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Tag: Basketball

  • The WNBA’s Historic Run Overshadowed by Racism – a Tale as Old as Time – POPSUGAR Australia

    The WNBA’s Historic Run Overshadowed by Racism – a Tale as Old as Time – POPSUGAR Australia

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    The WNBA has undoubtedly had a historical season with a dedicated yet largely new fan base breaking records in attendance, viewership, and interest. Most recently, the WNBA playoffs have been earning some of the highest viewership numbers ever seen in the league’s post-season games, per The New York Times. The attention has been exciting, but also unveiled some of the racism that continues to stain the game.

    At a post-conference interview following Sept. 25’s first-round playoff game, where the Indiana Fever were defeated by Connecticut Sun, Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas expressed her sentiments about the racism and harassment that she and fellow players experience. She referenced many comments made on social media that exacerbate the issue. “In my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments … I’ve never been called the things I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it,” Thomas said, per ESPN. Thomas spoke candidly about the pain of those experiences and how the WNBA needed to do something to protect players; she also called out the Indiana Fever organization to check its fans.

    Thomas’s comments prompted the WNBA to release a statement on Instagram stating that racism will not be tolerated – leading many commenters to ask what took the league so long, given the fact that the players have been dealing with and calling attention to the vile rhetoric received throughout the entire season.

    Additionally, earlier this month the WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert came under fire when she was called out for not speaking out about the racism the players have experienced. When asked about the fan rhetoric becoming more racist, connecting it to what Angel Reese had been experiencing in the conversations about the Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry, Engelbert’s response referred to it as “a little of that Bird-Magic moment.” She noted that “the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch,” seemingly focusing on how athletic rivalries can benefit the league, as reports the Los Angeles Times. Following backlash, Engelbert issued a follow-up comment stating, “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.” But for many players, it felt too little too late. New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said the commissioner’s words were “disappointing to hear,” according to AP News.

    On Sept. 26 Reese, who had an amazing rookie season before it was cut short due to injury, expressed comments in support of Thomas and other players who are also experiencing the racism that she’s dealt with all season. “I’m sorry to all the players that have/continue to experience the same things I have,” Reese wrote on X. It’s well documented that Reese has received the most vile comments on the Internet, including death threats being made against her. “For the past 2 years, the media has benefited from my pain & me being villainized to create a narrative. They allowed this,” Reese shared, reflecting on how racism has been normalized within the league.

    For a game that is experiencing historical growth, the events of this past season have been marred by the racist tropes and stereotypes that have been experienced by the players, and observed by the fans, coaches, and media who cover the WNBA. Considering over 70 percent of WNBA players are Black, ESPN reports, it will be important for the league to set a precedent and clear boundaries around what is acceptable fan behavior. The league must emphasize that critiques that go beyond a player’s basketball game, that attack their racial identity, are unacceptable and must be condemned, and there must be consequences for fans who perpetrate them. Racism shouldn’t be excused or tolerated to advance revenue and ticket sales.

    The WNBA has been a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts with a strong show of activism on social issues – but that was largely driven by the Black women who make up the largest demographic within the WNBA. The time is now for the entire league, from the commissioner and owners to the front office, to take a firm stand – to not only protect its players but also to preserve the future of its legacy. They must take actions such as instituting a dress policy in sporting arenas that bans clothing with racist language, ejecting racist fans who hurl racism, and doing more to moderate social media accounts, including banning offending users and cross-referencing their information with ticket-holders, just to name a few.

    It’s also important for players who are not experiencing these attacks to speak up and speak out too, as often one’s silence can be mistaken for permissiveness or acceptance.

    What Reese, Thomas, and other players have experienced is truly shameful and unacceptable. Racist, sexist, and discriminatory attacks have no place in women’s basketball, and certainly will not grow or advance the game into the future. But, just as with anything in America, until we confront our ugly past we cannot learn from it, change, and positively shape our future. The next generation is watching this unfold, and what’s not said or done will have an immeasurable impact on the evolving fan base and the future success of the game. So while the WNBA’s statement may have come up short and too late for many, let’s hope it’s not the last time the league and those who run it speak up to protect its players. Above all, the players deserve to play in a safe environment that champions women and the sport of basketball.

    Ralinda Watts is an author, diversity expert, consultant, practitioner, speaker, and proven thought leader who works at the intersection of race, identity, culture, and justice. She has contributed to numerous publications such as PS, CBS Media, Medium, Yahoo Life, and the Los Angeles Times.

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  • Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA single-season assists record

    Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark breaks WNBA single-season assists record

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    Caitlin Clark added another milestone to her historic rookie campaign, breaking the WNBA single-season assists record in the Indiana Fever’s 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.Video above: Central Alabama basketball player goes viral singing in front of his coaches and teammatesClark entered the game needing just four assists to match the previous record of 316 set by Connecticut Sun guard Alyssa Thomas in 2023. She set the new mark in the second quarter on an inbounds pass to teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who drove to the paint and knocked down the bucket.Clark finished the game with 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Mitchell led Indiana with 20 points in the loss.The accomplishment adds to the 2024 No. 1 pick’s historic season, which includes setting the WNBA’s single-game assist record with 19 against the Dallas Wings in July and the rookie assists record last month. Clark has also become the first rookie to record a triple-double and holds the most 3-pointers made by a rookie in league history.Indiana trailed 43-35 at halftime before Clark caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 14 points and bringing the Fever to within three points. After Damiris Dantas made a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 60-60, the Aces broke out on a 9-2 run to pad their lead.The Fever had an opportunity to tie the game with under 20 seconds left in the game, but Fever star Aliyah Boston missed the 3-point attempt. Aces guard Chelsea Gray made a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession to put the game out of reach.Aces star A’ja Wilson, fresh off of setting the WNBA’s single-season scoring record Wednesday, finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds in the victory, while Gray added 21 points and six assists.After the game, Clark was asked about her record-setting night, as well as Wilson’s and Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese’s milestones this season.“I think it definitely just speaks to the whole entire year and how historic it has been for this league and how great the basketball has been for the league,” Clark said.“You know we’re not even to the playoffs yet; I think that’s what is so fun about it is you’re just going to continue to see records be taken down, but also, I think, really good basketball, and that’s why it’s been so fun to watch, that’s why the fans have been showing up, the viewership has been absolutely crushed this year,” she added.“I think everybody is just kind of raising their game, the competition is just getting better and better, and it’s fun as a competitor to show up in this league every night and know you have to bring your best because you know whoever is on the other side of the court from you, they’re going to bring their best and that’s what makes it fun,” Clark said. “It’s been cool to watch everybody really take a step up and elevate, and to be a part of that has been really fun for myself, too.”Though the Fever fell short to the Aces for a second straight game, they remain in sixth place in the standings and have already secured a spot in the playoffs. Indiana will face Dallas on Sunday before wrapping up the regular season against the Washington Mystics on Sept. 19.

    Caitlin Clark added another milestone to her historic rookie campaign, breaking the WNBA single-season assists record in the Indiana Fever’s 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

    Video above: Central Alabama basketball player goes viral singing in front of his coaches and teammates

    Clark entered the game needing just four assists to match the previous record of 316 set by Connecticut Sun guard Alyssa Thomas in 2023. She set the new mark in the second quarter on an inbounds pass to teammate Kelsey Mitchell, who drove to the paint and knocked down the bucket.

    Clark finished the game with 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while Mitchell led Indiana with 20 points in the loss.

    The accomplishment adds to the 2024 No. 1 pick’s historic season, which includes setting the WNBA’s single-game assist record with 19 against the Dallas Wings in July and the rookie assists record last month. Clark has also become the first rookie to record a triple-double and holds the most 3-pointers made by a rookie in league history.

    Indiana trailed 43-35 at halftime before Clark caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 14 points and bringing the Fever to within three points. After Damiris Dantas made a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 60-60, the Aces broke out on a 9-2 run to pad their lead.

    The Fever had an opportunity to tie the game with under 20 seconds left in the game, but Fever star Aliyah Boston missed the 3-point attempt. Aces guard Chelsea Gray made a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession to put the game out of reach.

    Aces star A’ja Wilson, fresh off of setting the WNBA’s single-season scoring record Wednesday, finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds in the victory, while Gray added 21 points and six assists.

    After the game, Clark was asked about her record-setting night, as well as Wilson’s and Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese’s milestones this season.

    “I think it definitely just speaks to the whole entire year and how historic it has been for this league and how great the basketball has been for the league,” Clark said.

    “You know we’re not even to the playoffs yet; I think that’s what is so fun about it is you’re just going to continue to see records be taken down, but also, I think, really good basketball, and that’s why it’s been so fun to watch, that’s why the fans have been showing up, the viewership has been absolutely crushed this year,” she added.

    “I think everybody is just kind of raising their game, the competition is just getting better and better, and it’s fun as a competitor to show up in this league every night and know you have to bring your best because you know whoever is on the other side of the court from you, they’re going to bring their best and that’s what makes it fun,” Clark said. “It’s been cool to watch everybody really take a step up and elevate, and to be a part of that has been really fun for myself, too.”

