The past four years have been anything but easy for the United States Women’s National Team. A third-place finish in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics followed by a quarterfinal exit in the 2023 World Cup proved that.

But the beginning of 2024 provided hope. It also brought something that’s been missing in the past few years — a feeling of connectedness between the fans and the team.

The excitement of a new manager on the horizon, combined with winning the Concacaf W Gold Cup, made it seem more plausible that the USWNT can one day return to dominance. The team was beginning to gel. We received glimpses of what the personality of the new-look squad will look like for years to come. It felt like there was much to look forward to now that we knew the version of the USWNT we were supporting.

All excitement came to a crashing halt when the social media activity of midfielder Korbin Albert came to light.

Albert had reposted several anti-LGBTQ+ TikToks stating that being gay or transgender is wrong. She also liked an Instagram post saying that the Achilles injury that queer soccer icon Megan Rapinoe suffered in her final game was a “miracle” performed by God.

A large portion of the USWNT fanbase identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Many fans — myself included — were inspired by Rapinoe’s unwavering confidence to be authentic. This was also projected by several of her teammates on the 2015 and 2019 World Cup-winning squads. It provided a community for sports fans who historically haven’t felt like they belonged.

A sense of trust was broken with Albert’s comments. The irony is, that the athlete at the center of it all was (at the time) wearing Rapinoe’s number 15 — something that became a symbol of pride over the span of Rapinoe’s career.

The excitement surrounding the USWNT returned during the group stage of the Olympics. The squad won all three matches for the first time since 2012. It feels like this team can win gold again and return to where it belongs — at the top of the podium in a World Championship.

U.S. Soccer seemingly expects winning to heal everything and for a moment, I did let the situation slip my mind. Then, Albert scored her first international goal in a 2-1 win over Australia.

It was an incredible goal attempted from the edge of the box. Her teammates immediately went to celebrate and physically embrace her like they have metaphorically throughout the recent months.

New USWNT head coach Emma Hayes and the American players have repeatedly expressed that Albert is putting in the work behind the scenes to grow and learn how to use her platform in a more positive way. Meanwhile, fans are still hurting and some have even taken to booing Albert each time she steps on the field.

“I want the fans to embrace Korbin because I do,” Hayes said in June. “I think she’s a tremendous human being.”

My take on the whole situation: U.S. Soccer is doing a disservice to the soccer community, to the team and even to Albert herself for not being transparent.

Hayes insists that Albert is “truly sorry” and is engaging in the process of growth. Hayes also said after the Australia match that the team wants “an environment where people feel they can be their self.” Nothing has been shown, however, of Albert’s educational journey or how U.S. Soccer plans to make the environment more welcoming.

I’m someone who always believes that people have the ability to evolve and change for the better. To be fair, Albert is only 20 years old and hasn’t been in the professional landscape for very long. The issue is that this all started as a public situation — U.S. Soccer can’t let the part where she makes amends stay private.

The other element to this is that U.S. Soccer never really condemned Albert’s social media activity. It was USWNT captains Linsey Horan and Alex Morgan who spoke to the media in April about their disappointment. The organization itself never released a statement.

Some people are saying that Albert has the right to post or say what she wants because sports should be a space where all viewpoints are welcome. I do agree that everyone has a place in sports regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion and political party. Feeling that the ability to love who you love is wrong and mocking injury is where a line was crossed. So many members of the USWNT fanbase feel excluded from being fans of other sports, and U.S. Soccer shouldn’t have the right to take this team away from them too.

With injury and yellow card suspension impacting the U.S. starting 11, it’s likely that Albert may get her first Olympic start on Saturday against Japan. There will probably be more boos in the crowd when Albert's name is announced at the beginning of the quarterfinal match — and U.S. Soccer is staying complicit with that happening unless it steps in.

Fans aren’t going to let this slide under the rug, even if the U.S. wins a gold medal. Until then, U.S. Soccer will continue to hurt everyone involved.

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The Summer Olympics are back once again — and this time with fans in attendance!

The Games return to Paris for the third time ever and the first since 1924. The world’s best athletes from 32 different sports will compete with 329 medal events taking place.

Below, I break down the top six storylines I’m most excited about (since I couldn’t narrow it down to just five).

USA Track and Field’s biggest competitors have eyes on gold — and world records

I had the pleasure of covering the U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field at Hayward Field last month. While I was already looking forward to the Olympics, I’m now even more eager to see how American track and field stars fare on the biggest stage.

The big-name American sprinters are who stand out to many people. The reigning World Champion and U.S. star Sha’Carri Richardson opens as the favorite in the 100-meter at her first Olympics. She’ll be matching up against Jamaican legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. It should be a closely contested competition but it’ll be a great story if Richardson gets her hands on the gold.

On the men’s side, Noah Lyles is keen to win four gold medals. The American sprinter won both the 100 meters and 200 meters in Budapest at the World Championships last year. Even though he broke Michael Johnson’s 28-year trial record in the 200-meter and is favored to win at the Olympics, the odds favor Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in the 100-meter. If Lyles does pull off the double, it may elevate his name into a whole other conversation as to where he stands among track and field greats.

The field event I’m enthusiastic to see is the men’s high jump. One of the best Olympic moments in Tokyo was when Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi and Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim agreed to share the gold medal. Both will return to the Olympics, with Tamberi entering as the favorite and Barshim appearing in what will be his final Games.

Overall, the athlete I’m most interested in watching is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Paris will be her third Olympic Games despite being only 24 years old. I watched McLaughlin-Levrone break her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the trials last month — a record she didn’t even intend on breaking in that race. She runs faster over hurdles than some of the athletes entered in the 400 meters run on flat ground. McLaughlin-Levrone won gold in Tokyo and is expected to defend her title. I wouldn’t be surprised if she breaks her world record on her way there.

Will Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles add to their medal totals?

Swimmer Katie Ledecky and gymnast Simone Biles are already two of the most decorated American athletes of all time. They have the opportunity to add more iconic moments to their illustrious careers in Paris.

Ledecky enters her fourth Games with 10 Olympic medals (seven of them gold). Meanwhile, Biles will appear in the Games for the third time and has seven medals.

Even though the two compete in very different sports, you leave with the same feeling after watching them: total awe.

At the Olympic Trials last month, Ledecky finished first in all four of her events. She didn’t just win all her competitions, though, she dominated them. She clocked in 20 seconds before the next best time in the 1,500-meter freestyle. She had already caught her breath by the time anyone else came into the frame. Ledecky owns each of the top 19 times ever at 1,500 meters — and you can argue that it’s not even her best event.

Biles returned to competitive gymnastics in 2023 and hasn’t missed a beat. She swept the U.S. Gymnastic Championships at the beginning of June and extended her record there to nine gold medals. Weeks later, at the Olympic Trials, she won the all-around title to clinch her spot on Team USA once again.

I’ll admit that I’m not an avid viewer of swim or gymnastics. You don’t even have to be into sports to know Ledecky's and Biles’ names. In my opinion, competitors like these two are what makes the Olympics so special — for 18 days, we’re captivated by something that we only pay attention to once every four years, all because of the superhuman ability of the world’s greatest athletes and what they represent outside of competition.

Is the USWNT in trouble?

Both men’s and women’s soccer began their tournaments before the opening ceremony. The USWNT already has a 3-0 win over Zambia under its belt. Still, there are concerns surrounding the team.

The squad finished their Olympic tune-up with a pair of below-standard performances against Mexico and Costa Rica. Even more concerning is the amount of injuries that the Americans have already dealt with one game into the tournament.

Catarina Macario was originally listed on the 18-player roster but was replaced by Lynn Williams due to a lingering knee injury. Right before the first match, it was announced that midfielder Jaedyn Shaw was going to miss the Zambia match with a leg injury. Croix Bethune took her spot on the matchday squad and is now medal-eligible if the USWNT makes the podium. Then, star forward Sophia Smith was subbed off against Zambia with an undisclosed injury.

The severity of the injuries to Shaw and Smith and how they impact the team are to be seen. Not having a squad at 100 percent, though, isn’t a good sign for a team that has upcoming battles against Germany and Australia.

