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JWS’ NCAA basketball preseason Top 25: South Carolina, Stanford on top

(Elsa/Getty Images)

College basketball season is officially upon us, and the first Associated Press poll has already been released. While the AP Poll serves as an official source for rankings, there is still room to debate those numbers.

Here’s where we think voters got it right, and where they got it wrong, in the Just Women’s Sports women’s college basketball preseason poll.

1. South Carolina (AP ranking: 1)

The Gamecocks had all the tools to win a title last season, with their run ending in a one-point loss to Stanford in the Final Four. The team returns Aliyah Boston, Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson — who combined to average 41.8 points per game — and adds three of the top four freshmen in the country (Raven Johnson, Saniya Rivers and Sania Feagin), another five-star recruit in Bree Hall, and 6-foot-7 Syracuse transfer Kamilla Cardoso. The rich certainly got richer. With Boston and Cardoso in the paint, experienced guards and stellar young talent, it’s hard to imagine anyone being better than this squad.

2. Stanford (AP ranking: 3)

The Cardinal, coming off of a national championship, return four of five starters in Haley Jones, Lexie Hull, Cameron Brink and Anna Wilson, plus sixth woman Ashten Prechtel. Losing Kiana Williams is tough, but this Stanford team has experience on its side — four of those players are juniors or older — and should be able to overcome that blow. They also added freshman Brook Demetre, a versatile stretch four and No. 11 recruit, and two four-stars with potential in Kiki Iriafen and Jzaniya Harriel. Those two may not play right away, but they certainly give the Cardinal options and should make for competitive practices.

3. UConn (AP ranking: 2)

What a top three. Stanford gets the edge because of experience and the NCAA title, but UConn is right there. You already know Paige Bueckers, National Player of the Year, and you probably know the No. 1 ranked freshman, Azzi Fudd. Forget Robin: This dynamic duo is Batman and another Batman. Plus, UConn returns its entire roster and adds transfer Dorka Juhász. This is a squad with dynamic scorers — Bueckers, Fudd and Christyn Williams — and talented bigs — Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aaliyah Edwards, making for a well-rounded team.

4. Maryland (AP ranking: 4)

The Terrapins have two very different, but very talented, scorers in Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller, who both average over 17 points per game. Add in third-leading scorer Chloe Bibby, who’s returning for a fifth year after averaging 13.2 points per game, and you get a team that can really score the ball. Maryland retains 80 percent of its scoring from last season. The Terrapins will miss Katie Benzan’s 12.7 points per game and 3.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, but it’s nothing they can’t handle, especially since now-juniors Owusu and Miller are even more experienced.

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Iowa's Caitlin Clark was the nation's leading scorer last season as a freshman. (G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)

5. Iowa (AP ranking: 9)

The Hawkeyes can score the ball. Last season, they were second in the country with 86 points per game (not far behind Maryland’s whopping 90.8 average). Leading the charge for Iowa is sophomore star Caitlin Clark, who led her team and the country in scoring with 26.7 points per game. Meanwhile, Minika Czinano is the picture of efficiency, leading the nation in shooting percentage at 66.8 percent while averaging 19.5 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. Then there’s Makenna Warnock, who was nearing a double-double average with 11.8 points and eight rebounds a game, and two other players (Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin) who can contribute when needed. Iowa finished last season ranked 19th and AP has them at No. 9 to start this year, but this squad could be Final Four-bound if all the pieces realize their potential.

6. Louisville (AP ranking: 6)

Louisville ended last season ranked sixth in the final AP poll after an impressive 60-42 win over Oregon in the Sweet 16 and then a loss 78-63 to eventual national champion Stanford in the Elite Eight. The Cardinals graduated top scorer Dana Evans (20.1 points per game), but senior Kianna Smith was steady all season, and sophomores Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Cochran are poised for big years in 2021. Then there’s grad transfer Chelsie Hall, who brings 15.4 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game with her from Vanderbilt, and Peyton Verhulst, a five-star freshman guard. Louisville has plenty of scorers to take over for Evans.

