WNBA

Two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike is working to produce a comedy series centered around the life of a WNBA player, according to Deadline's Peter White.

"The half-hour project follows a hot-shot rookie WNBA player and her inexperienced agent navigating the wild ups and downs of the world of women’s professional basketball," White wrote. "It is loosely inspired by Ogwumike and her longtime business partner and agent, Allison Galer, who chose an unconventional path after Ogwumike, who was the first pick in the 2014, chose the 24-year old as her rep."

The W, which will air on Peacock, will have GLOW creators Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive as the showrunners.

This will be Mensch and Flahive's second foray into the world of women's sports. GLOW was a fictionalized portrayal of Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a wrestling promotion that started in 1986.

As White said, The W will pull from some of Ogwumike and Galer's real-life experiences.

Ogwumike played for seven seasons across spells with the Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks. She averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds. The 32-year-old has pivoted to broadcasting, serving as an NBA and WNBA analyst for ESPN.

Galer, meanwhile, has watched her client portfolio grow after first aligning with Ogwumike. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Kelsey Mitchell and Elizabeth Williams are among the players represented by her firm, Disrupt the Game.

That the WNBA would be the subject for a series by a major streaming service is another sign of the league's growth. It set attendance and viewership records in 2024 and the trend is likely to continue based on how the college game is maintaining the surge of interest it enjoyed during the 2023-24 season.

Natasha Cloud is headed to the New York Liberty after being traded from the Connecticut Sun, the team announced.

The Sun will receive the seventh overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft and a first-round pick in the 2026 draft in return for the former WNBA champion.

Cloud was a second-round pick in 2015 out of Maryland and spent her first eight seasons with the Washington Mystics, winning a championship with the team in 2019.

Last offseason, she signed a two-year contract with the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 40 percent from the field.

It was announced in February that Cloud was involved in a four-team trade that sent her to the Sun. Following the trade, Cloud told reporters that the move was a "whirlwind" for her.

"The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, to say the least," Cloud told reporters. "I think for the public view, if this isn't proof enough of the business of the NBA, the WNBA ... this is what it is. It's really hard to be loyal to organizations in this situation when you can just up and move no matter what."

She added: "And so that was really hard for me, uprooting my family to the West Coast, being told I was going to retire as a Phoenix Mercury, and to then be shipped out and find out with you guys on social media, that was really fun for me."

The Sun had a massive offseason shift that saw their entire starting lineup traded or signed elsewhere, something Cloud will not have to deal with after being sent to the 2024 WNBA champions, the New York Liberty.

Cloud will fit in alongside Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Leonie Fiebich and Jonquel Jones on the defending champions' roster.

Breanna Stewart underwent successful minor surgery on her right knee and will be ready in time for training camp, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

Training camp begins on April 27. Stewart and the New York Liberty are looking to defend the franchise's first-ever WNBA title.

Stewart's Unrivaled season ended on Monday when her team, Mist Basketball Club, fell to the first-place Lunar Owls. Mist needed a win to qualify for the playoffs but missed the last spot on a tiebreaker with Vinyl.

On Thursday, Stewart posted a picture of herself in a hospital bed, but she appeared in good spirits and posted a hopeful caption.

"Small thing to a giant 🏁

"might or might not retire the leg sleeve but definitely getting rid of all that tape, iykyk.

"S/o to the gang getting me through unrivaled and Dr. Weber for getting me right🔪

"See you in the W😉."

So that's good news for Stewart, a two-time WNBA MVP and six-time All-Star who averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season.

The Liberty open their title regular season on Saturday, May 17 when they welcome the Las Vegas Aces into town.

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The Phoenix Mercury announced they'll retire Diana Taurasi's No. 3 jersey and induct her into their Ring of Honor during the 2026 WNBA season.

"Diana is the greatest of all time. What she has done over the last 20 years is truly remarkable," team governor Mat Ishbia said. "From championships to MVPs to gold medals, she is one of the most decorated athletes of all time and we're excited to celebrate all she's done for the sport, the franchise and our city with her induction into our Ring of Honor."

