Guilty on all counts of loving women’s sports
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Gotta get down on Friday!
Our weekend status? Guilty on all counts of loving postseason sports. Let’s jump right in.
— PWHL Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, hoisting the inaugural Walter Cup after her team beat Boston 3–0 to win the league’s first championship on Wednesday. A hockey legend, Schofield was integral in launching the historic league. An epic full circle moment.
NBA & NHL Conference Finals
🏆 Drop it like it’s hot
The GIST: You can’t make a diamond without serious pressure — no wonder the NBA and NHL Conference Finals stars are making the whole place postseason shimmer.
🏀 The NBA Finals are set as No. 5 Dallas Mavericks advance: The Mavs took down the No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves 124–103 last night to lock in their first NBA Finals appearance since their 2011 title run. To no one’s surprise, Dallas' Luka Dončić was crowned king of trash talk Western Conference Finals MVP following yet another double-double performance.
- It may have taken five games, but the Mavs still have plenty of time to rest up before taking on the Eastern Conference Champion No. 1 Boston Celtics for the title, starting on June 6th. Can’t wait.
🥅 The Florida Panthers are one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final: Despite sensational goaltending by NY Ranger Igor Shesterkin (34 saves), center Anton Lundell and the Panthers pulled away with a 3–2 Game 5 dub last night, quieting NY’s Madison Square Garden.
- With the series heading back south, Florida has a firm Eastern Conference Final advantage ahead of a crucial Game 6, tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET.
- Elsewhere, the Edmonton Oilers evened the Western Conference Final 2-2 by scoring five unanswered goals in Wednesday’s 5–2 Game 4 win over the injury-contending Dallas Stars. The spicy series heads back to Dallas for Game 5 tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Women’s basketball
🏀 Baller, shot-caller
The GIST: Unrivaled — the 3x3 pro women’s hoops league launched by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier — rolled out some game-changing announcements yesterday.
- The league confirmed some all-star investors (hi, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe) that will allow Unrivaled to offer a six-figure salary, the highest in pro women’s sports league history. Bank (on) it.
The league: Unrivaled will launch in January 2025, featuring 30 players (including at least 10 WNBA All-Stars) competing in an eight-week season from January to March. Stewart and Collier announced the league last summer, and it should become an attractive offseason option for WNBA players that will also further the popular 3x3 format.
Zooming out: As the WNBA flourishes, so will the entire women’s basketball ecosystem. Overtime Select launches its high school league this weekend, Athletes Unlimited’s 5-on-5 tournament keeps growing each season, and Unrivaled will soon offer an unparalleled salary. Hoop, there it is, indeed.
P.S. For more on the booming business of women’s sports, subscribe to our three-times weekly sports biz newsletter.🎾 The French Open bans alcohol from the stands, No. 1 seeds advance to the third round
Tournament director and two-time Grand Slam champion Amélie Mauresmo announced the ban yesterday after a spectator spat gum at a player during a match. On the court, No. 1 Iga Świątek dug deep to defeat Naomi Osaka in three sets on Wednesday, while No. 11 American Danielle Collins was sadly eliminated in the second round following a three-set loss to Serbia’s Olga Danilović.
- Another shocking upset? After winning the first set in the second round, No. 25 American Frances Tiafoe fell in the next three and was eliminated by Canadian Denis Shapovalov yesterday.
- But there’s no such thing as stunners for defending champion No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who cruised to a comfortable straight sets second-round win against unranked Roberto Carballés Baena.
⛳ Nelly Korda shoots a career-worst 80 at the opening round of the US Women’s Open
The world No. 1 struggled on the 12th hole at Lancaster Country Club yesterday and now sits tied for 137th at the second major of the season, making way for world No. 30 (and 2021 US Women’s Open champion) Japan’s Yuka Saso, who leads the way with a two-under par heading into today’s second round. Just keep swingin’.
🎓🥎 Women’s College World Series (WCWS) tees off
Yesterday’s opening day from Oklahoma City was all chalk, with the better seeds (No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 4 Florida, and No. 6 UCLA) prevailing across the quadruple header of double-elimination play. That ushers in elimination Friday, where the first squads will see their natty dreams come to an end.
- First up, WCWS newcomers No. 10 Duke will face No. 14 Alabama at 7 p.m. ET followed by No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. No. 8 Stanford at 9:30 p.m. ET.
- And keep it locked on ESPN networks throughout the weekend — it’s non-stop softball before the best-of-three championship series is set by Monday night. Lights, camera, pitch, smile.
⚽ No. 4 USWNT kicks off head coach Emma Hayes era
The Americans host the No. 20 Korea Republic in Denver for the first of two June friendlies tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET. As always, prepare to see every USWNT player (literally) put their best foot forward, this time with the added pressure of impressing new head coach Hayes before she names the 18-person roster for the Paris Olympics.
- Something to watch? Hayes’ attacking choices. With a roster that includes forwards Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Catarina Macario, Sophia Smith, and Crystal Dunn, there are endless combinations to deploy on this front line.
🤸 Simone Biles seeks ninth all-around title at this weekend’s US Gymnastics Championships
It’s the last competition before the Olympic trials at the end of June, so the mats will be flippin’ fire as American hopefuls Biles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey look to secure one of two automatic trials invites and, ultimately, a spot on the five-person team.
- Meanwhile, 2012 gold medallist Gabby Douglas’ bid for the Paris games has sadly come to an end due to injury, but she’s still aiming for a spot on the LA 2028 roster.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
🍹 What to drink
COVE soda. This zero-sugar drink has 1 billion probiotics and organic ingredients and comes in nostalgic soda flavors. Sip, sip, hooray.
🐶 What to check out
The Stanley Pup. The NHL’s cutest event features 16 rescue dogs facing off in a friendly competition showcasing their adorable canine skills. Paw-some.
📖 Where to meet
In your inbox for The GIST Book Club’s discussion of May’s book of the month, Night Shift by Annie Crown. Subscribe to The GIST Book Club’s newsletters to keep the convo going.
Take Your Pick
Chicago Sky
Indiana Fever
Buckle up, hoops fans — the revamped Commissioner’s Cup (an in-season WNBA tourney) tips off tomorrow, with all 12 teams competing for the $500K grand prize. First up? A highly-anticipated battle of the rookies.
- The Chicago Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso will suit up for her W debut and play alongside fellow rook Angel Reese, but don’t forget about Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, who are seeking their second win of the season. Who ya got?
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