The Women’s Hoops Show

This week on The Women's Hoops Show, former WNBA player Bria Hartley joins to break down one of the biggest stories of the WNBA season as the Las Vegas Aces waive Chennedy Carter just months after she looked like an early Sixth Player of the Year candidate. Was it about production, role acceptance, locker-room fit, or something else?

We also dive into the controversy surrounding Caitlin Clark finishing 11th among guards in the WNBA All-Star player vote—even as she became the fastest player in league history to reach 600 career assists. We'll explain how the voting actually works, why the headline has been misunderstood, and whether the criticism of the process is justified.

Plus:

-The Liberty's shoe-toss controversy and officiating debate

-Toronto sets a WNBA regular-season attendance record

-The Aces' historic 48-point win—and their 34-point loss to Indiana two days later

-Which teams most need the upcoming All-Star break

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The New York Liberty are Commissioner's Cup champions, but what did the win really reveal about the championship race? We break down Sabrina Ionescu's breakout performance, the Las Vegas Aces' fight without A'ja Wilson, and what both teams learned heading into the second half of the season.

We also discuss the latest injury updates, including Napheesa "Phee" Collier's encouraging return to practice and what her comeback could mean for the Minnesota Lynx, along with Atlanta's growing need to get Bri Jones back on the floor.

Then we spotlight several under-the-radar players making a major impact this season, including Pauline Astier, Rebekah Gardner, Natasha Howard, Awak Kuier, NaLyssa Smith, and Kaila Charles.

Finally, we dive into one of the biggest stories in the WNBA: Skylar Diggins' public reaction after being moved to the bench and the latest questions surrounding the Chicago Sky organization. We wrap up with Unrivaled's newest signings and a look ahead at this week's marquee matchups.

Women’s basketball legend Taj McWilliams-Franklin joins The Women's Hoops Show LIVE from the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame! From dominating the ABL and WNBA to her current role as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Upshot League, Taj has been at the center of the game for nearly three decades.

In this exclusive interview, the multi-time WNBA Champion reflects on her legendary career, winning championships with the Detroit Shock and Minnesota Lynx, and she shares untold stories and leadership lessons from basketball icons like Dawn Staley, Cheryl Reeve, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson.

Whether you're a day-one WNBA fan or new to women's basketball, Taj offers a masterclass on what it takes to win and where the game is heading next.

What We Cover in This Episode:

🏀 The Hall of Fame Journey: Reflecting on a 3-decade career from the ABL to the WNBA.

🏆 Championship DNA: Why team chemistry matters more than raw talent.

👑 Legends of the Game: Lessons learned from Dawn Staley, Cheryl Reeve, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson.

🔮 The Future of Women's Hoops: How the Upshot League is creating new professional opportunities for athletes.

🌟 Today's WNBA Stars: Taj’s honest thoughts on A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Olivia Miles, and the current state of the league.

This weekend ESPN commemorated the 30th anniversary of the inaugural WNBA game, running it back with the Sparks vs. the Liberty. Nneka Ogwumike’s winning 3-pointer wasn’t just a buzzer beater–it was bigger than the moment, and we break down how it symbolizes the evolution of WNBA history.

Next, we reminisce on our highlights in one of the best-matched Commissioner’s Cups yet: Caitlin Clark's dagger over the Mystics, Sonia Citron's incredible game-winner, and Olivia Miles' huge effort against the Aces are top of mind. With the Liberty’s wobbles figuring out their lineup, do the Aces have an edge in the final?

Plus, Autumn Johnson and Jordan Robinson fangirl out in some recent WNBA highlights.

In this episode:

🏀 Nneka Ogwumike’s storybook ending against the Liberty

🏀 Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, and other legends say “there wouldn’t be a season 30 without a Day 1”

🏀 Sonia Citron’s Commissioner’s Cup Buzzerbeater

🏀 Angel Reese's record-breaking rally to 1000 rebounds

🏀 Marina Mabrey's star turn as the face of a franchise

🏀 Seattle Storm v. Dallas Wings showcasing the league’s young talent

What if every WNBA team could add an all-time legend to their current roster?

This week on The Women's Hoops Show, host Jordan Robinson and 4x WNBA Champion Sheryl Swoopes celebrate 30 years of WNBA history with the ultimate thought experiment!

We check in on every single franchise ahead of the season midpoint to answer one burning question: Which franchise icon would give their team the biggest boost right now?

We revisit the legacies of icons like Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, Tamika Catchings, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Candace Parker, and more.

From teams needing immediate scoring or lockdown defense, to contenders looking for that one missing piece to secure a championship, we're drafting the ultimate throwback upgrades.

Plus, we break down a chaotic week of Commissioner’s Cup action!

🏆 The Liberty clinch a spot in the Championship Game

🏆 The Fever are eliminated despite winning three straight

🏆 The Aces go from controlling their destiny to needing help

🏆 The Lynx reclaim control of the Western Conference race

🏆 Are the Wings officially contenders?

The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup is heating up! Jordan Robinson and Kendra Andrews break down the early Cup standings and WNBA Awards races on this week’s episode of The Women's Hoops Show.

