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  • In The Know W/ NSL's Croix Soto | Let's Fantasy Game

    People should know that the Northern Super League is the first ever professional women’s soccer league in Canada. My favorite part so far has been... May 22, 2025 In The Know W/ NSL's Croix Soto Croix Soto What should people know about the NSL that they may not already know? What have your favorite parts been so far? People should know that the Northern Super League is the first ever professional women’s soccer league in Canada. My favorite part so far has been getting our first win against Calgary on our home field in front of our fans and I have already made new friendships that will last a lifetime. Are there any upcoming NSL matchups that women’s sports fans should get extra excited about? I would say our upcoming Ottawa game on June 7th. It will be a home game this time around and we will get the opportunity for a rematch after we lost to them away. It will be a good opportunity for redemption at home in front of our fans. When you aren’t watching women’s soccer, what is other women’s sport and or women’s athlete that you love watching? I watch my friends who play in the NWSL because I love cheering them on and watching them do great things from a distance. I also love watching track and field especially during the Olympics. It’s amazing to watch the records be broken and watch the sport continue to grow in such a positive way. I love how track athletes are able to have their own style and personalities come out on the track. It's also super fun to see the new looks they will have when they step onto the track. Select Northern Super League (NSL) matches are available on ESPN+. Other matches can be viewed on the league's official website at https://www.nsl.ca/ . ESPN+ has signed up to show over 40 NSL matches in the inaugural 2025 season, including playoffs and the final. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Croix Soto is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Canadian club AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League . Soto started all four years she attended University of Oregon . She played every minute of the Ducks' 2021 season, during which Oregon held nine clean sheets in 18 games. Soto was a two-time All-Pac 12 selection. Soto signed a one-year deal in 2023 with the Kansas City Current and made eight starts in 12 appearances for the NWSL side. In November 2024, she signed with Canadian club AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League for the 2025 season. Via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_Soto

  • In The Know W/ Adelaide Gay | Let's Fantasy Game

    I’m particularly excited to watch the new Canadian league this year. There are so many great players making the move there, as well as female coaches, owners and GMs involved. May 9, 2025 In The Know W/ Adelaide Gay Adelaide Gay Q: Being such an accomplished veteran player (in both pro soccer and college soccer) over the last 15+ years, what can you say about this time in women’s soccer? A: This time in women’s soccer is really interesting. There is so much investment being made into women’s sports at this moment. For most of my life and career women’s sports was seen as a charity or some kind of benevolence. Even in college sports where the investment was legally required to be equal, there was this idea that women were playing as a means to a different end than the men were. And I think it’s cool that that is changing. Being a female athlete at a professional level is not only possible - which it has been for a while - but lucrative and desirable. Investors now see a real benefit and a real return on investing in women. I have seen this change first-hand over the course of my professional career - in particular over the past 5 years. I’m excited to see where things could be in another 5 years. Q: Are there particular players and leagues in women’s sports that you are excited about watching that others should be too? A: I’m a soccer junkie. I watch NWSL games, USL Super League Games, WSL games etc… I love that almost every day there is a women’s soccer game readily available on major streaming platforms. One of the cool things about playing as long as I have is watching some of my young teammates embark on their careers, move to new countries and grow into incredible players and people. As much as I love seeing players succeed, I love just watching their stories unfold especially when there is a genuine love for the game itself. I’m particularly excited to watch the new Canadian league this year. There are so many great players making the move there, as well as female coaches, owners and GMs involved. From what I’ve seen the teams seem to have made an effort to do things the right way, and bring in the right kinds of people. A few years ago in Norway, I played with Nikki Stanton (who is playing for Vancouver Rise) and she is still one of my favorite human beings. I can’t wait to watch her crush it on the field and I know she will bring a high level of professionalism, experience, kindness and humor to her team and the league. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author ⚽ Pro Soccer Player 📓 Founder, Duktig Brand 🏆 NCAA, NWSL, W-League, Elitettan, Danish and Icelandic Cup Champion

