On Friday ESPN published an article that included startling lineup projections for each team in the WNBA. The piece in question is pretty standard and includes each team's 2024 record, who the team plays first, and who will start when the season kicks off.
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While a lot of the projections are likely to pan out, there was one that really jumped out for a lot of fans. ESPN has Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Michaela Onyenwere, Rachel Banham, and Hailey Van Lith starting — and not 5-time WNBA champion Courtney Vandersloot and 2-time WNBA All-Star Ariel Atkins, who the Sky traded their No. 3 draft pick for earlier this year.
With the exception of Reese and Cardoso, the prediction is already far afield of what many anticipate. But the idea that Van Lith —who is definitely a talented guard but also hasn't even kicked off her rookie season in earnest yet — will start over Vandersloot is a bold claim.
ESPN also offered little by way of solid reasoning for the claim, leaving many fans bewildered, and even a little accusatory. As one person wrote on Reddit, "I'm convinced ESPN post AI generated articles for the WNBA."