With two-thirds of the EuroLeague season in the books, four teams have separated themselves from the pack, each led by multiple WNBA powerhouse players. Minnesota’s Kayla McBride and Connecticut’s Brionna Jones have brought extra fire to their European squads this season and are both high on the list of EuroLeague MVP candidates.

Before we take a closer look at each of the four frontrunner teams and their potential paths to the championship, let’s review how things work in the land of overseas basketball.

EuroLeague 101

There are 16 EuroLeague teams from countries across the continent that are divided into Group A and Group B. During the regular season, all eight Group A teams play each other twice (home and away) and all eight Group B teams do the same. There are no regular-season crossover games between the two groups.

The top four teams from each group qualify for the playoffs, where the first-place team from Group A plays the fourth-place team from Group in a best-of-three quarterfinal series, and so on. The four victors from the quarterfinals then enter a single-elimination Final Four structure for the championship. Because Groups A and B are merged into a single bracket for the first round, the following rounds can pit teams from the same group against each other (important to note since three of the top four teams currently are all from Group A).

Other essential facts for your EuroLeague 101 lesson fall under the category “Regulations or Lack Thereof.” EuroLeague teams are not organized under a unifying governing body, meaning that each of the 16 squads are club teams or national teams sponsored and governed by entities in their respective countries. So while there is a 20-page booklet of regulations teams must follow to be eligible for EuroLeague competition, the most glaring omission is anything resembling a salary cap or other budget parity measures. Thus, the financial disparity between teams, and the players they can afford to include on their rosters, is substantial.

One stipulation the booklet does include is the rule that each team can have only two players who are not European citizens, plus one player who gained EU citizenship after age 16. Here’s some trivia to test your WNBA player knowledge: Identify up to two non-EU card carrying reps on each EuroLeague team. Pro-tip: Don’t start with UMMC Ekaterinburg. (EuroLeague rosters list players’ nationalities.)

UMMC Ekaterinburg (Russia)

Group A
Record: 11-0
Notable WNBA players: Jonquel Jones (CON), Brittney Griner (PHX), Courtney Vandersloot (CHI), Allie Quigley (CHI), Emma Meesseman (WAS)

Yes, UMMC is beyond stacked with WNBA superstars and has been for many years, having won four of the last five EuroLeague Championships. They’ve got the money to afford the talent, and they use it. Breanna Stewart was also supposed to suit up for UMMC again this year, but surgery on her left Achilles after the WNBA season ended has kept her stateside so far. Stewart was the EuroLeague Final Four MVP last season; in her absence, the team has been spreading the wealth, with seven players averaging double-figure scoring, including Jonquel Jones, Allie Quigley, Emma Meesseman and Brittney Griner.

Jones, the reigning WNBA MVP, is leading the charge for UMMC’s imported talent, averaging 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game with an average efficiency of 21.8.* In last week’s 90-77 victory over second-ranked Praha (Czech Republic) Jones filled the stat sheet with 20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, four steals and four blocks.

📊: 20 PTS | 11 REB | 5 AST | 4 STL | 4 BLK@jus242 put up some BIG numbers in Prague! 😤@BasketballUMMC | #EuroLeagueWomen pic.twitter.com/fdZA23snDo

— EuroLeague Women (@EuroLeagueWomen) January 12, 2022

While Jones is clearly in a league of her own, we’ve got to give props to 23-year-old Russian Maria Vadeeva, who is nearly level with Jones on key stats. If you take out her less than three-minute appearance against Praha, Vadeeva is averaging 14.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in 24 minutes per game with an overall efficiency of 20. After playing both 2018 and 2019 with the Los Angeles Sparks, she could ride this strong 2021 EuroLeague campaign into a new opportunity in the WNBA.

Griner, who arrived late, has played only four games in what had been limited minutes until the game against Praha, when she dropped 25 points on 12-for-15 shooting. Vandersloot made her own season debut in the game, notching 10 points and six assists. It’s not unusual for WNBA players to negotiate a delayed arrival with their overseas teams as they attempt to balance their physical and mental health, personal lives and financial gains within the world of year-round professional basketball.

UMMC, undefeated and 2-0 against the second-ranked team in their group, has previously had close games with Praha (who was without Alyssa Thomas last week) and 2021 finals opponent Avenida (Spain). But a simple scan of the names and numbers on their box scores makes it seem foolish to bet against them come playoff time.

ZVVZ USK Praha (Czech Republic)

Group A
Record: 8-3
Notable WNBA players: Alyssa Thomas (CON), Brionna Jones (CON)

Currently the second-ranked team in Group A, Praha has the edge over third p-lace Avenida after stomping them 80-55 in Week 5 of EuroLeague action. In Week 4, Praha gave UMMC a run for their money, losing by one bucket to the reigning powerhouse.

