Ball Is Life
A newbies guide to the must-see rivalries, dramatic team dynamics, and more.
Even people who say they dont like sports are falling in love with the WNBA.
Thanks to them, the game is more thrilling than ever.
If youre excited towatch the leaguewhen the 2025 season kicks off on May 16, youre in good company.
All Eyes On Paige Bueckers… 1 overall pick following a National Championship win with UConn.
She has a very high basketball IQ and can score from anywhere on the floor.
Theres this electric sense that shes about to absolutely kill it.
The last time they played [each other],Caitlin won in the Final Four.
I want to see if Paige is going to get her back for that one.
I love the competitiveness between them.
Their first showdown isMay 17 in Chicago, followed by a Saturday in June.
In total, theyll play each other five times this year.
The WNBA is expecting these games to sell out.
Last years class was so popular.
They drove so much energy, culture, and fandom into the WNBA.
Im really excited to see how theyll stack up.
Many athletes arescoring major brand deals, essentially becoming CEOsin their own right.
As for Bueckers, shes inked contracts with Nike, Bose, Gatorade, andAlly Financial.
Will they have beginners luck?
Im looking forward to seeing what [the Valkyries] can do.
The team drafted Lithuanian guardJuste Jocytein the 5th pick, and she is going to be exciting to watch.
She has been playing professionally in Europe since she was 14.
There is a lot of support for this new team, and they have a lot to prove.
They wanted a three-peat, so they now have a lot to prove and will come out swinging.
A lot of teams will be coming after them.
Cameron Brink Is Back!
In June 2024, star forwardCameron Brinktore her ACL,ending her rookie WNBA season.
The injury was a huge blow to her team, the Los Angeles Sparks.
She was a standout player for Stanford in college and then was the No.
2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Their fans know who they are and how they want to be portrayed.
Then you also get to go watch them play basketball, too.
Weve never had that before, and its so exciting.
These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
