We’ve got news for the “Caitlin Clark is taking a pay cut” crowd: She’s expected to hit another payday as she steps into the WNBA limelight. Recent reports indicate Clark is close to signing an eight-figure signature shoe deal with Nike worth over $20M with the potential for bonuses.

With league enthusiasm (and lewks) at an all-time high, what comes next for the W’s newbies?

The WNBA has come a long way from basketball’s problematic dress code and gendered expectations, finally allowing players the freedom to wear what they want. Women’s sports leagues are leaning into this now more than ever thanks to increased exposure, which makes athletes worthwhile investments for luxury brands.

Love it or hate it, the NBA Play-In Tournament delivered with last night’s thrilling Western Conference (WC) tip-off, giving way to tonight’s Eastern Conference (EC) double-header. Nothing like high- stakes hoops.

With March Madness over and many of the NCAA’s top players preparing for the WNBA Draft, the court will look different come fall. On top of that, the NCAA transfer portal rules might change soon to allow athletes to transfer more than once. With more than 1.1K players already entered, the transfer portal might get pretty crowded.

This feature is the third in a season-long partnership with the NBA, where, alongside their REPRESENT campaign, we’re celebrating the next generation of Canadian NBA stars. It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the NBA Playoffs. Even without the Toronto Raptors in the mix, there’s plenty of Canadian talent to cheer for. The Play-In tournament featuring two Canadians begins today, with 12 other Canucks waiting for their turn to throw down in the first round. So, let’s get to know the top Canadians expected to make waves.

Tonight marks the start of the drama-filled NBA Play-In Tournament, meaning today’s special edition newsletter includes everything from how it works to a team-by-team breakdown of the postseason action to come.

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark officially turns pro today, as the college hoops phenom and thirty-five other standout players will be selected to the WNBA during tonight’s sold-out 7 p.m. ET draft. Time to roll out the orange carpet.

Roll out the Orange Carpet, because the NCAA’s best women’s basketball players turn pro tonight at the 2024 WNBA Draft

The NBA regular season comes to a close on Sunday, but the playoffs are far from set. While 20 teams have clinched a postseason spot, only three teams have locked in their seeds, meaning we’re in for a wild weekend of hoops.

The WNBA already believes Caitlin Clark will have a Tiger Woods–like effect on women’s pro basketball, so they’re betting big on her and the rest of 2024’s stacked draft class. On Monday, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert confirmed to CNBC that the league is looking to double its fees in its next media rights deal.

After Monday’s 75–60 dub over fellow No. 1–seed Purdue, Naismith Coach of the Year Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies became the first back-to-back national champions in 17 years, reigniting an internet debate: Are the Huskies now officially a blue blood?