 | Edition #1025 April 29 |
| From The GIST Team |
Hey there!
Here's to a week as magical as South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley and her staff celebrating their national title at Disney World over the weekend. Wish upon a star as you scroll on.
| Quote of The Day |
 | I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it. The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time…I fell in love with a little orange ball at 13 years old and BECAUSE of it my world goes 'round. |
 | — Two-time WNBA MVP and three-time W champion Candace Parker, announcing her retirement via Instagram yesterday. CP3 played 16 standout seasons in the W, changing the game on and off the court. More on her mission accomplished below. |
| The Latest |
| Candace Parker retirement |
🏀 When one door closes, another opens
The GIST: As you read, the legendary Candace Parker might've hung 'em up yesterday, but her impact on and involvement in the game will undoubtedly endure. Here's to her truly game-changing career and even more to come.
On the court: We could fill an entire newsletter with CP3's on-court achievements. Along with her three WNBA titles and two MVPs, she also boasts two Olympic golds plus two NCAA championships while playing under a fellow legend of the game, Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt.
- Parker's also the only W player to win a title with three different teams, leading the LA Sparks all the way in 2016, bringing a title to her hometown Chicago Sky in 2021, then hoisting the trophy with the Las Vegas Aces last season. All she does is win, seriously.
The legacy: Playing with unmatched swagger and confidence, Parker helped the game reach new heights over her storied career — including becoming the first woman to dunk in NCAA tournament history. And as high as she leapt on the court, she transcended the game off it, excelling as a mother, businesswoman, and broadcaster. Iconic is an understatement.
What's next: Already an investor in the NWSL's Angel City FC, Parker shared her plans to "own both a NBA & WNBA team" in yesterday's retirement announcement. We can also expect her continued presence in the broadcast booth, where she's served as an analyst and commentator for NBA and NCAA games since 2018. As she wrote, "This is the beginning…"
| NBA Playoffs |
🏀 Bring on all the pretenders
The GIST: With another weekend of high-stakes hoopla in the books, some superstars are flexing on the hardwood, while others are pre-planning trips to Cancun…or the doctor's office.
Injury updates: Injuries are still sadly dominating the headlines — especially for the Milwaukee Bucks. Already without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (pronounced ah-det-oh-KOON-boh), the other half of the Bucks' dynamic duo, Damian Lillard, was sidelined with an Achilles injury in last night's 126–113 loss to the Indiana Pacers, leaving Milwaukee in a 3-1 series hole.
- It was a different story for the also injured LA Clippers, who've won two games without two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, including yesterday's 116–111 Game 4 win to even their series against the Dallas Mavericks.
Old guard on the brink: It's not just injuries wreaking havoc on aging superstars. For the first time in more than a decade, the NBA is this close to a second round without hoops icons Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry. Curry's Golden State Warriors didn't even make the playoffs, while Durant's Phoenix Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves after last night's 122–116 L.
- And things aren't looking good for James' LA Lakers, who are facing a 3-1 deficit heading into tonight's 10 p.m. ET Game 5 against the defending champ Denver Nuggets. Could this be the end of an era?
🏎️ Get in, we're going to MIA
Dreaming of a last-minute vacay that's anything but basic? The Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix has you covered.
- This isn't your run-of-the-mill Miami getaway. When Formula 1 comes to town this weekend, the 305 will transform into the world's biggest party. We're talking no sleep, bus, club, another club — all before the drivers take their mark.
There's nothing like the thrill of a Formula 1 race IRL, so lock in your $435 (sub-$150 per day) weekend Campus Pass now to spend a few days in the city that keeps the roof blazin'.
| Buzzer Beaters |
🤸 Guess who's back? Olympic legend Gabby Douglas, who returned to competition for the first time in eight years over the weekend, participating in the American Classic. Flippin' fantastic.
🏒 The PWHL playoff picture is coming down to the wire, with the No. 1 seed and two of the four postseason spots still up for grabs and less than a week to go in the regular season. *bites nails*
🏀 Former Minnesota Lynx legends Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus headline the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 that was inducted on Saturday.
🥅 The NY Rangers swept the Washington Capitals last night, making them the first team to advance to the second round as the grueling Stanley Cup Playoffs continue.
🎓🏀 Stanford standout Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC over the weekend, teaming her up with JuJu Watkins, the highest-scoring freshman in women's basketball history. Scary.
- 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year Kaitlyn Chen is on the move, too, leaving Princeton to play her final collegiate season at UConn.
⛳ World No. 18 Australian Hannah Green defended her crown at yesterday's LA Championship, while world No. 28 Swede Maja Stark finished in second for the second straight week.
⚽ Next month's UEFA women's Champions League final is set, with defending champs Barcelona set to face Lyon following a weekend of controversial semifinal action.
🥎 Former Oklahoma softball star Jocelyn Alo signed a one-month contract with the Savannah Bananas, an exhibition baseball team, adding to her already busy schedule.
| The GIST's Picks |
Here's what has The GIST team currently hyped:
🏒 What to shop
PWHL player merch, and Toronto goalie Carly Jackson's "Magic Mullet" tee is a great place to start.
🎾 Who to know
Challengers actor Josh O'Connor, who talks tennis lessons and getting fit for the recently released sports romance film.
🎧 What to listen to
Inside the LPGA. The new podcast offers a blend of women's golf insights and entertainment. Tee-rific.
| Fun & Games |
Question of the Day
As you read, the first round of the NBA Playoffs have been a slam dunk so far, and with several teams (OKC Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and NY Knicks) just one win away from advancing to the conference semis, we want to know: how many of these teams do you think will clinch by our next newsletter on Wednesday?
Enjoying The GIST? We thought you might be. And we'd love for you to share the love. It would mean so much to us if forwarded this email to someone who you think would dig The GIST just as much as you do. Appreciate you!
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Today's email was brought to you by Lauren Tuiskula, Marga Sison, Lisa Minutillo, Karissa Dzurik, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore, Janine Kiefer, Emma Leishman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking by Annie Chan. Ops by Marga Sison and Annie Chan. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alexis Allison, and Dee Lab. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.
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