Luckily for the U.S., picking up three points in its first match is a much better start than it had at the 2020 Olympics. It should be good enough to advance to the knockout rounds as long as it defeats at least one of Germany or Australia. The frontline of Smith, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman looked especially confident in the opening game. If Smith is healthy, this may be a team that can go far — but it will likely need to beat the reigning World Champion Spain or the host nation France to win gold.

(For more about the USWNT’s Olympic journey, check out my previous article)

Men’s Basketball: USA domination, a new-look France team and “the Group of Death”

There’s been “The Dream Team.” Then there was “The Redeem Team.” Some are calling the 2024 team “The Avengers.”

The USA assembled a team that the rest of the world really ought to be afraid of. LeBron James teaming up with Steph Curry and Kevin Durant is already a death sentence for opposing defenders. Joining them will be NBA MVP Joel Embiid, future MVP Anthony Edwards, NBA 75 member Anthony Davis and more.

It’s going to be a fun summer for USA Basketball and an opportunity to see three of the greatest players of all time in Curry, Durant and James play together for the first and (likely) last time.

Besides the USA, I’m looking forward to watching France compete. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, could lead his country to a spot on the podium as he plays alongside four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. They’ll have plenty of help from other current and former NBA players, such as Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum, Killian Hayes and Frank Ntilikina.

But the group to watch in the opening phase of the tournament is Group A. It was announced that Spain, Greece, Australia and Canada will all compete in the same group. That means one to two of those countries won’t make it to the knockout rounds.

Greece is in its first Olympics since 2008 but is led by two-time NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Canada has quite the squad of NBA players representing it too, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray and RJ Barrett. Then, there’s Australia and Spain, both of which have been consistently successful in the Games.

The dominance of players such as Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama, Gilgeous-Alexander and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic in the NBA has proved that the rest of the world can compete with the U.S. It will be an exciting tournament for basketball.

Spanish stars team up and Coco Gauff makes her Olympics debut

Casual sports fans may not usually gravitate to tennis at the Games. This summer is primed to be an unprecedented Olympics for the sport.

First off, we’ll see the final Olympics for several legends. Great Britain’s Andy Murray announced that he’ll retire after the tournament. Murray won three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals across his career. He withdrew from the singles tournament, but will still play doubles. Spanish star Rafael Nadal is also expected to retire at the end of the season. He won the Olympic gold in 2008 in singles and in 2016 in doubles. In addition, Nadal won 22 Grand Slam titles — including 14 on clay.

I’m thrilled to watch Nadal compete alongside Spanish wunderkind Carlos Alcaraz in Paris. The King of Clay will join forces with the reigning Roland-Garros champion. Alcaraz has won two of the three Grand Slam singles titles this season. It’ll be poetic to see Nadal play with the heir to the throne before the end of his career — and get to do it on a clay court.

In women’s tennis, I’m most excited to watch American prodigy Coco Gauff play. Gauff was supposed to represent the U.S. at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but had to withdraw due to testing positive for COVID-19. The 20-year-old will instead make her debut this year in both singles and doubles (alongside World No. 6, Jessica Pegula). It’ll be a difficult path to gold in both competitions, but it’ll be entertaining to see the young U.S. Open champion appear in her first — of likely many — Olympic Games.

USA Women’s Basketball is looking for its eighth straight gold medal

One word that describes USA women’s basketball is historic. The men have won the Olympics quite a bit. The women’s team, however, is going for its eighth straight gold medal.

This iteration of the team is just as scary as it was the past seven Olympics. It’s headlined by five-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi. Two-time WNBA MVPs A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart join her alongside former Olympians Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray and even more stars.

There are probably around five variations of what Team USA could look like to win the gold. As we saw last Saturday in its 117-109 defeat, Team WNBA was one of those possible versions of Team USA. There was a lot of chatter after the All-Star game questioning whether or not the USA selection committee made the right decisions when determining the squad. Personally, I’m not at all concerned. In 2021, Team WNBA also beat the Americans in the All-Star game. It ended up being arguably the toughest matchup on their journey to winning gold.

Paris will likely feature some of the greatest competition and parity we’ve seen in women’s basketball on the international stage. It might be the toughest road the USA has faced in a while to secure gold. The USA will be even more motivated by its recent loss and I expect dominant individual and team performances by the Americans this summer.

The 2024 Paris Olympics are set to begin on July 26 and will run through August 11. I’ll be writing highlights throughout the Olympics, as well as any random musings I have — all on Cranium Sports!

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The stakes for the United States Women’s National Team in the 2024 Olympics are higher than just winning or losing. The Americans will prove whether or not they can sustain the level of excellence they’ve shown over the past three decades or if this truly is the end of their dominance.

That sounds pretty dramatic (and it may be a bit of an overreaction), but the truth is, this Olympics will be very telling of what to expect from this next generation of the national team. And it all starts with new head coach Emma Hayes.

U.S. Soccer announced the hiring of Hayes in November 2023, only months after Vlatko Andonovski resigned from the position. She didn’t manage her first USWNT match until June due to the desire to finish out her 12-year stint with Chelsea. Hayes has one of the most successful careers coaching at the club level, but never managed an international team.

And what a nation to start your international coaching career with.

In my opinion, Hayes was the best choice for the job. Unfortunately, she still joins the team in less-than-ideal circumstances. Bringing in a new head coach in the middle of a cycle (which is considered a four-year period that’s capped off with the FIFA Women’s World Cup and then the Olympics) typically doesn’t lead to great results. It doesn’t help that she didn’t join the team in person until a month before the Games.

Hayes also inherited a USWNT that’s coming off its worst performance in any World Cup. The squad is in the middle of a drastic roster change. Veteran World Cup winners, like Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, retired and youngsters, such as Jaedyn Shaw, have entered the frame. This is a team without any sense of stability.

Hayes only had two matches with the team before determining her 18-player roster. Her first match was a 4-0 win over South Korea — the second-highest margin of victory of all-time in a U.S. coaching debut. The squad followed it up with a 3-0 win against the same opponent.

But this month, the USWNT faced off against Mexico and Costa Rica in a pair of send-off games. The team recorded 17 shot attempts to five versus Mexico but only found the back of the net once. Still, it defeated a team that it lost to earlier in the year. Then came the disappointing showing against Costa Rica. The Americans won all 17 of the matchups heading into the game but Costa Rica held on for a 0-0 draw.

The American’s send-off matches did the opposite of instilling confidence in them. Now, they have to face the difficult group containing Germany, Australia and Zambia — which is arguably not even the toughest group in this tournament.

This team is good — but is it really good enough to beat the likes of Spain and France later down the line?

I do think lackluster results in the USWNT’s friendlies will galvanize the players. It’s still a young team that’s in the early stages of learning under a new manager. I also doubt that this is a squad that will fail to make the knockout stage of the tournament. Finding a spot on the podium, however, will be beyond difficult.

The USWNT has won either the World Cup or the Olympics in each of the last seven cycles. Since it didn’t even make the third-place match at the 2023 World Cup, it’s gold medal or bust for the Americans.

Hayes has never coached a major international tournament. Many of the players on the roster have never made an Olympic squad. The team will be growing and learning as it goes. Regardless of the outcome, this tournament will provide the experience that this young national team requires as it embarks on a new era.

Paris is just the first taste of what the new generation will bring — but excellence is the standard for the U.S.

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The World Cup saw almost everything from upsets to first wins to a new champion crowned. It also showed the tremendous growth women’s sports have made since the first World Cup and how far the world still has to go.

Women’s sports grow in the host countries

In one of my recent posts, I mentioned the difference in enthusiasm and fan attendance at Australia women’s national team games in this tournament compared to in the past. That enthusiasm only grew the further they made it into the tournament.

The Matildas’ semifinal match against England was the most-watched television program in Australia since 2001. It peaked at 11.15 million viewers. That’s more than 40% of the country that tuned in, not including the thousands gathered at live sites.

Their government sees the importance of investing in women’s sports too. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced $200 million in funding for the Play Our Way program. The funding will go toward building new facilities and equipment for female athletes in hopes of getting more women and girls involved in sports.

