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One thing that is certain is that whenever the two sides agree on a new contract, the remaining offseason business will be conducted at breakneck speed. January 13, 2026 Which Teams are Best Equipped for this Hectic Offseason? Steve Pimental Nearly half of the WNBA offseason has come and gone, and a new collective bargaining agreement is nowhere in sight. I remain hopeful that the WNBA and the WNBPA can avoid the first work stoppage in the 30-year history of the league, but time is running out. There is still plenty we don’t know about what the league and its 15 teams (and counting) will look like in 2026 and beyond. One thing that is certain is that whenever the two sides agree on a new contract, the remaining offseason business will be conducted at breakneck speed. Under the previous CBA, free agency would have begun January 11 with core designations and the extension of qualifying offers. We don’t even know if the core designation will exist in the new CBA, and the league must conduct a two-team expansion draft before free agency opens. Then the league will need to hold the WNBA draft and training camp before the season begins (hopefully) in May. I’m not sure it can be overstated how difficult a test this will be for WNBA front offices. They obviously have more insight into contract negotiations than what is publicly available, but they won’t know for certain what the new league rules are until the contract is signed. I am certain they are preparing for the offseason as best they can, but how do you prepare for an expansion draft when you don’t know what the rules are? How do you get ready for free agency when you don’t know how much money you have to spend, what the minimum or maximum contracts are, or if any of the unrestricted free agents are able to be cored? This offseason was going to be challenging enough, even if it played out over the full six months. It has been 26 years since the WNBA has seen a multi-team expansion draft, so this is going to be a new challenge for everyone involved. On top of that, the salary cap is set to be at least three times larger in 2026 than it was in 2025. The players’ latest proposal would see the cap rise to approximately $12.5 million, over eight times larger than the 2025 cap. This won’t be quite the same as when the NBA salary cap spiked in 2016 and a bunch of teams signed really terrible contracts, but it will almost certainly take some time for teams to adjust to the new cap environment; time that these teams simply will not have. I’m not sure if it's accurate to say that any team will benefit from the truncated offseason, but I do believe some teams are better-equipped to handle it than others. First and foremost, I believe the teams with a large and experienced front office staff will likely make fewer mistakes when the offseason starts in earnest. A team like the Dallas Wings, which revamped its front office last offseason by hiring General Manager Curt Miller and Assistant General Managers Travis Charles and Jasmine Thomas, could be the first to pick up on some of the nuances in the new rules. Similarly, a team like the Minnesota Lynx, with a long track record of success in the drafting and development of young players as well as in free agency, should handle this offseason better than most. On the other hand, I believe this offseason will give bad, inexperienced, or unaligned front offices even more opportunities to make mistakes. The good news for the Chicago Sky is that they are unlikely to have many difficult choices to make when it comes to protecting their players in the expansion draft. Unless the rules turn out to be a lot crazier than we are anticipating, they’re only going to have a handful of players worth protecting. That’s not a concern. It's all the other offseason business that terrifies me as a Sky fan. GM Jeff Pagliocca had all the time in the world last offseason and still made the disastrous trade for Ariel Atkins. I have no confidence he will do better this time around. Perhaps obviously, the expansion teams especially will begin this offseason behind the eight ball. The expansion draft will be a challenge for everyone, but most teams only need to worry about protecting their own players and potentially negotiating a trade with one or both of the expansion teams. The expansion teams have 13 potential trade partners to negotiate with, as well as a pool of dozens of players to choose from. And as soon as they finally add some players to their rosters, then they’ll have to do it again in free agency. I feel like it might be slightly easier for the Toronto Tempo because they have an experienced head coach in Sandy Brondello, who likely has a clear vision of how she wants to play and which players can fit that style. That may be more of a challenge for the four first-time head coaches hired this offseason. I feel like another advantage the Wings will have this offseason is that they have 10 players on rookie contracts or restricted free agency. Even after they lose two players in the expansion draft, they will still have a ton of young, cheap talent. While some teams will need to remake their entire rosters, Dallas will likely have a ton of cap space to throw at a few roster spots. The Golden State Valkyries are in a similar spot, as most of the players they selected in last year’s expansion draft are still under contract. I feel bad for any player who gets selected in the expansion draft two years in a row, but the remaining players should give Golden State a strong base from which to build another roster that can reach the playoffs. Finally, I believe the teams with All-WNBA talent on rookie deals will have an even greater advantage than usual. The Indiana Fever may have a ton of unrestricted free agents, but at least they know they have Caitlin Clark to build around. Nearly all of the Las Vegas Aces’ rotation is entering free agency. Even if they bring back their core, that will take time and money that teams like the Fever and Mystics will be spending building around their young cores. As a WNBA fan, I am preparing myself for an offseason that is nearly impossible to keep up with. I can’t imagine what this time must be like for the people in WNBA front offices. Because so much offseason business will be crammed into such a relatively short period of time, I think we should be prepared for teams to make a lot of mistakes in the expansion draft, free agency, trades, and the WNBA draft. Hopefully, you root for one of the teams that should have an advantage in navigating these uncharted waters. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

