^{August 25 2025 | Edition #129}

👋 Hey, Hoophead!

Who doesn’t love drama? Well, the weekend had bits of it. And when we say action, don’t think WNBA, think combat sports. You’ll see what we mean in a second. But before we talk all sports, Indy fans…how are you? Because honestly, it’s getting harder to watch everything the Fever are going through, and we feel for you. “Worst stretch at the worst time” sums it up. Meanwhile, Atlanta is living the exact opposite. Let’s get deeper into this!

Atlanta’s “DREAM” Season!

Enough debating, people…the Atlanta Dream are the real deal!

We know the story: last year ended just like the year before, and honestly, it’s been disappointment after disappointment since 2018. But this time, Atlanta has pulled off a season to remember.

They came back with a plan. A plan of ‘change.’ Even when injuries hit (and hit hard), they kept repeating Rhyne Howard’s mantra, “We believe in ourselves.” That belief looks pretty good when it translates to winning all but 4 games since the All-Star break! And it looks even better when it translates to history!

On the most poetic of nights, against the very New York Liberty team that sent them packing last postseason, the Dream won 78-62. With that, they set a brand-new franchise record: 24 victories in a season. That’s one more than the 2018 squad that finished 23-11!

And it’s no fluke. They even took the season series 2-1 against Minnesota, the best team this year. In fact, only ONE team (!!) has a winning record over them all season long. Here’s the team Atlanta can’t shake.

Led by Allisha Gray and Howard, boosted by Brittney Griner, Brionna Jones, and Naz Hillmon, the Dream are sitting pretty at #2, way above the #6 seed most people predicted. But don’t stop at the stars. Yes, they deserve every bit of that appreciation. The real magic, though, might actually be coming from the sidelines.

First-year coach Karl Smesko has been nothing short of magical. Out of the eight new coaches in the W this season, a lot of buzz has gone to the Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase, but it’s Smesko who’s got his team sitting second in the league.

Now, with the roster finally healthy and six of their last seven games against non-playoff teams, the #2 seed looks locked in.

The Atlanta Dream are the nightmare no one saw coming!

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Playoff Picture Just Got Messy: DC & Fever in Trouble

As we said last time, it’s probably safe to count Washington out of the playoff race. The Mystics are on a four-game skid, and it’s looking uglier by the day.

Take the Aces game in D.C. They actually opened hot with a 23-8 run. But then A’ja Wilson happened. Another monster night with 36 points as Vegas walked out with a 91-81 win. And just when it looked like Washington might bounce back, Seattle handed them another gut punch. This one stung more because it was so close. Brittney Sykes, their old teammate, gave them problems, but it was Nneka Ogwumike who played heartbreaker.

Tied at 82 with five seconds left, she drove right at Kiki Iriafen, bumped her, spun, and hit a jumper that rolled around the rim before finally dropping at the buzzer. On 8/24 no less, it felt like a Kobe Bryant tribute. Check out Ogwumike’s game winner.

Things weren’t much better for Indiana. Honestly, the odds were stacked against them in Minnesota. The Lynx barely ever lose at home, the Fever are banged up, and Napheesa Collier returned just in time to drop 32 like nothing happened. What else could we have expected?

The game didn’t have many highlights, except one that looked straight out of WWE. Lexie Hull nearly had her jaw broken by a vicious Kayla McBride elbow under the rim. Isn’t this a flagrant worthy play?

Well, the refs didn’t think so, and assigned McBride only a technical.

Anyway, Kelsey Mitchell did her best (26 points), with Shey Peddy, Aliyah Boston, and Natasha Howard all chipping in, but the Fever fell 97-84. With Seattle also winning, this dropped the Fever to the 8th seed, just one game ahead of L.A.

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Bad Luck or Bad Officiating?

The Connecticut Sun continue to peak at the wrong time. After beating fellow strugglers Chicago 94-84, they now have three straight wins. Connecticut set the tone, racing to an early lead. The Sky clawed their way back but couldn’t really catch up. And if you ask Sky coach Tyler Marsh, it wasn’t just about execution.

