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9. Sophie Cunningham, 8. Li Meng, 7. Jewell Loyd, 6. Kamilla Cardoso... November 28, 2025 Ranking the Players Committed to Project B (So Far) EJ Arocho 1. Alyssa Thomas One of the most complete games in women's basketball; all-court game. Defensive and two-way impact. Elite playmaker. 2. Kelsey Mitchell Electric with elite scoring; devastating 3-point range. One of the quickest guards in the world, especially in transition. Ridiculously high motor. 3. Nneka Ogwumike Extremely efficient; remarkable consistency. Legitimate (and dangerous) 3-level scorer. A leader on the court with a very high basketball IQ. 4. Jonquel Jones One of the most versatile players in the world. Mismatch for so many defenders; size + inside-out scoring. Dominant force on the glass & rim protector; 6'6" with a 6'10" wingspan. 5. Janelle Salaun Dangerous 3-point shooter. Exceptional versatility as a two-way forward. Not afraid of the big moments. 6. Kamilla Cardoso 6'7" height you just can't teach. Excellent speed and stamina for her size. Strong finisher at the rim, especially through contact. 7. Jewell Loyd Championship pedigree; major contributor in all 3 WNBA Chips. Clutch performer; thrives in the biggest moments. Strong handles. 8. Li Meng Stretches the floor with her excellent 3-point shooter. Historically has always been the premier scorer for her Chinese national team. Aggressive attacking the rim. 9. Sophie Cunningham Tenacious and physical guard. Consistent perimeter threat; floor spacer. Takes on tough defensive assignments. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author EJ Arocho is Mr. Women’s Basketball and lives in New Jersey. Lives by the shore but looking to make waves everywhere!

Let's Fantasy Game is a vibrant, safe, and supportive online community dedicated to fans of women's sports. With a focus on empowering women athletes and offering a wealth of engaging content. Be in the KNow All of Our Latest News & Insights VIDEOS Articles Read More November 28, 2025 Ranking the Players Committed to Project B (So Far) EJ Arocho 9. Sophie Cunningham, 8. Li Meng, 7. Jewell Loyd, 6. Kamilla Cardoso... Read More November 27, 2025 What the Chris DeMarco Hire Means for Fantasy Steve Pimental Our long national nightmare is over. A month after all the other WNBA teams filled their coaching vacancies, the Liberty hired longtime Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco... Read More November 25, 2025 What the WNBA Draft Lottery Means for Each Team Steve Pimental While it is too early to speculate on which players will be chosen with these lottery picks, this is the perfect time to explore the options each team has with its picks. Read More November 21, 2025 Looking Ahead: Top 10 Breakout WNBA Players Next Season EJ Arocho If Unrivaled taught us anything earlier this year, it's that a fully healthy Aaliyah Edwards can flat out hoop! Read More November 20, 2025 Four Players Who Could Expand Their Game Next Season Steve Pimental The introduction of Unrivaled, as well as other revenue streams, has helped to give WNBA players more time to rest, recover, and work on their game than in years past... Read More November 19, 2025 In The Know W/ MK Bula MK Bula I definitely knew I wanted to get into coaching because I truly enjoy the strategy of the game. However, I didn’t expect it to come so quickly after playing so I had some imposter syndrome when I was hired. Read More November 18, 2025 5 WNBA Players Who Could Use a Change of Scenery Steve Pimental ...just because players and teams want to stay where they are, that doesn’t mean that they should. Every year, some players could benefit from playing in a new city, with a new coach, or surrounded by different teammates. Here are five players I would like to see change teams this offseason. Read More November 14, 2025 Unrivaled Top 10 Must See Matchups & Predictions EJ Arocho Read More November 13, 2025 Notable Three-Point Attempt Leaders to Watch This Offseason Steve Pimental If a player is only taking a couple of threes per game, they’re not going to get guarded out there no matter how high their percentage is. On the team level, the four teams that attempted the fewest threes all missed the playoffs, but the Valkyries made the playoffs by shooting the most threes despite having the third-lowest three-point percentage. With so many players potentially changing teams this offseason, I’m going to watch to see where these notable three-point shooters wind up. Read More November 11, 2025 Nine Players to Watch at The ANNIKA Steve Pimental Unlike most weeks when the focus is mostly on the top of the leaderboard, this tournament will feature intriguing storylines up and down as players look to earn the last few points that could secure their place in the last tournament of the year. All four days of the tournament will be televised on The Golf Channel and these are the nine players I’m most excited to watch this week. Read More November 7, 2025 Unrivaled Season 2 Projections EJ Arocho Mr. Women's Basketball's Preseason Rankings, POY, & DPOY watchlists heading into a highly anticipated second season of Unrivaled. Read More November 6, 2025 Why The WNBA Should Change Its Schedule Steve Pimental My number one sports take, which I have just been dying to write about since I was asked to join LFG, is that the WNBA and NWSL are playing in the wrong time of year. I am convinced both leagues should play in the winter, like nearly all the other professional leagues in those sports. We will almost certainly explore the NSWL side of that equation in a future article, but for today, I present my six reasons why I believe the WNBA should change to a winter schedule... Read More November 4, 2025 Four Strategy Adjustments That Could Be Coming to the WNBA Steve Pimental That will almost certainly inform the product we see on WNBA courts next season. While I pass the time waiting for the WNBA and the WNBPA to reach a new collective bargaining agreement by watching NBA basketball, I can’t help but wonder if the trends we’re seeing in the men’s game will carry over to the WNBA. Here are four trends I expect to see in the WNBA next season. Read More October 31, 2025 Way-Too-Early 2026 WNBA Predictions EJ Arocho Vegas Goes Back-to-Back! A'ja is in her prime and not slowing down. Head and shoulders the best player on the planet and maybe the only player who can single-handedly win games for her team....With all this success, I don't anticipate Vegas's core going anywhere any time soon... Read More October 30, 2025 What Will These New WNBA Coaches Bring To Their Teams And The League? Steve Pimental Two more pieces of the WNBA coaching puzzle fell into place this week as the Dallas Wings and Seattle Storm both filled their coaching vacancies. With four of the five open positions filled thus far, each team has gone in a different direction, while nonetheless furthering the hiring trends we have seen in recent years. As we did last week for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire hires, let’s take a look at what these new coaches will bring to their teams and the WNBA at large. Read More October 28, 2025 Don't Sleep On These Rookies in 2026 Steve Pimental At some point this off-season, the league and the Players' Association will agree on a new collective bargaining agreement, and then it will be full speed ahead to the draft lottery, expansion draft, and free agency. That makes now the perfect time to look at some forgotten players from the 2025 WNBA Draft...Before they get lost in the shuffle with the 2026 draft class, I want to take this opportunity to look at what we can expect from these players when they make their long-awaited WNBA debuts. Read More October 27, 2025 WTA Hong Kong Open, Jiangxi Open and Chennai Open Previews Sasha Yodashkin Women’s WTA 250 previews: Hong Kong, Jiangxi & Chennai Opens—find the top contenders, dark horses and favorites. Women's main draw play at the 2025 Hong Kong Open, 2025 Jiangxi Open and 2025 Chennai Open will begin Monday, Oct. 27. All three are WTA 250 events with 32-player draws played on outdoor hard courts. The biggest names on the WTA Tour are preparing for the WTA Finals, which begin Nov. 1, so these three events present opportunities for some other players to shine. The Hong Kong Open has the most high-profile field of this week's three tournaments, with four top-25 players in the draw. Below are the top title contenders and dark horses for the 2025 Hong Kong Open, Jiangxi Open and Chennai Open. Read More October 24, 2025 Way-Too-Early 2026 WNBA Mock Draft EJ Arocho Read More October 23, 2025 What Do the New Coaching Hires Mean for the WNBA? Steve Pimental With the entire WNBA offseason on hold while we await a new collective bargaining agreement, the WNBA coaching carousel is in full swing. Five teams entered the offseason needing new coaches... Read More October 21, 2025 Five Players To Watch During the WNBA Offseason Steve Pimental One of the benefits of expansion is that WNBA fans get to see a lot of quality basketball players who otherwise wouldn’t have found roster spots. Some of those spots will go to rookies who in previous years wouldn’t have made the team, but a lot of those spots will go to players who were out of the league but made a big impact when given a chance...Today, with leagues around the world well underway, we have identified 5 more players who could get a chance in the WNBA in 2026. Get to know these players now, because they may be familiar to even casual fans before long. Read More October 20, 2025 WTA Toray Open and Guangzhou Open Previews Sasha Yodashkin Discover top contenders at the 2025 Toray Pan Pacific Open & Guangzhou Open. Watch stars like Rybakina and Bouzas Maneiro shine on the hard courts! Read More October 17, 2025 5 WNBA Atmospheres You'll Want to Experience in 2026 EJ Arocho ...with a fully healthy roster for 2026, something tells me Gainbridge will be rocking like never before with record attendance. They continue to raise the stakes and create a genuine “college basketball atmosphere” in a pro arena. Every home game feels like an event, like March Madness! If you don’t secure your tickets early, you may end up missing out! Read More October 16, 2025 WNBA Offseason Preview Steve Pimental I don’t believe it is hyperbole to say this is the biggest offseason the WNBA has ever had. This offseason will feature: a new collective bargaining agreement that will pay the players more, a draft lottery featuring two playoff teams, an expansion draft featuring two teams, the second season of Unrivaled, a free agency in which all but two veterans are free agents, and potentially the deepest WNBA draft in years. Oh, and five teams need to hire a new head coach....Here is what you need to know heading into the WNBA offseason... Read More October 14, 2025 Seven LPGA Stats to Know Steve Pimental With five tournaments left in the Season, Thitikul has all but sown up the Race to CME Globe, Rolex Player of the Year and Aon Risk Reward Challenge. Even so, there is still plenty to play for down the stretch, and plenty of statistics Jeeno doesn’t lead in. So, let’s take one last look at some notable statistics around the LPGA Tour ahead of the last two months of the season. Read More October 12, 2025 WTA Ningbo Open and Japan Open Previews Sasha Yodashkin Top tennis stars clash at the 2025 Ningbo Open & Japan Open. Discover title contenders & dark horses as they battle for glory on outdoor hard courts! Women's main draw play at the 2025 Ningbo Open 2025 Japan Open will begin Monday, Oct. 13. Ningbo is a WTA 500 level event, while the Japan Open is a WTA 250 event. These outdoor hard-court tournaments both have 32-player draws (28 for Ningbo with byes for the top four seeds) and feature numerous women's tennis stars, with eight top-20 players in the Ningbo Open draw and two playing in the Japan Open. Below are the top title contenders and dark horses for the 2025 Ningbo Open and Japan Open Read More October 10, 2025 Keys to a Phoenix Comeback EJ Arocho Elevated scoring might just be what the doctor ordered for Alyssa Thomas. She averaging 13.0 PPG, a bit below her season average and certainly below the semifinal series vs Minnesota (20.3 PPG). Yes, she’s a triple-double threat every single night, but Phoenix must tilt the offense to the paint & start getting her touches inside. She is arguably the most physical and strongest player in the league. Let her operate around the rim. Read More October 9, 2025 The Aces Are 1 Game Away from the Championship. How Did They Get Here? Steve Pimental Despite yet another furious comeback in these playoffs, Phoenix fell just short and now it would take a truly historic turnaround to overcome their 3-0 deficit. If I were to be skeptical I would say the Aces shot the lights out and received a favorable whistle through three quarters and they didn’t in the fourth quarter, which explains their big lead and Phoenix’s comeback. That’s probably not fair to the Aces, who are one win away from their third WNBA title in four seasons. Let’s take a look at how they got there. Read More October 7, 2025 How Can Phoenix Get Back in the Series? Steve Pimental On some level, it is too soon for Phoenix to panic. They are going back home for the next two games of this seven-game series, and if they just can just defend their home court, they can even this series. On the other hand, they need to win four of the next five games to give Alyssa Thomas her first WNBA championship. To get there, they will have to play much better than they did in Las Vegas. So, let’s take a look at what they need to do to get there. Read More October 6, 2025 Fantasy WNBA: Top Risers and Fallers for the WNBA Finals (Part 2) Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo picks his top risers and fallers for the WNBA Finals, including Jackie Young, who has been instrumental for the Las Vegas Aces in their first two games against the Phoenix Mercury. The Aces secured a 2-0 series lead Sunday, and the Finals now shift to Phoenix as the Mercury attempt to spark a comeback on their home court. Read More October 5, 2025 Women's Wuhan Open 2025 Preview D.J. Trainor Discover the top contenders and sleepers at the 2025 Wuhan Open, where Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek headline a star-studded field on China’s hard courts. Women's main draw play at the 2025 Wuhan Open will begin Monday, Oct. 6. This outdoor hard-court WTA 1000 event serves as one of the final major stops before the WTA Finals and features eight of the top-10 players in the world. Below are the top title contenders and dark horses for the 2025 Wuhan Open. Read More October 3, 2025 WNBA Finals: Keys to Victory in Games 1-3 EJ Arocho I can say with confidence that Chelsea Gray is the clutchest player in the league. The difficulty in which she makes some of her biggest, toughest buckets is actually unreal! She's well-known as THE dime dropper with her flashy assists, but her shot-making ability is the most underrated part of her game in my eyes. She's not a high volume scorer by any means, but thrives in crunch time. She knows how to maneuver around the defense and escape traps, creating space to operate freely. Read More October 2, 2025 WNBA Finals Preview Steve Pimental I’m still not over the fact that the Minnesota Lynx aren’t in the Finals, but we have two excellent teams in the Finals, and it should be a great matchup. The Aces have history on their side, as they ended the regular season on a 16-game winning streak, tied for second-longest in WNBA history. Only three other teams have had winning streaks of at least 15 games, and all three of those teams won the WNBA title. Phoenix is trying to get Alyssa Thomas the first WNBA title of her 12-year WNBA career. There is a lot to love about this matchup, so let’s break it down. Read More September 30, 2025 What We Learned From Big Wins For Fever, Mercury In Game 4 Steve Pimental For the third week in a row, we had an excellent slate of WNBA games on Sunday. We were a few minutes away from getting two Game 5s, but instead, we got Alyssa Thomas making the WNBA Finals for the first time in her 12-year career. So how did we get here? Let’s take a look back at what we learned from those Game 4s. Then, on Thursday, we can look ahead to our WNBA Finals matchup. Read More September 29, 2025 Fantasy WNBA: Top Risers and Fallers for the WNBA Finals Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo breaks down his top risers and fallers for the WNBA Finals, including Jewell Loyd, who is a player to watch despite her bench role. With a trip to the WNBA Finals on the line in Tuesday's Game 5, the Aces and Fever are still vying for the chance to face the Mercury on the league's biggest stage. Read More September 25, 2025 Liberty and Storm Should Blame Team Building, not Coaching Steve Pimental This week, the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty parted ways with head coaches Noelle Quinn and Sandy Brondello following first-round playoff exits. While I understand why both teams would feel like they underachieved, I'm not sure coaching was to blame in either case. Instead, these playoffs in general, and New York and Seattle in particular, have demonstrated the importance of building a team that fits together over assembling the best possible talent. Read More September 25, 2025 WNBA Playoff Semifinal Spice EJ Arocho Gainbridge boasts one of the most raucous environments in basketball and if you're the away team, watch out! The sell-out crowds Friday and Sunday will look to rattle A'ja Wilson & Vegas as Indiana looks to go up 3-1 and advance to the Finals. The ultimate 6th [wo]man! Read More September 23, 2025 Lynx Still in Driver’s Seat after Game 1 Steve Pimental We have been talking for months now about how the Lynx were head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league...The playoffs have been more of the same, as the Lynx are the only team who have not yet lost a game. Much like we did in the first round, we learned a lot from the semifinal Game 1s on Sunday, so let’s break it on down. Read More September 22, 2025 Women's China Open 2025 Preview D.J. Trainor Discover top contenders and dark horses at the 2025 China Open, where Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff vie for victory on Beijing's hard courts. Read More September 22, 2025 Fantasy WNBA: Top Risers and Fallers for the Semifinals Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo offers his top risers and fallers for the WNBA semifinals, including Kahleah Copper, who has been stellar for the Phoenix Mercury to begin the playoffs. Just four teams remain as the WNBA playoffs heat up, and key role players will need to step up to help their squads advance to the Finals. Read More September 19, 2025 Bold WNBA Playoff Predictions For The Week EJ Arocho Regardless of who Minnesota faces, they'll have to fire on all cylinders if they want to advance. A very up-and-down end to the regular season, coupled with a shaky Game 2 win over Golden State, has made the Lynx look very beatable. Read More September 18, 2025 7 WNBA Gems That Deserve More Recognition Steve Pimental I understand why the WNBA follows this format with 72 sportswriters casting one vote each, but with expansion rapidly changing the landscape of the league, I want to see awards voting expanded so that each writer chooses their top 3 for each award, with more points for a first-place vote and fewer for a second or third-place vote, like they do for MVP. These awards are about recognizing excellence and generating discussion around the league, and both of those things would be better served with expanded ballots. Read More September 16, 2025 Fantasy WNBA: Top Risers and Fallers for the First Round of the Playoffs Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo picks his top WNBA risers and fallers for the first round of the playoffs, including DeWanna Bonner, who should play a key role for the Phoenix Mercury against the New York Liberty. The WNBA playoffs are here, and with them comes a heightened sense of urgency. Several key names will be worth monitoring as rotations shrink and players are asked to step up. Read More September 16, 2025 What We Learned From Day 1 of the WNBA Playoffs Steve Pimental After the longest regular season in WNBA history, Sunday was our first chance to see how all eight teams would respond to playoff basketball. As such, there was a lot to learn from the four games. These observations are loosely ordered by game, so if you don’t see notes from the game you’re looking for, keep scrolling. Read More September 12, 2025 WNBA Round 1 Preview Steve Pimental Though most of the playoff teams clinched their postseason berths days or even weeks ago, we had to go to the last day of the regular season to learn three of the four matchups. With all eight playoff teams sporting winning records, this is shaping up to be the most compelling first-round in WNBA playoff history. With that in mind, we will break down each first-round matchup and predict which teams will advance. Read More September 12, 2025 WNBA Playoff X-Factors For Every Team EJ Arocho When Money Martin gets clicking early, it can be a long night for opponents. She's known for that devastating 3PT shot, something she's surely displayed throughout the season. She's been a little cold heading into the postseason which I imagine can only mean one thing: a big game is looming! Read More September 9, 2025 Per 36 Minute All-Stars Steve Pimental One of my favorite tools for uncovering underrated role players is examining their statistics per 36 minutes. This eliminates the role of minutes played in accumulating stats and helps us find players who are thriving in a more limited role... Read More September 8, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 16: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo picks his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 16, including Elizabeth Williams, who has stepped up for the Chicago Sky in Angel Reese's recent absence. The final week of the regular season has arrived. Despite the shortened schedule, there are still viable fantasy options to explore, with two days featuring at least four matchups. Read More September 5, 2025 Reserves Peaking Heading into the Final Week EJ Arocho Sunday's game vs LA saw Lucy put up season-highs in rebounds (6) and steals (4). The game before that [on Saturday vs Golden State] she recorded the third-most points this season with 13. While Washington may be out of playoff contention, Lucy has shown flashes of brilliance playing fearless and fluid. She'll look to close out her rookie season in strong fashion. Read More September 4, 2025 Sky Fans Should Prepare for Yet another Star to Leave Steve Pimental Is there any WNBA fanbase that has suffered more than Chicago Sky fans? In the 20 years of their existence, the Sky have twice drafted future Hall-of-Fame bigs and watched them develop into All-Stars, but failed to surround them with enough talent to compete...If the Sky miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season, Sky fans should expect another trade request. Read More September 2, 2025 X-Factors for Each WNBA Playoff Team Steve Pimental Outside of the top spot, the league is wide open, and just about any team that makes the playoffs will be able to convince themselves that they are poised for a deep playoff run. With that in mind, this is the perfect time to look at the x-factors for each playoff team. When we look back at the playoffs following the season, these could be the things that determines who goes home early and who makes a run. Read More September 1, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 15: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo picks his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 15, including Rebecca Allen, who has struggled for the Sky in recent matchups. The final full week of the regular season kicks off Monday, and with injuries and evolving roles, there are still opportunities to add valuable fantasy contributors. Read More August 29, 2025 WNBA 6POY Contenders To Watch EJ Arocho Naz has seen the starting lineup quite a bit this month but still has come off the bench in twenty-seven of the thirty-eight games played this season. Fresh off a career-high 15 rebounds against Vegas, she's solidified her position as a force on the glass for a team expected to go far in the playoffs. She's averaging 8.