The WNBA returns with a full slate of competition, and viewers treated to games every day this week.

Just Women’s Sports has three storylines to watch as the action continues.

Will Tina Charles suit up for Seattle?

The Phoenix Mercury and Tina Charles shocked the league when the team announced Saturday it had agreed to a contract divorce with the star center. Charles signed a one-year deal with the Mercury in February, appearing in 16 games with the team during the 2022 regular season.

“After discussions with Tina and her agent, it was best for both parties to go our separate ways at this time,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said in a news release. “Due to circumstances both in and out of our control, our season has not gone according to plan, and we will continue to pursue all avenues of improvement.”

According to multiple reports, Charles is set to join the Seattle Storm, though the team has yet to comment on the rumors.

If Charles clears waivers and signs with Seattle in time for their midweek matchup against league-leading Las Vegas, she could appear for the Storm as early as Wednesday. It’s unlikely that any team has the cap space to take on Charles’ pre-divorce contract, so once she clears waivers, she will become an unrestricted free agent and Seattle can sign her.

The 33-year-old adds a post presence to the Seattle team, which already boasts offensive firepower from Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird. Charles is still in the hunt for her first WNBA championship, with the Storm also hoping to lift the league trophy at the end of the year to send out Bird on a high.

Sky have top spot within sight

The Chicago Sky put on a thrilling performance in their home game against the Minnesota Lynx Sunday, following up a historic comeback against the Aces on Tuesday. Now the Sky are looking to extend their win streak to four games as they face off against Connecticut on Wednesday and Phoenix on Saturday.

Sitting only a half-game back of league-leading Las Vegas, Chicago has a chance to dethrone the Aces atop the table.

The Sky’s offense has been stellar, leading the league in field goal percentage at 47 while falling behind the Aces in three-point percentage at 35.9. Courtney Vandersloot, a key facilitator for the squad, has finished in the double-figures in the last six Sky games for her best scoring streak since 2020.

Is New York the real deal?

The New York Liberty are enjoying a two-game win streak, turning around a season that got off to a slow start.

Sabrina Ionescu has been on a tear since notching her second career triple-double on June 12, nearly repeating the feat in her last four games. The addition of Marine Johannes has been critical for New York, with the French star joining Ionescu as one of the squad’s clutch shooters.

The Liberty released Crystal Dangerfield from her hardship contract Friday but may bring her back in early July with some roster engineering. How the team will fair without her and whether or not New York can continue their climb up the WNBA standings will be in question as they face the Atlanta Dream on Thursday and the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.

Full Schedule

Monday, June 27

• Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury at 10 p.m. ET on Facebook.com/Indianafever
• Las Vegas Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV

Tuesday, June 28

• Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• Dallas Wings vs. Minnesota Lynx at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN3

Wednesday, June 29

• Connecticut Sun vs. Chicago Sky at 12 p.m. ET on NBA TV
• Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury at 10 p.m. ET on NBA TV
• Las Vegas Aces vs. Seattle Storm at 10 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime

Thursday, June 30

• Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty at 7 p.m. ET on Twitter

Friday, July 1

• Los Angeles Sparks vs. Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network
• Las Vegas Aces vs. Minnesota Lynx at 8 p.m. ET on NBA TV
• Indiana Fever vs. Seattle Storm at 10 p.m. ET on Facebook

Saturday, July 2

• Phoenix Mercury vs. Chicago Sky at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN

Sunday, July 3

• Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream at 3 p.m. ET on NBA TV
• New York Liberty vs. Los Angeles Sparks at 6 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network
• Las Vegas Aces vs. Minnesota Lynx at 7 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime

Team USA's U-20 World Cup​ run has come to an end after Wednesday's 1-0 semifinal loss to tournament favorites North Korea (DPRK).

The result marks the U-20 USWNT's best showing since their 2016's fourth-place finish, when they similarly fell to DPRK in the semis before the North Korean side advanced to win the Cup.

DPRK outshot the US 18-7 last night, but 17-year-old Choe Il-Son was the lone player to find the back of the net, securing the eventual game-winner in the 22nd minute. With five goals on the tournament so far, Choe is now in a three-way tie atop the competition's Golden Boot race.

Japan tops the Netherlands in second semifinal

While the US gave DPRK arguably their toughest match of the World Cup, Japan overwhelmed the Dutch with their attacking prowess last night, outshooting the Netherlands' 24-1 to notch the 2-0 win.

Notably, both goals by "the Young Nadeshiko" were scored by North Carolina Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo, the only NWSL player on Japan's roster.

