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Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd finally acknowledge each other after Dallas Wings' awkward PR shutdown

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:01:55 -0400

Just a few days after the Dallas Wings awkwardly shut down a completely reasonable question about Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, the league’s most talked-about duo has made some progress.

No, they still haven’t addressed their relationship.

But hey, they are at least acknowledging each other’s existence now. Baby steps.

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After Sunday’s practice, both Bueckers and Fudd — former teammates at UConn — spoke to reporters about what it’s like to share the court again in Dallas. It was a noticeable shift from that viral press conference moment where Wings PR stepped in before Fudd could answer a question about their off-court dynamic.

Bueckers, for her part, leaned fully into the hoops side of things.

THE WNBA'S WINGS CAN'T SHIELD PAIGE BUECKERS, AZZI FUDD FROM RELATIONSHIP QUESTIONS FOREVER

"Obviously, we have a lot of experience going back to, shoot, when we were like 16 playing together. I know her game really well, she knows my game really well, so to be able to be back in this stage to live out our dreams," Bueckers told reporters.

"This is stuff we talked about since we were freshmen in high school. Being at this stage, we got to be together in college, we got to play together at the junior Olympic level, now we get to play in the WNBA together, it’s just a dream come true."

She also made it pretty clear that this isn’t just a feel-good reunion. It’s also a basketball fit.

"In terms of the basketball aspect of it, she just affects the game in so many different ways," Bueckers said. "Obviously, everybody talks about her shooting, but it’s her ability to slash, to cut, her IQ. Defensively, she disrupts a lot of stuff. … Her game has so many aspects to it; it provides us with so many different things to do offensively and defensively in terms of versatility."

Fudd returned the favor when asked about Bueckers, focusing on her mindset and leadership.

"I think that’s something special about Paige is that her mindset is phenomenal," Fudd said, via The Wings Bulletin. "The way she goes about things, she always takes it as a challenge, as an opportunity to grow."

So yes, if you were hoping for some grand, official confirmation or a heartfelt press conference moment about their relationship … you’re still waiting.

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But after Thursday’s "we’re not going to talk about that" shutdown, this feels like an improvement. Instead of pretending the other person doesn’t exist, the two No. 1 picks are now doing what most teammates do — talking about how they fit together on the court and what they bring to the team.

Which, to be fair, is probably how this should have been handled from the start.

Caitlin Clark says she is '100% healthy' heading into Fever training camp after injury-riddled 2025 season

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:05:44 -0400

The Indiana Fever are back on the hardwood, as the team reported to training camp ahead of the 2026 season, and all eyes are on superstar guard Caitlin Clark once again.

This time, it’s to make sure she’s healthy enough to get after it following a sophomore season in the WNBA riddled with injuries.

Clark told reporters at training camp she is "100% healthy" after dealing with quad, groin and ankle injuries in 2025, which led to just 13 games played for the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year.

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But while Clark wasn’t allowed to be on the court, she learned, along with head coach Stephanie White, how to be a bit more cautious heading into year three.

"I’m a person that doesn’t want to sit out a single rep, like I want to be in there every single time," Clark told reporters, per the Indianapolis Star. "But I think just being a little bit smarter with my body…whether that’s recovery, whether that’s pre-court treatment, whatever it is."

White echoed Clark’s statement.

CAITLIN CLARK EARNS DIANA TAURASI’S APPROVAL AFTER WEARING ICONIC NO 12 FOR TEAM USA DEBUT

"She doesn’t have to be out there every rep, just being mindful," she said. "Every year that she gets older, she understands the cadence is a little bit different."

Clark played just 13 games, but she made her second straight All-Star Game, averaging 16.5 points, five rebounds and 8.8 assists per game over that span.

Heading into this season, Clark is obviously looking to continue her hot start to her professional career, and working out with Team USA in March ahead of the FIBA Women’s World Cup was an experience she said helped her prepare for this season.

"You want to rise to the level of the people around you, and then you also want to beat them, get on the court and compete," she said about that experience playing and training with the best of the best in women’s basketball.

So, Clark heads into training camp not pushing herself perhaps how she has in the past, including years at Iowa. The Fever can see what else they have at the guard position when she does sit out and rest, including first-round pick Raven Johnson out of South Carolina.

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The Fever are hoping to continue its build to a WNBA contender, losing in the semfinals last season with an injury-riddled squad. They also made it a point to bring back core players from last year’s roster, including Sophie Cunningham, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull — all of whom dealt with injuries in 2025.

Indiana was also looking ahead to the future, inking Aliyah Boston to a four-year, $6.3 million contract extension that marked the highest-paid deal in WNBA history following a historic CBA agreement between the league and the players’ association.

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WNBA star Sophie Cunningham got baptized after rejoining Caitlin Clark on Fever

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 18:09:03 -0400

Indiana Fever fan favorite Sophie Cunningham appeared to celebrate her new contract that will keep her teammates with Caitlin Clark by getting baptized a second time.

After signing a one-year, $665,000 contract Sunday, Cunningham posted a video on TikTok Tuesday of her adult baptism Tuesday.

"I got baptized when I was little but I was feeling a tug on my heart to do it on my terms as an adult! Such a fun, amazing day. Thank you Jesus," she wrote.

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The trio of Clark, Cunningham and teammate Lexie Hull proved to be an efficient and gravitating force in popularity when they were all on the court at the same time last year. Along the way, they earned a mysterious nickname on social media, which they later adopted for themselves — "Tres Leches," which translates from Spanish to "three milks" and refers to a popular Latin American sponge cake.

"We saw it on Twitter at some point, and people ran with it," Hull previously told Fox News Digital of the nickname. "It was funny."

CAITLIN CLARK'S NEWEST FEVER TEAMMATE HAS DRAMATIC HISTORY WITH SUPERSTAR

Cunningham gained fame and favor among Fever fans when she started an on-court altercation with opposing players to defend Clark last year.

During a game between the Fever and the Connecticut June 17, physicality boiled into a brawl. After Sun guard Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye and fellow Sun player Marina Mabrey shoved Clark to the ground, Cunningham committed a hard foul on Sheldon, initiating an on-court fight that resulted in three ejections.

Now, Cunningham is entering her second year in Indiana with the team expected to contend for a WNBA championship.

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Cunningham is among a growing number of women's basketball stars to outwardly embrace Christianity and baptism.

Recent No. 1 WNBA draft pick Azzi Fudd and fellow UConn star KK Arnold reportedly got baptized after their game in the women's Final Four earlier this month, according to People.com.