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG & 2.3 APG with just two weeks left in the regular season! Read More August 28, 2025 The LPGA Story Everyone Should Be Talking About Steve Pimental Something incredible is happening on the LPGA Tour, and I don’t think we are discussing it nearly enough. In 22 LPGA events this season, we have not had a single repeat winner. In fact, there are 23 unique winners, since one of the events was a team event. Read More August 26, 2025 Five WNBA Lineups to Watch Down the Stretch Steve Pimental ...the Liberty are far from the only team to deploy interesting lineups this season, and those lineups continue to make an impact both for fantasy games and the playoff race. With that in mind, here are 5 lineups to keep an eye on down the stretch. Read More August 25, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 14: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo offers his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 14, including Dominique Malonga, whose role has been increasing for the Seattle Storm. As the regular season winds down, there are still opportunities to add viable fantasy options amid ongoing injuries and late-season development. Some players are hitting their stride at the right time, while others are losing traction and seeing their roles decline. Read More August 22, 2025 Top 10 WNBA Players on the Tip of Everyone's Tongue EJ Arocho The surefire Rookie of the Year, PB has also looked like one of the best players in the league PERIOD. She silenced all critics and doubters with a 44-point performance on Wednesday night vs LA, becoming just the third rookie in WNBA history to post a 40-point game. The other two? Legends Candace Parker and Cynthia Cooper. She also became the first player to score 40+ this season. Her efficiency has been incredible, averaging 30.3 PPG this past week while shooting 60.8% from the field. Read More August 22, 2025 Who Have Been the Best Players in the WNBA This Season? Steve Pimental I am taking this opportunity to break down the races for the major WNBA awards and decide who would get my vote with roughly 10 games left in the season. These opinions could change, but I think it is useful to see where these awards stand on August 21, so that we can evaluate these players down the stretch. Read More August 19, 2025 What Can Expansion Teams learn from the Valkyries? Steve Pimental On Friday, the Golden State Valkyries set the record for most wins by an expansion team with 18 wins. Golden State is currently seventh in the WNBA standings, 1.5 games ahead of Seattle in eighth and two games ahead of Los Angeles and Washington in 10th. The Valkyries are poised to make the playoffs in their inaugural season despite their first-round draft pick missing the season, and despite their first all-star, Kayla Thornton, going down with a season-ending knee injury last month... Read More August 18, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 13: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo details his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 13, including Saniya Rivers, who has remained productive despite taking on a bench role for the Connecticut Sun. As the WNBA playoff push intensifies and several teams navigate shifting rotations due to injuries, there are plenty of opportunities to add under-the-radar fantasy contributors -- though some players are losing value. Read More August 15, 2025 Players Heading Into The Week Trending Up EJ Arocho Nai was the missing piece Minnesota needed. Since being acquired this month, she's dropped double-digit scoring in all three games she's played, averaging 13.3 PPG in wins over Seattle, Washington and New York. She's looked incredibly good on both sides of the ball and her shooting efficiency is the best I've ever seen (62.8 FG%). If she continues to come off the bench and produce at this level, she could certainly be a contender for Sixth Woman of the Year. She's already in the conversation for DPOY thanks to gritty, hard-nosed on-ball defense. Read More August 14, 2025 Sparket Picks for August 14 - 18 Steve Pimental Each time I make my Sparket picks for LFG, the contests are slightly different. It's one of the things I love about these contests. When I wrote my previous articles, those contests did not contain First Goal Scorer picks. Those picks have some of the biggest odds we have seen, and they have a chance to swing the results of these contests wildly... Read More August 12, 2025 Are the Minnesota Lynx Inevitable? Steve Pimental What if this whole season, including the playoffs, is simply a prelude for the Minnesota Lynx winning a record fifth WNBA finals, surpassing the Houston Comets? I’ve been kicking this question around for weeks now, but it has never been more urgent than in this moment: What if the Minnesota Lynx are inevitable? Read More August 11, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 12: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo breaks down his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 12, including Elizabeth Williams, who has stepped up for the Chicago Sky in Angel Reese's absence. With injuries shaking up the league and a busy week ahead, there are plenty of opportunities to add viable fantasy contributors -- though some players may be trending in the wrong direction. Read More August 8, 2025 Players Poised for a Breakout This Week in the W EJ Arocho With no concrete timeline for Angel Reese’s return and Chicago currently on a downward spiral, another double-double machine has emerged: Enter, Elizabeth Williams! Read More August 6, 2025 Five Things We Learned in NWSL's First Weekend Back Steve Pimental Would the Utah Royals and Houston Dash be able to end the losing streaks they took into the break? Would San Diego and Seattle stay hot? Was an extended break the only thing that could slow down the Kansas City Current? We got the answers to all of those questions and more in the opening weekend, and those answers could set the course for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs. With that in mind, here are five things we learned over the weekend. Read More August 4, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 11: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo picks his top WNBA risers and fallers this week, including Aneesah Morrow, who has thrived in a starting role with the Connecticut Sun recently. The WNBA features five multi-game slates in Week 11, including five matchups on both Tuesday and Sunday. With a busy week ahead, now is a great time to add value before the fantasy playoffs. Read More August 3, 2025 What is Wrong with the Aces? Steve Pimental While I could have just sat back and enjoyed this game, I decided to take the opportunity to finally take a deep dive into the Las Vegas Aces instead. Unfortunately, the biggest takeaway from this game was Napheesa Collier leaving at the end of the third quarter with an ankle injury... Read More July 31, 2025 Spice Level on 100 This Week in the W EJ Arocho Meeting of MVP Leaders! For the second time in as many weeks, Vegas and Minnesota will square off... Read More July 30, 2025 Sparket Picks 7/30-8/1 Steve Pimental After more than a month, the NWSL is back. Two of the top three teams in the table are in action this weekend, while the top two teams in the WNBA meet for the first time since the WNBA finals. As always, the best place to find fantasy contests for these and all of the biggest women’s sporting events is LFG’s Women’s Sports Weekly Showdown Powered by Sparket. These are my picks for the week. 07/30/25 Read More July 28, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 10: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo picks his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 11, including Leonie Fiebich, who could see an increased role for the New York Liberty while Breanna Stewart is out. The WNBA features five multi-game slates in Week 10, presenting plenty of opportunities to add valuable fantasy options in a busy week. Read More July 28, 2025 What’s Going On With the WNBA’s Sophomores? Steve Pimental Even taking into account that number two overall pick Cameron Brink has missed the entire season thus far, the 2024 WNBA rookie class has been underwhelming at best. That being said, it is still early in their careers, and many of these players are quite young. Before these players get lost in the shuffle of the upcoming trade deadline and playoff races, I wanted to take a look at all 12 sophomores, in order of their Player Impact Estimate. Read More July 25, 2025 The Hottest Storylines in the WNBA This Week EJ Arocho Vegas and Minnesota enter Friday's matchup both riding a 3-game win streak. A'ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier have put up incredible numbers and lead MVP talks mid-way through the season... Read More July 23, 2025 Nine LPGA Numbers to Know Steve Pimental I think one of the reasons I was drawn to fantasy golf is the smorgasbord of statistics that we can pour through. I can literally spend hours looking at statistical leaderboards, results and course histories trying to find an edge. Much like the WNBA, the LPGA Tour has made great strides in its statistical offerings in reason seasons, which has been great for fantasy players. Read More July 21, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Post All-Star Break: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo The WNBA is back to its regularly scheduled programming after the All-Star break, and Week 9 is set to resume with a five-game slate Tuesday. Read More July 20, 2025 Could This Be the Busiest Trade Deadline in WNBA History? Steve Pimental The primary reason that we could see more player movement leading up to the trade deadline is that nearly everyone who isn’t on a rookie-scale contract will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. That means the teams that aren’t going to make the playoffs have no incentive to hold onto their veterans. Read More July 18, 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend Predictions, Mid-Season Awards & More! EJ Arocho If A’ja continues this torrid streak she’s on, she may just overtake Napheesa for top MVP candidate by season’s end. The last two games have seen her carry Vegas to wins over Golden State and Dallas while averaging 35.5 PPG & 13.0 RPG. Read More July 16, 2025 Sparket Picks for 7/16-7/20 Steve Pimental With the Euros moving to the knockout stage, now is the perfect time to enter LFG’s Sparket contest. We also have the last WNBA games before the All-Star break as well as three quarterfinal matches, and they will all be more fun to watch with your fantasy entry on the line... Read More July 14, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 9: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo outlines his top fantasy WNBA risers and fallers for this week, including Sophie Cunningham's opportunity to step up. The WNBA has a condensed schedule in Week 9 due to the All-Star break, but there are still opportunities to add valuable fantasy options in the shortened week. Read More July 13, 2025 Catching up with Anson Dorrance Steve Pimental For our conversation, I wanted to find out what retirement looks like for Coach Dorrance and pick his brain on the state of the game and what changes could be made going forward. That proved to be a rather easy endeavor. Dorrance was incredibly thoughtful, and you can wind him up and let him go on a number of topics and get deep, thorough answers... Read More July 12, 2025 Find Out Why W/ Paris Smith Paris Smith The timing of fantasy sports focusing on women’s sports is