    Though the Fever fell short to the Aces for a second straight game, they remain in sixth place in the standings and have already secured a spot in the playoffs. Indiana will face Dallas on Sunday before wrapping up the regular season against the Washington Mystics on Sept. 19.

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  • CSU Rams announce decision to join Pac-12 Conference

    CSU Rams announce decision to join Pac-12 Conference

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    CSU is joining a revamped and re-stocked Pac-12 Conference.

    According to a report published late Wednesday night by Yahoo Sports, the long-standing collegiate league, which was ravaged by membership defections — including that of the CU Buffs — over the past 18 months, is moving forward with plans to expand.

    The first wave of that expansion includes four of the top athletic brands from the Mountain West: CSU, Boise State, San Diego State and Fresno State, will all four becoming members on July 1, 2026.

    “We are taking control of our future at CSU by forming an alliance of six peer institutions who will serve as the foundation for a new era of the Pac-12,” CSU President Amy Parsons said in a news release announcing the move.

    “This move elevates CSU in a way which benefits all our students, bolsters our core mission, and strengthens our reputation for academic and research excellence. CSU is honored to be among the universities asked to help carry on the history and tradition of the Pac-12 as a highly competitive conference with some of the nation’s leading research institutions.”

    The Rams, whose football program hosts rival CU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown for the first time at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, are a founding member of the Mountain West Conference, a league which began operations in January 1999.

    By accepting an invitation from the Pac-12, CSU will gain association with what the athletic department has sought for decades — membership within a “power” conference.

    “This moment has been a long time coming,” CSU authentic director John Weber said. “I know our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and fans are hungry for this move and are going to love what comes next as CSU charts a transformational new course as a member of the Pac-12.”

    The Pac-12, which was founded in 1915, has historically been the most prestigious collegiate league west of the Central time zone. However, that prestige, and indeed its membership, were crippled by the defections of CU, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State to the Big 12; USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten; and Stanford and Cal to the ACC.

    Washington State and Oregon State were left with the conference’s holdings, trademarks and media rights. Per Yahoo Sports, the remaining Pac-12 programs believe they can rebuild the brand with the likes of the Rams, Aztecs, Broncos and Bulldogs as peers.

    They’re also not done looking at new members, as the NCAA requires a minimum of eight schools to qualify as an FBS conference.

    CSU football plays at Oregon State on Oct. 5 as part of a scheduling alliance between the MW and the remains of the Pac-12, a partnership that Yahoo Sports reports will not continue for a second fall.

    Mountain West members are contracted to pay a $17 million exit fee to leave the league.

    The primary motivations for CSU are the same reasons CU left the Pac-12 this past summer — money, prestige, potential access to the College Football Playoff, and stability.

    While the mass defections from the Pac-12 would denounce the latter, Yahoo Sports reports that the remaining Pac-12 members feel a new-look league would reach a media rights agreement worth more than the current or expected payouts presented to MW members.

    The Mountain West has a $270 million television contract with CBS and Fox that runs through 2026.

    Published reports have estimated that non-Boise members of the MW, including CSU, receive roughly $3.5 million annually from that deal, with the Broncos receiving an additional $1.8 million per year.

    CSU noted in its financial report to the NCAA for the 2022-23 fiscal year, the most recent public report available, that its media rights revenues from all sources, including conference distributions, was $3.3 million.

    The Yahoo Sports report infers that the Rams could also have access to Pac-12 assets such as “monies from the Rose Bowl contract, College Football Playoff, NCAA basketball tournament units and Pac-12 Enterprises, previously the Pac-12 Network.”

    CSU indicated in its announcement Thursday morning that the four new schools “will have immediate voting privileges” within the conference.

    “We have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for the Mountain West and its members,” Parsons said. “There will be conversations going forward about the Mountain West exit fees and Pac-12 support for our transition. We are confident the path forward will not impact our current university budget and will set CSU up for incredible opportunities to come.”

    However, the two-team Pac-12 recently lost its status as a Power 5/”autonomous” conference within the CFP — and it’s not clear whether supplementing the expanded league with Group of 5 programs would restore those privileges.

    CSU athletics reported revenues of $64.3 million to the NCAA for the ’22-23 fiscal year this past January. The Rams’ revenues of $61.2 million, per a USA Today database, ranked fourth among known MW athletics budgets in ’21-22, behind Air Force, San Diego State and UNLV. Wazzu and Oregon State had revenues of $85 million and $83.5 million in ’21-22, respectively.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • DIMES: The Warriors have a new Hall of Famer behind the scenes

    DIMES: The Warriors have a new Hall of Famer behind the scenes

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    Warriors beat writer Danny Emerman shares his thoughts on the NBA offseason and beyond

    The big call came last March when she was at work in Toronto. And like in any other office, her coworkers were elated to hear the news.

    Danielle Langford, the Warriors’ manager of player rehabilitation, was selected to the British Columbia Basketball Hall of Fame for her esteemed playing career in the Vancouver area. Her coworkers, Draymond Green, Chris Paul and Kevon Looney, were ecstatic.

    “They started all quizzing me about my stats and whatnot,” Langford told this news organization. “I don’t know that stuff very well, to be honest. And they were like, ‘How do you not know?’ So they started looking stuff up. They were pumped, they were happy for me.”

    Langford’s accomplishments, they’d discover with some internet sleuthing, are vast. When Langford was in her playing prime, she was like the female Canadian Steph Curry.

    At Simon Fraser University, she still has the school record for 3-pointers made (388) — 119 more than second place. As team captain, she led two separate SFU teams, in 2002 and 2005, to undefeated national championship seasons. She was named tournament MVP in 2005 and ranks third in school history in total assists.

    “She was an excellent leader,” said Langford’s SFU teammate, Laura van den Boogaard. “Everything was about winning, but in a way that made everyone feel included. She was a shooter, she could drive, she could pass. She could do everything, but she made everyone better. She was that person that would get you the ball exactly where you needed it to make the shot.”

    Langford played for her dad, Bruce, at Simon Fraser, whom she joined in the BC Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday. Her uncle, Paul, also got inducted on Saturday as a coach.

    In 2000, before college, Langford led Heritage Park Secondary School to the provincial championship and played for the junior national team. ​​

    “She was not a 4.4-40, incredible athlete who could bowl people out of the gym with her athleticism,” said Howard Tsumura, a journalist in the area who covered Langford’s career. “But I don’t think anybody got more out of what they were given to play on a basketball court than Dani did.”

    It all feels like a “lifetime ago,” Langford said.

    Entering her fourth season with the Warriors, Langford’s competitive playing days are far behind her, but they help her relate and understand the Warriors she works with. Langford still gets shots up in the Warriors’ facility early in the mornings for exercise, routine and discipline.

    “I feel most like myself when basketball’s around me,” Langford said. “Being in a gym is calming, shooting is calming yet energizing, and watching a game is familiar and fun. And talking basketball to this day is something I love to do as I can have conversations from many angles, from a physiotherapist watching how athletes move, to talking with coaches about plays, to players about what decisions they make and why.”

    Langford’s younger daughter, 8-year-old Maddie, is into basketball and shoots around with her mom in their backyard. The physiotherapist wants to coach her just like her dad did for her.

    One of the biggest challenges Langford has with the Warriors is balancing her family life at home with her work family — and the rigorous travel schedule and season grind that separates them. In her first season with the Warriors, the 2021-22 championship year, she was one of the only women with children who traveled with the team. The Langfords have since made Burlingame their home base and are building the type of village it takes to raise a family.

    In the training room and at home, both of Langford’s families have a new Hall of Famer.

    We watched Steph’s new TV show so you don’t have to

    Steph Curry’s first foray into acting is out, streaming on Peacock, as you may have heard in his media tour this week.

    “Mr. Throwback” — streaming on Peacock and premiering Sept. 12 on NBC — is about a caricatured version of Curry and a down-on-his-luck former high school teammate, Danny (Adam Pally), who returns to Steph’s life in dire straits. Hijinks ensue.

    The scripted show is at its best when it has a Nathan Fielder-esque cringe. It misses when trying to go down the sentimental route; it’s definitely not a Mike Schur show. Some of the dialogue can be corny, and some jokes crude.

    Many parts of the show are surreal (even Steve Kerr and Curry’s personal security, Yusef Wright, makes cameos). But at the same time, the mockumentary format makes other scenes too on-the-nose (Grossman, who can’t escape his past, sells sports memorabilia).

    It’s not all bad. After the first two episodes, as Danny’s despicable lie that drives the plot gets more and more out of control, the show picks up. It’d be unfair to expect Curry to win an Emmy, but playing himself helps hide his unnatural acting.

    The bits with the overexaggerated version of Curry, as with any well-written jokes, have layers of truth to them. He inspires everyone around him to realize their dreams with his relentless positivity, gets invited to Sasha Obama’s graduation dinner and ruins a little girl’s birthday party by buying a Chicago nightclub. Curry’s assistant, Kimberly (Ego Nwodim of SNL fame) is the real breakout star.

    As somewhat of a television snob, I frankly went into “Mr. Throwback” thinking it would be unwatchable dribble-drabble. Watching with low expectations, the show was… fine! I bet my mom would love it.