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 January 13, 2026 Which Teams are Best Equipped for this Hectic Offseason? Steve Pimental One thing that is certain is that whenever the two sides agree on a new contract, the remaining offseason business will be conducted at breakneck speed. Read More January 9, 2026 Unrivaled Vibes This Week + Predictions EJ Arocho The intimate setting makes the competitiveness feel raw and real. Opening day saw techs fly with Marina Mabrey & Sug Sutton turning up the heat. It's spicy over here! Read More January 8, 2026 Eight Takeaways from LOVB Opening Night Steve Pimental One of my New Year’s resolutions was to watch League One Volleyball, and I was excited to watch the First Serve match between the defending champion LOVB Austin and the team they swept in the championship, LOVB Nebraska... Read More January 7, 2026 Fantasy Fallout from Napheesa Collier’s Injury Steve Pimental Last week, Unrivaled announced that Napheesa Collier would be out 4-6 months after doctors determined she needed surgery on both ankles. The news was a big blow to Unrivaled, which lost its co-founder and reigning MVP... Read More January 2, 2026 Unrivaled Opening Day Matchups + Predictions EJ Arocho Read More January 1, 2026 Unrivaled Players to Watch Steve Pimental When I watch Unrivaled, it is with an eye towards what those players will do when they return to a WNBA court. With that in mind, here is one player from each team that I am excited to watch this upcoming Unrivaled season. Read More December 30, 2025 My Women’s Sports New Year's Resolutions Steve Pimental These are my personal women’s sports resolutions for 2026... Read More December 25, 2025 Will the Favorites Bounce Back in 2026? Steve Pimental If there was a common throughline across women’s sports in 2025, it was that all of the teams and even the individuals we thought were juggernauts saw their seasons end in disappointment... Read More December 23, 2025 7 WNBA Guest Announcers We Want to See Steve Pimental ...there are always opportunities to add entertainment and eyeballs to the broadcast, as NBC is no doubt hoping Snoop Dogg will do. With that in mind, here are seven people I would like to see as guest announcers on a WNBA broadcast. Read More December 19, 2025 5 Players Who Could Become the Face of Unrivaled Season 2 EJ Arocho Read More December 18, 2025 Is the WNBA’s Era of Forward Dominance Coming to an End? Steve Pimental No matter how good guards like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Courtney Vandersloot or Sabrina Ionescu have been, they haven’t been able to compete with forwards when it comes to winning MVP. That may be changing... Read More December 16, 2025 5 Unbreakable WNBA Records Steve Pimental With the league calendar expanding and the league adding new teams at a record pace, even more records will fall in the coming years. With that in mind, I have set out to identify several WNBA records that will never be broken. Read More December 12, 2025 1-on-1 Unrivaled Matchups We're All Craving! EJ Arocho Breanna Stewart vs Napheesa Collier...Paige Bueckers vs Sonia Citron...Jackie Young vs Kelsey Mitchell... Read More December 11, 2025 Naeher's Signing a Good First Step for Rebuilding Stars Steve Pimental On Wednesday the Chicago Stars, made their first big move of the offseason in re-signing former USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher through the 2026 season. Read More December 9, 2025 Bay FC In An Interesting Spot With their New Coach Steve Pimental Heading into their third year of competition, Bay FC is on its second head coach, having hired Emma Coates to replace the outgoing Albertin Montoya. Read More December 4, 2025 15 Likely 2nd Round WNBA Draft Picks EJ Arocho Raegan Beers | Oklahoma - Powerful and efficient big; double-double machine. Stout rim protector. Capable of popping the 3 on occasion.... Read More December 4, 2025 Why The NWSL Should Switch Its Schedule Steve Pimental Last month, I made the case for the WNBA to play in the winter...In that article, I mentioned that I thought the NWSL needed to adopt a similar schedule. While the two leagues have quite a bit in common, there are a lot of important differences that also point towards the need for NWSL to play in the winter. Read More December 2, 2025 5 Takeaways From Another CBA Extension Steve Pimental The WNBA and the Players Association still have not reached a new collective bargaining agreement, but they appear to have taken a step forward by agreeing (again) to extend the current agreement...there are some important things we can take away from this extension. 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. 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

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The intimate setting makes the competitiveness feel raw and real. Opening day saw techs fly with Marina Mabrey & Sug Sutton turning up the heat.  It's spicy over here! January 9, 2026 Unrivaled Vibes This Week + Predictions EJ Arocho More Elite 1-on-1 Battles The condensed court keeps isolations coming and every game feels like a showcase of pure skill. Athleticism and endurance on full display. Can't-miss matchups: Paige Bueckers (Breeze) vs Sonia Citron (Hive) Marina Mabrey (Lunar Owls) vs Kelsey Plum (Phantom) Shakira Austin (Rose) vs Dominique Malonga (Breeze) Natisha Hiedeman (Hive) vs Courtney Williams (Vinyl) Stars Leaning Fully into Their Bag With fewer players on the floor, the league’s biggest names get the greenest of green lights... Arike Ogunbowale (Mist) Paige Bueckers (Breeze) Alyssa Thomas (Laces) Kelsey Plum (Phantom) Rivalries Starting to Feel Personal Familiar faces, new teams and repeat matchups [from last season] will add extra edge. Teammates [in the W] become rivals! Late-Game Chaos Tight scoring, fast possessions, and no hiding on defense = wild finishes! Unexpected Breakout Performances Someone new seems to pop every week when given more touches and space. Creative Coaching Adjustments Lineups, switches, and pace changes matter more in this format... and coaches are experimenting! Any lag or slip-up in coverage will expose even the most lockdown defenders. Trash Talk You Can Actually Hear The intimate setting makes the