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Fever star Aliyah Boston makes WNBA history with record-breaking contract extension: report

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:35:38 -0400

Indiana Fever star center Aliyah Boston made WNBA history with a record-setting contract extension.

The Fever signed Boston to a four-year, $6.3 million contract extension Friday, according to ESPN. Boston’s contract has the highest total value in WNBA history.

Boston’s contract is also the first to incorporate the Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) provision, allowing teams the ability to extend contracts of qualifying players on rookie deals.

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To qualify for the provision, players must be selected to the All-WNBA first or second team or be named the league MVP during their first three seasons. Boston was named to the All-WNBA second team last season, making her eligible.

"I’m super blessed and grateful for this opportunity and to continue my journey here with the Fever. God is good!" Boston said in a statement. "I’m excited for the future ahead for both myself and for our team, and I can’t wait to keep building upon everything we have accomplished so far."

Boston, alongside superstar Caitlin Clark, is a pillar for the Fever to build around. The Fever selected Boston with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft out of South Carolina, and Boston made an instant impression.

ANGEL REESE OPENS UP ON CHICAGO SKY DEPARTURE: 'I WANTED MORE'

She won Rookie of the Year in her first season and was also named an All-Star. Boston averaged 14.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in 40 games as a rookie.

Boston was again named an All-Star in her second season, when she posted numbers similar to her rookie season. Last year, in her third season, Boston averaged a career-high 15 points per game in 44 games and was sixth in the WNBA’s MVP voting.

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Boston ranks second in franchise history with 41 career double-doubles, including a franchise-best 17 last season.

"We’re thrilled to be able to reward her with this new contract and make history and, most importantly, lock her in as a cornerstone of the Fever for years to come," Fever COO and general manager Amber Cox said.

"Despite already being an All-WNBA caliber player, Aliyah has just scratched the surface in terms of the player she can become."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Angel Reese opens up on Chicago Sky departure: 'I wanted more'

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:48:39 -0400

WNBA star Angel Reese spoke out about her recent departure from the Chicago Sky during her first news conference with the Atlanta Dream on Friday after she was traded from Chicago to Atlanta earlier this month.

"I’m always gonna be grateful for that because I did experience a lot of great things," Reese said Friday of her time in Chicago. "I enjoyed being able to grow within my first two years, but I wanted more. I love to win, I love to compete and I wanted to be surrounded by people that can make me better.

"And I am not satisfied with what I am as a player, and I felt like being around these kinds of players would help me be better. I can help them in different ways to help them win, and that’s all I ever wanted.

"I don’t care about anything else that comes with it. I want to win and being able to come to an organization that really cared about their players."

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The Dream acquired Reese from the Sky April 6 in exhange for first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028. Atlanta also received the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.

One of the WNBA’s most recognizable stars, Reese led the league in rebounds in each of her two seasons with the Sky.

Reese is known in mainstream pop culture as one of the WNBA's most polarizing players due to her ongoing rivalry with women's basketball phenom Caitlin Clark.

There has been suspected tension between Clark and Reese dating back to their meeting in the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game.

CAITLIN CLARK'S FEVER MAKE SEVERAL KEY OFFSEASON SIGNINGS IN CHAMPIONSHIP PURSUIT

Reese taunted Clark by pointing to her ring finger during the game, prompting outrage and sparking an ongoing feud between fans.

Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes got revenge on Reese's LSU Tigers a year later in the Elite Eight, but the tension hit a whole new level when the players reached the pros for their rookie WNBA seasons.

In their first WNBA season in 2024, Clark took a series of questionable fouls from Reese's Sky throughout the 2024 season, including one from Reese June 16.

In 2025, the two had a heated exchange after Reese pushed Fever forward Natasha Howard in the back as she grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by teammate Rebecca Allen. Reese brought the ball low, and Clark fouled her before she went up for a shot. Reese fell to the ground.

Reese got up from the floor and got into the face of Clark.

Referees reviewed the play and determined Clark used her left hand to shove Reese to the floor. They upgraded the personal foul on Clark to a flagrant foul. And Reese and Aliyah Boston of the Fever were issued technical fouls.

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When the two played as teammates at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers qualifiers in March, Clark ignored Reese's gesture for a high-five during a game.

Now with Clark's Indiana Fever contending for a championship in 2026, Reese's Dream could prove to be a legitimate challenger.

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Ex-USWNT star Megan Rapinoe and WNBA great Sue Bird announce shocking split after 10 years

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:55:07 -0400

WNBA legend Sue Bird and former U.S. women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe announced they have broken up after 10 years.

The couple, who got engaged in 2020 but never married, delivered the stunning news in a statement on social media on Friday.

"There really is no smooth or easy way to share this news. After a lot of thought, we’ve made the decision to separate as a couple," their joint statement read.

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"This hasn’t been an easy decision, but it’s one we’ve made together, with so much love, respect, and care for each other. We’ve shared a whole life over the last decade, through big moments and in quiet ones, and that is something we’ll always carry with us."

Rapinoe, 40, and Bird, 45, shared a podcast together, called "A Touch More," that will end alongside their relationship.

"We are so grateful to this incredible community that has held us up, welcomed us in, and supported us exactly as we are. So many of you have reminded us, again and again, why loving out loud matters," the statement read.

"Getting to create A Touch More: The Podcast and build a network around it has been a tremendous joy. The conversations, the laughter, the connection - it means more than we can put into words. While this chapter of doing the podcast together is ending, what we’ve built with you isn’t."

MEGAN RAPINOE SAYS GENO AURIEMMA HAS 'ADDED RESPONSIBILITY' OF POSITIVE REPRESENTATION BECAUSE HE IS WHITE

They said they are doing six more special episodes as a farewell to the audience in a video posted Friday to the podcast's YouTube channel. Rapinoe and Bird were not together in the video, but were in separate spaces.

Bird already has her own podcast, "Bird's Eye View," that she said will be continuing. Rapinoe said she will be launching her own podcast later in the summer. They launched the podcast in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pair met during the 2016 Rio Olympics, with Rapinoe playing with the U.S. women's soccer team and Bird playing for the U.S. women's basketball team at the time. They went public with their relationship in 2017.

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Bird retired from the WNBA in the 2022 season following a 21-year career. Rapinoe retired from the U.S. women's national soccer team in 2023.

"Thank you for being with us through all of it…it means the world to us," the statement said. "With so much love, Megan and Sue."

