Girls Who Like Hoops

The Valkyries are champions, the 2025 season is officially in the books, and somehow we already have plenty to talk about heading into the offseason.

We're giving Golden State their flowers, discussing Gabby Williams' road to Finals MVP, Kiah Stokes, Natalie Nakase, and some of the storylines surrounding the Valkyries' championship run. Then it's time to look ahead. We get into offseason moves, why coaching was a separator this season, and some of the pros and cons of the Atlanta Dream heading into the playoffs.

I'm also revisiting Game 7 between the Dream and Valkyries, because I will never understand the Angel Reese disrespect. From there, we get into the Lynx's disappointing first-round exit, Napheesa Collier and Minnesota's offseason questions, plus takeaways from the Mystics, Fever, Aces, Wings, and more.

And because every team has some growing to do, we're talking about what comes next for a few franchises, including the Houston Comets as they look to build their foundation.

It's the end of one season, the beginning of another conversation, and there's no shortage of things to figure out.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:30 GO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY!

01:47 WNBA 30th Season | Valkyries Championship 

02:52 Valkyries Flowers & Storylines | Gabby Williams Road to Finals MVP

06:10 Kiah Stokes, Natalie Nakase, GS Roster Storylines

9:22 Offseason Moves 

12:10 Pre-Playoff Thoughts on Dream

14:02 Angel Reese | Game 7 Dream Analysis

17:43 Nakase vs Smesko

20:15 Lynx 1st Round Exit | Injuries & Expectation

31:04 Napheesa Collier Free Agency | Lynx Shortcomings

38:37 Mystics Takeaways

41:24 Fever 

45:36 Aces

50:26 Portland 

52:27 Wings | Growing Pains

1:01:17 Houston Comets | FO, Roster, Coaching 

It’s been a minute! After taking a little break, I’m back and, naturally, there is A LOT to talk about.

I started this episode by talking about what I think a championship team actually looks and feels like, and what separates a team that can compete from a team that can actually win it all.

From there, we’ve got plenty of hot topics: DeWanna Bonner joining the Atlanta Dream, Kate Martin being waived and where I’d like to see her go next, Nneka Ogwumike’s retirement and what’s going on with the Sparks, plus a quick conversation about the Mercury and some of their struggles this season.

I also talked about A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum not joining Team USA for the World Cup, shared some pre-World Cup thoughts, and then went team-by-team through the playoff field. What do I love about each team? What could get them in trouble? And what am I most excited to see once the playoffs start?

And because apparently that wasn’t enough, there’s a hot take, a little Portland Fire conversation (because yes, I already think they could be a playoff team next season), and some love for Bridget Carleton after her performance against the Lynx and why I thought she stepped into an All-Star mindset.

Basically… I took a break, the WNBA kept moving, and now we have some catching up to do.

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Follow me on social media:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Topics for the episode & Housekeeping 

02:23 Feeling a championship in the air

03:30 Hot Topics | DeWanna Bonner to the Dream

06:38 Kate Martin | Nneka Ogwumike & Thoughts on the Sparks 

10:40 The Mercury? 

12:41 Circling back on the Sparks & Kate 

18:00 A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum | Choosing Health 

21:24 Pre-World Cup Thoughts

23:29 Checklist to Winning a Chip

28:18 Lynx

36:18 Valkyries 

40:47 Aces 

45:47 Fever 

51:17 Dream

56:35 Liberty 

1:04:06 Mystics 

1:08:27 Wings 

1:12:48 MY HOTTEST TAKE

01:13:17 Portland Fire (I Love Y’all for real)

1:16:24 Bridget Carleton’s Defense is Missed 

This week we're starting with a conversation that's bigger than basketball.

The WNBA continues to grow at an incredible pace, but growth also comes with responsibility. I share why I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the league's leadership, Cathy Engelbert's role, and how inconsistent responses to major incidents are creating space for assumptions and distracting from the game itself. We also discuss the racial dynamics surrounding some of the biggest conversations in the league and why those discussions deserve to be handled with more care.

From there, we get into everything that happened on the court. We talk about why the Valkyries continue to impress, whether the Tempo have officially won me over, the evolution of the Sparks under Lynne Roberts, the Liberty and Lynx matchup, Atlanta's frustrating inconsistency, where the Mercury go from here, and whether Olivia Miles has entered the MVP conversation. I also share my thoughts on standout performances by players like Frieda Bühner, Nia Coffey, Jessica Shepard, Justine Pissott, and more, while breaking down the biggest games and trends across the league.

