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  • Find Out Why W/ Paris Smith | Let's Fantasy Game

    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.... July 12, 2025 Find Out Why W/ Paris Smith Paris Smith 1. You were CEO of Pinnacle Sports for 17 years. What was your career trajectory prior to Pinnacle Sports and why were you drawn to gaming? Ironically, politics was the most likely trajectory. My grandfather was a politician, the former governor of North Dakota and I was also drawn to the idea of service of the people because of my exposure growing up with him. The draw to gaming was the newness, when I began in 1995 it was brand new, an industry in its infancy and I loved solving problems and creating everything around it. There was no framework, nothing prior to say "this is how it is done". It was exciting and new. Later in my career with managing people and running companies I always looked at the team as people I was there to serve as well as lead. 2. You succeeded at the highest levels in what many see as a male-dominated industry. Were there any specific challenges you faced because you were a woman CEO and how did you overcome them? At the time, I didn't even think about it, it wasn't until years later I realized I was one of the only women. I always worked for men who respected me and saw the potential I had with hard work. I believe my competitive basketball career really hardened me and created a solid foundation of confidence and resilience. I carried that through my career. I believe being the only woman was always a a strength. I knew how to keep the room in check, my strong personality created a no bull environment and my straight to the point approach resinated with the rest of the room. I never came across as a poor me person, but rather, I have something to say and I appreciate if you listen to it. I am also not afraid to say when i have made mistakes so that bit of humility goes a long way. 3. How do you see the future of fantasy sports dovetailing with the explosion in popularity of women’s sports? The timing of fantasy sports focusing on women’s sports is perfect. The interest and competitive quality are at the peak performance and the legalization is creating even more hype. Women's tennis was superior from a competitive perspective for years, and the volume of betting made that clear, but now with the increased exposure of Soccer/European football, WNBA, Lacrosse, etc.. the interest in betting via fantasy is increased and the acceptability is also there. Fantasy has already proven to be a perfect segway into other contests as we have seen with DraftKings and Fanduel. This gives players the ability to get comfortable with participating in contests in the sport. There have always been a strong amount of female gamers, now it is an increased market segment that needs the attention it deserves. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Paris Smith is an experienced iGaming executive who spent nearly two decades in leadership roles at Pinnacle. Known for her focus on operational strategy and early involvement in esports betting, she played a key role in the company’s international positioning.

  • Katelyn's Must-See Matchup | Let's Fantasy Game

    July 31, 2025 Katelyn's Must-See Matchup Katelyn Hutchinson SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

  • HOW TO PLAY | Let's Fantasy Game

    August 16, 2025 HOW TO PLAY SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

  • 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.

  • 200M London Diamond League Preview | Let's Fantasy Game

    July 17, 2025 200M London Diamond League Preview Katelyn Hutchison SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

