Can Portland and Toronto Find Success in Year One? Plus, More Big Questions for Teams in Rebuild Mode

About this episode

Layshia and Annie discuss WNBA teams in rebuild mode and the challenges they face, including coaching and expansion issues.

Layshia and Annie talk through WNBA teams that are in build mode. From finding the right mix of rookies and vets to handling expansion challenges, they look at how Portland, Toronto, Washington, Connecticut, and Seattle are figuring out who they are in the 2026 season. Plus, they get into coaching, team strategies, what success looks like, and why some teams have the potential to surprise sooner than expected. Plus — our take on the NCAA’s push to expand the tournament. REFERENCES:  NCAA basketball tournaments closing in on 76-team March Madness starting in 2027: Sources by Ralph D. Russo __ No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network Email us: NoOffseason@theathletic.com Sign up for the No Offseason newsletter! YT:  @No-Offseason  IG: @tanooffseason TikTok: @no_offseason Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Layshia

Guest: Annie

Topics covered

• WNBA
• team rebuilding
• coaching strategies
• expansion challenges
• NCAA tournament expansion

Keywords

• WNBA
• rebuild mode
• coaching
• expansion
• NCAA tournament
• 2026 season
• team strategies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NCAA, The Athletic, Acast

Places: Portland, Toronto, Washington, Connecticut, Seattle

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