  • What Will the Fever Do With Caitlin Clark Out? | Let's Fantasy Game

    On Monday, Fever head coach Stephanie White tried to spin the injury as a positive. She noted that the absence would give Clark more time to break down the game from the sideline. White said it would also give the rest of the team an opportunity to grow and learn how to play without Clark, so that they would be that much better when Clark returns. May 28, 2025 What Will the Fever Do With Caitlin Clark Out? Steve Pimental I had wanted to write about the Seattle Storm’s surprising 3-1 start this week, but that will have to wait. Maybe if they keep it up, we will do a deep dive next week. For now we turn our attention, along with the rest of the WNBA community, to Caitlin Clark’s left quadriceps strain. On Monday, Fever head coach Stephanie White tried to spin the injury as a positive. She noted that the absence would give Clark more time to break down the game from the sideline. White said it would also give the rest of the team an opportunity to grow and learn how to play without Clark, so that they would be that much better when Clark returns. While that may be an optimistic view, I believe there could be some truth to it. Caitlin Clark struggled at the start of her rookie season, likely as a result of a hectic schedule with little practice time. After the extended Olympic break, Clark averaged six more points per game and her effective field goal percentage rose from 50.9 to 54.2. Clark has gotten off to a much better start this season, but she is coming off a 10-turnover game against the Liberty. Perhaps a chance to reset won’t be a bad thing. The Fever are integrating three new rotation players this season, a task that was complicated by Sophie Cunningham missing the first two games with a right ankle injury. While Cunningham and Natasha Howard have played well in their first opportunities, with Clark, DeWanna Bonner has struggled. Bonner moved to the bench Saturday against New York but her shooting woes continued. She is 2-16 from the field on the season, including 0-4 on threes, and her usage has plummeted to 10.7 percent. She has never had lower than 17.3 percent in any of her 15 previous WNBA seasons. If Clark’s absence helps Bonner bounce back, that could be quite positive for the Fever long term. In the short term, I wonder if Sophie Cunningham will replace Clark in the starting lineup. The Fever are very short on ballhandling, and bringing Bonner off the bench would make it easier to ensure one of Bonner and Kelsey Mitchell is on the floor at all times. Neither is a true point guard, but given the talent of Indiana’s individual scorers and the floor spacing provided by Cunningham and Lexie Hull, I think Indiana can mostly get away without playing a point guard. The only point guard on the roster is Sydney Colson, who hasn’t played more than eight minutes a game since 2019. While she should play more until Clark returns, I highly doubt she’s going to join the starting lineup. Defensively, the Fever might actually improve with Clark out. Indiana is actually third in the league in defensive rating on the young season, but I think that’s mostly due to three point shooting luck. Indiana’s opponents are shooting just 27.4 percent from three, while the league has a whole is shooting 32.9 percent. Indiana’s defense may not need to rely on luck in the short term. Mitchell and Colson are the only players on the roster shorter than Clark, which means opposing teams will have to deal with a lot of size on the perimeter. Hull and Cunningham can both be pests on the wing, while Natasha Howard is a former Defensive Player of the Year inside. On offense, my only concern is ball movement. With just one true point guard on the roster, I worry there will be a lot of one-on-one offense with four people standing around watching. Howard, Mitchell, Bonner and Aliyah Boston are all capable one-on-one scorers, but that is a tough way to make a living. My hope is that the offense will run through Boston and Howard in the high post. They can work the high-low with each other, a dribble-handoff with one of the guards, or find open shooters if they draw help. One point in Indiana’s favor as they deal with Cailtin Clark’s injury is the schedule. In the four games before Clark is reevaluated, they play the Mystics, Sun, Mystics and Sky. The Sun and Sky are still searching for their first win of the season while the Mystics have a losing record. The schedule gets a bit tougher after that, but not too much. The Fever should be able to at least keep their head above water with Clark out, and then it just becomes of question of having enough time to reintegrate Clark while keeping the rest of the roster healthy. I thought the Fever were one of four title contenders coming into this season, and I don’t believe this injury changes that. Though if Indiana struggles and Seattle continues to rack up wins, I may change my mind. 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.

