No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

Zena and Ben talk about the wacky week that was in the W, with bright green instruments hitting the court and Sparky the LA mascot hitting the deck hard during halftime. Next, they discuss the first rematch of the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty since their finals run last season.

Then, with a few big upsets around the Association this week, they turn their attention to some bigger questions – like why do the outcomes of...

The gang is back together to talk about an action-packed weekend in the WNBA – from the Liberty-Sparks buzzer beater to fortunes starting to turn for the Valks and the Lynx. 

Then, basketball and business writer for The Athletic Mike Vorkunov joins the pod to talk about the working relationship between the WNBA and the NBA. With a special focus on CBA negotiations and expansion, Zena, Ben and Mike lean into all things money...

Zena is back from vacation – and stepping into a world where the WNBA dominates her social feed. She and Ben talk about All-Star Weekend, and how the W – from the StudBudz to the players’ viral warmup shirts – has moved into a new space of cultural prominence. Next, Ben shares reporting updates on the CBA – the new collective bargaining agreement being negotiated in the WNBA – including who exactly is sitting on both sides of the t...

Ben is joined by James Boyd, a writer for The Athletic based in Indianapolis, to dish on the winners and losers from WNBA All-Star Weekend. They go behind-the-scenes in Indy, from the CBA negotiations on Thursday to the 3-point contest on Friday night to the pre-game activism on Saturday – and the 72-hour StudBudz stream that captured it all.

Then, they do a deep dive on what’s behind the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” t-shirts that t...

Ben and Sabreena are joined by The Athletic’s very own Indianapolis-based writer, James Boyd, for a rundown of WNBA All-Star Weekend – complete with recommendations for where to eat, drink, and catch some players off the court.

They talk to James about the current mood in Indianapolis, amidst the reality of another sidelining injury for Caitlin Clark -- how disappointing Clark's absence on the court this weekend is for fans, esp...

Ben and Sabreena dig into the details behind another big reporting project: Future Power Rankings in the WNBA. How might WNBA teams stack up against each other in five years? Which franchises are poised to be the most successful? Ben and Sabreena share the methodology behind it all – from weighting players and coaches to draft picks and facilities – and give a window into the W’s future. Plus, thoughts on the Portland Fire announce...

In our second episode covering The Athletic’s anonymous WNBA player poll project, Zena talks to Ben and Sabreena about the players’ responses to some more business-related matters: Which city should get a WNBA expansion team? If you had to pick one thing to include in the new CBA, what would it be? And: what should the maximum salary be? Then, the crew dishes on who got called out for being the league’s biggest trash talker – plus,...

Zena talks to Ben and Sabreena about The Athletic’s anonymous WNBA player poll project – drilling down on the players’ answers to two big questions: Who’s the best player in the WNBA? And five years from now, who will be the face of the league? Ben and Sabreena also divulge some answers to a question around which there was no consensus: Who is the WNBA’s most underrated player? Plus, a Phoenix-dominated update on the Sabreena Scale...

Caitlin Clark’s rookie salary in the WNBA is $78,066 per year. But what is she really worth to the WNBA - and to the wider world of women’s sports? Zena talks to Ben and Sabreena about their recent reporting regarding that very question – and how that one inquiry – "what is Caitlin really worth?" – ripples out to touch nearly every aspect of the sport, from CBA negotiations to expansion, from NBA ties to Unrivaled, from NIL to medi...

The full list of 2025 WNBA All-Stars is set – so it’s time for our first-ever No Offseason Mock All-Star Draft! Ben plays along as Caitlin Clark and Sabreena as Napheesa Collier, as they select their teams player by player. Then, Zena, Ben, and Sabreena admit their worst early takes of the WNBA season – and offer one new take each for good measure. The crew also checks in on how teams are faring in the Sabreena Scale - notably, Sea...

On Tuesday night, the Indiana Fever defeated the Minnesota Lynx to become the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup champs. But can the Fever sustain that momentum, especially with Clark still on the sidelines? Zena, Ben, and Sabreena discuss the game and what both teams need to do to keep improving for the rest of the season. They also get into Caitlin Clark’s comments about the disparity between the prize money for winning the Commissioner’s C...

It’s official: starting in 2028, Cleveland will be home to the newest WNBA franchise – followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Zena, Ben, and Sabreena break down how these cities were decided upon, what all this expansion means for players and teams in the WNBA, what impact NBA teams and ownership have on expansion in the W, and so much more. 

Plus, Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier are set to captain the two...

Assuming Caitlin Clark is back on the court tonight, she and Paige Bueckers will square off for their first matchup in the WNBA. But these two stars have been running alongside each other on parallel (and sometimes overlapping) tracks since their AAU days in the midwest. Zena, Ben, and Sabreena take a look at how the careers of these back-to-back #1 draft picks stack up – the similarities and the differences – and the roles they bo...

Zena, Ben, and Sabreena break down a big weekend of games in the WNBA – highlighting the Aces big win over the Fever, the Storm’s victory over an injury-laden Liberty, and the Valkyries’ hot streak. They also check in on the Sabreena Scale, which has a new top team this week. Then, the crew digs into our deep dive for the week – the dominance of the power forward position in the WNBA. When did this position rise to such importance?...

The scuffle between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun has sparked questions about officiating consistency and transparency. Zena, Ben, and Sabreena share thoughts about how that situation was handled and what challenges persist with WNBA refereeing, as well as why Caitlin Clark finds herself in so many dust-ups. Then, the crew give their All-Star locks, first-time All-Stars, and potential surprises, including how many rookies w...

It was quite a weekend in the WNBA – and we’re here to break it down. Zena, Ben, and Sabreena dig into the details of Caitlin Clark’s return on Saturday afternoon, when she led the Indiana Fever to victory against a previously undefeated New York Liberty. Then, the crew discusses Angel Reese’s career-first triple-double, the Dallas Wings’ blown opportunity against the Aces, and the Minnesota Lynx’s continued leadership on matters o...

This season in the WNBA, there are seven new head coaches making their debut (not counting Stephanie White, who has held that title before at the Connecticut Sun). Some of those individuals and their respective teams are faring better than others. So, one month into the 2025 season, Zena, Ben, and Sabreena sit down to discuss these coaches – their programs, their backgrounds, their unique styles – and to take stock of who’s meeting...

Ben brings us behind-the-scenes inside the United Center this past weekend, when the Indiana Fever handed the Chicago Sky another big loss – and veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot went down with a season-ending ACL tear. Then, Zena brings us over to the Bay Area, to detail the Valkyries first blowout win – against a frustrated Aces team. Next up, Chantel breaks down everything you need to know about the landmark House Settlement ca...

The Commissioner’s Cup is underway – and Zena, Ben, and Sabreena are here to help you understand how the in-season tournament works and which teams and players might be set for a big payday come July 1. Next, the crew checks in on some injury updates about Paige Bueckers and Cailtin Clark, before getting into their picks for best “familiar face in a new place” – ie veteran players who’ve moved teams this season. Then, the crew digs...