Even though they didn’t win the home World Cup or the third-place match, fourth was still the highest the Matildas ever finished at a World Cup. More importantly, it “changed sport in Australia forever,” as Prime Minister Albanese said.

The same thing can be said about cohost New Zealand. No, the Ferns did not have the type of World Cup the Matildas had, as they failed to exit the Group Stage. They did, however, win their first World Cup match in their history and they did it against former champions Norway. That’s a tremendous achievement for any country, regardless of how many tournaments it took them to get that win. The 42,137 fans that watched the opener made up the largest crowd for any soccer match — men’s or women’s — in New Zealand’s history.

New Zealand has a ways to go to become a serious contender for major tournaments, but there is no doubt that their win and hosting of the World Cup inspired many young girls in New Zealand to pick up the sport.

Success for lower-ranked teams

This World Cup we saw a handful of teams outside of the FIFA top-15 rankings make it past the Group Stage. The teams ranked 20 or higher to reach the Round of 16 include Jamaica, Nigeria, Morocco, South Africa and Switzerland, with Colombia reaching the Quarterfinals.

Other nations failed to make it to the knockout rounds but still gave the top teams trouble. For example, No. 17 South Korea eliminated No. 2 Germany from advancing to the Round of 16 with a draw. Portugal almost did the same thing to the United States, but the Americans were saved by a clutch performance by the goalpost.

The takeaway from all of this is that the talent that currently exists in the women’s game is so strong that teams are able to thrive with little to no investment from their leagues and federations.

Many players haven’t had the opportunity to be noticed by the top clubs in the world because of the lack of investment and support they’ve had playing at the international level. That will likely change after the performances we saw in the World Cup. More players should have the chance to compete domestically at clubs that invest in them the way they deserve. That will elevate players’ games and give a boost to their national teams.

If federations are still ignoring their women’s teams after this World Cup, they won’t be able to for much longer.

What’s next

The 2023 Women’s World Cup was historic for women’s sports, whether we’re talking about attendance, television ratings or the competition being at an all-time high. It also gave us several reminders of how far the game still has to go.

I’ve already discussed how many teams are struggling to receive support from their federations. These battles will be ongoing and will take time to be resolved. Continued performances like the ones we’ve seen along with the fans backing the players will bring them closer to receiving fair treatment.

The U.S. made history in 2022 by finalizing equal pay between its men’s and women’s national teams. Unfortunately, almost no other country has reached a similar agreement with their federation. In the next couple of World Cups that number will hopefully improve.

The prize money coming from FIFA is also unequal. FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed that equal prize money for the next World Cup is the goal, but has been noncommittal. The players will undoubtedly keep pushing FIFA for what would be a tremendous milestone for women’s sports.

Everyone’s been reflecting on this World Cup thinking about how much progress we’ve made since 2019. In 2027, we’ll look back on this one in the same way. That’s what’s so exciting about the women’s game.

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Below are my thoughts on the final game of the tournament and the journey ahead for Spain.

England should be proud

England’s Women’s National Team made the World Cup final for the first in its history. Unfortunately, the Lionesses fell short of their ultimate goal.

Even though the English are disappointed with the result, they have much to be proud of. Other top-ranked teams faced early exits, but not the Lionesses. They stood strong and made it past talented, hungry teams like Nigeria and Colombia and ousted the host nation Australia in the semifinals. They dealt with injuries mid-tournament and a two-game red card suspension to Lauren James. England entered the tournament without three of its top players in Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby. It faced all sorts of adversity and still managed to make it further than it ever had before.

England will surely be back on this stage in the future, especially considering many of its key players are 25 years old or younger.

Spain’s goalscorer

Spain’s winning goal was scored by Olga Carmona in the 29th minute. It ended up being the only goal in the game after Mary Earps saved a penalty taken by Jenni Hermoso in the second half.

Carmona’s name will forever be etched in history. Not only was it the game-winner, but she became the seventh player in women’s World Cup history to score in both the semifinal and final of the same tournament. She also became the second youngest captain in a women’s World Cup final at 23 years of age.

Sadly, Carmona’s postgame celebration was met with grief. Hours after the win the Spanish Federation revealed the death of her father. According to Reuters, Carmona’s father had been battling a long illness.

Carmona posted Sunday evening, “And without knowing it, I had my Star before the game started. I know that you have given me the strength to achieve something unique. I know that you have been watching me tonight and that you are proud of me. Rest in peace dad.”

It’s devastating for Carmona to be dealing with such a loss while celebrating the biggest win of her career, but she certainly made her country proud.

Las 15

It’s hard not to think about the Spanish players that sat at home during this tournament.

In 2022, 15 players on the national team signed an email to the Spanish Football Federation calling for a change in the coaching structure of the team. The federation chose to ignore the concerns and instead backed Spanish coach Jorge Vilda, who was at the center of all concerns. This group of players, nicknamed Las 15, was not called up to the team’s following games.

Only three of Las 15 ended up being part of the World Cup squad, as well as two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas who was away from the team with an injury at the time the email was sent.

It’s heartbreaking that so many players were excluded from World Cup history because of retaliation by their federation. They may not have received medals like their teammates, but Spain wouldn’t have won without the sacrifices they made over the years. Their stance took a great deal of courage and one can only hope that the federation will eventually do the right thing and make the necessary structural changes.

Spain’s problems haven’t disappeared

Winning doesn’t change the treatment of the players. Spain was crowned champions, but the players did so despite the conditions they’ve dealt with.

It’s also unrealistic to expect Vilda to be fired and other changes to be made immediately after the trophy was lifted. It’s a battle that will likely go on for months, if not years, or longer.

The Spanish Federation didn’t take long to reiterate its stance on the situation. In response to fans calling for Vilda’s removal, the federation posted a picture of him captioned “Vilda In.”

Winning doesn’t fix everything and clearly, La Roja is still dealing with a lot of issues. There’s no predicting when changes will be made or if the members of Las 15 will ever be able to return to the squad. Conditions may even get worse before they get better. The difference now is that winning a World Cup holds up a magnifying glass to what’s happening within the federation. The world is now waiting — and many are demanding — for changes to be made.

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The Round of 16 and Quarterfinals saw the back-to-back reigning champions ousted and several thrilling penalty shootouts. New stars emerged on the biggest stage and some nations left the field with broken hearts.

Below are my top takeaways heading into the semifinals.

European Dominance

Earlier in this tournament, many fans were pleasantly surprised to see five teams outside the top 20 FIFA rankings — including three African nations — make it to the knockout rounds. Despite these upsets, three of the four teams featured in the semifinals will be from Europe (Australia joins Sweden, Spain and England).

Some people are disappointed to see the field of finalists once again dominated by Europe after all the chaos early on. Even though all of these teams are ranked top 10, none of them have ever won a World Cup before. It may not be a Cinderella story but there will be a new winner for the fifth time in the history of the tournament.

Defense

This installment of the World Cup has been a display of defensive brilliance. Since the knockout rounds began 10 of the 12 games have been decided by two goals or less. Three games were 0-0 draws that went to penalties — including the longest penalty shootout in World Cup history between Australia and France — and another game went to two periods of extra time.

There’s still been plenty of stunning goals throughout the tournament, but opposing teams haven’t allowed anything easy. The will to win in each player is apparent in their unwillingness to concede. Attention to the small details and dedication to tactics were on display. Defensive tackles and goalkeeper saves may not be the same as a goal from 18 yards out, but fans were still treated to some high-level penalty shootouts.

Australia Already Won

Whether or not host nation Australia wins its first World Cup next weekend, this tournament has had an enormous impact on changing the culture of women’s sports in Australia.

23-year-old Australia defender Ellie Carpenter explained after the quarterfinal win against France that there were only about 300 fans in attendance for Matildas games when she was a kid. Now they’re playing in sold-out crowds of over 70,000 fans.

“How far we’ve come is just unimaginable. I’m so proud to be a part of this generation. That what we have done changed women’s sport in Australia. Not just football, but generally in sport. And our job this World Cup was to inspire the next generation and hearing how many people watching our games, coming to our games, having live sites around Australia, they’re showing our game in four major stadiums — the game tomorrow — and that’s just incredible.”

