What happened: Basketball Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes spoke with Rhyne Howard ahead of Saturday's Game 7 of the WNBA Finals. Swoopes offered words of encouragement to the guard prior to the decisive matchup. The meeting came before the first winner-take-all Game 7 in league Finals history.

Why it matters: Swoopes, a four-time WNBA champion with the Houston Comets, brings championship experience to the league's marquee stage. Howard enters the winner-take-all finale looking to secure a title in the league's 30th season. The matchup concludes the first seven-game Finals series since the league expanded the championship format.

What to watch: Game 7 tips off tonight to determine the 2026 WNBA champion.