competitiveness feel raw and real. Opening day saw techs fly with Marina Mabrey & Sug Sutton turning up the heat. It's spicy over here! Players Showing Different Sides of Their Game Post players on the perimeter, guards defending bigger matchups, it’s versatility on display. Momentum Swings That Happen Fast A couple stops and buckets can flip a game in under a minute. Things can change at the drop of a dime, especially when you have speed demons Kelsey Mitchell & Kahleah Copper like on the floor! Transition terrors! The League Finding its Identity in Real Time Each week makes Unrivaled feel less like a concept and more like a must-watch product. Who will be the face of Season 2? Opening day saw Paige Bueckers debut with 24 points, French phenom Dominique Malonga record 17 points & 14 rebounds and defending champ Chelsea Gray drop 35. Predictions: Friday- Rose beats Vinyl, Breeze beats Hive Saturday- Lunar Owls beats Phantom, Mist beats Laces Sunday- Breeze beats Rose, Hive beats Vinyl Monday- Mist beats Phantom, Laces beats Lunar Owls SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to watch League One Volleyball, and I was excited to watch the First Serve match between the defending champion LOVB Austin and the team they swept in the championship, LOVB Nebraska... January 8, 2026 Eight Takeaways from LOVB Opening Night Steve Pimental One of my New Year’s resolutions was to watch League One Volleyball, and I was excited to watch the First Serve match between the defending champion LOVB Austin and the team they swept in the championship, LOVB Nebraska. It was a fun back-and-forth match, and if it is indicative of the rest of the games, LOVB will have a great second season. Here are my takeaways from Opening Night of LOVB. 1. I like Austin’s home court. I’m not exactly a court connoisseur. I mostly like the NBA’s weird courts during the NBA Cup, but I’m usually content with a plain court. Austin’s court was understated, but I thought it looked good on television. The purple bordering the court made it relatively easy to see when balls were in and out, and it didn’t distract from the game. 2. We need more stats. Overall, I thought the commentators did a great job calling the game. They explained the game in a way that was easy for a relatively casual fan like myself to understand. They also did a good job of providing background information on these players, including their collegiate and international careers. I just wish they used more statistics to tell the story of the game.They did a better job as the match went along of telling us that Kimberly Drewniok was leading the game in points or that Asjia O’Neal was hitting .600, but I thought there were a lot more opportunities to tell us the stats or even display them on the screen.It almost makes it worse that the LOVB.com Match Central has a bunch of really interesting stats. I went there during the game to try to find out how old Jordan Larsen is (more on that later) and was very impressed with their in-match stats. 3. Is this the only league that does challenges well? You would never know it if you watch the NBA, MLB, NFL, EPL, or NHL, but it turns out challenges don’t actually need to take three minutes every time. If a team or the referee challenged a call they would show a couple of replays, make a decision and then move on with their lives. I’ve never understood why it takes a dozen replays for officials in other sports to make a decision. One of the best parts of professional volleyball is how fast the game moves. Often, there isn’t even time to show a replay of the previous point before the next serve. It was a refreshing change of pace from watching other leagues, and the quick challenges played an important part in the pace of play. 4. Please tell us how old these players are. They don’t have ages or birth dates on their player pages, so maybe it is a conscious effort by LOVB to not dwell on anyone’s age. And just because every other league provides that information and media discusses it all the time, doesn’t necessarily mean that is the only way to do it. I just feel like I would know these players so much better if I had any sense of who the veteran players were. Who’s fresh out of college? Who is hoping to make their first Olympic team in 2028, or is hoping to hold on for one more? Its great to know that Jordan Larsen has played in four Olympics but she was LOVB Nebraska’s best player for large swaths of that match at 39-years-old. How are they not making a huge deal out of that? 5. I love watching the setters. There is no denying that they aren’t as exciting as the outside hitters, but I was so impressed watching how both setters could take passes that were low or away from the net or on the other side of the court and somehow set the ball exactly where it needed to be, almost every time. I knew the outside hitters would jump high and hit hard, and they certainly did, but it was so fun to watch the setters turn points around with one good set. Someone obviously agreed with me since Austin setter Brie O’Reilly was named the Player of the Match. 6. Logan Eggleston was really, really good. I don’t want to make too many declarations about the players in this game before I’m able to see the other teams. If both of these teams go out and lose at home on Sunday, I’ll feel differently about them than I do now. That being said, Logan Eggleston was noticeably bigger than everyone else on the court, but she didn’t move like it. I thought she did reasonably well with the fact that Nebraska served to her nearly every time, but she looked like she was everywhere at the net on both offense and defense. Between Eggleston, Asjia O’Neal and reigning LOVB Finals MVP Madisen Skinner, it is hard to see how any team slows down Austin’s offense this season. 7. The slide is the most fun play in volleyball. I’ve always felt this way, but this game just reinforced it. It’s probably not nearly as effective as it looks, which is one of the reasons neither team used it a ton, but something about the middle blocker going around the outside and stuffing the ball just looks pretty. Maybe I just like it because it is easy for my untrained eye to identify. 8. I’m even more interested to see a game live. It sounded at times like the crowd was very into the game, especially when Austin made its comeback in the fourth and fifth sets. It's hard to tell sometimes because the fans are so far away from the action, but it certainly seemed loud in the arena. I just think it has to be so much fun to see a game live. Both teams had some crazy athletes, and I can only imagine what that looks like up close. I was excited to drive up to Madison for a game anyway, but seeing this game on TV only made me want to go to a game that much more. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