— Ellie Carpenter

And fans aren’t just crowding into stadiums watching the games. They’re watching and talking about women’s soccer in everyday environments. A video posted by broadcaster Jacqueline Felgate shows all the passengers on a plane watching the Matildas’ penalty shootout against France. When Cortnee Vine scored the game-winning penalty, the plane erupted in unison.

This is what makes the Women’s World Cup different from any other sporting event on the planet. Every installation the game finds a way to effect change that goes beyond the game. And it’s going to continue to make a difference in Australia far beyond the quarterfinal.

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The USWNT drew 0-0 with No. 3 Sweden after playing 90 minutes plus extra time but then lost 5-4 on penalties. U.S. fans were in disbelief following a saved penalty by goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher where the ball was ruled over the line, granting Sweden the victory. The Round of 16 is now the earliest the team has ever exited a major tournament in its history.

Many pundits and sports fans are saying the loss marks “the fall of the USWNT” and that “the rest of the world has caught up.” The rest of the world has been catching up for years now, but that doesn’t change the extreme level of talent and unwavering confidence ingrained in the USWNT.

Below is my reaction to the historic loss and what to expect for the future.

Too woke to win?

One idea that emerged immediately after the game is that the team lost because it was too “woke.” In other words, people think that the players are too focused on off-the-field issues and not enough on winning for America. People spreading this rhetoric includes former U.S. Men’s National Team player turned Fox analyst Alexi Lalas, who called the players “polarizing” and “unlikeable,” and former President Donald Trump, who posted “WOKE EQUALS FAILURE.”

In my opinion, this discourse is ridiculous. The USWNT has been fighting for social causes off of the field since its inception and won four World Cups and four Olympic gold medals in the process. I mean, the players dominated the 2019 World Cup while being in the middle of a lawsuit against their own federation. If none of that was a distraction when they won, why would it have suddenly been a distraction now that they lost? Regardless of your feelings toward the political ideologies of the individual USWNT players, none of that is a factor when they step on the field.

It’s time for a coaching change

It’s difficult to petition for a coach to be fired. That’s their livelihood and like the players, they sacrifice everything during a four-year cycle with the hopes of winning a World Cup. But if you’re the coach of the USWNT, you’re handed the job with the expectation that you will coach the team to victory. Vlatko Andonovski simply hasn’t put the team in the best position to win.

During his tenure, the U.S. lost three games in a row for the first time in three decades, broke its 71-game home unbeaten streak, recorded the fewest amount of points it ever has in a World Cup Group Stage and had the earliest World Cup exit in its history. He inherited a team that was the reigning back-to-back World Cup champion and managed to make it look disjointed and confused.

Sunday’s loss was a long time coming. The team played Sweden because it didn’t win its group. It wasn’t put in the best position to win its group because Andonovski didn’t make any drastic tactical changes and didn’t have his team prepared for the gravity of the moment. The team wasn’t prepared for the World Cup because he didn’t try anything different the past two years and didn’t use any consistent lineups.

Andonovski may be a successful coach elsewhere, but he wasn’t the right one for this U.S. team. It’s time to hit the refresh button and bring in a coach that will try something different.

A farewell to USWNT royalty

Sunday was the end of the World Cup careers of several U.S. legends. Two-time World Cup winner Julie Ertz revealed after the match that it would be her last time wearing the U.S. crest. Megan Rapinoe announced before the tournament that she will retire after the 2023 season of the National Women’s Soccer League. Other USWNT veterans that may have played in their final World Cup include Kelley O’Hara, Alyssa Naeher and Alex Morgan as well as Christen Press, Tobin Heath and Becky Sauebrunn — who all missed the tournament due to injuries — but their intentions are undeclared.

This group — some call them “the golden generation” — is more than just a bunch of World Cup champions and Olympic medalists. They won equal pay for all future USWNT players. They inspired people across the world with their fight. They changed the landscape for women’s sports and showed why it’s a worthy investment.

It was a cruel ending to several miraculous careers. Hopefully, they’ll be at peace knowing they paved the way for a better future. Now they pass the torch over to the next generation of USWNT players.

The youth movement

There’s no shortage of young talent in the U.S. Seven players on the 2023 roster were 25 years old or younger. Catarina Macario, Mallory Swason and Tierna Davidson — who likely would have all made the roster if it weren’t for injuries — are all in that age range and Swanson and Davidson have experience playing in the 2019 World Cup. That’s almost a starting 11 of players that already know what it feels like to play under the brightest lights that will be the core of the team over the next decade-plus.

Several of these young players are already playing at the level of the best in the world. They’re already at the level that some players dream of playing at and they haven’t even entered their primes yet. That should terrify the rest of the world.

Yes, the rest of the world is starting to invest more in its women’s teams and the competition is getting stronger. Every tournament is going to be more difficult than the last to win. But the USWNT is getting stronger too. It will find a way to win again because the USWNT’s tradition of winning hasn’t died just yet.

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Below are my top takeaways from the opening round (and no, I will not be giving any more predictions).

Upsets

It was always going to be tougher to win this World Cup compared to any other year, but I don’t think anyone expected so many top teams to fail to reach the knockout rounds. Most notably, Germany — who is the No. 2 team in the world and a European finalist — has been eliminated by No. 17 South Korea. This is arguably the biggest upset in the history of the tournament.

The No. 7 reigning Olympic gold medalist Canada also failed to reach the next round after drawing with Nigeria and losing to Australia. No. 8 Brazil — who was, unfortunately, my choice to win it all — lost to France and was held scoreless by Jamaica.

The United States would have been booted from the tournament as well if it weren’t for a goalpost. Following a 1-1 draw to the Netherlands in the second game, the Americans no longer had control of their group. They were inches away from being eliminated by Portugal in the waning moments of the third game, but the ball ricocheted off the goalpost.

For the first time since 2011, the U.S. did not finish first in its group. As a result, it will have to face No. 3 Sweden — one of the team’s most formidable foes — in the Round of 16. If it were to lose that matchup it would be the earliest the nation has ever exited the tournament.

Underdogs

Five teams outside the FIFA top-20 rankings will make the Round of 16 in this year’s World Cup. That would be almost unfathomable in 2019.

No. 25 Colombia won Group H where it defeated Germany 2-1 and No. 72 Morocco finished second in the group. No. 54 South Africa advanced to The Round of 16 over Italy. No. 40 Nigeria defeated host Australia 3-2 and advanced over Canada. No. 43 Jamaica advanced over Brazil and didn’t concede any goals in the group stage.

Either Jamaica or Colombia will feature in the quarterfinals with the possibility of others on this list joining them. Most of these nations are appearing in the World Cup for the first time in their history and almost no one expected them to be in this position.

Progress

The amount of low-ranked teams to advance in this tournament is a testament to the progress that the women’s game has made. It’s no longer just the Americans and European giants that are capable of winning a World Cup. Anyone has the ability to make the final and change the trajectory of women’s sports in their country. The unpredictability is what makes sports fun and why many fans fell in love with it in the first place.

And make no mistake — these nations aren’t performing better because the level of investment from their federations has changed. They’re doing it in spite of their federations. If they’re defeating Germany and Australia now, imagine what they could do with proper resources and support. Hopefully, these performances will be a wake-up call to their federations about the exciting future of women’s sports. At the very least, these women will no doubt inspire many young women and girls in their nations that it’s possible for them to play professional sports.

Where to Watch

The 2023 World Cup is available to watch on Fox or FS1. It’s also available to stream on services like FuboTV and Sling and PeacockTV has the Spanish commentary version.

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This year’s tournament is more competitive and unpredictable than any previous World Cup. Any one of these teams I mention below has a good shot at being crowned the next world champions.

In the mix:

Germany is one of the most successful nations in international soccer, having previously won World Cups in 2003 and 2007. It’s had some disappointing losses in major tournaments in recent years, from being bounced in the quarterfinals in the 2019 World Cup to losing in the 2022 European final. The group will look to have a good showing in Australia/New Zealand.

With dominant performances from its star-studded midfield and a healthy Alexandra Popp, there’s no limit to how far the Germans can go.

