Lynx rookie Olivia Miles soars over Phoenix

Another USWNT great will get her flowers this October.

Lynx rookie Olivia Miles soars over Phoenix

No. 1 Minnesota came out on top last night, escaping No. 12 Phoenix 104-101 behind another record showing from Rookie of the Year favorite Olivia Miles.

• Dropping a career-high 33 points, Miles became the fastest WNBA player to reach 400 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists — accomplishing the feat in just 22 games.

• “The success of the team is on her shoulders, and that is impressive how she’s handled it,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said of her No. 2 draft pick. (Watch full highlights)

Big ups: As star forward Napheesa Collier nears a return from injury, Minnesota’s early-season success — and Miles’s smooth transition to the pros — has kept the Lynx firmly in front.

• “That’s just unheard of, the IQ she has as a rookie,” Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner said of Miles. “Kudos to her. She’s done a good job.”

• “I want to continue to watch [Miles] have as much fun as possible,” said Minnesota guard Kayla McBride — who added 37 points of her own against Phoenix. “She’s just so talented and so competitive.” (See full report)

Up next: Minnesota hosts No. 9 LA tomorrow at 1 PM ET (WNBA League Pass), while Phoenix welcomes No. 15 Connecticut on Friday at 10 PM ET (ION).

Golden State takes WNBA odds by storm

As the season reaches its midway point, daylight is emerging between WNBA Finals contenders and underdogs — and the sportsbooks are responding.

• In just its second year, Golden State rose to fourth on the championship odds board, leapfrogging Atlanta to sit at +900 on FanDuel and DraftKings.

• The Valkyries trail frontrunners Minnesota (+160), Las Vegas (+310), and New York (+450), while the Dream caps the Top 5 with 13-1 odds to win the title. (See full report)

Numbers game: Bookmakers remain divided on potential upsets, with FanDuel favoring Indiana (+1700) over Dallas (+1900) for the sixth-shortest odds.

• DK Sports gives the Fever and Wings an even split at +1800, while all other teams weigh in at +15,000 or longer.

• This season’s longest shot is also up for debate, as FanDuel has Portland bringing up the rear at +50,000, while DK puts Connecticut at the bottom with a 1000-1 chance at a ring. (See full odds)

Wimbledon rattles the WTA rankings

Wimbledon shook up the WTA rankings this week, as players saw their All England Club results reflected in some significant status shifts.

• Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina remained at No. 1 and No. 2, while US contenders Jessica Pegula rose one spot to No. 3, and Coco Gauff surged three spots to No. 4 on the heels of her first London semifinal.

• Champion Linda Nosková jumped five spots to No. 7 after her first-career Grand Slam win, pulling in behind fellow finalist Karolína Muchová after her own three-point boost. (See full report)

Chutes & ladders: Reigning champion Iga Świątek saw the steepest Top 10 drop, falling from No. 3 to No. 8 after her fourth-round upset.

• 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisimova fell three spots to No. 9, while new No. 10 Elina Svitolina dropped two and Mirra Andreeva held fast at No. 5.

• Two fan favorites continued to rise, as Naomi Osaka leapt one spot to No. 13 while Alexandra Eala reached a career-high No. 28. (See full rankings)

Up next: The WTA now returns to the hard court, with the Canadian Open kicking off August 2nd in Toronto.

Add JWS Spot to your itinerary.

Before tipoff, we’re taking over Bottom Lounge for an afternoon of player appearances, exclusive merch, free drinks for the first 100 guests, giveaways, and a 1996-inspired celebration of the game.

Whether you’re flying in with friends or meeting up with basketball fans you’ve only known through group chats, JWS Spot is the place to start your weekend.

📍 Bottom Lounge, Chicago

⏰ July 25th | 2-6 PM

Be there: Grab your free ticket today.

Williams sisters eye US Open comeback

Venus and Serena Williams are back in the headlines, as speculation surrounding the sisters’ US Open plans grows following Serena’s singles return in London.

• The pair were slated for a doubles run at Wimbledon, but their bid was derailed after Serena tweaked her knee during her first-round singles loss.

• “Her intention is to keep playing — the US Open as well,” Serena’s coach Rennae Stubbs said after her All England Club exit. (See full report)

Rumor mill: Serena has also been linked to Spanish men’s star Carlos Alcaraz as a possible US Open mixed doubles partner, should he return from a longterm wrist injury in time to enter the draw.

• “As long as physically she can go — and I’m hoping in a few weeks that’s the case — [the goal is] to get her back on the court and hitting balls,” Stubbs continued. (See full report)

ESPN’s ‘Women’s Sports Sundays’ does numbers

ESPN’s investment is is paying off, as the newly debuted Women’s Sports Sundays is reporting strong WNBA and AUSL audience turnouts.

• WNBA broadcasts are averaging 1.3 million viewers through 10 games — up 6% over last season — while pro softball games are averaging 204,000 viewers to mark a 213% year-over-year increase.

• Last Sunday’s Fever vs Aces showdown earned top WNBA ratings, peaking at 1.8 million for a 53% boost over 2025’s regular-season viewership. (See full report)

Big bet: ESPN’s decision to replace the long-running Sunday Night Baseball with a women’s sports block raised offseason eyebrows, though the math appears to be working in the media giant’s favor.

• The WNBA’s entire TV deal totals $280 million across six networks, while MLB’s Sunday night programming alone runs $200 million per year.

Quote of the day

Wings guard Paige Bueckers
on creating more opportunities for Black coaches in the WNBA.