7. Indiana (AP ranking: 8)

Experience, experience, experience. That’s what makes this Indiana team so good. Last season, the Hoosiers made their way to the Elite Eight before losing to Arizona. This year, they return all five starters, and those players know what it’s like to grind through a college basketball season year after year — Indiana starts a junior, two seniors, a fifth-year player and a seventh-year player. You read that right, Ali Patberg started her college career at Notre Dame, where she didn’t play as a freshman due to injury, then transferred after her sophomore season, sat out a year, and now because of COVID-19, is granted another senior season. This squad is also efficient with the basketball. Leading scorer Mackenzie Holmes averaged 17.8 points on 60.7 percent shooting, and the Hoosiers had the fifth-fewest turnovers in the nation, committing just 11.1 a game.

8. Michigan (AP ranking: 11)

Michigan ended last year in a close Sweet 16 loss, 78-75, to a Baylor team that had two current WNBA players — DiDi Richards and DiJonai Carrington — and a future one in NaLyssa Smith. The Wolverines return efficient forward Naz Hillmon along with her 62.3 percent shooting (second in the country), 23.9 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. Hillmon is the centerpiece for Michigan, while second-leading scorer Leigha Brown (18.2 points per game) provides another experienced scoring option. Returners Amy Dilk and Maddie Nolan are ready to contribute more this season, and the Wolverines also added two four-star freshmen to their roster. The Big Ten has some great teams this year, and Michigan is certainly among them.

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Jakia Brown-Turner was the second-leading scorer on the 2021 ACC tournament champion Wolfpack. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

9. NC State (AP ranking: 5)

A healthy Wolfpack team jumps up this list at least a few spots, but it is starting the season without Jada Boyd. The junior, who averaged 11.5 points and 5.9 boards a game last season, will likely be sidelined for a couple of months after tearing a tendon in her shooting hand during the preseason, as reported by the Charlotte News & Observer. But the Wolfpack still have Jakia Brown-Turner, who is the team’s second-best 3-point shooter (42.3 percent) and second-leading points getter. And don’t worry, I’m not forgetting Elissa Cunane. The ESPN First Team All-American and AP Second Teamer contributes 16.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, but her 6-5 frame impacts more than the stat sheet on both ends of the floor. She should be able to keep the Wolfpack in good position while they await Boyd’s return.

10. Oregon (AP ranking: 10)

It was a rough offseason for the Ducks, as they looked to replace four players who transferred out and two who graduated. But they retained 6-5 Nyara Sabally (12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds per game) and 6-7 Sedona Price (10.4 points per game), who not only bring a serious height advantage for the Ducks, but also experience, as they were part of an Oregon team that went to the Final Four in 2019. Ducks guard Te-Hina Paopao was solid during her freshman campaign, averaging 10.2 points, 4.4 assists and an impressive 2.4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Expect even more from the Pac-12 All-Freshman player this season as she builds on that success. Add in Ahlise Hurst, a transfer from New Mexico, and you’ve got a Ducks team worthy of a top-10 ranking.

11. Iowa State (AP ranking: 12)

The Cyclones will be eager for success this season after a disappointing second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. All that stood in the way of a Sweet 16 matchup with eventual runner-up Arizona was a buzzer-beater from Texas A&M. Iowa State wants more this season and has the tools to get there, starting with senior Ashley Joens. Her 24.2 points and 9.5 rebounds a game led the Cyclones last season, and she will be the star of the show once more. She’s joined by two other returning starters in Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan. Together, they combined for 59 percent of Iowa State’s scoring last year.

12. Baylor (AP ranking: 7)

AP has the Bears much higher on this list, and I get why. There’s a lot of talent on this Baylor team, starting with senior NaLyssa Smith, who could be Player of the Year by the time the season wraps up. They also return senior Queen Egbo, who averaged 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and add Alabama transfer Jordan Lewis. But too much happened to this Baylor team in the offseason for me to feel confident putting it in the top 10. The Bears graduated Richards and Carrington, both of whom are now in the WNBA, and of course, long-time coach Kim Mulkey departed for LSU. She was at the helm for 21 years, accounting for every Baylor NCAA Tournament appearance, Big 12 Tournament Championship and Big 12 regular season title. That is a huge loss, no matter how much talent a team has.

13. Ohio State (AP ranking: 17)

There’s a lot to like about this Ohio State team. AP voters likely saw the Buckeyes’ 13-7 record from last season and the departures of Dorka Juhász (transferred to UConn) and Aaliyah Patty (graduated), but I see a team that topped Iowa twice and beat Maryland, Michigan and Indiana once. In those games, the Buckeyes got huge contributions from leading scorer Jacy Sheldon, Madison Greene and Braxtin Miller, who are all returning. They also add experience in Taylor Mikesell, who played previously at Maryland and last year at Oregon. She led the Ducks in 3-point makes (39) and averaged 9.3 points per game. The Big Ten is stacked this year, but Ohio State has the goods to make some noise.

