Curious which W players impressed new fans.

Is she ever coming back to the WNBA?

FN looks back at the most memorable quotes from our exclusive interview with the WNBA star in July.

2024 was good to A’ja Wilson, and after signing a contract extension with Nike, life should be good for the WNBA star for years to come.

A day after news broke of a contract extension with Nike for Wilson, which was reported as a six-year extension that is “one of the richest shoe deals for a women’s basketball player,” FN looks back to its July cover shoot with the megastar athlete. Here are the best quotes from the exclusive conversation.

On Being the First Black Woman With a Signature Basketball Shoe Since Candace Parker

“To be the next Black woman with a signature shoe, oh my gosh, I am so excited for next year. I can’t contain it. It’s such a big moment. When [the news] first dropped, Coach [Dawn] Staley hit me, Sheryl [Swoopes] hit me, Lisa [Leslie] hit me and they were all like, ‘You deserve this.’ To have greats, Hall of Famers like that say that to me, I was like, ‘God, thank you.’”

On the Wait to Become a Signature Athlete

“You work your ass off to get where you are, and yet you are still in a situation like, ‘Am I good enough? Am I enough? What do I need to show to you guys?’ I ran into that with Nike. But on the flip side, Nike was like, ‘No, you are enough. You have to trust the process.’”

On Responding to Social Media Chatter That She Only Got a Shoe Deal Because of Caitlin Clark

“The conversation [on social media] was like, ‘Now you have a shoe because of Caitlin.’ No, it was never that. What is for me was always going to be for me, with or without this rookie class. I promise you that. Nike taught me a lot about being patient. My patience was definitely tested, but I’m grateful because trusting that process, I now have a shoe that I’m happy with.”

On Her A’One Sneaker

“When people look at my position in basketball, they think of a big-man shoe, a forward or center shoe. The A’One is not that. It is the complete opposite. It’s very versatile because that is my style of play. And I wanted a shoe that was going to be comfortable and durable for 40 minutes because the last thing I want to worry about on court are my shoes. And it’s a low top.”

On the Disrespect Black Woman Have Faced Historically

“Like Malcolm X said, ‘The most disrespected person in the world is the Black woman.’ Every day you’re fighting a battle. You can wake up and the world hates you or the world loves you. Navigating that is something I’ve started to learn how to do, and I’ve done it vocally, which has really helped me. It helped me realize that I’m not by myself.”

On the Importance of Her Book, ‘Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You’

“Growing up, it was hard for me to speak on these things because I went to private school with only 5 percent Black kids. I couldn’t have these conversations because no one looked like me. As I got older, I started to be in tune with myself and was like, I don’t care who’s in the room, I’m going to say what I have to say because I need to be heard.”

On the Origins of Her Iconic Single-Leg Sleeve

“I wore it because my leg was not working. … At the University of South Carolina, Coach Staley was strict about our uniform. We weren’t allowed to wear sleeves unless it was medically cleared. In training camp [with the Aces], I was like, ‘Oh my God, my leg is not here today’ — my left leg, the one I use the most because I’m left-handed. So I tried the sleeve, but I cut the other one off because I wasn’t used to wearing sleeves and I hated it.”

On Her Undeniable Impact on Women’s Basketball

“[My agent], Jade [English], was at a regional and she sent a picture. Of the 10 girls on the court, eight of them had one leg sleeve. She was like, ‘Look at the A’ja Wilson effect.’”

On Her Nike Air Force 1 Obsession — and Need for Two Different Sizes

“This is going to sound crazy, but one foot is bigger than the other. I have 11.5 and 11 because I like my Forces snug, but the way that I walk, one shoe will crease, so I’ve got to rotate them because I can’t have them creased.”