Taurasi told Time Magazine's Sean Gregory in February she's retiring from the WNBA after playing 20 seasons in the league, with all 20 coming in Phoenix.

The 42-year-old is one of the greatest players in WNBA history and was officially recognized with the GOAT moniker when the league held a fan vote in 2021. She's the all-time leader in points (10,646) and is fourth in assists (2,394).

Taurasi accumulated a wealth of individual accolades along with her three championships. She's an 11-time All-Star and 14-time All-WNBA honoree. She was also the Finals MVP as well when the Mercury lifted their 2009 and 2014 titles.

The six gold medals Taurasi won at the Summer Olympics with Team USA are unlikely to be duplicated by any other player. She debuted at the 2004 Games in Athens and was included in the squad that traveled to Paris last summer.

From the moment the Mercury legend retired, it was inevitable that her jerseys would hang in the rafters of PHX Arena. She'll be the fifth player to have the distinction, joining Michele Timms, Penny Taylor, Jennifer Gillom and Bridget Pettis.

As the WNBA looks to continue its expansion efforts, rap legend Eminem is hoping to be part of the charge that brings a team to Detroit.

Per Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico, Eminem has joined a group of prominent Detroit-area sports owners, athletes and executives making a bid for a WNBA team.

The Detroit Pistons announced on Jan. 31 that governor Tom Gores had joined the investor group bidding on a WNBA franchise.

Other members of the group include Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp and quarterback Jared Goff, Detroit native and Michigan basketball legend Chris Webber and Pistons legend Grant Hill.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told Vince Ellis of the Pistons' official website on Feb. 4 that Detroit "needs to get a WNBA team again" and he considered it just a matter of "when" that happens.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in October the league was not necessarily in a rush to add a new team with the Golden State Valkyries set to play their inaugural season in 2025, followed by teams in Portland and Toronto debuting in 2026.

The deadline for expansion bids was Jan. 30, with Mark Giannotto and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reporting the following day that at least 10 different groups submitted a bid to the WNBA.

Giannotto and Zillgitt added the markets represented in that round of bidding included Detroit, Nashville, Philadelphia, Houston, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis and Austin.

Even though the original plan for WNBA expansion was just one team to get the league up to 16 franchises, Soshnick and Novy-Williams noted the interest has reached the point where the expectation is that could be increased to three expansion clubs.

The report added that If Detroit were to win the bidding for a WNBA expansion franchise, the team would play its home games at Little Caesars Arena. The arena is currently the home to the Pistons and Detroit Red Wings.

Detroit previously had a WNBA franchise, known as the Shock, from 1998 to 2009. The team won three titles (2003, 2006, 2008) and four conference titles before relocating to Tulsa after the 2009 season.

The Shock remained in Tulsa through 2015 before relocating again to Dallas prior to the 2016 season. They rebranded as the Wings following their move to Dallas.

Eminem is a Detroit icon after settling in the city as a youth. He has frequently referenced the Motor City in his music and has been a staple at Lions games, including over the past two seasons during their playoff runs.

Caitlin Clark and Simone Biles were among the clues in Thursday's edition of Jeopardy!, which featured Game 2 of the 2025 Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament finals.

In the first Jeopardy! round, one of the six categories was "Women in Sports." For $400, contestants were offered this clue:

One contestant, Roger Craig, got the money after answering Clark.

The game went to different categories on the board before heading back to "Women in Sports" for $200.

"With 11 medals total, she's the most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history," the clue read.

Craig then answered "Biles" for the money.

The other clues were for these responses: Canadian goaltender Manon Rhéaume ($1,000), American skier Picabo Street ($800) and American beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor ($600).

Contestant Juveria Zaheer got the correct response for Rhéaume, while fellow contestant Matt Amadio answered right for Street and May-Treanor.

Amadio ended up winning Thursday's game and the tournament as well.

The Toronto Tempo announced Monday that tennis legend Serena Williams has joined their ownership group.