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WNBA team's public relations staff shuts down reporter's question about players' relationship

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:40:22 -0400

One year after selecting Paige Bueckers with the first overall pick, the Dallas Wings had the No. 1 pick again in this week's WNBA Draft, and they selected fellow UConn alum Azzi Fudd.

The selection is much more than just an on-court improvement, however — last summer, Bueckers confirmed that she and Fudd were a couple.

The two have been relatively quiet about their relationship, prompting Kevin Sherrington, a Dallas Morning News columnist, to ask Fudd in her introductory press conference if they were still an item.

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On the precipice of that question, Sherrington also asked Fudd if she and Bueckers would talk to "other couples in the league about how they negotiate that dynamic as pro teammates."

Fudd was not given a chance to answer, as a staffer for the Wings public relations team butted in.

"I understand why you have to ask that question, but we're going to respectfully decline from commenting on players' personal lives," the staffer said.

Sherrington placed blame on the Wings in a column.

SPARKS STAR CAMERON BRINK SHOWS OFF TONED ABS AT COACHELLA AHEAD OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED WNBA SEASON

"Refusing to acknowledge whether players are still in a relationship after one of them went public about it a year ago suggests they’ve done something wrong, feeding an ugly narrative. What are we afraid of here? What are we saying when we try to hide something already out in the open?" he wrote.

"If anyone’s at fault here, it’s the Wings, who invited the obvious question by drafting Fudd when they had other options, then acted as if they were covering for something that didn’t need hiding. Bueckers and Fudd didn’t deserve this. No matter what their status from here on out, I wish them better luck."

Players in the WNBA have dated each other as both teammates and opponents. Notably, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley got married while playing with the Chicago Sky.

It's unknown how long Fudd and Bueckers have, or had, been dating, but at the very least, they were teammates from 2021 up until last April, when Bueckers was drafted. But they have now reunited.

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The duo played in two national championship games together, winning last year's — Bueckers joined the school one year prior to Fudd.

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Sparks star Cameron Brink shows off toned abs at Coachella ahead of highly anticipated WNBA season

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:31:24 -0400

Los Angeles Sparks star Cameron Brink showed off her toned stomach at Coachella over the weekend, building buzz ahead of what many expect to be a breakout WNBA season for the former first-round pick.

Brink, 24, posted a carousel of photos on social media showing the WNBA player enjoying the Coachella music festival in California with friends over the weekend.

"Best.weekend.ever," Brink wrote in the caption of her Instagram post, but fans could only focus on one thing.

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"Now this is what I call putting in work on building the perfect body," one person commented, referencing Brink’s toned physique.

"Are you kidding me with those abs?" one user wrote, as another added, "That six-pack is insane!"

Brink has stayed busy during the WNBA offseason, as a serious injury derailed her rookie and sophomore seasons in the league.

WNBA STAR CAMERON BRINK FLOATS POSSIBILITY OF POSING FOR PLAYBOY

After getting drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, Brink immediately established herself as a premier defensive weapon. She averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, but her rookie season was cut short after she tore her ACL just 15 games into the season.

The injury kept her sidelined until the following season, when she returned to the Sparks in late July 2025, averaging 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in just 19 games.

Back healthy from her rehab, expectations are high for the Stanford standout, who also stayed busy during the offseason playing in the Unrivaled league.

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"I feel great," Brink recently told Swish Appeal in an interview. "Just been working with our amazing training staff at the Sparks. And just really taking care of my body, and just enjoying the process of it all. So, feeling great."

The Sparks kick off the season on May 10 at 3 p.m. ET against the Las Vegas Aces.

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Caitlin Clark's newest Fever teammate has dramatic history with superstar

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:34:47 -0400

The newest member of the Indiana Fever, Raven Johnson, who the team took with the 10th overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday, will join forces with Caitlin Clark after a tensely competitive moment between the two many years ago.

In the 2023 NCAA women's Final Four, Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes met Johnson's South Carolina Gamecocks. During that game, there was a moment when Clark was supposed to be guarding Johnson, but Clark waved Johnson off to double-team another South Carolina player.

The clip of Clark waving off Johnson ended up going viral, and Johnson later said it resulted in online mockery against her.

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"I was all over the internet," Johnson said on the "I AM NEXT" podcast in March. "That's one reason I hate the internet now, because of that situation. I got bashed, I got bullied, I got called all these things I wasn't, aka like a monkey and things like that, and I just think I wanted to quit basketball at that time, and I just wanted to go in this little bubble of isolation and just be by myself."

Still, Johnson appears excited to now be on the same side as Clark.

After Johnson was drafted by the Fever on Monday, she said Clark is the teammate she's most excited to play with in the pros.

FEVER'S LEXIE HULL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ATTACKS ON PLAYERS AS TEAM'S POPULARITY GROWS DURING CAITLIN CLARK ERA

"Caitlin Clark," Johnson said immediately when asked by Overtime WBB which new teammate she’s most excited to play with. "... She’s a phenomenal player, with the things she does, it’s bar standard. She can shoot the ball, she can lead a team, and they win. She has a winning mentality, and I think that’s the biggest thing."

The Fever have solidified their roster going into the 2026 season as a true championship contender.

The team recently re-signed key players Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, while adding veteran Monique Billings in free agency.

The Fever have the fourth-best odds to win the WNBA title in 2026 behind the Minnesota Lynx, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty.

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The Fever's season ended in 107-98 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals last year.

With Clark returning from injury, their core intact and at least one new addition, Indiana is looking to finish the job.

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Heat star Jaime Jaquez Jr celebrates sister's WNBA Draft selection with heartfelt message

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:44:28 -0400

Basketball has become the family business for the Jaquez family.

The Chicago Sky selected Gabriela Jaquez with the No. 5 overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday, making her the second professional basketball player in the family. Gabriela’s brother, Jaime Jaquez Jr., has spent the last three seasons with the Miami Heat.

Jaquez Jr. posted a message to his Instagram Stories congratulating his sister.

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"Mama we made it!" Jaquez Jr. wrote.

Jaquez was a standout player on UCLA’s national title-winning team this season. Her performance in the championship game capped off an outstanding season, as she scored 21 points while hauling in 10 rebounds with five assists in UCLA’s 79-51 win over South Carolina.

Jaquez, who spent all four years of her collegiate career with UCLA, averaged 13.5 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 38 games this season. She shot an astounding 53.9% from the field and an impressive 39% from 3-point range.

WNBA COMMISSIONER PLAYS GENDER CARD WHEN ASKED ABOUT FUTURE

The 22-year-old was named to the 2025-26 NCAA All-Tournament team, the 2025-26 All-Big Ten team, and the 2024-25 NCAA All-Region team throughout her career.

