Brittney Griner and USC's Superteam Era

Racing in Miami.

The 2024 WNBA preseason tips off tonight (!). WNBA legend Candace Parker is leaving the court after 16 seasons. USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara is also retiring, and the next Women’s World Cup will be in Brazil or Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. PS: Coco Gauff reviewed “Challengers” on Instagram Live (spoiler: she’s a fan).

Emma Hayes’ Glittering 12-Year Chelsea Reign Set to End Without Title (Forbes)
The USWNT’s next coach is wrapping up her tenure as Chelsea’s manager, and it looks like she’s going to end this season trophyless. The disappointment has fans and journalists wondering: “Has Hayes’ departure been a distraction for Chelsea?”

The Athletic Ranks the Professional Women’s Hockey League 2024 Draft Prospects (The Athletic)
An exact date for the 2024 PWHL Draft is still TBA, but it’ll take place sometime in June per an announcement from the league. In the meantime, check out The Athletic’s list of the 30 NCAA players poised to be prime picks. (Fingers crossed LA gets an expansion team soon.)

USC Enters Superteam Era With Transfer Portal Gains (Just Women’s Sports)
The Trojans are amping up their star power in an effort to become a title contender. Talia von Oelhoffen (Oregon State) and Kiki Iriafen (Stanford) are both joining SC’s already-stacked roster. PS: Across town, UCLA is building a superteam of its own.

Gabby Douglas Returns to Competitive Gymnastics and Qualifies for U.S. Championships (NBC News)
After an eight-year hiatus, Gabby Douglas is back. The three-time Olympic gold medalist recently qualified for the USA Gymnastics Championships, which will take place later this month. It brings her one step closer to potentially competing at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris.

Zambia’s Women Could Be Barred from Football at Olympics After FIFA Steps In (The Guardian)
The team may not be allowed to compete due to the president and general secretary of Zambia’s football association (plus two other staffers) being charged with money laundering. Zambia is slated to play in the same group as the United States, Germany, and Australia. TBD if they’ll be permitted to play.

Bianca Bustamante Has Been Racing Against Boys Since She Was Six. Now She’s 19—And Out to Make History in Formula 1 (Vogue)
Bustamante is competing in the F1 Academy, an all-women racing series. In her interview with Vogue, she talks about training, battling the boys club, and her ambitions in motorsport. This weekend, she’ll take the grid in Miami in round two of the academy’s seven-round season.

“I Will Never Forget Any of It”: Brittney Griner Is Ready to Talk (The New York Times Magazine*)
In an interview with J Wortham for The New York Times Magazine, Brittney Griner opens up about her experience in Russian prison. It’s a harrowing read that offers an intimate window into the WNBA star’s mindset then and now. I highly encourage everyone to read it. *Gift link.

Fast Break…

A few quick moments of joy.

• This Caitlin Clark crawl is too good (the basketball 😂)

• FC Barcelona Femeni is flying in style 🛫🛫🛫

• Chug chug chug