Our spiciest newsletter ever

The GIST: Three people with ties to the NBA were among the 34 arrested yesterday in connection to a multiyear FBI investigation into illegal betting. Here’s “the gist” on the two indictments (one tied to rigged poker games and the other to illegal sports wagers) and what the FBI director deemed the NBA’s “insider trading saga.” Buckle up.

😦 I heard a Hall of Famer was involved?: That’s right — 2024 inductee and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is accused of serving as the “face card” to attract unsuspecting victims to a rigged poker ring, which used high-tech strategies to defraud competitors and reportedly involved multiple Mafia families. Billups is in custody and on leave from the Trail Blazers.

😱 And a current player allegedly facilitated illegal sports bets on himself?: Correct. The Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier has been accused of intentionally removing himself from a 2023 game (due to “injury”) so that bettors could cash out on more than $259K in wagers — and give Rozier a share of the profits.

• And then there’s Damon Jones, LeBron James’ former personal shooting coach, who allegedly shared private information about James’ injury status with a bettor in 2023.

• Jones, who is also being indicted in connection with the aforementioned poker ring, encouraged that co-conspirator to “bet big” on the Lakers’ opponent because James would be out. Can’t do that.

👀 Zooming out: Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for legalized sports betting in 2018, numerous scandals have popped up across pro leagues, from MLB to the NFL to the NBA and beyond. Leagues have embraced sports betting through partnerships, but how does a sport maintain integrity when players can be used as prop bets?

The GIST: Former NY Liberty head coach (HC) Sandy Brondello is heading north, tapped as HC for the expansion squad Toronto Tempo on Wednesday. Grab a whiteboard and a marker: We’re breaking down the Xs and Os of the league’s coaching moves.

🏆 Brondello brings championship pedigree to Toronto: She’s a two-time WNBA champ, a WNBA Coach of the Year, and the HC of the consistently overachieving Australian national team. Her experience and her ability to lure superstars to the Six in the W’s most anticipated free agency period could set the Tempo up to replicate the Golden State Valkyries’ expansion success.

📋 Two HC vacancies remain open: With the top candidate off the market, the dominoes have already started falling — yesterday, the Dallas Wings inked former University of South Florida women’s HC Jose Fernandez, whose impressive résumé and long-term commitment to women’s hoops made him a finalist for the same job last year.

• Now, thirteen of 15 HC positions are filled, with six women and seven men at the helm ahead of the 2026 season. That leaves just the Seattle Storm and Brondello’s former team in the Big Apple as the only two coachless squads…for now.

☝️ One more thing: CBA negotiations aren’t going well — but you already knew that. With the October 31st deadline inching closer, public exchanges between the WNBA and the WNBPA are only getting spicier, from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver saying that a revenue share isn’t the best approach to WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson’s fiery response. It’s getting hot in here.

Respect isn’t given in the Great White North — it’s earned, shot by shot, shift by shift, game by game. In Canada, we know what it means to be overlooked, to fight uphill, to carry that chip on our shoulder and turn it into fuel. And Under Armour is built for exactly that.

⚽ Whether it’s CanWNT star Jayde Riviere making plays in HeatGear;

🏒 Hockey spitfire Loren Gabel heading to the rink in the Unstoppable Collection;

👟 Or two-time Olympian Regan Yee smashing PBs in her go-to sneaker.

Canadians don’t shout; we show up. We don’t brag; we outlast. And when the final whistle blows, we’ve proven we aren’t underdogs anymore. Yep, Under Armour was built for us.

The GIST: East Coast vs. West Coast, Canada’s team vs. the reigning champs of America’s pastime, David vs. Goliath — there are so many ways to bill the best-of-seven World Series matchup between the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays and National League–winning LA Dodgers, which begins from Toronto tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

• Will we have our first back-to-back World Series champs since 2000? Can the Jays take it all for the first time since 1993? And can anyone catch The GIST’s very own Melissa in our bracket challenge? Can’t wait to find out.

🐦 Jays’ resilience on display: Toronto overcame a 2-0 series deficit and two-run Game 7 hole against the Seattle Mariners to reach the sport’s biggest stage. Outfielder George Springer blasted the home run heard ’round the Great White North on Monday, while Canada’s own Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continues to deliver, boasting a postseason-best 12 RBI. Born for this.

💙 Dodgers well-rested after dominant sweep: It’s been a full week since LA ousted the Milwaukee Brewers in just four games, giving the Blue Crew time to line up their lights-out pitching staff for the series ahead. No matter how much time passes, expect two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to pick up right where he left off after a historic NLCS showing.

⏩ Toronto rookie Trey Yesavage to face LA veteran Blake Snell in Game 1: From beginning the season in the low minors to World Series starter, 22-year-old Yesavage will look to continue his strong postseason debut. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will send out their two-time Cy Young winner, the southpaw with a remarkable 0.86 ERA these playoffs. Play ball, baby.

🌶️ In a reading rut? A romance series is the ultimate cure — and we have the perfect pick for hockey season. Playing for Keeps is a five-book saga chronicling the fictional love lives of pro hockey players by Becka Mack. Yes, you’ve seen these all over TikTok…and yes, they can get spicy.

• The best part? You don’t have to read the Playing for Keeps series in order. Start with Breathe With Me, the story of Cara and Emmett, whose fierce love is put to the test when starting a family proves harder than either imagined.

• Will their relationship survive? Pre-order Breathe With Me now, available everywhere on October 28th.

🇨🇦⚽ No. 9 CanWNT vs. No. 24 Switzerland — Today at 1:30 p.m. ET — OneSoccer

• With the pro leagues on an international break, Canada’s biggest stars are trading their club kits for the red and white. This is the first of two overseas European friendlies and a great chance for CanWNT to develop chemistry, particularly between seasoned vets (like midfielder Jessie Fleming) and newbies (like NSL breakout star Kaylee Hunter).

🏎️ F1: Mexican Grand Prix — Sunday at 4 p.m. ET — TSN

• Not only is the air thinner in Mexico City, but so are the margins for error in the closely contested World Drivers’ Championship race. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has looked virtually uncatchable recently, but will it have come too late? It’s literally too close to call.

🏈 NFL: Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers — Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET — TSN

• Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will host his former team of nearly two decades for the first time since he was traded in 2023. He says it won’t be a revenge game, but don’t be surprised if there’s a little extra fire.