NC State

11. Chicago Sky: Oluchi Okananwa, Maryland

12. Chicago Sky: Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina

13. Dallas Wings: Chloe Kitts, South Carolina

14. Golden State Valkyries: Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss

15. Minnesota Lynx: Ainhoa Risacher, France

👑 Way-Too-Early WNBA Power Rankings

1. Golden State Valkyries: 32-12, WNBA Champions

2. Atlanta Dream: 30-14, WNBA Runner-Up

3. Las Vegas Aces: 31-13, Lost in Semis

4. Washington Mystics: 28-16, Lost in First Round

5. Indiana Fever: 28-16, Lost in First Round

6. New York Liberty: 28-16, Lost in Semis

7. Minnesota Lynx: 33-11, Lost in First Round

8. Dallas Wings: 27-17, Lost in First Round

9. Phoenix Mercury: 16-28, Missed Playoffs

10. Seattle Storm: 8-36, Missed Playoffs

11. Chicago Sky: 16-28, Missed Playoffs

12. Portland Fire: 17-27, Missed Playoffs

13. Houston Comets: 11-33, Missed Playoffs

14. Toronto Tempo: 11-33, Missed Playoffs

15. Los Angeles Sparks: 16-28, Missed Playoffs

⏰ Countdown Central

6️⃣7️⃣ days until Unrivaled

1️⃣3️⃣2️⃣ days until Selection Sunday

1️⃣5️⃣3️⃣ days until NCAA Championship Game

1️⃣6️⃣1️⃣ days *potentially* until WNBA Draft2

That’s all from me! Have the best week, and I’ll see you next Monday for another edition of Her Weekly Playbook!

Sincerely,
Allison

College basketball season is here!

Even though I’m not someone who gets excited about the cold weather, I do love college basketball, so I think I’ll suffer through until April. Just don’t expect to see me outside much until then. Thankfully, there’s enough basketball games between now and then to keep me occupied!

As Her Game Plan transitions to college hoops, you know I had to set the stage right. I’m breaking down the AP Preseason Top 25, stacking up my Championship Tier Rankings with key facts and questions, making some bold predictions and predicting potential Player of the Year contenders.

Let’s get into it!

Tier 1: Championship Favorites

(1) South Carolina Gamecocks

• 🔑 The Key(s): Dominant interior play with elite rim protection

• ❓ The Question: Can their perimeter rotation hit enough 3-pointers to blow games open against tough defenders?

(2) UConn Huskies

• 🔑 The Key(s): High-IQ team with lethal perimeter shooting

• ❓ The Question: Can their starters stay healthy through a rigorous non-conference schedule to make a deep run in March?

(3) USC Trojans

• 🔑 The Key(s): Three #1 overall recruits join forces to create an explosive offense

• ❓ The Question: Can their defense keep up with their offensive superstars?

(4) Duke Blue Devils

• 🔑 The Key(s): A high-pressure defense with new portal additions looking to wreak havoc

• ❓ The Question: How will their offense respond when forced to slow down?

(5) Michigan Wolverines

• 🔑 The Key(s): A high-scoring, veteran-led squad looking to continue their 2026 success

• ❓ The Question: Who from their bench will step up to relieve starters and shut out opponents?

(6) Texas Longhorns

• 🔑 The Key(s): High-IQ playmakers and physical defenders with dominant interior presence

• ❓ The Question: Who will be their go-to 3-point shooter, and how will they close out tight games (especially in SEC play)?

Tier 2: Final Four Party Crashers & Dark Horses

(7) Louisville Cardinals

• 🔑 The Key(s): A deep rotation that thrives off opponent turnovers and applies full-court pressure

• ❓ The Question: Who will step up as their primary half-court isolation scorer when games are close?

(8) Vanderbilt Commodores

• 🔑 The Key(s): An elite backcourt led by the nation’s leading scorer

• ❓ The Question: Will they be able to protect the paint against heavy-driving teams?

(9) LSU Tigers

• 🔑 The Key(s): Elite, athletic players who love to get out in transition and score in the paint

• ❓ The Question: Where will the 3-point shooting come from?

(10) Iowa Hawkeyes

• 🔑 The Key(s): Talented young pieces with solid offensive execution

• ❓ The Question: What will their defense look like against elite drivers?

(12) North Carolina Tar Heels

• 🔑 The Key(s): Perimeter length and active hands to keep opponent field-goal percentages low

• ❓ The Question: How will they avoid scoring droughts to prevent late-game comebacks?

(13) Notre Dame Fighting Iris

• 🔑 The Key(s): An elite, experienced floor general leads an explosive offense and steal-happy defense

• ❓ The Question: Will they have enough depth to stay out of foul trouble and contend in the postseason?

(14) Kentucky Wildcats

• 🔑 The Key(s): A high-scoring offense that loves to get out in transition and protect the paint

• ❓ The Question: Will they be able to match up against some of the best rebounding teams?

(15) TCU Horned Frogs

• 🔑 The Key(s): Elite ball movement with high 3-point shooting volume

• ❓ The Question: Can they get points in the paint when perimeter shots aren’t falling?

Tier 3: Bracket Busters & Wildcards

(11) UCLA Bruins

• 🔑 The Key(s): Multi-positional defensive switching paired with perimeter length and high rebounding numbers

• ❓ The Question: How will their chemistry look after losing six key players in the 2026 WNBA draft?

(16) Washington Huskies

• 🔑 The Key(s): A disciplined and experienced veteran backcourt that loves to get physical and capitalize on turnovers

• ❓ The Question: Who can come in off the bench to boost morale and offensive production when trailing late in games?

(17) Minnesota Golden Gophers

• 🔑 The Key(s): High-octane scorers who love to get physical on both sides of the ball

• ❓ The Question: How disciplined will their defense look against tough opponents?

(18) Ohio State Buckeyes

• 🔑 The Key(s): High-motor pressing guards who love to force turnovers

• ❓ The Question: How will they stay out of foul trouble when they get physical?

(19) Ole Miss Rebels

• 🔑 The Key(s): Strong defenders who suffocate offenses in the paint

• ❓ The Question: Who will step up as the go-to 3-point scorer down the stretch?

(20) Maryland Terrapins

• 🔑 The Key(s): High-speed transition offense with a deep perimeter backcourt

• ❓ The Question: How will their smaller frontcourt match up with bigger opponents to limit second-chance opportunities?

(21) Oklahoma Sooners

• 🔑 The Key(s): Deep shooting rotation with super fast pace and early 3-point attempts

• ❓ The Question: How will they defend when the tempo is slowed down/not at their ideal pace?

(22) Oklahoma State Cowgirls

• 🔑 The Key(s): Solid transfers join a high-volume 3-point shooting team who can also get to the paint easily

• ❓ The Question: How will their transition defense work with less mobile bigs?

(23) Illinois Fighting Illini

• 🔑 The Key(s): Veteran-led team with solid execution to knock down free throws when they matter most

• ❓ The Question: How will they protect the rim and avoid foul trouble?

(24) West Virginia Mountaineers

• 🔑 The Key(s): Relentless guards who love to play fast

• ❓ The Question: How will their offense execute when opponents set up drop coverage or slow down the tempo?

(25) NC State Wolfpack

• 🔑 The Key(s): Solid, high-IQ backcourt decision-making paired with young frontcourt additions

• ❓ The Question: What will their team chemistry be like after major roster turnover?

Key Questions & (Potential) Answers:

1. How do last season’s Final Four match up against each other?

   • South Carolina & UConn will continue dominance—Texas & UCLA will struggle in March.

2. Big stars/key pieces coming back from injury—will it work?

   • Juju Watkins & Chloe Kitts will pick up right where they left off and bring their teams to 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament

3. Who will be the most impactful freshman of the Class of ‘26?

   • Saniyah Hall, USC

   • Jovana Popovic, UConn

   • McKenna Woliczko, Iowa

   • Kate Harpring, UNC

   • Maddyn Greenway, Kentucky

4. Who will have more representation in the Top 25: Big Ten or SEC?

   • We have 9 Big Ten teams & 7 SEC teams in the AP Top 25 to start the season—I think SEC will end the season with more after some B10 teams falter.

5. Can the ACC return to dominance in 2027?

   • They have 5 teams in the Top 25, despite boasting more than 15 in their conference and historically having strong teams. I predict they will have at least 5, but no more than 9, teams at the end of the season in the Top 25

6. Why do you have #11 UCLA ranked so low in your Tiers?

   1. They had 6 seniors get drafted to the WNBA this offseason, which means it’s basically a brand-new team. There’s some learning curves, but I think once they start conference play they will figure things out and be dangerous, ultimately ending their season in the Elite Eight or Sweet Sixteen.

Player of the Year & All-American Candidates

Sarah Strong, UConn
- 2025-26: 18.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.8 APG, 3.4 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 58% FG, 40% 3P, 83% FT

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
- 2025-26: 25.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.2 APG, 5.6 SPG, 48% FG, 25% 3P, 83% FT

Juju Watkins, USC
- 2024-25: 23.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.2 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 43% FG, 33% 3P, 82% FT

Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
- 2025-26: 27 PPG, 4.5 APG, 4.1 RPG, 2.9 SPG, 46% FG, 36% 3P, 86% FT

Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
- 2025-26: 19.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 57% FG, 20% 3P, 71% FT

Madison Booker, Texas
- 2025-26: 18.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.2 SPG, 51% FG, 28% 3P, 85% FT

Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
- 2025-26: 23.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.9 SPG, 49% FG, 36% 3P, 82% FT

Allison’s Sleeper Candidates

Jazzy Davidson, USC
- 2025-26: 17.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 40% FG, 30% 3P, 73% FT

Toby Fournier, Duke
- 2025-26: 17.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.2 BPG, 53% FG, 33% 3P, 59% FT

Olivia Olson, Michigan
- 2025-26: 18.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 47% FG, 31% 3P, 81% FT

Dani Carnegie, Iowa
- 2025-26: 17.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 43% FG, 35% 3P, 83% FT

Gracie Merkle, Minnesota
- 2025-26: 19.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.1 BPG, 73% FG, 61% FT

Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
- 2025-26: 16 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.7 SPG, 43% FG, 34% 3P, 71% FT

Oluchi Okananwa, Maryland
- 2025-26: 17.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.2 SPG, 52% FG, 30% 3P, 74% FT

Bold Predictions

The Unseating of (2) Final Four Team(s)

• Texas & UCLA won’t make it back to the Final Four in 2027, will get eliminated in Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight

(Potential) Additions to the Top 25

• Syracuse Orange, Villanova Wildcats, Princeton Tigers, California Golden Bears, Green Bay Phoenix, Stanford Cardinals

Statistical Milestones

• Sarah Strong & Mikayla Blakes will average a 50/40/90 season

• Hannah Hidalgo will lead the country in total steals & steals per game

Conference Shakeups

• Vanderbilt will win SEC Conference Title

• Michigan will win Big Ten Conference Title

• Notre Dame or Duke will win ACC Conference Title

Recent Success Will Slow Down

• TCU (32-6) & Minnesota (24-9) won’t have better records than they did in 2025-26

2027 Final Four Prediction

• South Carolina, USC, UConn, Vanderbilt

National Championship Winner Prediction

• South Carolina OR Vanderbilt

Phew, that was a lot of information; I hope my preview helped get you ready for the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season! Every Monday I’ll be sharing my latest predictions and updates, so you’ll definitely want to tune in :)

The time has come: we are in the final week of the 2026 WNBA season. Regardless of how tonight (or Thursday, or Saturday) plays out, the finish line is in sight. If you need me, I’ll be grieving until May…

Just kidding!

While the WNBA is wrapping up, women’s college basketball tips off on Sunday, November 1st. If we are lucky enough to witness a Game 7, then we will see a seamless transition right into college hoops. The basketball gods really outdid themselves with this schedule!

Because the WNBA is heading into its offseason, you’ll notice some changes coming to HWP. Don’t worry—I’m still going to talk about the league and any important news that breaks, but college hoops will take center stage. Moving forward, I’ll be making predictions for every game with a Top 25 team. And yes, my ongoing rivalry with the random wheel generator and ESPN analytics continues—I’m way too competitive to give up my crown.

Most changes will speak for themselves, but I’m really excited to add a Free Agency Tracker so we can keep tabs on our favorite players. This will be a very interesting offseason, filled with former “franchise” players making moves and teams collapsing. Stay tuned!

I can’t believe the season went by this fast, but…let’s break down everything you need to know for the grand finale of the 2026 WNBA season!

📢 New Feature Alert: Introducing Allison’s Free Agency Tracker

Offseason moves happen fast, and keeping track of where everyone lands can feel like a full-time job. Starting next week, I’m launching Whiteboard Confidential, your quick-hit guide to everything happening around the league this offseason. Whether it’s a confirmed signing, rumors or strategic fits to watch, I’m breaking it down using a simple system:

• 🟢 Locked In: Officially signed, extended, or agreed to terms.

• 🟡 Smoke & Mirrors: Rumors, contract chatter, and whisper-campaign speculation.

• 🔴 Flight Risk: Key free agents likely to walk or test the open market.

• ⚪ Radio Silence: Zero word yet on player options or front-office moves.

• 🛍️ Shopping List: High-priority target fits and key players teams should be chasing hard this offseason.

✨ Main Character Energy

Allison’s Players of the Week:

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Monday, October 26th

(4) Atlanta Dream vs. (2) Golden State Valkyries | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (59.3%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream

• 2026 Postseason Record: Valkyries: 7-3 | Dream: 7-2

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: Tied 2-2

• Injuries:

  • Dream: Allisha Gray: Day-to-Day

  • Valkyries: None

Thursday, October 29th

(2) Golden State Valkyries vs. (4) Atlanta Dream | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (57.1%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries

• 2026 Postseason Record: TBD

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: TBD

• Injuries: TBD

Saturday, October 31st *If Necessary*

(4) Atlanta Dream vs. (2) Golden State Valkyries1 | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (59.3%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream

• 2026 Postseason Record: TBD

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: TBD

• Injuries: TBD

Champion Predictions:

• Allison: Valkyries in 7

• ESPN: Valkyries in 7

• Wheel: Dream in 7

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx ❌

2. Golden State Valkyries

3. Las Vegas Aces ❌

4. Atlanta Dream

5. Washington Mystics ❌

6. Indiana Fever ❌

7. Dallas Wings ❌

8. New York Liberty ❌

9. Portland Fire ❌❌

10. Phoenix Mercury ❌❌

11. Chicago Sky ❌❌

12. Los Angeles Sparks ❌❌

13. Toronto Tempo ❌❌

14. Connecticut Sun ❌❌

15. Seattle Storm ❌❌

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. Allison: 3-0 | Postseason Overall: 13-7 (65%)

2. Wheel: 2-1 | Postseason Overall: 11-9 (55%)

3. ESPN: 1-2 | Postseason Overall: 14-6 (70%)

📈 2026 Race to the Championship

• Finals: Atlanta Dream, Golden State Valkyries

• Semifinals Elimination: New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces

• First Round Elimination: Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings

• Eliminated Before Playoffs: Portland Fire, Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Toronto Tempo, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• Indiana Fever Cleaning House

  • President Kelly Krauskopf stepped down on Friday 10/23 after more than two decades in position and two stints

  • Fever fire General Manager Amber Cox on Friday, hours after Krauskopf’s announcement; Stephanie White expected to remain Head Coach in 2027

• All-WNBA Team Announcements

  • First Team: A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Olivia Miles

  • Second Team: Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, Jackie Young, Shakira Austin

• Notable Unrestricted Free Agents in 2027

  • Naphessa Collier, Kelsey Mitchell, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Natasha Cloud, Rachel Banham, Brittney Griner, Dijonai Carrington

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• October 26th: Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries

• October 29th: Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream

• October 31st: Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries

⏰ Countdown Central

6️⃣ days until women’s college basketball

7️⃣4️⃣ days until Unrivaled

1️⃣3️⃣9️⃣ days until Selection Sunday

1️⃣6️⃣0️⃣ days until the NCAA Championship Game

📰 On The Docket ~ Recent & Upcoming Articles

• Lights, Camera, Buckets: Her Game Plan’s 2026 WNBA Awards

• A Golden State of Mind, An Atlanta Dream: Previewing the 2026 WNBA Finals

• 🔜 Women’s College Basketball Preview & Bold Predictions

• 🔜 Offseason Guide/Series for all 15 WNBA Teams

• 🔜 2026 Challenges Analysis

That’s all from me this week! Stay tuned for a revamped edition of Her Weekly Playbook as we head into the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season, and enjoy the last few games of the WNBA Finals—I have a feeling you won’t want to miss them.

Sincerely,
Allison

We’re back with another edition of Her Weekly Playbook! The WNBA season may be winding down, but there’s still plenty of women’s basketball to talk about—check out “Countdown Central” below to see what’s coming up!

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals tips off tonight at 8:00 pm ET at Chase Center/Ballhalla. The Valkyries narrowly beat the Dream to claim a 1-0 lead on Saturday, but it’s truly anyone’s game. Keep reading to see my prediction and to get caught up on all things WNBA!

✨ Main Character Energy

Allison’s Players of the Week:

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Monday, October 19th

(4) Atlanta Dream vs. (2) Golden State Valkyries (-1.5) | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network / CNBC / Peacock / E!