  • Why is the Wolfman Interested in LFG? | Let's Fantasy Game

    If you are reading this because I am writing it, I don’t believe you.  If you know of my journey in developing software, businesses, and mentoring talent in the sports industry, you might be asking.... April 29, 2025 Why is the Wolfman Interested in LFG? Rick Wolf It Took Eighty Years, But the TIME IS NOW! If you are reading this because I am writing it, I don’t believe you. If you know of my journey in developing software, businesses, and mentoring talent in the sports industry, you might be asking: “Rick, why do you care about Let’s Fantasy Game?” Welp…it’s about my MOM. It is about her lifelong battle for gender equality. My mother grew up in New York in the 1940s as a devout Dodgers fan. Nightly, she listened to Red Barber on the radio and scored the games. In high school, they called her “Brooklyn.” She told me of her ANGER that sports for girls in high school were not against other schools and not competitive at all. She played sports with the boys, practiced on their teams, but wasn’t allowed to play in games. In 1948, she graduated second in her class and was accepted as one of the first women into the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School. After one semester, her parents took the money saved and gave it to her brother to attend Villanova Law School. Her parents told her, “Men have a better chance of succeeding. Find a husband.” She left her family. Moved to New York City. Got a job writing for the New York Daily News. She wrote under the pen name Claud Van (her name was Claudine Van Cott). After more than six months delivering high-quality editorial for the newspaper, she was fired for lying about her gender. Well, they couldn’t say it was for being a woman. She gave up her dreams, found an army man, reconciled with her family, and settled into being a housewife. It angered my father that she continued to be a devout feminist. She touted the passing of Title IX in 1972 throughout the town with joy. Our family was exhausted hearing about Billie Jean King beating Bobby Riggs in 1973 and what that meant. She went door to door for the League of Women Voters to get housewives to have a voice different from their husbands. She discussed women’s rights after her divorce, as she raised five children as a single mother, working as an Executive Secretary. In my high school, our football team won the state championship, so it was hard to notice a lot of the women’s sports. The first visible sign of significant change I saw in women’s empowerment around sports was in college. It was 1982, and I was on the Cross-Country team at Binghamton. The female athletes on the team were ultra-competitive, the most intense I had ever seen. These women were more intense than the football players who had won State the year before. The world was changing. In 1996, I was running production for SportsLine USA. We ran CBS Sports digital coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. We built new systems, the first I had seen for tournament coverage on the internet. “We should cover the Women’s Tournament. All the systems would work.” The answer was no. We launched CBS Sports’ first fantasy products only a month before that, so we knew that when fantasy sports, games, or any competition became available, it would create a lasting and lucrative community. Fantasy sports, contests, games of skill, and sports betting (offshore at the time) made the games more popular and added the FUEL needed to make pro sports more popular. The leagues noticed and embraced fantasy sports. People simply want a place where they belong, and they can embrace the stars of the game. So, why is this the right time to add that fuel to the momentum of women’s sports? Since 1996, women’s sports have had some significant moments, but they have not yet sustained momentum toward equality. The Gold medal for US Women’s Soccer game in 1996; WNBA inaugural broadcast in 1997; 18 million people watching Brandi Chastain’s celebration in 1999 FIFA World Cup; our great Olympic Gymnasts though the years; The Williams sisters dominating the world tennis stage including Serena winning the Australian Open in 2017 while pregnant are just a few. The current momentum started in the 2023 Women’s NCAA Finals showdown between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. This showdown caused an electricity around the two stars, but mostly Clark, that then ran through the entire 2024 season. That rivalry and focus on other female stars in other sports, and the sheer quality of play and athleticism, has continued the momentum needed for this moment to arrive. My mom is telling everyone in heaven. So, that is my “Why.” When LFG approached me and shared their plans, connections, and focus on coverage, community, and contests (the three Cs) for women’s sports, they had me at LFG, which is what I said! After talking with my partners, Full Moon Sports became an LFG Founding Investor. We are on board here, and you can find us in the Discord channel, writing on the site, posting on X and LinkedIn, and who knows, if the Wolfman comes back to the airwaves soon, covering fantasy sports for the WNBA or NWSL. So sit back, enjoy the games, and get ready to hang with a community where EVERYONE BELONGS! We will be discussing women’s sports and competing in exciting, skill-based games. Oh…and I will be trash-talking…even when I lose. LET’S F*^%ing GO!! SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Rick Wolf is the Founder & President of Full Moon Sports, founded in 2001 to provide solutions to sports media and especially fantasy sports. Wolf created and executed business plans for companies such as Daily Racing Form, AOL, Sports Illustrated, Allstar Stats, NBC Sports, Rotoworld, Spotlight Sports Group, and Fantasy Alarm. Wolf is also a founding Board Member of the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA), a non-profit organization with the mission of raising awareness worldwide for Fantasy Sports. Wolf served as FSTA Chairman from 2002 to 2006 and Treasurer from 2016 to 2018. In 2011, Wolf was inducted into the Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame. Wolf was also inducted into the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame in 2025. Wolf was a SiriusXM radio personality. For 12 years, Wolf co-hosted Colton and the Wolfman on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio with Glenn Colton bringing high-energy hijinks to the airwaves.