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Rhyne Howard is considered a top prospect in the 2022 WNBA Draft. (John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

14. Kentucky (AP ranking: 13)

Senior Rhyne Howard (20.7 points per game) is one of the best players in the country and arguably one of the best pure scorers in college basketball. With her as a centerpiece, Kentucky is already off to a great start. It was an up-and-down season for the Wildcats with first-year head coach Kyra Elzy in 2020-21, but the Wildcats should gel better this time around. In addition to Howard, Kentucky returns Dre’una Edwards (9.7 points per game), Robyn Benton (6.6) and Blair Green (6.0), who are all ready to contribute more this season. Transfer point guard Jazmine Massengill (3.3 assists per game) will also get to play in her first full season, and overall, the Wildcats should be more comfortable with each other and Elzy’s system.

15. Georgia Tech (AP ranking: 18)

Georgia Tech returns its top seven scorers and plenty of experience. Leading the way is Lorela Cubaj, last year’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the ACC, and her 12.5 poitns and 11.5 rebounds per game. Fifth-year senior Kierra Fletcher recorded 13 points and nearly four assists a game, and fellow guard Lotta Maj Lahtinen led the Yellow Jackets with 15 points per game. The two of them make up a talented backcourt, and with Cubaj at forward, Georgia Tech has a great core. The team also has solid role players, including three who scored between six and eight points a game last year. With all those pieces returning to a team that fell to South Carolina, 76-65, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Yellow Jackets are better than their No. 18 AP ranking.

16. Oregon State (AP ranking: 14)

Oregon State had 11 games postponed or canceled because of the pandemic last season. But the Beavers went on a five-game winning streak to end the season that extended to a Pac-12 semifinals loss to Stanford. During that stretch, they beat UCLA and topped Oregon twice. It’s likely what earned them an NCAA Tournament bid and allowed people to finally see what the team actually had. Two key pieces aren’t on the team this year: Aleah Goodman (16.2 points per game) graduated, and Sasha Goforth (11.4) transferred. To combat those losses, the Beavers added two experienced grad transfers in Tea Adams and Emily Codding. Returning double-digit scorers Taylor Jones and Talia von Oelhoffen, and adding All-American freshman Greta Kampschroeder, certainly helps soften the blow.

17. Tennessee (AP ranking: 15)

Tennessee graduated leading scorer and rebounder Rennia Davis, and while that’s a big hit, the rest of the Vols’ key pieces are back. Preseason Cheryl Miller Award candidate Rae Burrell (16.8 points per game) will lead the team this year, and 6-5 junior center Tamari Key (8.9 points, 2.9 blocks per game) will be an impact player. They also return guards Jordan Horston and Jordan Walker, and forward Keyen Green. Those three played over 20 minutes a game last season. The SEC won’t be an easy conference, but Tennessee has an experienced squad this year that should be able to compete. The Vols are even predicted to finish second in the conference, per the SEC Media Poll, ahead of Kentucky.

18. West Virginia (AP ranking: 19)

After successful sophomore campaigns, the Mountaineers are counting on KK Deans and Esmery Martinez to take over for Kysre Gondrezick, who led the Mountaineers in scoring last season and is now in the WNBA. The two should be more than ready. Deans posted 13.7 points per game and shot 41 percent from the 3-point line, while Martinez averaged 13.6 points per game and a team-leading 8.2 rebounds per game. Seniors Kari Niblack and Madisen Smith are two other scoring options who also bring experience.

19. Florida State (AP ranking: 16)

Last season, Florida State finished 10-9 after seven of its first 16 games were canceled because of COVID. The Seminoles struggled to get into a rhythm because of it. But they showed promise throughout the season, with a high point being a 68-59 win over then-No. 3 Louisville in February. They return all five starters, including three double-digit scorers — Bianca Jackson, Morgan Jones and Kourtney Weber — and will get help from Auburn transfer Erin Howard, who redshirted last season because of an injury. Freshman guard O’Mariah Gordon, the No. 31-ranked prospect, could also see court time.