On What It Would Take for Pharrell to Recruit Her to Louis Vuitton

“Pharrell could just knock on my door. Knock on my door with one of those iridescent Louis duffels, put an A logo on there and I’m set. I can come to a couple shows, sit there, look all interested in the people walking. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.”

https://footwearnews.com/business/business-news/aja-wilson-nike-contract-extension-interview-highlights-1234744389/

A’ja Wilson entered this WNBA season firmly established as one of the most impressive talents in the league, a perennial All-Star, a back-to-back champion, a two-time MVP. And then she followed that up with something remarkable. The Las Vegas Aces forward found a way to get even better in 2024. She expanded her skill set, putting together arguably the best season in league history, unanimously winning her third MVP and making herself SI’s WNBA Player of the Year.

There is no easy comparison for her performance. No WNBA player has ever scored like Wilson did in 2024. Yet it feels inadequate to suggest her biggest accomplishment this year was breaking the scoring record. What made Wilson’s season impressive was not what she did, but how she did it: No one had ever been so efficient while doing so much to impact the game around her. The scoring record may ultimately be the headline of her season. But consider what she did in every other area of the statsheet.

While she was scoring more than she ever had before, she also rebounded more, blocked more, stole more and recorded more assists while committing fewer turnovers. Wilson began shooting more from midrange and from three without sacrificing her presence in the paint. This is someone who already had been honored multiple times as MVP and Defensive Player of the Year—and she got better at everything without compromising anything. The cumulative effect did not feel like sharpening her game so much as expanding its possibilities.

“Even with all the pressure that she has, she just keeps showing up,” Aces guard and Olympic teammate Jackie Young told SI this summer. “She continues to get better every year, and it’s so hard to get better at this level, but she does. It just shows the type of person that she is.”

Put her in conversation with the record she broke. Diana Taurasi had stood alone since 2006 as the only WNBA player to average 25 points per game. She reached that mark while leading the league in threes, a model of fierce, offensively minded guard play. Her record went untouched for more than a decade and a half. And then came Wilson and her 26.9 ppg, setting the record for scoring while being among the strongest defensive forces in the WNBA, ultimately setting a record for rebounding, too. There can be debates about whether it was the best individual season in the history of the league. But it feels impossible to argue that it was not the most complete one.

The best measure of that may be her player efficiency rating. Wilson narrowly missed the all-time record—finishing a few decimal points behind Lauren Jackson’s second MVP season in 2007. But look at her statistics in the context of the other players on that leaderboard. Even in the context of the most productive, efficient performers in league history, Wilson still manages to stand out. It’s not just that she was the most prolific scorer of the group. It’s that she was the most prolific everything. Wilson led this set in every major statistical category other than PER:

Wilson impacted almost every aspect of the game. If she entered the league as a traditional big, she has stretched her skillset into something more dynamic, less constrained. Her range has grown accordingly: While she still dominates in the paint, Wilson took an increasingly large proportion of her shots this year from midrange and beyond, including nearly doubling the number that she took from more than 15 feet. The Aces placed more of a premium on her ballhanding skills and occasionally tasked her with bringing the ball up the floor. She can still be among the best examples of a classically talented post player. But she’s also come to represent something more.

“A is so dynamic that she definitely can get the rebound and then push it in transition,” Aces guard and Olympic teammate Kelsey Plum told SI this season. “She’s like a big guard.”

All of that offered a new vision of her talent. Wilson had never played quite like this before. And neither had anyone else in the league.

https://www.si.com/wnba/aja-wilson-got-better-at-everything-2024-player-of-the-year

Franklin Sports, a leading brand in the sporting goods industry, announced today a multi-year licensing agreement with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Franklin’s youth and fan products—slated to debut in the summer of 2025—will create greater engagement with basketball and the WNBA’s brand among a generation of young fans, a goal that Franklin and the WNBA are distinctly aligned on.

“We are excited to announce this multi-year agreement with the WNBA. We look forward to working with the league to introduce basketball to younger generations while showcasing our commitment to innovation, quality, and fun. We fully share the WNBA’s vision of engaging younger athletes and fans, and helping build interest and participation through active play,” said Adam Franklin, President of Franklin Sports.