As always, this is a basketball-first conversation focused on habits, team building, decision-making, and the bigger picture of where the WNBA is headed.

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Follow me on social media:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Housekeeping | The best excuse ever

03:54 The racial element of the big conversations happening surrounding the W

09:26 Is the WNBA headed in the right direction? | The Cathy Problem 

18:10 Player of the Week: Ola Kosu

20:07 Who Won the Week: Valkyries

22:22 The Basketball

23:14 Valkyries vs Sun 

27:11 UCLA Player Ranking 

28:20 Wings vs Tempo | The Tempo are moving me

30:16 Arike — A Wing for Life?

32:15 Game Stats continued

33:57 Sky vs Sparks 

36:31 Lynne Roberts & The Sparks Evolution

43:49 Liberty vs Lynx 

44:22 Liberty Bigs …. Chris DeMarco has to put his foot down 

48:39 Sabrina & Stewie | Betnijah Laney Hamilton & Rebekah Gardner 

52:07 Lynx Habits

52:50 Olivia Miles MVP | Lynx Championship Odds

56:11 Game Notes

59:02 Dream vs Fire

1:00:19 I can give Portland a 10 | Frieda Buhner you moved me

1:04:22 ATL you’re disappointing me once a week

1:07:18 Rhyne Howard | Are the expectations too high?

1:09:17 Mercury vs Aces | I don’t even know man

1:18:16 Where do the Mercury go from here? | Build around Kah

1:12:50 Justine Pissott

1:14:19 Liberty vs Tempo 

1:18:45 Storm vs Mystics

1:21:08 Lauren Betts | Brief Storm thoughts 

1:22:51 Sky vs Wings

1:25:53 Fever vs Aces

1:26:45 Sparks vs Dream 

1:28:48 Mercury vs Lynx | Nia Coffey DPOY 

1:32:48 Fire vs Sun

1:33:35 ONO & Jessica Shepard MIP Convo | Game thoughts

1:37:58 Mystics vs Tempo 

1:39:16 Storm vs Sky 

1:41:10 Lynx vs Sparks 

1:42:47 How Miles is affecting her teammates

1:43:47 Lynx Culture & Sylvia Fowles Speech 

1:46:00 Game Stats

1:46:46 Valkyries vs Fever

1:48:54 Fire vs Mystics | How the Fire won & Why the Mystics struggled 

1:54:20 Outro

This week's episode is a little different. Instead of breaking down every game, I'm sharing the biggest thoughts I've had while watching the league over the past week.

From the Chicago Sky, Sparks, and Storm to the Liberty, Aces, Lynx, Valkyries, and more, I discuss what's impressed me, what's been frustrating, and a few trends that have me asking... why are we doing that?

I also touch on Chennedy Carter, Cathy Engelbert and the recent congressional discussion, Alex Sarama and CLA, All-Star selections, officiating, Olivia Nelson-Ododa's case for Most Improved Player, and where several teams stand as we move deeper into the season.

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Follow me on social media:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Housekeeping | Episode Format 

01:14 Addendum | Chennedy Carter, Cathy Engelbert & Congress 

11:37 Tough Conversations | Shake It Up or Bust 

12:46 Skylar Diggins, Sloot, and the Chicago Sky 

24:37 The Sparks are running out of time

34:49 The Storm | Flashes of excellence 

39:29 The Sun | Olivia Nelson Ododa for MIP

45:20 Alex Sarama & CLA | I’m Over It 

1:01:38 Tempo 

1:04:40 Mystics

1:05:51 Dream | Valkyries BELT

1:13:26 Brief thoughts on All-Star Selection 

1:15:29 The Fever & Mercury| I will rarely have things to say about them 

1:17:00 Liberty, Aces, & Officiating 

1:24:11 Wings

1:27:49 New York Liberty 

1:29:02 GS Valkyries | Flop City 

1:32:55 Aces

1:35:15 Lynx | I’m not personally concerned 

This week, we're breaking down another crazy week in the WNBA. We have to talk about Marina Mabrey's historic 53-point performance, the Mystics continuing to impress, the Liberty looking a little confusing, and why I'm getting more concerned about teams like the Sparks and the Fire.I also share my thoughts on the discourse surrounding "The Play," because there's a difference between holding players accountable and turning every conversation into a witch hunt. As always, I'm giving my honest reactions to the biggest games, coaching decisions, standout performances, and the storylines that stood out to me this week.

