Michelle Smith, Author at The IX Sports

Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith has covered women’s basketball nationally for more than three decades. A 2024 inductee into the U.S. Basketball Writer’s Hall of Fame, Smith has worked for ESPN.com, The Athletic, the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as Pac-12.com and WNBA.com. She is the 2017 recipient of the Jake Wade Media Award from the Collegiate Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) and was named the Mel Greenberg Media Award winner by the WBCA in 2019.

Golden State Valkyries

The Valkyries have never beaten the Lynx. Now, they must

by Michelle SmithAugust 19, 2026August 20, 2026

Wednesday’s home matchup with Minneapolis is critical checkpoint for Golden State’s title aspirations

Golden State Valkyries

No Plum in violet: Why Golden State stood pat for the stretch

by Michelle SmithAugust 5, 2026August 6, 2026

The Valkyries have won 11 of their last 13 games, and opted to keep their roster as-is at the trade deadline.

Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries rolling, yet face some stretch-run realities

by Michelle SmithJuly 26, 2026July 26, 2026

Can the Valkyries challenge Minnesota or Las Vegas on the way to a title run?

Golden State Valkyries

Valkyries’ second unit contributions proving key to success

by Michelle SmithJuly 8, 2026July 8, 2026

The secret to Golden State’s success is their bench; the second unit doesn’t just help starters rest, they help win games

Features

Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase pushing more buttons in her second year

by Michelle SmithJune 19, 2026June 20, 2026

Natalie Nakase is more relaxed and more comfortable demanding that her Golden State team give her more in her second season as head coach

Golden State Valkyries

Column: Is it too soon to view the Golden State Valkyries as title contenders?

by Michelle SmithMay 30, 2026May 30, 2026

With the arrival of Justė Jocytė, the team that Ohemaa Nyanin and Natalie Nakase have constructed is finally complete

Features

Excerpt: The Cardinal adapt to life without VanDerveer in 1996

by Michelle SmithMay 26, 2026May 26, 2026

Tara VanDerveer became the first college coach in history to step away from her program for a full year to coach the 1996 U.S. Women’s National team, which would compete in the Atlanta Olympic Games on home soil. VanDerveer also took the job well aware that the U.S. team was a trial run for the […]

Features

A lot has actually changed at Golden State

by Michelle SmithMay 11, 2026May 11, 2026

Sunday’s home-opening win over Phoenix was a demonstration of Golden State’s versatility and depth and a warning shot that in this way too, things will be different.