Basketball

No. 6 Indiana Fever and No. 7 Seattle Storm force series-deciding Game 3’s

Time flies when you’re having fun…and when the first round is only a best-of-three series. Just a few short days after the WNBA playoffs tipped off, all four series could be decided before our next newsletter with tickets to the best-of-five semifinals on the line. Let’s hoop to it.

September 17, 2025

🐱 No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. ⚔️ No. 8 Golden State Valkyries — Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET

Previewing the first round of the WNBA playoffs

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The WNBA postseason tips off tomorrow, and we decided all three rounds deserve their own newsletter. Over the next month, we’ll be in your inbox with a trilogy of special editions, breaking down the best-of-three first round, the best-of-five semis, and the best-of-seven finals — it’s like The GIST’s version of a triple‑double.

September 13, 2025

Explaining the Kawhi Leonard–LA Clippers salary cap scandal

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ICYMI, LA Clipper Kawhi Leonard has been the talk of the sports world amid an alleged salary cap circumvention scandal. Here’s what you need to know about this developing story, initially broken by investigative journalist Pablo Torre, including NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s first public comments on the incident. Drama-rama.

September 12, 2025

Unrivaled announces $340M valuation, plans for upcoming season

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On Monday, Unrivaled shared that after last December’s successful Series A investment round, the league’s recent Series B round brought its valuation to $340M, or almost 10x its initial May 2024 valuation. With investors and sponsors circling the next big thing in women’s basketball, let’s dive into why the league works and what makes it truly unrivaled.

September 10, 2025

Breaking down the two-player race for WNBA MVP

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The Seattle Storm officially completed the WNBA’s eight-team playoff field with last night’s win over the Golden State Valkyries — but postseason positioning will come down to the last two days of the season…and so will the league’s MVP award.

September 10, 2025

🏀 The players gonna play, play, play, play, play

A’ja Wilson–led Las Vegas Aces stay hot with two weeks left in the regular season

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The WNBA standings are like reality TV, but with layups. Aside from the Minnesota Lynx, who’ll likely lock in the No. 1 spot this week, nearly every postseason position is up for grabs — and there are only two weeks left in the regular season. The drama.

August 27, 2025

Nailcare brand Orly’s VP Tal Pink shares insights on the brand’s LA Sparks partnership

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This week, nailcare brand Orly celebrated its 50th anniversary by launching its first-ever sports partnership with the LA Sparks. As nailcare brands begin tapping on women’s sports, we enjoyed an in-depth conversation with Orly about how consumer trends and its LA roots led to this partnership.

August 22, 2025

Sports News

WNBA breaks attendance record amid epic season

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August 22, 2025

More than 2.5M fans (and counting) have packed WNBA arenas this year, making 2025 the most-attended season in league history. Amazing what can happen when folks have access to world-class hoops — here’s the latest from the ever-captivating hardwood.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #493

Nostalgia-core: How pop culture is winning over casual sports fans

September 16, 2025

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

Nostalgia-core: How pop culture is winning over casual sports fans

Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

ICYMI, nostalgia is having a moment at the box office — and now, we’re seeing that translate to the sports world. Inspired by the news that Bend It Like Beckham is getting a long-awaited sequel, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are diving into the business of sports movie sequels on today’s episode of The GIST of It, including how pop culture moments can turn casual sports viewers into devoted fans.

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