Jaquez Jr. was not able to attend his sister’s big night as he is getting ready for the Heat’s NBA Play-in Tournament game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday.

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The 25-year-old small forward has had the best season of his young career for the Heat this year. In 75 games, with all but one of them coming off the bench, Jaquez Jr. has averaged a career-high 15.4 points, five rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Jaquez Jr. will hope to provide the Heat with a spark off the bench when they take on the Hornets at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

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WNBA commissioner plays gender card when asked about future

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:44:09 -0400

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has been under the spotlight for about a year as she navigated the league through a stressful collective bargaining agreement before the start of the 2026 season.

Engelbert addressed the media Monday night as the WNBA Draft was set to take place. She raised eyebrows among reporters and fans on social media with a response to a tough question she received.

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She was asked about her future as commissioner and responded by playing the gender card.

"I do crack up how everybody's focused on me, and you should be focused on the hundreds of amazing women and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself," she said, via USA Today. "I appreciate that you're focused on me as well. I wonder if you would ask that of a man, by the way, but I realize as women we get asked different questions than men do."

AZZI FUDD GOES NO 1 IN WNBA DRAFT TO WINGS, REUNITES WITH PAIGE BUECKERS WITH HISTORIC $500K SALARY

Some social media users, including columnist Jemele Hill, agreed that she would have gotten the same question if she were a man.

Engelbert is in an exclusive club of female commissioners of professional sports. Jessica Berman is the commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League. Meanwhile, commissioners in every other league face tough questions during their own press conferences at key points of the year.

But Engelbert received the brunt of the criticism going into CBA negotiations. The players called on the league to pay its players more in a demonstration during the WNBA All-Star Game.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier blasted the WNBA as having the "worst leadership" at the end of the 2025 season.

Still, Engelbert is still the commissioner of the WNBA through the latest CBA. She added Monday night that the CBA still needs to be finalized.

She also said the league was looking ahead to the future and hoped the league would be able to take the WNBA overseas, whether it’s a regular-season or exhibition game.

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"We’re heavily looking at that," Engelbert said. "Obviously, this year we have the FIBA World Cup. Next year we expect that we’ll do something outside of North America as a true global game."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Azzi Fudd goes No 1 in WNBA Draft to Wings, reunites with Paige Bueckers with historic $500K salary

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:14:46 -0400

Azzi Fudd is reuniting with her old UConn Huskies teammate, Paige Bueckers, as the Dallas Wings took her first overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft on Monday night.

And Fudd comes in with a historic payday in the league.

After a new collective bargaining agreement was inked between the league and the players’ association last month, Fudd is set to make $500,000 in her rookie year – a massive pay bump compared to the $78,831 Bueckers earned last season as the WNBA Draft’s first overall selection.

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This comes as the salary cap for WNBA teams also jumped from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million, which also brought in the first-ever million-dollar contracts. From league veterans to newcomers in the Draft, the game’s best are getting paid.

While Fudd will certainly be happy to see her paychecks, she’s also excited to make her impact with the Wings and within the WNBA.

PAIGE BUECKERS MAKES WNBA HISTORY IN OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION, SPARKS VET GETS LAST LAUGH

"I'm not really sure I have words to describe that feeling what that meant," Fudd said after being drafted, via ESPN. "I don't think it's fully sunk in. It's nothing I could have imagined. The feeling of sitting with my family, with Morgan (Valley), hearing your name called, go up there. Such a surreal feeling."

Fudd was also excited while discussing her reunion with Bueckers.

"Paige is an incredible player, everyone knows that," she explained. "She’s someone that makes playing basketball with easy."

With Fudd taken, the Minnesota Lynx locked in Olivia Miles out of TCU – Fudd’s biggest competition for that first overall pick. But Miles isn’t missing out on the payday, as she’s slated to make $466,913 as the second overall pick.

Center Awa Fam Thiam from Spain went to the Seattle Storm and will get a $436,016 salary for the 2026 WNBA season. Then, national champions Lauren Betts (Washington Mystics), Gabriel Jacquez (Chicago Sky) and Kiki Rice (Toronto Tempo) rounded out the top six.

UCLA also broke UConn’s record of having four players drafted in the first round, which was set in 2002 by the Huskies. Angela Dugalić rounded out the bunch after Washington took her ninth overall, keeping her with Betts as they enter the league.

Another notable name was LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson, who was taken eighth overall by the Golden State Valkyries, but she was traded to the Storm for the rights to Marta Suarez from TCU. The Storm had taken her with the first pick of the second round. The Valkyries also received a 2028 second-round pick in the deal.

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Overall, every drafted player who makes a team entering the regular season will make more than any WNBA player did during the 2025 season, with a minimum salary of $270,000 that sits higher than last year’s maximum salary of $249,244.

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WNBA player faces backlash over op-ed criticizing IOC for policy to protect women's sports

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:08:14 -0400

WNBA player Brianna Turner faced social media backlash after she wrote an op-ed expressing her displeasure with the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) policy to keep men out of women’s sports.

Turner, who recently signed a contract with the Las Vegas Aces after playing professionally in Australia, wrote in USA Today that she didn’t believe the new policy the IOC implemented actually protected women’s sporting events.

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The IOC said it would use genetic testing to ensure that women’s events only feature females. Turner accused the IOC of using the new policies to "scapegoat" transgender athletes while ignoring "real" issues regarding women in sports.

"Policies that single out transgender women and athletes with intersex variations do not protect women’s sports. They manufacture a scapegoat while the real challenges to women’s sports go unaddressed: unequal funding, limited access to training and facilities, pay disparities, male-dominated leadership, gender-based violence and harassment across race, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity," Turner wrote on Friday.

She also denied the IOC's argument that the new policy is being enacted to make sure that female sports are safe and fair, claiming there were no biological advantages in transgender athletes.

WNBA PLAYER OPPOSES NEW OLYMPICS TRANSGENDER POLICY, SAYING THEY DO 'ANYTHING BUT' PROTECT WOMEN

"In more than 15 years of organized basketball, I’ve played with and against people who are transgender and undoubtedly people with intersex variations, and I've never experienced any unfair advantages. I saw these players as my fellow athletes, not my enemies," Turner wrote.

She concluded by demanding that the IOC do not use women athletes in efforts to "shame or exclude" transgender athletes.

Turner received a torrent of social media responses to her critique of the IOC.

Turner’s op-ed followed a similar response from former U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Sue Bird.

"We already know that biology, as much as we want it to be just nice and clean and tight and perfectly in one category and another, it’s not," Rapinoe said earlier this month. "We know that. So, now what we’re doing is subjecting everybody, all women and all people who are identifying as women to this really invasive testing that only to me says like, ‘Oh we’re just trying to whittle it down to a certain type of woman.' Is that what we’re doing? That’s really the whole game here."

Bird said the IOC policy was akin to "fearmongering."

Turner is set to play with the Aces this season. She was with the Indiana Fever in 2025 and the Chicago Sky in 2024 after spending the first five seasons of her career with the Phoenix Mercury.

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There are no known transgender athletes competing in the WNBA.

Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

WNBA player opposes new Olympics transgender policy, saying they do 'anything but' protect women

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:48:24 -0400

WNBA player Brianna Turner opposed the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) new policies barring biological males from competing in female sports, claiming that they do "anything but" protect women.

"The IOC has a documented history of refusing to actually protect women in elite sports, and their current invocation of protection does anything but," Turner wrote in a USA Today op-ed Friday.

The IOC announced in March that, starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it would be adopting a new policy limiting female category events to biologically female athletes as determined by genetic testing.

CAITLYN JENNER BACKS IOC MOVE TO BAN TRANSGENDER WOMEN FROM OLYMPICS AFTER REVIEW FINDS UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

Turner accused the IOC of using the new policies to "scapegoat" transgender athletes while ignoring "real" issues regarding women in sports.

She also denied the IOC's argument that the new policy is being enacted to make sure that female sports are safe and fair, claiming there were no biological advantages in transgender athletes.

WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO IOC POLICY CHANGE TO BAN MALES FROM WOMEN'S SPORTS AS ACTIVISTS CELEBRATE

She concluded by demanding that the IOC do not use women athletes in efforts to "shame or exclude" transgender athletes.

"Do not use the names of women athletes to target, shame or exclude transgender women. Transgender women are women. Women with intersex variations are women. I welcome these women—and all women—onto my teams," Turner wrote. "If we really want to protect the integrity of sport, let’s invest in fairness, opportunity and safety for every athlete. Let’s build a future where sport belongs to everyone."

WINTER OLYMPICS MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST OPENLY TRANSGENDER SKIER COMPETING IN WOMEN'S DIVISION

Fox News Digital reached out to the IOC for comment.

WNBA legend Sue Bird also claimed earlier this month on the "A Touch More" podcast that the new IOC policy was "fearmongering" and "not solving a problem that exists."

In the same podcast, former U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe pushed back on the idea that the Olympics policy was based on science.

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"We already know that biology, as much as we want it to be just nice and clean and tight and perfectly in one category and another, it’s not," Rapinoe said. "We know that. So, now what we’re doing is subjecting everybody, all women and all people who are identifying as women to this really invasive testing that only to me says like, ‘Oh we’re just trying to whittle it down to a certain type of woman.' Is that what we’re doing? That’s really the whole game here.

WNBA star Sophie Cunningham rejoins Fever after emerging as fan favorite

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:12:10 -0400

Sophie Cunningham emerged as one of the leaders of the Indiana Fever during the 2025 season as she fiercely defended Caitlin Clark and the rest of her teammates at various points of the year.

Cunningham faced whether to return to Indiana for at least the 2026 season as she was set to be a free agent. However, on Sunday, she made the decision to return to the Fever.

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Indiana and Cunningham agreed to a one-year contract, the team announced.

"We had a really special group last year and it was an incredible first season for me in Indy; I loved everything about my teammates and the Fever organization," she said, via the team’s website. "We fought through a ton of adversity, and it was important to me that we have a chance to see through what we started.

"I have a feeling this is going to be another special season, so I’m excited to get things started and to, of course, keep playing in front of the best fans in the WNBA. Let’s get spicy!"

CAITLIN CLARK'S FEVER MAKE SEVERAL KEY OFFSEASON SIGNINGS IN CHAMPIONSHIP PURSUIT

Cunningham played 30 games for Indiana before her season was cut short due to an MCL tear. She averaged 8.6 points per game and shot a career-high 43.2% from 3-point range.

The Fever expect her to be a key piece for the team looking to make a championship run.

"I think she’s always willing to step in and do whatever it takes to win," Fever general manager Amber Cox said.

"… When you have a shooter like Sophie – somebody who’s consistently at the top of the league every single year in terms of her effectiveness from beyond the arc – that really helps everybody else too… Everything she brings to the table as a competitor, I think will impact us."

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Even with injuries to Cunningham and Clark, Indiana finished third in the Eastern Conference with a 24-20 record. Indiana upset the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Las Vegas Aces in five games in the semifinals.

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Caitlin Clark's Fever make several key offseason signings in championship pursuit

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:02:02 -0400

The Indiana Fever made a series of offseason moves Saturday to surround superstar Caitlin Clark with talent as the team looks to contend for a WNBA championship this year.

The Fever re-signed key players Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell, while adding veteran Monique Billings from the Golden State Valkyries.

Last season, Mitchell averaged 20.2 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 31.4 minutes per game, and was a 2025 All-WNBA First Team selection and MVP finalist.

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Hull, meanwhile has become a fan favorite and part of the Fever core known as "Tres Leches" made up of her, Clark and Sophie Cunningham.

"We saw it on Twitter at some point, and people ran with it," Hull recently told Fox News Digital of the nickname. "It was funny."

Hull has also become a close personal friend of Clark, as Clark helped announce Hull's return to the team on a multi-year deal in a TikTok video on Saturday.

Billings, drafted 15th overall in 2018 by the Atlanta Dream, played there for six seasons before joining the Dallas Wings, Phoenix Mercury, and Valkyries. Known for her elite rebounding, she has consistently been a key rotational player with significant contributions in both the WNBA and overseas.

The players were signed after the Fever were one game shy of reaching the WNBA Finals in 2025 while Clark missed the entire postseason with an injury.

With Clark set to return, Indiana is keeping its core together while adding veteran depth to bolster its roster ahead of the 2026 season.

The Fever have the fourth-best odds to win the WNBA title in 2026 behind the Minnesota Lynx, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty.

Hull previously teased the Fever's offseason plans and championship ambitions in an interview with Fox News Digital.

FEVER WIN FIRST PLAYOFF SERIES IN 10 YEARS DESPITE CAITLIN CLARK'S INJURY, ADVANCE TO WNBA SEMIFINALS

"I think it's because we made it where we made it last year without some of our key pieces, and with a lot of injuries, and a lot of, like, this adversity. … Our bench was longer than every other bench. We had more people in the training room getting treatment than any other team, and we still almost made it to the Finals," Hull said.