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (62.8%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream

• 2026 Playoffs Record: Dream: 5-1 | Valkyries: 6-1

• 2026 Playoffs Matchups: 1-0 GSV

• Injuries:

  • Dream: None

  • Valkyries: Tiffany Hayes (Day-to-Day)

Wednesday, October 21st

(2) Golden State Valkyries vs. (4) Atlanta Dream | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network / CNBC / Peacock

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (53.4%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries

• 2026 Playoffs Record: TBD

• 2026 Playoffs Matchups: TBD

• Injuries: TBD

Saturday, October 24th

(2) Golden State Valkyries vs. (4) Atlanta Dream | 1:00 pm ET | NBC / Peacock

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (53.4%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries

• 2026 Playoffs Record: TBD

• 2026 Playoffs Matchups: TBD

• Injuries: TBD

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx ❌

2. Golden State Valkyries

3. Las Vegas Aces ❌

4. Atlanta Dream

5. Washington Mystics ❌

6. Indiana Fever ❌

7. Dallas Wings ❌

8. New York Liberty ❌

9. Portland Fire ❌❌

10. Phoenix Mercury ❌❌

11. Chicago Sky ❌❌

12. Los Angeles Sparks ❌❌

13. Toronto Tempo ❌❌

14. Connecticut Sun ❌❌

15. Seattle Storm ❌❌

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing? *Postseason Edition*

1. ESPN: 1-0 | Postseason Overall: 13-4 (76%)

2. Allison: 1-0 | Postseason Overall: 10-7 (59%)

3. Wheel: 1-0 | Postseason Overall: 9-8 (53%)

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker

• Finals: Atlanta Dream, Golden State Valkyries

• Semifinals Elimination: New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces

• First Round Elimination: Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings

• Eliminated Before Playoffs: Portland Fire, Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Toronto Tempo, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• Golden State Valkyries Win Game 1 of Finals

  • 68-64 win over the Atlanta Dream at home on Saturday 10/17

• WNBA Finals Games 3 & 4 Will Be at State Farm Arena

  • Moved Game 3 up one day & pushed Atlanta Hawks game back 30 mins. to accommodate more fans in Dream’s 2027 home arena

• Dream’s Allisha Gray Has Minor Procedure on Hand Before Returning to Lineup

  • Gray missed previous 2 semifinals games after injuring hand on 10/11

• Indiana Fever’s Aliyah Boston Has Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

  • Underwent surgery on 10/14 to repair lateral meniscus in right knee

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• October 19th: Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries

• October 21st: Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream

• October 24th: Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream

⏰ Countdown Central

1️⃣4️⃣ days until women’s college basketball

8️⃣2️⃣ days until Unrivaled

1️⃣4️⃣7️⃣ days until Selection Sunday

1️⃣6️⃣8️⃣ days until the NCAA Championship Game

📰 On The Docket ~ Recent & Upcoming Articles

• Lights, Camera, Buckets: Her Game Plan’s 2026 WNBA Awards

• A Golden State of Mind, An Atlanta Dream: Previewing the 2026 WNBA Finals

• 🔜 2026 Challenges Analysis

• 🔜 Questions Heading Into the Offseason

• 🔜 WCBB Preview

❤️‍🩹 Heart Rate Monitor ~ Where My Teams Stand

• NFL: Green Bay Packers | 4-2

  • 23-13 win over Cowboys → 10/25 vs. Lions

• NCAA Football: Syracuse | 2-4

  • 34-26 loss to Louisville → 10/24 vs. North Carolina

At the start of the season, virtually no one had either of these teams advancing to the Finals—myself included. I’m an optimist at he…

Read more

I spent about a month going back and forth on how to share these. At first, I thought about doing my own take on the league’s official awards, then I considered making all of my own, before I finally settled on a mix of both!

The only rule? Players and teams can only win one (1) award—if someone qualifies for another, the runner-up gets it. I wanted to spread the love as much as possible!

I’ve got Team Awards up first, followed by Individual Awards (some of which go to multiple players). There’s so much talent in this league that making these cuts was incredibly difficult—just know that every player in the W is deserving, whether they take home an award here or not.

Let’s start the show!

Team Awards

The Methodology

I had so much fun coming up with the team awards! Just like with the individual ones, teams could only win one (1) award, so if they qualified for another, then the next team up would win it.

🌀 Chaotic Energy: This award goes to the most unhinged team, which could only be the Washington Mystics! You truly never knew what version you were going to get each day, but you knew it would be entertaining.

🧬 Clutch Gene: The 2025 champs still know how to close out games better than almost anyone. When it mattered most, they came up big.

🥷 Low-Key Sneaky: Don’t let the 11-33 record fool you; Connecticut made teams like the Lynx sweat, and loved to play spoiler throughout the season.

📺 ESPN Darlings: Reigning from the #1 media market means endless national TV games, bright lights and constant coverage. Naturally this award would go to New York!

🧹 Glass Cleaners Union: If there was a rebound to be had, Atlanta got it! They were relentless on the boards, averaging nearly 36 per game heading into the postseason; you gotta watch out!

🏰 Home Court Advantage: ‘Ballhalla’ is the hardest place to play in the entire league; the Valks went 17-5 at home in 2026! They’re also undefeated at home in the postseason so far…wild work!

🌶️ Keeping Things Spicy: On the court, off the court, in the press conferences—Indiana kept the women’s basketball world talking all summer long.

🏎️ Transition Engine: Ranking #1 in pace at 81.9, Chicago didn’t just run the floor—they flew!

📈 The Stress Express: My Oura ring had a lot to say during Dallas Wings games; slow starts, crazy finishes, my heart never stopped!

Individual Awards

Most Valuable Player(s):

• A’ja Wilson

• Breanna Stewart

The Methodology:

Two GOATs. Two Future Hall-of-Famers. Two legends. Need I say more? When someone writes the history books for this era of the league, these two will take up several chapters. They carried their teams with unmatched dominance night in and night out, making excellence look effortless.

Most Improved Player(s):

• Jessica Shepard

• Carla Leite

The Methodology:

I really enjoyed watching Jessica and Carla thrive with their new teams this season; watching them level up felt like watching a butterfly earn its wings! They are proof that when reliable role players are given the keys and the chance to cook, they can step up in a major way. Just look at the massive leap over the past year:

• JS: 8.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 21 MPG

• CL: 7.2 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 17.2 MPG

Defensive Player of the Year & Defensive Rookie of the Year:

• Player: Angel Reese

• Rookie: Azzi Fudd

The Methodology:

These two winners were absolutely no-brainers for me! Both of them put on defensive masterclasses each game, proving they could lock down literally anyone on the floor. Reese continues to shatter the rebounding records, including a career-and-league-high 26 boards in a single game, while also putting up over 15 points per night. Although Fudd’s rookie campaign may have been limited to 30 games, she still racked up 52 steals and 25 blocks as a guard, finishing with a killer 1.3 defensive win shares rating that actually outpaced her offensive win shares! Shooters shoot, but defenders defend too!

Sixth Player(s) of the Year:

• Janelle Salaün

• DeWanna Bonner (Playoffs)

The Methodology:

Salaün has been an absolute force to be reckoned with off the bench for Golden State this season, and she more than deserves this 6POY crown. That said, I had to hand a special playoff honorable mention to DeWanna Bonner. She proved to be the missing piece for Atlanta; honestly, I don’t think they’d be in the Finals without her! Considering Bonner’s already a 3-time winner of this award in her career, maybe we should just rename it the “DeWanna Bonner Award!”

Pure Cinema:

• Kelsey Mitchell

• Marina Mabrey

The Methodology:

Why pay for a ticket to the movies when you can just turn on your TV and watch Kelsey Mitchell and Marina Mabrey go to work? These two were straight up buckets all season long, playing with a fierce, competitive fire that willed their teams to victory (or at least a close game). Better than any blockbuster!1

So Underrated:

• Shakira Austin

• Jordin Canada

The Methodology:

Absolutely no one should be shocked by my picks for So Underrated; I am a certified, card-carrying fan of both Shakira Austin and Jordin Canada! They bring immense value to their teams on both ends of the floor, and were both snubbed in All-Star voting, in my opinion. Pay them what you owe them!

Breakout Player(s):

• Sydney Taylor

• Flau’jae Johnson

The Methodology:

Try naming two rookies whose first-year campaigns didn’t look like typical rookie growing pains—I’ll wait. Sydney Taylor and Flau’jae Johnson were bright spots for their rebuilding teams, and, if anything, fans in Chicago and Seattle should be excited about where their franchises are headed with these two leading the charge.

Players I Loved Watching

• Paige Bueckers

• Olivia Miles

The Methodology:

Anyone who knows me knows I’ve been a massive Paige Bueckers fan for years. Watching her soar and take over in just her second year in the league was a highlight—she truly deserves every bit of praise coming her way. I also featured Olivia Miles here, but she earns a special “Instant Classic” nod for coming into the league and looking like a seasoned vet from day one. Watching both of them ball out is so fun, and their bright futures are going to keep us entertained for a long, long, long time.

Just For Fun Awards

• Swiper Loves Swiping: Rhyne Howard

• Hype Woman of the Year: Kaitlyn Chen

• Queen of the Fouls: Kamilla Cardoso

The Methodology:

Swiper Loves Swiping: The league’s premiere pickpocketter gives me total Swiper energy; in fact, her whole team does! But she can take this award :)

Hype Woman of the Year: Have you ever watched Kaitlyn Chen’s bench reactions when her teammates score? If not, do yourself a favor and look them up. She is genuinely excited each time, bringing unmatched, wholesome energy that deserves all the flowers.

Queen of the Fouls: Queen Kamilla gets to take home this award as Angel Reese already has one. Cardoso ended the season with 154 fouls; keep playing physical, queen!

I can’t believe that the 2026 season is almost over! This has genuinely been one of my favorite years of basketball, filled with unbelievable talent, nail-biting games and unforgettable storylines. It’s almost hard to imagine how next season could top it…but knowing this league, I have no doubt it will!

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey! When I first started Her Game Plan, my goal was to create a space that brought more coverage, depth and love to women’s basketball. I never could have imagined the amazing community of people I would meet along the way! I am beyond grateful for every single one of you, and I can’t wait to run it back in 2027!

But don’t worry—this isn’t a goodbye or even a “see you later.” The season might be winding down, but the work never stops! We’ve got a ton of offseason action to unpack, plus women’s college basketball, the WNBL, Unrivaled and Project B right around the corner. Before we know it, the WNBA will be back in action.

Until then, stay tuned—we’re just getting started!

Wow. What an insane week in the WNBA. I really thought things couldn’t get crazier heading into Semis, but everyone proved me wrong! Our two most recent champions, the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces, were eliminated in heartbreaking fashion, and the future for many W stars is up in the air. The plot thickens…

In today’s newsletter, I’m going to share the results of my regular season game predictions, a little Finals preview, some WNBA news and a look at upcoming projects! Let’s get into it.

✨ Main Character Energy—Regular Season Prediction Results

At the start of the 2026 WNBA season, I thought it would be fun to predict the outcome of all 300+ games. A week or so in, I decided to test my predictions against ESPN Analytics and a Random Wheel Generator.

The only rule? All predictions had to be locked in by Monday morning or whenever my newsletter published—whichever came first.

It turned out to be a really fun experiment; it gave me great ideas on how to improve in the future, and, as a nice bonus, it inflated my ego every few weeks, which I obviously loved.

Without further ado, let’s see the results:

🥇 ESPN Analytics: 204-81 (73%)

🥈 Allison: 210-102 (67%)

🥉 The Wheel: 155-130 (54%)

I’m not really surprised by how this turned out. I hoped I could beat a random wheel, but I didn’t realistically expect to outperform ESPN’s analytics. I’m someone who makes decisions with my heart rather than my head, which definitely played a factor in my picks.

If we focus on the big picture, then I can say that I accurately predicted the outcome of a regular-season WNBA game two-thirds of the time. That’s pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

If nothing else, this proves we shouldn’t rely on a random generator—you might be better off flipping a coin; numbers don’t lie, folks!

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Saturday, October 17th

Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries (-2.5) | 3:30 pm ET | NBC/Peacock

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (62.8%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries

• 2026 Playoffs Record: Dream: 5-0 | Valkyries: 5-1

• 2026 Matchups: GS 3-0

• Injuries:

  • Dream: Allisha Gray (TBD)

  • Valkyries: None :)

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx ❌

2. Golden State Valkyries

3. Las Vegas Aces ❌

4. Atlanta Dream

5. Washington Mystics ❌

6. Indiana Fever ❌

7. Dallas Wings ❌

8. New York Liberty ❌

9. Portland Fire ❌❌

10. Phoenix Mercury ❌❌

11. Chicago Sky ❌❌

12. Los Angeles Sparks ❌❌

13. Toronto Tempo ❌❌

14. Connecticut Sun ❌❌

15. Seattle Storm ❌❌

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing? *Postseason Edition*

1. Wheel: 5-1 | Postseason: 8-8 (50%)

2. ESPN: 4-2 | Postseason: 12-4 (75%)

3. Allison: 2-4 | Postseason: 9-7 (56%)

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker

• Finals: Atlanta Dream, Golden State Valkyries

• Semifinals Elimination: New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces

• First Round Elimination: Minnesota Lynx, Washington Mystics, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings

• Eliminated Before Playoffs: Portland Fire, Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Toronto Tempo, Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• 2026 Season Awards Tracker

  • Rookie of the Year: Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx

  • Most Improved Player: Jessica Shepard, Dallas Wings

  • Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx

  • Defensive Player of the Year: Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream

  • Sixth Player of the Year: Janelle Salaün, Golden State Valkyries

  • Most Valuable Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

• Golden State Valkyries Make History

  • Become 1st expansion team to make WNBA Finals in its first 2 seasons

• A’ja Wilson Wins Fifth MVP Title

  • Wilson becomes first W player to earn MVP three years in a row

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• October 17th: Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries (Finals Game 1)

⏰ Countdown Central

2️⃣1️⃣ days until women’s college basketball

8️⃣9️⃣ days until Unrivaled

1️⃣5️⃣4️⃣ days until Selection Sunday

1️⃣7️⃣5️⃣ days until the NCAA Championship Game

📰 On The Docket ~ Upcoming Articles

• 10/14: Allison’s End of Season Awards

• 10/16: WNBA Finals Preview—How We Got Here

• 10/19: Her Weekly Playbook #25

• 🔜 2026 Challenges Analysis

• 🔜 Questions Heading Into the Offseason

• 🔜 WCBB Preview

❤️‍🩹 Heart Rate Monitor ~ Where My Teams Stand

• NFL: Green Bay Packers | 3-2

  • 31-7 win over Bears → 10/18 vs. Cowboys

• NCAA Football: Syracuse | 2-3

  • 28-25 loss to Virginia → 10/17 vs. Louisville

That’s all from me! Have the best week, and I’ll see you all next Monday for another edition of Her Weekly Playbook!

Sincerely,
Allison

I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I normally post on Mondays, but the Semifinals start today, so I had to get this up! I can’t let a few games go without making my predictions now, can I?

We’re coming in hot off a wild week in the WNBA playoffs: the number 1-seed Minnesota Lynx were eliminated on Tuesday by the 8-seeded New York Liberty; the Atlanta Dream swept the Washington Mystics1 to head to the semis for the first time since 2018; the defending champs (Las Vegas) sent the Indiana Fever packing for the second year in a row; and, of course, after some wild back-and-forth games that went down to the wire, the Valkyries protected home court and beat the Wings on Friday.

Only four teams are left; which one will win it all?

I have no idea!

What I do know is that we have some great games lined up this week, and I’ve cleared my schedule! Let’s get into it.

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Sunday, October 4th

New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream (-3.5) | 2:00 pm ET | ABC

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (63.3%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ✔️

• 2026 Playoffs Record: Liberty: 2-0 | Dream: 2-0

• 2026 Playoffs Matchups: 0-0

• Injuries:

  • Liberty: Satou Sabally: OFS; Elizabeth Balogun: Out

  • Dream: Brionna Jones: OFS; Matilde Villa: Out

Las Vegas Aces vs. Golden State Valkyries (-1.5) | 4:00 pm ET | NBC/Peacock

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (64.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Playoffs Record: Aces: 2-1 | Valkyries: 2-1

• 2026 Playoffs Matchups: 0-0

• Injuries:

  • Aces: Stephanie Talbot, Dana Evans: TBD; NaLyssa Smith: OFS

  • Valkyries: None :)

Wednesday, October 7th

New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream | 7:30 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (63.3%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ✔️

Las Vegas Aces vs. Golden State Valkyries | 9:30 pm ET | Peacock/NBCSN

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (64.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Aces ❌

Friday, October 9th

Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty | 7:30 pm ET | ESPN2

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Liberty ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ✔️

Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces | 9:30 pm ET | Peacock/NBCSN

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (52%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx ❌2

2. Golden State Valkyries

3. Las Vegas Aces

4. Atlanta Dream

5. Washington Mystics ❌

6. Indiana Fever ❌

7. Dallas Wings ❌

8. New York Liberty

9. Portland Fire ❌❌3

10. Phoenix Mercury ❌❌

11. Chicago Sky ❌❌

12. Los Angeles Sparks ❌❌

13. Toronto Tempo ❌❌

14. Connecticut Sun ❌❌

15. Seattle Storm ❌❌

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. ESPN: 8-2 (80%) | Regular Season: 204-81 (73%)

2. Allison: 7-3 (70%) | Regular Season: 210-102 (67%)

3. Wheel: 3-7 (30%) | Regular Season: 155-130 (54%)

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• Four teams eliminated in first round of WNBA Playoffs

  • (1) Minnesota Lynx, (5) Washington Mystics, (6) Indiana Fever, (7) Dallas Wings

• 2026 Season Awards Tracker

  • Rookie of the Year: Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx

  • Most Improved Player: Jessica Shepard, Dallas Wings

  • Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx

  • Defensive Player of the Year: Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream

• Valkyries Head Coach Natalie Nakase ‘Ok’ After Collapsing Mid-Game on Friday

  • Nakase was feeling exhausted & lightheaded when taking to an official towards the end of the game, collapsed and was helped by athletic trainer Katelin Knox—not expected to miss any time

• Arike Ogunbowale sets WNBA playoff record with 45 points

  • Went 12/23 (52%) from the field, had five 3s, 16/18 from the free throw line, added 7 rebounds, 4 assists & 3 steals in 108-100 OT win over Golden State

• WNBA Records Highest Regular Season Viewership Since 2000

  • Regular season games averaged 771,000 viewers this season, up 17% from 2025

  • 51 games hit 1M viewers, 18 games hit 1.5M viewers & 9 games hit 2M viewers

  • Non-Indiana Fever games saw 24% increase in viewership on ESPN/ABC compared to 2025

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• October 4th: New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream & Las Vegas Aces vs. Golden State Valkyries

• October 7th: New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream & Las Vegas Aces vs. Golden State Valkyries

• October 9th: Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty & Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces

⏰ Countdown Central

2️⃣8️⃣ days until women’s college basketball

9️⃣6️⃣ days until Unrivaled

1️⃣6️⃣1️⃣ days until Selection Sunday

1️⃣8️⃣2️⃣ days until the NCAA Championship Game

📰 On The Docket ~ Upcoming Articles

• Allison’s end-of-season awards

• Women’s college basketball preview

• The media & sports

• Questions/suggestions heading into the offseason

• 2026 challenges analysis

❤️‍🩹 Heart Rate Monitor ~ Where My Teams Stand

• NFL: Green Bay Packers | 1-2 (TBD, will update!)

