Hello friends and happy Sunday! The sun is shining in Denver, Colorado and the temperatures are rising as we turn the corner into June. Our monthly mailbag for our ‘Ball-Knowers’ is here and touches on a variety of interesting subjects. We’ve already had a fascinating weekend of WNBA action and the ideas are already percolating for Monday’s Five Out column. In the meantime, let’s talk a little bit about what is coming in the next month from a content and funding perspective and then get to some podcast questions.
For those still on the fence about signing up for the paid tier, we’re ramping up our content as our staff preps their own monthly offerings. In addition to some of the extra stuff you already get — be it features or breaking news analysis — you’ll also be guaranteed five pieces a month that will touch on a variety of topics. Rashard’s 2026 WNBA Mock Drafts are on the way, Tyler will be getting into his features bag, Greer will have a monthly piece hitting on the business and broader subjects around the game while Chauny will take you back into some of the great underdiscussed moments in the league’s lore and I’ll be introducing a film study segment with some special guests to give you a tacticians view on the game and where it’s going.
So give us a shot and always let us know what you like, dislike, or want us to keep doing. I’ve changed up our reader survey a bit to get a better understand of your content needs and wants from us! As we always say, No Cap Space WBB is rooted in the idea of reciprocal community. We’re here with you guys and we want your voice to matter in how we make our content the best anywhere in the world of women’s basketball.
Now, to the pod!
What Your Subscription Is Helping Fund This Month:
For starters, welcome to all the new folks that have decided to become ‘Ball-Knowers’ this month. We know there’s a few of you here and so thanks for trusting us to shepherd you as storytellers. Part of our monthly mailbag includes a little transparency segment that allows you to know exactly where your money is going every month.
I’m happy to announce that with your help, our home studio phase-ins are nearly complete! Our entire podcast crew now has microphone upgrades with boom arms, pop filters and all of the things that will take your listening experience to the level that one might expect from the top media outlets in our game. The final push will be cameras for Chauny and Greer, so our video offerings will officially be 1080p quality across the board. This was something that we didn’t think we’d be able to fully accomplish until next NCAA season but instead will likely be finished with by the time WNBA All-Star Weekend. That’s a testament to the support you have all given us and continue to give, so we hope that we can properly repay you with an A/V experience that is network level in quality.
You’ve also helped allow us to be able to get some travel for big games done in the last month. Tyler has been boots-on-the-ground for a couple of Dallas Wings home stands, including Paige Bueckers WNBA debut. Our team will also be at Overtime Select in Atlanta, giving you a good dose of subscriber-only content on the next generation of collegiate stars. Last season, we introduced you to top end talent such as the Pauldo sisters who will be at Tennessee next season. We’ve got a great plan of attack on who to interview and introduce you to this year so stay tuned for that. I will also be heading to Las Vegas on June 13th for the Wings game to give you some boots-on-the-ground coverage on the Aces season and get some interviews that will turn into features later on in the month. It also includes a special interview for our June cover story project which I can’t wait to unveil to everyone.
It’s been a lot and after a May where we had to catch our breaths a little bit, we’re right back into the mix and rolling. None of that happens without your patronage and support, so once again a big thank you from the bottom of our hearts that you’re willing to hang with us and invest in us. There’s plenty more to come!
Podcast Questions:
0:00 - Show Introduction
2:25 - Investment Transparency Time
8:17 - Molly asks… “Conspiracy, does Noelle Quinn hate rookies? Cause the minutes disparity is painful for a team we expected to come out strong.”
11:28 - Molly asks… “What are we taking away from the fever losing to ATL? I saw flashes of old Fever basketball in that game, some really stagnant moments.”
13:56 - Molly asks… “Can the mercury sustain their streak? I was low on them to start the season, I think you need a bench and can’t solely rely on a big three, but looks like even their big two can win them games.”
16:13 - Sophia A. asks… “Idk if you know this, but how do union elections work? If a player is a team rep but gets waived or traded, what happens?”
18:02 - Sophia A. asks… “Will the Storm ever remember they have a bench?”
19:42 - AG asks … “When Jordin Canada returns, is it just Paopao’s playing time that gets cut?”
22:22 - Jo asks… “Idk if this topic should be a column, or its own podcast, but I have questions about the league’s competition committee and who’s on it, referee standards, and to be a quasi conspiracy theorist, why is bad officiating really prevalent so far in Fever games (not that it’s not in others, we saw what BG said before the halftime interview today)?”
30:13 - Molly asks … “One more, do you think we’ll see coaches fired after a single season? Other coaching changes? There feels to be some very tenured coaches, then everyone else.”
37:34 - Sophia A. asks … “Curious if you have any intel on any of those player-agency swaps specifically (Jackie now the only core 4 in Vegas not repped by Klutch!)
More generally: Why do players switch agencies (esp like Sue and Megan, who had been with Wasserman for decades!) mid career?
What reputations do specific agencies have, if any? What reasons beyond $ and liking a particular agent would a player have to choose a particular agency?
41:56 - Andrew’s Music of the Month
Gorillaz — ‘The Now Now’
45:52 - Andrew’s Meal of the Month
Fettucine Alfredo — The Italian Version
(An aside: I go back-and-forth on Joshua Weissman as a food influencer nowadays. I don’t love his pseudo-embellishment of his actual restaurant career and the personality can be grating at times. But when he is just giving you these small shorts of more purely instructional stuff, his content is highly recommended. If you want a YouTube/Social Media Chef who is more about the food and less about the Mr. Beast-coded spectacle, Andy Hearnden is your guy.)
Fettucine Alfredo — The New York Version
This is out of the Rao’s Recipes From The Neighborhood Cookbook, a regular staple in the Giuntini-Haubner house.
They key here is the sauce is prepared in two separate ways and then combined at the end. This recipe is also for about 3-4 people so portion accordingly.
Boil water in a large pasta pot
While boiling, grate 1 cup of cheese and prep all other ingredients
Put fettucine into pot and cook, typically 10-11 minutes
About 5 minutes into cook, in a deep sauce pan…
Take 1 stick of butter and melt into pan, then add in 2/3 cup of heavy cream and 3/4 cup parm.
Let simmer, occasionally stirring to keep from clotting
In a small bowl
Take 3 egg yolks (separate from whites) and whisk with remaining 1/3 cup heavy cream. I sometimes will add some leftover parm here to Rome-ify the dish a bit.
When fettucine is done, set aside a little bit of pasta water. It isn’t necessary but I think the starchiness of the water is always a nice binding agent for the sauce and can be used as a thinner in case the sauce is too heavy for your liking.
Take the fettucine and add with the cream mix first, tossing until ingredients have come together. Wait about a minute (the bit of cooling will help keep the egg mixture from clotting) and then add the egg mixture. Toss until ready.
You’ll typically need either a big serving dish or bowl. I don’t recommend doing this in the pan unless you’re doing single portions.
Garnish with some black pepper, parsley and crushed red pepper if you like a little kick. The dish is at its’ absolute best with some chicken cutlets. That crunch from a combo Italian/Panko breadcrumb mix is a perfect counter to the rich creaminess of the sauce.
Enjoy!!