Last week, Unrivaled announced that Napheesa Collier would be out 4-6 months after doctors determined she needed surgery on both ankles. The news was a big blow to Unrivaled, which lost its co-founder and reigning MVP... January 7, 2026 Fantasy Fallout from Napheesa Collier’s Injury Steve Pimental Last week, Unrivaled announced that Napheesa Collier would be out 4-6 months after doctors determined she needed surgery on both ankles. The news was a big blow to Unrivaled, which lost its co-founder and reigning MVP. Its an even bigger blow for her Unrivaled team, Lunar Owls FC. Temi Fagbenle is a fine replacement for Collier, but she's not enough to singlehandedly prop up the defense. Unless Aaliyah Edwards is ready to make a huge leap ahead of her third WNBA season, I don't see how the Lunar Owls stay competitive. The fallout for the Lynx is not nearly so clear. Collier and most of the starters are free agents, though Minnesota will certainly use the Core designation on Collier if it still exists in the next CBA. The Lynx have enough young talent, including the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft, that they should be championship contenders if they can get to the playoffs with Collier healthy and playing at close to her MVP runner-up level. Once we have a new CBA and have seen free agency and the draft, we can evaluate Minnesota’s chances in 2026. For now, I think it is far more interesting to look at how this new affects Collier’s fantasy value as well as the value of her teammates. Collier was second in fppg in each of the last two seasons and third in 2023. I think she had to be second on draft boards behind A’ja Wilson prior to this news, even if some people would take Caitlin Clark ahead of her. Even if Collier comes back at the low end of her timeline and it looks like she will be read for the start of the WNBA regular season, I don’t think you can have her second anymore. In addition to Wilson and Clark, I’m taking Alyssa Thomas and Breanna Stewart ahead of her. Probably Paige Bueckers, Rhyne Howard, and Sabrina Ionescu as well, but I think that’s it. In her last five WNBA seasons, Collier has finished below 32 fppg once and below 35.6 fppg twice. I think that is basically her floor this season. I’m not counting on her to return to the 39 fppg she has topped in each of the last three seasons, but she still has that ceiling, especially in the second half. Collier has never played fewer than 32.3 mpg in a season, but I think she’ll have a hard time reaching that number this season. I worry that even if both ankles heal quickly, it might take her time to build up her stamina enough to play as many minutes as she has in the past. If it looks like she won’t be back until sometime in June, we’ll have to move Collier into the second or even third round of fantasy drafts, though at that point we will be taking her behind players who are clearly worse on a per-game basis. As sad as it will be to not see Collier play for as much as half the year, I am intrigued to see what the rest of the Lynx can do with increased minutes and usage. Courtney Williams couldn’t carry the offense in the playoffs with Collier out, but she should be fine in that role in the regular season. I was surprised to see that Williams’s usage last season was the highest of her career outside of the Wubble in 2020. I think Williams’s draft stock will increase the longer Collier is out, but that may be a mistake. I’m not sure Williams can take on much more usage, and even if she does, it might come at the cost of her efficiency. Williams averaged 29.1 fppg last season, the second-highest mark of her career. I’m not going to count on her matching that total in her age-32 season. With Collier out in Game 4 of the semifinals against Phoenix, Jessica Shepard stepped up with 14 points in 36 minutes on 6-11 shooting. Phoenix was largely able to contain her in the second half, but I see no reason to believe she won’t be effective in the regular season. Shepart averaged 28.1 fantasy points in 31.5 minutes per game in 12 starts last season, and I think she would come close to those numbers if she starts in place of Collier early in the season. Perhaps the biggest effect of Collier’s injury will be on the No. 2 overall pick. There is a good chance Awa Fam will need to come along slowly but if Minnesota takes anyone else, they could walk right into heavy usage. Olivia Miles might be the best fit as the point guard the Lynx have struggled to find since Lindsay Whalen retired, but I think any of the top prospects would do well if they landed there. I am most interested to see which of Minnesota’s young bigs step up if Collier has to miss time. This question becomes even more urgent if Shepard, Allanna Smith, and/or Bridget Carleton leave as unrestricted free agents. Maria Kliundikova was third on the Lynx with 36.6 fantasy points per 36 minutes, behind Napheesa Collier and tied with Courtney Williams. In her only regular-season start, Kliundikova scored 33 fantasy points in 36.9 minutes. We can’t expect that kind of fantasy production in a larger role, but as a fantasy player, I’ll be rooting for Kliundikova to win a starting role. Dorka Juhasz wasn’t great in seven starts for the Lynx in 2024, but she just turned 26 last month, and she is averaging 13.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 23.8 minutes per game for Galatasaray. If she doesn’t get taken in the expansion draft, she could be ready for a more prominent role. She pretty much only played in garbage time as a rookie, but I was impressed by Anastasiia Olairi Kosu nonetheless . I like her athleticism and aggression, even if that didn't translate into a rotation spot as a rookie. She averaged 29.4 fantasy points per 36 minutes in the regular season, and she will turn 21 in April. Minnesota has had a lot of success developing young bigs of late, and I am excited to see what Olairi Kosu can do, especially if Napheesa Collier sticks around. I fully expect Collier to return to the peak of her powers at some point next season, but until then, her teammates should have plenty of opportunities to score fantasy points. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

