Podcast / Edge of Sports / Oct 7, 2026

The WNBA, Past and Present and Irish Sport for Palestine

Tamryn Spruill joins the show to talk about her new book on the WNBA, and we discuss Palestine and Irish politics with Rebecca O’Keefe.

Edge of Sports
Edge of Sports

Where sports and politics collide, hosted by Nation magazine Sports Editor Dave Zirin

The WNBA, Past and Present and Irish Sport for Palestine
byDave Zirin / The Nation

This week, we speak with Tamryn Spruill, author of the remarkable new book The W: A History of the WNBA. We also talk to Rebecca O’Keeffe, chairperson of Irish Sport for Palestine and a former international basketball player.

Zirin, Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/ireland-gaza-gavin-bazunu-bolton-wanderers/

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A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces attempts a jump shot against Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries during the Semifinals Game One at Chase Center on October 4, 2026, in San Francisco, California.

(Kavin Mistry / Getty Images)

This week, we speak with Tamryn Spruill, author of the remarkable new book The W: A History of the WNBA. We also talk to Rebecca O’Keeffe, chairperson of Irish Sport for Palestine and a former international basketball player.

Zirin, “Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History”: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/ireland-gaza-gavin-bazunu-bolton-wanderers/

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Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Basketball Butterfly Effect: Steph Curry & the Knicks | Edge of Sports with Dave Zirin
byThe Nation Magazine

In Part 6 of our series, Basketball Butterfly Effect, Arya Shirazi joins the show again to discuss the 2009 NBA draft and the Knicks coming close to getting Davidson sharpshooter Steph Curry, the most revolutionary player of his generation. You don’t want to miss this episode!

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Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

Dave Zirin

Dave Zirin is the sports editor at The Nation. He is the author of 11 books on the politics of sports. He is the author of a new book, The People's Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn.

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