"Tasting that and being so close and feeling like we have so much more to give, I think that just changes our mindset a little bit. And it's not necessarily overconfident, but confident in the fact that we really do have a chance. And we should be playing like every game matters, and we're preparing for that last one.

"I think it's very achievable with what we're going to be able to do with free agency."

Playing for the Fever has also proven to be a tall task off-the-court, as the massive national attention Clark has brought to the team also results in tension among fans and added motivation among opponents, per Hull.

"The most challenging part is there's just so much scrutiny. People have opinions online, and, unfortunately, that's part of the job and the role that we play," Hull told Fox News Digital about what's harder about playing in Indiana since 2024.

"People need to know that everyone's human. We're real people. I think when things get blown out of proportion, when things get really personal and there's personal attacks on people's character, I think that's where it gets over the line."

Hull says she noticed a difference in how opposing players started to perform against her team that year, which she credits to the surge in popularity.

"Because of the fans that we've gotten since 2024, with the rise in, I think, like, popularity with the Indiana Fever being like a name that people know. … And there's a million Fever jerseys and Fever shirts. I think, like, as an opposing team, you'd want to win even more because you feel there's so many people rooting," Hull said.

"It's exciting to have that type of following across the country, and I think, like, for other teams, they have great fans and great people that show up for them, and they want to perform for those people, just like we want to perform for ours."

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The Fever's season ended in 107-98 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals last year.

With Clark returning from injury, their core intact and at least one new addition, Indiana is looking to finish the job.

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Lexie Hull reveals most rewarding part about playing for Fever during Caitlin Clark era

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:50:52 -0400

Lexie Hull led the Indiana Fever to the brink of the WNBA Finals last season.

She did it without Caitlin Clark on the floor after the superstar was injured.

Now, with Clark returning in 2026, Hull believes and expects they can win a championship and promote the game for the next generation of fans and aspiring players.

"Seeing girls, seeing boys show up every day and being able to give them aspirations and show them what they can do and show them the possibilities," Hull told Fox News Digital of the rewards of playing in the WNBA.

"Growing up, I didn't necessarily watch the WNBA as much, didn't have dreams of playing in the league at a young age. And now girls have the ability to watch us, see us, dream about being professional athletes. And that's what's been the most rewarding part about it.

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"I love the game, and I love when [the fans] show up. And that's part of the reason why I love doing what I do, is to see fans in the stands, see little girls and being able to be a role model for them on and off the court. I think that's really what drives me and fuels me."

Hull, who was drafted by the Fever in 2022, played her first two WNBA seasons without the massive spotlight that Clark brought in 2024.

They got the Fever to the playoffs together for the first time since 2016 that year before Hull led the team on a playoff run while Clark and teammate Sophie Cunningham were on the bench with injuries in 2026.

In a career-best year in 2025, Hull averaged career highs in points (7.2), rebounds (4.3) and assists (1.8) while shooting 36.7% from 3-point range and appearing in all 44 games.

FEVER'S LEXIE HULL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ATTACKS ON PLAYERS AS TEAM'S POPULARITY GROWS DURING CAITLIN CLARK ERA

In the playoffs, she averaged 10.3 points, five rebounds and two assists in eight games. It all came to an end in a 107-98 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals.

But Hull says she believes the 2026 team, in year three of the Clark era, will be a different show and one that is gunning for the title.

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"I think it's very achievable with what we're going to be able to do with free agency."

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Former Baylor women's basketball star Melissa Jones dead at 36

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:06:26 -0400

Former Baylor women’s basketball star Melissa Jones, who is just one of seven players to ever have their jerseys retired by the program, has died, the team confirmed in a statement. She was 36.

In a social media post shared on Thursday, the Baylor women’s basketball team confirmed Jones’ passing.

"The Baylor Family mourns the loss of 2011 alum Melissa Jones," the post on Instagram read. "Her impact on our women’s basketball program will not be forgotten. Please keep the Jones family and the Baylor women’s basketball program in your prayers during this time."

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Jones’ mother told KWTX that she died in her home in Commerce City, Colorado, on April 3. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Jones, a Colorado native, played for Baylor from 2007-11, during which she helped the team reach the Final Four in 2010 and win the Big 12 championship the following season. She was a fan favorite and became the fifth player in the program’s history to have her jersey retired.

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey, who coached Jones during her time at Baylor, released a statement on X, calling Jones more than just a former player.

FEVER'S LEXIE HULL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ATTACKS ON PLAYERS AS TEAM'S POPULARITY GROWS DURING CAITLIN CLARK ERA

"My heart is broken over the loss of Melissa Jones. She was more than just a player to me — she was family. She left her mark on Baylor, not just basketball, and she was loved by the entire community. I’m grateful I had the chance to coach her and know her. Rest in peace MJ."

WNBA veteran and former Baylor star Brittney Griner shared the team’s post to her Instagram Stories with a caption that read, "You will be missed MJ!"

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The two played at Baylor together from 2009-11.

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Fever's Lexie Hull speaks out against attacks on players as team's popularity grows during Caitlin Clark era

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:03:33 -0400

Lexie Hull remembers what it was like playing for the Indiana Fever before Caitlin Clark arrived in town.

It's different now. The arenas are louder, the opposing players are more motivated and social media is more volatile.

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When asked if she has been the target of personal attacks online, Hull said, "I'm sure I have. I try not to read comments for that reason."

Much of the controversial social media discourse about the Fever stems from heated moments on the court over the last two seasons. Clark and Fever fans often expressed outrage at times when an opposing player fouled her or delivered a physical play against Clark without a foul being called.

Hull was drafted by the Fever in 2022 and played two full seasons in a quieter, less-crowded Gainbridge Fieldhouse than the one she has played in the last two years, falling short of the playoffs both years.

But when Clark was drafted in 2024, Hull's team became the center of the women's basketball world.

Hull says she noticed a difference in how opposing players started to perform against her team that year, which she credits to the surge in popularity.

When asked if she believes games have gotten more physical as a result, Hull said, "I think just the game itself is physical. I don't know if it's gotten any more physical. I think social media amplifies a lot of that.

"I think people want to win. I think people just want to win. ... [The games] are all physical. … They all get chippy at times. Calls get made, calls don't get made. That's just part of the game."

