ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien and USA Today's Mitch Northam recap and react to the 2026 WNBA Finals, as the Golden State Valkyries defeat the Atlanta Dream for their first championship in their second year of existence. Mia and Mitch also provide a "viewer's guide" for the opening week of the college basketball season, ranging from blockbuster matchups (UConn-Michigan, UNC-South Carolina) to new-look programs (Oklahoma State) to "sicko games" for mid-major college basketball fans. 

0:00 - Intro

2:23 - Brunch Time Basketball Does Draw!

5:57 - How the Golden State Valkyries Won the 2026 WNBA Title

19:04 - Where do Atlanta Dream Go From Here?

24:25 - Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame blast Villanova

36:03 - South Carolina vs North Carolina

41:37 - UConn vs Michigan

44:29 - UConn vs Iowa

47:36 - Kentucky vs NC State

53:32 - Kara Lawson's Duke vs Green Bay

56:14 - West Virginia vs Georgia Tech

59:15 - Audi Crooks & New-Look Oklahoma State

1:04:17 - Virginia at Davidson

1:05:15 - Cincinnati vs Penn State

1:08:35 - Florida vs UCF

1:13:55 - Last Call

ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien and USA Today's Mitch Northam breakdown the 2026 WNBA Finals matchup between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries -- while also paying respects to the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces' seasons coming to a close. They also detail the very latest from college media days with the women's basketball season less than three weeks away from tipping off.

0:00 - Intro

2:49 - Will the New York Liberty Make a Roster or Coaching Change?

10:42 - Las Vegas Aces Will NOT Repeat in 2026

14:14 - State Farm Arena WILL Host WNBA Finals

24:52 - Valkyries and Aces Preview

42:12 - Aliyah Boston Has Surgery

44:28 - ACC Preseason Poll Released

47:18 - Big South, ASUN Conference Previews

51:31 - Kim Mulkey, LSU No-Show SEC Media Days

545:50 - Last Call

Join ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien and USA Today's Mitch Northam as they update you on the WNBA Playoffs AND bring you live, exclusive interviews from ACC Tip-Off in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Mitch takes his victory lap after the New York Liberty's inexplicable loss to the Atlanta Dream in Game 2, plus Mia and Mitch dive into Kelsey Mitchell's pending free agency. Then, hear from NC State's Zoe Brooks, UNC Head Coach Courtney Banghart, Virginia's Kymora Johnson, and Georgia Tech Head Coach Karen Blair.

0:00 - Intro

2:09 - NY Liberty Lost Track of Timeouts vs Dream, Down 2-0

10:30 - Valkyries Lead the Aces 2-0

16:21 - Is Kelsey Mitchell Leaving the Indiana Fever?

30:13 - ACC Women's Basketball Preview

32:20 - NC State's Zoe Brooks

38:11 - North Carolina Head Coach Courtney Banghart

45:58 - Virginia's Kymora Johnson

52:35 - Georgia Tech Head Coach Karen Blair

58:52 - Our Preseason ACC Ballots

1:03;48 - ACC Coaches on the Hot Seat 

1:06;50 - Will the WNBA Finals be played in Duluth, Georgia?!

Mia O'Brien of ESPN Radio and Mitch Northam of USA Today react and recap the opening round of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs and look ahead to the semifinals, set to begin on Sunday, October 4th.

0:00 - Intro

2:01 - Las Vegas Aces Defeat Indiana Fever in 3

7:11 - Dallas Wings Force Game 3

15:00 - Aces vs. Dallas/Golden State Preview

21:48 - A'ja Wilson is 1st Time Beef of the Week Honoree

38:15 - New York Liberty Upset the Minnesota Lynx

46:37 - Atlanta Dream vs. New York Liberty Preview

51:19 - Last Call

Come for the Upshot League behind-the-scenes, stay for the ball knowledge of six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion Taj McWilliams-Franklin.

Taj shares her basketball journey with Mitch and Mia -- including her newly-appointed role as the Deputy Commissioner of the Upshot League -- plus sticks around to help makes picks for WNBA Postseason Awards and Playoffs.

0:00 - Intro

1:52 - Connecticut Sun Sunset with Taj McWilliams-Franklin

6:03 - Taj's Basketball Journey

17:21 - Taj's Move to the NBA and WNBA Offices

22:36 - What Will Upshot League Year 2 Look Like?

39:00 - WNBA Awards Predictions

1:11;51 - Playoff Predictions

1:24;21 - Last Call

USA Today Senior Reporter Mitch Northam and ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien get you caught up to speed on everything you've missed in the wide world of women's basketball over the last week. This week, that includes the United States winning its fifth-straight FIBA World Cup title, WNBA play resuming, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey's feeble failed attempt to resolve the War in Ukraine, and more!

0:00 - Intro

2:43 - How Team USA Won the FIBA World Cup (again)

8:00 - Is the Rest of the World Catching Up?

