Paige Bueckers, A’ja Wilson headline WNBA All-Star starters

Alex Eala inspired the best photo of Wimbledon’s first three rounds during her win on Saturday.

Indiana trio headlines WNBA All-Star starters

The Indiana Fever will be well represented at the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, as the trio of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell headlined the announced All-Star starters on Thursday.

• Minnesota and Dallas also earned multiple starting bids, as Lynx standouts Natasha Howard and Olivia Miles got All-Star nods, joined by Dallas talents Paige Bueckers and Jessica Shepard.

• Aces forward A’ja Wilson, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, and Valkyries forward Gabby Williams round out the group of 10 All-Stars.

Big picture: With starters voted in by the fans, media, and players, some All-Star processes came under fire after last week’s returns — as reports of low player participation followed reactions to the biggest snubs.

• “It’s shocking, but yet not surprising,” Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts said of guard Kelsey Plum missing the top ten, as she sits second in the league in points per game, despite currently nursing an ankle injury.

• "For us not to have anyone was just a slap in the face, but they're not going to say anything. I am,” said Atlanta forward Angel Reese, on behalf of teammates Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.

What’s next: The league’s coaches will pick the 2026 All-Star reserves, to be announced on Tuesday.

Rodman leads Washington in NWSL return

The NWSL returned from its summer break with a bang this weekend, and the Washington Spirit are continuing to climb the table after a 2-1 win over Houston on Friday.

• Star Spirit forward Trinity Rodman played hero for her side, scoring the opener in the 50th minute before overcoming Houston forward Kate Faasse’s equalizer with a stoppage time game winner.

• "Honestly, in the actual box, I don't even know what happened for it to get through,” Rodman said of her winning goal. “I just know that once we got scored on, I was just like, ‘we've gotta go.’"

Big picture: The win launched Washington into 3rd place in the NWSL standings, as momentum reset league-wide after taking the entirety of June off for regular season play.

• No. 4 Utah suffered their first loss in 10 games on Sunday in a 3-2 loss against No. 14 Chicago, while No. 7 Gotham couldn’t back up their Challenge Cup win in a 2-0 loss to No. 1 San Diego.

• “It's a long [season],” said Gotham manager Juan Carlos Amoros. “Today we lost a battle, but we are ready for the war.”

Valkyries carry win streak into Mystics matchup

The Golden State Valkyries’ winning roll continued this weekend, earning their third victory over Atlanta in 11 days 88-83 on Saturday to further strengthen their grip on the No. 3 spot in the WNBA standings.

• Golden State currently holds the WNBA’s longest winning streak at four games, led by guard Veronica Burton in scoring on Saturday with 21 points — holding off a 22-point performance from Atlanta guard Allisha Gray.

• "You just gotta keep playing — the refs are trash," Gray said, unhappy with Saturday’s officiating. "But we're moving on from that. Just gotta lock in, stick to the game plan, just keep playing aggressive.”

Big picture: Golden State will bring their smothering defense again tonight against Washington, who hold the No. 8 spot in the WNBA standings after winning five of their last seven games.

• Washington will be hoping for the return of leading scorer Sonia Citron, who had to sit out the Mystics’ win over Atlanta on Thursday with a right knee injury, fresh off a 32-point performance against Portland in quadruple overtime.

• “Sonia’s special, she’s a really, really, really good player,” said Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson. “Obviously we’re at our best when she’s out there.”

Tune in: Golden State takes on Washington tonight at 7:30 ET, live on LeaguePass.

Catch up on the latest women’s soccer headlines, as an all-new episode of The Late Sub presented by Ally Bank dishes up host Claire Watkins’s hottest takes on all things USWNT, NWSL, Champions League, and more.

• In the episode, Claire digs into recent NWSL transfer window movement, grading each chaotic transaction across the league.

• She digs into Sam Kerr reportedly signing with Gotham, before hashing out Kennedy Fuller to Bay FC, Ally Sentnor to Angel City, and — in another California twist — ACFC cutting ties with head coach Alex Straus.

Tune in: Catch The Late Sub with Claire Watkins on YouTube.

Ally Bank, Member FDIC.

Naomi Osaka shocks Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka earned a signature win at Wimbledon on Sunday, handing World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka her first straight set defeat at a major tournament since 2020.

• The Round of 16 win propelled Osaka to her first Wimbledon quarterfinal round, earning the 28-year-old her best Grand Slam run off hardcourt in her career, and her first win over a World No. 1 since 2019.

• “It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun on the court,” Osaka said after the match. “And to do it here, it really means a lot.”

Big picture: Wimbledon is guaranteed a new women’s singles winner for the 10th straight season after this weekend’s action, with former winners Barbora Krejcikova, Elena Rybakina, and Iga Swiatek all suffering upsets.

• No. 7 Coco Gauff saw her own breakthrough, reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time to set up an all-US matchup against No. 4 Jessica Pegula.

Tune in: The Wimbledon Round of 16 continues today, live on ESPN.

Caitlin Clark addresses online hate after flagrant foul

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark addressed online harassment on Friday, after Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas told reporters she has been fielding death threats since committing a flagrant foul on Clark two weeks ago.

• "The harassment, the hate — none of that is okay," Clark said. "There should never be question of character, I've always stood up here and said that. And that's truly what I believe, that's how I was raised.”

• "I think for the league as a whole, there's been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia, straight up hateful nonsense, and it is absolutely unacceptable," Fever head coach Stephanie White said on Wednesday.

Big picture: Clark also took aim at the WNBA’s refereeing standards and how they impact player safety, as well as the lack of league resources to systemically improve officiating.

• "Overall, the league just has to do better. We have to invest in those areas,” she said. “Technology can get better; we can treat the referees a little bit better, pay them like they're full-time employees.”

Quote of the day

Tennis star Serena Williams
after having to withdraw from the women’s doubles draw at Wimbledon with her sister Venus, suffering a knee injury in her first round singles loss.