Designed specifically with the league and its teams in mind, key products will include: Over the Door Hoop Sets; Toy Basketball Hoop Sets and Games; Foam, Plush and Toy Balls; Pickleball Paddles; Standings Trackers, and much more.

The WNBA is the most recent professional women’s sports league to join Franklin Sports’ growing roster of women’s sports properties, which includes the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF), USA Softball and numerous key softball, pickleball and volleyball individual partners.

https://preview.redd.it/8pebcm38p38e1.jpg?width=575&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c91647edcebc6fa427de54c5783c8e1d0217edc0

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219490477/en/Franklin-Sports-Announces-a-Multi-Year-Licensing-Agreement-with-the-WNBA

It was “Jewell Loyd Day” in Lincolnwood Wednesday as the Village Board paid tribute to the standout WNBA basketball player, Olympic gold medalist, local homegirl and Niles Wiles High School alumnae.

“Jewell Loyd serves as a role model for hard work, determination, and community service, embodying the spirit of Lincolnwood,” reads the proclamation approved by the board and presented to the Seattle Storm guard at the board meeting.

The proclamation offers a summary of Loyd’s, 31, career successes, including on the Niles West girls basketball team where she was a starter beginning her freshman year and garnered All-Conference honors.

She attended the University of Notre Dame on scholarship and there, led her team to multiple NCAA tournament appearances – including successive championship play, was twice named All-American and, in her last year, was named ESPN’s women’s basketball player of the year, the Lincolnwood proclamation states.

Loyd was the first overall WNBA draft pick in 2015, picked up by the Seattle Storm. She has played there since.

“During her time in the league, she has led Championship teams twice and earned multiple individual accolades such as Rookie of the Year, All-Star selections, and All-WNBA Team honors, contributing to her team’s success and inspiring countless young athletes, particularly girls, to pursue their dreams in sports,” the proclamation states.

The 5’10 guard was chosen to represent Team USA in the 2020 and 2024 Olympic summer games, winning gold medals each time.

Loyd’s run with the Storm became uncertain earlier this month after she requested a trade. Loyd had filed a complaint against the team, alleging player mistreatment and bullying by the coaching staff, according to published media reports.

In a statement to a Seattle media outlet, Storm team leadership said that, following an investigation, no violations were found as Loyd had complained.

It was a full room at the Lincolnwood Village Board meeting Wednesday night. Village President Jesal Patel presented the proclamation.

“Beyond her athletic achievements, Jewell Loyd has remained committed to giving back to the community through various initiatives, including youth mentorship programs, basketball clinics, and advocacy for women in sports,” the proclamation reads.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/19/a-professed-lincolnwood-gem-wnba-great-and-niles-west-alum-jewell-loyd-has-her-day-at-home/

Diana Taurasi's accomplishments on the basketball court are surpassed only by what she did off of it.

Greatest athlete in Phoenix history?

Charles Barkley. Larry Fitzgerald. Michael Carbajal. Shane Doan. Randy Johnson. Curt Schilling. Luis Gonzalez. Connie Hawkins. Kurt Warner. Steve Nash. Aeneas Williams. Dick Van Arsdale. Walter Davis. Pat Tillman. … Devin Booker?

All those guys have a strong case, but there’s only one answer: It’s Diana Taurasi, and it’s too bad that it looks like she’s left us without a proper goodbye.

“If it is the last time, it felt like the first time,” she said in September after the last game of the Phoenix Mercury season.

Many have called Diana Taurasi the greatest

Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, 14 times All-WNBA, 11 times an All-Star, three times a league champion, twice a Finals MVP, once a regular season MVP. She has so many gold medals (six) that she probably uses them for coasters during dinner parties.

She’s done so much in her career that we should consult the Bible as we consider how to say how many accomplishments we’ve excluded.

