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From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Happy hump day!
Turns out folks took a brief break from Jimothy content — the final FIFA men’s World Cup viewership numbers are in, and a whopping 75% of Canada’s population watched the action in some capacity. 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.
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🏀 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 (and Canadian) 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.
- Elsewhere in the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays’ bats are nowhere to be found — they’ve scored just four runs across their last four games. Quick, somebody call an Etsy witch before their divisional series with the Tampa Bay Rays continues tonight at 7:07 p.m. ET.
⚽ CanWNT star Jordyn Huitema tears ACL, will miss remainder of the season
The red and white’s FIFA Women’s World Cup countdown just took a brutal turn. Chicago Stars forward Jordyn Huitema announced yesterday that she tore her ACL in Chicago’s July 18th loss to Angel City FC. With just 337 days until the tournament kicks off, that means Canada could unfortunately be suiting up without one of its best strikers.
🚴 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.
⛳ 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.
🥇 Commonwealth Games — Tomorrow through August 2nd — CBC
- The 23rd edition of the quadrennial event is a wee bit smaller than in years’ past, but a star-studded Canadian contingent (including decorated sprinter Andre De Grasse and champion hammer throwers Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers) is still gunning for gold.
🥎 AUSL: Portland Cascade vs. Chicago Bandits — Tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET — TSN+
- 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.