    Pre-camp workouts

    The Warriors have reportedly brought in Bruno Caboclo, Troy Brown Jr. and Davis Bertans for workouts this past week. Kevin Knox’s inclusion on the Summer League roster seems like a similar flier: the Warriors are interested in adding players with high upside to the back-end of their roster.

    That quartet includes various ages, NBA success, prospect pedigree and skills. The only throughline, really, is that the Warriors (correctly) see no downside in doing their due diligence. It doesn’t hurt to see what’s under the hood.

    Don’t expect any of the pre-training camp workouts to contribute for the Warriors in a meaningful way. Some might get a training camp invite, and most won’t even get that chance. But you never know!

    Who won the offseason?

    Rosters are pretty much finalized, with the dust settled on significant offseason transactions. Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine appear staying put, Paul George is in Philadelphia, and the Celtics reloaded.

    Biggest winners:

    1. Thunder (Caruso and Hartenstein are slam-dunk role players)
    2. 76ers (Rarely does a team’s offseason Plan A play out so flawlessly)
    3. Nets (That Mikal Bridges haul, though…)
    4. Suns (Monte Morris and Tyus Jones on minimum deals, yes please)
    5. Celtics (The current gold standard in roster building brought the band back)

    Biggest losers:

    1. Clippers (Paul George leaving for nothing means the Clips are relying on James Harden and Kawhi Leonard to be healthy and productive all year)
    2. Lakers (Something something maximizing championship windows for aging superstars…)
    3. Nuggets (Lost KCP and couldn’t replace him… and that Jamal Murray max extension is risky)
    4. Bulls (Even more stuck in no man’s land, but at least the Matas Buzelis pick is fun)
    5. Bucks (Gary Trent Jr. is a nice pickup, but it’s danger time for Milwaukee)

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    Danny Emerman

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  • Angel Reese, WNBA Rookie of the Year candidate, announces season-ending injury

    Angel Reese, WNBA Rookie of the Year candidate, announces season-ending injury

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    Angel Reese’s rookie year has come to an end, as the Chicago Sky forward announced Saturday she had suffered a season-ending injury. Reese injured her wrist in the Sky’s 92-78 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday, in which she recorded another one of her signature double-doubles.

    The Sky also confirmed the severity of the injury, saying in a statement that “Reese has been ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season with a wrist injury.”

    In a social media post, Reese wrote that “through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed. I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next.”

    Los Angeles Sparks v Chicago Sky
    Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky’s starting five wait for their names to be called before their home game against the Los Angeles Sparks.

    Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images


    Reese ends her first year as a pro averaging a prolific 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. The Bayou Barbie wrote her name in the WNBA record books earlier this month, breaking Sylvia Fowles’ single-season rebound total. 

    The record was a building block in Reese’s campaign for Rookie of the Year, a contentious race against rival phenom Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever. The Fever smoked the Sky 100-81 in their final matchup of the season last Friday, with Clark notching a career-high 31 points.

    “Caitlin is an amazing player and I’ve always thought she was an amazing player. We’ve been playing each other since high school. So I think it’s really just the fans,” Reese said on her new podcast, “Unapologetically Angel.” “At the end of the day, it’s a game that we do both love, but there is no hate.”

    With two weeks left to go in the WNBA regular season and seven of eight playoff berths taken, the Sky are fighting for the final spot. Reese wrote on social media that her fans and teammates can still expect to see her “being the biggest cheerleader on the sideline!”

    Rishikesh Rajagopalan

    Rishi Rajagopalan is a social media associate producer and content writer for CBS News.

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  • “Girlhood: it’s complicated” exhibit opens with special tribute to women’s basketball in Minnesota

    “Girlhood: it’s complicated” exhibit opens with special tribute to women’s basketball in Minnesota

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    ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota History Center, in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, will open a new exhibit called “Girlhood: it’s complicated” on Saturday. 

    The exhibit highlights different eras of growing up in America as a girl, but there is one section solely dedicated to women’s and girl’s basketball in Minnesota.

    “When you walk around this exhibit you will see when we open doors, girls walk through,” said Dorothy McIntyre, who helped curate some of the artifacts in the women’s basketball display.

    McIntyre’s been an advocate for women’s sports most of her life. First as a teacher, who would bus her female students to games herself so they had the opportunity to compete against other schools, and then she became the first woman to be employed by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). This is where she championed Title IX in the state, which lead to the first girls basketball state championship in 1976, where St. Paul Central won the first title.

    “The anthem plays, the flag goes up, the Met Center has tons of people there watching, and we’re giving out the first state medals ever to girls’ state basketball,” said McIntyre.

    Museum manager, Annie Johnson, said the timing to highlight women’s basketball couldn’t be more perfect.

    “As we were looking at our collections, oral history, what’s been part of popular culture and in the news, we really found that we had such great resources on women’s and girl’s basketball,” said Johnson.

    One of the displays shows the jersey of Janet Karvonen, a super star basketball player in the late 1970s from New York Mills in northern Minnesota. Karvonen broke multiple state records in her day, and is in the Minnesota High School Sports Hall of Fame.

    “She opened the door for Caitlin Clark to do what she’s doing. Wherever Janet was, there were little girls around her wanting autographs,” said McIntyre.

    McIntyre hopes that when people walk through this exhibit they understand who made basketball what it is today, and how they can be part of its future.

    “I’m hoping there will be waves of respect and more interest in today’s athletes because they are standing on the shoulders of all of these women,” said McIntyre.

    “Girlhood: it’s complicated” exhibit runs through June 2025.

    WCCO is a sponsoring partner of this exhibit.

    Marielle Mohs


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    Marielle Mohs is thrilled to be telling stories in her home state of Minnesota. She grew up in Eden Prairie and South Minneapolis.

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    Marielle Mohs

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  • Chase signs on as jersey patch sponsor of Golden State Valkyries, the Bay Area’s WNBA expansion team

    Chase signs on as jersey patch sponsor of Golden State Valkyries, the Bay Area’s WNBA expansion team

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    A general overall aerial view of the Chase Center on December 31, 2023 in San Francisco, California. 

    Kirby Lee | Getty Images

    JPMorgan Chase has signed a multiyear sponsorship deal to be the first founding partner of Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s next expansion team.

    The agreement will see the Chase Freedom logo appear as the Valkyries’ jersey patch when the team begins play in 2025. Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, owners of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, paid a $50 million expansion fee to land the rights to a team in California’s Bay Area in October 2023.

    The multi-year deal is valued as a seven-figure investment, making it one of the largest jersey patch deals in the WNBA, according to industry sources. While the Valkyries’ jersey has not been revealed yet, the deal will see the Chase Freedom logo appear on the left shoulder of both the home and away jerseys. Both the Valkyries and Chase declined to comment on deal terms.

    Jess Smith, president of the Golden State Valkyries, said as the team was looking to secure a sponsor for one of its key assets, finding a partner that “wanted to enhance our fan experience” was critical. Chase has been a long-term partner of the Warriors, signing a 20-year deal for the naming rights to the team’s arena in 2016 worth at least a reported $300 million, then the largest naming rights deal in the NBA. The Valkyries will also play its games at the Chase Center, located in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood.

    “This isn’t just a billboard – when someone sees Chase and the Valkyries together, I want them to know why,” Smith said.

    Carla Hassan, JPMorgan Chase chief marketing officer, said that the Bay Area is a “priority market” for the financial services company, with more than 5,000 employees and two million customers in the region, presenting another opportunity to build on the work it’s already doing with the Warriors and the arena.

    This particular deal will also help Chase further elevate the Freedom brand, with a focus around empowering small businesses and driving financial literacy in the community, Hassan said.

    While JPMorgan Chase has a vast sports sponsorship portfolio that includes naming rights deals with MLS’s Inter Miami and MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks as well as significant sponsorships with Madison Square Garden and the U.S. Open, among others, Hassan said partnering with a WNBA team “was a really good opportunity for us.”

    “There is no denying the growth of women’s sports right now,” Hassan said, noting that the company has long been a sponsor of female athletes and women’s sporting events and recently provided financing for NWSL club Kansas City Current’s new stadium, the first stadium built specifically for a professional women’s team. “We’re excited to work with the Valkyries to really continue to drive this meteoric rise we’re seeing right now.”

    The WNBA has played a huge role in that growth and has benefited from it as well. At the league’s halfway point in July, viewership was up 67% and on pace to be the most-watched regular season since 2002. Attendance was up 27% year-over-year, on pace to be the highest average attendance since 2018. Partnership revenue is up double digits year-over-year and is at an all-time-high, while merchandise sales have surged thanks to the popularity of new players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, as well as established stars like A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu.

    “We are outperforming every single metric,” Colie Edison, chief growth officer for the WNBA, told CNBC in July.

    The Valkyries, the WNBA’s first expansion team since 2008, have not only tapped into that growth, but also the popularity of basketball in the Bay Area.

    Smith said the team already has more than 17,000 season ticket deposits, which is a record for a U.S. women’s sports team before its first season. Chase Center can seat around 18,000 fans. The Valkyries are also seeing strong demand for merchandise, even though the team has only released its logo and has no players yet.

    “The W right now is unstoppable,” Smith said. “I truly believe this league will be one of the most powerful sports leagues in the world.”

