Will Angel Leave Chicago? What moves will the Fever make? The Free Agency Bonanza Begins!

Zena, Sabreena, and Ben kick things off with an unintentional announcement — the Portland Fire’s head coach was announced via a deleted, unexplained post. They dive into the resulting awkwardness and debate whether the announcement was meant for another time. Then, the conversation shifts to the NBA’s announcement of three new referees advancing into its ranks — a move that raises questions about officiating standards in the WNBA. From there, free agency explained. The crew breaks down team strategies and shifting rosters, asking the big questions: Will Angel Reese stay in Chicago? How will the Fever build around Caitlin Clark? And is the Arike Ogunbowale era in Dallas nearing its end? Finally, they wrap things up with some head-scratching social media moments that leave the crew — and listeners — wondering what exactly is going on. REFERENCES: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6723196/2025/10/16/wnba-ratings-viewers-2025-espn/ https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6720985/2025/10/16/2025-wnba-free-agency-moves/ 00:00 Intro 00:40 WNBA season is most viewed ever on ESPN networks 06:12 The Portland Fire social media blunder 11:12 The NBA announced three new referees to join their ranks 18:08 What is free agency? 19:47 Understanding WNBA free agency dynamics 22:38 The impact of the CBA on player movement 25:02 Will Angel Reese remain with the Sky? 27:27 What factors will attract free agents to Dallas? 31:47 Where will Arike Ogunbowale end up? 35:33 How will the Fever continue to build? 40:47 Which players are likely to be on the move for the Liberty? 45:22 What makes Phoenix an attractive place to play? 46:35 What will the Lynx’s look like next season? #wnba #freeagency #cba Thumbnail: Barry Gossage via Getty Images Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com. You can also find us on socials: -Instagram: @tanooffseason -TikTok: @no_offseason -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Ben on BlueSky: @benpickman -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS