 | Powered by  Edition #980 February 28 |
| From The GIST Team |
Happy almost last day of February!
Even with an extra day on the calendar tomorrow, there's no time to waste — let's, ahem, leap right into today's news. Full speed ahead.
| Quote of The Day |
 | I probably don't have too long left but I'll do as best as I can these last few months. |
 | — Tennis legend and current world No. 67 Andy Murray, hinting at possible retirement after storming back to beat No. 120 Denis Shapovalov at the Dubai Championships on Monday. Smiling through the tears. |
| The Latest |
| Athletes Unlimited |
🏀 All's fair in love and basketball
The GIST: Before Athletes Unlimited's (AU) third basketball season tips off, here's a primer on the pro league that's giving women hoopers (including some of your WNBA faves) a chance to compete for individual glory during the W offseason. Cue "Trophies."
How it works: Forty ballers participate in AU's four-week season, which operates under a fantasy-inspired points system, with four new squads drafted each week.
- Scoring is based on individual and team performance, with athletes in the top four of the weekly leaderboard becoming captains who then draft teams for the next week of competition. At the end of the season, the player who accumulates the most cumulative points is crowned individual champion.
- And while it helps hoopers prepare for May's WNBA season start, AU Basketball is way more than a tuneup — it's a chance for women to play professionally in North America, instead of overseas, year round. Love to see it.
The players to watch: Eighteen current WNBA athletes will hit the AU courts this season, including the Phoenix Mercury's Natasha Cloud, who's back for a third AU season, plus the Atlanta Dream's Allisha Gray and Haley Jones.
- Add in the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces resident jokesters, Sydney Colson and Theresa Plaisance, and something viral is bound to happen.
How to tune in: Whether you're in the U.S. or Canada, you can watch the majority of the AU season — including tomorrow's 6 p.m. ET opener — for free in the WNBA app. Changing the game.
| Buzzer Beaters |
⚽ The No. 2 USWNT will play in the Concacaf W Gold Cup quarter-final later this week, where they'll try to bounce back from Monday's 2–0 L to No. 25 Mexico, their first loss to El Tri Femenil since 2010. Reality? Checked.
🗽 NY Liberty star Breanna Stewart agreed to a one-year contract to return to the Big Apple. The 2023 WNBA MVP reportedly settled for a "below-maximum" deal in order to give the team flexibility to sign more talent.
⚾ $700 million man Shohei Ohtani made his LA Dodgers debut during yesterday's Spring Training game, promptly blasting a home run in his second at-bat. ShoTime, indeed.
🎓🏀 Player of the Year frontrunner Zach Edey will not return to Purdue for a fifth year and is expected to declare for the NBA Draft after this season.
🔥 With next month's season start looming, the NWSL unveiled new kits yesterday, marking the first time a women's pro soccer league has received a league-wide kit refresh. Straight fire.
🏆 It's winning time
ICYMI: The USWNT is already fighting for their first trophy of the year, playing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup quarter-finals later this week — and you can still grab tickets to that upcoming game at LA's BMO Stadium.
- World-class fútbol on home soil? It's a no brainer. Don't miss your chance to see your favorite American soccer stars, like forwards Sophia Smith and Alex Morgan, IRL. LFG.
| Mid-Week Watching |
🏒 PWHL: New York vs. Ottawa — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — YouTube
- The league's final puck party of the month will feature the two teams at the bottom of the standings, both hoping to cap off February with a much-needed win.
🎓🏀 NCAA women's basketball: No. 6 Iowa vs. Minnesota — Tonight at 9 p.m. ET — Peacock
- Caitlin Clark watch continues with the Hawkeyes' superstar 32 points shy of Lynette Woodard's all-time Division 1 scoring record and 51 away from claiming Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring title. Splash.
⛳ LPGA: HSBC Women's Championship — Today through Saturday — golfchannel.com
- World No. 6 and Korea's Jin Young Ko knows this tournament all too well and will be swinging for a three-peat in the Lion City.
| The GIST's Picks |
Peep our squad's MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🎿 Where to learn a new skill
Sun Valley, Idaho, one of the best mountains for beginner skiers to hone their craft. Book a lesson today and become the french-fry envy of your friend group.*
💄 What to get excited for
F1 ACADEMY x Charlotte Tilbury. The makeup giant and F1 are teaming up to develop and prepare female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition. Beautiful.
🎧 What to listen to
This podcast episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out. WNBA legend Sue Bird and USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe join the show for a conversation about their relationship, retirement, and so much more.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. See you on the slopes.
| Fun & Games |
Question of the Day
In honor of tomorrow being a rare February 29th, we want to know: Are you a leap day baby or do you know someone who is? Let us know below then celebrate with some fun Leap Day themed activities.
On Monday, we asked for your hot take on Crocs. 51% voted that they're out while 49% said that they're in. Truly polarizing.
Enjoying The GIST? We thought you might be. And we'd love for you to share the love. It would mean so much to us if forwarded this email to someone who you think would dig The GIST just as much as you do. Appreciate you!
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Today's email was brought to you by Lauren Tuiskula, Alessandra Puccio, Marga Sison, Lisa Minutillo, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore, Janine Kiefer, Emma Leishman, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Lindsay Jost. Fact-checking by Parul Kanwar. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alexis Allison, and Dee Lab. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.
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