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WNBA gameday discussion: The Indiana Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell continues to confirm that she’s one the best scorers in league history
On Friday night, the Indiana Fever visit the Portland Fire (10 p.m. ET, ION). Fire, however, better describes the Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell. She is a bucket-getting inferno, with the opponent, All-Star break, homework obligations or anything else unable to slow her current scoring tear. Mitchell has dropped at least 20 points in 12-straight games, the […]
To make the WNBA playoffs, the Washington Mystics must do these three things
The Washington Mystics, thought of by many to still be a lottery-bound project even after consecutive years of three first-round picks, are approaching August with a record of 15-12. The mark is enough to position them in the postseason picture, with a 4.5-game advantage over the ninth-place Portland Fire. With just two months and 17 […]
WNBA gameday discussion: The latest Liberty vs. Aces matchup is a reminder that this league still belongs to Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson
What remains one of the WNBA’s most compelling rivalries resumes on Thursday night in Sin City: New York Liberty vs. Las Vegas Aces (10 p.m. ET, Prime Video). Neither team occupies the superteam heights they occupied when this rivalry first launched during the 2023 season. Despite their status as defending champions, the Aces’ dominance is […]
What the possibility of a Kelsey Plum trade says about the Los Angeles Sparks’ present and future
To understand how the Los Angeles Sparks have reached the point where they might move the best player on their roster, Kelsey Plum, before the Sunday WNBA trade deadline, we have to take a look back. On Feb. 1 2025, the Sparks shocked the WNBA world by trading for Plum. It was a three-team deal, […]
Rebounding? Size? Shooting?This is the biggest weakness for every WNBA playoff team
As the WNBA returns from the All-Star break, the league’s best teams are all ramping up for one last push into the playoffs. Is there anything holding them back? Here’s the one weakness that could define each contender’s postseason fate. In the comments, let us know if you agree, while also sharing any other concerns […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Can the Dallas Wings prove they’re ready to achieve playoff dreams?
In this season of overachievement for the Dallas Wings, there are still more boxes to check to confirm their status as legitimate championship contenders. The Wings have wins over every team except three: the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream. Wednesday night, the Wings get their third and final shot at the Dream […]
WNBA fantasy grab bag: How Napheesa Collier’s return could impact the production of the Minnesota Lynx’s other stars
Napheesa Collier made her long-awaited season debut in last week’s game between the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm, and it didn’t take her very long to reestablish herself. Collier recorded 24 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action as the Lynx cruised past the Storm and carried a league-leading 22-6 record into […]
Buy? Sell? Sit tight? What every team should do ahead of the WNBA trade deadline on August 2
The WNBA isn’t a league that traditionally has a ton of activity at the trade deadline. Most big shifts occur during the offseason. However, in most seasons, some moves happen, and with a handful of teams in contention for the title and others already looking forward to the offseason, this could be a year we […]
WNBA gameday discussion: Can the Fire, Sparks or Tempo surge into the top eight? Or, is the playoff field already set?
As the WNBA’s post-All-Star break action resumes, here’s a quick look at the league standings: Might the playoff field already be set, with the top eight remaining the top eight from now until the regular season concludes on Thursday, Sept. 24? Conversely, do one of the Portland Fire, Los Angeles Sparks or Toronto Tempo have […]
Interview: After guarding Lauren Betts in the NCAA Tournament, Emma Johansson is ready to take her defensive talent to Spain
Emma Johansson is a horse girl. She also loves the Swedish fika. And, she’s about to become a pro basketball player. A native of Sweden, Johansson played two seasons of college basketball at South Florida (under current Dallas Wings head coach Jose Fernandez) before finishing out her career at California Baptist. The 6-foot-3 forward/center averaged […]
EXCLUSIVE: From Obama to Azzi to everything in between, here’s a final look at the best sights from WNBA All-Star 2026
As both Edwin Garcia and Zachary Draves have recounted, WNBA All-Star 2026 was a smashing success. A weekend that began with former President Barack Obama surprising the 2026 All-Stars with a practice visit ended with Team Spoon prevailing over Team Coop in the All-Star Game, thanks to an MVP-winning effort from Jonquel Jones. In between, […]
Op-Ed: The conversations about Caitlin Clark are no longer about Caitlin Clark
In a society overly saturated with sport, we set an almost insurmountably high bar for athletes. It’s a standard that we don’t apply to anyone else, not even our politicians whose votes and policies can alter the course of our future. But in sports, we want athletes to do everything—and do it perfectly. They are […]
Interview: Former Swish Appeal editor-in-chief Tamryn Spruill shares everything that went into her forthcoming book
Swish Appeal is thrilled to celebrate the forthcoming book by former editor-in-chief Tamryn Spruill. The W: A History of the WNBA will be published on September 22, 2026. And its already been identified by the New York Times as one of the most-anticipated nonfiction books of 2026. Congrats, Tamryn! Before the book comes out, Tamryn […]
How the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game served as a perfect celebration of everything great about the sport
The WNBA All-Star Game is more than just an exhibition. It’s an annual opportunity for the faces of the league to present themselves and the league how they’d like to be seen. Last year, the weekend was about the players fighting for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Back in 2024, the dominant narrative was […]
By bridging past and present, the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game positively highlighted the league’s progress
The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game at the United Center in Chicago brought out the best in everyone involved in the WNBA. In spite of all the the mostly-online noise that tends to surround the league and its players, nothing could damage all the genuine happiness that came to the Windy City. It all started with […]
Interview: MiLaysia Fulwiley’s partnership with Panini America is another marker of her present (and future) superstardom
Most athletes would say that growing up, they not only wanted to succeed in their respective sport, but to reap the benefits of said success. That includes having their name, image and likeness on blast on magazine covers, trading cards and more forms of media that signal their stardom. LSU senior guard and future WNBA […]
A dunk, the MVP and college rivalries! Here are three predictions for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game
It would be fun to seriously analyze what could happen in the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game between Team Coop and Team Spoon (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC). However, celebration supplants competition at the midseason event. The game is an opportunity for the league’s best to engage in joyous on-court camaraderie, rather than stoke any competitive fires, […]
With her own Barbie, Angel Reese is not just touching generations of fans, but also reaching new heights for WNBA players
It’s not every day that an athlete gets a Barbie doll made in their likeness. In fact, it’s only happened only twice in league history, now that three-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese has become the second player to become a Barbie. On July 24, during the second day of WNBA All-Star weekend, the Angel Reese […]
Azzi Fudd makes history as the first rookie to win 3-Point Contest, plus other WNBA All-Star Friday happenings
All-Star weekend is always a busy couple of days for the WNBA, and this year’s iteration was no exception. On Friday, the Shooting Stars competition and 3-Point Contest occurred—and both lived up to the hype. There were plenty of worthy shooters involved in the 3-Point Contest, but in the end, Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd […]
WNBA All-Stars treated to surprise visit from President Barack Obama at Friday practice
WNBA All-Star 2026 in Chicago kicked off Friday morning as the players practiced at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on the South Side, becoming the first pro sports league to utilize the Center’s athletic space. Before practice commenced, the players were paid a surprise visit from President Barack Obama himself. The Chicago native […]
What’s the Shooting Stars competition, and which team will win this WNBA All-Star 2026 event?
The WNBA is always looking to mix things up during All-Star weekend to keep things fresh. This year, the league is tossing the Skills Challenge and is implementing Shooting Stars in its place for Friday’s WNBA All-Star 2026 festivities (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Here’s what you need to know about the competition, as well as […]
By percentage or volume, the Indiana Fever have the top two 3-point shooters in the WNBA
I’m a big fan of the 3-point shot. It’s definitely my favorite part of basketball. I also think it’s always interesting how every year there’s a handful of players who drastically improve from beyond the arc, adding a new dimension to their game and forcing opponents to game-plan differently. Now that we’re at the All-Star […]
EXCERPT: How the Belmont Bruins experienced the Caitlin Clark Effect
Swish Appeal is thrilled to share an excerpt from contributor Łukasz Muniowski’s forthcoming book, The Caitlin Clark Effect: Women’s Basketball and the Rise of a Transformational Star, which will be released on Aug. 31 by McFarland Books and is now available for pre-order. Łukasz’s book focuses on the interplay between Caitlin Clark’s athletic talent and […]
The Golden State Valkyries’ nine-game winning streak proved the resiliency of their depth and defense
With a Monday night loss to the Washington Mystics, the Golden State Valkyries’ nine-game win streak finally came to an end. While they were rightfully disappointed to drop what could have been a 10th-straight win to an inconsistent Mystics team in the Bay, nine in a row is a feat that shouldn’t be ignored. Here […]
Napheesa Collier’s season debut was an instant reminder of the impact she’s going to make for the Minnesota Lynx
Napheesa Collier needed only 22 minutes make an impact and help the Minnesota Lynx to an 88-76 win over the Seattle Storm on Wednesday afternoon. In her season debut, Collier, who immediately slotted into the starting lineup, recorded a double-double, finishing with a game-high 24 points, 10 rebounds and one assist. She was all smiles […]