maya goldberg-safir
@roughnotes.bsky.social
maya (she/her) / independent women's basketball writer I subscribe to my newsletter/blog WNBA ROUGH NOTES https://wnbaroughnotes.substack.com/ I i love queer community, adventures & audio I between oakland & chicago I reach me: m.goldbergsafir@gmail.com <3
Pinned
really enjoyed this @roughnotes.bsky.social dig into ‘project b’, the new tech and potentially saudi-backed global basketball league — especially the bit about using women athletes as test prototypes to ultimately launch a men’s league
Rough Notes: “Tell Me How To Feel About Project B”
I went digging into the new global league.
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
my latest, let's talk about it
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
the BASKETBALL FEELINGS FEELING OF THE YEAR returns! friends and contributors share the moments, people and memories that stood out to them most in basketball and beyond for 2025
The Basketball Feelings Feeling of the Year (FOTY), 2025
The annual year-in-review of the moments, people and memories that stood out to BASKETBALL FEELINGS friends and contributors.
www.basketballfeelings.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:11 PM
the BASKETBALL FEELINGS FEELING OF THE YEAR returns! friends and contributors share the moments, people and memories that stood out to them most in basketball and beyond for 2025
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
Honored to be asked to participate. I definitely had some basketball feelings this year.
the BASKETBALL FEELINGS FEELING OF THE YEAR returns! friends and contributors share the moments, people and memories that stood out to them most in basketball and beyond for 2025
The Basketball Feelings Feeling of the Year (FOTY), 2025
The annual year-in-review of the moments, people and memories that stood out to BASKETBALL FEELINGS friends and contributors.
www.basketballfeelings.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Honored to be asked to participate. I definitely had some basketball feelings this year.
im in this & abruptly emo, at the end!
the BASKETBALL FEELINGS FEELING OF THE YEAR returns! friends and contributors share the moments, people and memories that stood out to them most in basketball and beyond for 2025
The Basketball Feelings Feeling of the Year (FOTY), 2025
The annual year-in-review of the moments, people and memories that stood out to BASKETBALL FEELINGS friends and contributors.
www.basketballfeelings.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:45 PM
im in this & abruptly emo, at the end!
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
"The Valkyries’ boldest leader has always been its shortest member: head coach Natalie Nakase."
omg @roughnotes.bsky.social YESSSS
omg @roughnotes.bsky.social YESSSS
December 17, 2025 at 9:22 PM
"The Valkyries’ boldest leader has always been its shortest member: head coach Natalie Nakase."
omg @roughnotes.bsky.social YESSSS
omg @roughnotes.bsky.social YESSSS
this was so fun to write!
There are a ton of incredible pieces in here that I DID NOT write, but I'll just call out two. We were so lucky to have @roughnotes.bsky.social share her Valkyries fandom with us:
fansided.com/fandoms-of-t...
fansided.com/fandoms-of-t...
The Golden State Valkyries were powered by the fans who filled Ballhalla
An expansion roster, a fearless coach and a fanbase ready to erupt turned Ballhalla into one of the most powerful new homes in sports fandom.
fansided.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:03 PM
this was so fun to write!
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
There are a ton of incredible pieces in here that I DID NOT write, but I'll just call out two. We were so lucky to have @roughnotes.bsky.social share her Valkyries fandom with us:
fansided.com/fandoms-of-t...
fansided.com/fandoms-of-t...
The Golden State Valkyries were powered by the fans who filled Ballhalla
An expansion roster, a fearless coach and a fanbase ready to erupt turned Ballhalla into one of the most powerful new homes in sports fandom.
fansided.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:15 PM
There are a ton of incredible pieces in here that I DID NOT write, but I'll just call out two. We were so lucky to have @roughnotes.bsky.social share her Valkyries fandom with us:
fansided.com/fandoms-of-t...
fansided.com/fandoms-of-t...
find the queer sportsy love/friend/penpal of your life:
Shoot Your Shot: Personal Ads Are Here!
Old-school classifieds for queers who love sports, from Out of Your League + Rough Notes
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
find the queer sportsy love/friend/penpal of your life:
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
The first round of personal ads for queer sports lovers is here! Everyone sounds so cool, go out and make some connections! @roughnotes.bsky.social and I have loved putting these together. We’ll have two more rounds coming so stay tuned:
Shoot Your Shot: Personal Ads Are Here!