  • Five Women's Sports Stories To Watch This Summer | Let's Fantasy Game

    With the WNBA season beginning and the NWSL and LPGA seasons heating up, now seems like the perfect time to take a look at five storylines... May 9, 2025 Five Women's Sports Stories To Watch This Summer Steve Pimental I love watching individual games and sporting events, but one of my favorite things as a sports fan is watching how a season unfolds across several weeks and months. With the WNBA season beginning and the NWSL and LPGA seasons heating up, now seems like the perfect time to take a look at five storylines I will keep an eye on across women’s sports this summer. 1. Can the Lynx, Liberty and Aces maintain their dominance for one more season? The Liberty and Aces have combined to win the last three WNBA Championships. The Lynx knocked off the Aces in last year’s playoffs before narrowly losing to the Liberty in overtime of the decisive fifth game. All three teams are expected to contend for the title again. Along with the upstart Indiana Fever, they are the only teams with better than 5.3% implied odds to win the title. That being said, all three teams have new challenges to overcome to remain at the top of the game. The Liberty lost Hall of Fame point guard Courtney Vandersloot but have seemingly replaced her with Natasha Cloud. Cloud should be an upgrade on the defensive end, but the Liberty may miss Vandersloot’s passing, creativity and leadership. On paper, the Liberty should be in good shape by adding Cloud, Rebekah Gardner and Isabelle Harrison, but we won’t know for sure until we see how they fit with their new teammates on the court. The Aces are in a similar situation after trading Kelsey Plum for Jewell Loyd. Loyd is a three-time All-WNBA player, so it is hard to argue the Aces got much worse, but there may be growing pains as Loyd settles into three guard lineups with Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. Young, Gray and Plum had played together since Gray joined the Aces in 2021, and it may take time to develop similar chemistry with Loyd. An even bigger problem may be the Aces frontcourt injuries. They have always struggled to get production next to A’ja Wilson but with Megan Gustafson and Elizabeth Kitley out with injuries and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus announcing she is expecting her second child and will miss at least the first three months of the season, the Aces will be relying on Kiah Stokes and Queen Egbo for the foreseeable future. The Lynx may have the fewest questions of these three teams, but they also have the shortest track record. They won 11 more games in 2024 than the year before and if they are to get back to the WNBA finals, they will have to do so without Cecilia Zandalasini, their big signing from last offseason. The Lynx will likely miss her shooting and creativity after she was selected by the Valkyries in the expansion draft. The Lynx will likely suffer even more losses when they have to cut down rosters, which could hurt their chances even more. The reason why I’m looking so closely at these three teams is that if they suffer any slippage from previous seasons, the Indiana Fever look poised to pass them by. With DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham joining Kelsey Mitchell, Cailtin Clark and Aliyah Boston, the Fever should contend for the first time since 2015. 2. Is there a changing of the guard on the LPGA? Last year was dominated by Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda, who combined to win 10 of the Tour’s 35 events. They were relatively quiet in the LPGA’s first major of 2025, the Chevron Championship. Instead, we may have witnessed the beginnings of a youth movement on tour. Mao Saigo, the 2024 LPGA rookie of the year, picked up her first career LPGA win, coming out on top in a five-player playoff. One of the players she defeated in that playoff, 22-year-old Yin Ruoning, followed up that performance with a T2 the next week at the Black Desert Championship. I’m not expecting Ko or Korda to go away anytime soon, but it is exciting to see the next generation begin to step up, especially in the majors. 