Brionna Jones hasn’t missed a beat since her outstanding 2021 WNBA campaign that included Most Improved Player honors. The forward is the second-leading scorer in the league so far with 19.8 points per game on 58.1 percent shooting and is first overall in efficiency at 23.4. Add her 7.6 rebounds and two steals per game, and it’s clear why she’s high on the list of league MVP candidates. Her Connecticut Sun teammate. Alyssa Thomas, is leading the team in rebounding, grabbing 8.5 per game while averaging 13 points a game with an average efficiency of 20.3.

Praha’s last big test of the regular season comes against Avenida on Wednesday, in a matchup that will determine who earns the top seed in Group A.

Perfumerias Avenida (Spain)

Group A
Record: 7-2
Notable WNBA players: Kahleah Copper (CHI), Bella Alarie (DAL), Katie Lou Samuelson (SEA)

Avenida’s status report is short and sweet: Kahleah Copper. The 2021 WNBA Finals MVP has crossed the ocean and been as dominant as ever. After missing Avenida’s first five games with a delayed arrival in Spain, Copper has gone on a tear, notching two 30-plus point games and recording an average efficiency of 24.5. With four contests now under her belt, she’s averaging 25.8 points, five rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. While no one expects her to maintain her 61.7 shooting percentage (50 percent from 3) through the rest of the season, she’s clearly done her part to keep her stock soaring. Copper’s value hasn’t been lost on the Chicago Sky, who put the core designation on her last week with an offer of a one-year, $228,094 supermax deal.

New Year same KC 🔥@kahleahcopper with 20 PTS at HT for @cbavenida 💙#EuroLeagueWomen pic.twitter.com/5HREeHDBah

— EuroLeague Women (@EuroLeagueWomen) January 15, 2022

Katie Lou Samuelson is second for Avenida in both scoring (13.6 points per game) and efficiency (12.6). Her season-high 18 points came during the most entertaining EuroLeague matchup of the season (or maybe ever), when Avenida went toe-to-toe with UMMC in early December, eventually losing 110-102. The 2021 finalists will meet again in the last game of the regular season on Feb. 1. In the meantime, when Avenida takes the floor against Praha on Wednesday, they will be out to prove that the 35-point loss from Week 5 (prior to Copper’s arrival) was a fluke.

Fenerbahce Safisport (Turkey)

Group B
Record: 7-3
Notable WNBA players: Kayla McBride (MIN), Elizabeth Williams (ATL), Amanda Zahui B. (LA), Satou Sabally (DAL), Kiah Stokes (LVA)

The lone team from Group B to crack the top four, Fenerbahce has been riding high on the efforts of Kayla McBride and Elizabeth Williams. Both arrived in time for the start of the season, and with ten games now clocked, they are each in the top five in the league for efficiency and in the top three for minutes per game.

McBride, who left Las Vegas to sign with the Lynx a season ago, is leading all scorers with 20 points per game on an impressive 55.6 percent shooting accuracy from the field and a league-leading 46.8 percent from beyond the arc. Add in her five rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and the league MVP award appears well within her reach this year. But let’s not overlook Ukrainian point guard and reigning EuroLeague MVP Alina Iagupova, who is averaging 17.8 points and six assists per game. And with Satou Sabally now five games into her Fenerbahce season, with 16-plus points in all but one of those outings, the Turkish squad appears to be hitting its stride at the perfect time.

While several games have been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols, there is a built-in break between the regular season and the playoffs that could provide a buffer against full cancellations. Fortunately, none of the highly anticipated matchups between the top teams have been affected so far. As WNBA free agency gets underway stateside, teams will be watching to see which stars add EuroLeague hardware to their collection.

All games can be viewed online at EuroLeague Women’s YouTube channel free of charge. See the game schedule for full listings.

*Efficiency is a total performance statistic that attempts to measure a player’s performance by adding positive actions (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks) and subtracting negative actions (missed field goals, missed free throws, and turnovers).

Tessa Nichols is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports.

Longtime USWNT fixture Carli Lloyd took to Instagram Wednesday morning to announce that she’s pregnant with her first child. 

"Baby Hollins coming in October 2024!" she wrote. The caption framed a collaged image of baby clothes, an ultrasound photo, and syringes indicating what she described as a "rollercoaster" fertility journey.

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In a Women’s Health story published in tandem with Lloyd’s post, the Fox Sports analyst and correspondent opened up about her struggles with infertility and the lengthy IVF treatments she kept hidden from the public eye.

"Soccer taught me how to work hard, persevere, be resilient, and never give up. I would do whatever it took to prepare, and usually when I prepared, I got results," Lloyd told Women’s Health’s Amanda Lucci. "But I found out that I didn’t know much about this world. I was very naive to think that we wouldn’t have any issues getting pregnant. And so it began."

