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Liberty Make Opening Night Statement - LITE

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Publication by EssentiallySports

May 09, 2026 | Edition #293

Hey Hoophead!

Before we dive into today’s headlines, we wanted to take a moment to share something exciting with you.

As the WNBA tips off its landmark 30th season, all of us at She Got Game wanted to give our readers something extra special too.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working behind the scenes on a brand-new look and a bigger, better newsletter experience for all the fans who live and breathe women’s basketball. And the result?

A refresh!

From this newsletter to our exclusive reports and social feeds, you’ll notice a sharper, cleaner look across the board. Our homepage has a new feel. And that’s just the start. Whether you catch us on YouTube, X, Instagram, or straight from the site, we’re building a space that keeps you effortlessly up to speed.

None of this happens without you. Your feedback, replies, and support continue to shape what we do every single day. And keeping that in mind, this is no longer going to be just the top 5 news stories. We’re aiming to bring you more every single day.

Because the game deserves more. And so do you.

Now, onto the good stuff. The New York Liberty made history in their season opener despite Sabrina Ionescu’s absence, while Caitlin Clark opened up about the mental and emotional toll of her injury setback.

Elsewhere, a WNBA star suffered an injury scare during the Seattle Storm’s season opener.

Let’s tip things off…

New York Liberty WNBA record season opener Sabrina Ionescu absence
Liberty Set WNBA Record at Season Opener Despite Sabrina Ionescu's Absence
Even without Sabrina Ionescu, the New York Liberty made history on opening night with a record-setting turnout and electric atmosphere.
  • Despite being severely shorthanded against the Sun with no Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, or Leonie Fiebich, the Liberty still cruised to a 31-point win. Chris DeMarco picked up his first win as Liberty coach as Breanna Stewart (31 points), Marine Johannes (17 points), and Julie Vanloo (12 points) led the way.

  • It may not have been the prettiest game of basketball, but the Washington Mystics finally had something to celebrate after ending last season on a 10-game losing streak. Led by Sonia Citron, the Mystics opened the new season with a gritty 3-point win over league newcomers, the Toronto Tempo.

  • The Golden State Valkyries had plenty to celebrate in their debut WNBA season, and they’ve started Year 2 in similar fashion. Despite suffering two injuries in the first half, Natalie Nakase’s side still cruised to an 11-point win, with the bench stepping up in a big way by contributing 45 points.

  • Breanna Stewart made sure the season opener belonged to her. The former MVP recorded a double-double while also crossing the 6,000-career-point mark, passing Lauren Jackson for 15th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list as the Liberty opened their season with a win. 

  • Even though the Toronto Tempo dropped their inaugural season opener in front of a sold-out crowd at Coca-Cola Coliseum, Marina Mabrey still gave fans a historic moment to remember. Her 27-point performance marked the most points ever scored by a player in an expansion team’s first game.

  • It was a Sonia Citron show that left the 8,210 fans inside Coca-Cola Coliseum heartbroken, as the Mystics star became the first player in Washington Mystics franchise history to record 25 points, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a season opener. 

  • The Valkyries fans may no longer get to watch Kate Martin light it up from beyond the arc, but Janelle Salaün gave them plenty to cheer about after dropping 20 points and tying a career-high with five 3-pointers.

The CEOs of NVIDIA, Tesla, & Microsoft Agree on One Secret

This year, the world’s biggest tech CEOs all said the same thing:

NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang called robotics a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella said 2026 is when AI will deliver real impact.

Tesla’s Elon Musk predicted, “AI and robots will make everyone wealthy.”

That opportunity’s arrived. Miso Robotics is leading the charge in bringing robotics solutions to the $1T fast-food industry.

Miso’s Flippy Fry Station AI robot has already logged 200K+ hours for fast-food brands like White Castle. Now, Miso has added iconic restaurant brands like Jersey Mike’s, Jamba, and Cinnabon as new customers.

With a new NVIDIA collaboration, strategic investment by industry leader Ecolab, and a growing manufacturing partnership, Miso can now scale to meet 100,000+ US fast-food restaurant locations, a $4B/year revenue opportunity.

This is a paid advertisement for Miso Robotics’ Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.misorobotics.com.

The WNBA action doesn’t stop, with more games still to come. Don’t miss out!

Are The Liberty The Team To Beat This Season?

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Friday’s Results: Over 69% of you believe the Indiana Fever are a better team with Caitlin Clark.

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