January 2, 2026 Unrivaled Opening Day Matchups + Predictions EJ Arocho Monday, January 5th Mist vs Hive The Mist are stacked with a GOAT (Stewie), a defensive menace (Alanna Smith) and arguably the most clutch player in women's hoops (Arike). The Hive, in their inaugural season, come equipped with one of the best guards in the game (Kelsey Mitchell), a future face of the league (Sonia Citron) and a defensive anchor (Ezi Magbegor). If Hive wants to pull off the opening day dub, they'll have to get around 6'7" Li Yueru and 6'4" Stewie (who has a 7'1" wingspan). Monique Billings and Ezi (both 6'4") will have their work cut out, but with snipers like Kelsey, Sonia and Natisha Heidemen, anything's possible. Prediction: Mist Top Scorer: Arike Ogunbowale Vinyl vs Laces Alyssa Thomas & the Laces have a roster who many believe could go all the way. They have size, speed and unmatched physicality. Jordin Canada is one of the quickest players in the league, Jackie Young brings knockdown shooting and Naz Hillmon is a Swiss-Army knife of talent. They also have an Unrivaled champ on board in Brittney Sykes. While there's certainly a lot to contain, Vinyl BC has some major players of their own! 6'9" force BG is a tough assignment for anyone, Dearica Hamby is constantly in the conversation for one of the best players in women's hoops today, Rhyne Howard is a two-way stud and Courtney Williams is a fan-favorite and comes equipped with arguably the best mid-range shot in the league. Prediction: Laces Top Scorer: Jackie Young Lunar Owls vs Rose The defending champs bring back playmaking wizard Chelsea Gray, the ever-versatile Azurá Stevens, fan favorite Lexie Hull and speed demon Kahleah Copper. They'll be tested from the jump, facing a well balanced Owls squad that features 6’4” Temi Fagbenle (replacing Napheesa Collier), arc assassin Marina Mabrey and two-way terror Skylar Diggins. Having to contain Sky is a challenging assignment in itself! Rachel Banham can light it up in a hurry from outside and Aaliyah Edwards may just be this team's x-factor going forward. Prediction: Rose Top Scorer: Azurá Stevens Phantom vs Breeze Breeze BC might just be the most exciting team on paper. They enter their inaugural season with Paige Bucket Bueckers, who'll likely be the focal point of their offense. A strong supporting cast boasts a defensive juggernaut in Cameron Brink, French phenom Dominique Malonga, speedy guard Aari McDonald, fan favorite Kate Martin and big shot-maker Rickea Jackson. This team has a lot of options. So many weapons offensively and defensively! The Phantom have quite an exciting lineup of their own, with electric guards Kelsey Plum, Natasha Cloud and Dana Evans, double-double machines Aliyah Boston and KiKi Iriafen, and a season-vet in Tip Hayes. This battle could very well be won on the glass. Prediction: Breeze Top Scorer: Dominique Malonga 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!

When I watch Unrivaled, it is with an eye towards what those players will do when they return to a WNBA court. With that in mind, here is one player from each team that I am excited to watch this upcoming Unrivaled season. January 1, 2026 Unrivaled Players to Watch Steve Pimental A new year has arrived, and with it, a new season of Unrivaled. While I enjoyed Unrivaled’s inaugural season, my first basketball love will always be the WNBA. It's one of the reasons I appear to be the only WNBA fan who doesn’t watch much NCAA basketball. When I watch Unrivaled, it is with an eye towards what those players will do when they return to a WNBA court. With that in mind, here is one player from each team that I am excited to watch this upcoming Unrivaled season. Dominique Malonga, Breeze BC At 27 years-old, Aari McDonald is the old head of this team. She will be interesting to watch in her own right after she resurrected her career with the Fever last season. I also could have picked either of the Sparks’ duo. Cameron Brink needs to stay healthy to show what she can do while Rickea Jackson flashed her potential down the stretch. I’m especially interested to see how much they play together. All that being said, Dominique Malonga is the player who left Fenerbahce and fired her agent to come play in Unrivaled. Malonga showed flashes of why she was the Number 2 overall draft pick last season, but she was largely overshadowed by what turned out to be a very impressive rookie class. If she plays well, it could mean big things for a Seattle Storm team that underperformed last season. If Malonga is buried on the Breeze bench behind Cameron Brink, it might indicate the Storm are in for a long rebuild. Ezi Magbegor, Hive BC Malonga’s teammate in 2025 was arguably the biggest reason Seattle underachieved. Magbegor had the fewest points per 36 minutes of her career, and her rebounds per 36 were her fewest since her rookie season. That was despite playing more than three minutes per game fewer than in 2024. Magbegor is a three-time WNBA All-Defensive player, but Seattle had just a 98.8 defensive rating when she was on the floor last season, the second-worst mark of her career. Magbegor and Monique Billings are the only players who are going to play any defense on this team. If Magbegor can keep Hive’s defense respectable, it could raise her stock in free agency. Veronica Burton, Mist BC The Mist may have the deepest team in Unrivaled, with reigning WNBA Most Improved Player Burton and former All-Star Arike Ogunbowale both likely coming off the bench. That being said, Ogunbowale is coming off the worst season of her career. I am interested to see if she shows signs of a bounceback, but I will be watching more closely to see if Burton’s impressive play with the Valkyries carries over. Burton has shot better than 34 percent on threes in each of her last two WNBA seasons after shooting worse than 30 percent in each of her first two. She should get open looks playing next to Breanna Stewart, Allisha Gray and Alanna Smith. I want to see if she can knock down shots while playing the strong defense that got her to the WNBA in the first place. Aaliyah Edwards, Lunar Owls BC It seems like a lot of WNBA observers think Edwards has untapped upside. I wonder if that is just leftover from her being the sixth pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. Her per 36 minute numbers have been solid in her career, though she