Hi Reddit! I’m Alexa Philippou, ESPN women's basketball reporter . The WNBA playoffs are here — ask me anything!

[u/ESPN]

Hey r/wnba! I’m Alexa Philippou, and I cover the WNBA for ESPN.

The playoffs are underway, and I’m here to talk about the biggest storylines, standout performances and what to watch as teams chase a championship. I’ll be answering your questions for the next hour — ask me anything!

[u/femaleathletenetwork]

ASK YOUR QUESTIONS NOW!

AMA STARTS · Oct 5, 2026, 3:00 PM

[u/EcstaticCode682]

please talk about how good dewanna bonner has been for the dream. did most analysts see this coming?

[u/RJ--33]

What factors will play into selecting the next commissioner - especially those underestimated or not on the radar of fans?

[u/AFC-Wimbledon-Stan]

Do you think the Aces have enough bodies to survive this series (and possibly the finals)?

[u/Mission_Ambitious2]

1. What is a take/opinion that everyone called you crazy for, but ended up being correct?

2. What’s a take/opinion that you were very confident in that ended up being wrong?

[u/strangelystrangled]

We all know there are too many players with podcasts. BUT which player (current or retired) do you think SHOULD have one?

[u/Helicase21]

Whose coverage of the WNBA, outside of your own team at ESPN's, are you most impressed by?

[u/spartan11810]

1. What made you decide to get into covering the WNBA? Love of basketball? love of Journalism? or both?

2. How do you feel the off the court interpersonal dynamics impact the game?

3. What’s your favorite aspect of the women’s game?

4. How would like to see the game change? If at all.

[u/homerdonutduffdonut]

What is the most underrated tactical set or scheme in women’s basketball today that the casual fan completely misses, but always catches your eye while sitting courtside?

What are your top three favorite authentic Greek dishes, specifically the traditional, home cooked ones that locals love instead of the typical tourist street food?

[u/Rick_Flexington]

What’s the best food city/meal when you’re on the road?

[u/ljay90]

Do you find it difficult to find a balance between journalism and commentary? Do you have one that you prefer over the other?

[u/rambii]

If you have 'info/news' how long do you give teams when you reach for answer/contact before you/editor hit publish?

Would you say 'back in the day' there was more time compared to now, as you wanna hit news/send asap on socials to be the first?

Has there been a time about a trade/free agent or similar big news where you publish before contacting said team and go 'ahead' of the public post by said team?

[u/timothyphd]

Serious question: Do you know if reporters lurk this sub? 

[u/jiabivy → u/timothyphd]

The fact she posted kind answered your question lol

[u/timothyphd]

Who do you have making the Finals, and winning it all? 

[u/timothyphd]

When it comes to deciding who you'd vote for for awards, what are specific things you look for, that fans might not think to note, that separates players for you? 

[u/timothyphd]

How have you seen how reporting on the W has changed from when you started to now? What would you like to bring back or change about how EPSN covers the W? 

[u/timothyphd]

When it comes to reporting stories on players, how did you build/go about building your sources? 

[u/timothyphd]

Hi Alexa,

Can you describe your journey as a W reporter? How did you get started and what has your career path looked like if you were to describe it to someone looking to get into the field? 

[u/NYCScribbler]

If you're only answering playoff questions, cool, but if not:

What was the biggest adjustment moving from coverage of one team at the Courant to national coverage for ESPN?

[u/Steadyandquick]

Who is your favorite team? Favorite city/stadium to watch a game? Who are some of your mentors/role models?

[u/strangelystrangled]

Do you think it should be a priority for owners to move permanently into bigger arenas? Specifically the Dream and Mystics

[u/headphonesalwayson]

How is ESPN planning on investing more in women's sports?

[u/femaleathletenetwork]

How do you decide whether a social media controversy warrants reporting?

[u/downthecornercat → u/femaleathletenetwork]

To echo this - how do journalists maintain a professional approach and keep from posting "rage bait" that *will* get clicks (which = views which = ratings/money)

[u/AuntEller]

If you could pick the next expansion city, what city would it be?

[u/femaleathletenetwork]

As women’s basketball attracts more attention, what would you like to see improve about its coverage?

[u/femaleathletenetwork]

Have you ever gone into an interview expecting one story and come away with something completely different?

[u/femaleathletenetwork]

How do you build trust with players while still asking difficult questions?

[u/Simorie → u/femaleathletenetwork]

Also interested in this question as applied to owners/GMs.

[u/femaleathletenetwork]

What does a typical game day look like for you—from preparing questions to filing your story?

[u/yohosse]

What are some of your favorite albums? 

[u/TipHayesCropTop]

if all options were on the table and you could change one thing about the way the WNBA is covered by the media, what would it be? also if you could change one WNBA rule, what would it be?

[u/FunnyTax1607]

barrier screens at FIBA World Cup last month - did those screens show ads during the games / live ball minutes? or were they green screens?

Kellogs rooster ads must be startling to the players. They sure were for me, watching the live streams

[u/tore_a_bore_a]

While the basketball world championship was fun to watch, did it take away any momentum of the WNBA? Both the Lynx and Valkyries haven’t looked as good since the break

[u/Mike_Hawk_Burns]

Which of the final 4 teams is the biggest surprise to you to make it to the semis based on how the start of the season looked?

Who’s your personal favorite player to watch just as a fan?

[u/myshkingfh]

What stops teams from playing a big front court and orienting scoring from the post? I would think that a Magbegor-Fam-Malonga front court or a Stewart-Han-Jones front court would present teams with problems that they can’t solve. I noticed that the Mystics played Betts and Austin at the same time a lot in the playoffs. 

[u/Respect_Horror]

What team do you think is going to have the most exciting off season and what team is most likely to have the most boring one?

[u/myshkingfh]

Were the Liberty treating the regular season like the preseason and the post season like the regular season or is that just cope?

[u/strangelystrangled]

Do you think there’s any way Nate plays a real center next year?? And what will it take for the highest paid coach in the league to be under scrutiny after missing the playoffs with the same record as the Sky and Sparks?