^{June 12, 2025 | Edition #97}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

We’ve got our last one standing: the New York Liberty. The only undefeated team left in the WNBA. The loop of wins, losses, and wild comebacks is officially in motion and it’s a given that it’s only going to get messier from here.

But while we’re thinking about what’s next, let’s rewind just a bit. Remember all that talk about waivers? The heartbreak, the frustration? So many dreams paused before they even got to take off. That makes us wonder- does this system need a serious fix? Maybe a G-League. But wait… was there never an alternative league before? Actually, there was.

The G-League Before the G-League: How the NWBL Carried the WNBA

You may remember, we made the case for a G-League-style system in the WNBA in our previous edition— a space where undrafted players, late-round picks, and young stars could sharpen their skills without having to leave the country.

It felt like a forward-looking idea. Turns out, it was also a throwback.

Shortly after we sent that piece, we got an email. Not from just any reader — but from someone who actually helped build what may have been the WNBA’s unofficial G-League nearly two decades ago.

The league was called the NWBL — the National Women’s Basketball League. Launched in 1997, it quietly became the W’s de facto minor league. Want to know who played there? Sue Bird, Becky Hammon, Sheryl Swoopes, and Rebecca Lobo for starters. That’s a Hall of Fame lineup.

Along with them, over 25 to 30 WNBA players suited up, year after year, using it as real prep for the upcoming W season. They didn’t go overseas for this. More like, they didn’t want to. They stayed home. Sue Bird even said the NWBL was a “great option to stay home and be better,’” admitting playing overseas just wasn’t her thing.

“We were way ahead of our time,” Patrick Alexander, co-founder of the NWBL, wrote to us. “Our players didn’t want to go overseas. They wanted to stay, get paid, train, and be ready for WNBA Opening Day.”

The NWBL offered something different. It was 5-on-5, traditional, and widespread. At one point, it reached 26 cities! Find out all the teams that made up this movement. They even played at Mohegan Sun Arena- the first league to do that and their opening night saw 8,000 fans. Crazy, right?

As we researched further, it became clear that this was more than just an interesting footnote. This was the original development league. And it’s time to bring the story back. And we will soon bring him to get their story out soon in one of our next editions.

Made for Dads. Priced for You.

Father’s Day is around the corner, and Kohl’s has the kind of deals that make gift shopping easy. Whether it’s a sharp polo, a cozy robe, or those everyday essentials he’d never buy himself, there’s something he’ll love.

With savings across clothes, gadgets, and home favorites, Kohl’s has every kind of dad covered—from the movie-night regular to the back-to-back WNBA game watcher.

Shop the Father’s Day Sale before the best picks are gone.

Storm Breaks the Spell! Lynx Undefeated No More

Did you see that coming? The buzzer rang and for the first time this season, it didn’t mean joy for the Minnesota Lynx. The Seattle Storm came in hot and handed them their first loss with a statement win and no, it wasn’t one of those close calls. The Storm were relentless. Missed layups, costly turnovers, silent stares on the Lynx bench - it was all there.

As Coach Noelle Quinn put it, “the stars were starring” as Nneka Ogwumike dropped 21 points, Skylar Diggins added 18, and Gabby Williams chipped in 12. But it was Erica Wheeler who brought the house down, burying a dagger three in the final minute and finishing with 20. But it’s what she did at the end that caused chaos.

A simple layup by Wheeler with 5 seconds left infuriated Kayla McBride, who not only fouled her but also threw the ball at Wheeler, which caused Diggins to get in her face. Check out the crazy scenes for yourself!

Maybe next time the Lynx will show up with a chip on their shoulder…the exact same one the Sparks brought to Vegas. After losing to the Aces in their last outing, LA came out firing.

Behind Rickea Jackson’s career-high 30 points, the Sparks stormed into Vegas and walked out with a 97-89 win. However, the loss might not be the most damaging thing for the Aces, as A’ja Wilson also didn’t return to the game after seemingly getting concussed. This is the play where she might have gotten hit.

Maybe this is the spark that LA needed. But things are looking bleak for Becky Hammon and the Aces, who have a 4-4 record this season. And if A’ja enters the concussion protocol, she might miss a few games.

