Here’s what’s happened and what’s coming in the world of women’s basketball:
AU Pro Hoops is ready for tip off
Season 3 of Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball begins Thursday, Feb. 29.
The team captains for Week 1 are Odyssey Sims, Allisha Gray, Isabelle Harrison and Lexie Hull. The captains will draft their teams on Monday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. ET.
The schedule for Week 1 is:
Thursday, Feb. 29
Team Harrison vs. Team Gray (6 p.m. ET, WNBA App)
Team Sims vs. Team Hull (9 p.m. ET, WNBA App)
Saturday, Mar. 2
Team Hull vs. Team Gray (3 p.m. ET, WNBA App/Bally Sports)
Team Harrison vs. Team Sims (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Sunday, Mar. 3
Team Hull vs. Team Harrison (3 p.m. ET, WNBA App/Bally Sports)
Team Gray vs. Team Sims (6 p.m. ET, WNBA App)
All games will be played at Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas, TX. Eighteen of the 24 total games will be available to stream through the WNBA App, while six games exclusively will be available through ESPN+. Eleven games also will be broadcast on Bally Sports regional sports networks and the Bally Sports app.
For more AU insight, participate in the Virtual Tip Off, scheduled for Monday, Feb. 26 at 7 pm. ET.
Congrats to the 2024 Hall of Fame finalists
In December, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the initial nominees for the class of 2024. During NBA All-Star Weekend, the list of finalists was announced. Seimone Augustus and Marian Washington are the Women’s Committee finalists, Michelle Timms is an International Committee finalist and Harley Redin is a Women’s Veteran’s Committee finalist. Additionally, congratulations to Debbie Antonelli, who is the 2024 Curt Gowdy Electronic Media Award recipient.
Sabally, Gardner injuries
On Tuesday, the Dallas Wings revealed that the newly re-signed Satou Sabally recently underwent a procedure on her shoulder, which she injured while competing for Germany in the Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The organization expects Sabally to fully recover.
Satou Sabally underwent a procedure on her shoulder Tuesday, the Dallas Wings announced. Sabally injured her shoulder competing for Germany at Olympic qualifying in Brazil earlier this month. The German team qualified for the Olympics for the first time. https://t.co/lSyiO5vu6N
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) February 20, 2024
In Chicago, the injury news is bleaker, as Rebekah Gardner, a reserved free agent who had yet to sign a new deal, tore her Achilles while playing for Spar CityLift Girona in Spain.
Rebekah Gardner has suffered a right torn Achilles during Thursday’s game with Spar CityLift Girona. She is expected to undergo surgery. There is no further timetable set at the moment. pic.twitter.com/Ybt0OknR1g
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 23, 2024
Change coming to NIL restrictions?
On Friday, a federal judge in Tennessee issued a preliminary injunction that prevents the NCAA from restricting athletes who are in the process of being recruited and/or have entered the transfer portal from negotiating NIL deals with a third party.
With a federal judge granting a preliminary injunction in Tennessee/Virginia vs. the NCAA case, this means the NCAA can’t enforce any NIL rules for the foreseeable future.
Things are about to get very interesting…
— Chantel Jennings (@ChantelJennings) February 23, 2024
Prior to Friday’s ruling, athletes could not be induced to attend a school through NIL opportunities. In short, “pay for play” was prohibited. Attorneys general in Tennessee and Virginia have argued that this NCAA restriction is illegal. The injunction is not permanent, but indicates the case against NCAA rules has a significant chance of success.