  • 35-14 loss to Falcons → 10/4 at Tampa Bay

• NCAA Football: Syracuse | 2-2

  • 42-41 OT Win vs. UConn → 10/10 at Virginia

That’s all from me! Have a ~fabulous~ week and I’ll see you next Sunday for another edition of Her Weekly Playbook!

Sincerely,
Allison

Let’s break down the drama and look at how yesterday’s losing teams can bounce back to force a deciding Game 3.

Game 1: New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx

Key stats to know:
NY: 51% FG, 52% 3P, 38 rebounds, 10 steals, 21 turnovers
MIN: 42% FG, 35% 3P, 23 rebounds, 4 steals, 13 turnovers

Game 1 took us to the Target Center for a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch, but Minnesota couldn’t rewrite the script; New York rolled to a 91-75 win.

Minnesota jumped out to a 6-0 lead early when rookie Pauline Astier made a two-point shot off of an assist from Jonquel Jones. After that, the Liberty took control, and they didn’t look back. Breanna Stewart ran the show, dropping an insane 34-point, 12-rebound double-double on 61% shooting.

As Sabrina Ionescu put it post-game: “She’s a walking mismatch.”

The trouble for Minnesota didn’t stop there; they were crushed on the glass (38-23), and although they forced 21 New York turnovers, they couldn’t capitalize on it, only yielding 18 points. On the flip side, the Lynx had 13 turnovers in the game, which lead to 24 New York points. I’m sure Head Coach Cheryl Reeve did not like that!

The worst part for the Lynx was that they couldn’t get their offense going. Rookie Olivia Miles was held to 11 points—well below her nearly 20.0 average—while sharpshooter Kayla McBride didn’t look like herself, going 2-of-7 (29%) from three-point range, compared to her normal average of 41.2 percent. Thankfully, the Lynx had Nia Brodie (née Coffey) provide a spark off the bench: she finished with 16 points in just under 20 minutes, but it wasn’t nearly enough to compensate for the quiet starting lineup performance.

The second game of the series moves to Barclays Center on Tuesday. If the Lynx lose, they’ll become the first #1 seed in WNBA history to get bounced in the first round. To survive, Minnesota must slow down Stewart, own the glass and turn defense into fast-break points. We already saw them come back from a 19-point loss to Indiana last week, and they’ll need that same urgent response now. For New York, they’ll need to wash, rinse and repeat what they did on Sunday, this time with home-court advantage. The stakes are high!

Game 2: Indiana Fever at Las Vegas Aces

Key stats to know:
IND: 45% FG, 39% 3P, 24 rebounds, 0 blocks, 25 fouls
LV: 59% FG, 47% 3P, 31 rebounds, 6 blocks, 18 fouls

We headed out west for our second matchup of the day, where the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces took down the Indiana Fever in Sin City.

It was a back-and-forth battle until the Aces blew things open with a 15-4 second-quarter run, keeping the lead in double digits the rest of the way. Recently crowned three-time Associated Press MVP A’ja Wilson put on a masterclass, dropping 38 points and 16 rebounds on 15-of-19 shooting. The other pieces of the Las Vegas Big Three, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, added 21 and 14 points, respectively. Indiana’s own Big Three couldn’t keep up; Caitlin Clark had 15 points, Aliyah Boston added 18 and Kelsey Mitchell scored a season-low 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

“Give Vegas credit,” Fever Head Coach Stephanie White said post-game. “They’re defending champions for a reason. They understand the moment.”

The difference came down to the defense: Las Vegas turned 17 Indiana turnovers into 28 points and logged six blocks to Indiana’s zero.

Like the Liberty, Las Vegas needs a repeat performance on Tuesday to seal the deal. For Indiana, survival depends on reclaiming their offensive identity. This is a team that shot nearly 50-40-90 collectively during the regular season; if they want to force a Game 3, they need to regain their shooting stroke—fast. It wouldn’t hurt to add in some confidence, too!

Game 3: Washington Mystics at Atlanta Dream

Key stats to know:
WSH: 41% FG, 32% 3P, 68% FT, 50 rebounds, 2 steals, 23 turnovers
ATL: 41% FG, 24% 3P, 96% FT, 31 rebounds, 16 steals, 7 turnovers

Washington didn’t look like the league’s youngest team early on Sunday. Capitalizing on a sluggish start from Atlanta, the Mystics built an 11-point lead early in the second quarter. It was their game to lose—until they walked out after halftime.

Atlanta, ignited by veteran DeWanna Bonner, came out like they had something to prove. They opened the quarter on a 16-4 run and suddenly their age gap became apparent: Washington made some costly mistakes, and veteran Atlanta pounced. The Dream had 16 steals and converted 23 Mystics turnovers into 27 points, and Washington couldn’t recover.

Still, the Mystics had a few bright spots: they dominated the glass 50-31, while Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen held Angel Reese to just two first half points (both from the free throw line). We’ll take the wins!

Heading into Wednesday, Washington needs far more production from a bench that scraped together just nine points. With Game 1 jitters of out of the way on their home court, the Mystics have the formula to bounce back. For Atlanta, they need to get off to a strong start, keep the defensive pressure high and get Reese involved early so they don’t get bullied on the boards again. Sounds simple, right?

Game 4: Dallas Wings at Golden State Valkyries

Key stats to know:
DAL: 47% FG, 30% 3P, 90% FT, 19 assists, 10 turnovers, 36 paint points
GS: 49% FG, 50% 3P, 88% FT, 22 assists, 5 turnovers, 30 paint points

Dallas drew a tough Game 1 matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, but they hung on early behind a clinic by second-year sensation Paige Bueckers.

Golden State had no answer for Bueckers in the first half, as she poured in 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, accounting for about 55% of the Wings’ offense. But that’s where the positives end for Dallas. The league’s top defensive team limited Bueckers to just four points in the second half, while the rest of the Wings struggled to put something together.

With their defense on lockdown, the Valkyries were able to flex their offensive muscles, with four starters in double figures and three players dropping 20+ points. They caught fire from deep, shooting over 50% from three, ending with 18 total. It’s hard to guard that!

To force a Game 3, Dallas needs to find some scoring from someone beyond Bueckers. Jessica Shepard was held scoreless after averaging a double-double in the regular season, and while getting Alanna Smith back from injury would boost their paint defense, she’s not listed as available yet. It’s not likely that Golden State will stay that hot from three forever, but Dallas can’t wait—they have to stay active and get the whole roster involved if they want to edge out a win.

With elimination on the line, there’s little room for error. Will we see adjustments be made, or will seasons end before the game really starts?

Game 2 is mandatory viewing; get your popcorn ready! See you at tip-off.

This week’s newsletter is out a day early so we can make predictions for the first round of the playoffs, which starts today!

The final week of the regular season proved to be wild, with teams fighting for positioning until the clock ran out. I definitely did not see the seedings ending up the way they did, but hey, it makes for a more interesting story, right?

Before writing this, I could not decide what was going to happen or who was going to win the title; to be honest, I still don’t know! I love the playoffs because it’s like a clean slate, and anything can truly happen, even if it’s not likely. I made some pretty bold predictions below, and I know most won’t agree with me, but, again, it’s part of the fun!

Feel free to share your predictions in the comments :)

✨ Main Character Energy

I will share my votes for the end-of-season awards soon! Stay tuned :)

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

September 27th

(8) New York Liberty vs. (1) Minnesota Lynx (-6.5) | 2:00 pm ET | ABC

• Allison’s Prediction: Lynx ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Lynx (63.6%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Lynx ❌

• 2026 Record: Liberty: 26-18 | Lynx: 33-11

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 NY (0-0 Playoffs)

(6) Indiana Fever vs. (3) Las Vegas Aces (-4.5) | 4:00 pm ET | ABC

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (62.3%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Fever ❌

• 2026 Record: Fever: 28-16 | Aces: 31-13

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 IND (0-0 Playoffs)

(5) Washington Mystics vs. (4) Atlanta Dream (-6.5) | 7:00 pm ET | Prime

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (73.9%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mystics ❌

• 2026 Record: Mystics: 28-16 | Dream: 30-14

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 WSH (0-0 Playoffs)

(7) Dallas Wings vs. (2) Golden State Valkyries (-7.5) | 9:00 pm ET | USA/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (71.4%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Record: Wings: 27-17 | Valkyries: 32-12

• 2026 Matchups: 3-0 GS (0-0 Playoffs)

September 29th

(3) Las Vegas Aces vs. (6) Indiana Fever | 6:30 pm ET | Prime

• Allison’s Prediction: Fever ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Fever (52.3%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Aces ❌

• 2026 Postseason Record: Aces: 1-0 | Fever: 0-1

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: 1-0 Aces

(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (8) New York Liberty | 8:30 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Liberty (54.6%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Liberty ✔️

• 2026 Postseason Record: Lynx: 0-1 | Liberty: 1-0

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: 1-0 Liberty

September 30th

(4) Atlanta Dream vs. (5) Washington Mystics | 7:00 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (60.4%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mystics ❌

• 2026 Postseason Record: Dream: 1-0 | Mystics: 0-1

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: 1-0 Dream

(2) Golden State Valkyries vs. (7) Dallas Wings | 9:00 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (56.3%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ❌

• 2026 Postseason Record: 1-0 Valkyries | 0-1 Wings

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: 1-0 Valkyries

October 1st

(6) Indiana Fever vs. (3) Las Vegas Aces | 9:00 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Fever

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (62.3%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Fever

• 2026 Postseason Record: Fever: 1-1 | Aces: 1-1

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: 1-1

October 2nd

(7) Dallas Wings vs. (2) Golden State Valkyries | 9:00 pm ET | ESPN2

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (71.4%)

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries

• 2026 Postseason Record: Wings: 1-1 | Valkyries: 1-1

• 2026 Postseason Matchups: 1-1

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx ❌

2. Golden State Valkyries

3. Las Vegas Aces

4. Atlanta Dream

5. Washington Mystics ❌

6. Indiana Fever

7. Dallas Wings

8. New York Liberty

9. Portland Fire ❌

10. Phoenix Mercury ❌

11. Chicago Sky ❌

12. Los Angeles Sparks ❌

13. Toronto Tempo ❌

14. Connecticut Sun ❌

15. Seattle Storm ❌

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Did I Do This Season?

1. ESPN: 10-4 | Overall: 204-81 (73%)

2. Allison: 9-5 | Overall: 210-102 (67%)

3. Wheel: 5-9 | Overall: 155-130 (54%)

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• ESPN Releases Their Top 25 WNBA Players in the Playoffs

  • Notable/Top 5: A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, Breanna Stewart, Olivia Miles & Kelsey Mitchell

• Sun End Their Time in Connecticut After 24 Seasons

  • Sun beat the Tempo 95-81 in their final home game before relocating to Houston in front of a sellout crowd of 8,911 at Mohegan Sun Arena

  • President Jen Rizzotti & General Manager Morgan Tuck will relocate to Houston in the offseason

• Nneka Ogwumike Honored at End of Final Game

  • Madame President had 17 points, 15 rebounds & 5 assists in the final game of her 15-year career—19th double-double of the season & 134th of career (6th in the league)

  • LA held an emotional retirement ceremony after the game, announced that a player sanctuary in its new practice facility would be named after her

• Los Angeles Fires Head Coach Lynne Roberts on Friday

  • Roberts went 37-50 in two seasons at the helm, missing the playoffs both times

• NBA, Players’ Union Include WNBA in Amended Betting-Related Harassment Letter

  • Noticeably absent from first draft, included calls for lifetime bans, streamlined reporting mechanisms & operator accountability

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• Every Playoffs Game!!

📰 On The Docket ~ Upcoming Articles

• Allison’s end-of-season awards candidates

• Women’s college basketball preview

• WNBA Rookies Series

• Questions heading into the offseason

❤️‍🩹 Heart Rate Monitor ~ Where My Teams Stand

• NFL: Green Bay Packers | 1-2

  • 35-14 loss to Falcons → 10/4 at Tampa Bay

• NCAA Football Syracuse | 1-2

  • Bye Week → 10/3 at UConn

That’s all from me this week! Get ready for a wild week in the WNBA playoffs; which game are you most excited about?

As a DMV native, I am beyond thrilled for the Mystics to host a game next week; if you’ll be there, feel free to come say hi, I love meeting new people!

Enjoy the chaos!

Sincerely,
Allison

Fever. Aces.

Mystics. Dream.

Wings. Valkyries.

The drama-filled regular season is officially in the rearview mirror, the WNBA playoffs are here and the race to crown a champion is on.

Before tip-off, there’s plenty to unpack—from the matchups and the players who will dictate the outcome, to the adjustments and questions that will ultimately decide who will leave victorious.

Let’s get into it.

Round 1: (1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (8) New York Liberty

🔑 Keys to the Court: Rematch of 2024 WNBA Finals (Liberty won), New York won regular season series 2-1

📋 Injury Report: Breanna Stewart (knee): TBD, Jonquel Jones (ankle): Questionable, Olivia Miles (calf): TBD, Anastasiia Olairi Kosu (foot): TBD

🔍 Allison’s Prediction: Lynx in 3

We are getting a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals in the first round, and while most would write off the 8-seed, I don’t think it’s that easy.

Although the Liberty have had a rocky, inconsistent season, they’ve taken care of business against the Lynx—winning two of three matchups, with their only loss coming by five points. There are some teams that just get in your head, and New York seems to be that for Minnesota. The player leading that attack is Breanna Stewart, who averages 26 PPG against the Lynx, five more than she averages on a season. If you take Stewart and add in Jonquel Jones, a matchup nightmare, along with strong perimeter defense from Leonie Fiebich and Pauline Astier, the Liberty have the firepower to knock the Lynx off the board.

Even with this in mind, Minnesota enters as the favorite with a 62.7% chance to advance and a 19.1% shot at becoming the first franchise to win five WNBA titles. They sit in the top four in both offense and defense, driven by their lethal starters: Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, Natasha Howard and rookie standout Olivia Miles, who averages nearly 20 points and six assists per game. Miles brings a killer confidence most rookies would love to have, though her health is a question for the Lynx as she did not play in their last two games as a “precaution.” If Miles is limited, Williams is more than capable of sliding back over to run point. Simply put, Minnesota is stacked; plus, they’re coached by Cheryl Reeve, the winningest coach in WNBA history, who has advanced nearly every time out of the first-round series with the Lynx.

On the other hand, the Liberty (37.3% chance to advance) still boast one of the most talented rosters on paper. Most of their 2024 championship core is still intact, which gives them invaluable experience. If they can get sharpshooting Sabrina Ionescu, three-point weapon Marine Johannes and lengthy Han Xu going, then it could get rough out there for Minnesota.

I’m predicting the Lynx to win in three games, only falling to New York once at Barclays Center. If New York gets all five starters clicking early and unleashes their bench, they could easily rattle Minnesota. I can see an OT game or two, and I think things will get chippy, but it definitely will be a great series.

Round 1: (3) Las Vegas Aces vs. (6) Indiana Fever

🔑 Keys to the Court: Reigning champs looking for a fourth title since 2022 against a Fever team back in the 6th seed for the third straight year

📋 Injury Report: Ty Harris (leg): OFS, Aliyah Boston (lower leg): TBD, Dana Evans (back): TBD, NaLyssa Smith (leg): OFS

🔍 Allison’s Prediction: Fever in 3

This was a first-round matchup I didn’t expect, mainly because I was pretty confident that the Fever would end up in the 4 or 5 seed playing Atlanta. Instead, the Fever will visit Sin City on Sunday, to test the reigning champion Aces.

Las Vegas enters with a nearly 61% chance of advancing, looking to secure their fourth championship since 2022. They have built a solid structure around the best player in the world, A’ja Wilson, who averages 26.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 2.0 BPG, and is on her way to potentially earn another MVP award. Due to some nagging injuries, Wilson didn’t play in the World Cup, so she comes in fresh and ready to go alongside offensive co-star Jackie Young (19.4 PPG, 6.6 APG) and veteran facilitator Chelsea Gray (11.9 PPG, 6.7 APG). The Aces certainly know how to win even when the odds are stacked against them; but they’re missing a key piece of the puzzle: NaLyssa Smith.

