^{August 16, 2025 | Edition #125}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

What a day of hoops it was! Five games, three last-second thrillers, one historic showdown, and one… let’s call it a patch on a bruise if you’re a Storm fan. And while teams are busy pushing to make this year a success by locking in a playoff spot, the Valkyries’ season might already feel like a win, regardless of where they end up. But before we move forward, we’ve got a little preseason check-in for you today.

The Preseason GM Survey Vs the Reality

This WNBA season has been full of surprises. Now, as we near the end of this historic season, it’s the perfect moment to rewind and see how everyone thought it would unfold. Remember back in May when every WNBA GM filled out that preseason survey? Turns out, they actually nailed a few predictions.

But oh, the ones they missed… that’s where it gets really interesting.

For starters, the “obvious” picks - Minnesota Lynx as champs, Napheesa Collier as MVP (or should we say, MVPhee?). Sure, those still look pretty good. And while a lot of awards and stat categories have turned with the season, there was one answer that already feels set in stone for years to come. Yes, we’re talking about Caitlin Clark. Check out all the answers from the pre-season GM Survey!

Out of all the predictable accolades, like RoTY going to Paige Bueckers, the one everyone really wanted to see was which offseason move would stand out. Unsurprisingly, GMs went with Alyssa Thomas, and do we even need to explain why that’s spot on?

For the best international player, reigning Finals MVP Jonquel Jones was the easy call. And her steady 14.2 points and 8.7 rebounds a night only make the case stronger.

When it came to defense, the survey leaned toward Collier. Fair enough, but let’s not forget the work Alanna Smith has been putting in. Already past 50 blocks and just eight threes shy, she is on her way to becoming just the fifth player in history with a 50-block, 50-three season. And maybe the DPoY, too.

The highlight, though, has to be how every coach-related question circled back to Cheryl Reeve. Then, for the most impactful relocated coach, it was Stephanie White, followed by Tyler Marsh. Yet not even in the top three, Natalie Nakase has been pulling off magic. Why do we say that? The second story explains it.

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History Has a New Name: Natalie Nakase and the Valks

Say it with us…Natalie Nakase was meant to coach an expansion team. Much like her father, she may not be a person of many words, but every single move she’s made has echoed louder than words. It almost feels like the Valkyries found her as much as she found them.

Golden State doesn’t have a superstar yet, but who needs one when you’ve got an entire roster of “sixth women” who just refuse to back down? Against all odds, injuries, players leaving for EuroBasket, and the usual growing pains, they’ve kept themselves in the playoff conversation all season long.

Just 10 games in, they had already matched the two expansion teams before them. And now, with their dominant 90–59 win over the Chicago Sky, the Valks notched their 18th victory, officially breaking the record for most wins by a WNBA expansion team. Here’s how every other expansion team fared. Some numbers might shock you!

This team’s been all about balance. The latest win had five players hit double figures in a 31-point blowout, the biggest margin of victory in franchise history. Even before Kayla Thornton’s season-ending injury, she, Tiffany Hayes, Veronica Burton, and the rest were stepping up night after night. It’s been a true team effort.

So it’s no surprise that one player, putting up career highs across the board, is leading the Most Improved Player race. “She should be awarded most improved… the way she’s developed offensively, I challenged her,” Coach Nakase said. Check out who the star in question is.

And they’re not done yet. Nakase kept it simple, “Our goal now is to make the playoffs.” History may be written, but the story isn’t finished.

The Latest WNBA Standings: Only 4.5 Games Separate the 4th and 10th Seeds!

Twist of Fate! Streaks End for Seattle and Atlanta

When Atlanta, on a six-game winning run, faced Seattle, who were winless in six, the result seemed obvious, didn’t it? But it’s funny how things work out sometimes, as the Storm finally found a spark; maybe a little trip outside the U.S. did the trick.

In front of 15,892 fans at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (the first regular-season WNBA game played outside the U.S.), the Storm eked out an 80–78 revenge win. The game, however, nearly slipped away from Seattle.

Their 67–55 lead vanished quickly, and the Storm found themselves down by five with 3 minutes to go. But then they showed their quality with brilliant defensive possessions. This is the kind of defense that comes in handy during the postseason. But getting there might be the tricky part.

Meanwhile, Indiana is hitting another rough patch. After a five-game win streak, they’ve now lost four of their last five. With Caitlin sitting out her 12th straight game, it was Washington’s rookie sensation Sonia Citron who shone, dropping 21 points and hitting tough, highlight-reel shots, including this crazy circus shot.

Aliyah Boston tried to hold down the fort with 20 points, but Kelsey Mitchell’s off night - just 6-of-19 from the floor and 1-of-6 from deep - didn’t help. Indiana now sits 18-16, just one game ahead of the Storm.

2K’s WNBA Ratings Are Out! Caitlin Clark is the 4th Highest Rated Player; So Who’s in the Top Three?

✨ She Got Glam! ✨

Rickea Jackson’s pregame fits might catch your eye, but she’s locked in. Just one spot out of the playoff picture, she knows every win matters. And she’s bringing that fire even in practice. The other day, she pulled off a move on a male practice player so crazy, it left Kelsey Plum tossing the ball in the air in shock. Hear straight from Plum what Rickea did!

Nail-Biters to the Last Second

The exact same one-point difference that gave Dallas the win against the Fever was mirrored in their loss to the Sparks. L.A. dodged a bullet, bit all their nails, and avoided basketball disaster.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit much, but the bottom line is the Sparks won 97-96 after Paige Bueckers’ attempted game-winner rimmed out, narrowly denying Dallas a huge victory.

Bueckers and Kelsey Plum went toe-to-toe throughout the game. Paige even continued her trademark trash-talking with Plum, and at one point, things may have heated up a bit. Bueckers’ stare after a tough bucket said plenty while words flew. You can’t miss Paige flexing on Plum!

However, that likely meant little to Plum, who, despite it all, finished with 28 points and the win. The best news for the Sparks has to be that they’re now just half a game behind the Storm for the 8th playoff spot. For the Wings (9-25), Bueckers did everything she could, scoring 29 points and setting the franchise rookie-season assists record with 143.

Out in Phoenix, it was another heart-stopper (it was the theme of the day). The Las Vegas Aces barely held off the Mercury in a game with major consequences for the playoffs. Alyssa Thomas’ layup cut it to a one-point game with just 30 seconds left, and for a moment, it looked like Phoenix might snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

But, you know, as intense as the game was, the way it ended can only be called… funny. Satou Sabally, who led the team with 26 points, had a brain-fade moment. Why did you do this, Satou?

Phoenix came up just short, losing 86-83. The win was the Aces’ sixth in a row, and A’ja Wilson put on another monster performance (30 pts, 16 reb), as they pulled even with the Mercury in the standings. Indeed, a big win for Vegas!

“I Made a Bad Joke!” Kelsey Plum Apologizes for Controversial Team Caitlin Clark Comments During the All-Stat Weekend

📝 More Stories to Check Out

1. What?! WNBA Great Warns Caitlin Clark’s Injury May NEVER Heal - Full Story

2. Paige Bueckers Drops Frosty Clapback at Sophie Cunningham’s Ref Allegations - Full Story

3. Angel Reese’s Teammate Just ‘Body Checked’ a Ref?!! - Full Story

4. Caitlin Clark’s Future 'Scary' Duo With MVP-Caliber Star In the Making - Full Story

5. Kelsey Plum Breaks Silence: Aces’ “Under-appreciation” Drove Sparks Trade - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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