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  • Grading The Week: Nuggets star Nikola Jokic dished out almost $400,000 in gifts to Serbian teammates, because of course he did

    Grading The Week: Nuggets star Nikola Jokic dished out almost $400,000 in gifts to Serbian teammates, because of course he did

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    Nikola Jokic isn’t just the best hoops player on the planet when it comes to dishing out dimes.

    The Big Honey might be the best when it comes to dishing out bling, too.

    Despite our crack staff being in the writing biz, Team Grading The Week believes actions speak louder than all the words on this page.

    And GTW is firmly in the camp of backing up your brags.

    Is anybody — certainly not anybody in the basketball sphere — conquering both fronts better than the Joker is, right here and now?

    The NBA’s three-time MVP didn’t just help carry the Serbian hoops squad to a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. According to the Blic newspaper in his native country, Jokic purchased Rolex watches for every one of his teammates on the national team.

    Jokic’s Serbian gifts — A

    The kicker? Those timepieces were reportedly worth $32,500 each. Which puts the Joker’s total purchase at an estimated $357,500 for 11 watches.

    Jokic and Serbia won the men’s hoops bronze in Paris thanks to a 93-83 win over Germany in the tourney’s third-place game. The Nuggets star posted a very Jokic stat line, too — 19 points, 12 boards and 11 assists.

    The Joker averaged 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists for his homeland, which finished 4-2 at the tourney. He led all tournament players in points, boards and dimes — the first Olympian to ever top all three categories in one campaign.

    Apparently, nobody gives like Jokic gives when it comes to the gift department, either. At least the fantastic gesture was one the Joker could afford: The Nuggets center, per Spotrac.com, is slated to take up $51.4 million in cap space in ’24-’25, and $55.2 million in ’25-’26.

    If you’re like the GTW staff, you don’t just want Jokic as your franchise centerpiece now. You kind of want him as your secret Santa, too.

    Big Russ’ debut — D

    Russell Wilson’s Steelers stats after preseason Week 2: One appearance, five drives led, zero points, three sacks taken.

    Bo Nix’s Broncos stats after preseason Week 2: Two appearances, seven drives led, 30 points, zero sacks taken.

    It’s early, and we’ll know in a month whether Sean Payton won the Broncos-Steelers game, head-to-head. But the coach is off to a flying start in terms of winning the argument. And in justifying one hellaciously expensive football divorce.

    Valor’s Friday — A

    Love ’em or hate ’em, this past Friday was a pretty good day to be an Eagle.

    Earlier in the day, Valor alum and PGA star Wyndham Clark pulled himself back into the BMW Championship title picture by shooting a 68 during his second round at Castle Pines — including five birdies. Later that evening, his alma mater’s football team opened its season with a 31-14 victory over Pine Creek. The latter had beaten Valor in last September’s meeting, 31-17.

    Originally Published:

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Derrick White is cheering on his childhood basketball rival Wyndham Clark at BMW Championship

    Derrick White is cheering on his childhood basketball rival Wyndham Clark at BMW Championship

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    CASTLE ROCK — Twenty years before they rekindled a friendship in Europe, the Euro step was a controversial subject between rivals Wyndham Clark and Derrick White.

    They played for opposing youth basketball teams in the Denver area, first matching up around the third grade. Both were point guards. White guarded Clark. Clark guarded White. White was a little more advanced than his peers — little did they know, he was a future NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist — and at some point during the mid-2000s, he implemented an unfamiliar move to his game. It was just beginning to get popular in the pros.

    “He was doing the Euro step at a young age,” Clark remembers, “and our whole team kept thinking it was traveling. So every time he would do the Euro step, all our dads and everyone was like, ‘That’s a travel!’ And they would never call it.

    “Fast forward to next year, and we’re all doing the same thing.”

    White was teaching Clark new tricks on the basketball court. Now it’s finally Clark’s turn to return the favor on the golf course. He’s the fifth-ranked golfer in the world, the winner of the 2023 U.S. Open and the fan favorite this weekend at the BMW Championship. Valor Christian High School, Class of 2012. White is a two-time All-Defensive Team honoree in the NBA, a glue guy for the Boston Celtics and Team USA, and a Clark groupie this weekend. Legend High School, Class of ’12.

    White has never played golf or gotten invested in the sport, “but I’m gonna start,” he declared while walking the first fairway at Castle Pines Golf Club on Thursday. He walked all 18 holes in support of his former basketball foe, who was paired with Rory McIlroy.

    “It’s fun because he’s kind of new to golf, and so (he) got his real first experience of pro golf at the Olympics, watching and walking with us,” Clark said. “And he really has the bug. We’ve been talking about it. He’s like, ‘I love it so much.’ It was really cool to have him out there.”

    Clark finished his first round at even par, but that doesn’t even begin to tell the story. He endured a hectic back nine that included multiple shots into the water and multiple double-bogeys. And that was before a cartoonishly timed lightning delay forced him and McIlroy to wait more than three hours to complete their final putts on the 18th hole. Spectators (even White) had vacated the premises by the time they resumed.

    “I was hoping it was going to be one of those quick Colorado 30-minute storms, but there was another one behind it,” Clark lamented. “Definitely a bummer being here for three hours.”

    Before that awkward conclusion without a crowd, Clark had been treated to resounding applause throughout the afternoon. Coloradans who noticed White gave him some love, too. He was hard to miss during the first hole, cradling the Larry O’Brien Trophy as he strolled downhill. Whether it was Boston’s Larry or Denver’s from the previous year, though, is unclear. The trophy was also on display Wednesday during the pro-am event, which featured Nuggets president Josh Kroenke.

    “I didn’t even know it was gonna be here,” a confused White said, starting to regret his decision to lug Larry along. “I’m really just here to support Wyndham and cheer him on. … I didn’t know it was gonna be here. I was walking in, and I see it on the ground, and I’m like, ‘Let me hold that.’”

    His opportunity to reacquaint with Clark this summer was truly last-second. Kawhi Leonard’s withdrawal from Team USA opened a roster spot two weeks before the Paris Olympics. White was the first choice to fill in. He flew solo to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to join the team for its remaining exhibition games, and soon enough he was floating down the Seine with Clark at the opening ceremony.

    “(We had) big battles. Big rivalry on the court,” White said. “And then obviously he went and did big things, so it was great reconnecting. And we ended up on the boat in the Olympics.”

    “Hanging out in Paris was pretty cool,” Clark said, grinning.

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    Bennett Durando

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  • Who will be on Team USA basketball’s rosters at the 2028 Olympics? Let’s predict it

    Who will be on Team USA basketball’s rosters at the 2028 Olympics? Let’s predict it

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    Team USA men’s and women’s 5×5 basketball both claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the finals provided a harsh reality: the next one may not be so straightforward.

    With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics next up on the summer calendar, both teams may look quite different when they take the hardwood.

    On the men’s side, LeBron James, 39, and Steph Curry, 36, seem like sure shots not to be involved, while Kevin Durant, 35, may be a slight possibility if he really pushes for it.

    For the women’s team, Diana Taurasi, 42, will be passing the rock to the next up-and-coming ball handler, while Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas and Chelsea Gray may also be doubts as they hit 35 years old and up.

    So, which players could form the 12-player rosters in Los Angeles? Let’s take an early prediction:

    Who will be on Team USA men’s basketball at the 2028 Olympics?

    Whether Steve Kerr remains head coach is still unclear, the U.S. should have plenty of talent to pick from, which will make things difficult for the selection committee.

    The primary focus will have to be developing as many generational prospects as possible, given how France’s Victor Wembanyama and Serbia’s Nikola Jokic almost single-handedly steered their respective nations to a medal.

    The U.S. needed heroics from James, Curry and Durant to pull off the gold, but it’ll have to be other players in L.A. These 12 players may be the list, along with their age in four years time in parentheses:

    • Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers: Haliburton made the trip to Paris but rarely featured. He still has room to grow defensively, but his U.S. experience and elite playmaking should see him make the cut. (28)
    • Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: Edwards continues to rise as a star in the NBA, and that trajectory should continue. He’s not afraid of the big moment and will lead by example, which are two imperative traits. (27)
    • Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns: Booker was the unsung player in Paris. The Suns star converted himself as a 3-and-D archetype to support the main triumvirate and succeeded. He may be in for a bigger role next time. (31)
    • Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics: Tatum made headlines for not playing as much in Paris, but he has the skill set to make an impact. He’ll need to learn how to optimize that on the international stage, though, to take the next step. (30)
    • Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat: It’s not fully clear whether Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid will participate in 2028, but chances are it may be unlikely due to their increasing age and injury history. Adebayo’s versatility should seem him in the fold, even if he won’t be the guaranteed starter. (30)
    • Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks: If Haliburton’s defensive game doesn’t refine, Brunson could get the call at being the starting guard. He arguably was the best player not called to Paris, but his overall solidity should be useful in heavy minutes. (31)
    • Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey was another player not brought to Paris, but he keeps improving in the NBA and may not be overlooked next time. He’s another who could make a case to be the starting guard. (27)
    • Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder: Holmgren doesn’t have experience with the senior team yet, but he could be the nation’s best center by 2028. He could also be the best option to go against Wembanyama, which would make for riveting battles. (26)
    • Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic: The 2022 No. 1 overall pick is quietly becoming one of the best all-around talents in the league. The Magic star currently has the best case to start at the 4 and could be even better by 2028. (25)
    • Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans: Williamson was supposed to be the next major American talent. Things haven’t panned out that way with his injury history, but his talent is undeniable when he’s playing and he’d be a force to reckon with on the international level. (28)
    • Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers: Mobley may not be the flashiest name, but he’d be a rock defensively to call upon in specific matchups. But he should only go if Davis cannot. (27)
    • Cooper Flagg, TBD: Flagg isn’t in the NBA yet, but his talent may be too hard to ignore if he develops properly by 2028. The 17-year-old already starred in a scrimmage against Team USA in the buildup to Paris. If he’s legitimate, he should make the team, regardless of seniority. (21)

    Honorable mentions: Jaylen Brown, Celtics (voicing displeasure publicly), Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies (suspensions and injuries), Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors (needs more on-ball work), Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets (space)

    Who will be on Team USA women’s basketball at the 2028 Olympics?