averaged a career-low 9.7 points per 36 in the 15 games after she was traded to Connecticut last season. If Edwards is going to be a WNBA rotation player, much less a future starter, I think she has to show something in Unrivaled. Can she be anything more than Napheesa Collier’s backup on this team? Given the lack of proven defenders, I think they’ll need her to be. Jordin Canada, Laces BC I think the injuries and the depth of Atlanta’s backcourt has led people to forget just how good Jordin Canada is. I still think she is the best guard defender in the WNBA, and that should stand out even more in this format. Maddy Siegrist and Naz HIllmon are solid bench players but unlikely to move the needle. I think Laces needs Canada to give them a fourth starting-caliber player on this roster. Sug Sutton, Rose BC Sutton has done very well to stick in the league after being the last pick in the 2020 WNBA draft. With the WNBA expanding, I’m confident Sutton will stick around for years to come. I’m just not sure why a fringe WNBA player is on an Unrivaled roster. I want to see if I am wrong and Sutton is better than I think. I like the rest of this roster a lot, and if Sutton is able to contribute and earn significant playing time, I think they could be contenders. Brittney Griner, Vinyl BC Griner was 10th in Unrivaled in minutes per game and points per game for Phantom last season, but I don’t think she’ll even start for Vinyl. After she struggled for Atlanta last WNBA season, I am afraid that Griner’s days of being a difference-maker on a basketball court are over. That being said, maybe the 35-year-old can thrive in a bench role with her new team. Griner’s WNBA free agency could depend on playing well for Unrivaled. Aliyah Boston, Phantom BC Boston is playing next to great players in Kelsey Plum and Satou Sabally, with Natasha Cloud and Kiki Iriafen likely coming off the bench. I still can’t help but feel that Phantom BC will go as far as Boston takes them. I think she’s going to be an MVP candidate someday. If it happens this Unrivaled season, I think Phantom could win the championship. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

These are my personal women’s sports resolutions for 2026... December 30, 2025 My Women’s Sports New Year's Resolutions Steve Pimental When it comes to my relationship with women’s sports, 2025 was a very good year. I took my nephew to his first Chicago Stars game and gave him his first WNBA trading cards. I bought my first pair of signature shoes and, most importantly, had the privilege of writing for this quality site. While it will be a tough act to follow, I have plenty of things I want to do in 2026. These are my personal women’s sports resolutions for 2026. I’m not saying you should try to do all of these things this year; unless you live in the Chicago area, some of them will probably be quite challenging. However, you may be able to adapt this list to your own situation. And if you do live in Chicagoland, say hello if you see me out at a game. Also, say hello on Instagram, and let me know your women’s sports Resolutions for the coming year. Don't pay attention to the Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese nonsense on social media. I hate to start negatively, but these are in the order that they popped into my head, so here we are. I love Angel Reese, even if I think her days of playing for the team I root for are numbered. And I have nothing against Caitlin Clark, even if I think her popularity has not yet been matched by her play on a WNBA court. This is about ignoring everyone who tries to twist every sneeze or sideways glance to fit their own narrative. I feel like I’m usually pretty good at ignoring that kind of stuff, but it's hard sometimes, so I want to remain vigilant. Go to Babes Sports Bar This is one of my Chicago-centric resolutions, though with the proliferation of sports bars catering to women’s sports, there is a good chance you can find a similar establishment in your area. Like many suburbanites, I find myself making my way into the city less and less as I get older. Even so, everything I have seen on social media indicates this bar is worth a special trip. Perhaps I will go during the Winter Olympics or to catch some NCAA Tournament games. See the Chicago Stars at Northwestern Medicine Field I feel like I’m the only person who didn’t have a problem with SeatGeek Stadium, though that could just be because it was closer to my house than driving all the way into the city, or to Evanston. I am excited for the Stars to build a permanent stadium near the lake but until then, I want to see at least one game in their new home. It also seems like there is a good chance this will be Alyssa Naeher’s last season, and I want to be sure to see her one last time. Go to All-Star festivities I am sad to say that when Chicago hosted the WNBA All-Star Weekend in 2022, I was not in attendance. I can’t for the life of me remember what I was doing that weekend. Probably working. I have heard nothing but good things about the league’s expanded offerings around the All-Star game in recent years, especially WNBA Live. I never made it down to Indianapolis last year, but I don’t have an excuse in 2026. I don’t know that I’ll make it to the game itself, but I will go to something. And probably write about it. Watch the LOVB Shoutout to my buddy Marty, who just brought this league to my attention on the day of this writing. It seems like the games should be pretty easy to find on the USA Network as well as ESPN 2 and ESPN+. Often, it can be exhausting trying to find when women’s sports are on and how we can actually watch them. The LOVB seems to have made it relatively easy. I am not a particularly huge NCAA volleyball fan, but I loved watching Illinois State volleyball when I went there, and I follow Olympic volleyball every four years. The six teams in the league appear to be loaded with talent, and there is a team within driving distance in Madison. In addition to watching these games on TV, I plan to attend at least one game in person. Buy more Women's sports merch My wardrobe is already roughly 50 percent women’s sports merch, but there is always room for improvement. The Chicago Sky alone have multiple hoodies and hats that I would love to add to my collection. I held off on buying the Angel Reese 1s because I am still wearing my A’Ones, but I think I have to give in this year. I definitely see a LOVB hoodie in my