13:50 - Kara Lawson's Questionable Rotations

17:10 - Did Caitlin Clark Play Well at the World Cup?

19:12 - What is +/- in Basketball Terms?

22:39 - A'ja Wilson Wasn't There

23:30 - Mitch's LA Olympics 2028 Roster Prediction!

28:47 - Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are Friends

32:05 - Requiem for Cathy Engelbert

35:15 - What We Want to See in Next WNBA Commissioner

41:12 - WNBA Regular Season Final Stretch Preview

44:56 - Charlotte Crown win Upshot League Championship

47:48 - Kate Koval Transfers to Baylor from LSU

53:05 - Sophie Cunningham's Wild WNBA Break

54:46 - Oregon State Women's Basketball Seeks to Collectively Bargain

There is No Paige Bueckers Without Geno Auriemma

0:00 - Intro

2:20 - Where Will DeWanna Bonner Sign?

12:58 - Paige Bueckers' 32-Point Night + UConn Documentary Spoilers

24:25 - Leonie Fiebich is the Straw that Stirs the Drink

27:52 - Nneka Ogwumike Retiring. Who is the Next WNBPA President?

34:19 - Aliyah Boston & Indiana Fever's HUB Offense

42:23 - Stop Giving Enes Kanter Freedom Attention

59:51 - Making Money with Mitch

1:02;01 - Last Call

Is Caitlin Clark ACTUALLY the MVP?

0:00 - Intro

4:45 - The Case for Caitlin Clark, MVP

12:25 - 2027 All Star Game to Golden State

13:59 - Valkyries Are Playoff Bound

18:31 - UConn Non-Conference Schedule Released

23:28 - Jackie Young Career Year

27:10 - Stephanie White's Controversial Press Conference

51:13 - Making Money with Mitch

56:46 - Last Call

0:00 - Intro

2:31 - The Minnesota Lynx Are Inevitable

13:27 - Team USA Women's Basketball Roster Unveiled

22:44 - Caitlin Clark AND Kelsey Mitchell Are 1st Team All Pro

28:18 - Dallas Wings Lose 6 of Last 8

33:49 - The BEST College Non-Conference Games Announced

41:16 - Sophie Cunningham, Dijonai Carrington, Cathy Engelbert, Beef

56:34 - Making Money with Mitch

1:01:11 - Last Call

Each week, USA Today's Mitch Northam and ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien deliver your definitive recap and analysis of the biggest storylines driving the wide world of women's basketball!

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro

2:57 - Kelsey Plum Traded to Phoenix Mercury

12:33 - Aneesah Morrow Traded to Toronto Tempo

18:47 - Caitlin Clark One Technical Foul Away from Suspension

23:38 - Indiana Fever-Minnesota Lynx: Game of the Year?

30:45 - Team USA Women's Basketball Roster Reveal Thursday

36:01 - Explaining the NCAA's "Five-in-Five" Rule

49:32 - Making Money with Mitch

54:31 - Last Call

The show leads off with massive trade shockwaves hitting the WNBA landscape. Mia and Mitch react to marquee star Kelsey Plum heading to the Phoenix Mercury, breaking down how the blockbuster move alters the Western Conference playoff race. Then, they examine the expansion-era waves as rookie powerhouse Aneesah Morrow lands with the Toronto Tempo.

The conversation turns to Indianapolis, where Caitlin Clark is walking a high-stakes tightrope. Sitting just one technical foul away from an automatic one-game suspension, how will the star guard adjust her approach down the stretch?

Plus, the crew breaks down the instant-classic thriller between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx—evaluating whether the back-and-forth battle deserves the title of "Game of the Year."

Looking ahead to international competition, Mitch and Mia preview Thursday's highly anticipated Team USA Women's Basketball roster announcement and debate who earns the ultimate nod.

Shifting to collegiate governance, the hosts deliver an easy-to-understand breakdown of the NCAA's complex "Five-in-Five" eligibility rule and its compounding ripple effect on college rosters.

Finally, Mitch shares his top betting lines in "Making Money with Mitch" before closing out the episode with "Last Call"!

Barack Obama enters the WNBA discourse! Mia O'Brien and Mitch Northam break down Obama’s Caitlin Clark advice, Indiana's wild championship analytics, and Cathy Engelbert’s presser.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

2:52 - Obama Says Leave Caitlin Alone

8:30 - Time to Change-Up "Rising Stars Game"

14:57 - Mystics Win, Liberty Sneak By (Again)

20:18 - 2027 WNBA All-Star Game Will Be Hosted By ___?

25:42 - Analytics Favor the FEVER to Win the WNBA Title?

34:35 - Deciphering Cathy Engelbert's Press Conference

50:38 - Making Money with Mitch

54:26 - Last Call

On this edition of The Women's Basketball Podcast on OG Media, Mia and Mitch lead off with former President Barack Obama chiming in on the relentless Caitlin Clark discourse — urging fans and commentators alike to give the rookie superstar room to breathe and let the game speak for itself. Mia and Mitch discuss whether Obama's input will actually cool down the online culture wars or simply add more fuel to the fire.

