{"id":810477,"date":"2026-08-11T21:40:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/810477\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T21:40:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:40:15","slug":"buzzer-beaters-and-besties-the-rivalries-and-friendships-that-make-the-wnba-wnba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/810477\/","title":{"rendered":"Buzzer-beaters and besties: the rivalries and friendships that make the WNBA | WNBA"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Rivals Week in the W, and it\u2019s already given us so many spicy viral moments<\/a>. 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\u2019s 30 years \u2013 some rooted in half-court buzzer-beaters<\/a>, others in baseline jumper buzzer-beaters<\/a>. Moral of the story: if there\u2019s a buzzer-beater involved, it\u2019ll likely turn into a team rivalry.<\/p>\n

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 \u2013 because both are what makes the W worth watching.<\/p>\n

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The OG Rivalry: Comets v Liberty<\/p>\n

Houston\u2019s Cynthia Cooper drives to the basket against New York\u2019s Vicky Johnson at Madison Square Garden. Photograph: Nathaniel S Butler\/NBAE\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Houston Comets were really everyone\u2019s rivals for the first four seasons of the WNBA. They won four straight championships and swept the MVP awards, too. But there was one team that especially didn\u2019t like their red-white-blue color scheme: the New York Liberty. Three out of the four championship trophies hoisted up by the Comets came at the Liberty\u2019s expense. I co-host a podcast<\/a> with Comets legend Sheryl Swoopes, and she tells me all that time that those two teams did not like each other<\/a> because \u201cthe Liberty were always the bridesmaids. They wanted to be the brides, but it just wasn\u2019t their time,\u201d Swoopes said.<\/p>\n

We also saw this rivalry re-emerge between Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon during the WNBA All-Star weekend, 26 years later. When Cooper poked fun at the Comets winning four straight titles on the Orange Carpet, T-Spoon responded<\/a>: \u201cThis is why I\u2019m so thankful that four championships don\u2019t define me. Coop, I\u2019m still salty about this, chill out!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Liberty finally got their first \u2019ship in 2024<\/a>. The only thing that would\u2019ve made it sweeter? If they\u2019d beat the Comets to earn it.<\/p>\n

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Besties for the Resties: A\u2019ja Wilson and Allisha Gray<\/p>\n

A\u2019ja Wilson and Allisha Gray look on during this year\u2019s All-Star Game in Chicago. Photograph: Tyler Kaufman\/NBAE\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

When A\u2019ja Wilson and Allisha Gray are on the same court, you know it\u2019s going to be comedy \u2026 afterwards. But while the game is going on, those two battle. Their friendship goes back to playing together and being roommates at South Carolina, when they won the national championship in 2017. Since then, we\u2019ve had a courtside seat to their best friendship (and their careers) blossom before our eyes. They\u2019ve been each other\u2019s biggest supporters, and Gray even has her special PE of Wilson\u2019s A\u2019Two signature sneaker. Now that\u2019s a serious friendship flex.<\/p>\n

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The Last Dynasty: Lynx v Sparks<\/p>\n

The Sparks\u2019 Candace Parker handles the ball against Maya Moore of the Lynx during the 2016 WNBA finals. Photograph: David Sherman\/NBAE\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Minnesota Lynx defined the decade by reaching dynasty status in the 2010s. With a killer lineup of Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles and Rebekkah Brunson, they were built to win. And that\u2019s what they did. Out of the 10 finals that made up the decade, the Lynx appeared in seven and won four. But the rivalry with Candace Parker\u2019s LA Sparks was must-watch TV. They matched up well with each other; at its peak, there were four MVPs and 12 gold medals across the two rosters.<\/p>\n

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In the 2015 Western Conference semi-finals, the Lynx beat the Sparks 2-1 en route to their third championship. In 2016, they met in the finals, and a fallaway jumper by the Sparks\u2019 Nneka Ogwumike with 3.7 seconds left decided their fate. The next year, the two would meet in the finals again, and it also went the five-game distance. This time it was Moore who hit a game-winning jumper with seconds left to give Minnesota their fourth championship in seven years<\/a>. It was a heavyweight battle, and one of the best bouts in WNBA history.<\/p>\n

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You\u2019re the Bud to my Stud: Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman<\/p>\n

Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman walk the orange carpet during this year\u2019s All-Star Weekend. Photograph: Geoff Stellfox\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Hiiiii, twin \ud83d\udc4b There aren\u2019t too many friendships where names morph into a world-renowned moniker synonymous with joy, laughter and 72-hour streams. The StudBudz duo of Williams and Hiedeman stems from the two being teammates in Connecticut starting in 2019. Since then, they\u2019ve played together on the Minnesota Lynx with matching pink hair<\/a>, had Vogue photoshoots<\/a> and countless livestreams, and have become key figures of the WNBA\u2019s culture<\/a>. Dubs in the chat!<\/p>\n

This is an extract from WNBA 30, where Jordan Robinson covers the biggest stories in the league on and off the court each week. Subscribe for free here<\/a>.<\/p>\n