3. Can anyone challenge Paige Bueckers for Rookie of the Year? Bueckers is -300 to win the award this season. By way of comparison, Caitlin Clark was -750 last season. She was pushed to the brink by Angel Reese, who was drafted seventh overall with the Sky’s second pick in the first round. My best guess is that someone will rise to challenge Bueckers, but I don’t know who it is. Number two overall pick Dominique Malonga has the talent to challenge Bueckers, but it remains to be seen if she will get enough playing time and touches in Seattle’s crowded backcourt. At +5000 Hailey Van Lith might be the best bet to challenge Bueckers. Like Reese, Van Lith was an accomplished college player who was the second rookie selected by the Sky. Unlike Reese, Van Lith probably needs an injury to Courtney Vandersloot to get enough playing time to challenge Bueckers. A handful of other first-rounders should have opportunities to make an impression, mostly notably Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen in Washington and Juste Jocyte for Golden State. Aneesah Morrow’s game shares some similarities with Angel Reese, whom she followed at LSU. The Connecticut depth chart appears wide open, so both Morrow and Saniya Rivers should have opportunities. My dark horse is second-round pick Te-Hina Paopao. She shot 40% on 4.8 three-point attempts per game in her college career, and that skill should make her a perfect fit with her new coach (more on that later). Only one WNBA second-round pick has won Rookie of the Year, Crystal Dangerfield in 2020. If anyone is going to buck that trend this season, Paopao should have the best shot. 4. Will the NWSL continue to embrace its youth movement? So far this season 21 teenagers have appeared in NWSL games. Last season 22 teenagers played in at least one game. From 2021 through 2023 just 16 teenagers total made it onto the pitch. I will be interested to see not only if those numbers continue to grow but also what kind of impact these young players will have. Rookie Riley Tiernan, who is 22 years old, is currently second in the league with five goals scored for Angel City. She is just one of several rookies who could shape the league table this summer. 5. What Impact will the new coaches have around the league? Eight of the 13 WNBA teams have new coaches this season. Seven of those are first-time head coaches. It stands to reason that those teams, and the league in general, will look substantially different than what we are used to, in ways that we might not foresee. The Chicago Sky seem committed to making Kamilla Cardoso the hub of their offense under head coach Tyler Marsh. Cardoso got a late start as a rookie last season and by the time she made it on the floor, Angel Reese was in the midst of setting double-double records. Reese has openly discussed expanding her game outside of the paint this season, at least in part to open up space for Cardoso. The most obvious coaching impact could be Karl Smesko, who took over the Atlanta Dream following 23 seasons at Florida Gulf Coast. His teams won 25 or more games in each of the last 14 seasons and made at least 300 3-pointers in each of the last 15 seasons. The Dream were 10th out of 12 teams in made 3-pointers last season, while finishing ninth in 3-point attempts and 11th in 3-point percentage. Their two biggest additions, Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner, are bigs who are not known for shooting threes. I can’t wait to see how Smesko’s system meshes with his personnel. Only one new coach is taking over an expected title contender: Fever head coach Stephanie White. White previously coached the 2015 Fever squad that lost in the WNBA finals, as well as the 2023 and 2024 Connecticut teams that lost in the Semifinals. It will be her job to blend the newcomers with the returning talent and make sure this team plays enough defense to supplement their offensive firepower. Her ability to do so will help shape the WNBA this season. 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.