The United States is the defending back-to-back World Cup champions. Despite entering the tournament as the heavy favorites to make it a third straight, there has been a large roster turnover from the group that won in 2019. Still, the Americans have a deep arsenal of talent. It’s to be seen if their championship DNA holds true this summer.

(See my previous post “How the United States Will Fare” for more)

England women’s soccer has more hype around it than perhaps ever before. Winning the 2022 Women’s European final at home was instrumental in growing the fanbase in England. Unfortunately, the squad is missing several players due to injury, including forward Bethany Mead and defender and captain Leah Williamson.

England certainly has the talent and chemistry to go far in the tournament, but with the loss of key players, it will be difficult to go all the way.

France has undergone a lot of turmoil recently due to working conditions and management issues. Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Kadidiatou Diana and captain Wendie Renard all risked their 2023 World Cup dreams by stepping down in February. The French Football Federation finally dismissed coach Corinne Diacre and the players returned to the roster.

France is now playing with a newfound sense of peace that it didn’t have under its previous coach. The country has the talent to win it all, but doing so with a coach that hasn’t even been with the team a full year is a tall task to fufill.

Prediction:

Brazil might not be picked to go very far in the tournament by most analysts, but they certainly have the talent to do so. Adriana, Bruninha, Debinha and Kerolin have all played some of their best soccer in recent NWSL play. The younger players, and Brazil’s national team as a whole, are determined to win its first World Cup.

Not only is the group motivated to win the elusive trophy for its nation, but for their superstar leader Marta. The 37-year-old forward is set to play in her sixth — and likely final — World Cup. Marta is deemed by many the greatest to ever play the game. Her teammates have said that they want to win this summer for her as Argentina’s men’s national team did for Lionel Messi in the 2022 World Cup.

Whether or not Brazil will add its first star to its shirt is to be seen, but sports sometimes have a way of giving its greatest stars a magical ending.

Where to Watch

The 2023 World Cup is available to watch on Fox or FS1. It’s also available to stream on services like FuboTV and Sling and PeacockTV has the Spanish commentary version.

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Female athletes have always had to fight for better pay and working conditions in their sports. Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of progress to be accomplished at even the highest level.

In 2019, the United States captured the world’s attention with not only its incredible play on the field but the bravery of the players to sue their own federation right before winning the World Cup. They exposed the inequities that still exist and showed with their historic equal pay settlement in 2022 that sometimes fighting for what you believe in on the biggest stage pays off — literally.

Many other nations are now also fighting against their federations on a variety of issues. With players bringing attention to these issues in front of the whole world, fans will surely show their support as they did for the U.S. in 2019.

Here are just a few of the ongoing battles between players and their federations and what changes we might start to see this summer.

Spain

In September 2022, 15 of Spain’s players resigned from the team, demanding the federation addressed their concerns regarding head coach Jorge Vilda. The players said he negatively impacted their physical and mental health, citing a toxic work environment and his handling of injuries. Instead of investigating the issue or firing Vilda, the federation blamed the players.

Despite no changes being made, several players returned to the squad. They first were forced to ask for forgiveness or else face a five-year ban. Regardless of how the team finishes this summer, Vilda’s position — and the toxic culture he created — should be reevaluated by the Spanish Football Federation.

England

The Lionesses are one of the latest teams to have pay-related issues with their federation. Following their sendoff match against Portugal, it was reported that the Football Federation refused to pay the squad performance-related bonuses during the tournament.

FIFA announced that it is allocating specific amounts of money to players for participation in the World Cup. The players believe that the FA is using this as an excuse to avoid paying the players themselves. There’s hope that the issue will be resolved before the tournament starts, but if not, it is rumored that the players may boycott media duties.

Canada

Even being the reigning Olympic gold medalist doesn’t protect the Canadian players from unreasonable pay cuts. The players felt that they had a lack of support from their federation and the women’s team faced budget cuts. They nearly went on strike during the 2023 SheBelieves Cup in February before the federation threatened to sue the players. None of the players had been paid for their play in 2022 at that point.

In March, the team reached an interim funding agreement with the federation for 2022 and the previous president of Canada Soccer announced his resignation. In June, it was reported that the players want to reach an equal pay settlement before the start of the World Cup and would even go as far as refusing to get on the plane.

Jamaica

Like many other competing nations, the Jamaican team should be focused on preparing for the World Cup but is instead left frustrated by the lack of support from its federation. In June, the players wrote an open letter on social media calling its federation out on inadequate resources and planning ahead of the tournament. The players were forced to take matters into their own hands and started a GoFundMe to help cover things like travel expenses.

Fans have donated money as a way of showing support and sending the squad to Australia with the resources they deserve. Hopefully, the Jamaican federation will begin to realize that its team has the best shot at winning with proper investment.

Australia/New Zealand

The host countries are on this list because of the inevitable potential for this summer’s tournament to increase fan interest in women’s soccer in the region. Take a look at what happened in England during last summer’s European Championship. More people are going to games and watching women’s soccer than ever before after the Lionesses “brought it home.”

This World Cup is the biggest sporting event in Australia since the 2000 Olympics and fans are already filled with excitement. Australia’s opener against the Republic of Ireland has sold out in a stadium with an 80,000-person capacity — which will be a top 10 all-time attendance at a women’s soccer match. The interest in women’s sports is always growing. This summer will be the start of a new era.

Where to Watch

The 2023 World Cup is available to watch on Fox or FS1. It’s also available to stream on services like FuboTV and Sling and PeacockTV has the Spanish commentary version.

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The Golden Boot is awarded to the top goalscorer in the entirety of the World Cup. Megan Rapinoe won the last World Cup Golden Boot in 2019. Below are the top players I expect to contend for the award in Australia/New Zealand.

In the mix:

Alexandra Popp will be captaining Germany this summer in her fourth World Cup appearance. Popp has scored 61 goals in 127 appearances with the national team. She was the Golden Boot runner-up in last summer’s European Women’s Championship, scoring six goals in five matches. She suffered an injury that kept her out of the final which Germany ultimately lost. If the Germans are to go far in this tournament, they’ll need their veteran forward to be healthy and in peak form.

Kerolin was first called up in 2018 for Brazil but only has five goals in 31 appearances. Despite the lack of World Cup experience, the 23-year-old forward is heating up at the right time. She has scored eight goals through 12 matches for her club the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL. The young players on Brazil’s roster are beginning to look comfortable just in time to make a run at their first World Cup. Kerolin might be the center of everything that works for them this summer.

Alessia Russo is another young forward to keep an eye on in the World Cup. Even newer to the international game than Kerolin, Russo made her England debut in 2020. Through 21 appearances, she scored 11 goals. She was named part of England’s Euros squad last summer where she scored four goals, the third-highest total in the tournament. England will need Russo to score at a high rate with players like Bethany Mead and Fran Kirby out of the World Cup squad.

Prediction:

Sophia Smith was the leading scorer for the U.S. in 2022 and expect that to hold true this summer. Smith won the 2022 NWSL MVP and Championship MVP last season with the Portland Thorns. She’s off to another good start for Portland this season with 10 goals scored so far.

Smith will be appearing in her first World Cup for the U.S. at 22 years old. The U.S. are also without key forwards, including Mallory Swanson, so Smith will have a heavier load to carry. The Americans will likely play deep into the tournament and Smith with be leading the charge.

Where to Watch

The 2023 World Cup is available to watch on Fox or FS1. It’s also available to stream on services like FuboTV and Sling and PeacockTV has the Spanish commentary version.

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Only a few teams realistically have a chance at winning the World Cup, but a handful of nations have the potential to surprise this summer.

Here are the teams and the group that I recommend keeping an eye on.

Group B is the most unpredictable group in this tournament. It has the host nation Australia, Canada, Nigeria and the Republic of Ireland.

The Aussies have the advantage of being one of the host nations, which I will go into more depth in a moment. Canada is the defending Olympic gold medalist and is expected to make it out of the group stage. It also has lots of star power, including all-time international goal scorer Christine Sinclair.

Nigeria also has a lot of talent and has been one of the most successful nations in Africa. The Republic of Ireland is playing in its first World Cup and is a nation on the rise in international football. This group is bound to have some closely contested matches and the potential for upsets heading into the round of 16.