FEVER'S SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM DROPS 'NO ONE LIKES US' TAKE AS INDIANA DEALS WITH ADVERSITY

During a game between the Fever and the Connecticut Sun June 17, physicality boiled into a brawl. After Sun guard Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye and fellow Sun player Marina Mabrey shoved Clark to the ground, Fever star Sophie Cunningham committed a hard foul on Sheldon, initiating an on-court fight that resulted in three ejections.

When asked if she believes her team is prepared for a similar incident in 2026, Hull said, "It shouldn't get to that point."

Instead, Hull said she is focused on helping her team win a championship. And she embraces all the attention and popularity despite the challenges that come with it.

"Growing up, I didn't necessarily watch the WNBA as much, didn't have dreams of playing in the league at a young age, and now girls have the ability to watch us, see us, dream about being professional athletes. And that's what's been the most rewarding part about it," Hull said of the positives that come with the attention.

She came one game shy of reaching the WNBA Finals last year, leading the Fever through the playoffs after Clark and Cunningham were lost for the season with injuries. In a career-best year, Hull averaged career highs in points (7.2), rebounds (4.3), and assists (1.8) while shooting 36.7% from 3-point range and appearing in all 44 games.

In the playoffs, she averaged 10.3 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 8 games. It all came to an end in a 107-98 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals.

With Clark and Cunningham healthy and back this year, the Fever go into 2026 as a top contender for the title.

"Tasting that and being so close and feeling like we have so much more to give, I think that just changes our mindset a little bit," Hull said.

The trio of Clark, Cunningham and Hull proved to be an efficient and gravitating force in popularity when they were all on the court at the same time last year. Along the way, they earned a mysterious nickname on social media, which they later adopted for themselves — "Tres Leches," which translates from Spanish to "three milks" and refers to a popular Latin American sponge cake.

"We saw it on Twitter at some point, and people ran with it," Hull said of the nickname. "It was funny."

In terms of navigating the attention, Hull, Clark and their teammates now have two years of conditioning in that arena.

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"I think everyone does a really good job of not giving the rise in attention any attention. I think we're just showing up the same we do everyday," Hull said.

"Knowing that there's more eyes on us, knowing that there's more seats in the stands, all of that is exciting, but I don't think that necessarily changes how we go about the game, go about our relationships, go about what we post on social media. It just adds to the engagement."

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WNBA star Lexie Hull opens up on pre-game beauty routine, including mandatory naps and nail polish

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:12:21 -0400

Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull hardly ever plays a WNBA game without taking at least a 20-minute nap first.

It's one of her many pre-game rituals focused on her "look good, feel good, play good," mentality.

"For me, before a game, I always do a pre-game nap, and then as soon a I wake up I do my skincare, makeup and hair and I'll pick a walk-in outfit, and that's been my routine for the last four years in the W," Hull told Fox News Digital, adding that the nap is her favorite part of the routine.

"I'll nap at home or the hotel, so I'll nap five hours before the game ... everyone has their version of it, I think most of my teammates are napping.

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"It feels low maintenance ... some people don't like doing their makeup and don't like getting ready but for me, I love all of that."

One of Hull's signature pre-game beauty steps is keeping her nails in check. She has previously said it's even one of her superstitions.

"I like to have my nails done before I play. It's like something about looking down and feeling put together. So if there's a chip and the nail is broken, I'll fix that the morning or the night before the game to make sure everything is ready to go for the game, and like that's just a personal preference," she said.

CAITLIN CLARK'S TEAMMATE SPORTS TWO BLACK EYES AFTER COLLISION WITH WNBA OPPONENT

"I think just the whole idea of look good, feel good, play good has always resonated with me. Showing up as my most confident, my most really just confident self has been important for I feel like being able to perform at my highest level."

Hull's commitment to beauty routines has manifested in her own personal beauty brand, FORTA Cosmetics. She has partnered with the athlete-led marketing platform Faves, which allows athletes to capitalize on business opportunities beyond traditional sponsorship models by giving an athlete's fans access to their products.

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"Athletes live under extreme conditions a lot of the times when they're working out and playing, and I partnered with Faves at launch to seed female athletes on their platform... so we could get [FORTA] in their hands and get them to try it and test it to see how they like it and share it with their audiences," Hull said.

Hull is set to enter her fourth season with the Fever and third with superstar teammate Caitlin Clark. Hull led Indiana through the WNBA playoffs last season after Clark went down with injury, falling one game short of reaching the finals.

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Sky trade Angel Reese in stunning move before WNBA season begins: reports

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:44:26 -0400

Angel Reese was reportedly traded on Monday as WNBA free agency opened.

The Chicago Sky agreed to trade Reese to the Atlanta Dream, according to multiple reports. "NBA on Prime" broadcaster Taylor Rooks first reported the deal.

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The Sky will receive first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028.

It’s one of the first big moves in the offseason as the league and its players union came to a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement before any team could make transactions.

The Sky selected Reese in the first round of the 2024 WNBA Draft out of LSU. She was coming off a national championship with the Tigers and was a part of a class that featured Caitlin Clark.

Reese emerged as one of the top rebounders in the league during her rookie season. She played 34 games for Chicago in 2024 and averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds. She was an All-Star, finished runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting and even earned an MVP vote.

DIANA TAURASI REACTS TO WNBA, PLAYER'S UNION VERBAL AGREEMENT ON NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

She missed some time during her second season with Chicago, only playing in 30 games, which was down from 34 in her first season. Still, Reese maintained her prowess on the court. She averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.

The Sky failed to make the postseason in each of Reese’s first two years. She also had two different coaches in her first two seasons and is about to have a third.

The Dream had the best record in the WNBA last year at 30-14. However, the team was ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Fever.

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Atlanta will have its own decisions to make in free agency. Allisha Gray, Brittney Griner, Jordin Canada and Brionna Jones are expected to be free agents. Rhyne Howard is a restricted free agent.

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WNBA champ Natasha Cloud takes issue with Trump's Iran message on Easter

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:39:32 -0400

WNBA champion Natasha Cloud criticized President Donald Trump on Sunday after he fired off a strong message toward Iran on Easter morning.

Cloud teed off on Trump in messages posted on Threads.

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"A sitting president who claims to be ‘a God fearing man’ to be tweeting on Easter Sunday that he will bomb Iran’s infrastructure IS NOT A MAN OF CHRIST," the New York Liberty guard wrote.

"A reminder that yes Jesus died for our sins, but He was murdered by…. the governing Authority. He did not follow THEIR law, because THEIR law is not God’s law. A part we TOO often just pass over."