Double Trouble! Meet WNBA’s Top Scoring Duos

Buckets That Deserved the Win

Hustle on replay. Look who’s back and balling. After missing four games, Paige Bueckers showed up like she had something to prove. She shot a perfect 100% in the first quarter and ended the night with 35 points! It might’ve ended in a loss, but Bueckers’ buckets are still highlight reel material.

One such bucket came when Arike Ogunbowale found Bueckers open - right near the short corner on the left baseline. Paige caught it, turned on the jets, squeezed between two defenders, almost lost her balance mid-spin while still somehow cradling the ball, and flicked it in while…again falling backward.

That’s Bueckers for you - handles, hustle, and heart all rolled into one sequence. You’ll understand our excitement once you see this play!

Fast lane fire. It was Dream vs. Fever, which ended in another loss for Indy but Natasha Howard still made sure to give us THE moment of the game. See, we know that the Fever have been ice-cold on fast breaks lately - just 3.8 fast break points per game (league-low) in Caitlin Clark’s absence. But Howard decided to flip the switch.

In the third quarter, Brittney Griner missed a tough spin attempt. Howard scooped up the rebound like she owned it and just took off. Coast to coast as BG was left in the dust. A defender stepped up, but Howard was already in full beast mode - powered through, elevated, and banked it in. Just look at this energetic chase!

This is the kind of speed that makes hoops fun. Fans are requesting the Fever to bring more of this, please.

No Time for Pool Parties! Rookie Paige Bueckers Tells Veteran Teammates to Get Some Sleep

✨ She Got Glam! ✨

Caitlin Clark really is the Pacers’ good luck charm—they’re now 8-0 this postseason with her in the building! She showed up again for Game 3 of the NBA Finals with her Fever teammates and watched the Pacers grab a 2-1 lead. And if she wasn’t already a fan favorite in Indiana, she definitely sealed the deal with a move straight out of the Reggie Miller playbook. Let’s just say, her courtside reaction had everyone talking.

WNBA Watchlist: Skies Are Grey in Chicago

This isn’t the kind of “windy” Chicago wanted. With a 2-6 record, this stretch has been rougher than anything SkyTown has seen in over a decade. New coach, a revamped roster, and now, a season-ending knee injury to Courtney Vandersloot. Their latest blow came Tuesday in New York- in front of a star studded crowd that included the recently crowned Roland Garros champion. You can see who else joined her.

But if there’s been a silver lining in this storm, it was Angel Reese. After winning BET Sportswoman of the Year, she came in hot with a season-high 17 points. Outside of Angel’s spark, however, the offense looked dim. The Sky coughed up 22 turnovers and went cold from beyond the arc (just 6 of 23).

Nevertheless, Angel made more WNBA history, leaving even the likes of Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Tina Charles behind. Check out what record she broke. Now, they’ve got Atlanta rolling in fresh off a fiery 19-point win. Tip-off’s Friday at 10 p.m. EDT.

But it's not just the Sky looking to bounce back. Las Vegas, who face Dallas on Friday, are out to break their two-game slump too. Jackie Young’s 34-point outburst wasn’t enough against Seattle. Similarly, on the other side, Paige Bueckers showed out with 35 points for Dallas but it still ended in a loss. So both teams are walking in with something to prove, but Vegas probably locks this one up.

The same day, we’ve got the Minnesota Lynx taking on the Los Angeles Sparks in a rematch from earlier this season. The Lynx got the win last time, but this one’s all about revenge for LA. The Sparks are just starting to find their groove, and the Lynx are entering this game fresh off their first loss of the season. So it’s gonna be a battle of bounce-backs. Let’s see who shows up.

Early Season Award Front-Runners: ESPN Has Some Interesting Choices For the WNBA Awards

📝 More Stories to Check Out

1. Cheryl Reeve Rips Into the Lynx After Seattle Hands Minnesota Their First Loss - Full Story

2. No Caitlin Clark Sends WNBA Ratings Crashing as Fever Star’s Return Still Remains - Full Story

3. Mounting Locker Room Chaos in Chicago Forces Reporter to Sound Alarm - Full Story

4. ESPN’s Agenda? Fans Torch the Network as Paige Bueckers’ Numbers Break the ROTY Narrative - Full Story

5. Aari McDonald’s Rise Exposes Indiana Fever’s Roster Politics? - 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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