NBA 101

Going Beyond the Game for WNBA All-Star 2027

The 2027 WNBA All-Star Game coming to the Bay Area is a testament to what the Golden State Valkyries have built in such a short time… a passionate fanbase, sellout energy, and a community that has embraced women’s basketball at scale. — Zaileen Janmohamed, CEO, Bay Area Host Committee

For former athlete and Bay Area resident Shamekka Marty, the announcement that the Golden State Valkyries will host WNBA All-Star 2027 in San Francisco means more than another major sporting event coming to her city.

It’s an opportunity to bring her mission of athlete wellness directly into the weeklong celebration.

Marty is the CEO of Beyond the Game Health. Because of ailments she’s dealt with and is currently dealing with, her goal is to educate athletes from all over on how to advocate for themselves, make them aware of various aspects of their health and provide an outlet for them to grow in and outside of their sport.

Here’s how Marty described her mission to Swish Appeal:

I saw that the power of sports and also just really getting to know a lot of players throughout my journey and seeing what they go through, and I saw something there. I can use sports as a vehicle of ways to help raise awareness… I started navigating through the different sports industries, especially with the WNBA before the new agreement that came out, and we’re still fighting. 

Though I mean, it’s a great agreement, but just learning-you know what? Healthcare is not really there after the game. It’s not really there. How can we protect our players? Because I know that there are things out there that can be done, and what can we do about that? What happens when the checks stop coming?

Through health fairs, literacy programs, panels and other events and activities that tie an athlete to the community and their health, Marty is determined to reach anyone who wants to discover an extensive range of possibilities that can stretch their potential in the right direction.

And now, she has the opportunity to bring that work to one of the biggest weeks on the women’s basketball calendar.

After already partnering with Tiffany Hayes, Shamekka Marty has big plans for All-Star Weekend in the Bay

Marty not only works closely with both professional basketball teams in the Bay Area, but she also has a close relationship with Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes.

Through prioritizing transformational over transactional relationships, she’s collaborated with Hayes through her foundation, Living On Purpose, and helped coordinate the WNBA Legends Brunch during All-Star Week. Meeting Hayes through a mutual friend, the two maintained their relationship off the court and came together to find ways to be there for their fellow athletes while also helping each other grow their brands.

Hayes was someone who joined the Valkyries during their inaugural season in 2025. Since then, she said that she was all in from the start on what Golden State had to offer. As Hayes wrote in The Players’ Tribune:

I still remember that day last year when I arrived for the first time. I’d recently won the Sixth Player of the Year award after my one season in Vegas. But for whatever reason, something just really drew me to Golden State. I loved the idea of doing something that might be uncomfortable, and trying to build something from the ground up.  

That same feeling is what the Bay Area wants fans from all over to experience in 2027.

Marty excitedly spoke to Swish Appeal about the activations she’s planning under her brand and what she’s looking forward to seeing come to life during the event.

“What I can say is it’s going to be craziness. I mean, I know I’m not going to be able to breathe or just have five minutes myself.”

The first activation will be a mixer honoring Black and Brown women in sports. The next will be a brunch with a panel that ties a health component to it. She also wants to host a few clinics free of charge for people to take part in alongside their favorite athletes. As Marty explained:

Accessibility is a huge thing. Like I said in the beginning of the conversation, some people love sports and are really big sports fans, and no one thinks about the families that can’t afford it because of food insecurity. Or they might have parents that can’t afford it due to medical reasons.

I want to make it free for them…That resonates with a lot of kids, where they’re like, “Oh my God, I can, I can even be able to meet them (the players). I can even be able to talk with them,” and have some of the OGs of the game—the Cheryl Millers, the Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley—to be a part of it.

And lastly, Marty wants to incorporate an event just for moms to enjoy a wellness reset while they’re there called “Moms of the Sport.” She emphasized:

Nobody talks about how much they (moms) have sacrificed to get their children. Especially Tiffany (Hayes) talks about this all the time. She’s like, “It was just me and my mom.” We want to honor them, give them a spa treatment, take them somewhere, put that together. Nobody does the activations for the moms, and we want to be first to do something like that.