  • What is Wrong with the Aces? | Let's Fantasy Game

    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... August 3, 2025 What is Wrong with the Aces? Steve Pimental How is it already August? It still feels like the WNBA season just started a few weeks ago. With summer rapidly coming to an end, I was excited to get a chance on Saturday to watch a live WNBA game from start to finish for the first time in forever. That I got to see the two best players in the league, A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier, go head-to-head was an added bonus. 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, but at the time of this writing, we don’t know the severity of the injury. Collier is the clear MVP favorite, and Minnesota obviously needs her healthy for the playoffs, but I think they are deep enough to withstand an injury to Collier for a while. It certainly helps that they are six games up on the second-place Liberty in the standings. Jessica Shepard should join the starting lineup and play significantly more minutes, though Alanna Smith and Maria Kliundikova could get more minutes as well. While Minnesota’s path forward seems relatively clear, the Aces’ situation is far murkier. It probably isn’t fair to judge the Aces based on one game against the best team in the league, especially when that team goes 13-for-14 on threes in the first half. No team is going to look good when the other team doesn’t miss. Of course, Las Vegas had a hand in that by repeatedly leaving Minnesota’s shooters open, especially Kayla McBride. McBride has arguably the quickest shot in the WNBA, but she didn’t need it with how much space she had on her attempts. She could have moved much more slowly and still gotten her shot off. McBride tied a WNBA record with eight made three-pointers in the first half Saturday, but what was most impressive is she did it without a miss. This season, Las Vegas has actually done a good job of defending the three-point line, Saturday’s effort notwithstanding. Only Atlanta and Seattle have allowed fewer three-point attempts per 100 possessions. The tradeoff has been a virtual parade to the basket for opposing teams. Only the last-place Sun have allowed more points in the paint per 100 possessions, and only three teams have a lower defensive rebounding rate. Of course, those things go hand-in-hand. When you get into the paint and draw help, there is usually an offensive player in position for a rebound and often a putback. That being said, the Aces’ problem really hasn’t been on the defensive end. They rank ninth in defensive rating, which is a bit lower than in years past but isn’t terrible. Their defensive rating going into the Minnesota game, 102.6, was nearly identical to their 102.0 defensive rating when they won the championship in 2022. The Aces could get away with an average defense when they were elite on offense, and given their personnel, that was likely always going to be their best path to contention. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, its 102.0 offensive rating is seventh in the league. Coming into this season, they had ranked first or second in offensive rating in five consecutive seasons, during which they had finished no lower than fourth. Watching Las Vegas and Minnesota on Saturday, the contrast in ball movement was staggering. Minnesota was constantly moving on offense, and the ball never stuck in one place very long. The Aces, on the other hand, seemed like they were mostly standing around waiting for one of their stars to make a play. The season-long numbers indicate this was not a one-game fluke. Nearly half of the Aces’ two-point field goals are unassisted. Their 47.2% mark is first in the WNBA by a wide margin. The Golden State Valkyries are second at 41.8 percent. That difference of 5.4 percent is the same margin between the Valkyries in second and the Seattle Storm in 11th. Last year, the Aces still led the league, but at 41.5 percent. Since 2020, they haven’t scored more than 43.7 percent of their two-point field goals unassisted. They simply have to do a better job of moving without the ball and cutting. Their offensive players draw plenty of defensive attention, but the Aces can’t take advantage if everyone is standing around. I was also surprised to see the Aces rank 11th in percentage of points in the paint, nearly tied with the 12th-place Lynx. The difference is the Lynx score more of their points on threes, while the Aces rely more on the midrange. This is probably due in part to Las Vegas’s lack of spacing, but I also just think they need to do a better job getting all the way to the basket. A’ja Wilson is third in points in the paint per game, but she cannot do it all by herself. Maybe I just can’t let go of the past, but I’m still not giving up on the Aces. I don’t think they can beat the Lynx, but I doubt anyone can. I still think they can match up with just about anyone else, especially since the Liberty, Dream, Mercury, and Fever aren’t exactly running away and hiding. I just think the Aces need to be patient and move the ball more in the halfcourt. I thought in the first half on Saturday the Aces tried to force passes in transition because they didn’t trust their half-court offense, which is how they wound up with eight turnovers in the first half. If they continue to play like that, the Aces are in danger of a first-round playoff exit or missing the playoffs altogether. 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.

  • Lets Fantasy Gals - Ep 3 | Let's Fantasy Game

    August 14, 2025 Lets Fantasy Gals - Ep 3 Sam Holt & Kelly Singh SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