  • Jaden's WNBA Rookies to Watch | Let's Fantasy Game

    April 29, 2025 Jaden's WNBA Rookies to Watch SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

  • In The Know W/ Kate Wiesner | Let's Fantasy Game

    There’s an exciting buzz around the women’s game right now, it’s getting the attention and recognition it deserves, and there’s some amazing talent around the NWSL and across the world that is making women’s soccer so fun to watch and be a part of! May 28, 2025 In The Know W/ Kate Wiesner Kate Wiesner Q: As a Big Ten Tournament champ and winner of the NWSL Challenge Cup, what can you say about this time in women’s soccer? A: This is an incredibly exciting time to be in the women’s game. It’s a testament to all of the women who’ve come before us and blazed the trail for us younger players. There’s an exciting buzz around the women’s game right now, it’s getting the attention and recognition it deserves, and there’s some amazing talent around the NWSL and across the world that is making women’s soccer so fun to watch and be a part of! Q: You’ve overcome injuries in your career and succeeded at the highest levels of women’s soccer. What advice would you give to young players coming up about overcoming adversity? A: Unfortunately, injuries and adversity are a very real part of the game. I’m blessed to have had an excellent support system in place around me that helped carry me through those difficult moments. I’ve also leaned on my faith in both the good times and the bad, and trust in God’s timing and plan for me. The advice I’d give to younger players is to hold onto the joy of playing and find a “why” that is meaningful to you to come back to when things get tough. Lean into your relationships with teammates, friends, or mentors to remind you of that “why”, even when you don’t feel like it! Q: Are there particular payers and leagues in women’s sports that you are excited about watching that others should be too? A: I may be a little bit biased, but I think the NWSL is the most exciting league in the world right now. It is competitive from top to bottom and any team can win on any given day. The style of play is evolving to produce some more free-flowing, creative soccer moments that are beautiful to watch. You have your superstars in the likes of Trinity Rodman, Barbara Banda, or Delphine Cascarino who bring the flare and excitement into every game they’re a part of. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Kate Wiesner is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Penn State Nittany Lions before being selected by the Spirit in the first round of the 2024 NWSL Draft . Wiesner has been called up on numerous occations for training with the USWNT under head coach Emma Hayes . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Wiesner

  • The "Why?" Behind Steve Pimental | Let's Fantasy Game

    There have been so many factors in my women’s sports fandom that it is nearly impossible to isolate just a few. One thing I am confident in, however, is that it began with my younger sister, Leslie. May 7, 2025 The "Why?" Behind Steve Pimental Steve Pimental I was exiting the merchandise tent at a Chicago Stars FC game in April when I heard my brother-in-law tell my nephew, “I think Uncle Steve needs to get that shirt.” I hadn’t planned on spending any money on merch that day, but when I saw the black t-shirt with the Stars FC logo and “SUPPORT WOMEN’S SPORTS” across the front, I immediately walked back into the tent to find one in my size. It is a source of pride that my friends and family would associate me with such an important message, though if I’m being honest, I am still not entirely sure how I got here. Perhaps that is because there have been so many factors in my women’s sports fandom that it is nearly impossible to isolate just a few. One thing I am confident in, however, is that it began with my younger sister, Leslie. Growing up I would play sports in the neighborhood any chance I could. When it came time to pick teams, I always tried to pick Leslie, because I knew she would be underestimated by the other boys and give me the best chance to win. This was especially true when we played basketball. I would always try to find her with passes when we had the ball, because she knew how to get open and I trusted her to make shots. Leslie played soccer and basketball in high school but unfortunately, I didn’t get to see her play too often because I was away at college at Illinois State. I had never cared much for college sports growing up, but I couldn’t get enough while I was a student. I drove eight hours with some friends to watch the ISU women’s volleyball team play in Kentucky. Two of my best columns for the school newspaper were about how much fun the women's volleyball team was and how more people should watch the WNBA. Attending ISU volleyball, softball and women’s basketball games live was thrilling, and I think that is one of the reasons my passion for women’s sports has endured over the years. I have attended plenty of men’s professional sporting events in my lifetime, but nothing will compare to attending the 2009 Solheim Cup, or the last two games of the 2021 WNBA Finals. One of the things I have always appreciated about women’s sports is the accessibility. Watching the Blackhawks and Cubs win championships on TV was thrilling, but being in the Arena when the Sky took down the Mercury was something else. As you can probably imagine, I could talk about women’s sports for days. And I often do. I love the women’s sports community and how accessible and relatable women’s athletes are. It is great to watch this thing that I have loved start to take off, and yet when someone asks me why I love women’s sports, I still struggle to answer. I think the real reason I can’t answer the question is that I don’t really understand why everyone doesn’t love women’s sports. Everything I have loved about sports since I was a little kid is encapsulated every day in places like the WNBA, NWSL, LPGA, WSL, and beyond. Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that? Especially now that all those leagues are starting to take off. There has never been a better time to be a fan of women’s sports, and launching this site is one part of that. I cannot wait to see where it goes, and I hope you will all join me for the ride. 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.

