FULL COURT PRESS: LEGENDS

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 Widely revered as one of the greatest and most charismatic point guards in WNBA history. Over a brilliant 15-season WNBA career, she redefined the position with her signature flash, elite defensive tenacity, and masterful no-look passing. A WNBA Champion, four-time WNBA All-Star, seven-time league assists leader, and a member of the WNBA’s prestigious 25th Anniversary Team, Penicheiro was deservingly inducted into both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame. Today, she serves as a top agent and VP of the Women’s Sports Division at Priority Sports.

A Rhodes Scholar and graduate of Columbia University and the University of Oxford, Syd is a researcher and scholar of politics and culture with a passion for translating research findings out of the academy and into society. Since 2016 Syd has been an ambassador for the V Foundation for Cancer Research and has written about public health and racial disparities in healthcare outcomes since 2019. Since falling in love with soccer at age 5,  she has been a lifelong athlete, competing on the Division I track & field team at Columbia. Aside from her research, Syd spends her time as a writer, an emcee, and a singer. 

Recipient of the James Beard Award Best Chef: Great Lakes and Food & Wine Best New Chef, Izard is the Executive Chef and Owner of Girl & the Goat, Little Goat, Duck Duck Goat, Cabra, and Lucky Goat in Chicagoland, along with Girl & the Goat and Valley Goat in California. She won the coveted title of Iron Chef in 2017 and was the first woman to win Bravo’s Top Chef.  Izard has made numerous appearances, as both a competitor and a judge, on shows including Tournament of Champions, Hell’s Kitchen, Superchef Grudge Match, Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped, and more. 

Often referred to as the "female Michael Jordan," Sheryl Swoopes is a basketball icon who forever changed the landscape of women's sports as the very first player signed to the WNBA in 1997. After leading Texas Tech in 1993 to an NCAA National Championship with a legendary 47-point performance, she became the anchor of the Houston Comets dynasty, capturing 4 consecutive WNBA championships. Over her historic career, Swoopes earned 3 WNBA MVP awards, 3 Defensive Player of the Year honors, and 3 Olympic Gold Medals with Team USA. Beyond her staggering statistics, she broke major cultural barriers as the first female athlete to ever receive a Nike signature shoe, the iconic Air Swoopes. In 2016, she was deservedly enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Emmy Award–winning broadcaster and lead host for Netflix’s live sports and events, Elle brings her signature energy and deep love of the game to audiences around the world. A Georgia native, she built her career covering some of the biggest moments in sports, always with a mix of insight, humor, and authenticity.

Before joining Netflix, while at ESPN, Duncan anchored SportsCenter and led coverage of Women’s NCAA basketball, WNBA Countdown, and the March Madness tournament. She also hosts WNBA coverage for USA Sports.  Elle is a tireless champion of moms, proudly supporting Helping Mamas, a volunteer organization providing essential supplies to mothers in need.

Arielle "Ari" Chambers is a trailblazing multimedia journalist and sports commentator who has worked for ESPN and Andscape, renowned for her fierce advocacy of women's sports. She founded Bleacher Report’s wildly successful HighlightHER platform in 2019 and coined the viral phrase "THE WNBA IS SO IMPORTANT," which inspired a signature Wilson basketball collaboration. Her narrative-shifting storytelling and impact have earned her numerous prestigious honors, including spots on the Forbes 30 Under 30 and Sports Illustrated’s 100 Influential Women in Sports lists, the Dawn Staley Excellence in Broadcasting Award, and a Webby Award.

Emmy Award-winning host and women's basketball analyst, who spent 16 years at ESPN before joining NBC Sports and Prime Video. LaChina is a recipient of the Dawn Staley Excellence in Broadcasting Award as well as the prestigious Mel Greenberg Award, which recognizes

a media professional who demonstrates a lasting commitment to women's basketball. She is the founder of Rising Media Stars, a non-profit dedicated to empowering the next generation of women of color in sports media. LaChina has also created The Rise, a platform designed to empower women in sport and beyond show up confidently in every area of their lives.

Coach Jackie J is a creator who focuses on covering women's sports through a storytelling lens. She first gained popularity with her coverage of the 2023 World Cup and her platforms now reach over 5 million people a week and has over  1,18M total followers. This year, Jackie was named one of Adweek’s"Most Powerful Women in Sports."  She excels at making sports accessible to everyone and in connecting the dots between sports and pop culture. 

  One of Chicago's premier rising culinary talents, currently serving as the Executive Chef of avec River North and its open-air rooftop sister concept, bar avec, Patel has been recognized by Nation’s Restaurant News on their Chefs “Power List”. Part of the acclaimed One Off Hospitality group, Patel is celebrated for his straightforward, rustic approach to Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and his intentional, community-driven kitchen culture. 

A Chicago-based multi-disciplinary artist and creator of What’s HER Net Worth?™ - an ongoing series utilizing sport nets as stencils to spark conversations around gender equity, value, and visibility in sports.  Her work blends vibrant color, layered texture, and cultural commentary. Through painting, wearable art, and storytelling, Favia creates work that invites dialogue at the intersection of art, sport, fashion, and activism. Favia has been commissioned by and collaborated with the Chicago Sky, the Chicago Bulls, Round21, and other cultural and sports organizations.