What happened: Speaking on Robert Griffin III's Outta Pocket podcast, the Olympic champion hurdler pointed to sprinters Melissa Jefferson and Sha'Carri Richardson alongside the WNBA stars as athletes who made open competition acceptable. Russell said audiences now recognize that friction between competitors is standard across sports, while also pushing back on men dictating how female athletes' bodies should look.

Why it matters: Candid rivalries across women's basketball and track have reshaped how female competitors are covered. For Reese, that edge carried through a trade from the Chicago Sky six months ago into a Championship series run.

What to watch: Reese looks to stave off elimination in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals and force a deciding Game 7.