Just keep ya’ head in the game.

Indiana shoots for redemption

The WNBA returns tonight, tipping off a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several title contenders.

• The Fever will be seeking a strong performance tonight, as they try to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Seattle Storm.

• “There are going to be stretches that are really good and there’s going to be stretches that aren’t as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

The rundown: With Indiana and Seattle holding court as headliners, the night also sees young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts while bottom-table teams look for a leg up.

• No. 8 Indiana vs. No. 5 Seattle, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can’t seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.

• No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 9 Washington, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx their second loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.

• No. 4 Atlanta vs. No. 12 Dallas, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.

• No. 10 LA vs. No. 11 Chicago, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to get going, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak tonight.

Bottom line: Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the All-Star break looms.

WNBA rookies step it up

The WNBA’s Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-years stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race heats up.

• No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas guard leading her class in minutes played and points per game, while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

Big picture: Draftkings currently has Bueckers as the clear Rookie of the Year frontrunner at -1,000, though dynamic DC duo Sonia Citron (+1,500) and Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

• Iriafen won May’s Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently in Sunday’s overtime win over Dallas.

• “Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she’s excelling,” Citron told JWS earlier this month. “And seeing that is just incredible.”

• “Soni just does all the little things,” Iriafen added. “She doesn’t shortcut anything, she’s doing the fundamentals, she doesn’t cheat the game at all.”

Read more: ”The Mystics Are All in on WNBA Rookies Kiki Iriafen & Sonia Citron” on Just Women’s Sports.

Soccer stars on the move

The NWSL might have hit the pause button, but players across the world of football are on the move as both European and US teams use the midseason break to sharpen lineups.

• The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with San Diego Wave announcing forward María Sánchez’s return to Mexico’s UANL Tigres for an undisclosed fee yesterday.

• “When the opportunity came to return to Tigres I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career,” Sánchez said in the team release.

• NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore — the first Italian signing in league history.

Across the pond: European clubs have hopped aboard the player transaction carousel, with newly promoted WSL side London City leading the pack.

• OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Danielle van de Donk has signed with the top flight debutantes, amid rumors that her wife and former Lyon teammate Ellie Carpenter is on her way to Chelsea in exchange for Canadian international Ashley Lawrence.

• For their part, OL Lyonness picked up Norwegian defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent.

Bottom line: With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect roster reshufflings to ramp up before the league resumes play on August 1st.

Wave honors Alex Morgan

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan’s No. 13 jersey on September 7th.

• Morgan is the first-ever Wave player to receive the honor, retiring in 2024 as the club’s leading scorer with 23 goals in just over two seasons.

• She also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield while making two postseason appearances in 2022 and 2023.

A lasting legacy: “Alex’s legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women’s soccer is today,” said Wave FC Governor Lauren Leichtman in this morning’s statement.

• Morgan joined the Southern California squad’s ownership group last month, saying “San Diego is where I’ve built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career.”

PWHL teams take shape

The 2025 PWHL Draft has arrived, as the newly expanded eight-team league kicks off its third entry draft tonight while continuing to stock rosters with new signings and front office reshuffling.

• Incoming expansion teams Vancouver and Seattle have hired head coaches in recent weeks, with the Canadian side bringing on former St. Cloud State University coach Brian Idalski while Seattle picked up ex-Oshawa Generals coach Steve O’Rourke.

• Players are also on the move, with postseason standouts like Ottawa’s Danielle Serdachny and Montréal’s Mikyla Grant-Mentis joining Hilary Knight in Seattle while Toronto star Sarah Nurse and Montréal’s Jennifer Gardiner head to Vancouver.

• The New York Sirens hold the first draft pick for the second straight year, with reigning champion Minnesota and the expansion teams bringing up the rear of the order.

Tune in: The PWHL Draft streams live on YouTube tonight, starting at 7 PM ET.

Number of the day 

57.1%

Selected 18th overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Atlanta Dream rookie Te-Hina Paopao now leads the league in three-point shooting with 57.1% accuracy.