Move over, Love Island
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Hi!
Whether you’re savoring the last few weeks of summer or counting down the days until fall, pumpkin season will not be denied. Grab your bevvy of choice (seasonal or not!) and let’s get this sports party started.
NBA
🏀 Bless this mess
The GIST: From family strife to alleged money mishandlings, the NBA is giving reality TV…and providing plenty of programming as both LA teams make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Let’s hoop to it.
💸 Is the Buss family selling their stake in the LA Lakers?: In short, TBD. The family’s been synonymous with the purple and gold for almost five decades, but that seemed set to change after reports surfaced on Monday that the six Buss siblings were selling their remaining 17.8% stake in the franchise. That’s when things got messy…
- Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ governor since 2013, refuted the report through her lawyer mere hours later, claiming a 2017 court order prevents her siblings from selling the stake without her explicit consent. Is this an episode of Running Point?
- The Lakers’ majority ownership has changed hands twice in 14 months, but Buss was supposed to remain in her role through both transitions. That’s off the table if the family sells as the NBA requires team governors to own at least a 15% stake in their teams. Stay tuned.
👀 Did the LA Clippers circumvent the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard?: At this point, who knows. The latest in an ongoing saga, ESPN reported on Monday that the NBA has no evidence that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer funneled money to Leonard through sponsorship deals. But the league said hours later that the story contains “numerous and significant inaccuracies.” Alrighty then.
- The NBA will reveal those inaccuracies when their probe concludes, but time is of the essence, especially for Toronto Raptors fans. The season tips off in two months, and a trade sending Leonard back to the Six remains on hold. Even for a fun guy, this is no laughing matter.
🏀 Golden State Valkyries punch playoff ticket for second straight season
Everything’s coming up Bay Area, from Monday’s 78–70 postseason-clinching win over the Dallas Wings (the Valks’ sixth straight W) to yesterday’s announcement that Chase Center will host the 2027 WNBA All-Star Game. It’s no surprise — Ballhalla’s been absolutely electric since its inception just two seasons ago.
- With the Valkyries locked in, there’s still five playoff spots up for grabs as the FIBA World Cup break looms. Who’ll join Golden State, the Minnesota Lynx, and the Las Vegas Aces? Time will tell, but it won’t be the already eliminated Connecticut Sun or Seattle Storm.
⚾ Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) begins from hallowed Williamsport today
The annual late summer tournament featuring the world’s best 10-to-12 year old players swings into action today. Twenty teams will compete — 10 from the U.S. and 10 international squads — with one U.S. champ and one international victor ultimately meeting in the August 30th LLBWS championship game.
- And this year, there’s one girl shining bright on the diamond: Kinley Rasmus, who led Team Southwest back to the LLBWS for the first time since 1999 with her complete game shutout last week. The pitcher and stellar slugger begins her LLBWS journey today at 3 p.m. ET.
💰⚽ PWHL owner Mark Walter reportedly in talks to sell stake in English Premier League’s Chelsea
One week after Walter suddenly sold the LA Lakers for a $2.5B profit, the insurance magnate — who is under federal investigation for alleged fraud — is reportedly unloading another chunk of his sizable sports portfolio.
- As these sales raise alarm bells about Walter’s involvement in the PWHL (the championship trophy is notably named after him), the league confirmed yesterday that there is “absolutely no expected change to league ownership.”
🎾 Serena and Venus Williams lose in doubles at first round of the Cincinnati Open
Playing in their first match together since 2022, the Williams sisters lost in three sets to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns on Monday, ending their time at the final tune-up tourney before the US Open. Venus already received a wild card entry to the final Grand Slam of the year, and just one more remains on the women’s side — could it be Serena’s for the taking?
⚾ MLB: Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates — Today at 12:35 p.m. ET — MLB.TV
- While the Tigers continue their playoff push, all eyes will be on Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. The reigning National League Cy Young winner has been a shell of his three-time All-Star self, struggling with command and velocity. Can he turn it around in this daytime clash?
⛳ PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs: BMW Championship — Tomorrow through Sunday — ESPN/Golf Channel
- The season’s top 50 points earners will compete in the second leg of the three-part PGA postseason, fighting for one of the 30 spots in next week’s grand finale TOUR Championship.
- Twenty-two of those tickets are already mathematically confirmed (No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has booked a spot, for example), leaving just eight up for grabs at Bellerive Country Club.
🏈 NFL preseason: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Houston Texans — Tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET — ESPN
Fall is just around the corner, and from the chance to rock that new autumn ’fit to an exhilarating sports calendar, the new season is packed with opportunity. We want to know: What’s your favorite way to show off your gameday style?
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lisa Minutillo, and Lauren Tuiskula. Fact-checking by Elisha Gunaratnam. Ops by Elisha Gunaratnam and Briana Ekanem. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.