It was the officiating!

Marsh didn’t even wait for the final buzzer. He let it rip mid-game, pacing furiously at the refs, so heated it looked like he might throw hands. Of course, it all ended the only way it could, an ejection. Check out Angel Reese and Co. holding their coach back.

The Sun didn’t blink. Four players hit double figures, and Tina Charles quietly made history, becoming the first player in league history to record 200 career double-doubles. Angel Reese logged one of her own, but Chicago left with nothing more than frustration.

Meanwhile, in Dallas, the vibes couldn’t be worse. The Wings are now riding a five-game skid after a 90-81 loss to Golden State. To make matters worse, Paige Bueckers’ 30-game double-digit scoring streak ended with just nine points on Sunday.

Even in this game, officiating was a subplot. Coach Chris Koclanes had his fiery moment going to bat for Bueckers, earning a tech of his own. If you notice Paige’s UConn bestie, she was literally cheesing looking at his reaction! This one might give you a chuckle too!

Funny for her (and us), not for Dallas. However, GSV climbed back over .500 with this, sitting at #7, just a half-game behind the Storm. Meanwhile, Dallas might need to get comfortable at the bottom.

Too Much Heat! Did Angel Reese Just Scratch Rival’s Eye?

✨ She Got Glam! ✨

Olivia Nelson-Ododa owns the ‘tunnel fit’ runway. It’s hard to picture her pulling up in just Nike shorts and a tee. But believe it or not, there was a time when that was the thing. Everything changed in 2023, when she borrowed a teammate’s ‘glam’ look just to try it out and that flipped her whole perspective on fashion. She revealed who that was and more. You’ll want to see this!

The Backbone of the Bench: WNBA’s Sixth Player Frontrunners

Not too long ago, if you checked the preseason odds, every major award felt like it had “Indiana” scribbled all over it. It was the same when it came to Sixth Player of the Year. What was once Sophie Cunningham’s award to lose is not looking that way anymore.

Right now, the one making the loudest case is Atlanta’s glue piece: Naz Hillmon. She’s been the steady heartbeat of the Dream’s rotation, especially during Brittney Griner’s absence, giving the Dream 8.3 points, 5.9 boards, and 2.2 assists a night.

Then comes rookie Dominique Malonga. Remember back in April when the majority of you voted her as the player who’ll be the biggest superstar in 5 years from her draft class? While she hasn’t been in the running for the RoTY award, she has made a major impact in Seattle.

And let’s not forget that she’s still a teenager! Her averages might not look great, but she’s been on a tear with increased minutes in the last 5 games. Aren’t these All-Star level numbers?

Now, let’s talk about Olivia Nelson-Ododa. She isn’t just great with her fashion choices, but has quietly become one of the league’s most efficient mid-range shooters. 8.4 points, 5.1 boards, and a rhythm that gives the Sun balance when they need it most keeps her in the running, too.

Then we have Lynx’s Jessica Shepard. Averaging 8.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, she has been a consistent threat off the bench. You can tell her quality when she gets increased minutes - Shepard has started 10 games this year. In Friday’s win over Indy, she casually dropped a historic triple-double! She became the first player in league history to achieve this feat.

Not to forget, Kennedy Burke (New York Liberty) and Natisha Hiedeman (Lynx), who have been steady sparks off the bench, too. All in all, whoever takes it, one thing’s for sure: these ladies are indispensable to their squads.

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📝 More Stories to Check Out

1. How Stephen Curry Is Personally Changing the Women’s Sports Game - Full Story

2. Eyewitness Reveals Big Caitlin Clark Practice Update - Full Story

3. Napheesa Collier Exposes Fever’s Fatal Flaw in Triumphant Return - Full Story

4. Caitlin Clark Protection Debate Slammed as ‘Dismissive’ to WNBA Players - Full Story

5. “Refs Saw Something I Didn’t!" A’ja Wilson Blasts Officiating After Foul Trouble - 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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