Can’t stop thinking about Jimothy
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Happy hump day!
Turns out folks took a brief break from Jimothy content — the FIFA men’s World Cup viewership numbers are in, and a record 62.8M U.S. viewers took in Sunday’s Final. And with that, scroll on to kick off this Wednesday with today’s sports news.
WNBA
🏀 Shine bright, shine far
The GIST: WNBA All-Star Weekend is just two sleeps away — but first comes tonight’s six-game slate, where a certain superstar could make her season debut. As we near the season’s unofficial halfway point, here are our way-too-early picks for the league’s end-of-season awards. Nothing but net.
🤩 Most Valuable Player — A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces): But of course. An unprecedented four-time MVP, Wilson’s remained virtually unstoppable. In fact, the league’s leading scorer has only gotten better, adding a three-point shot to her already lethal repertoire this offseason. It’s the 29-year-old’s world, and we’re just living in it.
🐣 Rookie of the Year — Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx): The Lynx boast one of the best offenses in the W, and 2026 No. 2 overall pick Miles is the maestro. Her ball fakes and slick passes drop jaws on the daily, she’s breaking records left and right, and her aura is off the charts. High fives all around.
💪 Defensive Player of the Year — Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries): Williams is as versatile as they come. The anchor for the W’s best defense, the two-time All-Star consistently stifles the league’s top perimeter scorers (think Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell and the Aces’ Jackie Young), logging the second-best steal rate in the WNBA.
📈 Most Improved Player — Marina Mabrey (Toronto Tempo): With ample opportunities for breakout stars in the expansion era, no one’s capitalized quite like Mabrey — look no further than her record-tying 53-point masterpiece in June. No rage bait here, just a franchise cornerstone.
TOGETHER WITH FanDuel
🎉 This calls for a celly
⚽️ GISTers, you brought the noise and packed the house all tournament long. Thanks to our pals at FanDuel, our Summer of Soccer watch parties popped up in cities across the U.S. — and wow, did you show up.
Roll the highlight reel:
- 🍺 From Kansas City to Chicago, New York City to Boston, GISTers built community over beers, raffles, activities, and, of course, the beautiful game.
- 📹 The FanDuel “Called It” cam delivered some pretty hot takes and candid pics.
If you’re feeling the post-tournament blues, give yourself a little pick-me-up by downloading the FanDuel Sportsbook app. Thanks for making this a Summer of Soccer to remember.
🏀 Star-studded field to shoot for WNBA three-point title
As announced yesterday, six players will vie for the W’s sharpshooting crown for the first time since 2023. And while the marquee contest won’t feature two-time defending champ Sabrina Ionescu of the NY Liberty, it will include 2026 No. 1 draft pick Dallas Wing Azzi Fudd and single-game three-point record holder, the aforementioned Mabrey.
- Atlanta Dream superstar Rhyne Howard, Portland Fire sharpshooter Bridget Carleton, Golden State Valkyrie Janelle Salaün, and Seattle Storm point guard Natisha Hiedeman round out the six-player lineup. Prepare for rain on Friday.
🏒 PWHL owner Mark Walter facing federal investigations
The league’s biggest financial backer is in the hot seat over possible financial wrongdoings involving two insurance companies he owns. The investigation is looking into whether those companies invested billions of dollars into other businesses connected to Walter without fully disclosing those ties.
- How does this impact the PWHL? So far, it’s business as usual. There’s no indication the probe is affecting league operations, but we’ll be watching this space especially with the PWHL’s future growth so closely tied to Walter.
⚾ Boston Red Sox seeking franchise-record 15th straight win
The Red Sox went from the worst team in the American League to playoff position thanks to an astounding 14 straight wins, one shy of tying the franchise’s 80-year record. Yesterday’s chance at history was rained out, turning attention to today’s 1:35 p.m. ET game (the first of a doubleheader) against the Baltimore Orioles.
🚴 Remco Evenepoel wins Tour de France Stage 16 as podium race tightens
The Belgian not only snagged his second straight stage victory, he also beat race leader Tadej Pogačar by 28 seconds, trimming his yellow jersey gap to 4:32. Meanwhile, Germany’s Florian Lipowitz crashed out of the race, shaking up the podium picture as the 21-stage Tour barrels toward the final stretch this weekend.
- Looking ahead, today’s Stage 17 offers a brief break from climbing with a flatter 174.7-kilometer ride from Chambéry to Voiron. Allez.
TOGETHER WITH CAKES
☀️ You need support that'll keep up with all of your summer activities. Our pals at CAKES are providing all of the freedom without the wardrobe malfunction thanks to their silicone covers, boob tape, and invisible support.
- 🌅 Go from park hang straight to your dinner resy with their best-selling Day & Night Bundle featuring circle and triangle Sticky CAKES — perfect for total coverage on everything from sundresses to your flirty date night look.
⛳ LPGA: ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open — Tomorrow through Sunday — Golf Channel
- Defending champ and world No. 5 Lottie Woad is back at Dundonald Links, where she’ll tee off alongside No. 1 Nelly Korda and No. 7 Charley Hull for the first two rounds. Woad is chasing a repeat, a piece of the $2M purse, and a little momentum heading into next week’s AIG Women’s Open, the season’s final major.
👟 Track & field: USATF Outdoor and Para National Championships — Tomorrow through Sunday — NBC Sports, Peacock, and USATF.TV
- Sprinters Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles are among the several Olympic gold medalists hitting the Big Apple for the four-day championships, and both will be in action tomorrow as the 100m heats headline opening day. On your mark, get set…
🥎 AUSL: Portland Cascade vs. Chicago Bandits — Tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET — ESPN
- The league-best and defending champ Utah Talons already punched their ticket to Saturday’s championship series, and this play-in game will decide their opponent.
- Chicago returns to the postseason after reaching last year’s title series, while expansion team Portland has a chance to make franchise history. Batter up.
Question of the Day
A mere three days after the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup final whistle, MLS is so back, with every single team in action tonight. Will you be tuning in to more men’s footy?
Today’s email was brought to you by Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, and Grace DePaull. Fact-checking by Elisha Gunaratnam. Ops by Elisha Gunaratnam and Briana Ekanem. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.