    It’s also not clear if Cheryl Reeves will be the head coach in 2028, but the women’s competition has a bigger talent gap than the men’s.

    With the number of new WNBA talents coming in, the selection committee may find it equally as tough to choose 12 players in four years time.

    The main aspect might be having to get younger compared to the Paris roster and ones from prior Olympics. These 12 have the strongest cases:

    • A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces: Wilson is by far the best player in the WNBA and, barring anything out of the ordinary, should still be her in four years time. The U.S. likely doesn’t win gold in Paris without her. (31)
    • Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty: Stewie was just as vital as Wilson in Paris, coming up big whenever a bucket was needed. She should also be an automatic pick. (33)
    • Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever: Clark is setting all kinds of records and her first season in the WNBA is far from finished. She should be a lock for L.A. to make her Olympic debut. (26)
    • Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty: Ionescu, 26, was tied for the youngest person on the Paris roster. But the sharpshooter is only getting better and experience should see her start in L.A. (30)
    • Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx: Like Booker did on the men’s side, Collier stepped back from her club role and provided help where needed. Those types of personalities are extremely vital on the international setting. (31)
    • Angel Reese, Chicago Sky: Reese is having a stellar rookie year in the WNBA but still needs more refining besides rebounding. That should be a likely possibility in four years, so she should be on the team. (26)
    • Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces: Young also knows how to step back and play a larger role apart from scoring. She starred in Paris for doing so and should do it again in L.A. (30)
    • Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever: Boston doesn’t have Olympic experience but is rising in the U.S. ranks. As she continues to shine down low on both ends of the floor, she could have an important role in L.A. (26)
    • Cameron Brink, Los Angeles Sparks: Brink was supposed to be on the 3×3 team in Paris before an ACL tear derailed those plans. But Brink will have had plenty of time to recover by then, and her size and mobility will be a key asset. (26)
    • Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury: Copper is enjoying a career scoring year in Phoenix, but didn’t get called upon often in Paris. However, her versatility and experience may scream as pluses to have in four years. (33)
    • Paige Bueckers, TBD: The UConn product isn’t in the WNBA yet, but she was supposed to be the next big thing before Clark’s emergence. If she avoids any more major injuries and gets back on track with her elite trajectory, she may be too good to ignore in four years despite her U.S. inexperience. (26)
    • Juju Watkins, TBD: Watkins could have the chance at a homecoming. The USC star is still rising in the college ranks and projects to be an elite scoring guard with size. Even if she wouldn’t play as much, she could prove before then she should have a spot on the team. (23)

    Honorable mentions: Kelsey Plum, Aces (profile not needed), Rickea Jackson, Sparks (space), Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream (could return to 3×3), Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (age/profile not needed), Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics (space)

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    Sanjesh Singh

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  • Golden Steph: Curry’s late barrage seals another Olympic men’s basketball title, as US beats France

    Golden Steph: Curry’s late barrage seals another Olympic men’s basketball title, as US beats France

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    PARIS — Stephen Curry was thinking about this two years ago, after winning his fourth NBA title with the Golden State Warriors. The only thing left for him to win was Olympic gold.

    And in the ultimate moment, he made sure that medal would be his.

    The U.S. is atop the international men’s basketball world once again, after Curry scored 24 points — all on 3-pointers — and led the way to a 98-87 win over France in the final at the Paris Games on Saturday night. It was the fifth consecutive gold medal for the U.S. and the 17th in 20 all-time appearances for the Americans at the Games.

    “You just stay confident, stay present and don’t get rattled by the moment,” said Curry, who had 17 3-pointers in his last two games, starting with nine against Serbia to get to the gold-medal game.

    Added U.S. coach Steve Kerr: “Steph earned this.”

    Curry made four 3-pointers in the final 2:43, including the one that just sealed the win with 1:19 remaining. It put the U.S. up 93-84 and he skipped down the court letting out a yell, shaking his jersey so everyone could see the “USA” across the front.

    If that wasn’t enough, one more followed with about 30 seconds left — along with the go-to-sleep move where he puts his hands together on the side of his face. “Night night,” he calls it, and he came prepared, with a special shirt to wear after the game for a champagne-and-cigars celebration. “Nuit nuit,” it said, the French translation.

    Good night. Game over. Gold won. Again.

    “For me to get a gold medal is insane, and I thank God for the opportunity to experience it,” Curry said.

    Kevin Durant — the first four-time men’s gold medalist in Olympic basketball history — scored 15 for the Americans, as did Devin Booker. LeBron James, wearing metallic gold shoes that needed no explanation, scored 14 for the U.S. as he won his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.

    “Super humbled that I can still play this game,” James said. “Played at a high level, played with 11 other great players and a great coaching staff and went on and did it for our country. It was a great moment around.”

    For the second consecutive Olympics, the French had to watch the Americans hold up U.S. flags in celebration after the title game. The French lost to the U.S. 87-82 in Tokyo three years ago, and this one was down to the final minutes.

    That is, until Curry took over.

    “I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal,” said Kerr, the Golden State coach whose two-summer run with the U.S. ends with a 21-3 record and Olympic gold — 11-0 this summer. “That’s the pressure that we face. But our players, and you saw Steph, they love the pressure. They appreciate this atmosphere and they were fantastic.”

    Victor Wembanyama, the NBA Rookie of the Year for San Antonio in his first Olympic final, was brilliant for France, scoring 26 points — the second-most ever against the U.S. in a gold-medal game, one behind the 27 that Drazen Dalipagic scored for Yugoslavia in 1976.

    “I’m learning,” Wembanyama said. “And I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years.”

    Wembanyama covered his face in a towel afterward as the Americans celebrated. Guerschon Yabusele scored 20 for the hosts.

    “For sure, it’s a disappointment because we expected we could do it,” France coach Vincent Collet said. “But we have to recognize at the end that they are better. We are very close … When they make fantastic shots, that’s the difference.”

    The U.S. lead was 14 early in the third, looking poised to pull away. But the offense quickly went cold and when Evan Fournier connected on a 3-pointer with 3:05 left in the quarter the lead was down to 65-59 after a 12-4 run by the hosts.

    And with a chance to go up double digits headed to the fourth, a big U.S. blunder gave France another jolt of momentum. Anthony Edwards and Durant got their signals crossed on a pass that led to a turnover, Nando De Colo scored to beat the buzzer and the U.S. lead was only 72-66 going into the final 10 minutes.

    It got as close as three. No closer, thanks to Curry. He hit four 3-pointers in a span of 2:12, the last one of them a bit of the circus variety, and they all immediately went into Olympic lore.

    “A big shot to put us up six. That kind of settled everything,” Curry said. “And then the rhythm, the avalanche came, and thankfully the other three went in. That was an unbelievable moment. I’ve been blessed to play basketball at a high level for a very long time. This ranks very high in terms of excitement and the sense of relief, getting to the finish line.”

    It was the eighth time in Olympic history — and Sunday’s women’s final between the U.S. and France will mark the ninth — that the home team got to play for basketball gold.

    Home teams are now 5-3 in those games, 2-1 on the men’s side. The U.S. men and women both won in 1984 and 1996; the women of the Soviet Union won in 1980, while Australia’s women lost to the U.S. in 2000 and Japan’s women also lost to the U.S. at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

    For James, it was one more thing for the neverending list that is his legacy. For Durant, it was history with four golds. For Booker, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo, it was a second gold. For Jrue Holiday, it was a second gold to match his wife — soccer great Lauren Cheney Holiday — for the family lead. For Derrick White, Tyrese Haliburton, Joel Embiid and Edwards, it was the first Olympic title.

    “This has been an amazing experience, a beautiful experience,” Durant said.

    And for Curry, it was a long time coming after he wasn’t available for previous Olympics. The Americans couldn’t have been more thrilled that he was there for this one.

    “I was smilin’, cheesin’, having the best time of my life,” Curry said.

    He likened it to a Game 7 on the road, which it basically was. He’s had enormous success in those moments: a 50-point outburst to lead Golden State past Sacramento in 2023, and a 27-point, 10-assist, nine-rebound performance to win a do-or-die game in Houston in 2018.

    And now, this.

