Another week, another packed WNBA schedule. 

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

Can the Sky continue on without Candace Parker?

Chicago Sky vs. Las Vegas Aces: Tuesday, June 21 @ 10 p.m.

Tuesday’s matchup between the Sky and the Aces is a preview for the Commissioner’s Cup after each team secured their places by the weekend’s end. 

Chicago remains without Candace Parker, which showed on Sunday as the team lost 89-87 to the Indiana Fever. It wasn’t without effort from the Sky, as Kahleah Copper notched 28 points in the loss. They’ll need more from players like Azurá Stevens and Allie Quigley, however, if they want to get past the Aces. 

The Sky has been without Parker in the past. Last season, the team went on a losing streak when Parker went down with an injury early on, but they rebounded upon her return, winning seven straight to set a franchise record for consecutive wins.

Vegas, meanwhile, is on yet another win streak having triumphed in their past four. With a 13-2 record, they lead the league with an .867 win percentage.

But they narrowly managed to escape Minnesota on Sunday, scraping by with a 96-95 win thanks to a 25-point performance from A’ja Wilson. All five Aces starters continue to be offensively sound, having scored in double digits against Minnesota. But the team’s defense was once again lacking, something head coach Becky Hammon has been vocal about all season long.

The race for Rookie of the Year continues

Dallas Wings vs Atlanta Dream: Tuesday, June 21 @ 7 p.m.; Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings: Thursday, June 23 @ 8 p.m.

The race for rookie of the year is continuing to heat up as the season wears on. Indiana Fever forward NaLyssa Smith is coming off of a career game in which she scored 26 points and contributed 11 rebounds. It was her fourth double-double of the season.

While the Fever have a plethora of rookies, including Emily Engstler, Destanni Henderson and Queen Egbo, Smith appears to be cementing herself as one of the best. But she can at times be all over the place, having scored just four points in Phoenix prior to exploding against Chicago.

Rhyne Howard, meanwhile, has been more consistent for Atlanta. She’s coming off of a 16-point performance against Chicago and has scored in double digits in all but two games this season.

While Shakira Austin’s name is certainly in the mix for Rookie of the Year, as of right now it’ll probably be between Smith or Howard at the end of the season. But don’t count out Rebekah Gardner for Sixth Woman of the Year. Gardner, a 31-year-old rookie for Chicago this season, has been averaging 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game off of the bench. She’s averaging better than expected in fantasy points per game and has in the past been coined the WNBA’s leading unicorn by Just Women’s Sports.

Who will be named to the WNBA All-Star squad?

Voting closes Monday, June 20

The time has come for the WNBA All-Star squad to be named. With voting closing on Monday, the top selections will soon be made known.

Will it be A’ja Wilson, who has been steadily leading the Aces to the best record in the league? Could she be joined by Kelsey Plum, who has firmly cemented herself as Las Vegas’ second-best player — if not at times the best?

Who of the rookies will make it, if any?

There’s also injuries to consider — Sylvia Fowles is out indefinitely with a knee injury as Candace Parker remains absent.

With Chicago hosting the event for the first time in team history, it’s likely that there will be some hometown heroes — including Allie Quigley, who won the 3-point contest last season for the third time.

Determining who will be team captains is like trying to decide on your favorite holiday — there are too many good ones to choose from. So keep an eye out to see who will make it and get to play on July 10 in Chicago. 

Full Schedule:

Tuesday, June 21

• Dallas Wings vs. Atlanta Dream @ 7 p.m.
• Minnesota Lynx vs. Phoenix Mercury @ 10 p.m.
• Chicago Sky vs. Las Vegas Aces @ 10 p.m.
• Washington Mystics vs. Los Angeles Sparks @ 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 22

• New York Liberty vs. Connecticut Sun @ 7 p.m. on ESPN2

Thursday, June 23

• Phoenix Mercury vs. Minnesota Lynx @ 8 p.m.
• Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings @ 8 p.m.
• Washington Mystics vs. Seattle Storm @ 10 p.m.
• Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks @ 10:30 p.m.

Friday, June 24

• New York Liberty vs. Atlanta Dream @ 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 25

• Phoenix Mercury vs. Dallas Wings @ 8 p.m.
• Los Angeles Sparks vs. Seattle Storm @ 9 p.m.
• Washington Mystics vs. Las Vegas Aces @ 10 p.m.

Sunday, June 26

• Connecticut Sun vs. Atlanta Dream @ 3 p.m.
• Minnesota Lynx vs. Chicago Sky @ 6 p.m.

*All times ET

The NWSL is expanding its footprint across ESPN, with the broadcaster signing on to carry 16 additional regular-season games in both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, upping the platform's total to 33 matches per year.