Smith suffered a non-contact leg injury on August 23rd and was officially ruled out for the season. She was vital to their 2025 title run after coming over from Dallas, improving the defense immediately and adding some scoring and rebounding alongside Wilson. Las Vegas doesn’t have a player who can replace her production, but will turn to players like Stephanie Talbot (3.5 PPG) and Brianna Turner (1.6 PPG) to give them a much-needed boost.

On the flip side, the Indiana Fever (39.4% chance to advance) boast the highest scoring offense in the league and feature three All-Stars in Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. Clark (22.8 PPG, 8.5 APG) is set for her first postseason action since her rookie year in 2024, while Mitchell has been a force to be reckoned with on the perimeter, scoring 20+ points in 27 consecutive games, the longest in W history. Add in role players like Makayla Timpson, who is extremely athletic and offers strong defensive energy, and the Fever have some firepower. Having reached the semifinals last year despite heavy injuries, expectations are sky-high now that they are in the 6th seed for the 3rd straight year.

Both of these teams are facing some interesting questions: Can Indiana improve on their defense in a matter of days? Will Clark or Mitchell hit a postseason slump? Can Talbot and Turner provide enough interior defense and rebounding? Will the Aces over-rely on Wilson and crack?

I think it will be a battle lasting all three games, with the Fever ultimately taking down the reigning champs in Las Vegas.

Round 1: (4) Atlanta Dream vs. (5) Washington Mystics

🔑 Keys to the Court: Atlanta looking to get back into Finals for first time since 2013, league’s youngest team (Mystics) reaches playoffs in second year of rebuild

📋 Injury Report: Brionna Jones: OFS

🔍 Allison’s Prediction: Mystics in 3

As mentioned, I never expected this to be a first round matchup, but here we are. Two of the top defensive teams in the league are set to go head-to-head, making this a battle of execution where the paint will be paramount. It’s going to be a fun back-and-forth between Atlanta’s frontcourt players Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon against Washington’s formidable duo of Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen.

The Dream enter the series as the heavy favorites with a nearly 80% chance of advancing and a 20.3% title probability as they chase their first franchise championship. Atlanta is a balanced two-way force, holding the fourth-best offense and defense while leading the league in steals. They’re powered by a high-volume backcourt in Allisha Gray (career-high 19.0 PPG on 46% shooting), Rhyne Howard (career-high 17.7 PPG & league-leading 2.3 steals) and Jordin Canada (11.6 PPG, career-high 7.3 APG, 1.9 SPG), who masterfully controls the tempo. Down low, Reese serves as the ultimate defensive anchor, setting new rebounding records while leading the league in defensive win shares (3.2) and ranking fourth in defensive rating (100.4).

On the other side, the “surprise of the season” Washington Mystics (22.2% chance to advance) are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023 and are basically playing with “house money.” As the youngest team in the league in just their second season of a rebuild, nobody expected them to be here. Their roster is packed with talent, featuring Shakira Austin having a breakout season, as well as first-round picks Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron, Georgia Amoore and Michaela Onyenwere. They’ve only gotten better as the season has gone on, with Amoore coming into her own as a solid playmaker and three-point shooter, and veteran Betnijah Laney-Hamilton coming in as a calming presence, which will be needed as they make their way through the playoffs. They’re a young and free team with solid defense who simply chooses not to lose, and they make any matchup fun and interesting.

A problem facing both teams is their lack of bench production. They rely far more on their starters than almost any other team, and they don’t necessarily have that special someone who can come in and disrupt the game. Just in case their starters are locked down defensively, which is likely to happen, they will need some bench players to step up and produce. For Atlanta, I think it could be Isabel Borlase, Te-Hina PaoPao or Madina Okot. For Washington, I like Cotie McMahon, Angela Dugalic or Alicia Florez.

This will be an exciting, physical series. My prediction is that the Mystics will take the Dream down to the wire and come out victorious at the end of Game 3. Expect some chippy, close games and maybe even an OT thriller or two, but Washington’s resilience will get the best of Atlanta in the end.

Round 1: (2) Golden State Valkyries vs. (7) Dallas Wings

🔑 Keys to the Court: Valkyries become first team in league history to make the postseason in each of its first 2 seasons taking on a young Dallas team back in the playoffs for the first time since 2023

📋 Injury Report: Azzi Fudd (knee): OFS, Costanza Verona (personal): OFS, Alanna Smith (lower leg): TBD, Alysha Clark (face): TBD

🔍 Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries in 3

The Wings drew a tough assignment in the first round, playing arguably one of the most dangerous teams in Golden State. It’ll be the first time we see Paige Bueckers in the postseason, and I can guarantee that she will not go down without a fight.

Dallas nearly tripled their win total from 2025 to 2026, vaulting from 10 to 27 victories. They had a busy offseason under new head coach Jose Fernandez, bringing in Alanna Smith, Jessica Shepard and Alysha Clark, then drafting Azzi Fudd with the #1 overall pick. All of these moves build a solid contender on paper, but injuries tainted that reality. Fudd’s season-ending knee surgery in August took away their top defender and quick-release perimeter shooter. Meanwhile, Smith hasn’t been the defensive anchor Dallas hoped for this year, and after getting injured representing Australia at the FIBA World Cup, there is no timetable for her return.

All of that puts immense pressure on Bueckers (20.9 PPG, 5.9 APG), MIP frontrunner Shepard (14.5 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 5.3 APG), Arike Ogunbowale (15.3 PPG), Awak Kuier (career-high 7 blocks in August) and Maddy Siegrist (6.5 PPG). They’ll need high-IQ playmaking, a strong suit for Bueckers, to overcome their struggles against the Valkyries, which saw them suffer single-digit scoring quarters in three meetings. Off the bench, options like Aziaha James, Li Yueru, Odyssey Sims and Clark must step up and maintain energy without letting the pace slip.

The Valkyries (73.7% chance to advance) made history as the first franchise to reach the postseason in each of its first two seasons. After getting swept in the first round last year, they turned things around to become one of the league’s most formidable squads. They have a terrifying defense, where they hold opponents to a league-low 78.8 PPG with a 98.9 defensive rating and allowing just 31.1 paint PPG. They are anchored by Kiah Stokes (league-best 94.8 defensive rating) and defensive heartbeat Gabby Williams (14.4 PPG, 1.5 SPG, 99.1 defensive rating) alongside strong guard play from Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton.

Golden State’s biggest problem? Offense. They hold the third-lowest scoring average and second-worst field goal percentage in the league, relying heavily on their bench, which happens to be the highest scoring in WNBA history. Though they ended with a league-best net rating, they stumbled late in the regular season and haven’t put together a complete 40-minute performance since the World Cup break.

Ultimately, I would love to see the Wings advance to the next round, but I’m predicting the Valkyries to win in three games. While Dallas has the high-end talent and IQ to push them, Golden State’s suffocating defense and interior protection will likely prevail and punch their ticket to the next round: a possible meeting with the Aces or Fever.

If my predictions are correct, the second round will set up two more thrilling series: Lynx vs. Mystics & Fever vs. Valkyries. I’ll share more once the semifinals are officially set, but until then, get ready for a chaotic opening round. Even with my picks locked in, the talent across these matchups is so stacked that anyone could walk away victorious.

It’s the playoffs—anything can happen!

It’s the start of the final week of the WNBA regular season; where has time gone? It feels like just yesterday I started this weekly newsletter, which is so cliché, but it’s true! I’m not gonna cry…I’m not gonna cry…

Although the W season is coming to a close, I will be continuing Her Weekly Playbook, with a focus on active women’s basketball leagues, like Unrivaled, Project B, and of course, college basketball! We will have some downtime after the playoffs, but I have some exciting content coming to spice things up; stay tuned :)

Until then, we still have a lot of basketball to watch! The playoffs seeding race is in full swing, and some games will have major implications, like the Fever losing at home to the Mystics yesterday…

So let’s get into it! Enjoy this week’s edition of Her Weekly Playbook, the last one of the WNBA regular season until May 2027!1

✨ Main Character Energy

Allison’s Players of the Week: see my weekly news section below for all of the record-breaking action! Everyone’s been BUSY!2

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Monday, September 21st

Atlanta Dream (-1.5) vs. New York Liberty | 8:00 pm ET | Peacock/NBCSN

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Liberty (55.8%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Liberty ❌

• 2026 Record: Dream: 28-14 | Liberty: 26-16

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 NY

• Injuries:

  • Dream: Brionna Jones: OFS

  • Liberty: Satou Sabally: OFS; Elizabeth Balogun: TBD

Dallas Wings (-6.5) vs. Phoenix Mercury | 10:00 pm ET | USA Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Wings (60%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mercury ✔️

• 2026 Record: Wings: 26-16 | Mercury: 15-27

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 DAL

• Injuries:

  • Wings: Azzi Fudd: OFS; Costanza Verona, Alanna Smith: Out

  • Mercury: Kelsey Plum: OFS; Kahleah Copper, Kara Dunn: Probable

Tuesday, September 22nd

Connecticut Sun vs. Washington Mystics | 7:30 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mystics (83.8%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sun ❌

• 2026 Record: Sun: 10-32 | Mystics: 26-16

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 WSH

• Injuries:

  • Sun: Kennedy Burke: OFS; Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Brittney Griner, Rayah Marshall, Saniya Rivers: TBD

  • Mystics: Shakira Austin: Day-to-Day

Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever | 8:00 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: Fever ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Fever (53.5%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Fever ✔️

• 2026 Record: Lynx: 32-10 | Fever: 27-15

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 MIN

• Injuries: TBD

Toronto Tempo vs. Chicago Sky | 8:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Sky ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Sky (69.6%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Tempo ❌

• 2026 Record: Tempo: 11-31 | Sky: 15-27

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 TOR

• Injuries: TBD

Los Angeles Sparks vs. Las Vegas Aces | 10:00 pm ET | ESPN

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (82.7%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sparks ❌

• 2026 Record: Sparks: 16-26 | Aces: 29-13

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 LV

• Injuries: TBD

Golden State Valkyries vs. Portland Fire | 10:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (84.6%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ❌

• 2026 Record: Valkyries: 31-11 | Fire: 16-27

• 2026 Matchups: 3-0 GS

• Injuries: TBD

Wednesday, September 23rd

Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Liberty (53.9%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Liberty ❌

• 2026 Record: Dream: 29-14 | Liberty: 26-17

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Dream: Brionna Jones: OFS

  • Liberty: Satou Sabally: OFS; Elizabeth Balogun: Out

Dallas Wings vs. Seattle Storm | 10:00 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Wings (73.6%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Storm ❌

• 2026 Record: Wings: 26-17 | Storm: 8-35

• 2026 Matchups: 3-0 DAL

• Injuries:

  • Wings: Azzi Fudd: OFS; Costanza Verona, Alanna Smith, Alysha Clark: Out

  • Storm: Ezi Magbegor, Katie Lou Samuelson, Zia Cooke: OFS

Thursday, September 24th

Toronto Tempo vs. Connecticut Sun (-2.5) | 7:00 pm ET | NBA TV

• Allison’s Prediction: Sun ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Sun (56.4%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Tempo ❌

• 2026 Record: Tempo: 11-32 | Sun: 10-33

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 TOR

• Injuries:

  • Tempo: Maria Conde, Temi Fagbenle, Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, Marina Mabrey: OFS

  • Sun: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Brittney Griner, Saniya Rivers: OFS

Chicago Sky vs. Washington Mystics (-13.5) | 7:30 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mystics (73.3%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sky ❌

• 2026 Record: Sky: 16-27 | Mystics: 27-16

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 WSH

• Injuries:

  • Sky: DiJonai Carrington, Aicha Coulibaly, Azura Stevens, Natasha Cloud, Skylar Diggins: OFS

  • Mystics: None :)

Indiana Fever (-4.5) vs. Minnesota Lynx | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Lynx ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Lynx (62.7%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Lynx ✔️

• 2026 Record: Fever: 28-15 | Lynx: 32-11

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Fever: Caitlin Clark: Probable

  • Lynx: Anastasiia Olairi Kosu, Olivia Miles: Out

Golden State Valkyries (-11.5) vs. Los Angeles Sparks | 10:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Sparks ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (78.5%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Record: Valkyries: 31-12 | Sparks: 16-27

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 GS

• Injuries:

  • Valkyries: None :)

  • Sparks: Cameron Brink, Aaliyah Nye: OFS; Dearica Hamby: Probable

Las Vegas Aces (-10.5) vs. Phoenix Mercury | 10:00 pm ET | USA Network/CNBC

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (65.8%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Aces ✔️

• 2026 Record: Aces: 30-13 | Mercury: 16-27

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 LV

• Injuries:

  • Aces: NaLyssa Smith: OFS

  • Mercury: Kelsey Plum: OFS

Sunday, September 27th—PLAYOFFS, BABY!

*Next week’s edition of Her Weekly Playbook will come out on Sunday ahead of the first round of the playoffs!! Stay tuned :)

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx: 32-10 (1-1)3

2. Golden State Valkyries: 31-11 (2-0)

3. Las Vegas Aces: 29-13 (2-0)

4. Atlanta Dream: 28-14 (2-0)

5. Indiana Fever: 27-15 (1-1)

6. New York Liberty: 26-16 (2-0)

7. Washington Mystics: 26-16 (2-0)

8. Dallas Wings: 26-16 (2-0)

9. Los Angeles Sparks: 16-26 (1-1)

10. Portland Fire: 16-27 (0-3)

11. Phoenix Mercury: 15-27 (1-1)

12. Chicago Sky: 15-27 (0-2)

13. Toronto Tempo: 11-31 (0-2)

14. Connecticut Sun: 10-32 (0-2)

15. Seattle Storm: 8-35 (0-3)

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. Allison: 15-14 | Overall: 201-97 (67%) 🎉

2. ESPN: 14-2 | Overall: 194-77 (72%)

3. Wheel: 9-7 | Overall: 150-121 (55%)

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker - Who’s Playing Who? (Subject to change!!)

• 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. 8 Dallas Wings

• 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. 7 Washington Mystics

• 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. 6 New York Liberty

• 4 Atlanta Dream vs. 5 Indiana Fever

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• Olivia Miles sets new WNBA Rookie Scoring Record

  • Passed Caitlin Clark on Sunday with 790 points in 40 games

• Kelsey Mitchell sets new WNBA Single-Season Scoring Record

  • Eclipsed A’ja Wilson’s record of 1,021 points from 2024—scored 1,034 in her 41st game on Friday

• Rhyne Howard sets new WNBA Single-Season 3-Pointers Record

  • Made 1 three-pointer in Thursday’s rout of the Connecticut Sun, giving her 129 on the season, breaking Sabrina Ionescu’s 2023 record

• Allisha Gray Breaks Her Own WNBA Record

  • Scored 10 points on Thursday to reach 782, the new Dream franchise record for points in a season

• Angel Reese Extends Her Double-Double Record

  • Finished with 31st career double-double on Saturday, became first player in WNBA history to reach 500 rebounds in a season

• Paige Bueckers sets new WNBA Scoring Record

  • Bueckers reached 1515 points on Saturday, the most points by any player through their first 2 WNBA seasons, surpassing Seimone Augustus (1513)

• Kiah Stokes Reaches New Heights

  • Stokes notched her 386th block on Saturday, officially moving to 18th all-time in blocks

• Breanna Stewart Moves Up in the Record Books

  • Stewart logged 24 points in the Liberty’s win over the Lynx on Friday, passing Sue Bird for ninth place on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list with 6,806 points (& she earned a double-double with 10 rebounds!)

• Lisa Leslie Statue Unveiled

  • ‘The First Lady’ sits on Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena—first LA Sparks player to be immortalized with a bronze statue, 16th person added to Star Plaza overall

• Nneka Ogwumike becomes 4th player in WNBA history with 8,000 points

  • Scored 20 points & added 12 rebounds in 105-84 win over Portland Fire on Sunday

  • Joins Diana Taurasi (10,646), Tina Charles (8,396) and DeWanna Bonner (8,217)5

• Congratulations to Nia (Coffey) Brodie on her marriage over the FIBA break! <3

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• September 21st: Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty

• September 22nd: Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever

• September 23rd: Dallas Wings vs. Seattle Storm

• September 24th: Chicago Sky vs. Washington Mystics

📰 On The Docket ~ Upcoming Articles

• Series on WNBA Rookies

• Potential candidates to replace WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert

• 2026 playoffs predictions

• Allison’s end-of-season awards candidates

• Women’s college basketball preview

• My suggestions for the Houston Comets

❤️‍🩹 Heart Rate Monitor ~ Where My Teams Stand

• NFL: Green Bay Packers | 1-1

  • Win over Jets, 20-17 OT → 9/24 vs. Atlanta Falcons

• NCAA Football Syracuse | 1-2

  • 27-13 loss to Pittsburgh → 10/3 at UConn

Thanks for reading! Feel free to share your predictions in the comments, and let me know which games you’re most excited to watch this week.

Sincerely,
Allison

A lot can go down in 2.5 weeks—like Team USA winning gold at the FIBA Women’s World Cup—but we already broke all that down in this week’s edition of Her Weekly Playbook. Go give that a quick read and report back here!

Ready? Cool.

As we launch into the home stretch, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With posteason seeding, home-court advantage and individual awards all on the line, here are some key players I’m excited to watch!

