WNBA commissioner optimistic about getting new CBA deal done
While the two sides are far apart right now after meeting for the first time in person on Thursday since December with more than 40 players in attendance, Engelbert has faith that a deal will get finished.
'I'm still really optimistic that we'll get something done that would be transformational,' she said before the All-Star Game on Saturday night. 'And that, next year at All-Star, we'll be talking about how great everything is. Obviously there's a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there.'
Engelbert said that more meetings are planned in the future. The current CBA will expire on Oct. 31 after the season is over.
'I have confidence we can get something done by October, but I'm not going to put an exact date on it,' she said. 'We've got some room to continue negotiations if we're close at that point.'
There's a lot of money coming into the league over the next few years with a new 11-year media rights deal worth over $2.2 billion, three new expansion teams that each paid $250 million in fees and many new sponsors.
The players top priorities are greatly increased salaries and a revenue sharing plan which Engelbert understands.
'We're going to do something transformational here because we we want the same things as the players, but we want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners, their ability to have a path to profitability, as well as in to continued investment,' she said.
Other areas that Engelbert discussed included:
Globalization
Engelbert talked about trying to expand the footprint of the league around the world more. The league will welcome its first team outside the U.S. next year with the addition of the Toronto Tempo. Engelbert mentioned Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa as places that could have huge interest in the WNBA.
'I think we're really strong domestically now ... There's a huge amount of possibilities, to turn these players into a global household being stars that they've now become here in the United States domestically,' she said.
Officiating
The consistency of officiating has been a topic that players and coaches have been discussing a lot this season and Engelbert said that the league is aware and will evaluate it.
'I realize consistency is the name of the game and I think it's something we definitely need to look at and evaluate. There's an independent evaluation of our officials and there are ramifications. It's something we need to continue to work on. As our game evolves so does our officiating, so we're on it."
Scheduling
Engelbert said that the league would look at possibly expanding the length of the season in the future on the backend of the season. The WNBA can't really start any earlier because of the NCAA Tournament, but could go into early November. There's a good shot that will happen next year with the FIBA World Cup taking place in early September.
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Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Opportunity in Washington helped Mystics rookies Citron and Iriafen become WNBA All-Stars
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were drafted by a rebuilding Washington team, it was clear they'd have a chance to make a quick impact. It turned out to be a historic one. Citron and Iriafen were both WNBA All-Stars last weekend, becoming the first pair of rookie teammates to achieve that since 1999. Their inclusion was an acknowledgement of how quickly they've established themselves in the league — and the way they've helped improve the Mystics' outlook. 'From the beginning, Slim (guard Brittney Sykes) told me like, 'You're not a rookie. We drafted you for a reason, we drafted Kiki for a reason, so you guys just go out and do what you do,'" Citron said. That's not something rookies — even first-round picks like Citron and Iriafen — can take for granted. The WNBA is a famously tough league to break into. For every immediate rookie star like Paige Bueckers, there's another high pick facing a slower adjustment timeline. Bueckers, Citron and Iriafen were all All-Stars, the first time three rookies made it since 2011. But they're the only rookies averaging over 10 points per game this year. Some of that comes down to opportunity. After finishing 14-26 last year, Washington brought in Jamila Wideman as its general manager and Sydney Johnson as its coach. Then the Mystics took Citron out of Notre Dame with the third pick in the draft and Iriafen out of Southern California with the next pick. Having both become All-Stars was pretty much the best-case scenario. Especially since both had a chance to go to Indiana and spend time with some of the game's biggest stars. 'I think there's another couple of jumps that they're looking to take, and I think they were rubbing elbows with some of those players that they aspire to be like, to outperform,' Johnson said. The 6-foot-3 Iriafen scored 17 points in the game and Citron, a 6-1 guard, added 11. Citron also took part in the 3-point contest — and the winner, Sabrina Ionescu, said she'd give half her winnings to the Washington rookie. Johnson said observing how players like Ionescu go about their business is valuable. 'Sabrina put on a show with the 3-point contest. Sonia knows how good of a shooter she is — Sonia is — and then you look, and there's like a whole other level there with Sabrina,' Johnson said. 