Lloyd went on to discuss her road to pregnancy in great detail, sharing the highs and lows of the process and expressing gratitude for the care and support her family and medical team provided along the way. She rounded out the piece with a nod toward others navigating the same challenges, encouraging people to share their own pregnancy journeys, painful as they may be.

"My story is currently a happy one, but I know there are other women who are facing challenges in their pregnancy journey. I see you and I understand your pain," she said. "My hope is that more and more women will speak up about this topic, because their stories helped me. I also wish for more resources, funding, and education around fertility treatments. There is much to be done, and I hope I can play a role in helping."

The 41-year-old New Jersey native retired from professional soccer in 2021, closing out her decorated career with 316 international appearances, the second-most in USWNT history, in addition to 134 international goals. A legend on the field, Lloyd walked away from the game with two World Cups, two Olympic gold medals, and two FIFA Player of the Year awards.

On Tuesday, FIFPRO announced the launch of Project ACL, a three-year research initiative designed to address a steep uptick in ACL injuries across women's professional football.

Project ACL is a joint venture between FIFPRO, England’s Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Nike, and Leeds Beckett University. While the central case study will focus on England’s top-flight Women's Super League, the findings will be distributed around the world.

ACL tears are between two- and six-times more likely to occur in women footballers than men, according to The Guardian. And with both domestic and international programming on the rise for the women’s game, we’ve seen some of the sport's biggest names moved to the season-ending injury list with ACL-related knocks.

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Soccer superstars like Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead, Catarina Macario, Marta, and England captain Leah Williamson have all struggled with their ACLs in recent years, though all have since returned to the field. In January, Chelsea and Australia forward Sam Kerr was herself sidelined with the injury, kicking off a year of similar cases across women’s professional leagues. And just yesterday, the Spirit announced defender Anna Heilferty would miss the rest of the NWSL season with a torn ACL. The news comes less than two weeks after Bay FC captain Alex Loera went down with the same injury. 

Project ACL will closely study players in the WSL, monitoring travel, training, and recovery practices to look for trends that could be used to prevent the injury in the future. Availability of sports science and medical resources within individual clubs will be taken into account throughout the process.

ACL injuries in women's football have long outpaced the same injury in the men's game, but resources for specialized prevention and treatment still lag behind. Investment in achieving a deeper, more specialized understanding of the problem should hopefully alleviate the issue both on and off the field.

With recent transfers Talia von Oelhoffen and Kiki Iriafen joining first-team All-American JuJu Watkins and the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class at USC next season, the Trojans look to transition from an up-and-coming squad to a legitimate title contender. 

Former Oregon State graduate student von Oelhoffen is the latest collegiate talent to commit to the program, announcing her transfer Monday via ESPN. She follows ex-Stanford leading-scorer Iriafen in the jump to the pair’s one-time Pac-12 rival.

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The 5-foot-11 Washington native was a two-time All-Pac-12 guard during her time at Oregon State. But after the recent dissolution of the Pac-12, the Corvallis side found themselves without a permanent home conference going forward. Many big name players opted to take their skill elsewhere as a result, with von Oelhoffen’s fellow ex-Beaver Raegan Beers announcing her own departure to Oklahoma on Monday.

According to DraftKings, USC is now tied with UConn for the second-best betting odds to win the 2025 NCAA women’s tournament. Dawn Staley’s tested South Carolina side, poised for a repeat performance, holds down the number one spot.

Last year, LSU loaded up in the transfer portal after beating Iowa to win the 2023 national championship. The Tigers were clear favorites coming into the 2023-24 season, but were bounced in the Elite Eight by Caitlin Clark’s Hawkeyes. Shortly thereafter, star transfer Hailey Van Lith opted to transfer a second time, this time signing with TCU. 

Yet while history proves that an excess of star power doesn’t always translate to on-court chemistry, on paper, USC sure looks ready to hold their own — in 2025 and beyond.

The United States and Mexico have withdrawn their joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, per a Monday afternoon release from U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation.

According to the statement, they will instead focus on developing a "more equitable" bid for the 2031 tournament, with the ultimate goal of "eliminating investment disparities" between the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The federations went on to cite the upcoming 2026 Men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico as an opportunity to build support for local infrastructure, improve audience engagement, and scale up media and partnership deals in preparation to "host a record-breaking tournament in 2031."

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"Hosting a World Cup tournament is a huge undertaking — and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe," said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. "Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record-breaking Women’s World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women’s game both here at home as well as across the globe."

The decision leaves just Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands in the running for the 2027 host spot. Brazil — the rumored frontrunner — has never hosted a Women’s World Cup, while Germany hosted the 2011 tournament as a solo venture. 

Furthermore, this postponement doesn’t mean the U.S. is a shoo-in for 2031, as it's been previously reported that 2022 UEFA Women's EURO host England is considering their own Women's World Cup bid. FIFA is scheduled to confirm the winning bid after the FIFA Congress votes on May 17th.