Atlanta Dream

Injured: Brionna Jones - Out (Return: TBD)

The Atlanta Dream roster is pretty in tact as we head into the final week of the regular season. The lone uncertainty centers on Brionna Jones, whose impact has been limited to nine games after a stellar 2025 campaign averaging 12.8 points and 7.3 boards on 53% shooting. Thankfully, the Dream brought in two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner following her buyout from the Phoenix Mercury, giving them a proven postseason weapon.

Beyond Bonner, Angel Reese remains one of the league’s most exciting players. She is closing in on a 30+ double-double season, fresh off setting the single-game rebounding record with 26 boards and delivering a perfect shooting night before the break—if that doesn’t put her on your watch list, I don’t know what will!

Holding the keys to the offense is veteran point guard Jordin Canada. Averaging 11.4 points, 7.2 assists and 45% shooting from the field over the last five games, Canada sets the tempo. Like Bonner, her two WNBA titles offer the exact composure this young roster needs as they close out the regular season with some tough matchups against New York and Chicago.

Chicago Sky

Injured: Skylar Diggins & Rickea Jackson: OFS; DiJonai Carrington: Out (Return: TBD), Natasha Cloud: Day-to-Day

The Chicago Sky may have had a bumpy ride this season, but the future looks bright thanks to rookies Gabriela Jaquez and Sydney Taylor—my next two featured players.

Jaquez missed a handful of games due to injury, but before that, she was a core piece of the Sky’s offense, dropping double-digits in nine different outings. While her last few games before the break were a bit quiet, I expect her to turn up the intensity as she closes out her debut season, just like she did when UCLA won the national championship earlier this year.

And if Sydney Taylor wasn’t on your radar before, she certainly is now. She’s putting together a fantastic rookie season, posting 13.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG and 1.8 APG on 44% shooting from the field (34% from deep)—not to mention knocking down at least two game-winning buzzer-beaters. If she keeps this up, she could be the spark the Sky needs to taint some playoff pictures down the stretch.

Connecticut Sun

Injured: Kennedy Burke: OFS; Brittney Griner, Leila Lacan: Questionable; Diamond Miller: Day-to-Day

In their final season in Connecticut before relocating to Houston, the Sun have struggled to put together a strong campaign. While it remains unclear which roster pieces will make the move, two young players stand out to me as clear building blocks: Aaliyah Edwards and Charlisse Leger-Walker.

Edwards has been fantastic recently, bouncing back after a tough 2025 where she was traded mid-season from Washington. Over her last five games, she’s averaged 17.4 points and 6.0 rebounds on 54.0% shooting from the field, including a remarkable 50% from three-point range. She’s proving to be a core part of the team’s offense by keeping games competitive, even though the Sun’s record doesn’t reflect how dominant she’s been individually. With several players out due to injuries or rest, I’d put the keys in her hands in the last few games.

Rookie Leger-Walker has also put together a great late-season run. Over the same five-game stretch, she’s posted 10.2 points, 5.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds on 40.0% shooting. She has shuffled in and out of the starting lineup, but her production spikes significantly when given starter minutes. She provides strong backcourt depth for the Sun, which they should try and capitalize over their last four games.

Dallas Wings

Injured: Azzi Fudd: OFS; Alanna Smith: Out (Return: TBD)

The Wings, like many teams, have been bitten by the injury bug; they will be without 2026 first overall pick Azzi Fudd, while Alanna Smith was hurt again last week playing for Australia in the FIBA Women’s World Cup. Without these two (potentially), the production needs to come from somewhere else. We already know Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard will be key, but I have my eye on two other players in case they are locked down: Maddy Siegrist and Awak Kuier.

Siegrist, the Wings’ 3rd overall pick in the 2023 draft, has been known to make timely three-pointers throughout her career, and her clutch shooting will be needed if Dallas wants to vie for better playoff seeding. She had a breakout year in 2025, averaging 12.7 points and 4.3 rebounds on nearly 50% shooting, including 32% from deep on roughly three attempts per game. Her stats are slightly down this year, but she’s proven to be a reliable option down the stretch and will be someone I’m expecting to step up in the final few regular season games.

Kuier is truly having a stellar season, and it all starts on the defensive end. Over her last five outings, she’s averaging 7.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and an incredible 3.8 blocks per game—highlighted by a dominant seven block performance against Indiana. She’s a versatile frontcourt presence who really needs to lock down the paint if Smith is sidelined; if Smith plays, those two form a scary defensive pairing, because it will certainly be a block party!

Golden State Valkyries

Injured: None/TBA

The Golden State Valkyries don’t have any major injuries right now, so their core is locked and loaded heading into the final week. They boast the #1 defense in the league, but their offense lags behind in the middle of the pack (7th). They’re a dangerous group with undeniable chemistry, but they’re going to need some extra firepower if they want to keep homecourt advantage. With this in mind, I’m looking at Kaitlyn Chen and Cecilia Zandalasini to step up for the them.

Chen was a smart pick for Golden State in the 2025 draft; she was an Ivy League star at Princeton before transferring to UConn to help lead them to a national championship, and she’s the definition of a high-IQ player, both on and off the court. She’s quick, efficient and was stringing together some strong performances before the FIBA break, averaging 7.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 47% shooting, including 56% from three while playing just under 20-ish minutes a night. With several Valkyries players coming off heavy World Cup minutes, Chen is the exact spark Golden State needs off the bench.

Speaking of the World Cup, Zandalasini is riding some momentum after her own campaign, where she helped Italy push Team USA to the brink. I’m expecting her to bring that energy right into the last few games. She was already coming up big before the break, and if the Valks are going to lift their 7th-ranked offense into elite territory, they’ll need her to keep lighting it up each night.

Indiana Fever

Injured: None/TBA

After suffering an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, the Indiana Fever are finally healthy and ready to wage war. While Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell naturally capture the attention, a solid four games will hinge on key role players—and I’ve got my eye on two difference-makers: Lexie Hull and Makayla Timpson.

It hasn’t been a smooth individual season for Hull, but these next few games offer the ultimate clean slate. Hull brings strong perimeter defense and high energy, with the proven ability to catch fire from beyond the arc. Remember Game 2 of the 2025 semifinals against Las Vegas? She proved she can show up in clutch moments by draining five three-pointers. Though she’s worked through shooting lulls this year, she remains a career 37% shooter from deep, and when she finds her rhythm, she can change the trajectory of a game.

Meanwhile, Makayla Timpson’s name has been everywhere this season—and deservedly so! Since stepping into the starting lineup, her impact has been noticed. She’s played with insane efficiency, averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and a block while shooting 76% from the field over the most recent five-game stretch, and sits around 64% on the season. When opponents lock down Clark, Mitchell or Aliyah Boston, Timpson is the interior relief who can quietly take over a game.

Las Vegas Aces

Injured: NaLyssa Smith: OFS

Las Vegas was recently dealt a blow: starting forward NaLyssa Smith suffered a non-contact leg injury last month and is out for the rest of the 2026 season. With Smith sidelined, the burning question remains—who fills that void?

Smith’s mid-season arrival from Dallas last year completely unlocked the Aces’ frontcourt, providing key minutes that helped deliver another championship banner. Without her interior presence, Vegas must adapt—and fast. I’m looking at Stephanie Talbot and Brianna Turner to absorb the bulk of those minutes down the stretch. Neither carries Smith’s gravity or scoring ability, but both can crash the glass hard and bring the defensive edge needed to relieve pressure on A’ja Wilson. Don’t be surprised if young perimeter shooters like Ta’Niya Latson or Justine Pissott also see expanded minutes these next few games in Smith’s absence.

Los Angeles Sparks

Injured: None/TBA

The Sparks have four games left in their 2026 campaign, and while much of the spotlight will naturally center on giving Nneka Ogwumike her flowers on a well-deserved farewell tour, Los Angeles has two young pieces primed to step up: Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell.

Brink has weathered her share of injury setbacks in her young career, but over the last five outings, she’s been dynamite off the bench: averaging 12 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 blocks on 42% shooting. When healthy, she’s a game-changing rim protector who loves to host a nightly block party in the paint. Expect her to carry this momentum straight through the season finale and into Unrivaled.

Meanwhile, Burrell has been electric, pouring in 17.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists on nearly 50% shooting over her last five games. A fierce downhill attacker like Burrell is hard to game-plan against, making her a top breakout candidate to close the year.

Minnesota Lynx

Injured: None/TBA

Minnesota survived an early-season injury bug and is now clicking on all cylinders at the perfect time. While rookie phenom Olivia Miles commands plenty of attention, two battle-tested veterans will be the true X-factors for the Lynx: Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams.

McBride is a walking McBucket. Through 13 seasons, she has never failed to average double-digit scoring, nor has she dropped below 30% from three-point range despite heavy volume. Her poise and automatic shot will truly set the tone for Minnesota in the last four games and beyond. Complementing McBride is Williams, an efficient floor general boasting an effective field goal percentage (eFG) near 50% while adding over 14 points per night. Williams has been invaluable taking the pressure off Miles, and when the game bogs down in the fourth quarter, she gives Minnesota the exact scoring punch and composure they need.

New York Liberty

Injured: Satou Sabally: OFS

Bumpy, wild and relentless—that’s the best way to describe New York’s path this season. While early-season stumbles made some write this off as a rebuilding year, the Liberty pulled together and clinched another postseason berth. However, their final regular-season test is a gauntlet: traveling to Minnesota before closing with two home games against the Atlanta Dream. While stars Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones will undoubtedly be great, keep an eye on two young international standouts: Leonie Fiebich and Pauline Astier.

Both players are coming off fantastic FIBA World Cup performances in Berlin, where Astier claimed silver with France and Fiebich powered host country Germany to a fourth-place finish. I expect them to channel that momentum into New York’s last few games. They both shoot nearly 50% from the floor, and bring high-IQ playmaking and killer energy that will help keep the Liberty fresh against some big competition.

Phoenix Mercury

Injured: Kelsey Plum: OFS; Kahleah Copper: Questionable (Return: TBD)

The Phoenix Mercury face a brutal closing stretch with back-to-back contests against Dallas and then a finale against Las Vegas. Because they’re eliminated from playoff contention and Kelsey Plum is out, this final week offers a prime opportunity to throw younger assets like Marta Suarez, Maddy Westbeld, Kara Dunn and Shay Ciezki into the fire.

Regardless of rotation shifts, count on Natasha Mack to set the standard. Since she didn’t play in the FIBA World Cup, she provides fresh legs in the frontcourt, experience and strong scoring prowess. Even though they aren’t vying for a championship, they possess enough raw talent to potentially disrupt the playoff seedings.

Portland Fire

Injured/Out: Sania Feagin, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Luisa Geiselsoder: OFS; Megan DiLeo, Bridget Carleton, Teja Oblak, Carla Leite: Out (Return: TBD)

It’s been a trial by fire in Portland, with torn ACLs taking down Sania Feagin and Sarah Ashlee Barker, alongside Luisa Geiselsoder’s departure. Core anchors Bridget Carleton, Emily Engstler and Carla Leite continue to fight, but the primary silver lining down the stretch is in the development of rookies Serah Williams and Nyadiew Puoch, who have the chance to step up while others rest or recover.

Williams has operated in a limited role under 15 minutes per night, but her flash plays—like a 15-point game against Atlanta and a 3-steal performance against Dallas—highlight her potential. Shooting nearly 57% from the floor, she deserves an expanded offensive role in these final games. Puoch shares a similar trajectory, showcased by a career-high 19-point performance against Seattle last month. Both rookies possess the upside to cause headaches for opposing coaches and even trigger a few late-season surprises. Upsets, anyone?

Seattle Storm

Injured: Katie Lou Samuelson, Ezi Magbegor: OFS; Jade Melbourne, Jordan Horston: Day-to-Day

It’s no secret that 2026 didn’t go as planned in Seattle. A sub-10 win season means missing the playoffs for the first time since 2023, but the rebuilding blueprint is taking shape around a talented young core featuring Flau’jae Johnson, Awa Fam and Dominique Malonga. Johnson’s rookie campaign has been outstanding, averaging 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She is the moment!

Beyond Johnson, guard Zia Cooke has quietly elevated her game. Appearing in all 40 games during her second year in Seattle, Cooke is putting up career highs across the board (7.6 PPG) and has scored in double figures in three of her last five outings. With Magbegor and Samuelson out for the year and a few others temporarily sidelined, Cooke has a clean runway to take on a larger scoring load and end the season on a high note.

Toronto Tempo

Injured: Aneesah Morrow, Brittney Sykes, Marina Mabrey: OFS

Toronto didn’t just catch the injury bug—they suffered a full-blown collapse. Brittney Sykes was capped at 17 games, Nyara Sabally and Isabelle Harrison each missed significant time, rookie Kiki Rice missed a month-long chunk and leading scorer Marina Mabrey has officially been shut down for the year. Rather than dwelling on what could have been, the final four games offer an exciting window to build around Rice and Laura Juškaitė.

Despite her missed time, Rice has been phenomenal lately, putting up 16.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 49% shooting over her last stretch. She should be seen as Toronto’s offensive engine moving forward! Alongside her, Juškaitė has been a rock in the frontcourt, averaging nearly 13 points and 6.8 rebounds on 50% field goal shooting. Together, this duo has the firepower to play spoiler and wreck someone else’s playoff seeding.

Washington Mystics

Injured: Georgia Amoore: Day-to-Day; Sonia Citron: Out (Return: TBD)

Unlike most of the league, the young Mystics have enjoyed a relatively healthy season, with only Georgia Amoore day-to-day and Sonia Citron managing a brief post-World Cup rest window. Washington closes with a favorable schedule, but capitalizing on easier matchups requires discipline; assuming they are healthy and ready to go, I expect Amoore and veteran wing Michaela Onyenwere to step up.

Amoore has been on a tear recently; she’s been lights-out from deep, shooting 47% from the field and beyond the arc—headlined by a 25-point masterclass against Phoenix before the FIBA break. If her knee holds up, she could be lethal in the last few games.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Onyenwere provides essential poise and two-way stability, shooting nearly 50% from the floor and 40% from deep. The combo of Amoore’s playmaking and Onyenwere’s efficiency, along with their other young starters, gives Washington a potentially dangerous foundation as they march towards the postseason.

As the regular season comes to a (dramatic) close, star power will only carry teams so far; teams will need to pull out all their tricks if they want to continue their season for as long as possible.

You know what to do: Set those notifications, clear your schedule and get ready for a wild finale of WNBA regular-season hoops. The postseason path starts today!

I am very excited for the WNBA to be back on my TV this week after a nearly 17-day hiatus for the World Cup. While I am, of course, happy that Team USA won gold, we have some unfinished business to take care of in the league.

While the playoff teams are set, there’s a ton of movement that could happen over the next week. If you’re curious as to how things could shake up, check out The Athletic’s Playoff Projection Bracket. I’ve spent many hours over the past few days on their site looking at all of the different options, and I still don’t know where I think everyone will end up!

Enough of me talking; we have 16 games to predict, so let’s get into it!

✨ Main Character Energy

Allison’s Players of the Week:

The United States for winning gold at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup! And Breanna Stewart for winning MVP :)

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Thursday, September 17th

Connecticut Sun vs. Atlanta Dream (-14.5) | 7:30 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (88.8%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ✔️

• 2026 Record: Sun: 10-30 | Dream: 26-14

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 ATL

• Injuries:

  • Sun: Kennedy Burke: OFS; Brittney Griner, Leila Lacan, Diamond Miller: Questionable

  • Dream: Brionna Jones: OFS

Washington Mystics (-3.5) vs. Chicago Sky | 8:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mystics (54.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sky ❌

• 2026 Record: Mystics: 24-16 | Sky: 15-25

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 WSH

• Injuries:

  • Mystics: Sonia Citron: Out; Georgia Amoore: Questionable

  • Sky: Rickea Jackson, Skylar Diggins: OFS; DiJonai Carrington: Out; Natasha Cloud: Questionable

Los Angeles Sparks vs. Dallas Wings (-7.5) | 8:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Wings (77.9%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Wings ✔️

• 2026 Record: Sparks: 15-25 | Wings: 25-16

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 DAL

• Injuries:

  • Sparks: None :)

  • Wings: Azzi Fudd: OFS; Alanna Smith, Costanza Verona: Out

Phoenix Mercury (-1.5) vs. Portland Fire | 10:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Mercury ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mercury (58%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mercury ✔️

• 2026 Record: Mercury: 14-26 | Fire: 16-24

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Mercury: Kelsey Plum: OFS; Kahleah Copper: Questionable

  • Fire: Luisa Geiselsoder: OFS; Carla Leite, Megan DiLeo, Teja Oblak, Bridget Carleton: Out

Las Vegas Aces (-8.5) vs. Seattle Storm | 10:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (75.4%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Storm ❌

• 2026 Record: Aces: 27-13 | Storm: 8-32

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 LV

• Injuries:

  • Aces: NaLyssa Smith: OFS

  • Storm: Katie Lou Samuelson, Ezi Magbegor: OFS; Jordan Horston: Day-to-Day; Jade Melbourne: Questionable

Friday, September 18th

Indiana Fever vs. Toronto Tempo | 7:30 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Fever ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Fever (79.5%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Fever ✔️

• 2026 Record: Fever: 26-14 | Tempo: 11-29

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 IND

• Injuries:

  • Fever: Caitlin Clark: Probable

  • Tempo: Brittney Sykes, Aneesah Morrow, Marina Mabrey: OFS; Maria Conde: Questionable

New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx | 7:30 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Lynx ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Lynx (65.1%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Liberty ✔️

• 2026 Record: Liberty: 24-16 | Lynx: 31-9

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Liberty: Satou Sabally: OFS

  • Lynx: Anastasiia Olairi Kosu: Out

Portland Fire vs. Golden State Valkyries | 10:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (91.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 GS

• Injuries:

  • Fire: TBD

  • Valkyries: Janelle Salaun, Gabby Williams, Cecilia Zandalasini: Out

Saturday, September 19th

Phoenix Mercury vs. Dallas Wings | 1:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Wings (73.9%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mercury ❌

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 DAL

• Injuries: TBD

Chicago Sky vs. Atlanta Dream | 7:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (81.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ✔️

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 ATL

• Injuries: TBD

Seattle Storm vs. Golden State Valkyries | 9:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (90.2%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 GS

• Injuries: TBD

Sunday, September 20th

Minnesota Lynx vs. Connecticut Sun | 1:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Lynx ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Lynx (83.5%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sun ❌

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries: TBD

New York Liberty vs. Toronto Tempo | 3:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Liberty (78.9%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Tempo ❌

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries: TBD

Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever | 4:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Fever (71.4%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Fever ❌

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries: TBD

Portland Fire vs. Los Angeles Sparks | 7:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Sparks ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Sparks (68.3%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Fire ❌

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 LA

• Injuries: TBD

Seattle Storm vs. Las Vegas Aces | 9:00 pm ET

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (85.6%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Aces ✔️

• 2026 Record: TBD

• 2026 Matchups: TBD

• Injuries: TBD

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx: 31-9

2. Golden State Valkyries: 29-11

3. Las Vegas Aces: 27-13

4. Atlanta Dream: 26-14

5. Indiana Fever: 26-14

6. New York Liberty: 24-16

7. Washington Mystics: 24-16

8. Dallas Wings: 24-16

9. Portland Fire: 16-24

10. Chicago Sky: 15-25

11. Los Angeles Sparks: 15-25

12. Phoenix Mercury: 14-26

13. Toronto Tempo: 11-29

14. Connecticut Sun: 10-30

15. Seattle Storm: 8-32

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. ESPN: 180-75 (71%)

2. Allison: 186-96 (66%)

3. Wheel: 141-114 (55%)

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker - Who Could Play Who? (Subject to Change!)

