Part of the fun of writing this column each week is finding an inspiration to center the power rankings around. So far this season, I’ve used lyrics from the Broadway musical Hamilton (which I was lucky enough to see back in May) and I’ve used quotes from boxing legend Muhammad Ali following the passing of The Greatest. But my greatest inspiration came last Wednesday night in Los Angeles as I took my three-year-old daughter, Alexandra, to her first basketball game to watch the Sparks take on the Fever.

Obviously I watch a lot of basketball at home, so Alexandra has seen some games with me, at least for a little while before she decides to play with her toys, or color, or ask me to put on Sesame Street. But this night was different. Rather than jumping up on the couch with me, we walked hand-in-hand into the Staples Center and found our seats, and I watched her take everything in: the players warming up, the pregame introductions, the opening tip, the players racing up and down the court right in front of us. Her eyes were as wide as my smile as I sat beside her.

Wearing her new Sparks T-shirt, she cheered on the home team, shouting “hooray” with every made basket and chanting “de-fense” with the crowd on nearly every possession. She loved meeting Sparky the mascot and watching the dancers perform during timeouts. As we shared a bucket of popcorn, we watched the Sparks build a big lead only to let the Fever back into the game late in the fourth quarter before holding on for the win to improve to 17-1 on the season.

If the experience had ended there, I would have been totally satisfied, but thanks to the Sparks staff we received passes for the postgame autograph session. The two players that came out to meet fans and sign autographs were none other than Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike. I told Alexandra that these were two of the best basketball players in the world and she was going to get to meet them. As we approached the table, I reminded Alexandra of their names and lifted her in my arms so she could see them and give them her mini Sparks basketball to sign.

While we were at the table for just a minute, it made the night that much more memorable for both me and Alexandra. Not only did she get her ball signed, she got high-fives, plenty of kind words and we all shared a pretty good laugh after Alexandra responded “Yes” to Candace asking her if she knew how cute she was. After saying goodbye to Candace and Nneka, Alexandra held up her newly signed ball with a smile for a photo and we headed toward the exit. As we walked out of the arena, Alexandra told my wife and I how much fun she had watching the game and meeting Nneka and Candace. And on her first day back at preschool on Monday morning, she insisted on wearing her Sparks shirt so she could tell her friends all about the game.

Working with the WNBA, I’ve always understood the importance of the league and the inspiration that professional female athletes can have on young girls. But seeing it first-hand with my own daughter brought it into a whole new light. Throughout the game, Alexandra kept asking me, “Can I go down there and play now?” I had to tell her that we were only there to watch that night, but that we would play together when we got back home. I can’t wait for the days when we can shoot around together and play one-on-one in the park. I can’t wait to take her to more WNBA games. And who knows? Maybe 20 years from now when the W is celebrating its 40th season, she may be able to go down on the court and play with the pros.

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1. Los Angeles Sparks

Last Week: 1
2016 Record: 18-1
OffRtg: 109.9 (1); DefRtg: 93.8 (1); NetRtg: 16.0 (1)

The Sparks won yet another game after the Wednesday game I saw at Staples, improving them to 18-1, just two wins shy of Houston’s all-time best 20-1 start in 1998. The Sparks have three games this week, so they could potentially top Houston’s historic start Sunday against the Dream on NBA TV.

2. Minnesota Lynx

Last Week: 2
2016 Record: 16-4
OffRtg: 105.9 (3); DefRtg: 94.7 (2); NetRtg: 11.2 (2)

After suffering a three-game losing streak, the defending champs have bounced back by winning three of their last four games, including a 37-point win over Dallas on Saturday night. The Lynx have five games before the Olympic break, which won’t be much of a break considering four of their players will represent the U.S.

3. New York Liberty

Last Week: 3
2016 Record: 15-6
OffRtg: 100.5 (9); DefRtg: 96.9 (3); NetRtg: 3.6 (3)

The Liberty have won three straight and five of their last six games as they continue to distance themselves from the rest of the Eastern Conference and are closing in on the Lynx for one of the coveted top two seeds in this year’s new playoff format.