“There are many other things (Taurasi) did, which, if they should be written, every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” (Thanks for the assist, John.)

They called Taurasi the greatest in 2021.

“Congratulations to Diana Taurasi on being voted as the greatest WNBA player of all time by the fans who have followed her illustrious career and saw her rise above the rest,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said of an honor that marked the league’s 25th anniversary season.

They called her the greatest in 2017.

“This message,” LeBron James said when Taurasi set the WNBA scoring record, “is for the one, the only, WNBA all-time leading scorer, Diana Taurasi … Salute, DT. The GOAT.”

Caitlin Clark idolized Taurasi growing up

“That’s somebody I grew up idolizing and looking up to and wanting to be like one day,” Caitlin Clark, the WNBA’s biggest star, said.

“Obviously, she’s one of the greatest players our game has ever seen, greatest scorer our game has ever seen … You get to live out your dream while playing against the best, or one of the best, there ever has been.”

DT changed the perception of women's sports

Back then, women were star athletes only every four years during Olympic cycles. They had to be waifish and cute. (Think Dorothy Hamill or Carly Patterson.) Or fast and gorgeous. (Think FloJo or Marion Jones.)

DT was at the front of a shift in culture. Starting with Taurasi’s generation, we learned to celebrate women in sport for what they could do. Full stop. The previous standard was that women had to be amazing and look traditionally feminine doing it.

It was like the old quote about Ginger Rogers having to do everything Fred Astaire did “but backwards and in high heels.”

Even in the earliest days of the WNBA, Lisa Leslie wore lipstick on the court.

Taurasi rejected all of this, wearing her hair in a bun and keeping her shorts as baggy as when she first learned the game in the ’90s.

If we were going to love her, it was going to be on her terms.

She led Phoenix Mercury to a title, then sat out

Taurasi did things that were so far ahead of her time that we couldn’t recognize her in the moment.

She led the Phoenix Mercury to a 2014 WNBA title, then sat out the next season because the league couldn’t afford her.

DT earned about $100,000 per season playing for the Mercury. She earned about $1.5 million from her team in Russia, which included a clause that would pay her to rest.

“The duration of a professional athlete’s playing career is finite; and, as such, Diana has elected to do what she feels is right for her, her family, and her post-basketball life,” Jim Pitman, the Phoenix Mercury general manager, said at the time. “Though obviously disappointed, we respect her decision."

DT pushed the equality conversation ahead

These days, WNBA players are paid better, treated better and recognized more. We have Taurasi to thank for that as the leader of a generation of players who demanded equal treatment to their male counterparts.

We’ve got a lot further to go in that regard, but we’re far closer now than we’ve ever been.

Read More: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/greg-moore/2024/12/19/diana-taurasi-retire-2024-phoenix-mercury-greatest/77050493007/

Former WNBA No. 1 pick Janel McCarville joined Stevens Point's girls basketball coaching staff as the head coach of the junior varsity team a few seasons ago. Now, at the helm of the varsity squad at her alma mater, she has her sights set on establishing a culture of fear within the Panthers through excellence, hard work, and consistency.

"Hopefully, they (opponents) will fear us every single time they have to play us because they know they're going to get our best every single night," McCarville said. "And that's part of the process that the girls have really embraced and are laying the foundation for as we speak."

McCarville played college basketball at Minnesota, where she was a four-year starter. She is still prominent in the Golden Gophers' and NCAA's history books. In the NCAA Tournament, she holds a record for the most rebounds through five games, with 75, and the highest rebound per game average in the tournament's history.

In 2005, the Charlotte Sting selected McCarville as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, and nine years later, she hoisted the 2013 WNBA Championship Trophy as part of the 2013 Minnesota Lynx championship team.

Before reaching the pros, she led the Panthers to a 59-11 record over her final three seasons at SPASH before graduating and finishing runner-up in the Division 1 portion of the 2001 WIAA basketball state tournament.