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Follow me on social media:

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Links:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DaAwezxzoeR/?igsh=MW1tMHJ1dnR1a2p3aQ==

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8G8QxmR/

www.portlandmercury.com/the-portland-fire/the-portland-fire-wants-to-annoy-the-rest-of-the-wnba/

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Housekeeping | Thank you for 1K subscribers 

04:37 Tori’s Player of the Week | Marina Mabrey

06:13 Who Won the Week | Mystics 

07:42 Notable League Moves & Injuries | McCown & Kelsey Plum

10:40 Discourse of the Week | The Play

15:38 Tempo vs Sun | Olivia Nelson Ododa MIP Case?

18:56 Mystics vs Liberty | A Vet PG? Who Needs That ?(joking, but I’m still not pressed)

22:21 Lynx vs Valkyries 

30:09 Fever vs Dream | Dream’s Bench Production Issue?

35:41 Storm vs Mercury 

39:30 Sky vs Wings 

45:03 Valkyries vs Aces

47:34 Mystics vs Lynx (Game 1) | Lynx collapse

52:19 Liberty vs Sparks

55:33 Sky vs Sun | Dominant Post Play Takes the Win

59:15 Tempo vs Dream 

1:01:12 Fever vs Mercury (Game 1)

1:02:24 Wings vs Storm 

1:04:53 Liberty vs Aces | Commissioner’s Cup Preview

1:07:15 Disappointing 2nd Half Games Wednesday Night

1:07:56 Mercury vs Fever (Game 2) 

1:10:04 Lynx vs Mystics (Game 2)

1:14:03 Portland, I’m Confused

1:17:40 Fire vs Sky 

1:19:35 Dream vs Valkyries | Are They Contenders?

1:22:20 Spark vs Tempo | MARINA MABREY MASTERCLASS

1:28:37 Liberty vs Storm | Can the Liberty win without Stewie?

1:29:58 Let’s START the conversation about Sabrina’s role on this team

1:35:18 How the Storm won | Game stats

1:36:38 Wings vs Aces | Arike Trade Talks?

I'm breaking down another chaotic week in the WNBA. From the Atlanta Dream's continued reliance on three-point shooting to the Phoenix Mercury's turnover problems, several teams are struggling with the same issues week after week—and some coaches don't seem interested in making adjustments. Plus, I share my biggest takeaways from the week, the teams trending in the right direction, and the coaching decisions that left me scratching my head.

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Follow me on social media:

https://linktr.ee/toriphillips5

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Links:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8sG9rYy/

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:26 Housekeeping | Like, Subscribe, Follow, Comment 

01:00 Schedule Change | New Episodes Fridays

02:36 Follow the Socials & All-Star Voting 

05:00 JJ Quinerly & Sug Sutton 

05:32 Angel Reese & Izzy Harrison | Foul, Soft Ejections, or All of the Above 

09:30 Dream vs Sky 

11:30 Coaching Critiques 

14:26 Dream vs Sky | Sky Coaching & Future Adjustments 

20:39 WIngs vs Lynx 

24:46 Mercury vs Valkyries | How the Mercury can start putting wins together

29:43 Sun vs Tempo 

32:02 Sparks vs Storm | Dearica Hamby & Sparks Struggles 

39:44 Sky vs Fever | Sydney Taylor Masterclass 

42:58 Liberty vs Dream 

47:29 Mercury vs Wings 

50:27 Aces vs Fire 

51:42 The Fire Issue | Carla and Teja

55:47 Coaches aren’t adjusting 

58:20 Stats from the Game 

58:43 Tempo vs Mystics 

1:01:40 Valkyries vs Storm 

1:05:05 Fever vs Sun 

1:07:22 Lynx vs Aces 

1:10:40 Wings vs Fire 

1:12:11 Sparks vs Mercury

1:13:57 Dream vs Tempo 

1:17:38 Liberty vs Mystics | Knowing Your Role 

1:28:16 Wings vs Aces

1:31:01 Lynx vs Fire 

1:33:39 Sparks vs Valkyries

This week, we're ranking every WNBA team from worst to best through Weeks 3 and 4 and making some early pre-All-Star break seeding predictions.

From teams still searching for consistency to the contenders setting the pace for the rest of the league, we're breaking down what has worked, what hasn't, and where every franchise stands heading into the next stretch of the season. We discuss the challenges facing teams at the bottom of the standings, what separates the league's elite from the pack, and why the best teams often force their opponents to rise to the occasion.

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Follow me on social media:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Opening Remarks 

03:21 Pre-All-Star Seeding Predictions 

05:52 Connecticut Sun (15) | Young team figuring it out 

12:33 Seattle Storm (14) | Young Rebuild, promising

17:22 Chicago Sky (13) | Underwhelming, not a contending team 

24:24 Phoenix Mercury (12) | Why does the team look better w/o stars?