Australia is the team in Group B that has the most potential to go further in the tournament than people expect. Being one of the host nations, the Aussies will have a home-field advantage through the tournament.

Australia also has a roster that is similar to the one it took to the 2019 World Cup, so it has the experience to be successful under pressure. The host country also has one of the best players in the world in Sam Kerr, who will almost certainly help propel them to the round of 16 and perhaps beyond.

Zambia is playing in a difficult group with Costa Rica, Spain and Japan. It showed that it has the ability to make noise this summer in a 3-2 pre-tournament victory against Germany last week.

The Copper Queens are led by their star Barbra Banda. She scored a brace in the victory against Germany and made history as the first woman to score consecutive hat-tricks in the 2020 Olympics. Don’t be surprised if Banda and Zambia find a way to make it out of their group.

Where to Watch

The 2023 World Cup is available to watch on Fox or FS1. It’s also available to stream on services like FuboTV and Sling and PeacockTV has the Spanish commentary version.

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The United States won back-to-back World Cups in 2015 and 2019. A third straight this summer would be unprecedented in men's or women’s international soccer. Below I lay out the reasons the group will have problems this summer and why they could still win.

New Faces

Of the 23 players named to the roster, only three won in both 2015 and 2019 (Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Kelley O-Hara). Overall, 14 players are playing in their first World Cup. No matter how many international appearances they have or how many big games they’ve played in, nothing compares to the pressure of the World Cup. The lack of experience on the roster may prove difficult this summer on the biggest stage.

Chemistry

Since the 2020 Olympics were delayed a year, head coach Vlatko Andonovski has had less time to prepare his team. The youth movement required experimenting with a lot of players and had people in and out of the roster. This has led to a lack of cohesion in the group on the field. The teams that won in 2015 and 2019 were extremely close-knit on and off of the field. It was a large part of the reason they were able to win despite their off-the-field battles with equal pay. This young group doesn’t give off that same vibe (yet) and that’s why some fans doubt their ability to get it done this summer.

Injuries

Issues with having significant players injured are nothing specific to the U.S. Essentially all of the top nations in the FIFA rankings have at least one star missing out this summer. The U.S., however, could field a whole other roster with the talent it has out. Most notable is captain Becky Sauerbrunn (whose leadership will be greatly missed) and Mallory Swanson, the forward in the streakiest form before going down with an injury.

On the roster, the U.S. has several players that are injury prone or have been dealing with an injury in the past months. If any Americans go down in Australia/New Zealand or aren’t feeling 100%, the group may be in trouble.

Why They Might Still Win It All:

Despite the different problems that plague the U.S. they will still field the most talented players in the world. The rest of the world is indeed catching up, but nobody in the world has the tools to stop the speed of Alyssa Thompson or the incredible finishing ability of Sophia Smith. If they add their fifth star this summer, it will be because no country invests in their women’s national team like the U.S.

And if they lose — they will add that fifth star in 2027. The experience of playing in a World Cup for the youngest players on the roster will make them better when it’s their turn to lead.

Where to Watch

The 2023 World Cup is available to watch on Fox or FS1. It’s also available to stream on services like FuboTV and Sling and PeacockTV has the Spanish commentary version.

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• Intro

• [1:03] NBA Finals

• [8:52] Nikola Jokic

• [16:01] Miami’s incredible postseason

• [21:25] Nuggets’ back-to-back chances

• [23:00] Contenders in 2024

• [26:25] NBA Draft

• [30:59] Free agency and trades

• [41:00] LeBron's future

• [44:04] Lily and Angie’s Portland sports experiences

• [48:13] Rapid fire

• Wrapping up

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The 2023 NBA season officially came to a close with the Denver Nuggets crowned champions after winning a thrilling Game 5 on Monday. The WNBA season also continued and was highlighted by a matchup of career-highs between Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale.

In the world of soccer, fans were treated to good games with the men’s international window and NWSL play. There was more movement throughout the NWSL table as several international players were featured in some of their last games before leaving for the World Cup. The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico and Canada to win the CONCACAF Nations League.

Let’s review the best of last week’s action.

Game of the Week

It wasn’t the most glorious game for either team, but by the time the buzzer sounded confetti rained down on the court in Denver.

The Miami Heat gave it their best shot to take Denver to a Game 6 in Miami. The Heat came close to extending the series when they took the lead in the fourth quarter and got their leader Jimmy Butler going on offense. Unfortunately for Miami, the Nuggets were resolute to finish business on their home court. The Nuggets' defense, led by Bruce Brown and Aaron Gordon, locked down the Heat in the final minute and a half of the game to clinch the NBA championship.

Nikola Jokic had a 28-point, 16-rebound double-double and was awarded the Finals MVP. The win marked Denver’s first title in franchise history.

Honorable mentions: Storm vs. Wings, San Diego vs. Angel City

Play of the Week

It’s been a tough season for Angel City, but the club finally found itself in the win column after weeks of waiting. Angel City parted ways with its head coach Freya Coombe earlier in the week. The group put its grit on display as it faced its biggest rival in San Diego.

Following a pretty evenly matched first half, the San Diego Wave took the lead in the 57th minute and the away side looked as if it was headed for another disappointing loss. Angel City still had life in them as defender Paige Nielsen equalized in the 69th minute.

Many fans likely would have been satisfied with the draw given that the Wave was sitting at the top of the table and the week the club had. The Angel City players were done losing though. Defender M.A. Vignola scored the game-winner with only a few minutes left in the match and the visitors knocked their rivals out of the top spot in the league. It was the second goal of Vignola’s career, both of them coming in the past two games.

Angel City still has a ways to go to return to the playoff chase but with more performances like that one, nothing is impossible.

Honorable mention: Folarin Balogun

MVP of the Week

Jewell Loyd has become the new face of the Seattle Storm franchise with Sue Bird retiring and Breanna Stewart leaving in free agency. It’s been a rocky start to the season for the Storm, but Loyd has put the team on her back through it all. Saturday’s game against the Dallas Wings was no different.

Loyd and Wings star Arike Ogunbowale went head to head, each scoring new career-highs in points. Loyd ended with 39 points and the win, while Ogunbowale scored 41 points. It was close most of the way through, with the Storm narrowly escaping in the 109-103 victory.

It was Seattle’s third win through 10 games. If it has any chance of making it to the postseason it will need to put together a streak of wins. Loyd will be at the center of it all, considering she’s leading the league in points per game with 25.4 (Ogunbowale ranks second in the WNBA).

Honorable mentions: Breanna Stewart, Nikola Jokic

Looking forward to next week

There’s no more NBA or NHL for the rest of the summer, but there won’t be a shortage of sports to watch. Coming up, there’s a handful of exciting WNBA and soccer games. Here are this week’s must-watch games and where to find them.

LAFC vs. Sounders — Wednesday, 6/21 at 7:30 on Apple TV

Mystics vs. Sky — Thursday, 6/22 at 5:00 p.m. on Prime Video

Wings vs. Sparks — Friday, 6/23 at 7:00 p.m. on ION

Wave vs. OL Reign — Saturday, 6/24 at 7:00 p.m. on Paramount+

(All times PDT)

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The NBA Finals began last week. The Denver Nuggets dominated in a Game 1 victory, but the Miami Heat tied the series 1-1 on Sunday to hand Denver its first home loss of the playoffs.

In soccer, Manchester City won the English FA Cup Final against its rival Manchester United. Barcelona also won its second Women’s UEFA Champions League in three years.

Let’s review the week in sports.

Game of the Week

Women’s soccer is only getting bigger and better with more investment from clubs and national teams across the world and the Champions League Final proved that.

Barcelona was appearing in its fourth UWCL Final in the last five years but only won in 2021 (which was played without fans in attendance). Wolfsburg came in as the underdogs but shocked the Catalan side with two first-half goals. A Barcelona team that looked deflated and unprepared for the gravity of the moment completely flipped the script in the second half. Patricia Guijarro scored a quick brace to level with Wolfsburg and give Barcelona momentum.