The Tempo are set to join the WNBA, with Kilmer Sports Ventures and chairman Larry Tanenbaum spearheading the initial expansion bid. They will be the first Canadian franchise in the league.

"I am thrilled to announce my ownership role in the first Canadian WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo," Williams said. "This moment is not just about basketball; it is about showcasing the true value and potential of female athletes—I have always said that women's sports are an incredible investment opportunity. I am excited to partner with Larry and all of Canada in creating this new WNBA franchise and legacy."

As part of the deal, the Tempo said she will "play an active role in future jersey designs and will help forge unique merchandise collaborations with the team."

Williams has seen firsthand how women's sports has become a lucrative business.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion was among the founding members for Angel City FC when it launched in 2020. Bringing the club into the NWSL cost around $2 million.

Last June, Disney CEO Bob Iger and wife Willow Bay bought a controlling stake in Angel City FC in a sale that valued the club at $250 million.

WNBA teams have seen a similar explosion in their valuations thanks to increased television ratings and attendances, and a new media rights deal will go into effect in 2026.

Beyond the influence she intends to have within the franchise, getting in on the ground floor with the Tempo promises to be a shrewd business move for Williams.

Rising WNBA stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are set to face off at the United Center for a pair of matchups during the upcoming 2025 season.

Reese's Chicago Sky and Clark's Indiana Fever will play at the home arena of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks, representing the first WNBA games to take place at the venue (via ESPN's Michele Steele).

The contests are scheduled for June 7 and July 27, per Steele.

The Sky usually play their home games at Wintrust Arena, which has a capacity of 10,387. Meanwhile, the United Center contains over 20,000 seats for basketball games.

"Chicago Sky fans have consistently shown up for the team and the city," Sky president Adam Fox said in a statement, via Steele. "We want to reward their passion and dedication by bringing this excitement to an expanded capacity."

The on-court rivalry between Clark and Reese goes back to their college days, meeting twice in the NCAA tournament. Reese and LSU took down Clark and Iowa in the 2023 national championship game, while Clark's Hawkeyes earned some revenge in the following season's Elite Eight.

Both players earned All-Star nods during their respective inaugural seasons in the WNBA.

Clark took home Rookie of the Year honors, averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game on 41.7/34.4/90.6 shooting splits.

Reese recorded 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the field.

Their professional matchups have generated plenty of attention. A June 2024 clash between the Fever and Sky averaged 2.25 million viewers on CBS, representing the network's most watched WNBA game ever.

As the Sky look to improve upon their 13-27 record in 2024 and compete for a playoff spot, they'll host the Fever at the United Center in anticipation of a large audience for the next meeting between Reese and Clark.

The Washington Mystics announced Thursday they're moving four of their home games in 2025 into larger arenas to meet increased ticket demand.

Games against the Chicago Sky (July 8) and Las Vegas Aces (July 10) will be staged at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. Matchups with the Indiana Fever on May 28 and Sept. 7 are heading to Baltimore's CFG Bank Arena.

"Fans of the Mystics live across the DMV and beyond, and we're excited to bring the incredible experience of the WNBA closer to home for fans living near Baltimore and Northern Virginia," chief business officer Alycen McAuley said in the announcement. "As our game continues to experience tremendous growth, we're thankful we have this opportunity to allow even more fans to come see the Mystics in person."

Washington has the smallest home arena in the WNBA. CareFirst Arena seats just 4,200 fans. EagleBank Arena (10,000) and CFG Bank Arena (14,000) both offer capacities more than double that.

The Mystics took this step last year, when they shifted their regular season finale to Capital One Arena. A record crowd of 20,711 fans showed up to watch the Mystics beat the Fever and star rookie Caitlin Clark, 92-91.

Washington also drew 10,000 fans for a 79-71 loss to the Sky and Angel Reese at Capital One Arena last June.

The team said the venue is undergoing renovations this summer that make it unavailable for any WNBA games, hence going outside of Washington, D.C.

EagleBank Arena and CFG Bank Arena at least go further to accommodate the increased interest for what will be four of the biggest contests on the Mystics' home slate.