    “It’s right up there with all of the greatest games of his career,” Kerr said. “The shot-making was just incredible. But under the circumstances, on the road, in Paris, against France for a gold medal, this is storybook stuff. But that’s what Steph does. He likes to be in storybooks.”

    ___

    AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

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  • Team USA holds off France to win gold in Olympic men’s basketball thanks to Steph Curry’s heroics

    Team USA holds off France to win gold in Olympic men’s basketball thanks to Steph Curry’s heroics

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    Stephen Curry was thinking about this two years ago, after winning his fourth NBA title. The only thing left for him to win was Olympic gold.

    And in the ultimate moment, he made sure that medal would be his.

    The U.S. is atop the international men’s basketball world once again, after Curry scored 24 points and led the way to a 98-87 win over France in the final at the Paris Games on Saturday night. It was the fifth consecutive gold medal for the U.S. — and the 17th in 20 all-time appearances for the Americans at the games.

    Steph Curry
    Steph Curry (R) celebrates with Kevin Durant front of France coach Vincent Collet (L) after winning the men’s gold medal basketball final between France and Team USA during the Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024.

    THIBAUD MORITZ/AFP via Getty Images


    Curry made four 3-pointers in the final 2:43, including the one that just sealed the win with 1:19 remaining. It put the U.S. up 93-84 and he skipped down the court letting out a yell, shaking his jersey so everyone could see the “USA” across the front.

    If that wasn’t enough, one more followed with about 30 seconds left — with the “go to sleep” move where he puts his hands on the side of his face.

    Good night. Game over. Gold won. Again.

    Kevin Durant — the first four-time men’s gold medalist in Olympic basketball history — scored 15 for the Americans, as did Devin Booker. And LeBron James, wearing metallic gold shoes that needed no explanation, scored 14 for the U.S. as he won his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.

    For the second consecutive Olympics, the French had to watch the Americans hold out U.S. flags in celebration after the title game. The French lost to the U.S. 87-82 in Tokyo three years ago, and this one was down to the final minutes. That is, until Curry took over.

    Victor Wembanyama
    Victor Wembanyama of France reacts after his team’s loss against Team USA during the men’s gold medal game at the Olympic Games at Bercy Arena on Aug. 10, 2024 in Paris, France.

    Getty Images


    Victor Wembanyama, in his first Olympic final, was brilliant for France, scoring 26 points, covering his face in a towel afterward as the Americans celebrated. Guerschon Yabusele scored 20 for the hosts.

    The U.S. lead was 14 early in the third, looking poised to pull away. But the offense quickly went cold and when Evan Fournier connected on a 3-pointer with 3:05 left in the quarter the lead was down to 65-59 — a 12-4 run by the hosts.

    And with a chance to go up double-digits headed to the fourth, a big U.S. blunder gave France another jolt of momentum. Anthony Edwards and Durant got their signals crossed on a pass that led to a turnover, Nando De Colo scored to beat the buzzer and the U.S. lead was only 72-66 going into the final 10 minutes.

    It got as close as three. No closer, thanks to Curry.

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  • ‘The last dance’: Basketball world reacts to Team USA’s 2024 Olympics gold

    ‘The last dance’: Basketball world reacts to Team USA’s 2024 Olympics gold

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    That may have just been the last dance for a special chapter for U.S. men’s basketball.

    NBA icons LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant made a commitment one year ago to bring home gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    The triumvirate did just that, leading the U.S. to a 98-87 final win over France Saturday. It marked the program’s fifth straight Olympic gold, with Durant tallying a record fourth in U.S. men’s basketball and James claiming his third. Curry sealed his first in epic fashion.

    Social media produced countless reactions after the U.S. triumph. Here are some of the best:

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    Sanjesh Singh

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  • Moms on US women’s basketball team enjoy rare moments chasing Olympic history

    Moms on US women’s basketball team enjoy rare moments chasing Olympic history

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    Breanna Stewart and the other moms on the U.S. women’s basketball team are enjoying some special moments while chasing Olympic history.Related video above: How Are Olympians Paid?In addition to trying to become the first Olympic team — male or female — to win eight consecutive gold medals, they are having a rare bonding experience at the Paris Games.The Americans will play Australia on Friday in the semifinals, looking to extend the program’s winning streak to 60 straight games and reach Sunday’s gold medal game.But they have an important appointment before the game: A birthday party Stewart’s daughter Ruby, who turns 3 on Friday.“There’s a ton of kids with our Team USA group,” said Stewart, a two-time gold medalist. “So I’m sure we’ll find something fun. Very Paw Patrol-like, but it’ll just be a great day for her. And, you know, for us, we’ll just be continuing on our journey.”These games are very different than the last Olympics. The 2021 Tokyo Games were held under strict pandemic protocols, and these women aren’t the only parents who’ve brought their children with them to Paris.In Tokyo, the U.S. women’s basketball team had only two mothers on the team: Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Now there’s five parents: four moms and one “Pops” as two-time gold medalist Brittney Griner prefers to be called as the newest member with her wife giving birth to a boy just a couple weeks before the team headed to Europe.Napheesa Collier said the children are making the Paris Games even more special. With families and nannies helping, the children held their own Olympics when the team was busy in group play. Collier’s 2-year-old daughter, Mila Bazzel, missed out on competing.“My daughter was sleeping, so we missed it,” Collier said. “It was during that time. But it’s really fun to have all of them … around.”Chelsea Gray and her wife have a baby boy. Taurasi and wife — former Australian Olympian and WNBA All-Star Penny Taylor — have two children: a boy and a girl. Stewart also has two children with her wife, retired Spanish basketball player Marta Xargay with baby boy Theo their second.With the U.S. women staying in Paris and commuting to Lille for group games, tipoff coincided with bedtime. Now that the medal-round games are in Paris, Taylor brought their children to Wednesday night’s win over Nigeria sitting a few rows behind the U.S. bench and Taurasi.For Stewart, the best part is knowing this isn’t the last time these children will hang together. And not just at future USA Basketball events or possible upcoming Olympics.“They’re just going to continue to grow with one another,” Stewart said. “But also, we all feel the same mom life as well. So like being great on and off the court and understanding, you know, how difficult that is.”That’s the lesson Olympic newcomer Sabrina Ionescu — who doesn’t have a child herself but is a self-described “kid magnet.” She appreciates how her teammates regularly manage work and childcare.These women have their children around while competing not only against the world but history. The only other team to win seven straight gold medals were the U.S. men’s basketball program between 1936 and 1968.The U.S. has the challenge of sustaining a standard started after its last Olympic women’s basketball loss in Barcelona in 1992. Ionescu said it’s been amazing to watch these moms chase gold, then immediately flip the switch from work to parenting.“They go back to the hotel, and they’re full-time moms,” Ionescu said. “Like they don’t get a break. And it’s really, really like amazing. You can’t really put into words like how strong these women are.”Collier is using her cell phone constantly to document this experience knowing her daughter won’t remember anything.“I take so many pictures and videos of her and us here, to help tell the story of that. … the best I can,” Collier said. “She’ll know what the Olympics is. so it’ll be easy to explain that part. But for her, it’ll be normal.”For U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve, this is part of basketball’s evolution of supporting women on and off the court. The coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx has seen that league and players negotiate for better policies helping players with maternity leave and child care.“We’re evolving as a society I think in terms of what’s acceptable, what women can do, and women are obviously showing us that we can be anything,” Reeve said. “And we do. The harder it is, the more women are stepping up and doing it.”Having children along with families eases the tension of the high expectations on the court and feeling like the world is waiting for a U.S. misstep. Most of the children have better things to do than watch mom play.“I think they’d rather go to a playground or something,” Stewart said, “but it’s it’s great to have them here.”

    PARIS —

    Breanna Stewart and the other moms on the U.S. women’s basketball team are enjoying some special moments while chasing Olympic history.

    Related video above: How Are Olympians Paid?

    In addition to trying to become the first Olympic team — male or female — to win eight consecutive gold medals, they are having a rare bonding experience at the Paris Games.

    The Americans will play Australia on Friday in the semifinals, looking to extend the program’s winning streak to 60 straight games and reach Sunday’s gold medal game.

    But they have an important appointment before the game: A birthday party Stewart’s daughter Ruby, who turns 3 on Friday.

    “There’s a ton of kids with our Team USA group,” said Stewart, a two-time gold medalist. “So I’m sure we’ll find something fun. Very Paw Patrol-like, but it’ll just be a great day for her. And, you know, for us, we’ll just be continuing on our journey.”

    These games are very different than the last Olympics. The 2021 Tokyo Games were held under strict pandemic protocols, and these women aren’t the only parents who’ve brought their children with them to Paris.

    In Tokyo, the U.S. women’s basketball team had only two mothers on the team: Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Now there’s five parents: four moms and one “Pops” as two-time gold medalist Brittney Griner prefers to be called as the newest member with her wife giving birth to a boy just a couple weeks before the team headed to Europe.

    Napheesa Collier said the children are making the Paris Games even more special. With families and nannies helping, the children held their own Olympics when the team was busy in group play. Collier’s 2-year-old daughter, Mila Bazzel, missed out on competing.

    “My daughter was sleeping, so we missed it,” Collier said. “It was during that time. But it’s really fun to have all of them … around.”

