Even knee surgery can’t keep Wings rookie Azzi Fudd from busting a move.

Wings force Game 3 in record fashion

Arike Ogunbowale can’t miss, dropping a playoff-record 45 points last night to lift No. 7 Dallas over No. 2 Golden State 108-100 in overtime — forcing a Game 3 decider.

• The veteran guard buried a fadeaway 3-pointer in the final seconds to trigger OT, scoring 22 of her points in the fourth quarter and extra period to seal the Wings’ first win against the Valkyries this year.

• “I can’t even put into words what she just did,” guard Paige Bueckers said of Ogunbowale. “She really carried us.” (Watch full highlights)

Running it back: With Golden State holding Bueckers to just 10 points, 38-year-old Alysha Clark erupted for 21 off the bench while Aziaha James chipped in 13 more.

• Gabby Williams led the Valks with 36 points, going toe-to-toe with Ogunbowale before a scrappy finish saw both Ogunbowale and Tiffany Hayes drawn into flagrant fouls. 

• “That was not our best,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said. “Tomorrow’s got to be clear minds, clear focus, clear game plan, and then be ready to go for the game at home.” (See full report)

Up next: Dallas and Golden State tip off Game 3 on Friday at 9 PM ET (ESPN2).

Dream sweeps Mystics to reach WNBA semis

No. 4 Atlanta is marching on, closing out a first-round WNBA playoffs sweep of No. 6 Washington on Wednesday to book its first semifinal berth since 2018.

• All five Dream starters reached double-figure scoring in the 93-75 victory, led by Allisha Gray’s 22 points, Jordin Canada’s 19-point, 11-assist double-double, and 15 apiece from Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese.

• Atlanta pulled away late with a 13-0 fourth-quarter run, outscoring the Mystics 28-17 in the final frame to ice a game that featured 53 fouls — just shy of the postseason-record 57. (Watch full highlights)

Fighting back: Washington out-rebounded the Dream 42-27 and hit 24 of 28 free throws, but 38% shooting and 19 turnovers kept the young Mystics from extending their breakthrough season.

• Forward Kiki Iriafen rose above, claiming 16 rebounds to become just the second player to register at least 14 boards in back-to-back playoff games.

• “This is going to sting,” coach Sidney Johnson said. “But I also think what this group has accomplished and how the DC community has rallied around this group — they’ve written history.” (See full remarks)

Up next: Atlanta tips off the best-of-five semis against No. 8 New York on Sunday.

Jessica Shepard wins Most Improved Player

Jessica Shepard got her flowers, as Dallas’s breakout star won 2026 Most Improved Player after taking 29 of 74 votes from the WNBA’s national media panel.

• Debuting with Dallas after five years in Minnesota, Shepard averaged a career-high 14.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists — up from 8.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 2025 — while joining Atlanta’s Angel Reese as the only players to average a double-double.

• She edged Washington’s Shakira Austin (25 votes) and Portland’s Carla Leite (11) for the highly contested end-of-year nod, which comes with a $15,000 cash prize. (See full release)

Taking stock: Shepard did numbers in Dallas, tallying six triple-doubles after entering the season with just one — good for the second-most in league history.

• Her 467 rebounds ranked second on the all-time single-season list behind Reese’s 521, teeing up her first All-Star selection and AP MIP honors.

• “I knew what I was capable of doing,” she told The Athletic. “But, obviously, it takes the right situation to be able to show that.” (See full profile)

JWS is diving behind the scenes, as For the Crest presented by CVS Health gets up close and personal with NWSL diehards — showcasing the people, traditions, and passions that drive supporters clubs across the league.

• In the episode, soccer personality Duda Pavão joins Seattle’s Royal Guard as they bring Reign matches to life through flags, scarves, drums, chants, and an unmistakable sense of community.

• “I come back for the friends that I’ve made and for the atmosphere that we create,” said one member. “Women’s sports are so special, and I love that we have a team here.”

Tune in: Catch For the Crest on YouTube.

TIME100 spotlights rising women’s sports stars

Women’s sports are shaping the future, as USWNT star Naomi Girma, WTA phenom Alexandra Eala, and WNBA Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles all landed on this week’s 2026 TIME100 Next list.

• Soccer great Alex Morgan penned Girma’s tribute, calling her “the hardest defender I’ve ever had to play against” and noting her then-record $1 million transfer to Chelsea last year.

• ATP legend Rafael Nadal praised 21-year-old Eala — the highest-ranked Filipino in tennis history — as “warm, approachable, and humble,” while four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird marveled that Lynx centerpiece Miles “is only just beginning to scratch the surface.” (See full list)

Big ups: “The TIME100 Next brings together individuals whose work is defining the next generation of leadership,” said TIME CEO Jessica Sibley. “This year’s listmakers are pushing boundaries, creating new possibilities, and advancing their fields and communities around the world.” (See full release)

WPBL CEO ousts board member amid legal fight

The WPBL is facing turmoil off the field, as CEO Keith Stein removed investor Mina Kim from the fledgling league’s board on Wednesday, shutting down her legal case.

• Kim previously submitted a books and records request in Delaware citing “mounting red flags,” but the suit required she keep her seat to proceed.

• Recent reports alleged Kim rejected an “unauthorized” $600,000 offer to drop her case — a claim her attorneys argued was evidence worth investigating. (See full report)

Stay tuned: Stein — who says he owns roughly 65% of the first-year pro league — framed the move as a bid to unite the WPBL, announcing a national-firm audit and independent audit committee while adding ex-MLB star Dave Stewart to the board.

Number of the day 

2.1 million

Sunday’s Fever vs Aces opener averaged 2.1 million viewers on ABC, becoming the network’s most-watched WNBA playoff game on record.