WNBA All-Star 2027 is just part of Shamekka Marty’s advocacy for athletes

Marty has lived in the Bay Area for 11 years, but she’s made the city her home and wants her advocacy for health in sports to be at the forefront in what adds to the city’s sports scene. She’s already helped organize and take part in conferences and events to support athletes, especially WNBA athletes.

Now, with the WNBA All-Star 2027 being local to her and her community, she can take advantage of the opportunity to educate more people of all ages on the importance of taking care of themselves on and off the court. 

Here’s how Marty puts it:

You cannot pour from an empty cup.

So you have to be able to be okay with checking in with yourself if you’re not there mentally and if physically, if something’s going on, there will be other games. Not make a costly mistake and go back in.

But for me, meeting in the Bay, it shows the power of women’s sports.

For Marty, bringing Beyond the Game Health to WNBA All-Star 2027 is about more than creating events. It’s about making health, accessibility and athlete advocacy part of the conversation when the basketball world comes together in celebration.

Now, it’s the perfect time for fans to start planning for the trip to the Bay to see what Marty and her collaborators have in store to make WNBA All-Star 2027 a fun and educational weekend that’ll resonate with athletes, fans and the community for years to come.

To learn more about Beyond the Game Health, including health screenings, mental health resources and educational opportunities they provide, visit beyondthegamehealth.com. To learn more about Marty and her advocacy, visit shamekkamarty.com.

Yankees Mailbag: Bullpen fatigue and salary cap concerns

Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

Actionthrill asks:As one of the highest spending teams in baseball do you think the Yankees want a salary cap in place or would they rather spend freely? And if a salary cap was put in place would a team like the Dodgers have to get rid of a bunch of their players to get under the salary cap?

Hal Steinbrenner has made himself very clear on this matter time and time again: he’d very much prefer not spending as much as the Yankees currently spend on payroll. The luxury tax hits on his franchise are a bill Steinbrenner would love to wipe away with a salary cap and floor system, putting him in lock step with the rest of MLB’s ownership class on the issue ahead of the next CBA negotiations. Whether they’ll get their way or not is still to be decided, but it figures to be a lengthy fight and one that the owners probably feel more confident in than they have in quite some time as animosity at the top spenders in the sport have grown. As for the hypothetical world where the cap does come in for next season, there would surely be some grandfather clause with current contracts to prevent a mass-shedding of talent from the top, though they’d probably end up losing some of their expensive players out of the gate. What the numbers on that would be exactly would have to be determined as part of the negotiations, and again I expect the players’ union to fight tooth and nail against ever even implementing a cap in the first place so I’m not going to dive too deep on the logistics, but there’s no world where it would be a blanket cap instituted for next season that everyone would have to get under immediately.

In a semi-related note, we’ve gotten several questions about the Yankees’ recent deal with Apollo Global Management and what the cash infusion they’ve provided means for the Yankees’ short and long-term future. I’d highly recommend Josh Diemert’s piece a few weeks ago covering the subject for more in-depth thoughts, but for those of you wondering if this agreement would spur spending on the Yankees’ part I’m afraid you would be disappointed. Private equity’s sole goal is to strip down assets and flip them while the going is good — and perhaps they see an opportunity centered around what these labor negotiations could bring and want a hand in the pot ahead of time. Do I think this deal in particular will signal the end times for the New York Yankees acting as the Evil Empire? Not necessarily, but I don’t like the direction it could lead the team and baseball at large down.

Bleachers1976 asks:What about Gil and Schmidt? Pieces for the bullpen for stretch run and playoffs?

Especially with the news of Fernando Cruz hitting the IL with a partially-torn UCL that’ll keep him out for the rest of the year (and probably more if Tommy John is the ultimate outcome), the Yankees need bullpen help. They’ve been heavily reliant on using Cruz alongside David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, and Brent Headrick anytime they’ve got a close lead to preserve it, a necessity with how little they were scoring over the past two months, but that hyper-usage has tacked on a lot of mileage. Cruz had been struggling for a bit before his injury was discovered, and Headrick’s had some flareups as well recently, so getting reinforcements there will be key to keeping the pitching staff afloat down the stretch.