Wolfsburg made a costly mistake in the 70th minute. Lynn Wilms attempted to clear the ball away from Wolfsburg’s box but instead found the face of a teammate. Barcelona regained possession and Fridolina Rolfö secured the comeback victory with a goal.

Honorable mentions: Liberty vs. Sky, Angel City vs. Thorns, NBA Finals Game 2

Play of the Week

The Portland Thorns have been perhaps the most consistent club in North American women’s soccer for the past decade. The ability to score clutch goals in the waning moments of games is a big reason for its success.

Morgan Weaver was the stoppage-time hero for Portland in last Wednesday’s Challenge Cup match against Angel City FC. The Thorns led for most of the match until Angel City equalized with two quick goals in the second half. The match seemed like it was going to end in a 2-2 draw, but the super-sub Weaver found the back of the net in stoppage time.

Weaver scored the brilliant goal by contorting her body in a way that many fans have compared to a scorpion kick. The Thorns jumped above Angel City in the Challenge Cup standings with the win.

Honorable mentions: Breanna Stewart, Marine Johannes

MVP of the Week

In a typical year, it’s the team with the best player in the world that wins the NBA Championship. In 2023, the best player in the world is Nikola Jokic.

Jokic and the Nuggets dominated for most of Game 1 against the Heat. Jokic led Denver to victory with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 impressive assists. Despite the Nuggets losing Game 2 and giving up their home-court advantage, there was little that Miami could do to stop Jokic, who scored 41 points.

Basketball has never seen a center like Jokic who passes the ball better than most starting point guards in the league. He can score in bunches if needed, but Denver is most dangerous when its big man gets everyone else involved. Miami is one of the only No. 8 seeds to reach the NBA Finals for a reason. It won’t go down without a fight, but with Jokic leading the Nuggets, they’ll be very difficult to beat in a seven-game series.

Honorable mention: Ilkay Gündogan, Gabe Vincent

Looking forward to next week

This week, the NBA Finals continue and the men’s UEFA Champions League Final takes place. Here are this week’s must-watch games and where to find them.

NBA Finals Game 3 — Wednesday, 6/7 at 5:30 p.m. on ABC

NBA Finals Game 4 — Friday, 6/9 at 5:30 p.m. on ABC

UEFA Champions League Final — Saturday, 6/10 at 12 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+

(All times PDT)

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Last week, the conference finals of the NBA Playoffs came to a close. While the Denver Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers to advance to the NBA Finals with a week of rest, the Miami Heat’s 3-0 series lead went to seven games.

In soccer, several European league seasons ended. The NWSL highlighted the week of women’s soccer action with stunning goals and a new team taking the top spot on the table.

Let’s review last week’s action.

Game of the Week

Derrick White stole the moment with the Boston Celtics seconds away from elimination last Saturday.

The Miami Heat rallied back from down double digits in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Al Horford fouled Heat star Jimmy Butler from three with 2.1 seconds left (the referees controversially changed the game clock to three seconds). Butler cashed in all three free throws to give the Heat the lead.

The Celtics still had an opportunity to win the game after taking a timeout to advance the ball. Marcus Smart attempted a three-pointer that was off the mark, but nobody on the Heat was paying attention to White. He ran passed the Miami roster after inbounding the ball and tipped in the Smart missed attempt.

The game-winning basket kept the Celtics alive to become the fourth NBA team to reach a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in the playoffs. All four teams, including Boston, ended up losing the series. Nonetheless, White’s buzzer-beater was a dramatic finish to a thrilling game.

Play of the Week

What a way to score your first NWSL goal.

OL Reign midfielder Quinn has been with the team since 2019, winning an NWSL Shield. The Canadian has had plenty of success at the international level, including bronze and gold Olympic medals. They have scored five goals for Canada, but never in NWSL play.

Minutes after Quinn came on, they scored the fourth goal in the Reign’s victory against Angel City FC last Saturday. Shooting from the outside of the 18-yard box, the attempt was curled in the top right corner. It was the cherry on top of the 4-1 victory for the Reign.

Honorable mention: Claire Emslie

MVP of the Week

The Miami Heat would have been the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead if it weren’t for the play of Caleb Martin.

With Tyler Herro out with a hand fracture for most of the playoffs, Miami needed someone to step up as a supplementary scorer. In the ECF it was the undrafted Martin. He was the Heat’s most consistent player in the series against the Celtics, scoring 15+ points in every game, including 26 points and 10 rebounds in the series finale. He nearly snagged the ECF Most Valuable Player award from Jimmy Butler, earning one less vote.

Martin will need to continue to be a star in his role for the Heat if they’re going to have a chance against the dominant Nuggets in the NBA Finals.

Honorable mentions: Derrick White, Jimmy Butler

Looking forward to next week

It’s an exciting week of sports, as the NBA Finals begin and the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final is played. Here are this week’s must-watch games and where to find them.

NBA Finals Game 1 — Thursday, 6/1 at 5:30 p.m. on ABC

UEFA Women’s Champions League Final — Saturday, 6/3 at 7:00 a.m. on Paramount+ and DAZN YouTube

English FA Cup — Saturday, 6/3 at 7:00 a.m. on ESPN+

Thorns vs. OL Reign — Saturday, 6/3 at 5:00 p.m. on CBSSN

NBA Finals Game 2 — Sunday, 6/4 at 5:00 p.m. on ABC

(All times PDT)

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The league is returning after an offseason with perhaps more player movement than ever. Fans will be tuned in to watch the newest superteams take the court and exciting rookies make their debuts.

Here are my predictions for the players and teams to keep an eye on.

Players to Watch

The WNBA only has 144 rosters spots, which means every player in the league is more than deserving of the opportunity to play at the highest level. Anyone can put on a show on any given night. These are my top three players to tune into this season:

1. I’m most intrigued to see what Jewell Loyd's production for the Seattle Storm looks like this season. Franchise point guard Sue Bird’s retirement will likely force her to take on more backcourt responsibilities and Breanna Stewart’s exit will require more scoring from Loyd. She has shown throughout her career that she is capable of showing up under the brightest lights. Loyd is my choice for MVP and I also won’t rule out the possibility of her leading the Storm back into the playoffs despite the roster turnover.

2. Kahleah Copper will be a similar story to Loyd this season. Candace Parker and Courtney Vandersloot left in free agency and Allie Quigley is sitting out of the season. The Chicago Sky has made it clear that they want Copper to be the next franchise cornerstone. The 2021 Finals MVP is going to have to take the reins this season and try to lead the new-look Sky into the playoffs.

3. The return of Brittney Griner is a key storyline. The Phoenix Mercury made it all the way to the Finals in 2021 and were among the favorites to win last season before Griner was detained in Russia. The Mercury did well enough to make the playoffs despite the emotional turmoil that clouded their season. Griner’s dominance, though, is what brings Phoenix to the next level. If she’s healthy and in good spirits, it’s not a matter of if the Mercury make the playoffs, but how far they go.

Teams to Watch

There are only 12 teams in the league, but every one of them has a roster full of talent this season. Here are three playoff-contending teams that I expect to improve in 2023:

1. The Indiana Fever were watchable for the first time in several years last season. Amidst a large-scale rebuild, the Fever seemed to finally figure out who they want to build around after seeing the play of Kelsey Mitchell and NaLyssa Smith. They’ll be welcoming the No. 1 pick in the draft Aliyah Boston who has the potential to be a future MVP and lead the Fever back to glory.

2. The Atlanta Dream are another young team looking to make some noise. Led by the reigning Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard, the franchise barely missed out on a playoff appearance last season. They’ve added Allisha Gray and former NCAA champion Haley Jones in the offseason. There is an expectation that the Dream’s focus will be on making their first playoff appearance since 2018, rather than tanking for another future All-Star.

3. New head coach Curt Miller is going to help the Los Angeles Sparks bounce back after two consecutive years out of the playoffs. Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike will be back and poised to have healthy and successful seasons. The star sister duo will get a boost from the additions of former champions Dearica Hamby and Azura Stevens, as well as Jasmine Thomas and Zia Cooke. The Sparks are going to play with a chip on their shoulders this year, but will they have enough time to develop chemistry with the influx of talent?

