WONDERFUL NEWS IN THE EMERALD CITY

The WNBA preseason officially kicks off this weekend, and the Seattle Storm received the best news possible.

In Issue 067 of the Women’s Basketball Roundup, we discussed the plight of Dominique Malonga. In October, Malonga withdrew from Fenerbahçe due to a lingering wrist injury. Fener objected and threatened to prevent her from playing in the upcoming WNBA season. Fortunately, that option has been avoided.

On April 22, ESPN’s Alexa Phillippou reported that Malonga received a letter of clearance from FIBA so she can play in the WNBA. For those of us unaware, here’s a helpful explanation:

With Malonga all clear, the Storm will have one of the most intriguing frontcourts in the WNBA in 2026.

Malonga, Ezi Magbegor, and Awa Fam provide a tremendous amount of length and athleticism that should create plenty of trouble for opponents. They’ll also look to use their athleticism to create advantages on offense.

As Seattle looks to establish their identity, this training camp will be a great opportunity for them to find out what works best.

On the latest edition of Tempestade Talk, Erica L. Ayala and Roberta F. Rodrigues discussed some early observations from Storm camp

“We’re just trying to get down the floor as quickly as we can and then we’re going to make decisions out of it,” Storm head coach Sonia Raman said. “Get up the floor and run. Push the ball. That’s also going to translate obviously on the defensive end with the ability to pressure the ball knowing the help that we have behind, knowing the length, the deflection.”

The Storm have a lot going for them. With a new head coach and young stars ready to take over, their future looks incredibly promising.

The 2026 season doesn’t figure to be a championship season, but if they can take positive steps forward, they’ll be contending sooner than we think.

Here’s what you need to know today:

🌟 It’s star time
The LA Sparks hope to return to prominence in 2026.

⛹🏽‍♀️ Upcoming games
The WNBA pre-season is officially underway!

💰 Money moves
The WNBA might be in a bit of a pickle…

📰 What we’re reading
Some great writing that’s come across our desks.

THE LA SPARKS LOOK TO BUILD A NEW FUTURE

The 2020s have not been kind to the Los Angeles Sparks.

The team hasn’t appeared in the postseason since 2020. Franchise icons have departed and gone on to achieve success elsewhere. And with the level of competition continuing to develop, their failures become even more pronounced. It has been difficult, but things are starting to look up.

When L.A. signed Nneka Ogwumike in free agency earlier this month, it was a welcome return for the former MVP after spending two seasons with the Seattle Storm.

Since Nneka’s departure, the Sparks have been working hard to rebuild their roster and invest more into the team. So far, things are moving in the right direction.

“I always say that the killer combination is investment and engagement, and so I'm seeing both at very high levels, and it permeates every aspect of the organization,” Ogwumike said.

“Whether it's basketball ops, front office, player experience, practice facility, it's just something that I've always believed was our standard, and not only have we matched what our expectations were, but we're now exceeding it in a timeline that I think is much faster than I ever expected.”

Even with the acquisitions of Ogwumike and Ariel Atkins, the Sparks face some tough competition. On We Need to Talk, Erica L. Ayala and Alicia Jay took a tour around the WNBA to discuss the big winners from free agency

2026 will be a huge year for the Sparks. Led by ownership that wants to win now and talent eager to break through, everything is lining up for them to get back to the playoffs.

As we celebrate 30 years of the WNBA, one of its original franchises hope to join in on the fun.

Here’s the schedule for the next few days

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Houston, we have a problem!

Following the sale of the Connecticut Sun, the WNBA plans to have the Houston Comets return in 2027. The WNBA will be back in Houston for the first time since 2008 and fan excitement is throughout.

However, there’s one big issue that needs to be addressed.

Danielle Lerner of USA Today reported that the WNBA allowed the trademark to the Houston Comets name lapse in 2021. They also allowed the trademarks to the Detroit Shock and Cleveland Rockers to expire, and those names were eventually picked up by the Women’s Basketball League.

Back to Houston, we learned that the group seeking to obtain the Houston Comets is a company named TSTM Holdings. Based out of Delaware, the company is involved in various forms of entertainment and is linked to Houston rapper and entrepreneur Travis Scott.

In court filings, the WNBA is accusing TSTM Holdings of not wanting to do anything with the Comets name and using the goodwill the WNBA built for the Comets for their own purposes. As business continues to grow in the WNBA, having the Comets back in a major US city can go a long way in maintaining their momentum.

“WNBAE has continued to engage in marketing and licensing of various goods and services relating to the storied Houston Comets basketball team, as the pending applications noted below help demonstrate,” the league’s attorneys wrote in court filings.

“Indeed, with the recent surge of fandom for women’s sports and women’s basketball in particular – fueled in part by recent stars like Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese – there has been more interest in the WNBA and its teams than ever, and along with it, the corresponding protection of the WNBA brands.”

The WNBA is in a messy situation.

The Connecticut Sun sale was chaotic and hurt the league’s reputation. Now that there are issues related to the name of the Houston franchise, it adds one more layer of frustration for fans.

There’s still time to settle this issue, but it’s not looking good right now.

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

Here’s what we’re reading:

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