    Chelsea Gray and her wife have a baby boy. Taurasi and wife — former Australian Olympian and WNBA All-Star Penny Taylor — have two children: a boy and a girl. Stewart also has two children with her wife, retired Spanish basketball player Marta Xargay with baby boy Theo their second.

    With the U.S. women staying in Paris and commuting to Lille for group games, tipoff coincided with bedtime. Now that the medal-round games are in Paris, Taylor brought their children to Wednesday night’s win over Nigeria sitting a few rows behind the U.S. bench and Taurasi.

    For Stewart, the best part is knowing this isn’t the last time these children will hang together. And not just at future USA Basketball events or possible upcoming Olympics.

    “They’re just going to continue to grow with one another,” Stewart said. “But also, we all feel the same mom life as well. So like being great on and off the court and understanding, you know, how difficult that is.”

    That’s the lesson Olympic newcomer Sabrina Ionescu — who doesn’t have a child herself but is a self-described “kid magnet.” She appreciates how her teammates regularly manage work and childcare.

    These women have their children around while competing not only against the world but history. The only other team to win seven straight gold medals were the U.S. men’s basketball program between 1936 and 1968.

    The U.S. has the challenge of sustaining a standard started after its last Olympic women’s basketball loss in Barcelona in 1992. Ionescu said it’s been amazing to watch these moms chase gold, then immediately flip the switch from work to parenting.

    “They go back to the hotel, and they’re full-time moms,” Ionescu said. “Like they don’t get a break. And it’s really, really like amazing. You can’t really put into words like how strong these women are.”

    Collier is using her cell phone constantly to document this experience knowing her daughter won’t remember anything.

    “I take so many pictures and videos of her and us here, to help tell the story of that. … the best I can,” Collier said. “She’ll know what the Olympics is. so it’ll be easy to explain that part. But for her, it’ll be normal.”

    For U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve, this is part of basketball’s evolution of supporting women on and off the court. The coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx has seen that league and players negotiate for better policies helping players with maternity leave and child care.

    “We’re evolving as a society I think in terms of what’s acceptable, what women can do, and women are obviously showing us that we can be anything,” Reeve said. “And we do. The harder it is, the more women are stepping up and doing it.”

    Having children along with families eases the tension of the high expectations on the court and feeling like the world is waiting for a U.S. misstep. Most of the children have better things to do than watch mom play.

    “I think they’d rather go to a playground or something,” Stewart said, “but it’s it’s great to have them here.”

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  • Eastpointe basketball coach alleges racial discrimination led to his firing

    Eastpointe basketball coach alleges racial discrimination led to his firing

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    Eastpointe High School basketball coach Michael Railey led his team to a district championship and then was fired.

    This story has been updated.

    The former head coach of the varsity boys basketball team for Eastpointe High School is alleging he was terminated after he filed a racial discrimination complaint against the district’s superintendent.

    Michael E. Railey was fired on April 15, just after his team won the district championship, a feat the school only achieved two other times, he says.

    Railey recently filed racial discrimination complaints with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, Michigan Department of Education, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

    The complaints are just the latest racial allegations to be leveled against Eastpointe Community Schools and its superintendent Christina Gibson.

    Since July 2023, three Black school employees have filed racial discrimination suits against the district. Asenath Jones, a former principal, alleged racial discrimination, retaliation, and other violations. Renita Williams, a former secondary administrator, claimed racial discrimination and retaliation. And Leah Black, a former administrative assistant and grant specialist, alleged racial discrimination and a hostile work environment.

    Railey tells Metro Times he plans to file a federal discrimination lawsuit against the district “in the very near future.”

    Railey was fired about six weeks after he filed a racial discrimination complaint with the school district’s human resources department. In the complaint, Railey alleges Gibson “spearheaded a conspiracy to illegally terminate me because of my racial identity as an African American.”

    Railey says Gibson tried to get Jones, who was then the school’s principal, to give him “an unsatisfactory recommendation in an attempt to terminate me.” Jones refused, and she was later terminated. According to the complaint, Gibson attempted to “coerce” Assistant Principal Fatima Thompson to change his positive work evaluation so the superintendent had a basis to fire him.

    In a witness statement, Thompson corroborated Railey’s version of events, saying Gibson insisted Railey’s previous evaluation prevented her from taking action against the coach.

    “She went on to say that he’s arrogant and she doesn’t like him, he’s a horrible coach and didn’t even win games because the kids don’t like him either,” Thompson wrote in the witness statement.

    “Michael Railey was discriminated against based on personal feelings and not professional merit. This behavior was completely unacceptable. Michael Railey should have been treated with dignity, respect, and equality. The actions I witnessed went against the principles of fairness and workplace professionalism.”

    The human relations department insisted there was no evidence of racial discrimination after what Railey described as a “cursory investigation.”

    In a letter to the Michigan Board of Education, Railey said he expects to be fired from his job as a special education teacher because a principal finally agreed to give him a negative evaluation at Gibson’s request.

    “I will also most likely be relieved of my duties as a special education teacher because a coconspirator Principal Todd Yarch has given me extremely low evaluations … at the superintendent’s behest.”

    Metro Times previously wrote that Gibson did not return a call for comment. We missed her message. When asked to comment Thursday, she declined to discuss the case and referred us to the district’s attorney, who also wouldn’t comment.  

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    Steve Neavling

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  • What’s next for Warriors after Lauri Markkanen extends with Jazz

    What’s next for Warriors after Lauri Markkanen extends with Jazz

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    Now that Lauri Markkanen has signed a five-year, $238 million contract extension with the Utah Jazz, the Warriors can officially turn the page into the last chapter of the offseason.

    The Warriors very well could still make a minor transaction or two before camp opens, but their roster will be more or less the same. They lost Klay Thompson and Chris Paul, brought in De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield, returned Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney and added depth pieces Lindy Waters III and Daeqwon Plowden. Golden State’s salary commitments are slightly below the first apron, which it’s hard-capped at.

    An offseason of slight roster improvement but bereft of a major upside swing means the Warriors are poised to enter the 2024-25 season banking on the internal development of Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski and a less erratic season from Draymond Green to climb the ladder in a stacked Western Conference.

    With Markkanen settled in Utah, the Warriors’ offseason checklist has dwindled. But there are a few steps, procedurally and in the abstract, left.

    First, the Warriors have to clear a roster spot for Quinten Post, their second-round pick. Plowden, Reece Beekman and Pat Spencer currently take up Golden State’s three two-way spots — a common way teams sign second rounders. And because of Golden State’s hard-cap situation, the team doesn’t have enough room as currently constructed to sign Post to a standard rookie deal.

    That means a small move is just about inevitable.

    The path of least resistance to adding Post would likely be to waive Beekman and replace him with Post as a two-way player. Golden State signed Beekman, the former Virginia guard, after he went undrafted, but he was injured for most of Summer League. It’d still be possible to keep him on an Exhibit 10 contract even after releasing him.

    Golden State could also shed salary by trading or cutting a player on the back-end of the roster, like Gui Santos or Waters.

    Beyond finding a way to officially sign Post, the only real roster consideration the Warriors have is with their players eligible for rookie contract extensions.

    General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said the Warriors are interested in extending Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. But there isn’t necessarily pressure on the team to get an extension on either done immediately.

    Kuminga, still just 21 until October, made big strides as a scorer last year, bumping his scoring average from 9.9 to 16.1 points per game. He was especially effective as a power forward next to Green, in lineups where his lack of outside shooting is less detrimental.

    With another leap, Kuminga could earn himself a hefty pay day. His draft classmates Franz Wagner, Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley each signed five-year, $224 million extensions. They’ve each proven more individually than Kuminga, but have also been afforded more opportunities.

    “We want those guys here,” Dunleavy said of Kuminga and Moody at Summer League. “We believe in them, we drafted them.”

    Steph Curry is also technically eligible for an extension, though Dunleavy stated the obvious when he said he can have “whatever he wants.”

    Markkanen remaining with the Jazz almost certainly precludes the Warriors from adding an elite secondary scorer who could take the burden off Curry’s shoulders. The two most talented players rumored to be available via trade at the moment are Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine — both of whom have their warts.

    Despite Golden State’s need for a high-end talent infusion and owner Joe Lacob’s appetite for spending to compete, trading assets for Ingram or LaVine at this stage of the offseason appears far-fetched.

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    Danny Emerman

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  • U.S. women’s soccer team to play Brazil for Olympic gold medal

    U.S. women’s soccer team to play Brazil for Olympic gold medal

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    U.S. women’s soccer team to play Brazil for Olympic gold medal – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    The U.S. women’s soccer team advanced to the Olympic final with a 1-0 victory over Germany on Tuesday. The team will face Brazil in the gold medal match on Aug. 10. “CBS Saturday Morning” co-host and CBS News and sports correspondent Dana Jacobson has an Olympic recap from Paris.

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  • Watch Steph Curry, Team USA batter Brazil to advance to the semifinals

    Watch Steph Curry, Team USA batter Brazil to advance to the semifinals

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    Steph Curry and the rest of his Team USA teammates cruised past Brazil Tuesday to advance to the semifinals at the Paris Olympics.