  • What These Record-Setting Debuts Mean for the 2025 WNBA Season | Let's Fantasy Game

    The WNBA had a historic opening weekend, with several records being set. Whether players were setting franchise records, debut records or all-time records, I believe they all point to larger trends that will shape the league this season. May 20, 2025 What These Record-Setting Debuts Mean for the 2025 WNBA Season Steve Pimental The WNBA had a historic opening weekend, with several records being set. Whether players were setting franchise records, debut records or all-time records, I believe they all point to larger trends that will shape the league this season. 1. Napheesa Collier ties the WNBA record for most points in a season debut. It is worth noting that the record she tied belonged to Candace Parker (twice), Maya Moore and Katie Smith. For as much as guards around the league are beginning to have a greater impact (more on that later), the WNBA still belongs to forwards. A guard hasn’t won an MVP award since Diana Taurasi in 2009. And while most WNBA champions have had good guard play, including Kahleah Copper and Chelsea Gray being named Finals MVP in 2021 and 2022, you have to go back to Diana Taurasi, this time in 2014, to find a team that won the finals with a guard as its best player. Collier could very well carry on that tradition, which is why it is significant that the record-holders she tied were all frontcourt players. The 2024 MVP runner-up was one overtime away from winning the championship last year, and the Lynx should contend for the title again this season. Coming into this season I thought that if Collier didn’t win MVP last season, when her team finished three games ahead of the Aces, it would never happen. If she continues to play like she did in the opener against Dallas, she will prove me wrong. 2. Kelsey Plum sets the new WNBA record for most points in a season debut. Collier’s share of the record lasted just a couple of hours before Kelsey Plum eclipsed it. While Plum was an integral part of two Aces championships, that team revolved around three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson. In fact, with Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young there, it wasn’t even clear most nights if Plum was the Aces best guard. With the Sparks, Plum has her first opportunity in years to drive an offense, and the early returns have been promising. Plum dropped 37 points in a blowout of the Valkyries and followed that up with 18 points and five assists against the Lynx. I think the Sparks probably need Cameron Brink and some added bench depth to truly contend, but Plum may just prove me wrong. 3. Satou Sabally set the record for most points by a player in her Phoenix Mercury debut. I think this record is telling for a number of reasons. First of all, it points to the increased player movement in the league in recent seasons, and with the Mercury in particular. This is Phoenix’s first season since Diana Taurasi retired and Brittany Griner signed with Atlanta. Both of those players debuted with Phoenix as rookies and stayed there for years. While Sabally’s 27 points are impressive, it is important to note that there were plenty of points to be had with two franchise icons out the door.Perhaps more importantly, this should serve as a reminder that Satou Sabally can be one of the best players in the league when healthy. She has topped 17 games in a season just once in her career, but that season, 2023, she earned first-team All-WNBA honors.This game also illustrated how top-heavy the Mercury are. Sabally and Alyssa Thomas became just the fourth pair of teammates in WNBA history to each score 20+ points in their team debuts. They scored 58 percent of their team’s points, and while Kahleah Copper will shoulder much of the scoring load when she is healthy, I still can’t believe the Mercury failed to surround their big three with any proven talent. Phoenix didn’t need much from its role players to thump Seattle, but they will going forward if they are going to actually contend. 4. Caitlin Clark became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach three career triple-doubles. In doing so, she tied Candace Parker for the third most triple-doubles in WNBA history. Honestly, the only takeaway here might be that the Sky are nothing more than a fringe playoff team, but this performance is still worth discussing. New Fever head coach Stephanie White said she wanted to take the ball out of Clark’s hands more this season, and her 23.0 percent usage indicates that may actually be the case. Clark had a 26.2 percent usage as a rookie, including 28.7 percent after the All-Star break.As we mentioned above, it remains to be seen if any guard can guide her team to a championship, but I wouldn’t want to bet against Clark. If she can share the load during the regular season and increase her usage when needed in the playoffs, the Fever have a chance to beat anybody. 5. DeWanna Bonner moved to third on the all-time points list. This probably says more about Bonner’s durability and the era that she has played in than anything else, but I still found it interesting. Bonner is in her 15th WNBA season. She has played in more than half of the league’s seasons. Bonner made All-WNBA twice, and was Sixth Woman of the Year in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Bonner has always played with at least one other Hall-of-Famer, first with Diana Taurasi and Brittany Griner in Phoenix and later with Alyssa Thomas in Connecticut. She only scored seven points against the Sky, but if Caitlin Clark really is going to share the offensive load more this season, Bonner should be more than capable of shouldering it. 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.