• First Round:

  • 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. 8 Dallas Wings

  • 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. 7 Washington Mystics

  • 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. 6 New York Liberty

  • 4 Atlanta Dream vs. 5 Indiana Fever

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• Team USA wins gold at the FIBA Women’s World Cup!

  • France wins silver, Spain wins bronze

  • Breanna Stewart named MVP

• The WNBA resumes its season on Thursday, September 17th

  • All teams have 4 regular season games left, Playoffs tip off on September 27th

• Seattle Storm’s Ezi Magbegor Out for Season (OFS)

  • Magbegor suffered a torn ACL playing for Australia in the FIBA WWC

• Julie Allemand makes World Cup history

  • Allemand broke the World Cup assist record (108) in Belgium’s win over Australia in the quarterfinals

• Jackie Young makes history of her own

  • Only player to win a High School State Title, NCAA Championship, WNBA Championship, Olympic 5x5 Gold Medal, Olympic 3x3 Gold Medal, FIBA World Cup Title

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• September 17th: Sparks vs. Wings

• September 18th: Liberty vs. Lynx

• September 19th: Sky vs. Dream

• September 20th: Mystics vs. Fever

📰 On The Docket ~ Upcoming Articles

• Sydney Sweeney ad controversy

• What we learned during the FIBA WWC & what it means for LA2028

• Potential candidates to replace WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert

• WNBA Playoffs Preview

• Players to watch during the last week of the regular season

• My end-of-season awards candidates

❤️‍🩹 Heart Rate Monitor ~ Where My Teams Stand

• NFL: Green Bay Packers | 0-1

  • Loss to Vikings, 39-22 → 9/20 at Jets

• NCAA Football: Syracuse | 1-1

  • Loss to Cal, 21-18 → 9/17 at Pitt

That’s all from me! Enjoy the downtime these next few days before the end-of-season chaos begins on Thursday :)

Sincerely,
Allison

This week’s newsletter is arriving a little later than normal because I wanted to wait until all of the FIBA World Cup First Round games were done. After a little scare against Italy on Sunday, the United States went 3-0 and will await the winner of Tuesday’s game between Hungary and South Korea.

We are also ~10 days away from the WNBA’s return, and even though they’ve been on a break, there’s still lots of news and updates to discuss.

I won’t keep you waiting any longer; enjoy this week’s edition of Her Weekly Playbook!

✨ Main Character Energy

My new logo :) I love her!!

🔮 FIBA World Cup Remaining Schedule

Tuesday, September 8th

• Hungary vs. Japan - 11:45 am ET

• Germany vs. South Korea - 2:45 pm ET

Wednesday, September 9th

• Puerto Rico vs. China - 11:45 am ET

• Italy vs. Australia - 2:45 pm ET

Thursday, September 10th

• United States vs. Hungary - 5:30 am ET

• France vs. China - 8:30 am ET

• Belgium vs. Germany - 11:45 am ET

• Spain vs. Australia - 2:45 pm ET

Saturday, September 12th

• Semifinals: Germany vs. France - 10:30 am ET

• Semfinals: Spain vs. United States - 2:00 pm ET

Sunday, September 13th

• 3rd Place Game: TBD vs. TBD - 10:30 am ET

• Finals: TBD vs. TBD - 2:00 pm ET

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx: 31-9

2. Golden State Valkyries: 29-11

3. Las Vegas Aces: 27-13

4. Atlanta Dream: 26-14

5. Indiana Fever: 26-14

6. New York Liberty: 24-16

7. Washington Mystics: 24-16

8. Dallas Wings: 24-16

9. Portland Fire: 16-24

10. Chicago Sky: 15-25

11. Los Angeles Sparks: 15-25

12. Phoenix Mercury: 14-26

13. Toronto Tempo: 11-29

14. Connecticut Sun: 10-30

15. Seattle Storm: 8-32

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. ESPN: 180-75 (71%)

2. Allison: 186-96 (66%)

3. Wheel: 141-114 (55%)

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker - Who Could Play Who? (Subject to Change!)

• First Round:

  • 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. 8 Dallas Wings

  • 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. 7 Washington Mystics

  • 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. 6 New York Liberty

  • 4 Atlanta Dream vs. 5 Indiana Fever

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announces retirement

  • Engelbert’s last day will be December 31st, 2026 after 7.5 years at the helm—read my latest article on her legacy & impact!

• United States Continues World Cup Win Streak with 33rd Win over Czechia on Monday

  • They will have a few days to rest & prepare for their Quarterfinals matchup on Thursday, September 10th

• Los Angeles Sparks hire Ariana Andonian as new General Manager

  • Former GM & President of Player Personnel for Delaware Blue Coats (76ers’ G League affiliate)

• Satou Sabally Out for Season

  • Sabally suffered her second concussion in under 1 year in June, HC Chris DeMarco said she will take time away from the team to heal

• Skylar Diggins Out for Season

  • Chicago Sky Guard will step away from team to focus on rehabbing a resurfacing right knee injury

• Enes Kanter Freedom Files Lawsuit Against Chicago Sky

  • Alleged his First Amendment rights were violated when he was removed from a Sky game & banned from all future WNBA games at Wintrust Arena

  • Complaint also names city of Chicago & Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, who owns the arena

• Russell Westbrook Joins Project B

  • Former NBA player joins as a Co-Owner & Chief Strategy Officer just 1 month after announcing retirement—Project B set to start its inaugural season this winter

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• All of the remaining FIBA World Cup games!

I don’t know about you, but I’m so ready for the WNBA to be back next week! We’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming then, but for now, rest up, because it’s going to be a wild ride through the playoffs!

Oh yeah, and football is back too. Go Orange! Go Pack Go!

Sincerely,
Allison

It’s not totally clear who Smith’s referring to in his comments, but we can assume it’s likely a large demographic, including players, coaches, fans and even stakeholders. There has been a lot of talk over the past year about whether Engelbert was fit to lead the league in this new era, and it’s only intensified throughout the contentious 2026 season.

As the WNBA begins the search for a new commissioner, let’s look at what’s worked and what hasn’t, and talk about the traits that should be prioritized in the next leader.

The Cathy Engelbert Era

Ahead of the 2019 season, the NBA’s Adam Silver tapped Cathy Engelbert as the WNBA’s first commissioner.2 Like previous league leaders, Engelbert brought a strong corporate and financial background, having served as the first female CEO of Deloitte since 2015. During her tenure, Deloitte’s revenue grew 30% to over $20 billion—something the WNBA clearly valued and wanted to emulate.3

And she did just that. Shortly before Engelbert’s hiring, Silver revealed that the WNBA was actually losing roughly $10 million annually, accumulating nearly $280 million in losses since its inception in 1997.4 However, by 2025, the league generated an estimated $200 million in revenue, unlocking player revenue sharing for the first time. This milestone allowed them to distribute $8 million directly to players across its 13 teams, while allocating an additional $8 million to league marketing agreements.5

Engelbert was also tasked with overseeing the negotiation of two Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) in 2020 and 2026, both of which secured dramatic increases in player salaries and benefits. Before these deals, many players earned less-than-livable wages and were forced to go overseas during the off-season to make ends meet. Under the most recent agreement, top player compensation crossed the $1 million threshold for the first time in league history.6

Speaking of expansion, the WNBA now has 15 teams, up from 12 when Engelbert began her tenure, with plans to expand to 18 by 2030. The addition of six new franchises adds over 70 roster spots, which gives more opportunities to players, both domestic and international. The season will also be longer, as each team will play 50 games starting in 2027, 10 more than they played just two years ago.

The franchises aren’t the only ones expanding—the WNBA office now operates with around 100 employees, representing a 700% jump since 2018. While this is a clear sign of progress, the front office is still missing key leadership roles that could take items off Engelbert’s plate and clearly define what falls under the commissioner’s role and what doesn’t, something no one seems to know.

Perhaps the defining moment of Engelbert’s leadership was navigating the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, a once-in-a-lifetime task. After executing a fully virtual draft in April 2020, the league safely held a shortened 22-game season inside the “Wubble” at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. In addition to executing a safe season with zero reported COVID cases, the league partnered with players to launch the Social Justice Council, dedicating their season to the Black Lives Matter movement and the #SayHerName campaign. During a chaotic year marked by crisis and uncertainty, the “Wubble” provided a platform that proved the WNBA could do more than just survive; it was positioned to thrive for years to come.

The WNBA’s growth under Engelbert is undeniable, and her contributions deserve recognition. Yet, while she played a pivotal role in driving this momentum, it’s equally as important to acknowledge that she didn’t do it alone.

A New Era for Women’s Basketball

The year 2024 saw a renewed interest in women’s basketball. Fans became enamored with high-profile stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and co, and that interest followed them to the pros.

That year’s WNBA Draft averaged nearly 2.5 million viewers—quadrupling the previous record.7 Games featuring Clark’s Indiana Fever and Reese’s Chicago Sky became must-watch television, to the point where the WNBA recorded its highest attendance and viewership since its inaugural 1997 season.8

This is where things take a turn for Engelbert.

More eyes meant more impact, unlocking critical growth across the league and clearing the path for long-overdue changes, like chartered flights, dedicated training facilities and expansion teams. It was a pressure cooker that highlighted Engelbert’s weaknesses: lack of preparation and communication.

Many players claimed that Engelbert’s leadership was reactive—a strategy where you “let it happen, then deal with it.” Instead of anticipating potential issues like online harassment and player safety, she waited for things to escalate before taking several days to craft a response. Her “too little, too late” approach left a sour taste in people’s mouths around the league, and she struggled to recover time and time again.

One of the biggest storylines surrounding Engelbert’s tenure is how she failed to build genuine relationships with players, the people she was hired to represent. Tensions boiled over in September 2025, when Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier blasted the league as having “the worst leadership in the world”—a sentiment shared across the league.9 This was the environment heading into CBA negotiations, which took much longer than anticipated.

By March 2026, just weeks out from the draft and the start of training camp, the upcoming season was in jeopardy.10 Despite the issues, Engelbert maintained a positive outlook, saying she had great rapport with players and even thanked them for making her a “better leader.”

Hopes were high when the CBA was signed and the season tipped off in May, but even as crowds packed into arenas and ratings climbed, Engelbert remained absent. She spent the first half of the season practically ghosting everyone, only breaking her silence with her annual media availability at July’s All-Star Weekend.

And Now We’re Here…

As the league kicks off its search for Engelbert’s successor, two big questions remain:

1. Who will be the replacement?

2. What does the ideal candidate look like?

The first priority will definitely be repairing a fractured relationship with players, because without their buy-in, the league falls apart. Same goes for fostering trust; it is imperative to earn it back before doing anything else.

Of course, they’ll also need someone with a high-business IQ, just like their predecessors who worked at places like Coca-Cola, the PGA Tour and Girl Scouts of America. Financial growth was Engelbert’s strong suit, and she’s passing down a league that looks fantastic on paper.

This person must also be able to step up, back the players, set firm boundaries when needed and clear a path for sustainable growth. They need an open mind, a thick skin for criticism, the humility to delegate and a drive to leave the league stronger than they found it.

That creates immense pressure on the league, as it should. A decision this pivotal cannot be rushed, and the search must thoroughly weigh every stakeholder’s perspective.

I’ll dive into potential candidates down the road, but for now, all eyes should return where they belong: the final stretch of the regular season and the upcoming playoffs.

In fact, alumni from these five schools make up roughly a third of the league this season—and most of them serve as their team’s primary scorer, defensive anchor or lead playmaker. That got me thinking: which of these programs actually produces the most statistical impact at the pro level?

To find out, I stacked up their average points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks so far this season. You can check out the full player list below—the only rule was that a player had to be on a standard contract (no developmental player deals) and have appeared in at least five of their team’s 40 games.

UConn (16): Paige Bueckers (DAL), Azzi Fudd (DAL), Kaitlyn Chen (GS), Serah Williams (POR), Breanna Stewart (NY), Napheesa Collier (MIN), Stefanie Dolson (SEA), Aaliyah Edwards (CON), Tiffany Hayes (GS), Dorka Juhâsz (MIN), Olivia Nelson-Ododa (CON), Kia Nurse (TOR), Katie Lou Samuelson (SEA), Azura Stevens (CHI), Kiah Stokes (GS), Gabby Williams (GS)

South Carolina (11): Laeticia Amihere (GS), Aliyah Boston (IND), Kamilla Cardoso (CHI), Zia Cooke (SEA), Allisha Gray (ATL), Ty Harris (IND), Raven Johnson (IND), Ta’Niya Latson (LV), Madina Okot (ATL), Te-Hina PaoPao (ATL), A’ja Wilson (LV)

UCLA (11): Lauren Betts (WSH), Monique Billings (IND), Kennedy Burke (CON), Jordin Canada (ATL), Angela Dugalić (WSH), Rebekah Gardner (NY), Gabriela Jaquez (CHI), Gianna Kneepkens (CON), Charlisse Leger-Walker (CON), Michaela Onyenwere (WSH), Kiki Rice (TOR)

Notre Dame (11): Sonia Citron (WSH), Skylar Diggins (CHI), Liatu King (MIN), Jewell Loyd (LV), Marina Mabrey (TOR), Kayla McBride (MIN), Arike Ogunbowale (DAL), Cassandre Prosper (WSH), Jessica Shepard (DAL), Brianna Turner (LV), Jackie Young (LV)

Stanford (7): Cameron Brink (LA), Nneka Ogwumike (LA), Nadia Fingall (GS), Lexie Hull (IND), Karlie Samuelson (POR), Alanna Smith (DAL), Kiana Williams (TOR)

My Initial Thoughts/Predictions

Before gathering the data, I wanted to set my predictions for each category. I went with UConn for points mainly because of how many alumni are currently in the league. Rebounds felt obvious for South Carolina—their frontcourt talent speaks for itself. Assists had me torn between Notre Dame and UConn due to their stacked guard play, while steals and blocks went to UConn and UCLA, respectively.

I didn't overthink these guesses; I just went with my immediate instincts. Let's see if those gut feelings actually panned out.2

Points

Well, my UConn pick fell short—Notre Dame actually takes the top spot in points, averaging a dominant 12.1 PPG. UConn sits at a close second (9.9 PPG), with South Carolina right on their heels (9.7 PPG).

Notre Dame’s lead comes down to consistency: seven of their 11 active players average double digits, keeping their baseline extremely high. I assumed UConn would take the cake with heavy hitters like Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Gabby Williams, but the law of averages caught up with them.

UCLA landed in fourth (6.9 PPG), largely because a chunk of their roster consists of rookies who aren't asked to carry the primary scoring load just yet. Stanford rounded out the bottom. That wasn't much of a shocker given they have the smallest pool of players in the sample and only one player averaging double figures each night.

Rebounds

While I got the outcome right with South Carolina leading in rebounds, the actual gap between programs caught me off guard.

South Carolina edged out the top spot with 3.9 RPG, but UConn (3.8 RPG) and Notre Dame (3.7 RPG) made it a close finish. Stanford (3.3 RPG) and UCLA (3.1 RPG) rounded out the bottom two.

Naturally, I expected South Carolina to blow away the competition—after all, they’re essentially a factory for dominant bigs like A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso. But just like with points, mathematical averages are equalizers; elite post players lift the floor, but non-rebounders bring the mean back down to earth.

Assists

I’m counting this as a half-win! I hedged my bet on Notre Dame, and they came through at the top spot with 2.9 assists per game.