  • Top 7 Storylines for Week 7 | Let's Fantasy Game

    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... June 27, 2025 Top 7 Storylines for Week 7 EJ Arocho New-Look Indiana Fever A difficult schedule ahead: a matchup with Paige Bueckers and Dallas, followed by Napheesa and Minnesota & A’ja and Vegas. I’ll be eager to see how they’ll look with two important pieces gone (DeWanna Bonner granted release and Damiris Dantas with Brazil for AmeriCup). Aari McDonald re-signed and Indiana will look to add one more piece on an emergency hardship contract until Dantas returns. Pay attention to team chemistry this week and any nagging injuries. We saw Caitlin Clark get diagnosed with a left groin injury that kept her out of Thursday’s contest with LA. Upon her return, if she and Aari click together in the back court, it will pay dividends and could catapult Indiana to new heights this season. Sabrina Ionescu Emerging as MVP Candidate A big week could move Sabrina way up the MVP ladder. She’s been quietly putting in tremendous work this season, ranking Top 10 in the league in scoring, assists and steals. Sunday’s game vs Atlanta will be a fun one, and historically, Sabrina has always played her very best against the Dream: a career-high 37 points in 2023 and season-high 34 points just 10 days ago! Sab could leapfrog teammate Stewie by week’s end. More Pressure on Angel Reese to Perform Baby steps in the right direction! We all see what happens when twin towers Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese get ample touches: a career-high night for one and record-breaking performance for the other… and most importantly, a win! Now with Cardoso leaving to join the Brazilian National Team, a [quite literal] huge void is left in the lineup. Two games this week versus a pair of Cali teams could prove crucial as we inch closer and closer to the All-Star break. Both wins are necessary to keep Chicago in early playoff contention. Two loses, however, could drop them to almost last place in the standings. Angel has been on her A-game lately and will need more of that and then some to carry this team in Cardoso’s absence. New York vs Phoenix | Friday, June 26th at 10:00 pm ET The league’s hottest team this season will take on the defending champs in a game that may feature the Top 2 seeds come playoffs. For NY, Jonquel Jones may be sidelined with injury but Kennedy Burke has been huge off the bench and fueled them to a win vs Golden State. Sabrina and Stewie are a dangerous duo and Nyara Sabally has filled in for JJ at the 5. Phoenix features a three-headed monster in Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, who bring it on both sides of the ball. Those three are combining for 47.0 PPG, while Sab & Stewie are combining for just under 41.0 PPG on their own! This will be a rematch of June 19th’s game where Phoenix got the 8-point dub at Barclays. Rookie of the Year Race Heats Up Week 6 saw Paige Bueckers assert herself as the frontrunner, but I still believe it’s a 3-woman race with Mystics’ teammates KiKi Iriafen and Sonia Citron. However, Paige could certainly distance herself from the pack with a standout performance on Saturday in a rematch with Washington. Last time these two teams played, the rookies went OFF! Sonia notched a season-high 27 points, KiKi put up 19 points and a season-high in assists (6) and steals (5) and Paige poured in 20 points and grabbed a season-high 9 boards. They seem to bring out the best in one another! Popcorn-worthy match-up ahead! Kate Martin Coming Alive! Sixth Woman of the Year?? 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! This breakout could bring a surge of confidence heading into a new week with games against Chicago and Seattle. She could prove to be the ultimate x-factor if she can come in and drain clutch 3’s in crunch-time, something she’s well-known for since her days at Iowa. Minnesota Lynx without MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier With no timetable set for Phee’s return (lower back injury), Minnesota will have to lock in and try to fill the nearly 25.0 PPG void she leaves behind. Tuesday’s game vs Washington was rocky, with only two players scoring in double figures in the loss. With three games on the slate vs Atlanta, Connecticut and Washington (rematch), everyone will have to step up if the MVP frontrunner remains sidelined. Two losses could see them slip from the top spot in the standings. 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!

  • 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

  • 10 Things Mr. Women's Basketball is Looking Forward to in WNBA's Week 2 | Let's Fantasy Game