This is, of course, something that the team could’ve addressed at the Trade Deadline, but they weren’t able to come to an agreement with anyone on the arms that were available then. Part of the philosophy dictating that was the assumption that they had guys like Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt waiting in the wings, and while they wouldn’t be able to get stretched out they could land in the ‘pen as serviceable middle inning relief and perhaps occasionally take the load off of the main late-inning arms. That’s all well and good, but they also have to survive until those two are in game-ready shape and Gil is just starting to get games under his belt while Schmidt is only due to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday.

The other option was to slide one of their excess starters into a relief role as well… but now there are no excess starters. Ryan Weathers was considered a possibility and still may be, but betting on a damaged arm is unwise. The deadline was a mixed bag for the Yankees, but where I originally pointed to the failure of landing a catcher as the biggest sin of the bunch it’s now abundantly clear that not getting a single reliever is the bigger issue. They’ll have to hope that Gil and Schmidt hit the ground running to bolster this group when they do arrive, because otherwise the ‘pen may be running on fumes come October.

Hankflorida asks:My question is why was Jones brought up the first and second time when his stance had too much movement and he looked like he could not adjust his swing to the different pitches?

Simply put, they lacked bodies to put in the outfield and needed him. Jasson Domínguez immediately getting injured after getting called up was certainly not in the plans and necessitated an early debut for Jones, though he had been hitting at the time down in the minors. That stretch obviously didn’t go well, but the team has given him the time to figure things out when they could afford to and it’s paid off now with Jones serving as one of the bats lifting them up out of the doldrums.

workermonkey781 asks:What’s Marco Luciano got to do to get a call up?

Wait and see. It’s clear with their approach in starting Luciano at Double-A at the beginning of the season that the Yankees were experimenting with his swing approach and wanted to see how he would develop over the course of the year. It’s paid off well, and he’s had a serviceable amount of time in Triple-A now to be an option beyond this year should the team not agree to terms with Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the offseason.

However, Jazz is the starter for a reason. He’s one of the team’s better bats and he’s finding himself at the plate lately, alongside several parts of the Yankee lineup. Luciano has no experience at third base either or else a pathway could’ve opened up when Ryan McMahon went on the IL, but the team purposefully kept him on the right side of the infield when shifting him away from shortstop. The odds are still not great for the former top prospect though, as the organization has shown its priorities in letting Anthony Volpe take over second since his demotion and moved Luciano over to left field, where he played all of last season. Perhaps that versatility could earn him a depth position similar to Max Schuemann’s role with the team this year, but that might be his only angle at the moment and it doesn’t appear likely to come in 2026.

Jets vs. Giants: Gametime, TV, Announcers, Online Streaming, NFL Network Replay, and More

Tonight’s preseason finale between the Jets and the Giants kicks off at 7:30 pm Eastern from MetLife Stadium. Although both teams call MetLife Stadium, this is technically considered a Jets home game.

In the past, only the home team has put on a broadcast. That has changed. Both teams will conduct broadcasts of this game.

The Jets feed will be on WCBS 2. Ian Eagle and Anthony Becht will call the game.

The Giants feed will be on WNBC 4. Bob Papa, Carl Banks, and Phil Simms will be in the broadcast booth. Unlike the Jets, the Giants have an expansive television network broadcasting their preseason contests. The Giants broadcast will also be shown on WNYT 13 in Albany, WSTM 3 in Syracuse, WPNY 11 in Utica, WETM 18 in Elmira, WWTI 50 in Watertown, and WTIC 61 in Hartford. (Jets, can we expand our preseason broadcast map a bit?)

The game can also be streamed. Fans in the New York area can watch the Jets feed of this game online on the official Jets app or newyorkjets.com and the Giants feed on the Giants app and giants.com.

If you are outside the local area, you can stream the game live on NFL+. A separate subscription is required.

Fans in the United Kingdom and Ireland can also stream the game live on newyorkjets.com.

If you cannot catch the game live using any of these methods, NFL Network will reair Jets vs. Giants on Sunday August 30 at 3:00 pm Eastern.

How will Brad Underwood balance minutes for a loaded Illinois roster?