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Adia Barnes led an underdog Arizona team to the national championship game last season. (Elsa/Getty Images)

20. Arizona (AP ranking: 22)

AP voters clearly have a lot of faith in coach Adia Barnes, putting her Arizona squad in the top 25 after graduating Aari McDonald, who almost single-handedly led the Wildcats to the NCAA title game. I do, too. McDonald accounted for 24.7 of Arizona’s 64.3 points per game in the tournament, and it’s obviously not easy to replace the best player in program history, but this Wildcats’ roster isn’t barren. There’s talent there, and Barnes will find a way to use it. Senior forward Cate Reese averaged 10.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and fellow senior Shania Pellington showed what she was capable of in the title game, scoring 15 points. Then there’s 6-5 sophomore and the former No.13-ranked player in her class, Lauren Ware, who is poised to break out. Add in two four-star freshmen, and Barnes has plenty to work with.

21. UCLA (AP ranking: 20)

The Bruins are coming off of a 17-6 season with wins over Stanford, Arizona and Oregon, but that was with WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere. She led the team in points and rebounds per game, but UCLA does retain second-leading scorer Charisma Osborne (17 points per game). Osborne, who was also the Bruins’ leader in 3-point makes, assists and steals, will guide the team this year. The Bruins also return two players who opted out last season in Kayla Owens and Kiara Jefferson, and redshirt freshman Izzy Antsey, who was stuck in Australia. They’ll be without freshman Emily Bessoir, who sustained an ACL injury. She showed promise in her first season, scoring 7.5 points per game and having her best performance (11 points, nine rebounds against) against Stanford. There are good pieces on this team, but it could take a while for them to come together.

22. South Florida (AP ranking: 21)

It was a big season for a South Florida squad that missed a month midseason because of COVID-19. Despite the interruption, the Bulls were still able to sneak past Washington State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 1 seed NC State. The Bulls return nearly their entire roster, including three double-digit scorers in Elena Tsineke (13.6 points per game), Sydni Harvey (11.7) and Elisa Pinzan (10.3). That roster, which took No. 4 Baylor to the brink to start last season before losing 67-62, is poised for a stellar year, hopefully without a month-long interruption.

23. Virginia Tech (AP ranking: 24)

Virginia Tech will play through 6-6 junior Elizabeth Kitley in the paint, and fifth-year guard Aisha Sheppard. The two were a killer combination for a Hokies squad that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years. Kitley averaged a double-double with 18.2 points and 10.2 rebounds last season, while Sheppard averaged 17.7 points to go along with her three assists per game. The Hokies also retain their entire starting five, with another year of experience under their belts. They are projected to finish fourth in the ACC after Louisville, NC State and Georgia Tech.

24. Florida Gulf Coast (AP ranking: unranked)

When it comes to polls, the Eagles are going to get knocked for playing in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They went 26-3 last season, but the competition isn’t on par with most of the teams on this list. Still, Florida Gulf Coast has two big things working in its favor. The first is junior guard Kierstan Bell, who averaged a double-double with 24.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. She’s a versatile player who can win games on her own. The second is a very, very veteran squad. The Eagles’ roster has 12 players (out of 15) who are juniors or older, with six fifth-year players.

25. Missouri State (AP ranking: unranked)

Missouri State spent time in the AP top 25 last season and was ranked 20th in the final poll. The Bears were consistent in their play, going 23-3 overall, 16-0 in conference play and winning in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual champ Stanford. Plus, they had an impressive early-season upset of No. 12 Maryland. The Bears retain their top two scorers in Brice Calip and Jasmine Franklin, and add Cleveland State transfer Mariah White, who averaged 19.6 points per game and was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.

Eden Laase is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. She previously ran her own high school sports website in Michigan after covering college hockey and interning at Sports Illustrated. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

Nike Spotlights Global Women’s Soccer Stars in New United Pack Cleats

Nike United cleats pack promotional image showing headshots of women's soccer stars flanked by neon lights.
Nike tapped six international women's soccer stars for their latest cleats. (Nike Football)

Nike put global women's soccer stars in the spotlight last week, debuting their new Nike United Pack cleats collection.

For the first time ever, the apparel giant is bringing together six athletes to launch a series of performance cleats. The subsequent United Pack was developed collaboration with some of the sport's biggest international names.

The United Pack hit shelves last week with three styles of boots: Tiempo, Mercurial, and Phantom. Each boot is paired with two top international footballers, whose names are emblazoned on the heels of their cleats.

Of course, the United Pack collection is one part of a larger Nike initiative. In recent weeks, the brand has bet big on women's sports via everything from Super Bowl ads to signature shoes.

