After the American men avoided what would’ve been one of the biggest upsets of the Games and advanced to the gold medal matchup yesterday, women’s basketball takes center stage today when the stacked semis tip off in a few hours. Hoop yeah.

A whopping 25 NBAers are suiting up across the four remaining countries, so expect action aplenty in today’s men’s basketball semis, with winners advancing to Saturday’s gold medal game.

The 5x5 women’s basketball knockout stage is underway as you read this: The quarter-finals tipped off at 5 a.m. ET and will culminate with seven-time defending gold medalists Team USA vs. Nigeria at 3:30 p.m. ET. Here’s a look at the hoopin’ by the numbers.

While there’s been a lot of talk about new WNBA brand partners, there’s something to be said for OG league sponsors — like Nike. The athleticwear giant recently celebrated over 25 years with the W, so let’s take a look at some of Nike’s most recent women’s hoops wins.

Ever wonder how much exposure a half-court logo gets? That’s where Relo Metrics — a firm that uses AI to measure sports marketing efficacy — steps in. Last week, Relo spoke with The GIST to share exclusive WNBA insights from its proprietary software that tracks brand exposure.

Two women and one man got the call-up as Team USA goes for gold

This year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend (ASW) became an epicenter for women’s basketball culture like never before, and it was more than just brands (and celebs) showing up at the marquee event. As expected, fans tuned in on TV, which sponsors anticipated and prepped for with numerous ASW activations.

In case you missed the memes, WNBA All-Star Weekend (ASW) turned 115-degree Phoenix into Arizona’s hottest club. From the Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Gray’s Skills Challenge payday to Saturday’s spicy, sold-out All-Star Game (ASG), here’s what made this ASW extra special.

Women-first dating app Bumble is firmly embracing its sporty era. After past collabs in the e-sports and NIL spaces, the app announced a multiyear partnership with the WNBA last Wednesday The move followed a Bumble survey that helped it realize its users are all about love and basketball.

Unrivaled — the 3x3 pro women’s basketball league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier — made its first major partnership announcement on Friday. Unsurprisingly, the first sponsor to sign with the new league is Ally, the financial institution that’s been transforming women’s sports through investment via its 50/50 Pledge.

The WNBA just netted another record — this time, for the most lucrative media rights contracts in women’s sports history. On Tuesday, The Athletic reported the WNBA signed three media rights deals alongside the NBA for a grand total of $2.2B over the next 11 years — and they’re likely not done yet.

Grab your finest Pitbull aviators because the brightest stars in the WNBA will shine across two banner nights of All-Star festivities from Phoenix, Arizona. The weekend includes a 3-Point Contest, Skills Challenge, the actual All-Star Game, and a concert from Mr. 305 himself. Here’s what you need to know before the fun begins tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Dale.