Jackie Powell (she/her)

Jason Sudeikis’ daughters are the biggest WNBA fan girlies. Before the second half started they were jumping and yelling trying to get Paige Bueckers’ attention. She finally noticed them and then they were jumping and yelling geeked out about it.

Got to ask Marina Mabrey tonight why it was important to her and Under Armour to make a donation to Toronto’s Black Women’s Institute for Health during her three point shooting contest participation:

Jonquel Jones just broke down crying at the podium. She broke down mid-answer in explaining an incident on the StudBudz stream. Now choked up talking about her aunt that passed away (who she mentioned on the broadcast tonight).

Jonquel Jones got emotional and needed to pause while answering this question. It's clear she didn't mean any disrespect with what she said on the stream.

Jones con't: "... a responsibility when I speak to make sure that I'm representing not just myself but our organization in the right way but it definitely was a gut punch for me."

Jones con't: "... someone that I’ve built a relationship over the years and so what I said it didn’t really come out in the way that I meant it... I feel like what I said was taken the wrong way and I'll take accountability for that as well and understand that I do have...

Jonquel Jones addressed her viral comment on StudBudz livestream: “It was a night out and traditionally those are moment you can kind of let your guard down a little bit and I was talking to somebody that meant a lot to me in terms of as a friend ...

Dispatch story from day/night 1 of WNBA All-Star, with behind the scenes details from on site: theixsports.com/the-ix-basketb…

📍

West Wilson: “So, I think there are unique questions that can be handled on individual bases, but to allow this to take our attention away from housing and healthcare and wars and all of the other actual harmful shit in our country is dumb.”

I went two-for-two with the predictions. And I will say it again, I can't wait to watch Azzi Fudd and Sabrina Ionescu battle it out in 2027.

Azzi Fudd becomes the first rookie to win the WNBA 3-point contest. Her 30-point round in the final was the highest-scoring round ever by a rookie.

I love how the narrative this year has been the mascots supporting each other. Previously Ellie was a little bit annoyed that Skye was copying her, but the tenor has changed.

You really can’t take Ellie anywhere 😭

I’m told that Under Armour will donate $500 for every three-pointer made by Marina Mabrey tonight to the Black Women's Institute for Health (BWIH), a Toronto-based nonprofit advancing health equity for Black women and girls.

Kelsey Plum talks about her injury and return timeline during the “Mental Wealth” conversation presented by Ally | Boardroom #WNBA

For those that still aren't sure what Shooting Stars is and why it's replacing the skills competition, I have an an explainer here along with some predictions for that contest in addition to who the new 3-point champion will be. My latest at @NBCSports: nbcsports.com/wnba/news/expl…

Celeb sighting at Wintrust

.@BarackObama greets the WNBA All-Star practice: All of you are extraordinary. People paying attention to your excellence has been something, for basketball fans generally, a sight to see. It's been making me happy and all of you have been not just operating with some excellence on the court, but I know many of you are involved in some wonderful ventures off the court

Today's delay to the Paramount-WBD deal means that, as a practical matter, Paramount will not take control of CNN before the midterm election in the U.S.