Unrivaled drops reshuffled Season 3 rosters

Golden State guard Kaitlyn Chen’s hot dog army is blitzing the Bay.

Unrivaled drops reshuffled Season 3 rosters

Unrivaled is shaking things up, as the annual draft reshuffled all eight six-player lineups ahead of the 3×3 league’s Season 3 tipoff.

• Breeze BC paired young core Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga with newcomer Kaitlyn Chen while Hive BC reunites Notre Dame alums Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron.

• Defending champion Mist BC held onto stars Arike Ogunbowale, Veronica Burton, and Breanna Stewart, while Napheesa Collier (Lunar Owls), Kelsey Plum (Phantom BC), and Gabby Williams (Laces BC) headline rival clubs. (See full rosters)

How it works: Each club plays 14 games over eight weeks, with a $250,000 midseason 1v1 tournament, $100,000 minimum salary, and $600,000 title purse.

• The Miami-based upstart is hitting the road in 2027, staging regular-season clashes in eight new markets including stops in New York, Boston, and LA. 

• “I couldn’t be more excited to step back onto the floor,” said Vinyl BC coach Teresa Weatherspoon. “This league is all about competition, and we are going to be relentless.” (See full schedule)

Stay tuned: Unrivaled tips off Season 3 on Friday, January 8th at 7:30 PM ET (TNT).

UConn visits Michigan in Top 5 NCAA test

A marquee NCAA matchup is tipping off, as No. 2 UConn travels to Ann Arbor to face No. 5 Michigan for Crisler Center’s first-ever Top 5 showdown.

• The Wolverines nearly upset the 2025 champion last November, erasing a 20-point deficit before falling 72-69 in UConn’s tightest win of the year.

• Tonight’s clash tips off four straight ranked games for the Huskies, as No. 10 Iowa, No. 18 Ohio State, and No. 7 Louisville wait in the wings. (See full schedule)

Scouting report: Michigan opens its 2026/27 campaign hot off a program-best preseason ranking, as All-Big Ten picks Olivia Olson and Syla Swords strive to better last season’s 28-7 finish.

• UConn routed Cornell 100-35 on Monday behind Sarah Strong’s career-high eight steals, as coach Geno Auriemma targets another undefeated run.

• “I would expect it to be a great game, and I think the challenge is going on the road, your first road game,” Auriemma said. “That’s why you schedule teams like this — you know you’re going to be tested.” (See full remarks)

Tune in: UConn takes on Michigan tonight at 6:30 PM ET (FS1).

2026 IIHF World Championship hits the ice

Top talent is hitting the ice, as the 2026 IIHF World Championship kicks off Friday with reigning Olympic and Worlds champion USA Hockey leading the pack.

• The revamped 10-team field is split into two groups, with the US opening group-stage play against Switzerland while arch-rival Canada faces Sweden.

• The Canadians chase redemption without injured veteran Marie-Philip Poulin, looking to bounce back after suffering two title-game losses to returning captain Hilary Knight’s US squad. (See full rosters)

Costume drama: Amid a months-long jersey rights fight with the IIHF, both titans will skate in generic kits showcasing country names instead of their national crests.

• The rivalry still promises to bring the heat, with Canada and the US historically swapping titles as the 36-year-old tournament’s only champions. 

• “You learn so much from these tournaments,” said Team USA Olympic MVP Caroline “KK” Harvey. “There are ups and downs — especially in the finals against Canada — and those experiences teach you how to overcome adversity.” (See full schedule)

Tune in: The IIHF World Championship starts Friday at 1 PM ET (NHL Network).

Launching this week, Talk Footy To Me is for the fans who’ve been watching since the first whistle — and will keep watching until after the trophy is raised.

• Time Wasting hosts Kelley O’Hara and Ali Riley are chatting with the WoSo faithful, fielding hot takes, postseason predictions, match reactions, and more via the all-new Talk Footy To Me hotline.

• Show off your soccer head status with the Talk Footy To Me collection, featuring limited edition JWS gear just in time for the NWSL playoffs.

Get loud: Call 1-833-TALKFTY to have your voice heard and browse the full Talk Footy To Me lineup now via the JWS Shop.

Nelly Korda wins 2026 LPGA Player of the Year

Nelly Korda is stacking trophies, as the world No. 1 locked up her second Rolex Player of the Year award with 239 points and two events left this season.

• The four-time major winner opened with six winning or runner-up finishes, building a lead she never dropped despite skipping the 2026 Asian swing.

• The race wrapped early after Haeran Ryu (176 points) withdrew from the Maybank Championship with injury, while Miyu Yamashita (156 points) and Jeeno Thitikul (155 points) pulled out of next week’s The Annika 2026, putting the title mathematically out of reach. (See full report)

Stay tuned: The award gives the 28-year-old US standout her 27th Hall of Fame point, putting her just one win away from securing the sport’s biggest honor.

• “I think it’s an amazing accomplishment and it would be one of the best achievements of my career for sure,” Korda said of her HOF prospects.

Candace Parker launches HBCU fellowship

Candace Parker is paying it forward, as the two-time WNBA MVP partnered with the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program to launch a sports media fellowship for students from historically Black colleges and universities.

• Candidates land paid summer internships in LA, New York, or Atlanta, alongside dedicated housing, mentorship, and professional development.

• The fellowship aims to break down the barriers that can deter HBCU students from pursuing jobs in the sports media field. 

Chasing dreams: Few understand the athlete-to-broadcaster transition better than Parker, who found success in front of the camera after her 2024 WNBA retirement.

• “I’ve spent my whole career in sports, first on the court and now behind the mic, and I know what it means when someone opens the door for you,” she said. (See full report)

Quote of the day

WNBA champion Gabby Williams
thanking her ride-or-die — Liberty star Marine Johannes — at the Valkyries’ victory parade.