No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

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 table, how revenue sharing actually works in the W (hint: it’s different than you think), and what the league is willing to say about its profitability.

Then, Zena and Ben talk through some of the biggest questions facing the teams of the WNBA as the second half of the season gets underway. Can the Fever and the Aces make a real run for it? With some fresh faces in the mix, will the Liberty be back on top? Are there any lower ranked teams that can make it to the playoffs? 

Plus, what we’re watching this weekend.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

What to know about WNBA CBA negotiations: Revenue sharing, salary increases and scheduling by Ben Pickman

As Caitlin Clark’s injuries persist, what’s the Fever’s outlook for WNBA’s second half? by Ben Pickman

Two-time All-Star Emma Meesseman to sign with New York Liberty in WNBA return: Source by Ben Pickman

Ten questions (that don’t involve Caitlin Clark) about the WNBA’s second half by Sabreena Merchant

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 the All-Stars wore before the game on Saturday: Where do things stand with CBA negotiations? What did players and league representatives say about the meeting that kicked off All-Star Weekend? And where could things evolve with this new contract as the months wear on?

Plus, some WNBA games to look forward to as the second half of the season gets underway.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

WNBA players wisely use All-Star spotlight for CBA leverage: ‘Pay us what you owe us’ by Sabreena Merchant

WNBA All-Star Game winners, losers: ‘Pay Us’ shirts, Napheesa Collier record, Indy as host by Ben Pickman

Napheesa Collier named All-Star Game MVP as players send message about CBA demands by James Boyd

WNBA commissioner confident CBA will be signed by deadline despite player concerns by Ben Pickman

Liberty sweep: Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu dominate WNBA All-Star Friday by Sabreena Merchant, James Boyd, and Ben Pickman

Grading WNBA All-Star contests: Sabrina Ionescu’s 3-point performance sets high bar by Ben Pickman

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, especially those in Indy, and how personally devastating it must be for Clark herself. 

Then, the crew turns their attention to the festivities: detailing what to watch for at the 3-Point contest and the Skills challenge – including who might win both. Plus, they throw out a few ideas of their own, for ways the WNBA can get creative with this part of the weekend in years to come. Then, they discuss who’s poised to have a breakout performance during the All-Star Game on Saturday night. Ben rounds out the episode with an All-Star Skills Trivia Challenge.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

Caitlin Clark leaves Fever victory with groin injury ahead of All-Star Game by James Boyd

Caitlin Clark invited to WNBA 3-point contest with Allisha Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and others by Sabreena Merchant

Caitlin Clark’s absence from All-Star Game will cast a shadow by Ben Pickman

Fever’s Caitlin Clark to miss WNBA All-Star Game due to groin injury by Jenna West and James Boyd

What to know about the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, skills competition and 3-point contest by Sabreena Merchant

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 announcement and some truly strange league rules around players wearing hats on the sidelines.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

Caitlin Clark leaves Fever victory with groin injury ahead of All-Star Game by James Boyd

Why did the WNBA issue a fine warning for a player wearing a sideline hat? by Ben Pickman

Which WNBA franchises do players say are the worst- and best-run? by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman

WNBA future franchise rankings: The Fever are on top, but who is chasing Caitlin Clark and Co.? by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, a new game: Talkin’ Trash, led by Ben, in which Zena and Sabreena try to guess who said what.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

Who’s the WNBA’s biggest trash-talker? Top athlete? Players dished in our anonymous poll by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

WNBA power rankings: What’s got the Phoenix Mercury rolling? by Sabreena Merchant

Who’s the WNBA’s biggest trash-talker? Top athlete? Players dished in our anonymous poll by Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 media rights, and so much more.

Plus, the crew checks in on news from around the WNBA, including Angel Reese’s recent comments about officiating and the newly drafted line-ups for the All-Star teams.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

Angel Reese fed up with WNBA officiating: ‘I’m tired of this’ by Darnell Mayberry

Mercury announce signing of 6-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner: ‘A true winner’ by Ben Pickman

If Caitlin Clark’s worth a ‘billion’ to WNBA, why is she paid only a fraction of that? by Ben Pickman and Sabreena Merchant

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Angel Reese, Carmelo Anthony chosen for NBA 2K26 covers by Jason Jones

WNBA teams failed in Cleveland and Detroit before. Will it be different this time? by Ben Pickman

A’ja Wilson exits game with right wrist injury during first half of loss to Liberty by Ben Pickman

Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier draft WNBA All-Star rosters, trade coaches by Zach Powell and Sabreena Merchant

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, Seattle moving on up, and Dallas rookies shining next to Paige Bueckers.

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Cup versus what players earn for winning the WNBA Finals. Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at what happened with Golden State’s waiving of Julie Vanloo. (Note: this episode was recorded before Vanloo signed with the LA Sparks Thursday afternoon.)

Then, Zena and Sabreena are joined by trailblazing former WNBA player Layshia Clarendon for a wide-ranging conversation around CBA negotiations, league expansion, the Valkyries’ success as a franchise, LGBTQ Pride and representation in the WNBA, and more.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

References:

Red Panda fractured left wrist after fall during halftime act at WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game by Ben Pickman

Minnesota Lynx don’t need to panic after Cup loss. But it may be time for adjustments by Chantel Jennings

Indiana Fever’s resilience on display in Commissioner’s Cup championship by Ben Pickman

Fever beat Lynx without Caitlin Clark to win WNBA Commissioner’s Cup by Ben Pickman and Chantel Jennings

Caitlin Clark to WNBA commissioner on pay: ‘It makes no sense. … Help us out’ by Shannon Ryan

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 teams for WNBA All-Star Weekend, and Ben reveals the remaining eight starters live to Sabreena and Zena. To wrap, the crew attempts to name the newest WNBA expansion teams.

_________________

Visit our YouTube page!

_________________

WNBA power rankings: Could Angel Reese’s hot streak boost Chicago Sky? by Sabreena Merchant

WNBA announces record expansion to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia by Ben Pickman

Is more WNBA expansion on the horizon? Our experts explain the league’s growth by Ben Pickman and Chantel Jennings

Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier named WNBA All-Star captains by Sabreena Merchant

Rookie Paige Bueckers among starters in WNBA All-Star Game by Tobias Bass and Sabreena Merchant

WNBA expansion timeline as the league looks to have a record 18 teams by Torrey Hart and Shannon Ryan

_________________

Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or write to us at: [email protected]

You can also find us on social media:

-Instagram: @tanooffseason

-TikTok: @no_offseason

-Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita

-Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman

-Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm

Visit the Yahoo Women’s Sports Hub

__

No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: [email protected]

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason 

IG: @tanooffseason

TikTok: @no_offseason

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.