29:30 Washington Mystics (11) | Growing Pains 

36:21 8-10 Seed Shuffle 

37:50 LA Sparks (8-10) | It’s on the coach to me 

40:11 Portland Fire (8-10) | Forcing your opponents to rise to the occasion 

46:31 Toronto Tempo (8-10) | Strong bones 

50:08 Indiana Fever (7) | They’ll be fine 

53:25 Golden State Valkyries (6) | Something is missing

56:46 I don’t like all the 3s, from any team 

58:51 Addressing my tweet 

1:00:00 New York Liberty (5) | What does Sabrina’s return look like?

1:04:25 Atlanta Dream (4) | ‘The Permission’ decides 

1:08:37 Dallas Wings (3) | A matter of time 

1:13:12 Las Vegas Ace (2) | Great team that continues to improve their roster 

1:16:10 Minnesota Lynx (1) | Can they win a chip? TBD

In this week’s episode, we’re diving into expansion teams and whether seasoned teams are stepping up to the plate. Plus, I’ve got the usual game-by-game breakdown, explaining why some teams clinched victories while others faced setbacks. There’s so much more to explore on this week’s episode! 

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Follow me on social media:

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Link:

Wings vs Dream Video

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Housekeeping 

01:37 Tori’s Player of the Week | Jordin Canada

02:15 Who Won the Week | Atlanta Dream 

02:55 Poll Question

03:19 Discourse of the Week: Portland Fire 

07:28 Tempo vs Mercury 

11:04 Fever vs Fire 

13:46 Wings vs Sky

16:13 Why I’m not fully behind the Sky 

17:29 Sun vs Storm 

22:03 Valkyries vs Liberty 

27:17 Tempo vs Lynx 

33:49 Sparks vs Mercury 

36:59 Kahleah Copper 

38:48 Wings vs Dream

42:12 Valkyries vs Fever 

44:03 Storm vs Sun

46:15 Lynx vs Sky 

51:52 Fire vs Tempo 

58:50 Sparks vs Aces 

1:02:39 Mercury vs Dream 

1:06:42 Wings vs Liberty 

1:12:20 Mystics vs Storm 

1:14:50 Fire vs Liberty 

1:18:23 Sun vs Valkyries 

*Sorry this is late, internet outage :(*

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This week, we’re diving into our usual game-by-game analysis from the first week of games, plus we’ll be exploring how Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton are making their mark on their new teams. I also chatted about what the dream needs to focus on going forward and covered a bunch of other interesting topics!

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Follow me on social media:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Housekeeping 

02:06 Wings vs Dream

08:10 Fire vs Liberty 

18:26 Lynx vs Mercury

20:33 Sky vs Valkyries

23:41 Fever vs Sparks | The Sparks have issues

29:00 Aces vs Sun 

31:47 Storm vs Tempo

36:54 Lynx vs Wings 

39:03 Cheryl Reeves is a master mind 

39:51 Conversations surrounding the Wings

42:33 Alanna Smith 

45:28 Lynx & Wings stats

51:20 Liberty vs Fire 

54:59 Mystics vs Fever

59:29 Sun vs Aces 

1:01:48 Sparks vs Tempo

1:04:13 Aces vs Dream 

1:08:11 Storm vs Fever 

1:12:21 Mystics vs Wings 

1:16:32 Sun vs Fire 

As the WNBA enters its 30th season, we reflect on where the league is now, where it’s headed, and the conversations already shaping the season. We discuss the Valkyries’ decision-making, ongoing issues with WNBA League Pass, the Ariel Atkins and Rickea Jackson trade, and break down the latest games as we settle back into basketball season.

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Follow me on social media:

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:17 Season 3 | New Episodes 

01:00 Housekeeping | New Segments, Poll Questions, & more

03:00 WNBA League Pass 

06:24 Discourse of the Week

06:38 Azzi not starting 

09:50 Kate Martin

13:33 Mystics vs Tempo | Fouls

21:00 Sun vs Liberty

25:39 Valkyries vs Storm 

28:56 Wings vs Fever 

39:14 Mercury vs Aces

41:55 Lynx vs Dream

48:53 Sky vs Fire 

56:37 Storm vs Sun 

59:12 Liberty vs Mystics 

1:02:45 Julie Vanloo

1:06:56 Aces vs Sparks | Ariel Atkins & Rickea Jackson trade thoughts 

1:12:35 Mercury vs Valkyries