    Curry contributed seven points as the Americans rolled to a 122-87 victory.

    Up next for Team USA is Nikola Jokic and Serbia in the semifinals on Thursday.

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    Brendan Weber

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  • WNBA Star A’ja Wilson Has One Goal: “Be Better” – POPSUGAR Australia

    WNBA Star A’ja Wilson Has One Goal: “Be Better” – POPSUGAR Australia

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    Photo Credit: Getty / Sameer Al-Doumy / AFP

    A’ja Wilson is on fire right now. To summarize the Las Vegas Aces center’s year: She’s averaging a stunning 27.2 points per game, per the WNBA. She was awarded Best WNBA Player and Best Athlete, Women’s Sports at the ESPY Awards. She’s currently playing on Team USA in Paris, and (along with Breanna Stewart) shot back-to-back 20-point games during the Olympics – something that hasn’t been done by a Team USA women’s basketball player since Teresa Edwards in 1988. She’s also the only player – across the men’s and women’s teams – to have multiple double-doubles during the 2024 Games, according to Bleacher Report. As for her work off the court: This year, Wilson released a (New York Times bestselling) book, “Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You“. She announced her A’One shoe deal with Nike. She continues to empower children and families with dyslexia through the A’ja Wilson Foundation. Phew.

    You’ll notice the range of her accolades. Wilson isn’t just making a big impact on the sport of women’s basketball; she’s also a role model for the next generation. As Tom Brady wrote in her Time “Most Influential People of 2024” profile, “A’ja Wilson is not just an incredible athlete, she is also an inspiration to all who witness her talent and drive. Her journey is a testament to the power of passion and fearlessness in achieving greatness.”

    Before heading to Paris to compete in her second Olympic Games, Wilson sat down with PS as part of her participation in a new Gatorade campaign. The campaign remixes the famous Gatorade marketing ad from the ’90s – you know the one, where the biggest athletes of the time were shot sweating Gatorade bullets – and includes the iconic tagline “Is It In You?” The updated ads feature none other than Michael Jordan narrating, an impactful acknowledgement of just how larger-than-life the WNBA talent is.

    “I remember growing up and watching these commercials,” Wilson tells PS. “To now [be] a part of it is truly special. When you have someone like Michael Jordan headlining, it’s pretty awesome to say that your name is in that list. You know that name is going to be full of greatness.”

    Here, Wilson shares with PS how she stays focused when she’s facing challenges on or off the court, and what message she hopes she’s sharing with her younger fans.

    Photo Credit: Gatorade

    PS: Coming off of back-to-back championships, sold out games, and all this incredible hype and energy for the WNBA right now, do things feel differently for you and your teammates this season?

    A’ja Wilson: No, I feel like we’ve always got this target on our back. It gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger every single year. So, it’s not really too different, but I would honestly say our mindset has been different for greater purposes. And that’s what I love the most. It’s like, we’re not satisfied. With the resume we have and what we’ve done over the two years, we could definitely take a step back and feel entitled and think that every team is gonna roll down and let us win. But that’s not the case. We’re coming in with the mindset of: no, we want it. We want it again. We’re being greedy. We need to go after it and take no plays off. So I’m definitely excited about what’s to come for the Aces.

    PS: Could you talk us through any goals you have set for this season?

    AW: Just to be better. I always said the main goal for myself is just to be better than I was last year. Either that’s just better and better shape or a better teammate or a better leader or adding different things to my game. I want people to see a different A’ja than they did last year. That’s how we continue to grow – not just for myself, but as a team as well.

    PS: I know you mentioned mindset – how do you stay focused and maintain composure?

    AW: I do the flip of everything. I get a little loose. I talk to my teammates. We dance a little bit, we may sing a little bit. It’s already a lot of pressure on us going into games. So I relieve that by not thinking about it too much and understanding that it is a game, it is entertainment at the end of the day. And I’m blessed to be able to play it. So I go out there and have fun. I really just shake my shoulders off a little bit, and go out there and just take what the defense gives me and what the game gives me.

    I [also] really try to train myself to be in the moment and understand that not every day’s gonna be sunshine and rainbows. They’re gonna be thunderstorms as well. But those thunderstorms do go away and when they do, that’s the time to shine the brightest. That’s where you get that rainbow and you can really flourish into who you are.

    So, that’s my approach when I’m on court, off court, in life, anywhere. I don’t want to ever take for granted where I am in life and where I come from.

    PS: How do you respond to challenges or any setbacks you might have experienced in your journey?

    AW: I do them again. [Laughs] I feel like I’m a little kid that has to test the stove a little bit, to be like, “Is it really that hot?” It’s really that hot. I have to go touch it again, because I’m like, “It wasn’t that hot.” I really don’t like no for an answer. But when I do get that no, I try to understand that maybe that’s not the door that I want to go through, but there are multiple other doors that I can get through. So when it comes to challenges, I attack them head on and know that if it’s meant for me, it’s going to be for me.

    PS: Tell us about how you and your team stay inspired and keep the energy high.

    AW: We get lit, we get lit. [Laughing.] We’re turning up some music, or constantly cheering each other on.

    You don’t know what things people may be going through. And you don’t want to add on to that. We add on to ourselves sometimes. And so for us, we take that off and allow people to be themselves and love them in that – and that’s how I really gain a lot of trust from my teammates and my coaches as well. But we just have fun with what we do. Some people may look at it and be like, “Oh my God, they’re crazy,” or, “It’s fake,” or “It’s for the camera.” But it’s genuine.

    PS: I know you had a book come out. What would you say, to maybe someone from the younger generation, who might be struggling to find their voice?

    AW: Your voice doesn’t always have to be loud. I feel like a lot of people think you have to have that loud voice, and you have to be commanding everyone in the room. But no, you can be yourself. Your voice can be as faint but it can still be heard because you’re being you. And the people that you love and are true to you will totally understand that. You don’t have to be the loudest or most outspoken. You can be yourself and still make a difference, and make a change, and be kind in that space.

    People are so quick to just wanting to be the loudest and the proudest. But in some aspects, you can be yourself and if that’s quiet and at peace, then so be it. That’s my biggest thing with young people is understanding that one, it takes time to find your voice; and two, it doesn’t always have to be the loudest in the room. You can still be your voice at your pace.

    PS: Do you have any words of advice for young fans of the WNBA or girls who are playing in high school or other female athletes?

    AW: I’ve always said it in my book: give yourself some grace. I feel that’s the biggest thing. It’s just like, be kind to yourself. Yes, be kind to others, but be kind to yourself, because that’s where it really matters.

    You never know who’s day you may change. Just know that and have fun in that, make it a good day.

    It’s not always gonna be pretty. It’s not always gonna be great, fun, and happy. [So] understand that you can get through those days. Just give yourself some grace.

    This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

    Jade Esmeralda, MS, CSCS, is a Staff Writer, Health & Fitness. A life-long martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength & conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Strength and Conditioning from George Washington University.

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  • Brittney Griner Celebrates Evan Gershkovich’s Prison Release

    Brittney Griner Celebrates Evan Gershkovich’s Prison Release

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    WNBA star Brittney Griner was famously sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison in Aug. 2022 for carrying cannabis oil. The Texas-born athlete was initially detained in February 2022 and spent 10 months in Russian custody before being released in a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap in December 2022. Speaking out on Thursday, Griner said she was “emotional” and overjoyed to hear about the release of U.S. citizens Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva, who were freed from Russian jails in a new prisoner swap.

    “Great day. It’s a great day. It’s a great day,” said Griner, per the Associated Press. “We’ll talk more about it later. But head over heels happy for the families right now. Any day that Americans come home, that’s a win. That’s a win.”

    Griner is currently in Paris representing the U.S. at the Paris Summer Olympics. On Thursday, she came off the bench to help Team USA win 87-74 against Belgium, securing their place in the quarter-finals on Aug. 7. 

    Griner and her wife, Cherelle Griner, also shared  a joint statement on Instagram, addressing the release of the prisoners and expressing concern for other American hostages that remain overseas. 

    “The Biden-Harris Administration showed true leadership once again by doing whatever it took to bring Americans home. Every American returned is a win,” the couple said. “As we extend support to those who have returned and celebrate the collective hands that helped to make American families whole—we must continue to do everything we can to shine a light on the remaining Americans detained. #BringThemHome.”

    The athlete has long called for the release of Gershkovich and expressed support for the Wall Street Journal journalist and his family after he was sentenced to 16 years in prison last month, following 15 months of detainment in Russia.

    “My heart goes out to him, his family, and all his loved ones,” Griner said in an interview with NBC’s Liz Kreutz. “We have to get him back. We have to. I went through that and I understand what that means.”

    The prison swap on Thursday was the largest prisoner swap between the two countries since the end of the Cold War. Alongside the American citizens who were released, other dissidents who expressed discontent with Putin’s government were freed as well, including German, British, and Russian citizens. Altogether, Western countries combined to release eight prisoners in exchange for freeing Russia freeing 16 prisoners.

    Since her release from prison in Russia, Griner has become an advocate for Americans wrongfully detained abroad, working with the Bring Our Families Home Campaign to help raise awareness and advocate for the safe return ofU.S. citizens detained abroad.

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    Anna Gordon

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