perfect. The interest and competitive quality are at peak performance and the legalization is creating even more hype.... Read More July 11, 2025 ‘Twas the Week Before All-Star Break… EJ Arocho Indiana and New York will have FIVE All-Stars on the court when these two teams clash on Wednesday. Logo snipers Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu will be teammates on Saturday, July 19th, but they’ll first face-off in front of a sold-out crowd at Barclays. Their last meeting [in the Commissioner’s Cup] saw an EXPLOSION of offense... Read More July 9, 2025 Liberty Still Title Contenders Despite Recent Struggles Steve Pimental The 2025 WNBA season has surprised in a number of ways. The expansion Golden State Valkyries have a winning record, but the Las Vegas Aces do not. The Indiana Fever are one game under .500 with Caitlin Clark out of the lineup and just one game over .500 when she plays. Three rookies made the All-Star Game for the first time since 2011. Read More July 7, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 8: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo RotoWire expert Joe Mayo outlines his top fantasy WNBA risers and fallers for this week, including Monique Akoa-Makani and other rookies whose roles are evolving. The WNBA is back to its regularly scheduled programming after a light schedule in Week 7, and there are plenty of opportunities to add value across fantasy formats... Read More July 6, 2025 Nine Players Who Could Benefit From Expansion Steve Pimental When Let’s Fantasy Game invites you to Be in the Know, I take that as a challenge. It's not enough to simply discuss the latest news entertainingly; I want to provide insights you cannot find anywhere else. My favorite way to do that is to unearth players who may be under the radar but are about to make a big impact. Read More July 4, 2025 REVENGE WEEK: Top 8 Matchups for Week 8 EJ Arocho Caitlin Clark’s availability for this one is still up in the air, but the last time Indy played LA [without her], they lost by double-digits. The Fever, however, are fresh off a Commissioner’s Cup Chip which could give them renewed confidence moving forward. Read More July 2, 2025 In The Know W/ Lucy Olsen Lucy Olsen I am so grateful that this dream came true. Through the tough times, l use the mantra "Basketball is Fun". It's a reminder of why I play the game and it takes some stress off of it all. Read More July 1, 2025 Sparket Picks for 7/03 Steve Pimental One of the many things I love about Sparket is the way the slate changes from week to week. Two weeks ago we had a wide-reaching contest with basketball and soccer picks spanning the entire week. This week’s contest is all-in on Thursday’s five-game WNBA slate. Read More June 30, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 7: Top Risers and Fallers Jason Shebilske The WNBA has a lighter schedule this week to compensate for the Commissioner's Cup Championship on Tuesday, but there has still been plenty of movement among fantasy options recently. Read More June 29, 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Final Preview Steve Pimental No Commissioner’s Cup Final has been decided by fewer than five points, but given these two teams’ contrasting styles and offsetting strengths and weaknesses, that streak could end Tuesday. Whether we have our fifth different Cup winner or our first repeat champion, history will be made. Read More June 28, 2025 In The Know W/ AthletEX's Taylor Cohen Taylor Cohen The athlete world is small – it is special to see so many people with such a big part of their identities in common gather together and feel instant connection, relate on shared backgrounds and experiences, become friends with those they once competed against... Read More June 27, 2025 Top 7 Storylines for Week 7 EJ Arocho Kate Martin is coming alive! Golden State came dangerously close to knocking off defending champ New York thanks to a career-high 21 points from Money Martin off the bench... Read More June 25, 2025 Eight Intriguing Rookies to Watch Steve Pimental Thanks in part to having an expansion team this year, a whopping 22 rookies are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. It would be impossible to discuss all of them, so instead, I have decided to single out the ones I find most interesting, including a few who have struggled for playing time. Read More June 23, 2025 Steve's WNBA All-Star Ballot Steve Pimental Voting for the WNBA All-Star Game ends Saturday, June 28, making this the perfect time to reveal my own 10-player ballot. Read More June 20, 2025 A Spicy Week 6 Ahead + Passing Maya Moore in Scoring & Other Milestones EJ Arocho Three of the top contenders to make the All-Rookie Team (& 2 of the top contenders for ROY) will clash! Read More June 20, 2025 In The Know W/ Meghan Klingenberg Meghan Klingenberg Right now, I’m giving myself the space to explore. For the first time in a long time, I’m not on a set path—and that’s both exciting and a little intimidating. Read More June 18, 2025 LFG Sparket Picks for 6/18-22 Steve Pimental One of the things I like about these contests on Sparket is that it asks me to look at a slate of games differently than I would otherwise... Read More June 16, 2025 What is Going On With the Last-Place Dallas Wings? Steve Pimental During the preseason, new Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller called this a foundational season for his team. The Wings came into the season with not only a new general manager but a first-time head coach in Chris Koclanes... Read More June 13, 2025 Must-Watch Games + MVP, DPOY & ROY Leaders heading into Week 5 EJ Arocho Sitting at 1 & 2 in the Eastern Cup standings, these two will play in a game that could end up being one of the most-watched of the year! Read More June 11, 2025 Seven Players I Love to Root For Steve Pimental What makes these players my favorites? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but I will say most of these players seem like fun people. If you are a good podcast guest, have your own podcast, are entertaining on social media, or smoked a cigar in a championship celebration, there is a good chance I will root for you. Read More June 9, 2025 Why I Fantasy Game Steve Pimental ...there are several other reasons that I play that have nothing to do with money, some of which I have never seen discussed outside of group texts with my buddies. I wanted to share them with you today in the hopes they might help someone else find their own “why”. 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Let's Fantasy Game is a vibrant, safe, and supportive online community dedicated to fans of women's sports. With a focus on empowering women athletes and offering a wealth of engaging content. Join our mailing list for exclusive updates on upcoming in-person events, game schedules, and all things women’s sports! Stay connected with a fun, safe, and supportive community of like-minded fans who share your passion and enthusiasm. SUBSCRIBE LET's Play GAMES NWSL, WNBA & OTHER FANTASY SPORTS CONTESTS Be In The Know All Of Our Latest News & Insights Join The CHAT Community Discussions around teams, Players & hot Takes PLAY GAMES PLAY NOW LFG’s Mission is to help grow women’s sports by bringing fans of women’s sports together. Community. Connection. Competition Join the CHAT Get invoved Discuss. Banter. Trash talk. Loiter. Be a part of the LFG community. Talk about your favorite (or least favorite) teams and players. Enjoy fantasy leagues and games. IN The Know CATCH UP The latest news and insights about your favorite upcoming games and events! Fun Contests Around NWSL, WNBA, and Other Women's Sports! Powered by Sparket® PLAY NOW! Build Your Fantasy Lineup by Picking Teams and Not Players! Powered by Fantasy Sports EVO PLAY NOW! Let's Play Games NWSL, WNBA & Other Fantasy Sports ContestS BE In the Know All of Our Latest News & Insights Read More July 2, 2025 In The Know W/ Lucy Olsen Lucy Olsen I am so grateful that this dream came true. Through the tough times, l use the mantra "Basketball is Fun". It's a reminder of why I play the game and it takes some stress off of it all. Read More November 19, 2025 In The Know W/ MK Bula MK Bula I definitely knew I wanted to get into coaching because I truly enjoy the strategy of the game. However, I didn’t expect it to come so quickly after playing so I had some imposter syndrome when I was hired. Read More June 20, 2025 In The Know W/ Meghan Klingenberg Meghan Klingenberg Right now, I’m giving myself the space to explore. For the first time in a long time, I’m not on a set path—and that’s both exciting and a little intimidating. Join the Chat Community Discussions Around Teams, Players, & Hot Takes Join passionate fans of women's sports in a safe, supportive space. Celebrate your favorite athletes, play fantasy contests, and engage in meaningful discussions. Whether you're here for the fun or the latest updates, you'll find a welcoming community here. LFG! JOIN THE CHAT Support Female Athletes Let's F'N GiVE Let’s F***ing Give is the philanthropic division of LFG. We are dedicated to supporting female athletes in areas of health and well-being. A portion of our proceeds will always go towards our commitment to making the planet healthier. One female athlete at a time. LFG! LEARN MORE

Our long national nightmare is over. A month after all the other WNBA teams filled their coaching vacancies, the Liberty hired longtime Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco... November 27, 2025 What the Chris DeMarco Hire Means for Fantasy Steve Pimental Our long national nightmare is over. A month after all the other WNBA teams filled their coaching vacancies, the Liberty hired longtime Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco. The Liberty reportedly prioritized hiring a coach with NBA experience, and they settled on one who had been with the same NBA team since 2012. While DeMarco does not have any WNBA experience, he does have head coaching experience, having led the Bahamian senior men’s national team since 2019. DeMarco actually predated Steve Kerr in Golden State, so while he probably won’t turn the New York Liberty into Warriors East, I do think we will see some innovation offensively. I still think New York’s issues last season had more to do with roster construction than with coaching , but it makes sense that Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb would turn to DeMarco to get the most out of a roster full of players who are better on the ball than off the ball. Sabrina Ionescu reportedly reached out to Steph Curry during the hiring process to ask about DeMarco, and Kolb has expressed confidence that Ionescu will return. Sabrina probably isn’t a one-to-one comp to Steph, but getting the most out of her will almost certainly be one of Chris DeMarco’s priorities. I think Sabrina needs to get off the ball more. Last season, Stewart had the highest usage of her career and her worst effective field goal percentage since 2021. She shot a career-low 29.9 percent on 8.2 threes per 36 minutes. Sabrina was seventh in the league in usage and while she is certainly good enough to warrant it, I feel like it probably could have been lower considering all the talent she shared the court with. All that being said, I don’t actually expect the DeMarco signing to affect Ionescu’s fantasy production all that much. Sabrina has averaged between 34.1 and 35.8 fppg in each of the last four seasons, and while all four of those were under former head coach Sandy Brondello, I don’t expect that to change. Sabrina may lower her usage and increase her efficiency, like she did in 2023, but the end result for fantasy players will likely be the same. I’m more interested to see what DeMarco can do for Breanna Stewart, who has already said she is returning to the Liberty next season. Stewart averaged a career-low 34.4 fppg last season; her previous worst was 39.2. Like Ionescu, Stewart had her worst three-point-shooting season of her career, at 24.1 percent. Perhaps even more problematic, Stewart attempted just 3.3 threes per 36 minutes, also a career-low. Last season, 78.2 percent of Stewart’s made field goals were assisted. If DeMarco can do a better job of getting Stewart open, or heading towards the basket with an advantage when she catches the ball, that could make a huge difference. Stewart’s days of playing more than 30 minutes per game are probably over, but prior to last season, Stewart had scored at least 1.2 fantasy points per minute in six consecutive seasons. I think last season was basically Stewart’s floor, and under DeMarco, I think she’ll get back to scoring 36+ FPPG. The rest of the roster is more up in the air, though I certainly expect the Liberty to try to bring Jonquel Jones, Benijah Laney-Hamilton, Marine Johannes and Emma Meesseeman back. Steve Kerr has never been afraid to play smart defenders who move the ball on offense, even if it meant leaving more talented scorers on the bench. If DeMarco brings that over to the Liberty, that could benefit the entire team, especially for fantasy. The Liberty had nine players averaged at least 13 FPPG last season. That number is probably a bit inflated because Nyara Sabally and Emma Meesseman each played just 17 games, but that is still a wide distribution. If DeMarco gives more time to lower-usage offensive players, that could benefit New York’s secondary playmakers. I think the best thing for their fantasy value would be for Meesseman, Jonquel Jones and Natasha Cloud to find new teams. All three were better for fantasy before they joined the Liberty. That being said, if they do return, I am fairly confident they will bounce back under Chris DeMarco. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

