WNBA not investigating Storm coaching staff after cursing claim
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WASHINGTON — A report that the WNBA has launched an investigation into the Storm coaching staff is inaccurate, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told The Post on Wednesday.
The source explained that a complaint was filed to the league after a Storm assistant cursed at an Aces player in the postgame handshake line following Las Vegas' 75-70 win in Seattle on Sunday.
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The league reviewed the allegation, but nothing more seemingly came of it. To call the exploration into the query an investigation is an 'overstatement,' according to the source.
This season marks Noelle Quinn's fourth season as Seattle's head coach. She's led the Storm to a 4-4 record this season and is 62-62 with two postseason berths.
But Wednesday's news was the second conflict to saddle Quinn's staff in less than seven months.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported in November that the Storm hired a third-party firm to investigate allegations of player mistreatment by the coaching staff. Jewell Loyd was outed as the center of those allegations.
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Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn coaching during a game.
Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Less than a month later, the investigation into alleged harassment and bullying concluded with no violations found, and Loyd requested a trade from the Storm.
She was dealt to the Aces as part of a three-team trade that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft to Seattle.
The source stressed Wednesday's report had nothing to do with the Storm's initial investigation.
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A request for comment from Loyd through the Aces wasn't immediately returned. The Storm didn't immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.
After leading the Liberty to a 7-0 start, Sandy Brondello was named Coach of the Month for May, the WNBA announced Wednesday.
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In six games, the Liberty posted a league-best 90.5 points and 24.5 assists per game. They also set a regular-season league record when they made 19 3-pointers against the Sky. New York's net rating of 19.1 puts it at the top of the league, too.
Brondello said the monthly honor is as much a reflection of her and her coaching staff as it is the players executing the game plan.
'It's a testament to all of us really,' Brondello said. 'We're 7-0, we're happy with where we're at, but we know what we got, still got room for improvement and got to keep growing.'
Nyara Sabally of the Liberty is fouled by the Chicago Sky's Elizabeth Williams.
Getty Images
Nyara Sabally, who's missed five straight games, is listed as questionable for Thursday's game at the Mystics. Sabally participated in at least some of Wednesday's practice, and Brondello said the third-year center has been 'building up' for her return.
'It's more, like, making sure Nyara feels good. That's important for us,' Brondello said. 'She's getting more confident in the knee and then … it's reloading her now and then being smart about that. And we'll take information from the performance staff.'
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Sabally surely would add another layer to an already dynamic Liberty offense with her rolling abilities and post-up skills. But the Liberty are playing the long game with Sabally, making sure she's available when the team needs her most.
'We're cautious, [and] we're making sure she's good to go,' Brondello said. 'We're winning, so we don't need to bring her back early. Let's think big picture [with] her and make her feel confident in what she's done because she's so critical.'
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Why are international players flocking to the WNBA?
NEW YORK — For a few minutes after a shootaround, Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase sat on the sideline with French guard Carla Leite beside her. Nakase demonstrated different hand motions and signaled to her 21-year-old rookie guard. Looking to bridge a communication gap as much as possible, Nakase recognized Leite as a strong visual learner. 'Sometimes, it's not easy for me to speak,' Leite said. Advertisement More than any other WNBA franchise, the Valkyries roster is a global tapestry. Leite, who said her English is improving every day, is just one part of that. Golden State's opening night roster featured players from six countries. 'I have to learn French is what I've learned,' Nakase said. French is the Valkyries' unofficial second language. Rookies Janelle Salaün and Leite are natives of France, and guard Julie Vanloo, who is Belgian, speaks French fluently. Vanloo said she is 'available if needed' to translate. Rookie center Kyara Linskens, another Belgian, downplayed her French proficiency, though when asked by Nakase if she could speak the language, Linskens replied: 'un petit peu.' Translation: a little bit. (Perhaps Linskens is underselling her knowledge.) Some Valkyries assistants are even learning to count in French to connect with players. Advertisement While Golden State is the WNBA's newest and most worldly team, it isn't alone in its international presence. The number of foreign-born players in the league has continued to increase. At the start of this season, the league had 34 players born outside the U.S., up from 25 at the beginning of the 2023 season. Among this season's group, 18 were in their first or second WNBA seasons. A new generation of international players is showing newfound interest in the league — and vice versa. Twelve new roster spots for the addition of Golden State as an expansion franchise were only part of the surge. According to interviews with more than 10 players, executives and coaches, the WNBA's growing global presence, engaged fan bases, increased ownership investment and expected forthcoming salary increases also contribute to its growth. 'You're seeing more and more international players, more Europeans, wanting to come here and play because it's the most competitive league in the world,' said Cecilia Zandalasini, a Valkyries wing and native of Italy. Advertisement Since its inception, the WNBA has maintained a global presence, with the number of international players peaking in the early 2000s, when the league had three more teams than it does today. However, as the initial fanfare wore off and the league underwent a turbulent period, the number of foreign players declined. At the start of the 2011 season, the league had just 15 foreign-born players due to national team commitments, limited financial incentives, role adjustments and a desire to rest during the summer, which became some of the reasons the WNBA wasn't always the top choice for international players. Some of the world's most decorated European players of the last 15 seasons — Alina Iagupova, Alba Torrens and Laia Palau — never played in the WNBA. Yet, amid a period of transformational growth, international player interest has also increased. The WNBA is broadcast in more than 24 languages this season, up from 16 in 2022, with players tuning in to see packed arenas. (League attendance in 2024 was up 48 percent year-over-year, the highest mark in 22 years.) 'With the (increased) visibility of the league, it does make more sense that more girls would want to aspire to make it to the league,' said Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle, who is American-born but grew up in the United Kingdom. Advertisement Exposure takes different forms. Fagbenle loved tennis and didn't watch a WNBA game until she was 14. But soon after seeing her first game, reaching the WNBA became her goal. Sevgi Uzun, a Turkish guard who began the season with the Phoenix Mercury, turned pro at 16 and started practicing alongside WNBA players who competed in her native country during their offseasons. Although no Turkish women's basketball players were in the WNBA when she grew up, Uzun, as a developing prospect, received consistent encouragement from WNBA players about her potential ceiling. 'Kayla McBride was the very first one who told me you're different, you can do something,' Uzun said. (McBride first played in Turkey in 2017.) Multiple league executives also cited the 2024 Paris Olympics, in which both France and Belgium pushed the American team, as another demonstration of the high-quality international player pool. In recent years, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has discussed the desire to globalize the WNBA. Over the last decade, the league has had only three All-Stars born outside the U.S. (Australian Liz Cambage, Emma Meesseman from Belgium, and Jonquel Jones from The Bahamas). A younger generation of foreign players has taken notice of the league's global brand. Advertisement 'People are watching it more and are looking forward to being like, 'OK, this can be a goal,' ' said Mercury rookie guard Monique Akoa Makani, who grew up in Cameroon and France. By seeing Belgian guard Julie Allemand (L.A. Sparks) and French guard Marine Johannès (New York Liberty) make a WNBA impact, Akoa Makani found players she could emulate. 'I used to practice with them when they were pro in my local team, and at the time, I was looking up to them,' she said. 'When I saw them going to the W, I was like, 'We're kind of from the same place, why not (me)?' ' Johannès is among a group of international players who face a unique decision this month: continue playing for their WNBA teams or take a brief hiatus to compete in FIBA's EuroBasket tournament, which runs from June 18 to 29. Johannès sat out the 2024 WNBA season to play for France's Olympic team and will not participate in this month's tournament to remain with the Liberty. However, her New York teammates Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich are competing for Germany. The Liberty's absences pale in comparison to Golden State, as Salaün, Zandalasini, Vanloo and Fagbenle will participate in the event. Advertisement Fagbenle, the captain of Team Great Britain, hopes that FIBA and the WNBA will collaborate going forward, so that players aren't forced to choose between country and club teams. 'Two major entities that I would hope would want to work together to figure out a way to make things work for the players who want to play them both,' she said. 'I'm optimistic.' Earlier this month, FIBA announced it was shifting the 2030 World Cup to late November and early December, while the 2026 World Cup is set to take place in early September, creating a potentially significant scheduling conflict for the WNBA. The WNBA may take a brief hiatus just before the 2026 playoffs, although the scheduling specifics will also need to be collectively bargained with the players' association. The league's players, including top American players, may have to make difficult decisions ahead of the most critical time on the WNBA calendar. Faced with the decision to stay or leave for this month's EuroBasket, some foreign players have elected to remain with their WNBA teams. Golden State's Linskens and Leite are staying in the U.S. to focus on their first seasons. Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams will stay to compete in her first full WNBA season since 2022, and Storm rookie Dominique Malonga, the No. 2 pick in April's draft from France, will also continue her WNBA season. Advertisement 'I think my rookie season is important and I wanted to leave it all with the team,' Malonga said. Added Leite: 'I think everybody who is born in Europe is also now having the dream to come to the WNBA, so everybody's just super grateful.' Yet as more international players join the WNBA, an inverse situation is occurring abroad. Over the last 15 years, WNBA greats such as Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Sylvia Fowles played multiple winter seasons on professional teams in Turkey, China and Russia. However, the era of top Americans playing abroad appears to be fleeting. Unrivaled, the professional 3×3 league that debuted in January, provides players with a high-paying U.S.-based alternative. The result of American stars not going abroad is already being felt, according to first-year Connecticut Sun coach Rachid Meziane. Advertisement 'I think overseas domestic leagues are going down a little bit because there are fewer good players because the best players in the world are here,' said Meziane, who is the WNBA's first French-born head coach. Uzun spent the past season with the Turkish power Fenerbahçe, and she sees a change, too. 'It affects us, especially in EuroLeague,' she said. 'It does affect the quality of the league and the competition. But if you're gonna ask me individually, is (their presence) more important (than) their mental (health) and (spending time with) their families? I'm glad they can choose that now. They have enough power to choose that and make that decision.' Players from different continents now have more options than ever for professional play. But as it relates to the summer calendar, the pull of the WNBA appears stronger than ever before. 'Perception has changed,' said Zandalasini, who returned to the WNBA last year after a five-year hiatus. 'The WNBA is growing so fast, and there are fans definitely coming to every game everywhere, so it's more appealing as a league.' Advertisement — The Athletic This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA, Sports Business 2025 The Athletic Media Company
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Indiana Fever roster have ESPN's best young WNBA core with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston
Indiana Fever roster have ESPN's best young WNBA core with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston Roster building in any professional sport is a science that many have tried to study, but only a select few have ever figured out. The WNBA is no different. With roster cuts, a salary cap, and young talent oozing from the collegiate level, roster management has never been harder than it is right now. The Indiana Fever, who feature young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, began building through the WNBA draft while also exploring free agency to show the constant balancing act required to find success. Their current roster is young, but it is also very talented. That combination puts the Indiana Fever atop ESPN's rankings of the best young cores in the WNBA. Indiana Fever (3-4) Average age (league ranking): 28.5 (6th youngest) Key players to build on (age): Caitlin Clark (23), Aliyah Boston (23), Lexie Hull (25) It's no surprise to see the Fever here with the brightest group of young stars in the WNBA. With Clark and Boston, Indiana has the No. 1 picks from the 2023 and 2024 drafts -- each of whom went on to win Rookie of the Year in back-to-back seasons as well. When healthy (and both have been extremely durable throughout college and the pros, up until Clark's recent injury), no team has a dynamic duo this good and this young. That's particularly true when you consider how well their games complement each other's, with Clark serving as the WNBA's ultimate heliocentric perimeter creator and initiator, and Boston scoring inside the arc with high volume and efficiency. The two took some time to figure out how to mesh in Clark's rookie season last year, but both were improving their numbers early this season before Clark got hurt. Boston has a sky-high 65.7 True Shooting % (TS%) this season, for instance, while scoring 16.8 points per game. Don't sleep on Hull, either; the fourth-year guard out of Stanford has improved each year of her WNBA career and is tracking for a breakout performance. - Neil Paine, ESPN It isn't overly shocking that the Fever have found their place at the top of this list. They have the last two WNBA Rookie of the Year winners and are arguably the face of the entire league. Caitlin Clark has transcended the WNBA and is barely in her second season. Aliyah Boston is only getting better, and the rest of the Fever are going to be forced to develop alongside Clark, who makes life easier on everyone with the attention she demands from other teams. If the Indiana Fever can avoid major injuries or catastrophic departures in free agency, they are as primed as any team in the league to be contending for titles over the next decade. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Why are international players flocking to the WNBA?