'That's respecting Sonia, but that's calling it what it is. Just seeing pro habits, how they approach the game, how competitive they are, how they're on all the time.' Now the challenge for Citron and Iriafen is to maintain their level of production. Citron is averaging 13.8 points per game, second on the team behind Sykes, another Washington All-Star. Iriafen is averaging 12 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds. They won't be sneaking up on anyone after being named All-Stars. In the first game back from the break, Washington lost to Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Citron was held to seven points, but Iriafen contributed 13. 'Not being one-dimensional, and finding different ways to impact the game,' Iriafen said of her challenge the rest of the way. 'Maybe it is scoring, maybe it's being more of a defensive threat. Just not relying on what I did in the first half, and just continuing to get better.' The Mystics (11-12) were in eighth place entering Thursday's action, a half-game ahead of expansion Golden State (10-12) and not far behind Las Vegas (12-11) and Indiana (12-12). The loss to the Sparks was the start of a five-game homestand that could be crucial to Washington's postseason hopes. The Mystics won the 2019 championship but haven't posted a winning record since 2022 and have missed the playoffs the last two years. Whatever the stretch run has in store, Washington can look forward to the future after what the Mystics have seen from their rookie All-Star duo. 'I think it's amazing,' Citron said. 'I think me and Kiki work really hard, and it's just cool that people are seeing that.' ___ AP WNBA:
Fox Sports
8 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Who Wore It Best? Greatest College Football Players by Jersey Number, 76-99
Imagine this: You're at a sports bar with a group of friends when someone asks — who is the greatest college football player to ever wear No. 34? How do you decide between six Hall of Fame running backs — all of whom topped 3,500 yards and 40 touchdowns during their college careers? That's the debate our staff at FOX Sports faced when picking the greatest college football players by jersey number. This list is based on how players performed during their college careers. Factors taken into consideration include prestigious accolades, like the Heisman Trophy and All-American selections, as well as statistics and winning percentage. That said, we've already done Nos. 1-25 , Nos. 26-50 and Nos. 51-75 , and here's a look at the greatest players in college football history to wear Nos. 76-99. No. 76: Warren Sapp, DT, Miami (Fla.) Sapp's explosive athleticism and never-ending motor earned him All-American honors in back-to-back seasons at Miami. As a junior at Miami in 1984, Sapp put together one of the most impressive seasons for a defensive lineman in program history. He totaled 84 tackles and 10.5 sacks while winning the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and the Lombardi Award. Honorable mentions: Steve Hutchinson (Michigan), Carl Eller (Minnesota), Russell Okung (Oklahoma State) No. 77: Red Grange, HB, Illinois Nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost" for his blazing speed and elusiveness, Grange's style of running was well ahead of his time. He played both ways, but his biggest impact was on the offensive side of the ball as a halfback, rushing for more than 3,300 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns during his collegiate career. His most memorable performance came against Michigan during the 1924 season when he rushed for more than 500 yards and scored five touchdowns. He was a three-time All-American and helped lead Illinois to a national title in 1923. Honorable mentions: Jake Long (Michigan), Anthony Munoz (USC), Taylor Lewan (Michigan) No. 78: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech Known as one of the most unstoppable pass rushers in college football history, Smith starred at Virginia Tech from 1981-84. His explosiveness off the snap was simply unmatched. Smith recorded a jaw-dropping 22 sacks during the 1983 season, earning him the nickname "The Sack Man." He was a consensus All-American and the winner of the Outland Trophy in 1984. To this day, Smith remains the Hokies' all-time leader in sacks with 46. Honorable mentions: Bryant McKinnie (Miami), Ronnie Stanley (Notre Dame) No. 79: Jonathan Ogden, OT, UCLA Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing nearly 350 pounds, Ogden was one of the most physically imposing offensive tackles in college football history. A four-year starter at UCLA from 1992-95, Odgen put together an outstanding career during his time in Westwood, helping lead the Bruins to the 1993 Pac-10 championship and Rose Bowl. In 23 games during his junior and senior seasons, Odgen allowed only two sacks while earning all-conference honors each year. In 1995, he received both the Outland and the Morris Trophy while being named a consensus All-American. Honorable mentions: Rich Glover (Nebraska), Tony Mandarich (Michigan State), Buck Buchanan (Grambling) No. 80: Rick Bryan, DT, Oklahoma Bryan finished his Oklahoma career as the program's all-time leader in tackles by a defensive lineman, recording 365 in his career. He was a two-time All-American and was named the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year in 1982. The Sooners went 22-5-1 in