Piece by piece, she hopes to use all of her career's ups and downs to show the Panthers a winning pathway and standard. In her mind, it's kind of like a redo, although this time around, she gets to be "a light" as she knows first-hand how bad actors within a team can influence its undoing.

McCarville aims to build young women up and mold them into productive players on the court and even better people.

"I've been able to compile what I would like if I got to do it all over again. So I show up every day with a new practice plan, new mindset, and a new challenge for the girls to rise to," McCarville said. "I think they've done a great job. I'm throwing more than what they should be learning at the high school level at them, but I think it's just going to benefit them on the court and off the court at the same time. And again, we're talking about cementing the culture."

As a Central Wisconsin native, McCarville emphasizes the importance of community. She also helps host Little Panthers, a program for kindergarten through third-grade children that helps them get into basketball by teaching fundamentals such as ball handling, two-ball dribbling drills, pivots, and jab steps. She works closely with Joe Seubert, the team's youth development coach and father of junior guard Jada Seubert, who leads the team in scoring 19 points per game for a second consecutive season.

The goal is to teach more than just putting the ball through the hoop – and to start early.

"We teach the basics that I think are lost in the game. Kind of like teaching more so than just playing games. We're not just day caring. We are educating these young female athletes from kindergarten up and challenging them," said McCarville.

"Kindergartners shouldn't be doing two-ball drills, but my assistant coach Joe puts them through them, and they have seen great growth through the sessions we had this summer at our fall clinic."

SPASH tipped off this season on Nov. 21 in a home win over Eau Claire Memorial, then dropped back-to-back games against Appleton North and Kettle Moraine Lutheran.

Since then, the Panthers have won four straight games in commanding fashion, including three consecutive on the road. They currently are ranked second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference.

Before the season began, McCarville was pleading for young girls to give basketball a shot.

She said only 21 young ladies tried out to play this season, and maintaining solid numbers has been one of the most challenging aspects of coaching since taking over.

She hopes to inspire young women so they may share some of her extraordinary experiences in hoops and rebuild a winning culture at SPASH, which she helped establish early in her storied basketball career.

"Sports can do a lot for people," McCarville said. "I think it helps mentally, physically, emotionally. It prepares you for quite a bit. I'm lucky that I was able to play basketball for such a long time. If I would have only been able to play in high school, I would have been happy too, but it prepared me for the next level of basketball and life along the way, having the ups and downs.

"So I hope young girls in Stevens Point and surrounding areas have an aspiration to dive in and give everything they have and leave it all on the court in order to set themselves up for success in the future."

https://www.wausaudailyherald.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2024/12/20/wnba-no-1-pick-janel-mccarville-coaching-high-school-girls-basketball-stevens-point/76337545007/

After a strong 2024 season and helping the Minnesota Lynx to the WNBA Finals, Lynx guard Kayla McBride reflects on the year that was and looks ahead to what will be a memorable 2025.

Kayla McBride has been on numerous teams and has seen a lot throughout her 11-year WNBA career, spanning even farther back to the college and high school levels.

But in her 11th season as a pro in 2024, she experienced and is still experiencing something she hasn’t to this point in her basketball life.

McBride, who wrapped up her fourth season with the Minnesota Lynx in 2024, can confidently say she has never been a part of a team and a season that she was a part of with her Lynx teammates and coaches — one that ended just seconds shy of a WNBA title.

“It was one of my favorite seasons thus far as a pro,” McBride said on the Hitting the Hardwood Podcast. “It was just a special time for Minnesota basketball.”

Regardless of the final outcome, it was a memorable season for McBride — and it will be an even more memorable offseason while doing something she has yet to do in her career.

The Year That Was

Since arriving in Minnesota as a free agent in 2021, McBride has thrived in a Lynx uniform and has truly enjoyed being part of the Lynx organization.

At the age of 32 in 2024 during her 11th season in the league, McBride had one of her best seasons to date. All while being part of a special team that meshed with ease immediately.

