Thompson: The Warriors’ machine was an offer the WNBA couldn’t refuse
1 year, 5 months ago

Thompson: The Warriors’ machine was an offer the WNBA couldn’t refuse

New York Times  

SAN FRANCISCO — Joe Lacob was on the stage. The trick will be the balance of taking advantage of the Warriors’ established infrastructure while also giving the WNBA team its own operation. “Technology is driving our economy,” Engelbert said, “and the tech center of your country doesn’t have a WNBA team. But also this ownership team, these operators, all of the leverage off the huge success of the Golden State Warriors …” To Engelbert’s credit, she seemed to know what the league needed. But Beard — who congratulated the Warriors on Instagram — is a Black woman entrepreneur with venture capital connections and a stellar reputation who played in more than half of the WNBA’s seasons.

Players Basketball Team Wnba League Big Golden State Oakland Golden Beard Warriors Kitts Lacob Joe Lacob  golden  refuse  team  machine  league  basketball  wnba  thompson  womens  couldnt  offer  warriors  lacob  big  players

History of this topic

Faster, smarter, unprecedented: Inside the new $34M women's basketball league, Unrivaled
1 month, 1 week ago

Faster, smarter, unprecedented: Inside the new $34M women's basketball league, Unrivaled

Salon  

In "The Last Dance," ESPN’s 10-part documentary on Michael Jordan and his historic run with the Chicago Bulls, episode eight drops a fascinating detail about how Jordan kept his competitive edge in the off-season. Fast forward to January 17, 2025, and the launch of the Unrivaled Basketball League feels like the formalization of Jordan’s off-season strategy—except this time, it’s not …

With all eyes on the NBA for All-Star weekend, the WNBA and the Valkyries are sharing the spotlight
1 month, 2 weeks ago

With all eyes on the NBA for All-Star weekend, the WNBA and the Valkyries are sharing the spotlight

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green proudly rocks a Golden State Valkyries No. The Warriors, the whole organization, are trying to help them, trying to make all the Golden State fans turn into Valkyries fans and we all want to be one together because we are representing the Bay Area, we are representing the people that live here.” Kayla Thornton is …

After a landmark WNBA season, what’s next as women’s basketball continues to surge?
5 months, 1 week ago

After a landmark WNBA season, what’s next as women’s basketball continues to surge?

New York Times  

On Sunday night, New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello proclaimed with exuberance that her team’s WNBA championship was one for the history books. “The finals mark the culmination of what I think is the most transformational year in the WNBA’s history,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last week before the finals. MOST-VIEWED WNBA FINALS IN 25 YEARS 🔥🎉 pic.twitter.com/P0Sj7M6s9u — …

WNBA 'adds 15th franchise as it agrees to expand to another West Coast city' amid league's plans to bring new teams to San Francisco and Toronto
7 months ago

WNBA 'adds 15th franchise as it agrees to expand to another West Coast city' amid league's plans to bring new teams to San Francisco and Toronto

Daily Mail  

Riding a historic wave of success in 2024, the WNBA will reportedly be expanding to Portland with the league's 15th franchise. Saturday's news is another example of the league's rapid growth amid Caitlin Clark's wildly successful rookie season in Indiana. With the arrival of rookies Clark and Angel Reese, not to mention Sabrina Ionescu's breakout season in New York, the …

The First New WNBA Team In Years Has Revealed Its Name
10 months, 2 weeks ago

The First New WNBA Team In Years Has Revealed Its Name

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The San Francisco Bay Area’s new WNBA team revealed itself Tuesday as the Golden State Valkyries, a name originating from Norse mythology about flying female warriors. The Valkyries are set to start playing in San Francisco next May, making them the 13th WNBA team and the first professional women’s basketball team to launch in the U.S. since …

WNBA will pay for flights for playoffs and back-to-backs. Expansion to 16 teams possible by 2028
11 months, 2 weeks ago

WNBA will pay for flights for playoffs and back-to-backs. Expansion to 16 teams possible by 2028

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The WNBA will once again pay for charter flights for the entire playoffs as well as for back-to-back games during the upcoming season that require air travel, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Monday. We need to be in the right financial position,” Engelbert said before the WNBA draft Monday night. “It will happen before the college draft and …

Golden State Warriors granted WNBA expansion franchise to begin play in 2025
1 year, 5 months ago

Golden State Warriors granted WNBA expansion franchise to begin play in 2025

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Joe Lacob’s love and support of women’s basketball dates back nearly three decades to when he became one of the original investors in the former American Basketball League. “She’s the goddess of women’s basketball.” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the expansion team will begin play in the San Francisco Bay Area for the 2025 season. “The right …

WNBA unveils Bay Area expansion team to start play in 2025
1 year, 5 months ago

WNBA unveils Bay Area expansion team to start play in 2025

New York Times  

The WNBA will launch an expansion team in the Bay Area in 2025, the league announced Thursday. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said at a Bay Area news conference that the league’s goal “is to have a 14th team by 2025 as well.” When asked about potential cities, she said she’s visited Portland, Denver and Toronto. The Athletic reported last week …

Warriors finalizing agreement to bring WNBA team to Bay Area: Sources
1 year, 6 months ago

Warriors finalizing agreement to bring WNBA team to Bay Area: Sources

New York Times  

The Golden State Warriors are close to bringing a WNBA franchise to the Bay Area, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the deal. Owning a WNBA franchise would be a full circle moment for Warriors owner Joe Lacob, who has long been a supporter of American women’s basketball. It was presumed by many that as long as the Warriors …

Next step for NBA is hiring women in positions of power
6 years, 5 months ago

Next step for NBA is hiring women in positions of power

Associated Press  

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sees one simple way for both the NBA and women to mark real progress in the league. That puts the NBA “significantly above” other professional sports, even as the number of women hired at the team level dropped for a third straight year with the percentage of women in team vice …

Discover Related