This Week in Women’s Basketball: Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles are only start of stacked list of Hall of Fame nominees

The past week was stocked and stuffed with women’s basketball news. Here’s more on the most important developments:

A Hall of Fame haul

On Thursday, the nominees for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 were announced—and its loaded with women’s basketball legends.

While recent, well-known WNBA stars Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore may headline the list of first-time player nominees, highlighting only that trio shortchanges the likes of Chamique Holdsclaw, one of the sport’s first, true certified superstars, and Ticha Penicheiro, one of the most creative, dynamic passers in basketball—period. And then there’s Taj McWilliams-Franklin, who traversed quite the basketball journey to become an integral member of several great WNBA teams, and Ruth Riley, another player whose winning influence, as a collegian and professional, exceeded her traditional stats. NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Azzi and three-time WNBA champion Cheryl Ford also return as nominees, adding further depth to this group of top-shelf candidates.

The list of coaching nominees also features a number of notable names, including two first-time nominees in former Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder and the well-traveled Mike Thibault, who claims NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball coaching experience.

Penny Taylor, the three-time WNBA champ and Australian national team stalwart, returns as an international nominee, while the 1982 Cheyney State Final Four team, including Yolanda Laney, mother of the New York Liberty’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, highlights the collection of women’s veteran nominees.

More Unrivaled updates

Cameron Brink and Katie Lou Samuelson have joined Unrivaled as wildcards, the soon-to-launch 3x3 professional league announced last week.

Brink, who will not play in 2025 as she recovers from a torn ACL, will be a member of the Lunar Owls, the club captained by Napheesa Collier, while Samuelson will suit up from Phantom, captained by Satou Sabally.

We also have our first Unrivaled trade! On Saturday night, the Laces, the club for which Kelsey Plum was supposed to play before she decided to skip the inaugural season for personal reasons, were busy. First, they traded Courtney Williams to the Lunar Owls for Natasha Cloud. The club then sent Cloud and their yet-to-be-named wildcard player to the Phantom for Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes.

So, Williams is now with the Lunar Owls, the club captained by her Minnesota Lynx teammate Collier. The Phantom and Sabally will have the services of Cloud. The Laces, captained by Alyssa Thomas, welcome Young and Hayes.

Earlier last week, Unrivaled announced its latest round of investors, whose contributions brought the league’s total capital raised to $35 million. Notable names among the investors include: South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, USC sophomore superstar JuJu Watkins, current and former NBA players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Richard Hamilton and Joe Ingles and US Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps and his wife, Nicole.

Watkins’ investment inspires the most intrigue, and, as she discussed with Sarah Spain on her podcast, Good Game with Sarah Spain, Watkins intends to play in the league when she turns pro.

The league also introduced Miller Lite as an official partner for the inaugural season.

A’ja x Nike

It looks like the A’One—A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe set to debut in 2025—will be only the beginning of the three-time WNBA MVP’s signature lineup. On Tuesday, Wilson signed a contract extension with Nike, with the six-year deal reported to be one of the richest in women’s basketball.

The W officially goes international

After holding exhibition games north of the border before the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the WNBA will play a regular season game in Canada in 2025.

On Aug. 15, 2025, the Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm will meet at the Rogers Center in Vancouver, British Columbia for the third overall, but first official, WNBA Canada Game. It’s also the league’s first international regular-season game.

Mystics closing in on GM, head coach hires

The Washington Mystics have expressed their intention to have the organization’s new general manager and head coach installed shortly after the new year, if not sooner.

Over at Bullets Forever, Albert Lee recounts the latest rumblings, noting that Eli Horowitz, assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks, and Monica Wright Rogers, the former WNBA player who is the assistant general manager of the Phoenix Mercury, both have interviewed for the general manager position. Horowitz, however, will remain with the Sparks, according to Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post. Reportedly, other individuals with NBA experience also are in contention for the Mystics’ general managership.

There is less specificity about the team’s head coaching search, although Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Lindsey Harding is one of a number of former WNBA players who are candidates for the head job in DC.

Paris joins Sky staff

New Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh has begun to fill out his bench, hiring Courtney Paris as an assistant coach.

Paris, a standout at Oklahoma who compiled an 11-season WNBA career, served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Wings in 2023 and 2024. She spent the 2020-21 NCAA season as an assistant at her alma mater.

Paris expressed excitement about working with Marsh and Sky players, saying:

Through this process, I’ve had the chance to get to know Tyler, and I am truly inspired by his vision and leadership. I’m eager to support him and the entire coaching staff as we work together to elevate this team.

Having immense respect for the players—both from competing against them and through my coaching journey—I am committed to being a resource for them, not only on the court but also in their growth off the court. Our shared goals and dedication drive my excitement to contribute to this team’s success. I can’t wait to get to work!

And more AU updates

Athletes Unlimited likewise continues to reveal the roster of players who will compete in the league’s fourth, Nashville-based season. The Chicago Sky’s Elizabeth Williams and Phoenix Mercury’s Charisma Osborne are the latest additions.

Sydney Colson, Theresa Plaisance and Alysha Clark also continued to introduce Nashville to AU, attending a Titans game and flipping the Opry Country Christmas Switch at the Grand Ole Opry.