USA Sports continues WNBA push with Hall of Fame additions

USA Sports is continuing to build out its inaugural WNBA coverage roster, adding Hall of Famers and veteran broadcasters as it prepares for a major 2026 slate.

The Versant sports division revealed that former WNBA players Tamika Catchings and Chamique Holdsclaw, along with longtime WNBA commentators Amy Audibert, Lea B. Olsen, and Carlan Gay have joined USA Network’s WNBA coverage.

Catchings and Holdsclaw, who were teammates at the University of Tennessee, are both members of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Catchings was also inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, while Holdsclaw is a finalist for induction in 2026.

Catchings will serve as a color commentator, while Holdsclaw will be a studio analyst.

The big-name hires suggest that the WNBA will serve as one of the network’s primary year-round sports properties, alongside the English Premier League.

USA Sports is the sports division of Versant, which was recently spun off by NBCUniversal. Unlike other major sports media companies, Versant does not own a streaming service, so viewers can only tune in on traditional cable.

As cord cutting continues, cable networks need to provide compelling reasons to keep people watching. It’s not surprising, then, that Catchings and Holdsclaw will not be the only big names on USA’s coverage. The network previously announced that Kate Scott and Meghan McPeak will serve as play-by-play commentators, Sarah Kustok will serve as a color commentator, and Elle Duncan will serve as studio host. Overall, USA has announced a 16-person team for its WNBA coverage.

USA Network will broadcast over 50 WNBA games in 2026, primarily in the form of Wednesday night doubleheaders. The network will also broadcast select playoff and WNBA Finals games alongside NBC.

There will certainly be interest in USA’s coverage with these big names. With the WNBA hitting viewership highs in recent years, USA Network is clearly betting that momentum will carry into 2026.