From there, the duo evaluates the league's showcase events, offering a fresh blueprint for how the WNBA can fix and modernize the "Rising Stars Game" format to make it a true must-watch product.

On the court, the hosts recaps recent slate results, including an impressive performance by the Washington Mystics and another tight, survival win by the New York Liberty. Plus, Mitch and Mia look ahead to future league calendar landmarks, discussing which city is poised to land the host duties for the 2027 WNBA All-Star Game.

Then, they dive deep into the numbers: do underlying advanced analytics actually support the Indiana Fever making a dark-horse run to win the WNBA Championship this season? To wrap up the news cycle, Mia and Mitch perform a line-by-line autopsy on WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's latest press conference, translating corporate speak into real-world league strategy.

0:00 - Intro

3:42 - Injuries, Paige Bueckers & the Wings

13:06 - Caitlin Clark Masterclass

20:45 - The Valkyries are ELITE

28:43 - Maddy McDaniel steps away from South Carolina

34:32 - ACC Officiating Alliance

38:33 - Angel Reese vs. Sandy Brondello

50:29 - Making Money with Mitch

0:00 - Intro

3:44 - Indiana Fever Destroy Las Vegas Aces

14:36 - MVPaige

20:22 - LA Sparks Fire their GM

26:25 - Marina Mabrey is a Bucket

31:14 - NCAA Tournament Format Changes

35:37 - Top 5 Candidates to Succeed Cathy Engelbert as WNBA Commisioner

56:51 - Making Money with Mitch

59:41 - Last Call

0:00 - Intro

1:57 - Skylar Diggins and the Chicago Sky on the Rocks

11:30 - Which WNBA Coach Could Be Fired Midseason?

16:14 - Buy New York Liberty Stock Now?

21:47 - Geno Auriemma Sounds Off on Caitlin Clark, Dawn Staley

35:52 - Atlanta Dream Lose Five in a Row

40:26 - WNBA All Star Voting Drama

50:53 - Making Money with Mitch

The Caitlin Clark discourse has gotten away from the league, and that’s not the WNBA’s only problem. The woman at the top should have to answer for that.

1:56 - Is Cheryl the GOAT?

10:05 - History for Mabry & Cardoso

19:18 - Project B vs. Unrivaled

23:59 - 4 OT thriller in DC

28:44 - Juju looks ready to go

36:40 - The WNBA’s biggest problem is the commissioner

50:33 - Making Money With Mitch

The Atlanta Dream is good, but just how good? Like contender good? Some with Dallas. When is Jose Fernandez going to get an apology from his doubters? Plus, we’ll talk about CC’s shoe, Azzi’s Project B plan and more.

2:31 - The Dream is Alive

12:21 - Azzi picks Project B

17:01 - Dallas doing everything right

23:11 - Sarah Strong’s tough 2025

28:57 - Are the Fever miserable?

38:43 - We can’t review everything

46:22 - Shoe Corner

49:51 - Making Money With Mitch

Caitlin Clark has people in their feelings. Is she a genius or a villain? Are the Fever protecting her or bullying a journalist? All that, plus Mitch talks to Vic Schaefer and Olivia Miles has made the Lynx the team to beat.

4:01 - Caitlin Clark makes people stupid

19:08 - What the hell happened in DC?

25:03 - What has Olivia Miles done to the Lynx?

29:45 - Mitch & Vic go to OKC

36:44 - Is Sabrina okay?

40:24 - Let’s talk media ethics in Indy!

51:55 - Making Money With Mitch

Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White made headlines with their very public fight on the Indiana sidelines. That’s just part of a very beefy episode this week.

3:16 - Everyone’s talking about Jose Fernandez

13:30 - Portland surprises everyone

20:45 - Chennedy Carter gets a 4th chance

25:52 - Golden State getting right

29:51 - What does it cost to win?

35:51 - The Fever vs. everyone including the Fever!

52:48 - Making Money With Mitch

Mia and Mitch dive into all of the anger, confusion and frustration around injuries, laws, and slow starts in women’s basketball.

4:37 - Tiffany Hayes vs. Caitlin Clark

12:53 - Give Olivia Miles the trophy!

20:30 - Give ‘em time to develop

25:20 - Will the Liberty be okay?

30:48 - What’s happening in college?

43:02 - It’s about ethics in injury journalism

56:42 - Making Money with Mitch

Caitlin Clark is making history, coaches are making and Mia and Mitch are ready to make sense of it all!

3:21 - Caitlin is back!

11:18 - What’s going on at Stanford?

17:39 - The Aces start hot

22:14 - Upshot’s promising start

29:48 - Is Lynn making things harder for Cam Brink?

36:53 - Jose Fernandez vs. his own team

47:07 - Making Money with Mitch