Old-school classifieds for queers who love sports, from Out of Your League + Rough Notes
www.thefrankiedlc.news
December 3, 2025 at 5:16 PM
The first round of personal ads for queer sports lovers is here! Everyone sounds so cool, go out and make some connections! @roughnotes.bsky.social and I have loved putting these together. We’ll have two more rounds coming so stay tuned:
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
"This league needs Sophie Cunningham!"
-These guys
-These guys
November 25, 2025 at 7:54 PM
"This league needs Sophie Cunningham!"
-These guys
-These guys
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
Nat!!!
The camp will be led by new national team head coach Kara Lawson with WNBA coaches Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts and Stephanie White serving as court coaches.
November 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Nat!!!
if you're still wondering how to feel about project b, i wrote this piece to shine light on a few key elements:
Rough Notes: “Tell Me How To Feel About Project B”
I went digging into the new global league.
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:36 PM
if you're still wondering how to feel about project b, i wrote this piece to shine light on a few key elements:
makes you question, in what ways do they want to 'grow the game'?
A shift in the WNBA.
In 2022, 6 black head coaches.
In 2026, 2 black head coaches, 0 black women.
There’s been progress — 7/15 are women, including 2 of color — but for a league that’s 60%+ black, does raise questions about why coaching hires don’t better reflect that.
In 2022, 6 black head coaches.
In 2026, 2 black head coaches, 0 black women.
There’s been progress — 7/15 are women, including 2 of color — but for a league that’s 60%+ black, does raise questions about why coaching hires don’t better reflect that.
November 21, 2025 at 8:24 PM
makes you question, in what ways do they want to 'grow the game'?
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
A shift in the WNBA.
In 2022, 6 black head coaches.
In 2026, 2 black head coaches, 0 black women.
There’s been progress — 7/15 are women, including 2 of color — but for a league that’s 60%+ black, does raise questions about why coaching hires don’t better reflect that.
In 2022, 6 black head coaches.
In 2026, 2 black head coaches, 0 black women.
There’s been progress — 7/15 are women, including 2 of color — but for a league that’s 60%+ black, does raise questions about why coaching hires don’t better reflect that.
November 21, 2025 at 8:02 PM
A shift in the WNBA.
In 2022, 6 black head coaches.
In 2026, 2 black head coaches, 0 black women.
There’s been progress — 7/15 are women, including 2 of color — but for a league that’s 60%+ black, does raise questions about why coaching hires don’t better reflect that.
In 2022, 6 black head coaches.
In 2026, 2 black head coaches, 0 black women.
There’s been progress — 7/15 are women, including 2 of color — but for a league that’s 60%+ black, does raise questions about why coaching hires don’t better reflect that.
welp
The New York Liberty have agreed on a deal to hire Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco as their new head coach, sources tell ESPN. DeMarco has been with the Warriors since 2012, winning four NBA titles. He also serves as head coach of the Bahamian men's national team.
November 21, 2025 at 7:10 PM
welp
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
Really appreciated Maya's write-up of where things are with Project B at this point.
really enjoyed this @roughnotes.bsky.social dig into ‘project b’, the new tech and potentially saudi-backed global basketball league — especially the bit about using women athletes as test prototypes to ultimately launch a men’s league
Rough Notes: “Tell Me How To Feel About Project B”
I went digging into the new global league.
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Really appreciated Maya's write-up of where things are with Project B at this point.
my latest, let's talk about it
really enjoyed this @roughnotes.bsky.social dig into ‘project b’, the new tech and potentially saudi-backed global basketball league — especially the bit about using women athletes as test prototypes to ultimately launch a men’s league
Rough Notes: “Tell Me How To Feel About Project B”
I went digging into the new global league.