    After an extra spicy opening week here are the things I’m most looking forward to this week... May 22, 2025 10 Things Mr. Women's Basketball is Looking Forward to in WNBA's Week 2 EJ Arocho After an extra spicy opening week here are the Top 10 things I’m most looking forward to in Week 2: 1. Indiana’s Big 3 (Caitlin, Aliyah, Kelsey) vs New York’s Big 3 (Sabrina, Stewie, Jonquel). Saturday’s game features the Top 2 leaders in college triple-doubles in Sabrina Ionescu & Caitlin Clark, who also happen to be the two most lethal 3PT shooters in the W. Look for logo 3’s & a lot of ‘em! 2. Kelsey Plum’s first game against her former team Vegas. We saw what she was able to do with the Aces (2x champ). Now we’re about to see what she can do against them on Friday. No one knows the scouting report better than Becky Hammon! Through 3 games this season, Plum Dawg is averaging a ridiculous 26.7 PPG! 3. A’ja Wilson vs Dominique Malonga (their last meeting was in the Paris Olympics Gold Medal Match!) The reigning MVP vs a future MVP. 4. Tina Charles vs Napheesa Collier on Friday. Husky on Husky crime! Both averaged over 20.0 ppg during opening week! Both look like they’re chasing MVP & DPOY supremacy! 5. Aneesah Morrow’s WNBA debut: Could we see the #7 Draft pick play her first-ever pro game on Sunday vs Atlanta or even Tuesday at home vs Dallas and begin her ROY campaign. She’s been hampered by a slight knee injury to start the season. After recording 104 double-doubles in college, she’ll look to bring that same fire & intensity in the W. 6. Bounce back game for Marina Mabrey & Jacy Sheldon?? Both are coming off of abysmal performances vs Vegas on Tuesday. Jacy was held scoreless (0-7 FG) and Marina, known for her 3PT shooting prowess, went just 1-5 from deep & 3-11 overall from the field. It’ll be another tall task to go up against the league’s best team currently in Minnesota but neither ducks smoke, so I’m eager to see how they perform on Friday. 7. The Battle of Cali Part II. Los Angeles vs Golden State, 2 meetings in 7 days?? I’ll take it! Kelsey Plum exploded for 37 on opening night & the Sparks won by 17. I don’t expect that to happen this time around. ***Something to note: starters Veronica Burton & Kate Martin were held to 4 points combined in that game & went 0-7 from the field. 8. Rookie rematch of the last two National Champions when Atlanta & Dallas clash on Saturday- Te-Hina Paopao (2024) vs Paige Bueckers (2025). 9. Iowa alum clash on Wednesday when Indiana heads to Washington.The face of the league Caitlin Clark takes on rookie & 23rd overall pick Lucy Olsen. I can assure you all of Hawkeye Nation will be tuned in to this one! FUN FACT: After CC graduated in 2024, Lucy Olsen transferred from Villanova to Iowa to fill the primary PG role at Iowa. 10. FIBA/Eurobasket reunion when the Valkyries & the Liberty clash on Tuesday. 7 international players for Golden State representing Belgium, Italy, the UK, France & Australia. 4 international players for New York representing the Bahamas, France & Germany. It’s like the United Nations of Basketball! The matchup I’m looking most forward to here is Temi Fágbénlé vs Jonquel Jones in the post. 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!

  • Claudia's Fantasy Picks | Let's Fantasy Game

    August 5, 2025 Claudia's Fantasy Picks Claudia Bellofatto SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

  • LFG Founders' Welcome Message | Let's Fantasy Game

    Our mission at LFG is to help grow women's sports by bringing fans of women's sports together. We are building a supportive, safe, and fun community. April 30, 2025 LFG Founders' Welcome Message Adrienne Alitowski & Gary W. Marion When our daughter was in elementary school, the first words she’d utter almost every morning were “Who won the game last night?” It didn’t matter the sport or the team. Since she’d have to go to bed before the final whistle, the girl needed to get caught up. She loves sports. She loves playing sports and watching sports and talking about sports. And when she got to high school, she talked to boys about sports for the first time. We remember her telling us at dinner one night that the boys told her that women’s sports were no good. Yeesh. We knew those boys were wrong. But when it was that easy for them to dismiss the hard-fought progress made by resilient and powerful athletes, well, we realized just how far there was left to go. Our daughter came of age with the 2015 and 2019 USWNT World Cup wins. We screamed our heads off, watching a giant screen in a park in Paris, when the US beat the Netherlands to win in 2019. We cheered at the inaugural Angel City FC game in Los Angeles. We welcomed Brittney Griner back to the WNBA in her first game (against the Los Angeles Sparks) after being released from Russia. Absolutely exciting and life-changing moments. Adrienne did not grow up a sports fan. When she and Gary moved in together in a small studio apartment she found him the perfect gift: TV headphones so she didn’t have to hear his sports. She didn’t understand his love for all things sport and she didn’t understand why they mattered so much to him. But watching their daughter play and love sports turned things around for her. And when Adrienne started noticing women’s sports on TV, the headphones finally came off. Women playing sports was a whole different story. She was all in! The global passion for women’s sports is catching up to our own. Audiences are growing and more people are tuning in. Maybe some of those high school boys are watching now, too. Our mission at LFG is to help grow women’s sports by bringing fans of women’s sports together. We are building a supportive, safe, and fun community that can chat, learn about our favorite athletes, and play fantasy contests. Community. Connection. Competition. What could be more fun? Welcome to LFG! SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Adrienne Alitowski & Gary W. Marion founded LFG as a way to support their love of women's sports.

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