UCLA stole second with 2.1 APG, pushing UConn down to third (1.9 APG). While I expected UConn’s guard tradition to carry them, UCLA actually boasts a higher concentration of primary floor generals, while UConn’s WNBA roster features a much broader mix of positions and play styles.

South Carolina landed in fourth, which isn't shocking—their perimeter players lean more "shoot-first" than "pass-first," and their bigs are finishing plays rather than initiating them. Stanford finished last at 1.2 APG, perfectly in line with a small sample size weighted toward post players.

Steals

When it comes to takeaways, all five schools are basically on equal footing. Notre Dame, UCLA and UConn share the top spot averaging 0.8 steals per game, with South Carolina and Stanford sitting just a smidge behind at 0.6 SPG.

I love a high-energy defensive highlight, but generating steals in the WNBA is no easy feat. It’s not surprising to see these numbers stay tightly packed—every single one of these programs produces disciplined, high-IQ defenders who know how to disrupt an offense.

Blocks

It’s safe to say I was way off on my final pick! I tried to mix things up by taking UCLA for blocks, but UConn and South Carolina proved to be the true paint-protectors, co-leading the pack with 0.6 blocks per game. Stanford came in next at 0.4 BPG, followed by UCLA and Notre Dame at 0.3 BPG.

Looking back, betting against South Carolina's frontcourt dominance was definitely a mistake!

Just like steals, these numbers remain close across the board. Blocks are notoriously tough to tally in the WNBA; you typically have a few specialized rim protectors racking up the majority of a team's total while backcourt players rarely log any at all. There are, of course, outliers, but that’s a conversation for a different day!

It’s safe to say I had way too much fun with this one; using data to tell the story of game-changing players is always a blast. Plenty of schools send incredible talent to the big leagues, but these programs are on a completely different level when it comes to roster representation.

I’ll definitely run the numbers again post-season to see how the standings shift, and I might just throw a few more schools into the mix next time.

Alas, the WNBA has not appointed me to their scheduling committee1 so we must move on—by looking back!

Since we are on hiatus, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of some of the best WNBA games from this season, in case anyone wanted to reminisce, or catch up on games they missed.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means, and it’s definitely biased. If you think I missed some great games, comment below so I can add them!

The Best “Rivalries”

5/9: Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever | DAL 107 - IND 104
The first of many battles between the most recent No. 1 draft picks!

6/13: Minnesota Lynx vs. Las Vegas Aces | LVA 100 - MIN 97
Ended an 8-game winning streak for Minnesota, who missed two game-tying 3s.

6/21: New York Liberty vs. Los Angeles Sparks | LA 98 - NY 97
The 29th anniversary of the first ever WNBA game—it had a different ending than the first one!

7/3: Minnesota Lynx vs. New York Liberty | NY 99 - MIN 86
New York beats Minnesota to deny Cheryl Reeve her WNBA wins record

8/6: Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever | LVA 86 - IND 84 (OT)
You’ll honestly just have to see this to believe it!

8/14: Portland Fire vs. Seattle Storm | POR 84 - SEA 82
Fire build early lead to beat the Seattle Storm on the road during rivals week

We Need More Than 40 Minutes

5/15: Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever | WSH 104 - IND 102 (OT)
Caitlin Clark forced OT with a 3-pointer with under 2 seconds left on the clock, but it wasn’t enough to beat the W’s youngest team.

6/10: Connecticut Sun vs. Toronto Tempo | TOR 106 - CON 102 (OT)
Brittney Sykes tied her career high with 38 points!

6/22: Dallas Wings vs. Seattle Storm | DAL 112 - SEA 110
Dominique Malonga scores 37 but falls short to Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings

6/28: Portland Fire vs. Washington Mystics | WSH 124 - POR 123 (4OT)
Two teams battled it out for 1 hour…and one barely squeaked by with a win!

7/3: Chicago Sky vs. Las Vegas Aces | LVA 98 - CHI 90
Aces narrowly beat Sky without A’ja Wilson!

7/20: New York Liberty vs. Dallas Wings | NY 99 - DAL 98
New York snapped four-game skid with win over short-handed Dallas in OT

8/16: Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream | IND 95 - ATL 91 (OT)
Indiana tied the season series 2-2 with an OT win over the Dream in Atlanta

Our Newest Franchises Face Off

7/8: Golden State Valkyries vs. Toronto Tempo | GS 83 - TOR 75
The Valkyries beat one of the newest teams for a 6-game winning streak

8/21: Portland Fire vs. Toronto Tempo | TOR 82 - POR 79
Over 12,000 people came to Vancouver to watch the W’s newest franchises compete for the third and final time this season

Upset Alert!

5/23: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Las Vegas Aces | LA 101 - LVA 95
Erica Wheeler hit go-ahead 3-pointer to seal win over Aces

7/6: Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx | CON 90 - MIN 89
Kennedy Burke hits two late 3-pointers to power Sun in win over Lynx

7/22: Las Vegas Aces vs. Washington Mystics | WSH 100 - LVA 99
Shakira Austin scores 25 including go-ahead three-point play to beat the Aces at home

8/1: Las Vegas Aces vs. Chicago Sky | CHI 84 - LVA 83
Sydney Taylor scores 29 with 3-pointer as time expired to beat Las Vegas

8/7: Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics | WSH 79 - ATL 74
Mystics win sixth straight game after battle with Atlanta

8/18: Los Angeles Sparks vs. Connecticut Sun | CON 85 - LA 77
Sun beats LA in one of the final games at TD Garden

8/21: Golden State Valkyries vs. Chicago Sky | CHI 73 - GS 70
Another 3-pointer by Sydney Taylor clinches win over Valkyries for the Sky

Instant Classics

5/17: Las Vegas Aces vs. Atlanta Dream | LVA 85 - ATL 84
Go-ahead jumper by Chelsea Gray puts Aces in front of Dream with 3.6 seconds left

6/4: Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx | MIN 87 - GS 84
Olivia Miles set WNBA rookie record with eight 3-pointers in win over Valkyries

6/8: Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics | IND 78 - WSH 76
Caitlin Clark’s 3-pointer off an inbound pass with 1.2 seconds left powered Fever over Washington

6/17: New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky | NY 96 - CHI 95
Sabrina Ionescu hits game-winner with 10 seconds left to lift Liberty over Sky

7/4: Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream | GS 88 - ATL 83
Valkyries sweep the series versus the Dream in Atlanta

7/11: New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx | MIN 90 - NY 85
Kayla McBride scores 14 points in fourth quarter to lead Lynx over Liberty

8/8: Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky | IND 90 - CHI 86
Technicals, ejections, high-octane offense…what more could you want?

(Some of) Allison’s Favorites For Each Team (Not Already Mentioned!)

Minnesota Lynx: 8/15 vs. Las Vegas Aces | MIN 92 - LVA 87
Free throws by Kayla McBride started 8-0 run to power Lynx past Aces

Golden State Valkyries: 5/28 vs. Indiana Fever | GS 90 - IND 88
Valkyries hold off Fever in narrow road win

Las Vegas Aces: 5/15 vs. Connecticut Sun | LVA 101 - CON 94
A’ja Wilson scored nearly half of Aces’ 101 points in win over Sun

Atlanta Dream: 7/19 vs. Chicago Sky | ATL 93 - CHI 91
Jordin Canada’s buzzer-beater seals win for Dream over Chicago without Angel Reese

Indiana Fever: 6/16 vs. Toronto Tempo | IND 113 - TOR 91
Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 on 82% shooting to lift Fever over Tempo at home

New York Liberty: 5/10 vs. Washington Mystics | NY 98 - WSH 93
Marine Johannes hit six 3-pointers to narrowly beat Mystics in OT on the road

Washington Mystics: 6/12 vs. Toronto Tempo | WSH 86 - TOR 85
Sonia Citron hits buzzer-beater to take down Toronto Tempo at home

Dallas Wings: 5/24 vs. New York Liberty | DAL 91 - NY 76
Azzi Fudd scored 17 points in the 3rd quarter to power Wings over Liberty

Portland Fire: 5/18 vs. Connecticut Sun | POR 83 - CON 82
Sug Sutton makes go-ahead floater to help Fire earn their first win back

Chicago Sky: 8/18 vs. New York Liberty | CHI 93 - NY 86
Natasha Cloud scores career-high 35 points in Sky’s win over Liberty

Los Angeles Sparks: 6/13 vs. Phoenix Mercury | LA 111 - PHO 102
Sparks outscore Mercury 13-4 in Overtime to win on the road

Phoenix Mercury: 5/9 vs. Las Vegas Aces | PHO 99 - LVA 66
Mercury spoils LV’s ring ceremony with blowout win to start the season

Toronto Tempo: 7/12 vs. New York Liberty | TOR 93 - NY 91
Tempo nearly blow 20-point lead but hang on behind Marina Mabrey’s 30 points to beat the Liberty in Montreal

Connecticut Sun: 5/20 vs. Seattle Storm | CON 80 - SEA 78
Connecticut wins first game of the season thanks to Kennedy Burke’s three-point play in waning seconds

Seattle Storm: 7/6 vs. Los Angeles Sparks | SEA 82 - LA 64
Flau’jae Johnson scores 23 to help the Storm beat the Sparks on the road

There you have it, over 40 WNBA games you can (re)watch during the World Cup break. If you need me, I’ll definitely be on the couch watching these!

Well, it’s official: The FIBA break is upon us, which means we won’t see another WNBA game for 16 days. Luckily, the FIBA World Cup starts on September 4th, so there will still be women’s basketball to watch!

Since there aren’t any W games to predict, I changed that section to highlight the World Cup rosters & scheduled games. I really don’t know enough about the international teams to make any educated predictions, so you won’t see those for the time being.

I hope you enjoy this shortened version of Her Weekly Playbook!

✨ Main Character Energy

Allison’s Players of the Week:

• Emily Engstler, Portland Fire

  • Friday against Atlanta: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 blocks, 1 assist, 11/14 FG (78%), 3/5 3P(60%)

• Georgia Amoore, Washington Mystics

  • Thursday against Phoenix: 25 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 9/16 FG (56%), 6/11 3P (54%)

• Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut Sun

  • Tuesday against Chicago: 26 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 11/16 FG (69%), 4/6 FT (67%)

🔮 FIBA Rosters & Schedule

United States

Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, Jackie Young, Sonia Citron & Kiki Iriafen1

• September 4th: USA vs. China

• September 6th: USA vs. Italy

• September 7th: USA vs. Czechia

Australia

Zitina Aokuso, Chloe Bibby2, Isobel Borlase, Isabelle Bourne, Alex Fowler, Ezi Magbegor, Jade Melbourne, Steph Reid, Alanna Smith, Steph Talbot, Miela Sowah, Alex Wilson

• September 4th: Australia vs. Puerto Rico

• September 6th: Australia vs. Turkiye

• September 7th: Australia vs. Belgium

Belgium

Emma Meesseman, Julie Vanloo, Julie Allemand, Kyara Linskens, Antonia Delaere, Nastja Classens, Maxuella Lisowa-Mbaka, Elise Ramette, Billie Massey, Becky Massey, Alicia Courthiau, Bethy Mununga

• September 4th: Belgium vs. Turkiye

• September 6th: Belgium vs. Puerto Rico

• September 7th: Belgium vs. Australia

China

Yuan Li, Siyu Wang, Manman Zhang, Yujie Chen, Yu Sun, Yuqian Li, Xinyu Luo, Saiqi Jia, Ziting Tang, Ziyu Zhang, Yutong Liu, Shuyu Yang, Mingling Chen, Yueru Li, Xu Han, Yuting Deng, Jiali Zhong

• September 4th: China vs. USA

• September 6th: China vs. Czechia

• September 7th: China vs. Italy

Czechia

Eliska Hamzova, Katerina Zeithammerova, Gabriela Andelova, Katerina Kalna, Natalie Stoupalova, Natalie Koucka, Julie Pospisilova, Alena Hanusova, Veronika Vorackova, Petra Malikova, Monika Fucikova, Petra Holesinksa

• September 4th: Czechia vs. Italy

• September 6th: Czechia vs. China

• September 7th: Czechia vs. USA

France

Pauline Astier, Valeriane Ayayi, Marieme Badiane, Romane Bernies, Aminata Gueye, Marine Johannes, Leila Lacan, Carla Leite, Dominique Malonga, Janelle Salaun, Migna Toure, Gabby Williams

• September 4th: France vs. Hungary

• September 5th: France vs. Korea

• September 7th: France vs. Nigeria

Germany

Frieda Bühner, Leonie Fiebich, Luisa Geiselsoder, Nyara Sabally, Emily Bessoir, Clara Bielefeld, Patricia Brossmann, Britta Daub, Emma Eichmeyer, Lina Falk, Marie Guelich, Alina Hartmann, Alexis Peterson, Sarah Polleros, Nina Rosemeyer, Lina Sontag, Paula Wenemoser, Alexandra Wilke, Laura Zolper, Jennifer Crowder, Henela Englisch, Skye Belker, Elea Gaba

• September 4th: Germany vs. Spain

• September 5th: Germany vs. Japan

• September 7th: Germany vs. Mali

Hungary

Nina Aho, Tyra Aho, Barbara Angyal, Dominika Baa, Julia Boros, Reka Dombai, Panka Dul, Livia Gereben, Kinga Josepovits, Dorka Juhasz, Veronika Kanyasi, Lili Krasovec, Sara Laczko, Reka Lelik, Melinda Miklos, Eszter Ratkai, Zsuzsanna Sitku, Agnes Studer, Judit Szeki-Barnai, Greta Szucs, Virag Takacs-Kiss, Frank Toth, Agnes Torok, Yvonne Turner, Aliz Varga

• September 4th: Hungary vs. France

• September 5th: Hungary vs. Nigeria

• September 7th: Hungary vs. Korea

Italy

Jasmine Keys, Matilde Villa, Francesca Pasa, Carlotta Zanardi, Costanza Verona, Caterina Gilli, Francesca Pan, Lorela Cubaj, Sara Madera, Mariella Santucci, Martina Fassina, Cristina Osazuwa, Francesca Leonardi, Olibs Andre, Laura Spreafico, Ilaria Panzera, Vittoria Blasigh, Martina Kacerik, Cecilia Zandalasini

• September 4th: Italy vs. Czechia

• September 6th: Italy vs. USA

• September 7th: Italy vs. China

Japan

Norika Konno, Stephanie Mawuli, Otoha Goto, Maki Takada, Ramu Tokashiki, Rui Machida, Azusa Asahina, Mai Yamamoto, Kokoro Tanaka, Saki Hayashi, Yuki Miyazawa, Nanako Todo

• September 4th: Japan vs. Mali

• September 5th: Japan vs. Germany

• September 7th: Japan vs. Spain

Korea

Heji An, Isaem Choi, Yeeun Heo, Yusun Hong, An Jin, Leeseul Kang, Yoolim Kang, Haeran Lee, Sohee Lee, Jihyun Park, Sohee Park, Hyun Jeong

• September 4th: Korea vs. Nigeria

• September 5th: Korea vs. France

• September 7th: Korea vs. Hungary

Mali

Rokia Doumbia, Foune Sissoko, Aminata Samassekou, Fatoumata Sanou, Fanta Kone, Diaba Konate, Djeneba N’Diaye, Djeneba Sangare, Diarrah I. Sissoko, Kamite Elisabeth Dabou, Mama Sidiki Doumbia, Maimouna Haidara, Aminata Brahima Sangare, Sira Thienou, Fatoumata Niambele, Kadidia Maiga, Sika Kone, Alima Gnere Dembele, Mariam Alou Coulibaly, Aissetou Coulibaly, Mama Cisse, Diana Balayera, Lala Toure

• September 4th: Mali vs. Japan

• September 5th: Mali vs. Spain

• September 7th: Mali vs. Germany

Nigeria

Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Grace Efosa-Aguebor, Murjanatu Musa, Rita Igbokwe, Jordan Obi, Ifunanya Okoro, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Nora Ezike, Nicole Enabosi, Uche Izoje, Victoria Macaulay, Maryam Dauda, Gabby White, Idubamo Beggi

• September 4th: Nigeria vs. Korea

• September 5th: Nigeria vs. Hungary

• September 7th: Nigeria vs. France

Puerto Rico

Jacqueline Benitez, Nina De Leon, Zada Gonzalez, Arella Guirantes, Brianna Jones, Imani McGee-Stafford, Tayra Melendez, India Pagan, Sofia Roma, Pamela Rosado, Trinity San Antonio, Denise Solis

• September 4th: Puerto Rico vs. Australia

• September 6th: Puerto Rico vs. Belgium

• September 7th: Puerto Rico vs. Turkiye

Spain

Alba Torrens, Maria Conde, Paula Ginzo, Maite Cazorla, Raquel Carrera, Maria Araujo, Andrea Vilaro, Mariona Ortiz, Irati Etxarri, Awa Fam, Aina Ayuso, Helena Pueyo, Iyana Martin, Elena Buenavida, Megan DiLeo, Lola Pendande, Nerea Hermosa, Txell Alarcon, Alicia Florez, Carolina Guerrero, Marta Garcia

• September 4th: Spain vs. Germany

• September 5th: Spain vs. Mali

• September 7th: Spain vs. Japan

Turkiye

Esra Ural, Sinem Atas, Kennedy Burke, Aysenaz Harma, Melek Uzunoglu, Berfin Sertoglu, Ceren Akpinar, Tuana Aysegul Vural, Manolya Kurtulmus, Olcay Cakir Turgut, Serife Alperi Onar, Zeynep Sevval Gul, Sevgi Uzun, Ayse Cora Yamaner, Derin Erdogan, Elif Bayram, Goksen Fitik, Sude Yilmaz, Tilbe Senyurek Arslan, Elif Instanbulluoglu