While it is too early to speculate on which players will be chosen with these lottery picks, this is the perfect time to explore the options each team has with its picks. November 25, 2025 What the WNBA Draft Lottery Means for Each Team Steve Pimental The first domino of the WNBA offseason fell on Sunday with the WNBA’s draft lottery. While this draft is expected to be strong, especially in the lottery, there is not a consensus top pick. That could change as prospects still have a lot of games in college and overseas between now and the draft. Between the strength of the draft at the top and the fact that two playoff teams have lottery picks, this could be the most interesting draft in recent memory. While it is too early to speculate on which players will be chosen with these lottery picks, this is the perfect time to explore the options each team has with its picks. No. 1 Dallas Wings Pairing a second number one overall pick with Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers is the ideal scenario for the Dallas Wings. Bueckers was as good as advertised as a rookie, which made the team’s 10-34 record even more disappointing. Dallas clearly thought it would show signs of improvement by surrounding Bueckers with proven WNBA starters in DiJonai Carrington, Arike Ogunbowale, Myisha Hines-Allen and NaLyssa Smith. Instead, Ogunbowale had the worst season of her career and Smith and Carrington were traded by the deadline. All of that resulted in the firing of first-year head coach Chris Koclanes. It seems clear that Dallas wants to show improvement in Bueckers’ second year, and at the very least they should contend for a playoff spot. Dallas has a lot of young players under contract, and even after they lose a couple in the expansion draft (barring a trade), they should have a ton of cap space to pursue free agents. My best guess is that Dallas will be aggressive in free agency and perhaps the trade market to surround Bueckers and their 2026 first-round pick with a playoff-caliber roster. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only option. I wonder if Dallas would be open to trading down. Seattle has two first-round picks and Washington has three. I feel like the Wings would have to at least think about a trade that keeps them in the top five and adds an extra pick or two, either in this draft or in the future. I can’t really see Dallas trading this pick outright, but stranger things have happened. If General Manager Curt Miller feels pressure to make the playoffs or even win a round next season, he might consider trading for a more proven commodity. That gets tricky, considering how few players are under contract right now, but if the Sky offers Angel Reese and a future draft pick, they’d have to at least consider it. No.2 Minnesota Lynx Like most of these teams, what Minnesota does with this pick depends at least in part on free agency. If Napheesa Collier leaves, they will most likely make this pick and try to stay competitive while their rookie develops, much like they did after they drafted Collier. That’s probably what will happen if Collier stays, but a trade would make some sense as well. The Lynx never got a whole lot out of 2023 second overall pick Diamond Miller, and while injuries had a ton to do with that, I think part of the issue was that the Lynx were too competitive to give Miller the playing time she needed to develop. Collier turns 30 next season, and it would be ideal to pair her with a young star who could take on a greater offensive role as the years go by, but the Lynx might not have the luxury of waiting for that player to develop. This could be a landing spot for Reese, considering head coach Cheryl Reeve’s emphasis on rebounding, but I’m not expecting that. No. 3 Seattle Storm The Storm had three All-Stars last season and traded for a fourth at the deadline and still were the last team to clinch a playoff spot. The entire roster is up in the air outside of All-Rookie selection Dominique Malonga. Seattle has a new head coach, and I could certainly see them getting the band back together, adding two first-round picks in this draft, and seeing if they can’t compete for a top-four seed. They could also take Malonga and their two draft picks and pursue a full rebuild. I wouldn’t necessarily expect that to be Plan A, but if they strike out on free agency, it would not be the worst contingency plan in the world. More likely, Seattle will make both picks and try to supplement them with young players who fit better than Ezi Magbegor, Gabby Williams and Skylar Diggins did. Seattle shot the fewest threes per game of any of the playoff teams, and I suspect they will look to improve upon that while also having big roles for their young players. No. 4 Washington Mystics The Mystics proved they were fully committed to their rebuild by trading Brittney Sykes even though she had them firmly in the playoff race. Washington almost certainly isn’t going to spend draft capital on a win-now trade, but could they make a consolidation trade? They already had two rookie All-Stars last season in Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen and they have the sixth overall pick, Georgia Amoore, returning from an ACL injury. Do they really need six rotation players with a year or less of WNBA experience? If there is someone they love at the top, or if they are worried about fit with their young players, a trade up could make sense. Washington could also trade one of their later picks for a future first-round pick. The Sky are always dying to trade future assets to get back into the first round. Failing a trade, Washington might consider using one of their three picks on a foreign player who wouldn’t join the team next season. If someone like Iyana Martin or Nell Angloma indicated they didn’t want to join the Mystics until 2027, that might be an ideal situation. No. 5 Chicago Sky The Sky have made two first-round picks in each of the last two seasons and have two proven players to show for it, one of whom may or may not force her way to another team this offseason. I hope they have learned their lesson about trading into the back end of the first round, but that may be wishful thinking. There is also a decent chance that if Angel Reese is traded, it involves adding picks or perhaps even moving up in the lottery. Chicago probably doesn’t need to do anything, since this is widely considered a five-player draft. Then again, they really, really don’t need a forward, especially if Reese returns, so they might trade up if they think Lauruen Betts or Awa Fam will fall to them. Fam, especially, is considered a developmental prospect, and the Sky might not be patient enough to wait for her to become a winning player. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

If Unrivaled taught us anything earlier this year, it's that a fully healthy Aaliyah Edwards can flat out hoop! November 21, 2025 Looking Ahead: Top 10 Breakout WNBA Players Next Season EJ Arocho Dominique Malonga This list wouldn't be legitimate without her. The French phenom dazzled and showed a ton of promise in her rookie campaign, going toe to toe with the biggest and baddest and holding her own. The good thing for fans and scary part for the league is that she barely scratched the surface of her potential this year. Malonga is a future MVP and DPOY in my eyes and one who could see a huge leap from Year 1 to Year 2. Lexie Hull After putting together the best year of her career, big things are on the horizon. She recorded career high averages in points, rebounds, assists and steals in Year 4. Her defense was clutch in securing wins against the top teams and keeping competitive against Vegas in the semis. Aneesah Morrow In her rookie season, Morrow became a regular starter (23 of 41 games) averaging 7.7 PPG and 6.9 RPG in under 19 minutes. Given her rebounding instincts and physicality, she could grow into a much bigger role next year with Connecticut. Tenacity is the name of her game! Te-Hina Paopao After a seamless transition to the W from South Carolina, there's no doubt in my mind Pao comes out guns blazing next year. She's well known for her 3-point shooting and court vision but is super underrated defensively. She did great things on D that didn't always show up on the box score, including a notable effort guarding Paige Bueckers in an August meeting. Lexi Held She was an early candidate for Rookie of the Year before suffering a partially collapsed lung after a hard collision with Stewie on June 19th, sidelining her for over a month. Her return saw limited minutes and productivity, but we all saw what she was capable of at 100%. On a team stacked with talent, Lexi recorded six games in double-figures [all pre-injury], including 24 points vs Golden State. Janelle Salaun Quickly emerging as one of the league's best 3-point shooters (18th in 3's made, 29th in 3PT%). With added experience and improved consistency, she could become a real 3-and-D wing. Kennedy Burke KB turned up the heat in her sixth year as a pro averaging career best figures in points, rebounds and assists. She was a legit 6POY candidate playing for a loaded Liberty team, proving that she belonged! Kamilla Cardoso KC showed great upside as a second-year center. Her scoring, rebounding and passing are all improving,showing that she's so much more than just a rim protector! The Sky seem ready to lean on her more, and she's already flashed the ability to dominate inside. Natasha Mack Her numbers continue to increase as the seasons pass. 2025 saw career-best averages in points, steals and blocks. In fact, she is one of the best shot-blockers per-minute in the league but rarely gets the spotlight or recognition for her efforts. With consistent minutes, she could become an elite defensive anchor and future All-Defensive selection. Aaliyah Edwards If Unrivaled taught us anything earlier this year, it's that a fully healthy Aaliyah Edwards can flat out hoop! Injury and team trades interrupted her WNBA season but we still saw glimpses of greatness. She's physically elite with a high motor and is quietly improving as a finisher and defender. A full season with Connecticut could see huge success. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author EJ Arocho is Mr. Women’s Basketball and lives in New Jersey. Lives by the shore but looking to make waves everywhere!