“Where everybody was in their own personal journey, it just meshed very well,” McBride said. “We all relied on each other to just be ourselves, and it was so organic. Nobody had to be outside of themselves. We just enjoyed coming in and hooping, and it worked. When you’re on a team at the pro level, it doesn’t always happen that way. ... It just ended up working out perfectly.”

McBride had her best season in Minnesota in 2024 and her best offensive season since 2018. She averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals over 31.7 minutes in 39 games, also tallying shooting marks of 42.0% from the field, 40.7% from beyond the arc, and 89.3% from the free throw line.

As a result, McBride was one of the key contributors to a team that went on a special run to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2017. And though it didn’t end the way McBride or her teammates wanted to, it was a year to remember for McBride during a special season.

“Our group is so special, from top to bottom. We just did it our own way. ... We just did it the basic, organic way for each other. That’s the biggest thing I took away from it,” McBride said. “I missed my teammates when the season was over. I missed being around them and just showing up to work every day. That’s a testament to who those people are in the locker room. That is something that you always carry with you.

“When you look back and think about the special season we had and the special people we had in that locker room, you’re feel very fortunate and look back and say ‘Wow, that was special.’ ... I’m just really proud to say that I was a part of that team. It’s something you always remember.”

Staying Home This Offseason

In a typical year, once the WNBA season concludes, McBride normally gets right on a plane and heads overseas. Her entire career, McBride has played basketball year-round — as most players do — while stepping on the court overseas immediately following the WNBA season.

But this season, she didn’t go overseas. Not because she doesn’t plan to play this offseason, but because she has plans other than what she normally does outside of the WNBA schedule.

“It was an adjustment, I’m not going to lie. I’m used to a routine and schedule of going (overseas) and playing,” she said. “I genuinely do love playing basketball, so not being able to go and be in the locker room and stuff like that, I do miss that part of it. I had a bit of time adjusting, but it didn’t take me long. The way the season ended, you just kind of want to jump back in and forget about it. ... I think it was really good for me to take the time mentally and physically. I have been doing it back-to-back-to-back for a long time.”

Not heading right overseas has allowed McBride to be able to enjoy the offseason as any player should — relaxing and resting here at home while spending time with family and friends.

“Having this break, it’s been great. I got to host my first Thanksgiving, I got to hand out Halloween candy, I got settled into my new house. I just got some great mental and physical rest,” McBride said. “I’m just being a normal person instead of having to run off overseas. I just get to enjoy the everyday slow life. I may be addicted now, I don’t know if I’ll ever go back (overseas).”

But just because McBride didn’t go overseas, that doesn’t mean she is taking the offseason off from playing the game she loves. In fact, she is about to step back on the hardwood in a few short weeks.

“Once I finally sat down and reflected a little bit, I was really glad I stayed back. For me, mostly, but also for my career,” McBride said. “I have some big things coming up in January too, so I just wanted to take some time to reset. Which has been really great for me. ... I feel great. I feel rested for the first time, I didn’t even know what that felt like.”

Being Part of Unrivaled

Alongside a few of her Lynx teammates and a total of 35 other WNBA players, McBride is about to begin a groundbreaking offseason on the court while being part of the inaugural season with Unrivaled.

“Just to be part of the inaugural 36 players is really, really cool. Saying you’re one of the top 35-40 players in the league and being able to go down to Miami and just hoop, it’s really exciting,” McBride said. “It’s just a long time coming for women’s basketball. Just to say you’re part of this blazing of the trail for the next generation, it’s really cool.”

Unrivaled, founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, is a first-of-its-kind 3-on-3 league comprised of WNBA players that features six players on each of the six teams. The groundbreaking league and its first season begins Jan. 17 in Miami. Games will be shown nationally on either TNT or truTV.