future, though I haven’t decided if I want to support my localish team (Madison) or get a “Volleyball is the Next Major League” hoodie. Commish a season-long WNBA fantasy league I was ecstatic when ESPN began hosting season-long WNBA fantasy leagues. As a longtime lover of fantasy sports and women’s sports, I am happy anytime those two are combined. I am sorry to say, I haven’t always been diligent about participating in those leagues, especially when I am unable to put together a league of people I know. While I hope to participate in multiple WNBA fantasy leagues in 2026, but top priority will be creating one league where I can play against some friends. I’ll plan on roping some of my LFG colleagues into participating, and if anyone reading this wants to join us, they should hit me up on Instagram. Listen to more podcasts One of these days, I am going to give up on trying to find a WNBA podcast I love, and I’ll just create my own. Until then, I want to make a more concerted effort to seek out new podcasts and to listen consistently. Some of my favorite podcasts have been cancelled or moved in recent years, especially when it comes to women’s soccer. I never really looked too hard to find new podcasts to replace the ones I lost, but that changes this year. Collect some WNBA Trading Cards I don’t know that I will ever have the time and/or means to become a serious card collector. Still, I have fond memories of collecting baseball, basketball and football cards when I was a kid, and my nephew has shown some interest as well. Combining that interest with my WNBA knowledge seems like it would be a lot of fun, even if the idea of ever sending cards in to be graded seems daunting. If nothing else, I know I’ll get a thrill any time I pull a card for Stef Dolson or any of my other favorite players. Watch more WSL I used to do a much better job following the WSL and actually watching the games when I listened to a couple of podcasts dedicated to that league. Since then, I rarely know when the big games are on or how I can watch. It also doesn’t help that I’ve cancelled my ESPN+ subscription. It’s probably time to bring that back. The exodus in recent years of players from the NWSL to the WSL has made it that much more important to tune into these games. Hopefully, in the next couple of years, Burnley (the side I root for) will make it to the WSL, and I’ll have even more reason to watch, but I don’t want to wait that long. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

If there was a common throughline across women’s sports in 2025, it was that all of the teams and even the individuals we thought were juggernauts saw their seasons end in disappointment... December 25, 2025 Will the Favorites Bounce Back in 2026? Steve Pimental If there was a common throughline across women’s sports in 2025, it was that all of the teams and even the individuals we thought were juggernauts saw their seasons end in disappointment. In August, I declared the Minnesota Lynx were inevitable . They didn’t even make it to the WNBA Finals. The Kansas City Current finished the NWSL regular season with 65 points, 21 clear of the second-place Washington Spirit. Those were both records, as was their +36 goal differential, tying the 2018 North Carolina Courage. The Current lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champions Gotham FC. In the Champions League, three-time champions Barcelona lost in the final to Arsenal, who required come-from-behind wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals just to make it to that match. The Nebraska women’s volleyball team failed to advance to the final four after going undefeated to that point. We even saw a version of this on the LPGA Tour. We had 29 different winners on the LPGA Tour in 2025, but world number two Nelly Korda, who won seven times in 2024, was not one of them. World Number One Jeeno Thitikul won three times on tour en route to winning Rolex Player of the Year, but she was shut out in the majors yet again. It would be easy to dismiss all of this as a coincidence. After all, the entire point of having playoffs is that any team can lose a match or a series when you least expect it. If we wanted to just award the title to the team that had the best regular season, all of these leagues would be like the WSL and just wouldn’t have playoffs. That being said, we have seen a few commonalities across leagues. If there is one thing we could point to for why these teams or players failed to deliver when it mattered the most, it is that they all faced opponents who peaked at the right time. Gotham FC was the eighth seed, but they were second in the league with a +10 goal differential and they were 7-6-3 after the midseason break. The Phoenix Mercury took a long time to gel and get everyone healthy, but they peaked against Minnesota in the playoffs before suffering injuries of their own in the finals against the Aces. Nelly and Jeeno still had very good seasons but with the LPGA Tour featuring more talent than ever, they simply ran into players who got hot at the right times. I also suspect the increased length of these seasons leads to the best teams not peaking at the end. Both the NWSL and WNBA played more games than ever in 2025. That likely contributed to increased injuries, which in turn affected the playoffs. Gotham’s season turned around when Midge Purce returned from injury, with the Washington Spirit likewise rebounding when Trinity Rodman got healthy. It probably isn’t a coincidence that those teams met in the NWSL Final. The Lynx were already going to go down 2-1 in their semifinal series against the Mercury, but Napheesa Collier’s injury at the end of Game 3 effectively ended any chance they had of coming back. Similarly, the Mercury benefited from Breanna Stewart going down in the first round, and they saw their season end when Satou Sabally was injured in the WNBA Finals. Unfortunately, when you have strenuous regular seasons, you make it even less likely that the best teams will be completely healthy during the playoffs. While 2025 served as a good reminder that no team is as inevitable as it may appear during the regular season, I don’t expect this trend to continue in 2026 necessarily. It is too early to know who the favorites will be next year, but once they emerge, I expect they will do just fine. If the Lynx bring back most of their players next season, I’ll pick them to win the WNBA title and will be shocked (again) if they don’t. I’ll still expect Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda to finish at the top of the Rolex Player of the Year race and for Jeeno to win her first major of many. Anything can happen in the crucible of the playoffs, and it is a testament to these leagues that there is so much talent that the top teams aren’t always safe. That being said, when teams prove themselves to be much better than the competition during the regular season, I expect that to carry through the playoffs as well. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