Three nike united pack women's soccer cleats hover against a purple background.
The purple and Volt United Pack lineup pairs players with updated Nike mainstays. (Nike Football)

Spain and USWNT get top Nike United Pack billing

Spain midfielder Patricia Guijarro and USWNT center back Naomi Girma are backing the Tiempos, while forwards Lauren James of England and Spain's 2023 World Cup champion Salma Paralluelo feature on the Mercurials. The Phantoms showcase USWNT attacker Sophia Wilson (née Smith) and her Portland Thorns teammate, Venezuela's Deyna Castellanos,.

The collection honors all six players by emblazoning their names onto the cleat's sock liner.

A purple and Volt colorway also links the line. As does the upper surface, which is designed to look like shattered glass in a nod to the "new generation of athletes breaking through to the next era in football."

"What I like the most about this boot is that it was created with six different players who come from different backgrounds and play for different teams, but we all came together to create something special that we can share with the world," said Wilson in a Nike's press release.

"Being a part of this boom and just making people respect women's sports is exciting," added Girma. "It's going to be even better for the next generation."

Where to buy Nike United Pack cleats

Fans can now purchase the Nike United Pack cleats online and at select retail locations.

NCAA Softball Shows Growing Parity as Clearwater Invitational Kicks Off

Oklahoma State's Tallen Edwards scoops a grounder at the 2024 Women's College World Series.
No. 10 Oklahoma State stumbled twice in their 2025 NCAA softball opening weekend. (BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN/USA TODAY NETWORK)

The 2025 NCAA softball season is off to the races, with early season stumbles from perennial powerhouses illustrating the sport's growing parity.

No. 6 Tennessee, No. 8 Texas Tech, and No. 10 Oklahoma State all suffered weekend upsets. Tennessee fell 7-1 to No. 17 Nebraska while Texas Tech lost 3-1 to No. 19 Mississippi State in extra innings.

The Cowgirls, subsequently, turned heads during last weekend's Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.

After claiming a 9-6 victory over No. 9 Florida State on Thursday, Oklahoma State then stranded nine baserunners en route to a 6-1 loss to unranked Louisiana Tech on Friday.

After righting the ship with a mercy-rule blowout against Northern Colorado on Friday, the Cowgirls' bats fell short in a run-rule loss to the Seminoles on Saturday.

The 2-2 season start cost Oklahoma State six spots in the rankings, sending them sliding from their preseason No. 4 position.

Florida State catcher Michaela Edenfield looks up before the 2023 NCAA softball championship series.
Florida State will join other top NCAA softball teams at the 2025 Clearwater Invitational. (Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Top NCAA softball teams take aim at Clearwater's competition

The Cowgirls will have to get right back in the saddle. Oklahoma State will now join six other Top 25 programs in Florida for Thursday's Clearwater Invitational.

No. 4 UCLA and No. 5 Texas A&M plus the Cowgirls and Seminoles lead the 16-team lineup. The SEC's No. 12 Alabama, No. 16 Missouri, and No. 24 Kentucky will also compete.

The annual event often serves as a postseason preview. This year's field includes three of last year's Women's College World Series contenders, with 14 represented in the 2024 NCAA tournament.

UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley winds up during a 2024 NCAA softball game.
No. 4 UCLA and No. 10 Oklahoma State will kick off the Top-10 tilts at the 2025 Clearwater Invitational. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

How to watch NCAA softball at the 2025 Clearwater Invitational

All 40 games at the 2025 Clearwater Invitational will stream live across ESPN platforms. This includes 19 nationally televised matchups.

Clearwater runs Thursday through Sunday, with Oklahoma State kicking off the Top 10 action against UCLA at 3 PM ET on Friday. Live coverage of the Cowgirls vs. the Bruins will air on ESPN2.

Unrivaled Sets 1v1 Semifinals After Two Rounds of Head-to-Head Action

Mist BC's Aaliyah Edwards looks on during an Unrivaled 3x3 basketball game.
Aaliyah Edwards advanced to Unrivaled's 1v1 semifinals on Tuesday. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Unrivaled Basketball's 1v1 tournament blew through two rounds of cutthroat action on Tuesday night, setting up fierce competition for Friday's semifinals.

Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, Rose forward Azurá Stevens, Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier, and Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale all advanced past their head-to-head opponents.