ESPN will also introduce a season-long "Match of the Week" centerpiece series, as well as live coverage of NWSL Decision Day, when eight concurrent matches will close out the season on the same day. 

"The NWSL showcases some of the best athletes in the world," ESPN EVP of programming and acquisitions Rosalyn Durant said in a press release. "We are proud to increase our commitment on ABC and ESPN, and to further elevate women's sports and the athlete stories."

This media rights extension builds on the league's ongoing blockbuster four-year, $240 million TV deal with ESPN, adding inventory for the final two seasons of the November 2023 agreement.

The deal expansion comes in light of the league's significant growth this season, with the NWSL seeing gains across both attendance and viewership, including a 72% year-over-year ratings rise on ESPN.

"This supplemental agreement underscores the growing demand for women's soccer and ensures our players and clubs receive the visibility they deserve on some of the most prominent sports platforms," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a statement.

The 2025 WNBA season is over for Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, but the 23-year-old star is still making headlines, with Reebok set to drop her signature Angel Reese 1 sneakers on Thursday.

The Angel Reese 1 is a cornerstone of Reebok's re-entry into the basketball market, with the sportswear giant engineering the signature shoe for on-court performance by including features like responsive cushioning and added upper support.

Inspired by the brand's classic Mobius line, the shoes will hit the shelves in three colorways — an iridescent white "Diamond Dust," a bold pink "Mebounds," and a black and white "Receipts Ready" — with Reese's personal logo incorporated into the design.

Reese first signed with Reebok as an NIL athlete at LSU in 2023, a little over six months after winning the NCAA championship with the Tigers.

This week's rollout follows the July sneak peek of the signature sneakers worn by Reese on the cover of NBA 2K26's WNBA Edition.

"This isn't just a shoe, it's my style, my story, and my stamp on the game," Reese said in Reebok's press release. "I wanted to design a basketball shoe that elevates performance, innovation, style, and creative expression, all at once."

"Reebok and I built something that's true to who I am, and I hope it pushes others to stand in their power too."

How to buy the Angel Reese 1 Reebok sneakers

All three colorways of the Angel Reese 1 sneakers will be available for a retail price of $120 beginning at 10 AM ET on Thursday at Reebok.com as well as in select stores.

No. 5 New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart isn't letting Sunday's left knee knock take her off the 2025 WNBA Playoffs court, with the forward planning to compete in Game 2 against the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday night.

An emotional Stewart finished Game 1 on the bench, going down with a knee injury in overtime of the Liberty's 76-69 upset win over the Mercury on Sunday.

"What I felt in that moment scared me more than anything," Stewart told reporters on Wednesday morning.

A Monday MRI revealed a sprained MCL, and though the two-time WNBA MVP did not practice on Tuesday, she participated in the team's Wednesday shootaround and said her pain had diminished to a three out of 10.

"[As long as] I don't wake up from my nap and feel like s—t," said Stewart, "I'm willing to take that [chance of re-injury] because I want to be out with my team, and they told me that structurally everything looks OK."

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Even when the game-day status for Stewart was still unknown, New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello promised that the defending champions would give their star "as much time as we can."

"We know what's at stake," Brondello told reporters on Tuesday. "We don't want to go back to Phoenix [for Game 3], but they're going to come in hungry."

Stewart echoed that sentiment on Wednesday morning, saying "We want to finish it here. Not having to go back to Phoenix is our main priority."

How to watch the Phoenix Mercury vs. New York Liberty in Game 2

No. 5 New York will look to oust No. 4 Phoenix from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs with a first-round sweep on Wednesday night, when the Liberty host the Mercury for Game 2 at 8 PM ET.

The matchup will air live on ESPN.

Star sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is reaching new heights, setting a new US record for the 400-meter race in the event's Tuesday semifinals at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist finished the flat event in 48.29 seconds, shaving more than 0.40 seconds off the previous US record of 48.70 seconds set by track legend Sanya Richards-Ross in 2006.

Both her personal best and the fastest time in the world for that event this year, McLaughlin-Levrone's performance also makes her the seventh-fastest woman of all time in the 400-meter dash — elevating expectations that she could challenge the long-standing world record of 47.60 seconds, set by then-East German sprinter Marita Koch in 1985.

Known for her dominance in the 400-meter hurdles, the 26-year-old made the decision to focus on the flat 400-meter event ahead of this year's competition. 

"I definitely wasn't expecting that time," she said afterwards. "It just shows the fitness is there. I'm excited for the finals and grateful to have taken down a record by an amazing woman."

How to watch McLaughlin-Levrone in the 400-meter final

McLaughlin-Levrone will take aim at the 2025 World Athletics Championships' 400-meter podium — and, perhaps, another record time — during the event's final on Thursday.

The US star will race against 2024 Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser when the final begins at 9:24 AM ET.

Live coverage will air on USA Network.