First, we sort the WNBA standings into four Commissioner's Cup categories: Cup Runneth Over, Cup Half Full, Cup Half Empty, and Cup’s Down to the Last Drop.

In this episode, we cover:

🏆 Minnesota Lynx Dominance: Why the Lynx remain the WNBA’s gold standard despite major roster changes and injuries.

🔥 Dallas Wings Rising: How Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and the Wings have emerged as legitimate WNBA Championship contenders faster than expected.

⚠️ Portland Fire Identity: Can the expansion Fire rediscover the magic that made them one of the biggest surprises of the season?

🚨 Chicago Sky Turmoil: Breaking down the Sky’s season from early optimism to mounting frustration following injuries, losses, and Skylar Diggins’ candid comments about the team's mentality.

Plus, we look at the latest WNBA Awards Races:

👑 WNBA MVP & GOAT Case: Why A'ja Wilson continues to separate herself from the rest of the league after becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 career points.

⭐ Rookie of the Year (ROTY): Is Olivia Miles running away with the award?

⭐ Hardware Predictions: Who are the early favorites for WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), Most Improved Player (MIP), and Sixth Player of the Year?

The Indiana Fever are facing tough questions after another uneven week, and while much of the conversation has centered around Caitlin Clark and her viral sideline interaction with Stephanie White, the bigger concern may be Indiana's defense.

This week, we break down how opponents are attacking Clark, why the Fever continue to struggle defensively, and what must change if Indiana hopes to become a true championship contender.

Plus, we're giving flowers to some of the WNBA's most overlooked stars. Jessica Shepard is putting together a historic season in Dallas, while Natasha Howard continues to be the backbone of Minnesota's rise near the top of the standings. These players are making a major impact…even if they're not dominating headlines.

We also take a trip around the globe to spotlight the international talent reshaping the WNBA. From Julie Allemand and Carla Leite to Janelle Salaün, Pauline Astier, Justė Jocytė, Jovana Nogic, Kamilla Cardoso, and more, the league's global influence has never been stronger.

And with Commissioner's Cup play heating up, we share our early reactions, contenders, and lessons learned from the first month of the WNBA season.

In This Episode:

🏀 Caitlin Clark's defensive challenges

🏀 Indiana Fever's biggest concerns

🏀 Stephanie White's coaching adjustments

🏀 Jessica Shepard's historic start

🏀 Natasha Howard's impact on Minnesota

🏀 International stars transforming the WNBA

🏀 Commissioner's Cup contenders

🏀 Biggest WNBA storylines this week

🏀 The WNBA season is already full of SURPRISES.

On this episode of The Women’s Hoops Show, Jordan Robinson and WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes break down:

🔥 The New York Liberty’s shocking 3-4 start

🔥 Azzi Fudd’s breakout game for the Dallas Wings

🔥 Why the Atlanta Dream suddenly look like contenders

🔥 Olivia Miles making rookie history

🔥 What’s going WRONG in Phoenix

🔥 Expansion teams exceeding expectations

Plus, we preview the Commissioner’s Cup and the biggest must-watch games coming up.

And, Hoop Roots.

The WNBA season is already delivering chaos, controversy, and breakout performances across the league. We break down the BIGGEST early questions surrounding Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, the Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky, Golden State Valkyries, and more.

We discuss whether Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream are ready to make the leap into true contender status after their heartbreaking loss to the Las Vegas Aces, and whether Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and the Dallas Wings can fix their chemistry after Jose Fernandez publicly called out the team’s “selfishness.”

Plus:

🏀 Caitlin Clark continues rewriting WNBA history

🔥 Chicago Sky’s surprising 3-1 start

❤️‍🩹 Concern over Rickea Jackson’s injury

🗣️ League-wide frustration with officiating & physicality

💪 Veronica Burton emerging as the emotional leader of the Golden State Valkyries

📉 Can Kelsey Plum and the Sparks stop their losing streak?

🐐 Lisa Leslie finally getting a statue outside Crypto.com Arena

The WNBA Opening Weekend delivered statement wins and major storylines across the league.

Jordan Robinson and Autumn Johnson break down the biggest takeaways from the start of the season, including surprise teams, rookie debuts, MVP frontrunners, and early-season overreactions that are already shaping the 2026 WNBA narrative.

We dive into:

⚡The Dallas Wings looking ahead of schedule as a legit rising threat

☄️The Phoenix Mercury dominating the defending champion Aces on ring night

⚔️ Why the Golden State Valkyries suddenly look like a real contender

🗽Whether the New York Liberty are still the team to beat despite missing key players

Plus, early-season breakout conversations heat up:

🏀 Olivia Miles makes an immediate case in the Rookie of the Year race

🏀 Angel Reese helps fuel a key Atlanta comeback win

🏀 Cameron Brink’s evolving role with the Sparks raises early questions

🏀 The WNBA’s new officiating emphasis already creating frustration around the league

Finally, Jordan and Autumn preview the biggest upcoming matchups of the week and what fans should be watching next.