Each of the four semifinalists will take home at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up and $200,000 awaiting the champion.

Additionally, with one player from four of Unrivaled's six teams still standing, two-thirds of the offseason league are still in the running for a piece of the $350,000 purse. The rules dictate that each 3×3 teammate of the champion will receive their own $10,000 check.

Edwards's star 1v1 turn propels her through Unrivaled quarterfinals

In what's shaking out to be the contest's top storyline, No. 8 seed Edwards shut out No. 1 seed Breanna Stewart 12-0 in the first round to earn a second-round bye. She then went on to take down a surging No. 3 seed Allisha Gray to secure a slot in the semis.

"Shouldn't be surprised," the 22-year-old Mystics star said after downing Gray 12-6. "Played my first year in the league, now I'm tapping into myself, and the confidence is showing and the work is showing."

Elsewhere, height and offensive versatility proved a winning formula for both No. 6 seed Stevens and No. 1 seed Collier, while No. 1 seed Ogunbowale is the last guard still standing.

All three ousted WNBA teammates to advance, with Ogunbowale sending her former Dallas Wings compatriot Satou Sabally out 12-8 while Collier handed fellow Lunar Owl and Minnesota Lynx contender Courtney Williams a 12-4 defeat. Stevens dominated her LA Sparks teammate Rae Burrell, sending her packing with a 12-2 victory.

How to watch Friday's Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals

Notably, Friday's semifinals will be heavy on UConn grads, with Notre Dame alum Ogunbowale the lone non-Husky hitting the court.

Ogunbowale will try to halt Edwards's run, while Collier and Stevens — who played together on two of UConn's Final Four rosters — will go head-to-head in the other semifinal.

Unrivaled's 1v1 semifinals and subsequent best-of-three championship series will tip off on Friday at 7:30 PM ET, with live coverage on TNT.

WNBA Considers Former Franchise Cities as Expansion Team Bids Mount

Charlotte Sting guard Dawn Staley directs a play during a 2002 WNBA game.
A bid to revive the Charlotte Sting has been submitted to the WNBA. (Garrett Ellwood/WNBAE/Getty Images)

The WNBA faces no shortage of cities interested in securing the league's 16th team. But some recent expansion bids are tapping into old memories and new promises as historic markets aim to get back into the game.

According to reports, the owners behind NBA side Charlotte Hornets are part of a group trying to bring back a team to the home city of the Charlotte Sting. The Sting were one of the original WNBA franchises, helping launch the league in 1997 before eventually folding in 2007.

The bid to return professional women's basketball to North Carolina is led by CardWorks SVP Erica Berman. The Berman family are already investors in Unrivaled, the offseason 3×3 basketball league that's currently stacked with WNBA stars.

Charlotte is far from the only vintage WNBA market hunting a return. The former hometowns of the Detroit Shock (1998-2009), Houston Comets (1997-2008), and Cleveland Rockers (1997-2003) have also entered the expansion ring, after all formally submitted bids to the league.

There's also new evidence that the WNBA is looking to revive some of the historic teams. Within days of the league's January 30th bid deadline, the WNBA filed trademark applications for the Sting, Shock, Rockers, Comets, and Miami Sol should any of those cities secure the newest franchise.

The Houston Comets' Roneeka Hodges, Sheryl Swoopes, and Dawn Staley discuss a play during a 2006 WNBA game.
Retro WNBA teams like the four-time champion Houston Comets could return to the league. (Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

Rookie expansion teams join historic WNBA heavyweights

Though some cities have history on their side, competition is fierce when it comes to WNBA expansion. The league has seen an explosion of interest from numerous ownership groups all vying to receive a franchise nod.

In addition to the throwback cities, new markets in Austin, Denver, Kansas City, Nashville, and Philadelphia have also expressed a desire to join the league.

The WNBA is currently on track for 16 total teams by 2028, with Golden State, Toronto, and Portland already claiming the 13th, 14th, and 15th franchises, respectively.

With just one slot still up for grabs, leadership faces tough decisions as the league must turn down — or, at least, table — multiple bids as it considers a healthy growth rate.

However, for many ownership groups, building a WNBA team is more a matter of when, not if.

When asked about the Shock's potential return during a recent Detroit Pistons game, NBA commissioner Adam Silver cut to the chase.

"I actually think it’s really just a question of when the Shock comes back.," he said. "Over time, there’s going to be a lot of expansion in the WNBA." 

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