Where to watch the U-20 World Cup final and third-place match

On Saturday, the US will battle the Netherlands for third-place hardware, with live coverage on Fox Soccer Plus.

Then on Sunday, the World Cup championship match will mirror March's U-20 Asian Cup final, where DPRK forced six-time champs Japan to relinquish the title for the first time since 2013. The final will air live on FS2.

Should DPRK emerge victorious on Sunday, they'll join the US and Germany as the only nations with three U-20 World Championships.

San Diego attacker María Sánchez lit up Snapdragon Stadium last night, leading the Wave to a 3-2 home victory over Portland in Concacaf W Champions Cup play. 

Goals from Sophia Smith​ and rookie Reilyn Turner gave Portland a 2-0 lead entering the 67th minute, but Sánchez’s hat trick — which included two converted penalty kicks — secured San Diego's dramatic comeback win.

Calling Sánchez "an incredible human being...[who's] a pleasure to coach," Wave boss Landon Donovan told the post-match press corps that his entire team was "awesome" last night. "To go down two goals and just continue to believe and keep playing and putting them under pressure was awesome. I'm just really proud of them."

Portland Thorns' team woes continue

Last night's result — though not counted toward the NWSL season — marked Portland's fifth straight loss against league opponents. The sixth-place Thorns have yet to earn a point on the NWSL table since returning from the Olympic break.

When asked about the usually dominant Thorns’ recent downfall, Portland's new permanent head coach Rob Gale said "We need to get healthy bodies available for 90 minutes."

With forward Morgan Weaver on limited minutes as she works back to full form following a May knee surgery, and Smith joining her in being pulled at halftime last night with what Gale called "some lower body problems," Portland's attack suffered in the tilt.

That said, the lopsided affair also saw mental errors, with the Thorns scrambling for possession and excessively fouling — mistakes Portland hopes to eliminate before hosting San Diego in NWSL play in nine days.

Where to watch Concacaf W Champions Cup group play tonight

Halfway through the international club tournament’s four-match group stage, the Wave now leads Group B while Portland sits in third. The top two teams in each group will advance to May’s semifinals.

As for the third NWSL team competing for the inaugural Cup, Group A's Gotham FC will host Liga MX club Monterrey in their second group match at 7 PM ET tonight, with live coverage on the CBS Golazo Network.

"Let's just say A'ja has been in her bag all season, like there's really not a player that can stop her," WNBA icon Lisa Leslie said in the debut episode of Just Women's Sports' weekly digital series Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie.

"This is what I love about A'ja Wilson: A'ja has gotten better, significantly better, every single season."

Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports.

In today's episode, O'Hara and Leslie cover A'ja Wilson's historic season, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese's rookie campaigns, Alex Morgan's recent retirement, and the NWSL MVP race.

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

On Wednesday morning, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced that the WNBA would be adding a 15th team to its roster, with the league awarding Portland, Oregon its own expansion franchise.

Portland joins Golden State and Toronto as the latest WNBA additions, as the league capitalizes on this season's surging popularity. Golden State will begin play next season, with Toronto and Portland set to tip off in 2026.

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The Rose City was an obvious choice to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who said, "Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans."

Notably, this is not Portland's first WNBA team. The city originally hosted the Fire, which competed for three seasons before folding in 2002.

The expansion team will be primarily owned by the Bhathal family, who also recently purchased the NWSL's Portland Thorns.

A'ja Wilson adds WNBA rebound record to 2024 stats

Aces superstar A'ja Wilson added yet another feat to her 2024 WNBA MVP campaign on Tuesday, breaking sidelined Chicago rookie Angel Reese's single-season rebounds record in Las Vegas's 85-72 win over Seattle.

Wilson, who didn't know she'd claimed the record until asked about it in the post-game press conference, reacted with nonchalance. "That's cool," she told reporters. "I don't hunt rebounds, so it's not something that's always on my mind... I'm focused on putting the ball in the hoop."

Her explanation had head coach Becky Hammon visibly rolling her eyes, saying she's had to remind Wilson that "the other half of [her] job is to freaking rebound."

Ultimately, Wilson acknowledged that the record is "a blessing," saying "this league is tough, so if my name can be in the record books in some sort of way, it's a blessing."

Rebound record is Wilson's third WNBA feat in one week

Wilson's written her name in the WNBA record books three times in the last six days. Her latest rebound accomplishment comes just two days after Wilson became the first-ever WNBA player to score 1,000+ points in one season, and less than one week after she shattered the league's single-season scoring record.

Tuesday's win also handed the defending back-to-back champion Aces at least the fourth playoff seed. That top-four spot secures them home court advantage for their first postseason round.