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Head coach Brad Underwood’s Illini went hunting for promising additions this offseason, and succeeded at doing so, landing multiple elite freshmen and a proven transfer. But with a chunk of Illinois’ veteran core returning to Champaign, Underwood will have to figure out how to carve minutes out for the new faces without disrupting the chemistry of the established vets. 

Quentin Coleman & Stefan Vaaks: 26-30 minutes

Illini fans assume five-star freshman Quentin Coleman will step right into the starting lineup, filling the point guard role that Keaton Wagler left. Alongside him, Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks, coming off an Estonian League Championship and Big East All-Freshman Team selection, will likely step into the shooting guard role after averaging 15.8 points per game while shooting 35% from 3-point range with the Friars last season. 26-30 minutes per game is a realistic expectation for both of the newcomers in the starting five. 

David Mirkovic & Andrej Stojakovic: 28-30 minutes

After his standout freshman campaign in orange and blue last season, David Mirkovic has virtually locked down his spot in Underwood’s ideal starting lineup. Mirkovic started 35 out of Illinois’ 36 games last season.

Stojakovic though, sat on the bench for 11 games behind Jake Davis during the back end of last season after returning from injury. There’s a question mark as to whether Underwood will replicate that rotation, but given Stojakovic’s scoring production as Illinois’ second-leading scorer last season, it still would be somewhat of a surprise to see him start the season on the bench if he’s fully healthy. Jake Davis earned that spot through rebounding and defensive grit, high IQ spacing and consistent 3-point shooting. But if Stojakovic used this offseason to develop his rebounding and defensive abilities, his ceiling is much higher. 28-30 minutes per game for Stojakovic is a realistic prediction.

Jake Davis: 18-20 minutes

Additionally, Vaaks’ entrance in the starting lineup changes the lineup dynamic. Vaaks and Davis offer spot-up shooting, but a lineup with Vaaks and Stojakovic gives the Illini a late-clock creating option. Davis looks like Illinois’ ideal sixth man this season if he doesn’t start. Keeping him around for at least 18-20 minutes per game will preserve Illinois’ perimeter spacing and defensive discipline. 

Tomislav: 22 minutes; Zvonimir: 18 minutes

Although Tomislav Ivisic likely has his spot in the starting lineup locked down, having started two seasons at the center position for the Illini, Underwood may be a little more generous to Zvonimir than he was last season regarding minutes. Tomislav’s pick-and-pop spacing, 3-point threat, low-block scoring and playmaking abilities should grant him around 22 minutes per game. That leaves an 18-minute window for Zvonimir to utilize his elite rim protection, vertical rim running and stretch-five threat from the wing to offer a completely different playstyle. Zvonimir averaged 17 minutes per game last season, and it’d be a shock to see those numbers decrease. 

Lincoln Williams & Lucas Morillo: 10-12 minutes

A problem Underwood might face is deciding how to balance minutes for the first seven with minutes for the rest of the incoming freshmen. There’s been quite a good bit of hype around wings like Lincoln Williams and Lucas Morillo, but will Illinois fans get to appreciate them on the court this season? Or will they have to wait until the returning core departs? What gives them both a chance to get rotational minutes is the fact that they can both fill in at guard and wing. Williams offers explosive vertical ability and transition scoring, while Morillo offers patient ball-handling and playmaking. If both of them can offer disciplined defense and rebounding, they may be able to carve out 10-12 minutes per game if they maximize their opportunities. 

It won’t be easy for Underwood to dish out 200 minutes for a roster this deep, but it’s a good problem to have. TCR readers, what are your minutes per game predictions?

3 myths surrounding the Clippers investigation 357 days after it began

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Tom Haberstroh welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Amin Elhassan to break down the NBA’s ongoing investigation into Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers. From the $28 million no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration and the latest trade hold between the Clippers and Raptors, Tom and Amin lay out what’s real and what’s myth in one of the league’s most consequential off-court stories.

(1:17) The Big Number: days since the investigation began

(22:25) Are Amin & Pablo out to get Kawhi?

(28:51) Is LeBron’s $300 million loan circumventing the cap?

(41:22) Are the Raptors hoping LA gets a slap on the wrist?

Scott Varley

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

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