The introduction of Unrivaled, as well as other revenue streams, has helped to give WNBA players more time to rest, recover, and work on their game than in years past... November 20, 2025 Four Players Who Could Expand Their Game Next Season Steve Pimental One of the best developments in the WNBA in recent seasons is that many of the best players stay home in the offseason. It used to be that nearly the entire league played overseas after the WNBA season ended. That still happens quite a bit, but not like it used to. The introduction of Unrivaled, as well as other revenue streams, has helped to give WNBA players more time to rest, recover, and work on their game than in years past. One of the things I love to see each season is which players have added aspects to their game in the offseason. Perhaps they have improved their shot or their handle. Maybe they’ve developed counters for how teams defend them. They have may have worked on skills to help them fit in better with new teams or situations. Players are working on all of those things right now, and while we won’t know what those things are until we see them next season, we can speculate. Here are four players that I would like to see expand their games next season. Angel Reese - Midrange game Perhaps the only bright spot for the Chicago Sky last season was Angel Reese’s willingness to try to expand her game. She was much maligned as a rookie for her ineffectiveness outside of the paint, and she took steps towards changing that. Due in part to Chicago’s lack of anyone who could create off the dribble, Reese was aggressive in driving to the basket. It didn’t go particularly well, with Reese finishing second in the league in turnovers, but it should help her in the long run. Already this offseason we have seen clips of Reese working on her outside shooting, and that should help, as well, but what I really want to see in her third year is Angel Reese working more in the midrange. In a functional WNBA half-court offense, which Chicago did not have last season, Reese’s drives to the basket would begin almost exclusively at the elbows, and rarely from outside the three-point line. Unless her handle and her passing improve drastically this offseason, I think Reese will be far more effective taking a couple of quick dribbles and going into her defender rather than trying to drive past people from 25 feet away. Even before the Chicago Sky drafted her, I thought Reese’s absolute ceiling if everything went right was to be the next A’ja Wilson. When Wilson came into the league, she was mostly effective around the basket. In her second season, Wilson shot 62.2 percent on 135 attempts inside five feet and 38.1 percent on 194 attempts outside of five feet. This past season, Wilson shot 44.9 percent from 5-9 feet, 42.4 percent from 10-14 feet and 46.3 percent from 15-19 feet. I still hope that Reese can similarly improve her effectiveness from the midrange. The biggest difference right now is that in her first two seasons, nearly all of Reese’s attempts came right at the basket. As a rookie, Reese took 76.6 percent of her shots inside five feet. Last season, those shots accounted for 77.2 percent of her shot diet. It is difficult for me to see how her offensive game can improve significantly without her taking at least a few more shots away from the basket. Jessica Shepard - Shooting I don’t even mean three-point shooting, though I do think Shepard is capable of expanding her game beyond the arc. That might take a couple of seasons. In 2026, I want to see Shepard improve her shooting from 15 feet. Jessica Shepard shot a career-high 103 free throws last season and made a career-low 54.4 percent. It was the first time in her five-year WNBA career she had shot below 73.4 percent. At the same time, 74 percent of Shepard’s shots last season came within five feet of the basket. That worked fine during the regular season when Shepard was surrounded by floor spacers and willing passers for 20 minutes a game, but her lack of floor spacing was a glaring weakness with Napheesa Collier out in Game 4. I believe Shepard can take on a bigger offensive role, either for the Lynx or another team, but she has to be more effective outside of five feet. For me, it starts at the free-throw line. If Shepard shoots close to 50 percent at the line again, teams are going to start fouling her whenever she catches the ball close to the basket. She has to shoot over 70 percent again to at least keep opposing defenses honest. Then she can, hopefully, expand her game to include floaters and midrange jumpers. Shepard is a very good screener, rebounder and cutter, which is how she’s managed to be effective offensively despite rarely shooting from outside the charge circle. Those things can only take you so far, however. I think her form looks good and she has decent touch. Hopefully she can put it all together next season. Kiki Iriafen - Three Point Shooting It is nearly impossible to quibble with anything about Kiki Iriafen’s rookie season. She was an All-Star along with fellow rookie Sonia Citron and they had the rebuilding Washington Mystics in the thick of the playoff race before management pulled the ripcord and traded Brittney Sykes. That being said, I was interested to find that Iriafen was 12th in the WNBA in field goal attempts per game from 15-19 feet. Unlike most of the names ahead of her on that list, Iriafen mostly did not shoot three-pointers. She was just 2-for-11 on the entire season. If last season taught us anything, it is that it is more important to take threes than to make them. You have to make at least a few, but when I see someone like Kayla Thornton make an All-Star team by doubling her three-point attempts despite shooting just 28.2 percent on threes, I see no reason why Iriafen can’t do the same. She is already willing to shoot jumpers; we just need her to move back a step or two. Amy Okonkwo - Passing Okonkwo joined a Dallas team desperate for scoring, and she provided it in impressive fashion. Even so, I was a little disappointed to see her 6.5 percent assist rate ranked 153rd in ithe WNBA last season. I think Okonkwo is going to start drawing more help defenders now that opposing teams are familiar with her offensive game, and that should open up more opportunities to feed her teammates. She has flashed good vision at times to find open teammates, especially in transition. If she can do that a bit more consistently, she will solidify her position in Dallas’s rotation. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

I definitely knew I wanted to get into coaching because I truly enjoy the strategy of the game. However, I didn’t expect it to come so quickly after playing so I had some imposter syndrome when I was hired. November 19, 2025 In The Know W/ MK Bula MK Bula You recently made the move from player to assistant coach in women’s flag football. What did you learn as a player that helped you take on this leadership role? Did you see that path for yourself always? I learned a ton about not only the sport and international competition but what it takes mentally to be on a national team. I think that is something that really helped me in my first year of coaching. I was able to relate with the women in a way that most coaches can’t because I was just in their shoes a year prior. I definitely knew I wanted to get into coaching because I truly enjoy the strategy of the game. However, I didn’t expect it to come so quickly after playing so I had some imposter syndrome when I was hired. You are involved in a new and exciting sport that is growing every day. Why do you think women are kicking ass in this sport? This is the first time women have a high-level, non-contact opportunity to play football. I think there are so many women who loved to play or watch football growing up, but there were so few opportunities to play. Now that we have this path, so many women are coming out of the woodwork to try and make this sport succeed so the younger generation of girls can have what we didn’t at their age. How did sports help you as a young girl? What would you say to a parent of a young girl about the power sports can give girls? Sports taught me that barriers don’t have to be the end of the road, but a detour guiding you to a better path. In 5th and 6th grade I was the only girl in an all-boys tackle football league and I never thought I was any different, I just wanted to play a sport I loved. Looking back, if I had never taken the chance to “break a barrier” and be the only girl, I most likely would not be where I am today as a former player and current coach of the USWFFNT. We’d love to know if you have a mantra that has helped you succeed as an athlete and now coach. How do you combat the negative voices? We suspect you have a great one! I often think: “How lucky am I to be a part of something that I never dreamed of because it didn’t exist?” It is wild to think that no one could have predicted flag football would rise to this level, and to know that I am a part of leading the charge truly feels like fantasy. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author 2x Gold Medalist in the IFAF World Championships and Silver Medalist in the 2022 World Games. MK has transitioned from player to assistant coach and is getting the US Team ready for the 2028 Olympics.