NEW YORK — For a few minutes after a shootaround, Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase sat on the sideline with French guard Carla Leite beside her. Nakase demonstrated different hand motions and signaled to her 21-year-old rookie guard. Looking to bridge a communication gap as much as possible, Nakase recognized Leite as a strong visual learner. Advertisement 'Sometimes, it's not easy for me to speak,' Leite said. More than any other WNBA franchise, the Valkyries roster is a global tapestry. Leite, who said her English is improving every day, is just one part of that. Golden State's opening night roster featured players from six countries. 'I have to learn French is what I've learned,' Nakase said. French is the Valkyries' unofficial second language. Rookies Janelle Salaün and Leite are natives of France, and guard Julie Vanloo, who is Belgian, speaks French fluently. Vanloo said she is 'available if needed' to translate. Rookie center Kyara Linskens, another Belgian, downplayed her French proficiency, though when asked by Nakase if she could speak the language, Linskens replied: 'un petit peu.' Translation: a little bit. (Perhaps Linskens is underselling her knowledge.) Some Valkyries assistants are even learning to count in French to connect with players. While Golden State is the WNBA's newest and most worldly team, it isn't alone in its international presence. The number of foreign-born players in the league has continued to increase. At the start of this season, the league had 34 players born outside the U.S., up from 25 at the beginning of the 2023 season. Among this season's group, 18 were in their first or second WNBA seasons. A new generation of international players is showing newfound interest in the league — and vice versa. Twelve new roster spots for the addition of Golden State as an expansion franchise were only part of the surge. According to interviews with more than 10 players, executives and coaches, the WNBA's growing global presence, engaged fan bases, increased ownership investment and expected forthcoming salary increases also contribute to its growth. In a heartwarming post-game moment, Carla Leite admits her English isn't great, so teammate Janelle Salaün steps in to translate 🇫🇷 The French duo powered the @valkyries to their second consecutive win! — WNBA (@WNBA) May 24, 2025 'You're seeing more and more international players, more Europeans, wanting to come here and play because it's the most competitive league in the world,' said Cecilia Zandalasini, a Valkyries wing and native of Italy. Since its inception, the WNBA has maintained a global presence, with the number of international players peaking in the early 2000s, when the league had three more teams than it does today. However, as the initial fanfare wore off and the league underwent a turbulent period, the number of foreign players declined. Advertisement At the start of the 2011 season, the league had just 15 foreign-born players due to national team commitments, limited financial incentives, role adjustments and a desire to rest during the summer, which became some of the reasons the WNBA wasn't always the top choice for international players. Some of the world's most decorated European players of the last 15 seasons — Alina Iagupova, Alba Torrens and Laia Palau — never played in the WNBA. Yet, amid a period of transformational growth, international player interest has also increased. The WNBA is broadcast in more than 24 languages this season, up from 16 in 2022, with players tuning in to see packed arenas. (League attendance in 2024 was up 48 percent year-over-year, the highest mark in 22 years.) 'With the (increased) visibility of the league, it does make more sense that more girls would want to aspire to make it to the league,' said Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle, who is American-born but grew up in the United Kingdom. Exposure takes different forms. Fagbenle loved tennis and didn't watch a WNBA game until she was 14. But soon after seeing her first game, reaching the WNBA became her goal. Sevgi Uzun, a Turkish guard who began the season with the Phoenix Mercury, turned pro at 16 and started practicing alongside WNBA players who competed in her native country during their offseasons. Although no Turkish women's basketball players were in the WNBA when she grew up, Uzun, as a developing prospect, received consistent encouragement from WNBA players about her potential ceiling. 'Kayla McBride was the very first one who told me you're different, you can do something,' Uzun said. (McBride first played in Turkey in 2017.) Multiple league executives also cited the 2024 Paris Olympics, in which both France and Belgium pushed the American team, as another demonstration of the high-quality international player pool. Advertisement In recent years, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has discussed the desire to globalize the WNBA. Over the last decade, the league has had only three All-Stars born outside the U.S. (Australian Liz Cambage, Emma Meesseman from Belgium, and Jonquel Jones from The Bahamas). A younger generation of foreign players has taken notice of the league's global brand. 