...there are always opportunities to add entertainment and eyeballs to the broadcast, as NBC is no doubt hoping Snoop Dogg will do. With that in mind, here are seven people I would like to see as guest announcers on a WNBA broadcast. December 23, 2025 7 WNBA Guest Announcers We Want to See Steve Pimental Yesterday, it was reported that Snoop Dogg will be a game analyst for the Los Angeles Clippers versus the Golden State Warriors game on January 5. Based on Snoop’s hosting during last year’s Summer Olympics and the fact that everyone loves him, I suspect he will be entertaining, if nothing else. Of course, my first thought as a WNBA fan turned to who we could get to be a game analyst for WNBA games. The WNBA already has a great product, and I think all of the announcers do a good job, both nationally and locally. That being said, there are always opportunities to add entertainment and eyeballs to the broadcast, as NBC is no doubt hoping Snoop Dogg will do. With that in mind, here are seven people I would like to see as guest announcers on a WNBA broadcast. Leslie Jones We need to make this happen ASAP. Jones’s combination of high energy and hilarity would be infinitely entertaining. The only problem would be that her broadcast partners won’t be able to say anything because they would be laughing too hard. On top of that, it is clear Leslie Jones is a big WNBA fan, and she knows ball. Jones was great on the Post Moves podcast with Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston, and I would love to see her bring that same energy to a WNBA broadcast. Even better if she were broadcasting one of Boston’s games. Stef Dolson I hope Dolson is too busy playing for years to come to even think about being a game analyst, but when the time comes, she would be great at it. As anyone who has read my work knows, I think Dolson is the most fun player in the entire league. She is clearly a smart player and I believe she would provide insight in addition to entertainment. And she also might talk trash to some of her friends in the league. Cardi B While I won’t pretend that Cardi B was a revelation as the host of WWE’s SummerSlam, it did show her willingness to put herself out there in the sports entertainment arena. More importantly, she has repeatedly shown her support for the WNBA on social media and in her music. I would especially love to see Cardi B call a Las Vegas Aces game after she mentioned A’ja Wilson in “Outside”. Aubrey Plaza Another vocal supporter of the WNBA, Plaza’s combination of subdued energy off-the-wall one-liners would make her a perfect guest announcer. She wouldn’t need to dominate the conversation or talk over the action to add quite a bit to a WNBA broadcast. Kevin Pelton One of my chief complaints about WNBA media is that we don’t have any prominent stat nerds who can explain the game in unique ways. Pelton primarily covers the NBA but has written at times about the WNBA as a whole and the Seattle Storm in particular. I think Pelton’s insights into the statistical intricacies of the WNBA game would be a welcome addition to any broadcast. His familiarity with the Seattle Storm makes him a perfect choice for one of their games. Sue Bird Speaking of celebrities with Seattle Storm ties. I think Bird is great as a podcaster and as an analyst. As someone who takes the game seriously but doesn’t appear to take herself seriously, she could entertainingly provide smart analysis. If you really wanted to be adventurous, you could have Megan Rapinoe join the broadcast as well. Dawn Staley I just love to hear smart people explaining the game of basketball, and there are none better than Dawn Staley. With so many of her players currently in the WNBA, you could easily put her on a game in which she has players on both sides. Perhaps more importantly, she is one of the few prominent NCAA Women’s coaches who doesn’t appear to have an enormous ego. She would actually be able to call the game without making it all about herself. 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/shepherd mix, Hootie.

December 19, 2025 5 Players Who Could Become the Face of Unrivaled Season 2 EJ Arocho Paige Bueckers -Elite 3 level scoring & perimeter defense -Thrives in spacing, which 3x3 amplifies -Could dominate aesthetically, which matters for a made-for-TV league -Bridges generations (college, WNBA & casual sports fans); cross-generation appeal -Her brand is resiliency & relatability; player empowerment, respect for the game & culture Sonia Citron -A game is tailor-made for Unrivaled; elite perimeter defender, efficient 3-level scorer & super high IQ -Brings reliability, low-mistake basketball & winning habits -Fits the league’s “elite, not gimmicky” identity (serious hooper, silent but deadly, professional, composed) -Represents the next wave; young enough to grow with the league, skilled enough to earn respect immediately Courtney Williams -Mid-range comfort zone, a lost art that dominates in 3x3 -Brings visible joy to the game; relatable & open with fans -Connects hard core fans & casual viewers; she’s a hooper’s hooper (tough, skilled, fearless but at the same time fun, expressive & easy to root for -Could become the league’s emotional center; the player fans quote, personality clips go viral, lasting impression that viewers remember Kate Martin -Represents winning culture; leadership, toughness, accountability, doing the little things that win games -Powerful role-player to leader arc -Humanizes the league (approachability, authentic leadership, calm confidence) -Organic popularity Saniya Rivers -Elite defense becomes visible in 3x3; on-ball lockdown ability, passing-lane reads & endurance -Energy player with emotional fire -Sets the tone & leads with standards; physical, relentless, no shortcuts -A story that resonates; her appeal isn’t manufactured SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author