4. Atlanta Dream

Last Week: 9
2016 Record: 11-9
OffRtg: 98.9 (10); DefRtg: 101.0 (4); NetRtg: -2.0 (7)

The up-and-down Dream are on another upswing as they have won three straight to climb back over .500 and into second place in the East. However, the schedule is not kind to them this week as they face New York (15-6), Indiana (9-11, but coming off two straight wins) and Los Angeles (18-1). Can Atlanta avoid another downturn before the Olympic break?

5. Indiana Fever

Last Week: 8
2016 Record: 9-11
OffRtg: 101.0 (8); DefRtg: 102.9 (6); NetRtg: -1.9 (6)

Although their furious fourth quarter comeback against the Sparks fell short on Wednesday, the Fever closed out their West Coast road trip with wins over Phoenix and Seattle. Indiana plays three of its final four games before the break at home, where they are just 3-5 this season, compared to 6-6 on the road.

6. Chicago Sky

Last Week: 7
2016 Record: 8-11
OffRtg: 105.3 (4); DefRtg: 105.3 (9); NetRtg: -0.1 (4)

The Sky went 1-2 last week in three games decided by a total of 13 points. In Sunday’s win over Phoenix, the Sky reached 100 points for the first time this season, with six players scoring in double figures, led by Allie Quigley’s 21 off the bench.

7. Washington Mystics

Last Week: 5
2016 Record: 9-11
OffRtg: 102.3 (7); DefRtg: 104.0 (7); NetRtg: -1.8 (5)

After winning five of six to close out June, the Mystics are 0-for-3 in July and have dropped to 9-11 on the season. All three of those losses came on the road, which is where the Mystics find themselves this week with matchups against Phoenix and Seattle on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.

8. Dallas Wings

Last Week: 6
2016 Record: 9-12
OffRtg: 103.1 (5); DefRtg: 106.9 (11); NetRtg: -3.8 (10)

The Wings dropped both games of a back-to-back on the road on Friday and Saturday, the latter being a 37-point loss to the defending champion Lynx. The Wings get another shot at Minnesota, this time on their home court in Dallas, on Sunday.

9. Phoenix Mercury

Last Week: 4
2016 Record: 8-13
OffRtg: 106.0 (2); DefRtg: 108.1 (12); NetRtg: -2.1 (8)

Every time I start to believe in the Mercury and vault them up the rankings, they stumble back down the following week. Phoenix has lost three straight to fall to 8-13 on the season and would miss the playoffs if the season ended today. The Mercury have just three games before the Olympic break, all at home, as they try to right the ship once again.

10. Seattle Storm

Last Week: 10
2016 Record: 7-13
OffRtg: 102.5 (6); DefRtg: 106.2 (10); NetRtg: -3.7 (9)

The Storm have lost four of their last five games and currently sit in 10th place in the league standings at 7-13 on the season. As Seattle gets set to honor a legend with the retirement of Lauren Jackson’s No. 15 jersey, it’s the rookie wearing No. 30 that continues to show so much promise for the future, coming off a 32-point, 11-rebound, 5-assist performance on Sunday.

11. Connecticut Sun

Last Week: 12
2016 Record: 5-14
OffRtg: 97.4 (11); DefRtg: 104.4 (8); NetRtg: -7.0 (11)

None of the Sun’s five wins this season have come against a fellow Eastern Conference team. Connecticut gets three chances to change that trend before the Olympic break, starting on Wednesday against the Fever in Indiana.

12. San Antonio Stars

Last Week: 11
2016 Record: 5-15
OffRtg: 94.2 (12); DefRtg: 102.1 (5); NetRtg: -7.9 (12)

The Stars already had the lowest-scoring offense in the league (73.5 ppg), which makes the news this past week that leading-scorer Kayla McBride (17.1 ppg) will miss the remainder of the season with a foot fracture all that more difficult to overcome.

ASSOCIATED PRESS POWER POLL

1. Los Angeles (14)
2. Minnesota
3. New York
4. Atlanta
5. Indiana
6. Chicago
7. Dallas
8. Washington
9. Phoenix
10. Seattle
11. Connecticut
12. San Antonio

Click here to view the full rankings on AP.org