From Comets-Liberty and Lynx-Sparks to Wilson-Gray and the StudBudz, the feuds and friendships that have shaped 30 years of the WNBA

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It’s Rivals Week in the W, and it’s already given us so many spicy viral moments. But when I look at the matchups that headline the schedule, it made me think of all the different rivalries that have come and gone throughout the league’s 30 years – some rooted in half-court buzzer-beaters, others in baseline jumper buzzer-beaters. Moral of the story: if there’s a buzzer-beater involved, it’ll likely turn into a team rivalry.

And while there are tense rivalries, there are also fierce friendships in this league. The ones that make you giggle to yourself when they wind up guarding each other during a game, or they show off a special celebration as teammates. Today, I want to highlight both – because both are what makes the W worth watching.

Engelbert helped vault the league to new financial heights, but still draws the ire of stakeholders. A co-commissioner for player relations would be a welcome add

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Being the WNBA’s commissioner may be one of the most unwanted jobs in the world right now. That’s in no small part because Cathy Engelbert, the person who holds that title, makes it look like a rough ride. She has helped usher the league into new financial heights and unprecedented popularity, but her players continue to bash her in the public sphere.

The job is not an easy one, and by many measures Engelbert has done it well, but today I want to talk about what I would do in her shoes. That means starting with how we got here.