Cloud then wrote about how terrorism is defined in the U.S.

"In the United States, terrorism is defined by federal law as:

"The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives," she added.

LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP WARNS IRAN HE MAY STRIKE 'EVERY POWER PLANT' AS DEADLINE TO REOPEN HORMUZ NEARS

Cloud had previously called out the Trump administration’s use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and, nearly three years ago, got into a feud with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom after she called the U.S. "trash" before the Fourth of July holiday.

On Sunday, Trump warned Iran that U.S. military forces could attack power plants and bridges in Iran if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opened.

"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F----n’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump is expected to deliver an update on the U.S. military operation in Iran on Monday.

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He has said the war with Iran is "nearing completion," but a looming deadline could determine whether the conflict is actually ending — or about to escalate.

Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

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WNBA legend Sue Bird says IOC's new policy to protect women's sports is akin to 'fearmongering'

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:02:46 -0400

Sue Bird, a Basketball Hall of Famer and WNBA legend, dismissed the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) assertion that its policy change was to protect women’s sports.

Bird agreed with American Olympic runner Nikki Hiltz, who identifies as transgender nonbinary and wrote that the IOC was "not solving a problem that exists." The former Seattle Storm star said the policy was just "fearmongering."

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"That kinda sums it up for me because what’s being presented as this huge issue that we have to protect women. It’s not," Bird said speaking to Megan Rapinoe on their "A Touch More" podcast. "What it is is fearmongering, and you brought up the (Trump) administration, for them to get votes. That’s all this is. It’s all that it’s ever been in my opinion.

"I think the other part is a reminder. What we have always talked about and focused on is, if you open this door, if you crack this door open, it gets blown open and you’re not policing women’s bodies across the board. I feel very sad about this. So, to kind of circle back to how we started, just want to send so much love to the trans community."

Earlier in the episode, Rapinoe ripped the IOC’s policy and denied that it was rooted in science.

RILEY GAINES: OLYMPICS FINALLY PICKS BIOLOGY OVER IDEOLOGY TO SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS

The IOC said "eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening."

The organization added that the policy was "evidence-based" and "expert-informed." The testing can be conducted via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.

A presentation at a World Athletics panel in Tokyo in September revealed that 50 to 60 athletes with male biological advantages have been finalists in the female category at global and continental championships since 2000.

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The panel was led by the head of the World Athletics Health and Science Department, Dr. Stéphane Bermon, who said sex tests were necessary because of an "over-representation" of DSD (differences of sex development) athletes among finalists, per multiple reports.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Caitlin Clark earns Diana Taurasi’s approval after wearing iconic No 12 for Team USA debut

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:20:37 -0400

Roughly two years after Caitlin Clark’s notable omission from the U.S. women’s national basketball team at the Paris Olympics, the Indiana Fever star made her long-awaited Team USA debut while wearing an iconic jersey number.

The No. 12 jersey has long been associated with WNBA legend and six-time gold medalist Diana Taurasi’s storied Olympic runs. Clark recently took the floor in her first senior national team appearance, a move that drew praise from Taurasi.

"It's so cool to see Caitlin not only wear the USA jersey, but number 12. I spent two decades wearing that jersey and that number, and I couldn't think of anyone better to take it and put it on and just have an amazing career," Taurasi told Sports Illustrated.

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Clark scored 17 points and averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 assists during the FIBA World Cup qualifier earlier this month, earning MVP honors.

Taurasi, a three-time FIBA women's gold medalist, praised Clark’s performance and said she looks forward to watching her this summer as she prepares for her first Olympic run.

DIANA TAURASI REACTS TO WNBA, PLAYER'S UNION VERBAL AGREEMENT ON NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

"And Caitlin will do that. She had a great qualifier down in Puerto Rico. It’s just going to be fun to watch her play in the summer, in Germany, and then the Olympics."

"No one better to wear the 12, and Caitlin’s going to put some gold medals on that jersey, you know," she added.

Clark wore No. 22 during her first two WNBA seasons. She also wore the number during her rise to stardom at Iowa.

While players often wear different jersey numbers in international competition, Taurasi said she had no role in Clark’s decision to wear No. 12, but joked that a familiar figure may have had a hand in it.

"You know, once I’m out of things, I’m out," Taurasi said. "Maybe Sue [Bird], you know, she’s a little bit more calculated than people think. So maybe that was a Sue job. That wouldn’t surprise me."

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Before this month's FIBA action, a string of injuries sidelined Clark for much of the past eight months, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second WNBA season.

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Diana Taurasi reacts to WNBA, player's union verbal agreement on new collective bargaining

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:19:31 -0400

The WNBA's milestone 30th season is scheduled to tip off in less than two months. On Wednesday, the marathon negotiations between the WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association ended with an historic agreement on a collective bargaining agreement.

The two sides verbally agreed to a deal that would raise teams’ salary caps to $7 million, ESPN reported. Last season’s salary cap was $1.5 million. Players will be eligible for supermax deals starting at $1.4 million in 2026, up from $249,244 in 2025.

Every WNBA player will earn at least $300,000 under the new CBA, sources told ESPN.

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Diana Taurasi, an 11-time All-Star and three-time WNBA champion, reacted to the latest development. The former Phoenix Mercury guard said she believes the deal is a step in the right direction.

"The WNBA has gone through a long journey over the last 30 years," she told The Spun. "There’s a lot of hard work, grit, perseverance and determination. This is just another milestone for women’s sports. It’s nice to see the WNBA in a better place than where you left it."

WNBA STARS' ALL-STAR GAME MESSAGE ON PAY INCREASE DRAWS SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION

The details of the term sheet are still being finalized. The next step is ratification by the players and the league’s board of governors.

Taurasi’s sentiments echoed WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's stance about what she described as a landmark deal.

"The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league," Engelbert told reporters shortly after the deal was struck early Wednesday, "and it’s underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.

"It's [been] a process, but we're very proud to be leading in women's sports, and these players are amazing, and we're going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May."

Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA executive committee president Nneka Ogwumike, who participated in the prolonged bargaining sessions, commended the efforts that led to the new CBA.

"We're just really grateful to be able to come to a deal," Ogwumike said. "We're proud of ourselves. And quite frankly, we always told you all we were going to stand on business, and that's what this looks like.

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Once the new CBA is finalized, it will mark the sixth agreement in WNBA history, with the previous one reached in 2020. The full terms of the new deal are expected to reflect the league’s recent surge in growth, viewership and overall popularity.

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