This Week in Women’s Basketball: Post-WNBA Draft buzz

After Monday night’s record-breaking WNBA Draft, this edition of “This Week in Women’s Basketball” will catch up on the new and developments that have been burbling around the W over the past week.

Time for the WNBA

The WNBA, Tissot and Wilson have partnered to create a one of a kind wrist watch to celebrate the WNBA as a unique and powerful force in the sports world.

The design, featuring leather straps to match the orange and white WNBA game ball and a face that features the WNBA logo, is meant to intentionally appreciate the league and its players. Maybe most iconic of all? The watch also has a subtle nod to the 24-second shot clock used in the WNBA. Everything together creates a one-of-a-kind piece fans can use to show off their support of the WNBA and its players.

“In terms of excitement in the world of women’s sport, there is no better partnership than the WNBA,” says Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot. This partnership comes at a time where women’s sports, and women’s basketball in particular, is taking center stage in the media. Yet, there has always been a demand for authentic and intentional partnerships surrounding the WNBA and these incredible athletes.

“We always use this phrase, ‘How do we matter as much off the court as on the court?’” says Amanda Lamb, VP of Brand, Wilson Sporting Goods. “I think this watch is a really great example of two partners coming together who are already supporters of the women’s game and finding ways to extend what that meaning is.”

The WNBA is heading into maybe its most anticipated season to date. The league will be welcoming in an influx of new fans, and the recently-broken viewership records are set to be broken again.

”I just think [this watch] speaks to where the WNBA sits, at the intersection of sport, culture, fashion and lifestyle,” says Colie Edison, WNBA Chief Growth Officer. Now the official watch of the WNBA, this iconic piece is a way for W fans to show off their support of the league in a unique way.

Storm reveal new basketball performance center

On Thursday, the Seattle Storm opened the doors to the Storm Center for Basketball Performance, the WNBA’s second dedicated practice facility. (The Las Vegas Aces had the first; the Phoenix Mercury will open the third later this year.)

Starbucks also was announced as the founding parter for the facility, with the team and company working together to support the local community by providing basketball camp scholarships to underserved youth and donating money to help the unhoused.

A’ja named to TIME 100

A back-to-back champion, two-time MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP and best-selling author? Yep, A’ja Wilson is influential. The Las Vegas Aces’ superstar was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2024 by TIME. To get a sense of Wilson’s influence, be sure to revisit her interview with our Zachary Draves about her book, Dear Black Girls.

And for more A’ja, take a look at Episode 1 of “M’VP: A Champ’s Diary.”

Sky add Ty Young as assistant coach

After a 12-year WNBA career, with nine of those seasons spent with the Chicago Sky, Ty Young is returning to the Windy City, now as an assistant coach to new head coach Teresa Weatherspoon.

Teams fill out training camp rosters

WNBA teams can roster up to 15 players for training camp, which begins April 28. In the aftermath of the draft, several teams snatched up players, both rookies looking to making their way into the W and vets aiming to return to the league.

New threads for six squads

In case you missed it, check out the new Nike Rebel Edition jerseys for the Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun.

The Mercury also introduced a Rebel court, making the organization the first to use an alternate court.

WNBA Canada Game rescheduled

Due to a conflict with the first round of the NHL Playoffs, the second WNBA Canada Game, featuring the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm, has been rescheduled from Sunday, May 5 to Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.