Champions

Essentially all WNBA fans anticipate the season to come down to a finals matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. The Aces are coming off of their first franchise championship and somehow still managed to get a lot better with the additions of two-time MVP Candace Parker and former champion Alysha Clark. Meanwhile, the Liberty spent their offseason assembling a roster of former MVPs Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones as well as four-time All-Star Courtney Vandersloot.

A finals matchup between New York and Las Vegas is very much a possibility, but don’t count out the Washington Mystics. While other teams were set on luring in superstars during free agency, the Mystics were focused on getting back to full strength. They will have a very different group than they did past three seasons with a fully healthy Elana Della Donne. Everybody seems to be counting out a Washington team that won in 2019, which will make them all hungrier to get it done in 2023.

With all that being said, I still think that the Aces will become the first team since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002 to win back-to-back championships. They have the preexisting chemistry that New York lacks. The two major players that they are adding already know what it takes to win a championship. The Aces also have a deeper bench than the Mystics do and injury isn’t as much of a concern.

The season will be available to stream across platforms including ESPN networks, ION, CBS, Paramount+, Amazon Prime, Twitter, NBA TV and WNBA League Pass.

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The first round of the NBA Playoffs came to a close. Several teams saw their championship hopes come crashing down, including the No. 1 overall seed Milwaukee Bucks. For the first time in NBA history, all eight seeds will be represented in the second round.

The NWSL also had a chaotic weekend. Three of the four games played on Saturday night ended in a draw. Two of those game-tying goals came in stoppage time.

Let’s recap the best of last week’s action.

Game of the Week

The Memphis Grizzlies were moments away from tying its series with the Los Angeles Lakers at two games apiece last Monday. With 0.8 seconds left, LeBron James converted the game-tying layup to send the game to overtime.

James went on to lead Los Angeles to a 117-111 victory to put the No. 7 seed up 3-1 in the series. James finished with 22 points and 20 rebounds (a career-high for him in the playoffs). Austin Reaves also chipped in 23 points for the Lakers. Desmond Bane scored 36 points for the Grizzlies, including 14 in the fourth quarter, but was held scoreless in overtime.

James’ bucket at the end of regulation was a pivotal moment in the series. Memphis seemed poised to tie the series and have all the momentum as they headed back home for a Game 5. Instead, James and the Lakers would go on to win the series in six games and advance to the second round.

Honorable mentions: Warriors vs. Kings (Game 5), Thorns vs. Angel City

Play of the Week

The Portland Thorns are still undefeated in the 2023 season following a dramatic finish during Saturday’s match against Angel City.

Down 3-2, the Thorns scored the equalizer in the waning moments of the match to salvage a 3-3 draw. The goalscorer was an unlikely culprit: Portland goalkeeper Bella Bixby.

Bixby was sent down to the other end of the field to give the desperate Thorns extra numbers as they took a corner kick. Angel City goalkeeper Didi Haracic appeared to have saved an attempt on goal, but the ball spilled out of her hands and Bixby scored the backheel goal.

It was the second goal scored by a goalkeeper in NWSL history. The first also came in stoppage time from a Thorns goalkeeper, Michelle Betos, in 2015.

Honorable mentions: Julie Ertz, Jordyn Huitema, Trae Young

MVP of the Week

Jimmy Butler is putting on performances that nobody in Miami Heat franchise history has ever done. Read that again.

Butler’s 56-point outing against the Milwaukee Bucks last Monday was the fourth most points in NBA postseason history and a Heat franchise record in the postseason. Neither Dwayne Wade nor LeBron James has scored that many points wearing a Heat jersey, let alone as the No. 8 seed.

In Game 4, the Heat trailed by 14 points entering the fourth quarter. But Butler wouldn’t let his team surrender. Miami came back to defeat the Bucks and take a 3-1 series lead.

Butler scored 42 points in another great showing during the Heat’s series-clinching Game 5 on Wednesday. Butler and the Heat became the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to upset a No. 1 seed in the playoffs. On Sunday, Miami won Game 1 on the road against the New York Knicks, despite Butler rolling his ankle in the final minutes.

Whether or not the Heat can become the first No. 8 seed to advance to the conference finals is to be seen, but he is once again proving that he’s one of the greatest playoff underdogs we’ve ever witnessed.

Honorable mentions: Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Devin Booker

Looking forward to next week

This week, the second round of the NBA Playoffs begins. Here are this week’s must-watch games and where to find them.

Warriors vs. Lakers — Tuesday, 5/2 at 7 p.m. on TNT

Suns vs. Nuggets — Friday, 5/5 at 7 p.m. on ESPN

Knicks vs. Heat — Saturday, 5/6 at 12:30 on ABC

Lakers vs. Warriors — Saturday, 5/6 at 5:30 on ABC

OL Reign vs. Dash — Saturday, 5/6 at 7 p.m. on Paramount+

(All times PDT)

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The first leg of the women’s Champions League semifinals took place last week. The duo of teams from London found themselves riddled with injuries heading into their matchups. Both teams managed to keep their first semifinal matchups close.

The first round of the NBA playoffs also continued. The stars of the league have put on big performances, while it’s been the role players who have carried their teams to victory.

Let’s review the action.

Game of the Week

Despite all odds, Arsenal found a way to stay level with Wolfsburg.

For the loyal fanbase of Arsenal women, it’s been a season full of heartbreak. The club lost star forwards Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema to ACL injuries at the beginning of the season. Captain Kim Little was diagnosed with a season-ending injury a week ago and now defender Leah Williamson ruptured her ACL. Nobody would have blamed them if they looked deflated entering their matchup at Wolfsburg.

But after being down 2-0 for much of the first half, the Gunners ended up equalizing. Goals from Rafaelle Souza and Stina Blackstenius have the matchup tied after the first leg.

Arsenal will play Wolfsburg in London at the Emirates Stadium next Monday with the opportunity to play in its first Champions League Final since 2007. It would be doing so without its stars for much of the season.

Honorable mentions: OL Reign vs. Red Stars, Warriors vs. Kings

Play of the Week

Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani. The matchup between two of baseball’s biggest stars was on display Wednesday night and it started out strong.

Ohtani nearly gave the Angels an early lead with a home run in the first inning. The ball almost flew over the center field wall, but Judge lept into the air for the highlight reel catch.

Judge hit a homer of his own at the bottom of the first to give the Yankees a two-run lead.

New York ended up winning the game 3-2 in 10 innings. Judge’s save ended up being critical in such a close game.

Honorable mention: Messi and Mbappé

MVP of the Week

Kevon Looney has been the soul of the Golden State Warriors through this turbulent season.

Looney’s been available for the Warriors on and off the court throughout the season. Dating back to the end of the 2021 season, he has played in 196 consecutive games — the second-longest streak in the league.

He took his level of play to another level last Thursday in the Warriors’ 114-97 win against the Sacramento Kings. With former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green being suspended for Game 3, somebody needed to step up on defense, or the Warriors would’ve found themselves down 3-0 in the series.

Looney did that and more. He finished with 20 rebounds and nine assists to go along with his four points. Perhaps more important was his defense on Kings All-Star Domantas Sabonis, who finished with six turnovers and 15 points on 14 field goal attempts.

When Green returned to the lineup on Sunday, Looney didn’t slow down. He contributed eight points 14 rebounds and six assists as Golden State tied the series 2-2.

He might not score 20 points every night, but Looney finds a way to have his own impact on the game and the Warriors can always rely on him to show up.

Honorable mentions: Jamal Murray, Jalen Brunson, Devin Booker

Looking forward to next week

The first round of the NBA playoffs wraps up this week and a crucial matchup in the Premier League title race takes place. Here are this week’s must-watch games and where to find them.

Bucks vs. Heat — Monday, 4/24 at 4:30 p.m. on TNT

Manchester City vs. Arsenal (Premier League) — Wednesday, 4/26 at 12 p.m. on Peacock

Warriors vs. Kings — Wednesday, 4/26 at 7 p.m. on TNT

Current vs. Gotham — Sunday, 4/30 at 3 p.m. on Paramount+

(All times PDT)

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