Hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)

Buckle up!
When the Album of the Year winner Beyoncé announcing her Cowboy Carter tour isn’t even the biggest surprise of the weekend, you know it was pure chaos. Turn up the volume on these latest sports hits.


— Three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson, giving a special shoutout to her rumored boyfriend, Miami Heat superstar Bam Adebayo, at her emotional South Carolina jersey retirement yesterday. Love and basketball is the best combination.
NBA blockbuster
🏀 Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

The GIST: Jaws dropped across the NBA late Saturday night as news of a stunning blockbuster trade — one that’s sending five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Dončić to the LA Lakers and ten-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks — broke while most hoops fans were snug in their beds. That’s right, it’s 1000% real.
The details: In addition to LA and Dallas, the three-team stunner also involves the Utah Jazz. The Mavs will move the face of their franchise in Dončić, as well as Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, to the Lakers while Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick head to Dallas. The Jazz, meanwhile, picked up LA’s Jalen Hood-Schifino and a pair of 2025 second-round picks.
The implications: At first (and second) glance, the deal makes little sense for the Mavs. There were concerns about Dončić’s conditioning, but trading a generational hooper who just led your squad to the NBA Finals last season while averaging nearly a triple-double is decidedly not it.
- Meanwhile, the Lakers are making moves for the post–LeBron James era. The 40-year-old’s time in the league will eventually come to a close, and now LA has a 25-year-old superstar to carry the Purple and Gold legacy whenever James decides to hang ’em up.
Zooming out: As per NBA insider Shams Charania, the trade “materialized in the shadows” with neither Dončić nor Davis knowing the deal was in the works. Neither superstar asked for a trade while everyone — from other teams’ front offices to diehard fans — presumed Dončić, a perennial MVP candidate, was untouchable in the trade market. At least someone’s keeping their word.
- With Thursday’s trade deadline looming, it’s evident that though top-tier players are more empowered than ever, a double standard remains in the NBA — one where general managers have the final say and can move anyone, even superstars, on a whim.
WNBA free agency
🏀 Try to keep up

The GIST: The hardwood drama doesn’t end with the NBA — WNBA shakeups continue to shock during the league’s ongoing free agency shenanigans. Let’s dive into the latest W-altering headlines from over the weekend.
🔁 Connecticut Sun overhaul roster: The Sun have officially waved goodbye to all five starters from their 2024 playoff run, ushering in a new era for the original WNBA franchise.
- After seeing cornerstone Alyssa Thomas exit (among others), last season’s Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington was traded to the Dallas Wings on Saturday, while six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner (Thomas’ fiancée) will sign a one-year deal with the Indiana Fever.
- But that’s not all: Eight-time All-Star Tina Charles is officially returning to the Sun, the franchise that drafted her No. 1 overall in 2010, on a one-year contract. Talk about full circle.
🤝 Phoenix Mercury land top free agent Satou Sabally: The new-look Mercury added another star to their roster yesterday, picking up Sabally from the Wings as part of a record-setting four-team trade. Sabally now joins the aforementioned Thomas in Phoenix, who lost franchise legend Brittney Griner to the Atlanta Dream.
- However, one major question still remains for the Mercury this offseason: Will 20-season vet Diana Taurasi return for one more spin or will she retire before May’s tip-off? Stay tuned.
🕺 Other major moves: 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike is sticking around in Seattle, signing a new one-year deal with the Storm, while Canadian Kia Nurse is joining the Chicago Sky from the LA Sparks.
- Otherwise, the unsigned free agent list is shrinking by the day but still includes notable players like NY Liberty leader Breanna Stewart and Sky powerhouse Chennedy Carter. It’s far from over.
Question of the Day
With trades and moves shocking the basketball world, it’s time to put your general manager hat on. When it comes to building your roster, are you prioritizing winning right now or building to win in the future?
On Friday, we asked which February event you’re most excited for. 30% voted for the Super Bowl, 22% voted for the Unrivaled 1 on 1 Tournament, 14% voted for the PWHL Takeover Tour, 13% voted for the 4 Nations Face-Off, 11% voted for PVF and LOVB regular season, and 10% voted for NBA All-Star weekend.Together With Nasoya
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🎓🏀 Upsets reigned supreme on the men’s college court this weekend: Kansas State crushed No. 3 Iowa State 80–61 on Saturday, while No. 25 UConn made a bid to rise back up the AP Poll rankings with a 77–69 win over No. 9 Marquette.
- Plus, unranked Arkansas head coach John Calipari’s squad topped No. 12 Kentucky 89–79 in Coach Cal’s first game back at Rupp Arena since he left the Wildcats for the Razorbacks in April.
✨ Caitlin Clark and Hawkeyes women’s hoops magic, name a more iconic duo. On the night of Clark’s jersey retirement, unranked Iowa opened up a 14-point first-quarter lead to stun sophomore star JuJu Watkins and No. 4 USC 76–69 yesterday.
⛳ World No. 3 Rory McIlroy topped a tight leaderboard to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am yesterday, marking the first time the Northern Irishman has won the prestigious tourney.
- And in LPGA season-opening news, No. 55 A Lim Kim held off a late sprint from No. 1 Nelly Korda to win the HGV Tournament of Champions yesterday. Yes, fore real.
😡 Three additional massage therapists have accused Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior, bringing the total number of accusers to nine.
💔 Former Fox Sports anchor Julie Stewart-Binks is suing her former network, accusing Fox Sports executive vice president Charlie Dixon of sexual assault. When will it end?
🏀 It was a tough 48 hours for Unrivaled’s Laces BC. The four-win squad entered the weekend undefeated but dropped both games on their Week 3 schedule, including Friday’s two-point loss to the still-undefeated Lunar Owls.
🏈 The AFC’s best had some tricks up their sleeves during yesterday’s NFL All-Star festivities, but it was too little too late as the NFC soared to their third straight Pro Bowl win.
Together With Verizon
Say cheese and get ready to capture the biggest moments in sports. Our pals at Verizon teamed up with the NFL to launch Behind the Lens, a program that gives on-the-job experience to aspiring sports content creators by sending them to the country’s biggest sporting events — including a little something called the Super Bowl.
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Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
👀 What can change in 28 days
Your mind, body, and spirit, thanks to Reverse Health, the fitness app that’s truly for the girls. Check out the 28-Day Yoga Challenge today, available for 60% off for a limited time. Nama-slay.*
🏈 What to stream
Evolution of the Black Quarterback, which dives into the history, struggles, and triumphs of Black QBs in the NFL.
🛍 Where to shop
Briogeo, a Black-owned business with clean, natural hair products that cater to all textures. Your locks will thank you.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Inhale, exhale.Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, Marga Sison, Megan Murray, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore. Fact-checking by Marga Sison and Rachel Fuenzalida. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.