“I’m super proud of Phee and (Stewart) for having this idea and bringing us into it. Where women’s basketball is right now, it’s the perfect time to continue to build onto our exposure,” McBride added. “It’s a great way to get ready for the season too. It’s three-on-three, so I’ll definitely be in shape. I’m excited.”

McBride will be on the Laces team, which also includes her Lynx teammate Courtney Williams. The two will have the opportunity to establish a fun rivalry with Collier, who is playing for the Lunar Owls.

“I still get to play with Courtney and against Phee. But just getting to dive into something and play against some of the best players in the world in the offseason leading up to 2025, it’s really dope,” she said.

Regardless of what team she’s on or who she is playing with and against, McBride is grateful for the opportunity to finally be able to stay home and play the game she loves rather than jumping on a plane and going overseas when she’s not playing with the Lynx. To her, it’s a sign that the game keeps growing, the exposure keeps increasing, and the opportunities for players like McBride will only continue to increase.

“It’s really special for me specifically because, when I first came in the league, you either went overseas or you stayed home and just work out,” McBride said. “Now to be a part of all these different options that women get to have and just where women’s basketball is in general, it’s groundbreaking.”

Although McBride is focused on enjoying this offseason and the Unrivaled season ahead, she already has her eyes on 2025 in Minnesota as she and her Lynx teammates aim to run it back when the new season tips off.

“We just want people who want to be here and want to help us win a championship. That’s all it is,” McBride said of her hopes for the Lynx in 2025. “I’m really excited. I think we have a strong foundation in who we are and what we built last year. ... We want people to come in and help us get over the mountaintop. We want to bring in great people who want to be part of the Lynx and be able to add to what we already have, which is a great thing.”

Listen to Full Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tCwuIUOLc713TDlveaY75

Don't hang Angel McCoughtry's jersey in the rafters just yet ... the 5x WNBA All-Star tells TMZ Sports she's looking to make a comeback to the league she starred in for a decade, and she feels as good as ever!

Video: https://www.tmz.com/watch/2024-12-20-122024-angel-mccoughtry-1948736-317/

Announced today. She joins active W players Syd Colson, Lexie Brown, Isabelle Harrison, Maddy Siegrist, Victaria Saxton, Jordan Horston, Alissa Pili, Kierstan Bell, Kia Nurse and Alysha Clark.

Is it true the W is hiring more/new/better refs for the 2025 season? I hope the rumor is true.

Any guesses on the last 2 wild card spots?

12.19 Update

Based off our discussion here's who are the best candidates/most likely

1)Dream Team (but unlikely)

Sue Bird, DT

2)Dream Team Two (also unlikely)

DB, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Nneka Ogwumike

3. Best of the Rest *may or may not be available)

Sophie Cunningham, Diamond DeShields, Mercedes Russell, Kiah Stokes, Megan Gustafson, Kennedy Burke, Moriah Jefferson, Rachel Banham, Nia Coffey, Michaela Onyenwere, Kristy Wallace, Katie Lou Samuelson, Emily Engstler (was supposed to be playing in Israel but doesn’t seem to have gone), Zia Cooke (was playing in Australia but recently left), Bridget Carlton (recently left her Euro team), Lexie Brown

4. Long Shots (maybe next year)

Cavinder twins, Haley Van Lith, Liz Kitley, EDD, Rebekah Gardner, insert retired or college player here, any one else coming back from injury?

12.17 Original Post

DB- Unlikely with kids

Monika Czinano- played last year in Europe but IG says ex pro baller

Kelsey Mitchell - Any idea what she's doing this off season?

Other names from a different thread below

https://www.reddit.com/r/Unrivaled/comments/1hancla/comment/m1a8irq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Some players who — as far as I know — are not playing overseas and haven’t publicly ruled Unrivaled out: Diana Taurasi, DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, Nneka Ogwumike, Mercedes Russell, Diamond DeShields, Megan Gustafson, Kennedy Burke, Rachel Banham, Emily Engstler, Kiah Stokes, Michaela Onyenwere…