...just because players and teams want to stay where they are, that doesn’t mean that they should. Every year, some players could benefit from playing in a new city, with a new coach, or surrounded by different teammates. Here are five players I would like to see change teams this offseason. November 18, 2025 5 WNBA Players Who Could Use a Change of Scenery Steve Pimental As we have mentioned in nearly all of these offseason articles, at some point, the WNBA will have a new collective bargaining agreement and nearly every veteran will become a free agent. Just because most of the league can change teams before next season, doesn’t mean that they will. I have been surprised to see how many players and teams appear to be planning/hoping to reunite, and based on the early odds I have seen for next season, sportsbooks are expecting most of the big names to stay where they are. Of course, just because players and teams want to stay where they are, that doesn’t mean that they should. Every year, some players could benefit from playing in a new city, with a new coach, or surrounded by different teammates. Here are five players I would like to see change teams this offseason. Arike Ogunbowale, G, Dallas Wings Arike was the inspiration behind this list. It sounds like bringing her back is a priority for the Wings , but it feels like it would be better for everyone if she moves on. In the seven seasons since Dallas drafted Arike Ogunbowale, they have just one winning season. They have three playoff appearances and just one series win, in 2023. I blamed a lot of Dallas’s woes on their inability to find a quality point guard to play next to Ogunbowale, but we can’t say that anymore. Even with Paige Bueckers playing at an All-WNBA level, Dallas managed just 10 wins, tied with Chicago for last in the league. I really thought Arike would benefit from spending more time off the ball, but she had arguably the worst season of her entire career. Her 36.4 field goal percentage and 30.4 three-point percentage were both the worst of her career. She shot a career-best 93.1 percent from the free-throw line but generated just 4.3 free throw attempts per 36 minutes, the second-lowest of her career. You would think she would be more efficient in light of the lowest usage of her career, but instead, the opposite was true. Add it all up, and Ogunbowale averaged 16.8 points per 36 minutes, down from her previous career-low of 20.5 in 2023. The Wings have a lot of young players under contract, plus a lottery pick next year and a ton of cap space. I think they will probably take a young guard in the draft but even if they don’t, I think they can use that cap space to find a secondary creator and off-ball scorer who fits better with Paige Bueckers. I am extremely interested to see what kind of deal Arike Ogunbowale commands in free agency, especially if it is not with the Wings. She will have a market. The Chicago Sky are desperate for an on-ball creator, especially if they stick to their plan of bringing back Ariel Atkins, Courtney Vandersloot and Rachel Banham. Everyone on Chicago’s roster was asked to do too much offensively, which is how they wound up with the second-worst offensive rating in the league. Adding Ogunbowale as the offensive fulcrum would make everyone’s lives easier on offense and allow them to expend more energy trying to improve the league’s worst defense. I think Ogunbowale could also make sense as a Tiffany Hayes replacement in Golden State. The Valkyries are loaded with players who space the floor on offense and fight like hell on defense. They would be the perfect team to hide Ogunbowale on defense and give her spacing she’s never enjoyed on offense. Hayes is 36 years old and played just 26 games last season. Even if the Valkyries bring her back, it would be a good idea to get somebody who can share the offensive load. Similarly, Arike Ogunbowale could make a ton of sense with the expansion Toronto Tempo and head coach Sandy Brondello. Brondello has had good offenses wherever she has gone, and while Ogunbowale might not be a Hall-of-Fame player like Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart, I would love to see what kind of offense Brondello could build with Ogunbowale as a key cog. Ogubowale would immediately give the Tempo star power and, most likely, at least an average offense. An expansion team could do a lot worse. Angel Reese, F, Chicago Sky Through two seasons, we really have no idea if Angel Reese can contribute to winning basketball, and it is unlikely we will ever get an answer to that question while she plays in Chicago. The Sky are almost certainly heading for the lottery again next season, at which time they will part ways with Reese, General Manager Jeff Pagliocca, or both. I don’t think its in anyone’s best interests to wait until next season when a breakup seems inevitable. The other expansion team, the Portland Fire, could be a perfect fit for Reese. Head coach Alex Sarama is known for player development, and Reese famously criticized Sky head coach Tyler Marsh for not coaching his players hard enough. Portland is presumably going to assemble a team with young talent and Reese would fit that timeline while also giving this new market one of the league’s biggest stars. I have been encouraged by Reese’s willingness to expand her game outside of just rebounds and post play, but I would trust that development a lot more in Portland than in Chicago. Reese could also fit with the rebuilding Mystics or even the Sun. Brittney Griner, C, Atlanta Dream I’m really not sure why, but Griner never really fit with Atlanta. They had a 1.2 net rating with Griner on the court and a 15.7 net rating with Griner off the court. She propped up Atlanta’s defense as you would expect, but unfortunately, she dragged down their offense. I thought maybe the issue was that Griner couldn’t keep up with Atlanta’s offensive pace, but they actually played slightly faster when Griner was on the court. Griner was never going to shoot a bunch of threes like head coach Karl Smesko wants, but I thought they could have used her more as a screener to get her teammates open looks. Griner is 35 years old, so it is possible she is just a 20-minute-per-game player at this point in her career, but considering she averaged 28.7 minutes, 17.8 points and 6.6 rebounds on 57.9 percent shooting with Phoenix in 2024, I suspect she is going to want to go someplace she can start in 2026. She could be the Tina Charles replacement in Connecticut, or they could be part of the big rotation together. If I had to guess, I would bet on Griner reuniting with Sandy Brondello in Toronto. She could be a short-term solution if most of the free-agent centers stay with their current teams, which seems at least plausible, if not likely. If Griner isn’t just washed, I trust Brondello to get the best out of her. I could also see a team like Los Angeles or Dallas bringing Griner in to fix their defense, though that could be in more of a bench role like she had in Atlanta. For as bad as it looked at times in Atlanta, the Dream still finished second in the league in defensive rating and net rating. If they don’t want Brittney Griner back, some team will take a chance on her. Julie Vanloo, G, Los Angeles Sparks I has happy to see Vanloo catch on with the Sparks after she got a raw deal with Golden State, though she averaged just 10.3 minutes per game in Los Angeles. Vanloo has shot just 33.3 percent from the field and 30.9 percent on threes in her career, and she has to shoot better than that, especially from outside, if she’s going to stay in the league. That being said, just about everyone needs ball handlers, and she is currently shooting 43.8 percent on threes in the Euroleague. Los Angeles doesn’t really need another point guard who isn’t a great defender if they bring back Kelsey Plum and Julie Allemand, but I think she could fill a role on any number of teams, including possibly the expansion teams. Carla Leite, G, Golden State Valkyries I needed at least one young player on this list, and Leite made the most sense. Her playing time fell off down the stretch and she played just 16 minutes total in the playoffs. Leite struggled as most rookie guards do, with 3.2 turnovers compared to 4.2 assists per 36 minutes. She shot 28.7 percent from the field and just 17.3 percent on threes. She didn’t really fit Golden State’s three-point-heavy style, and while I do think she can shoot it better, I think the Valkyries are too good to give her the playing time she needs to develop. I could see either of the expansion teams taking a chance on Leite, or perhaps one of the rebuilding teams like Connecticut or Chicago. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

November 14, 2025 Unrivaled Top 10 Must See Matchups & Predictions EJ Arocho January 5th (Opening Day) Mist vs Hive What to watch for: Raining 3's on both sides; Kelsey Mitchell & Sonia Citron (Hive) and Allisha Gray & Arike Ogunbowale (Mist). Peak Performer: Sonia Citron Prediction: Hive wins January 5th (Opening Day) Phantom vs Breeze What to watch for: Lots of 3 balls & lots of blocked shots. Highly anticipated duel between Unrivaled newcomers Paige Bueckers and Kelsey Plum. No shortage of defense with some of the best rim protectors in women's basketball going at it; Cameron Brink, Dominique Malonga & Rickea Jackson (Breeze) vs Aliyah Boston & Satou Sabally (Phantom). These are the Top 2 teams in my preseason rankings. Peak Performer: Cameron Brink Prediction: Breeze wins January 10th Laces vs Mist What to watch for: When friends become foes! Brittney Sykes & Breanna Stewart will go to war! Lots of length in this matchup with Stewie (6'4"), Alanna Smith (6'4") & Li Yueru (6'7") for the Mist. Peak Performer: Allisha Gray Prediction: Mist wins January 11th Hive vs Vinyl What to watch for: StudBudz reunite! Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams will look to electrify... and we might even get a glimpse into a future 1-on-1 matchup! Come for the "twins," stay for the battle inside between 6'9" Brittney Griner and 6'4" Ezi Magbegor. Peak Performer: Courtney Williams Prediction: Hive wins January 17th Mist vs Lunar Owls What to watch for: Two of the very best players in all of women's basketball [and league co-founders] Phee (Owls) and Stewie (Mist) clash. They both have a phenomenal supporting cast of shooters and defensive masterminds; Skylar Diggins & Marina Mabrey (Owls) and Arike Ogunbowale & Alanna Smith (Mist). Peak Performer: Napheesa Collier Prediction: Lunar Owls win January 18th Rose vs Laces What to watch for: Lots of dime-dishing with two of the Top 10 assist leaders in WNBA history, Chelsea Gray (Rose) and Alyssa Thomas (Laces). Both have plenty of options around the arc; Gray with Azura Stevens & Kahleah Copper and AT with Jordin Canada & Jackie Young. Peak Performer: Jackie Young Prediction: Laces win January 25th Rose vs Phantom What to watch for: Spice level on 100 in this one with two guards who never back down: Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum. While this matchup might go down to the wire and one of these two could very well decide the outcome, look for all-court dog Natasha Cloud to leave a lasting impression. Peak Performer: Natasha Cloud Prediction: Phantom wins February 17th Breeze vs Lunar Owls What to watch for: No shortage of big names in this one: Paige, Cameron, Marina, Phee, Skylar, etc. Two things I'm most eager for: Phee vs Cam around the rim and Money Martin's production from 3. Peak Performer: Cameron Brink Prediction: Breeze wins February 22nd Phantom vs Hive What to watch for: Dynamic Fever/Mystics duos in Aliyah Boston & KiKi Iriafen vs Kelsey Mitchell & Sonia Citron. These four will likely make up the majority of the scoring in this one. Peak Performer: Aliyah Boston Prediction: Phantom wins February 23rd Lunar Owls vs Vinyl What to watch for: Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard's versatility and 3x3 experience on the world stage makes them both super dangerous; inside-out scoring. Peak Performer: Dearica Hamby Prediction: Vinyl wins SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