'People are watching it more and are looking forward to being like, 'OK, this can be a goal,' ' said Mercury rookie guard Monique Akoa Makani, who grew up in Cameroon and France. By seeing Belgian guard Julie Allemand (L.A. Sparks) and French guard Marine Johannès (New York Liberty) make a WNBA impact, Akoa Makani found players she could emulate. 'I used to practice with them when they were pro in my local team, and at the time, I was looking up to them,' she said. 'When I saw them going to the W, I was like, 'We're kind of from the same place, why not (me)?' ' Johannès is among a group of international players who face a unique decision this month: continue playing for their WNBA teams or take a brief hiatus to compete in FIBA's EuroBasket tournament, which runs from June 18 to 29. Johannès sat out the 2024 WNBA season to play for France's Olympic team and will not participate in this month's tournament to remain with the Liberty. However, her New York teammates Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich are competing for Germany. The Liberty's absences pale in comparison to Golden State, as Salaün, Zandalasini, Vanloo and Fagbenle will participate in the event. Fagbenle, the captain of Team Great Britain, hopes that FIBA and the WNBA will collaborate going forward, so that players aren't forced to choose between country and club teams. 'Two major entities that I would hope would want to work together to figure out a way to make things work for the players who want to play them both,' she said. 'I'm optimistic.' Earlier this month, FIBA announced it was shifting the 2030 World Cup to late November and early December, while the 2026 World Cup is set to take place in early September, creating a potentially significant scheduling conflict for the WNBA. The WNBA may take a brief hiatus just before the 2026 playoffs, although the scheduling specifics will also need to be collectively bargained with the players' association. The league's players, including top American players, may have to make difficult decisions ahead of the most critical time on the WNBA calendar. Advertisement Faced with the decision to stay or leave for this month's EuroBasket, some foreign players have elected to remain with their WNBA teams. Golden State's Linskens and Leite are staying in the U.S. to focus on their first seasons. Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams will stay to compete in her first full WNBA season since 2022, and Storm rookie Dominique Malonga, the No. 2 pick in April's draft from France, will also continue her WNBA season. 'I think my rookie season is important and I wanted to leave it all with the team,' Malonga said. Added Leite: 'I think everybody who is born in Europe is also now having the dream to come to the WNBA, so everybody's just super grateful.' Yet as more international players join the WNBA, an inverse situation is occurring abroad. Over the last 15 years, WNBA greats such as Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Sylvia Fowles played multiple winter seasons on professional teams in Turkey, China and Russia. However, the era of top Americans playing abroad appears to be fleeting. Unrivaled, the professional 3×3 league that debuted in January, provides players with a high-paying U.S.-based alternative. The result of American stars not going abroad is already being felt, according to first-year Connecticut Sun coach Rachid Meziane. 'I think overseas domestic leagues are going down a little bit because there are fewer good players because the best players in the world are here,' said Meziane, who is the WNBA's first French-born head coach. Uzun spent the past season with the Turkish power Fenerbahçe, and she sees a change, too. 'It affects us, especially in EuroLeague,' she said. 'It does affect the quality of the league and the competition. But if you're gonna ask me individually, is (their presence) more important (than) their mental (health) and (spending time with) their families? I'm glad they can choose that now. They have enough power to choose that and make that decision.' Advertisement Players from different continents now have more options than ever for professional play. But as it relates to the summer calendar, the pull of the WNBA appears stronger than ever before. 'Perception has changed,' said Zandalasini, who returned to the WNBA last year after a five-year hiatus. 'The WNBA is growing so fast, and there are fans definitely coming to every game everywhere, so it's more appealing as a league.' — The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant contributed to this report. (Photo of Carla Leite: Juan Ocampo / NBAE via Getty Images)