  • Let’s Find Out Why | Let's Fantasy Game

    Former player & Creative Director for UNC Women’s Soccer, Brittani Bartok, is excited about her role as Head Of Content for LFG. May 8, 2025 Let’s Find Out Why Brittani Bartok Q: What has led up to your role as head of content for Lets Fantasy Game? A: During my sophomore year playing women’s soccer at UNC, I spontaneously decided to create the team’s social media accounts. At that time, athletic departments did not have social media accounts for individual sports. As the self-appointed team documentarian, I immediately saw it as an opportunity to share all of the thoughts, photos, and videography that I felt captured what I loved most about my team. I would have never guessed those “behind-the-scenes” channels would become my full time job after my soccer career. They also became some of the most followed and engaged in college sports for over 17+ years. I believe there was, and still is, a need for that content in women’s sports and I want to be someone that continues to deliver that here at Let’s Fantasy Game. Q: What vibes can we expect from Let’s Fantasy Game content? A: I learned so much during my time at UNC about how important and impactful it is to bring people content that is fun and authentic. Having been an athlete myself, and knowing the athletes personally, I really want to give people a different perspective. Creating content with a vested interest in players, teams, and women’s sports from a very positive, raw and joyful lens has, and always will be, my passion. Becoming Head of Content for Let’s Fantasy Game is a dream come true and I can’t wait to continue to do my part in growing women’s sports in my own unique way! Q: What should people know about Fantasy Gaming Around Women’s Sports? A: What people should know is that you don’t need to know much at all to start having more fun when watching some of your favorite sports at home, at the bar, or even at the stadium. I have personally always been very curious, but intimidated, about the idea of participating in men’s fantasy sports. Fantasy sports have been such a great conduit in men’s leagues for so long when it comes to growing viewership and a sport’s popularity - not to mention offering a stimulating community space. I’m excited that Let’s Fantasy Game has built something inviting, fun, and safe that is specific to women’s sports and its fans. And it’s about damn time! LFG! SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author 3x NCAA Champion - UNC Obsessed with art, your dog, and avoiding cardio.

  • Meet Claudia | Let's Fantasy Game

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  • Netflix's Former Head of Content, Todd Yellin, on becoming an LFG Founding Investor | Let's Fantasy Game

    As a lifelong—at times, borderline obsessive—NBA fan (split loyalties: Warriors and Knicks), I didn’t pay much attention to women’s sports. April 25, 2025 Netflix's Former Head of Content, Todd Yellin, on becoming an LFG Founding Investor Todd S. Yellin As a lifelong—at times, borderline obsessive—NBA fan (split loyalties: Warriors and Knicks), I didn’t pay much attention to women’s sports. Sure, I’d cheer for the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team and admire Serena Williams’ era of dominance, but those moments were rare. Then came a spark: the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, where Sabrina Ionescu went toe-to-toe with Steph Curry in an electrifying three-point contest. I was floored—she’s an absolute sniper. That was my first real pang of WNBA fandom. And then the Caitlin Clark tsunami hit. Like millions of others, I became a curious rubbernecker. Is she really that good? The answer: a resounding yes. But what caught me off guard was how quickly the entire women’s game drew me in. It’s thrilling, competitive, and—for any basketball junkie—an essential fix during the NBA offseason. The NY Liberty’s epic Finals clash with the Minnesota Lynx sealed it. Suddenly, I found myself wondering: will the NBA season become the bridge between WNBA seasons? As a former longtime Netflix exec and now a filmmaker, I live for great stories—and sports are pure, unscripted drama. As an investor, I also jump at compelling opportunities, which is why I’m all in on LFG. Right now, women’s sports fans don’t have the same tools to follow their favorite teams and players—or to feel part of the action—the way fans of men’s sports do. LFG is changing that. Knowing the founders, I’m confident they’ll build something that unlocks deeper, more exciting ways to engage with the women’s game. I’m loud and proud about it now: I’m a full-on fan. Can’t wait for tip-off. Go Liberty! Go Valkyries! SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Todd S. Yellin is the former Head of Content at Netflix. He's an LFG Founding Investor, filmmaker, and a Bay Area / New York sports fan.

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