If a player is only taking a couple of threes per game, they’re not going to get guarded out there no matter how high their percentage is. On the team level, the four teams that attempted the fewest threes all missed the playoffs, but the Valkyries made the playoffs by shooting the most threes despite having the third-lowest three-point percentage. With so many players potentially changing teams this offseason, I’m going to watch to see where these notable three-point shooters wind up. November 13, 2025 Notable Three-Point Attempt Leaders to Watch This Offseason Steve Pimental Like many WNBA fans, I am impatiently awaiting the new collective bargaining agreement and the ensuing free agent frenzy that will follow. With nearly every veteran in the league hitting unrestricted free agency, most of the attention will be on the stars and where they will land. While those players are extremely important and their signings will impact the league, I think it is more fun to look at some role players who could be underrated this offseason. One of my favorite ways to do that is by looking at the three-point leaders in three-point attempts per 36 minutes. I discussed the value in looking at per-36-minute stats back in September , but that article did not look at three-point attempts. While three-point makes and percentage are, of course, very important, I believe attempts can get underrated. If a player is only taking a couple of threes per game, they’re not going to get guarded out there no matter how high their percentage is. On the team level, the four teams that attempted the fewest threes all missed the playoffs, but the Valkyries made the playoffs by shooting the most threes despite having the third-lowest three-point percentage. With so many players potentially changing teams this offseason, I’m going to watch to see where these notable three-point shooters wind up. Chloe Bibby, F, IND, 9.8 3PA per 36 At some point I want to do a deep dive into how the Indiana Fever managed to have so much success with Caitlin Clark and half of her teammates injured. I’m confident one of the reasons they made it as far as they did is that they surrounded Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell with willing shooters. Only Rhyne Howard attempted more threes per 36 than Bibby, but Bibby shot 40.5 percent on those looks compared to 32.2 percent for Howard. Bibby was actually better for Golden State earlier in the season but she played well enough for both teams that she has earned a rotation spot somewhere. Kayla Thornton, F, GSV, 7.7 3PA per 36 I nominated Thornton for Most Improved Player a couple of months ago, but at that time I was focused mostly on her career-highs in points and rebounds. It didn’t even register that she was shooting 7.7 threes per 36, up from her previous career-high of 5.6. Thornton shot just 28.2 percent on threes, her lowest percentage since 2019. If she can keep the volume from last season while shooting closer to the 35.7 percent she shot in 2024, I see no reason why Thornton can’t be an All-Star again next season. Kiana Williams, G, PHX, 8.8 3PA per 36 Williams played more minutes this season (107) than in her first three seasons combined. Williams doesn’t fit with all teams, but on the Mercury where she can cede ballhandling duties to Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, her willingness to take threes makes her a nice backup point guard. If she continues to let it fly, she could earn even more playing time next season. Kierstan Bell, F, LVA, 8.7 3PA per 36 Bell’s spot in the starting lineup while playing just 10.1 minutes per game in the playoffs became a bit farcical, but I am impressed by her willingness to shoot threes even when they’re not going in. The Aces need someone who can play hard on defense and doesn’t need the ball on offense, and Bell has stepped into that role. There are plenty of players who shoot a better percentage but are afraid to let it fly when they’re open. Bell is a career 26.5 percent three-point shooter, but she shot better than that this season. Hopefully she can continue to improve. Amy Okonkwo, F, 6.9 3PA per 36 Like Kayla Thornton, Okonkwo earned more recognition for her two-point scoring than her three-point shooting, but that may be a mistake. Okonkwo shot 49.2 percent overall but just 33.3 percent on twos. She averaged 20.2 points per 36 minutes in her eight games for Dallas, though those games came at the end of the season when Dallas was playing out the string. Dallas has a ton of young players under contract next season, which could lead Okonkwo to get an opportunity somewhere else. Just 16.7 percent of Okonkwo’s baskets were unassisted, so I would hope that she stays in Dallas where she can continue to get fed by Paige Bueckers, but if she continues to space the floor and attack the glass, she could be successful anywhere. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

Unlike most weeks when the focus is mostly on the top of the leaderboard, this tournament will feature intriguing storylines up and down as players look to earn the last few points that could secure their place in the last tournament of the year. All four days of the tournament will be televised on The Golf Channel and these are the nine players I’m most excited to watch this week. November 11, 2025 Nine Players to Watch at The ANNIKA Steve Pimental If I’m being honest, I still am not completely over the ending of the LPGA’s streak of different individual winners. We now have 28 different winners this season and two repeat winners with just two events remaining on the LPGA schedule. The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at the Pelican is one of my favorite tournaments on the entire LPGA calendar, and not just because it has the longest name ever. The ANNIKA is hosted by one of the best players ever, features a very strong field and is played on a golf course that rewards length and precision. It also has the added benefit of being the last tournament on the schedule before the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 60 and ties in the Race to CME Globe Points List at the end of the tournament qualify for the Tour Championship. Unlike most weeks when the focus is mostly on the top of the leaderboard, this tournament will feature intriguing storylines up and down as players look to earn the last few points that could secure their place in the last tournament of the year. All four days of the tournament will be televised on The Golf Channel and these are the nine players I’m most excited to watch this week. Nelly Korda It is still crazy that Nelly is not among the 28 different players who have won this season. She is second on tour this season with eight top-10 finishes without a win, behind Hye-Jin Choi. That being said, she should probably be the favorite this week. Nelly has won this tournament three of the five times they’ve held it, including last year for her seventh win of the season. Nelly’s stats are not too far off from her historic 2024 season, and a win here would feel like a bit of justice. If Nelly does not win The ANNIKA or the Tour Championship, it would be her first season without a win since 2020. Caitlin Clark, Lexie Hull, and Sophie Cunningham Caitlin Clark is playing in Wednesday’s Pro-Am for the second consecutive season, and this year her Indiana Fever teammates Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull will be her celebrity guest caddies. I don’t usually pay attention to LPGA tournaments until the strokes actually count, but this should be a fun group as Clark plays alongside the aforementioned Nelly Korda. Miyu Yamashita Yamashita is the highest-ranked player in CME Points in the field, and the only player with a shot to catch Jeeno Thitikul for Rolex Player of the Year. They are the only players with multiple wins on tour this season, though Yamashita has done it in five more events. Yamashita finished third in the rain-shortened TOTO Japan Classic last week, her seventh top-10 in her last 10 tournaments. She has nearly wrapped up the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, thought that could change if Rio Takeda, Chisato Iwai, or Akie Iwai are able to pick up their second wins of the season. Lillia Vu Currently ranked 74 in the Race to CME Globe Points List, Lillia Vu needs to finish sixth or better to have any chance of advancing to next week’s CME Group Tour Championship. That is a tall order, but as the only player not named Nelly Korda to win this tournament in the last four years, I wouldn’t rule it out. Last year in her second start in this tournament, she finished T34. Vu has just one top-10 this season, but she has made three consecutive cuts. It is unlikely that anyone this far down the CME Points List is going to make a dramatic move into the top 60, but she is as good a bet as any. Julia Lopez Ramirez Anyone who has read my LPGA articles this season probably knew Lopez Ramirez would make an appearance sooner or later. That being said, there are good reasons she is here beyond her being one of my favorite young players. The success that Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Linn Grant, Stephanie Kyriacou and Lexi Thompson have had at this tournament in recent seasons demonstrates the importance of driving the ball long and straight on this course. Julia Lopez Ramirez is currently tied for fourth in strokes gained driving and is first in driving distance. She is also 68th in the Race to CME Globe Points List. The CME Group Tour Championship bubble doesn’t have any household names on the outside looking in, but Julia Lopez Ramirez has the game to vault herself into contention this week and perhaps even be a factor next week. Lexi Thompson While there aren’t many big names in the 60s in the Race to CME Globe Points List, there are several notable players in the 50s. Lexi Thompson is currently 52nd, followed by Patty Tavatanakit at 55 and Leona Maguire at 56. All three will be under some pressure to at least make the cut and perhaps even get into the top 10 to secure a spot in the field next week. I have decided to highlight Lexi Thompson here for a few reasons. Firstly, I don’t think it has gotten enough attention how well she has played in her first season as a part-time player. She has played just 11 events this season and is still on track to qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship. The only player with fewer starts who even has a chance of making the field is Lottie Woad. Lexi has two top-10s and just three missed cuts in her 11 starts. She hasn’t played an official event since the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G in September, which was rained out after one round. She missed the cut the two other times this season, she went more than a month between events, which could be a problem this week. However, her history at this course is working in her favor. Lexi finished second to Nelly Korda here in 2022 and was one of three players to lose in a playoff to Nelly in 2021. Lexi finished T7 here in 2023 before missing the cut last year. It has been great to see how well Lexi has adjusted to her part-time schedule, and it would be great if she could pay that off with another top-10 and a spot in the Tour Championship. Charley Hull I rarely need a reason to watch Charley Hull, but I am even more intrigued than normal to see how she does this week. She has wrapped up a spot in the Tour Championship thanks in part to her improbable win at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G in September. She has played just once since then, a T14 at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei in October. Like Lexi Thompson, Hull has excelled in a condensed schedule, though Hull’s schedule was shortened due to illness and injury. As I mentioned above, I believe this course suits Hull’s game, so maybe we will see her secure the first multi-win season of her career. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.