• September 4th: Turkiye vs. Belgium

• September 6th: Turkiye vs. Australia

• September 7th: Turkiye vs. Puerto Rico

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx: 31-9 (0-2)3

2. Golden State Valkyries: 29-11 (4-0)

3. Las Vegas Aces: 27-13 (1-0)

4. Atlanta Dream: 26-14 (2-1)

5. Indiana Fever: 26-14 (1-0)

6. New York Liberty: 24-16 (1-1)

7. Washington Mystics: 24-16 (2-1)

8. Dallas Wings: 24-16 (2-0)

9. Portland Fire: 16-24 (1-2)

10. Chicago Sky: 15-25 (0-2)

11. Los Angeles Sparks: 15-25 (2-1)

12. Phoenix Mercury: 14-26 (1-2)

13. Toronto Tempo: 11-29 (0-3)

14. Connecticut Sun: 10-30 (1-3)

15. Seattle Storm: 8-32 (1-1)

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. Allison: 14-5 | Overall: 186-96 (66%) 🎉4

2. ESPN: 12-7 | Overall: 180-75 (71%)

3. Wheel: 10-9 | Overall: 141-114 (55%)

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker

• Clinched Playoff Berth: Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, Atlanta Dream, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever

• Eliminated From Playoffs: Seattle Storm, Connecticut Sun, Portland Fire, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Toronto Tempo, Phoenix Mercury

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• 2026 FIBA World Cup U.S. Roster Changes

  • A’ja Wilson & Kelsey Plum will no longer compete for Team USA in the 2026 FIBA World Cup due to health issues

  • Kiki Iriafen & Sonia Citron (Washington) have been named as their replacements

• Kelsey Plum’s Season is Over

  • The Mercury announced that G Kelsey Plum will miss the remainder of the 2026 season due to a lower leg injury

• Angel Reese Breaks WNBA Record with 29th Double-Double

  • Reese earned her 29th double-double of the season on Sunday against the Minnesota Lynx, finishing with 15 points & 11 rebounds to pass Alyssa Thomas

  • Two other Dream players also had double-doubles: Jordin Canada (16 points, 10 assists) & Allisha Gray (23 points, 11 rebounds)

• Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell Make WNBA History

  • Clark & Mitchell each scored 34 points on Friday against the Connecticut Sun; first time in WNBA history the same teammates have scored at least 30 points in consecutive games

  • Clark added 12 assists, marking her fifth double-double with at least 30 points + 10 assists this season

  • Mitchell earned her 24th straight 20+-point game

• Aces Forward NaLyssa Smith Out for Season

  • Smith sustained a non-contact left leg injury on Sunday, August 23rd against the Toronto Tempo

  • Smith started 38 games this season, averaging 11.7 points & 6.4 rebounds, shooting nearly 64% from the field

• DeWanna Bonner Signs with Atlanta Dream

  • The Phoenix Mercury bought out her contract early last week, she will earn the prorated maximum ($116,000) for the rest of the season with Atlanta

  • Bonner brings experience as a 2x WNBA Champion & 6x All-Star

• Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky Matchup Makes Records

  • The 8/23 game between the Fever & Sky averaged 3.31 million viewers on NBC & Peacock, making it the most-watched regular-season WNBA game since the league’s first season in 1997

  • Also the third-most-watched regular-season game ever, peaking at 3.82 million viewers, only behind the 1997 opening weekend games

• More WNBA Movement/Transactions

  • August 29th: Aces signed C Kalani Brown to a rest-of-season hardship contract; Sparks acquired G/F Aaliyah Nye off waivers, waived F Alissa Pili & G Kate Martin

  • August 27th: Dream released G Jaylyn Sherrod & waived G/F Aaliyah Nye

  • August 26th: Sun signed G Hailey Van Lith to a seven-day contract

  • August 25th: Mercury signed F Saylor Poffenbarger to seven-day contract

  • August 24th: Tempo signed G Kiana Williams to seven-day contract; Mercury waiver DeWanna Bonner

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• September 4th: USA vs. China

• September 6th: USA vs. Italy

• September 7th: USA vs. Czechia

That’s all from me! Stay tuned for a lot of exciting content coming your way during the FIBA Break :)

Sincerely,
Allison

We are officially down to the last week of WNBA games before the FIBA Break, which takes place from August 31st-September 16th. Regular-season play resumes on the 17th, and will go through the 24th, with the Playoffs starting on September 27th. If you’re sitting there thinking, “that’s odd timing!”—you’re right!

The FIBA World Cup takes place in September because the winter and spring/early summer months are already booked with international play and the WNBA. Since there’s quite a lot of overlap between WNBA players and those representing their countries in the World Cup, the league had no choice but to take a two-week break to accommodate the event. Don’t worry though, the 2030 FIBA World Cup will take place in late November, so this is an isolated incident.

I will also have plenty of women’s basketball/WNBA-related content coming during the break, so between that & the World Cup, you’ll survive, I promise :)

For now, let’s focus on the 19 games we have coming up this week!

✨ Main Character Energy

Allison’s Players of the Week:

• Awak Kuier, Dallas Wings

  • Thursday against Fever: 11 points, 8 rebounds, 7 blocks, 4 assists, 1 steal on 50% from the field

  • Set new career high in blocks

• Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever

  • Last 3 Games: 30.3 points, 3.7 assists, 1 steal, 59% from the field, 58% from 3-pt, 92% from FT line

  • Set new WNBA Record: 22 consecutive games with 20+ points

• Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream

  • 8/20 vs. Sparks: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 100% from the field (including two 3-pointers)—third WNBA player ever to score 20+ points while being perfect from the field

  • 8/22 vs. Mercury: 31 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, 14/21 FG (67%)—set new career-high in points, helped Dream clinch playoffs spot

• Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics

  • Last 3 Games: 19.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1 steal, 1.3 blocks, 46.7% from field

• Natasha Cloud, Chicago Sky

  • 8/18 vs. Liberty: 35 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 62% from field, 50% from 3-pt, 83% from FT line

🔮 The Crystal Ball ~ Weekly Predictions

Monday, August 24th

Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx (-5.5) | 8:00 pm ET | USA Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Lynx ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Lynx (58.3%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Lynx ❌

• 2026 Record: Valkyries: 25-11 | Lynx: 31-7

• 2026 Matchups: 3-0 MIN

• Injuries:

  • Valkyries: None :)

  • Lynx: Courtney Williams: out

Atlanta Dream (-8.5) vs. Los Angeles Sparks | 10:00 pm ET | Peacock/NBC Sports Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (71.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sparks ❌

• 2026 Record: Dream: 24-13 | Sparks: 13-24

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 ATL

• Injuries:

  • Dream: Brionna Jones: out

  • Sparks: Rae Burrell: questionable

Tuesday, August 25th

Chicago Sky (-4.5) vs. Connecticut Sun | 7:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Sky ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Sky (55.7%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sky ❌

• 2026 Record: Sky: 15-23 | Sun: 9-27

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 CHI

• Injuries:

  • Sky: Skylar Diggins: OUT

  • Sun: Leila Lacan: OUT; Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Brittney Griner: questionable

Portland Fire vs. Dallas Wings (-7.5) | 8:00 pm ET | NBA TV

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Wings (84%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Wings ✔️

• 2026 Record: Fire: 15-22 | Wings: 22-16

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Fire: Luisa Geiselsoder, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Sania Feagin: OFS

  • Wings: Azzi Fudd: OFS; Costanza Verona, Aziaha James: OUT

Washington Mystics (-2.5) vs. Phoenix Mercury | 10:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mercury (51.6%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mystics ✔️

• 2026 Record: Mystics: 22-15 | Mercury: 13-24

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 WSH

• Injuries:

  • Mystics: None

  • Mercury: Jovana Nogic: OFS; Marta Suarez: OUT; Sami Whitcomb: probable

Wednesday, August 26th

Golden State Valkyries (-9.5) vs. Connecticut Sun | 7:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (83.5%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Record: Valkyries: 26-11 | Sun: 10-27

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 GS

• Injuries:

  • Valkyries: Iliana Rupert: OFS

  • Sun: Leila Lacan: OUT; Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Brittney Griner, Rayah Marshall: TBD

Toronto Tempo vs. Seattle Storm (-3.5) | 10:00 pm ET | USA Network

• Allison’s Prediction: Storm ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Storm (62.8%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Storm ✔️

• 2026 Record: Tempo: 11-26 | Storm: 7-31

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 TOR

• Injuries:

  • Tempo: Aneesah Morrow, Brittney Sykes: OFS; Marina Mabrey, Julie Allemand: OUT; Maria Conde: questionable

  • Storm: Natisha Hiedeman: OUT; Flau’jae Johnson: probable

Thursday, August 27th

Golden State Valkyries vs. New York Liberty (-1.5) | 8:00 pm ET | Prime Video

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (51.6%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Liberty ❌

• 2026 Record: Valkyries: 27-11 | Liberty: 23-15

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 GS

• Injuries:

  • Valkyries: Iliana Rupert: OFS

  • Liberty: Satou Sabally: OUT

Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury | 10:00 pm ET | Prime Video

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mercury (51.6%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mercury ❌

• 2026 Record: Mystics: 23-15 | Mercury: 13-25

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 WSH

• Injuries:

  • Mystics: None :)

  • Mercury: Jovana Nogic: OFS; Marta Suarez, Kyara Linskens: OUT; Kelsey Plum: questionable

Friday, August 28th

Portland Fire vs. Atlanta Dream (-12.5) | 7:30 pm ET | ION

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (87.5%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ❌

• 2026 Record: Fire: 15-23 | Dream: 25-13

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Fire: Sania Feagin, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Luisa Geiselsoder: OFS; Frieda Buhner: OUT; Serah Williams: questionable

  • Dream: DeWanna Bonner & Brionna Jones: OUT

Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever (-17.5) | 7:30 pm ET | ION

• Allison’s Prediction: Fever ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Fever (86.4%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sun ❌

• 2026 Record: Sun: 10-28 | Fever: 25-14

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 IND

• Injuries:

  • Sun: Leila Lacan, Kennedy Burke, Brittney Griner: OUT; Olivia Nelson-Ododa: questionable

  • Fever: Caitlin Clark: probable

Toronto Tempo vs. Las Vegas Aces (-13.5) | 10:00 pm ET | ION

• Allison’s Prediction: Aces ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Aces (87.2%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Aces ✔️

• 2026 Record: Tempo: 11-27 | Aces: 26-13

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 LV

• Injuries:

  • Tempo: Marina Mabrey, Julie Allemand, Maria Conde, Nyara Sabally: OUT; Isabelle Harrison: questionable

  • Aces: NaLyssa Smith: OFS; A’ja Wilson & Dana Evans: questionable

Washington Mystics (-5.5) vs. Los Angeles Sparks | 10:00 pm ET | ION

• Allison’s Prediction: Mystics ❎

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mystics (55.2%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mystics ❌

• 2026 Record: Mystics: 24-15 | Sparks: 13-25

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Mystics: None :)

  • Sparks: Emma Cannon: probable

Saturday, August 29th

Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty (-8.5) | 1:00 pm ET | CBS/Paramount+

• Allison’s Prediction: Liberty ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Liberty (78.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Liberty ✔️

• 2026 Record: Sky: 15-24 | Liberty: 23-16

• 2026 Matchups: 2-1 NY

• Injuries:

  • Sky: Rickea Jackson: OFS; DiJonai Carrington, Skylar Diggins: OUT; Natasha Cloud: questionable

  • Liberty: Satou Sabally: OUT

Toronto Tempo vs. Phoenix Mercury (-9.5) | 10:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Mercury ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Mercury (73.5%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Mercury ✔️

• 2026 Record: Tempo: 11-28 | Mercury: 13-26

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries:

  • Tempo: Aneesah Morrow, Brittney Sykes: OFS; Nyara Sabally, Maria Conde, Julie Allemand, Marina Mabrey: OUT

  • Mercury: Kelsey Plum, Valeriane Ayayi, Kyara Linskens: OUT; Marta Suarez: questionable; Kahleah Copper: probable

Sunday, August 30th

Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream | 3:00 pm ET | NBA TV

• Allison’s Prediction: Dream ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Dream (52.8%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Dream ✔️

• 2026 Record: Lynx: 31-8 | Dream: 25-14

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries: TBD

Los Angeles Sparks vs. Seattle Storm | 5:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Sparks ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Storm (52.3%) ❌

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sparks ✔️

• 2026 Record: Sparks: 14-25 | Storm: 8-31

• 2026 Matchups: 1-1

• Injuries: TBD

Golden State Valkyries vs. Portland Fire | 7:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Valkyries ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Valkyries (81.9%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Valkyries ✔️

• 2026 Record: Valkyries: 28-11 | Fire: 16-23

• 2026 Matchups: 1-0 GS

• Injuries:

  • Valkyries: Iliana Rupert: OFS; Gabby Williams, Janelle Salaun, Cecilia Zandalasini: OUT

  • Fire: Sarah Ashlee Barker, Luisa Geiselsoder: OFS; Frieda Buhner, Carla Leite: OUT; Karlie Samuelson: DD

Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings | 8:00 pm ET | WNBA League Pass

• Allison’s Prediction: Wings ✅

• ESPN’s Prediction: Wings (84.1%) ✔️

• Wheel’s Prediction: Sun ❌

• 2026 Record: Sun: 10-29 | Wings: 23-16

• 2026 Matchups: 2-0 DAL

• Injuries:

  • Sun: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Brittney Griner, Kennedy Burke, Leila Lacan: OUT

  • Wings: Azzi Fudd: OFS; Constanza Verona: OUT

🪜 Climbing the Ladder (Or Falling Off) ~ WNBA Standings

1. Minnesota Lynx: 31-7 (2-0)

2. Golden State Valkyries: 25-11 (1-2)

3. Las Vegas Aces: 26-13 (2-1)

4. Atlanta Dream: 24-13 (3-0)

5. Indiana Fever: 25-14 (2-2)

6. New York Liberty: 23-15 (1-1)

7. Washington Mystics: 22-15 (2-1)

8. Dallas Wings: 22-16 (2-1)

9. Portland Fire: 15-22 (0-2)

10. Chicago Sky: 15-23 (2-1)

11. Los Angeles Sparks: 13-24 (1-2)

12. Phoenix Mercury: 13-24 (0-0)

13. Toronto Tempo: 11-26 (1-3)

14. Connecticut Sun: 9-27 (1-2)

15. Seattle Storm: 7-30 (0-0)

✨ Vibe Check ~ How Am I Doing?

1. ESPN: 15-5 | Overall: 168-68 (72%)

2. Allison: 14-6 | Overall: 172-91 (65%)

3. Wheel: 10-10 | Overall: 131-105

📈 2026 Playoffs Tracker

• Clinched Playoff Berth: Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, Washington Mystics, New York Liberty

• Eliminated From Playoffs: Seattle Storm, Connecticut Sun, Toronto Tempo, Phoenix Mercury, Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky

• In The Hunt: Dallas Wings

• Long Shots: Portland Fire

🗞️ Overheard at the Scorer’s Table ~ WNBA News

• Nneka Ogwumike Announced Retirement After 2026 Season

  • 15 seasons in WNBA, current WNBPA President (since 2016)

  • 11x All-Star, 8x All-WNBA Team (1st & 2nd), 7x All-Defensive Team (1st & 2nd), 4x WNBA Sportsmanship Award, 2016 WNBA MVP, 2012 Rookie of the Year & All-Rookie Team, Los Angeles Sparks All-Time Leading Scorer, 2012 #1 Overall Pick

• Angel Reese Scores Career-High After Perfect Game

  • 8/22: Reese scored 31 points (14/21) & grabbed 14 rebounds to set a new career-high in points & earn her 25th double-double of the season

  • 8/20: Reese went 9-of-9 from the field against the Sparks (20 points) - third WNBA player to score 20+ points on perfect shooting

• WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Calls Out “Haters”

  • Engelbert said people are trying to “sow divisiveness” in the league surrounding the eligibility of transgender athletes

  • Engelbert & NBA Commissioner Adam Silver both said the WNBA has been used as a “political football” for people who aren’t fans of the league

• Azzi Fudd Out For Season, Undergoing Procedure on Knee

  • 2026 No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on her right knee and miss the remainder of the season

  • Fudd last played on August 5th in Washington, DC, her hometown

  • She first tore her ACL & MCL in 2019, then re-tore her ACL & meniscus in 2023

  • Fudd averaged 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.7 steals & lead the Wings with a +13.1 net rating; ranked first in made 3-pointers among first-year players; became first rookie in league history to win the WNBA 3-pt contest in July

• Marc Stad Becomes Controlling Stake in Timberwolves, Lynx

  • American businessman Marc Stad completed a deal to become the controlling owner/largest shareholder of the Minnesota Lynx and their NBA counterpart, the Timberwolves;

  • Stad bought the majority of co-owner Marc Lore’s stake; Lore will retain a minority investment in the teams, fellow co-ownder Alex Rodriguez increased equity stake

  • The deal is valued at $4.5 billion

🍿 Clear Your Calendar ~ My Watchlist

• August 24th: Golden State Valkyries vs. Minnesota Lynx

• August 25th: Portland Fire vs. Dallas Wings

• August 27th: Golden State Valkyries vs. New York Liberty

• August 29th: Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty

• August 30th: Minnesota Lynx vs. Atlanta Dream

That’s all from me! Enjoy the last full week of WNBA games before the FIBA Break!

Sincerely,
Allison