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:14 PM
my latest, let's talk about it
aaah a person i so admire saying a nice thing about me i cry
if you aren’t following maya or her work, i really encourage you to start
November 21, 2025 at 5:14 PM
aaah a person i so admire saying a nice thing about me i cry
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
really enjoyed this @roughnotes.bsky.social dig into ‘project b’, the new tech and potentially saudi-backed global basketball league — especially the bit about using women athletes as test prototypes to ultimately launch a men’s league
Rough Notes: “Tell Me How To Feel About Project B”
I went digging into the new global league.
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:23 PM
really enjoyed this @roughnotes.bsky.social dig into ‘project b’, the new tech and potentially saudi-backed global basketball league — especially the bit about using women athletes as test prototypes to ultimately launch a men’s league
as an indie journo, i'm always trying to figure out how/~if~ folks like me fit into wnba media. a lot of that comes down to the league's PR... but what are their standards? who feels welcomed, who does not? and why?
to break it down, i published this survey for folks in WBB MEDIA! take it here:
to break it down, i published this survey for folks in WBB MEDIA! take it here:
WNBA Media Survey (Anonymous!)
The WNBA is growing - and so too is women's basketball media. This survey gives WNBA media members from all backgrounds an anonymous outlet to share their experiences working with PR departments from ...
docs.google.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
as an indie journo, i'm always trying to figure out how/~if~ folks like me fit into wnba media. a lot of that comes down to the league's PR... but what are their standards? who feels welcomed, who does not? and why?
to break it down, i published this survey for folks in WBB MEDIA! take it here:
to break it down, i published this survey for folks in WBB MEDIA! take it here:
watching a million valkyries play each other right now:
LIVE - Spar Girona v ZVVZ USK Praha | EuroLeague Women 2025-26 | First Round
YouTube video by EuroLeague Women
www.youtube.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:13 PM
watching a million valkyries play each other right now:
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
basketball Asians!!!
The most exciting basketball documentary I’ve ever heard of is on its way… for YEARS, a small independent team has been working on a film about EJ Lee, whose story captures what makes women's basketball so glorious, heartbreaking and provocative. Learn more about it: www.ejleedocumentary.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:54 PM
basketball Asians!!!
The most exciting basketball documentary I’ve ever heard of is on its way… for YEARS, a small independent team has been working on a film about EJ Lee, whose story captures what makes women's basketball so glorious, heartbreaking and provocative. Learn more about it: www.ejleedocumentary.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:46 PM
The most exciting basketball documentary I’ve ever heard of is on its way… for YEARS, a small independent team has been working on a film about EJ Lee, whose story captures what makes women's basketball so glorious, heartbreaking and provocative. Learn more about it: www.ejleedocumentary.com
oh no
SOMEBODY GET THAT RONNIE2k MFER ON THE LINE RIGHT NEOW 🤨🧐🙈😭😭😭 the valks are a pack of cuties & nba2k got us all fk'd up 😨
happy Halloween I guess 🤪
#NBA2K26 #WNBA #GSV #GSVALKYRIES #VALKYRIES
happy Halloween I guess 🤪
#NBA2K26 #WNBA #GSV #GSVALKYRIES #VALKYRIES
October 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
oh no
its the BIG DAY (october 31st) aaaaand CBA negotiations are *so* not resolved. here's my latest is about why i think the nba is holding things up by having a meltdown right now - and how disadvantages for wnba players are baked into the league's history.
Rough Notes: The Real Reason CBA Negotiations Aren't Over
This is nearly three decades in the making.
wnbaroughnotes.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:46 PM
its the BIG DAY (october 31st) aaaaand CBA negotiations are *so* not resolved. here's my latest is about why i think the nba is holding things up by having a meltdown right now - and how disadvantages for wnba players are baked into the league's history.
Reposted by maya goldberg-safir
NEW: I spoke to fans & labor organizers about how WNBA fan solidarity could be a key part of the CBA negotiations—& why women's sports fans are uniquely positioned to support a work stoppage, should one be on the table.
fan solidarity could be the wnba players' secret weapon
fandom works differently in women's sports than it does in men's—and it skews much more pro-player than pro-owner.
www.thefrankiedlc.news
October 29, 2025 at 5:13 PM
NEW: I spoke to fans & labor organizers about how WNBA fan solidarity could be a key part of the CBA negotiations—& why women's sports fans are uniquely positioned to support a work stoppage, should one be on the table.