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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Sylvia Fowles Joins Portland Fire Coaching Staff 📋
Hall of Famer and four-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Sylvia Fowles is joining the Portland Fire as an assistant coach for the franchise’s inaugural 2026 season. (ESPN)
WHY IT MATTERS: This will be Fowles’ coaching debut, and it’s a bold way to step into the career. She reportedly had multiple opportunities around the WNBA, but chose Portland because she wanted to help build something from the ground up. Fowles will work alongside head coach Alex Sarama, whose system emphasizes player development and the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA), a method rarely used in American basketball.
2. WNBA Teams Lead Forbes’ Valuation Rankings 💰
Forbes released a list of the most valuable women’s sports teams, and the top five all come from the WNBA. The New York Liberty lead the list at $400 million, followed by the Indiana Fever ($370M), Seattle Storm ($330M), Las Vegas Aces ($310M), and Phoenix Mercury ($300M).
WHY IT MATTERS: Yes, it’s impressive to see the WNBA dominate the top of the rankings, but the bigger story is that this list exists at all. Not long ago, women’s teams weren’t regularly valued or discussed in this way. Forbes tracking women’s sports valuations reflects real growth across leagues like the WNBA and NWSL.
Note: The Golden State Valkyries weren’t eligible for this list due to their mid-2025 launch, but Sportico recently valued the franchise at $500 million.
3. Adam Silver Signals Willingness to Step Into WNBA CBA Talks 📣
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he’s willing to step into WNBA collective bargaining negotiations if needed, as talks between the league and the WNBPA continue ahead of a January 9 deadline. (Front Office Sports)
WHY IT MATTERS: Silver saying he’ll do “whatever is necessary” highlights just how important it is to get this deal done. The WNBA and WNBPA have been negotiating for more than a year on a new, transformational CBA, and no one wants to see progress stall. His potential involvement signals a push to move talks across the finish line at a critical moment for the league.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Top Play: TCU’s transition offense earned the No. 1 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10.
Changing Channels: Elle Duncan shared an emotional farewell to her women’s basketball “Big 3” crew during her final SportsCenter episode before heading to Netflix.
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