No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

In the WNBA’s first-ever winner take all Game 7, the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream — clinching their first championship in just their second year in existence. How did they do it? Zena Keita, Annie Costabile, and very special guest — Valkyries star, Kiah Stokes — break down what happened on both sides of the ball, from Finals MVP Gabby Williams’ historic night to how the pressure of “Valkatraz” kept Angel Reese to just 8 points; plus, the impact of the vibes inside Ballhalla on a Halloween that won’t soon be forgotten - and former Golden State Warriors center, Festus Ezeli, stops by to comment on the game.

REFERENCES:

How did the Golden State Valkyries make history, fast-track their way to WNBA title in 2 years? by Annie Costabile and Brian Hamilton
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The championship will be decided in Game 7! With their season on the line, the Atlanta Dream came out firing in Game 6, taking down the Golden State Valkyries 80–69 to force a winner-take-all showdown in the WNBA Finals. Zena Keita, Annie and Sabreena break down how Atlanta kept its title hopes alive and what we can expect from a historic Game 7.

REFERENCES:
Atlanta Dream force first WNBA Finals Game 7 by decimating Golden State Valkyries by Annie Costabile
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The Golden State Valkyries are ONE win away from a championship! Zena and Annie are LIVE from Ballhalla after Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, breaking down how Golden State took control with a dominant defensive performance and moved within reach of the title.

They dive into Kia Stokes’ game-changing night, the Valkyries’ adjustments against Angel Reese, and Veronica Burton’s growing impact on both ends of the floor. Plus, what went wrong for Atlanta, and what do the Dream need to change to keep their championship hopes alive?

REFERENCES:

Valkyries on verge of clinching WNBA Finals title after beating Dream in Game 5 by Sabreena Merchant
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Zena and Annie break down the Golden State Valkyries’ huge Game 4 win over the Atlanta Dream to even the WNBA Finals at 2–2! After making key changes to their starting lineup, the Valkyries got back to their defensive identity, forcing 17 turnovers and finding a way to steal a win on the road.

With the series tied, the momentum is up for grabs! Zena and Annie look ahead to a pivotal Game 5 back at Ballhalla and share their predictions for what’s next in this Finals showdown.

REFERENCES:
Valkyries switch things up, grind out Game 4 win to even WNBA Finals with Dream by Sabreena Merchant
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The Indiana Fever are facing major changes at the top of their organization. Sabreena and Annie break down the departures of GM Amber Cox and team president Kelly Krauskopf, what the shake-up reveals about the relationship between Fever leadership and players, and the reporting behind the news.

The duo also discusses the harassment Fever players have faced, the challenges of building a roster around Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston’s future in Indiana, and what these front-office changes mean for the franchise heading into a pivotal offseason. Plus, with Kelsey Mitchell’s future still a major question, what moves do the Fever need to make to keep their championship window open?

REFERENCES:
The Indiana Fever want a championship. Is their reputation around the WNBA in the way? by Annie Costabile and Brian Hamilton
Fever president Kelly Krauskopf stepping down ahead of important offseason for franchise by Brian Hamilton
Amber Cox out as Indiana Fever general manager: Sources by Annie Costabile
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No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network

Email us: NoOffseason@theathletic.com

Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter!

YT: @No-Offseason
IG: @tanooffseason
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.