Big Eight play during Bryan's collegiate career. Honorable mentions: Ron Beagle (Navy), Donn Moomaw (UCLA), Eric Curry (Alabama) No. 81: Tim Brown, WR, Notre Dame Brown had elite-level athleticism and speed, which made him a big-play threat every time he took the field. He was an all-purpose weapon, playing wide receiver and returning kicks and punts for the Fighting Irish. He finished his career at Notre Dame with 137 catches for 2,493 yards, a school-record 5,024 all-purpose yards, and 22 touchdowns. When he graduated in 1987, he held 19 different program records. Brown finished his career as a two-time All-American and the winner of the 1987 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award. Honorable mentions: George Connor (Notre Dame), Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) No. 82: Leon Hart, TE/DE, Notre Dame How good was Hart during his career at Notre Dame? The two-way star never lost a game during his time in South Bend, compiling a 46-0-2 record and winning three national championships. Hart won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award during the 1949 season after leading Notre Dame to a perfect 10-0 record and outscoring its opponents 360-86. Honorable mentions: Ozzie Newsome (Alabama), Greg Olsen (Miami), Al Harris (Arizona State) No. 83: Richard Wood, LB, USC USC has multiple representatives on this list, but Wood is the only player who was a three-time All-American during his time as a Trojan. A lightning-quick linebacker who was known for his hard-hitting tackles, Wood helped lead the Trojans to two national championships during his three years in college. Honorable mentions: Kellen Winslow (Missouri) No. 84: Jerry Robinson, LB, UCLA Another three-time All-American linebacker makes the list here. Robinson was a dominant defender for the Bruins in the late 1970s, finishing his college career with 468 tackles, which was a program record. He set a school record with 28 tackles in a single game against Air Force in 1976. He ranked first, second and third nationally in tackles over three seasons with 167, 159 and 147, respectively. Honorable mentions: Abe Mickal (LSU), Marcus Spears (LSU), Shaun Cody (USC) No. 85: Jim Seymour, WR, Notre Dame Seymour is known as one of the greatest players in Notre Dame history, and he made a huge splash right off the bat, catching 13 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns in his first-ever collegiate game. Seymour was a three-time All-American selection and finished his career at Notre Dame with 138 catches for 2,113 yards and 16 touchdowns. He left as the program's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Honorable mentions: Jack Snow (Notre Dame), Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma), Walter Patulski (Notre Dame) No. 86: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State A unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, Brown enjoyed a dominant college career at Penn State. He finished his career with a Penn State-record 33 sacks and added 70 tackles for loss. Brown went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. 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He finished his college career with 174 receptions for 3,529 yards and 54 receiving touchdowns, an average of nearly two touchdowns per game. Moss was a consensus All-American in 1997, as well as the Biletnikoff Award winner and a Heisman Trophy finalist. Honorable mentions: Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State), Keith Jackson (Oklahoma) No. 89: Ross Browner, DE, Notre Dame There is a strong argument to be made that Browner was the most dominant defender in Notre Dame history. In addition to being a two-team All-American, Browner helped lead the Fighting Irish to a pair of national championships and still holds the record for the most tackles in a career by a Notre Dame defensive lineman with 340. He won the Outland Trophy in 1976 and both the Lombardi and Maxwell Awards in 1977, finishing his career as one of the most accomplished linemen in college football history. Honorable mentions: Mike Ditka (Pitt), Barney Poole (Ole Miss, Army and North Carolina) No. 90: George Webster, LB, Michigan State Webster played a hybrid linebacker/safety role during his time at Michigan State, which was decades ahead of its time. His hybrid position allowed him to cover pass-catchers like a defensive back, stuff the run line as a linebacker and rush the passer like an edge rusher. He was the leader on defense for the Spartans' back-to-back national championship seasons in 1965 and 1966, earning All-American honors in both seasons. Webster is one of only four players to have his jersey retired by Michigan State. Honorable mentions: Steve Emtman (Washington) No. 91: Dewey Selmon, DT, Oklahoma Selmon was a disruptive defender during his time at Oklahoma. In his four years at OU, the Sooners posted an impressive 43-2-1 record, which included four straight Big Eight titles and back-to-back national championships in 1974 and '75. He was a two-time first-team All-Conference performer and a two-time All-American. Honorable mentions: Doug Atkins (Tennessee), Tamba Hali (Penn State) No. 92: Reggie White, DE, Tennessee The Minister of Defense was a dominant force on the defensive line during his time at Tennessee. He finished his four-year career in Knoxville with 293 tackles and a jaw-dropping 32 sacks. He was named the SEC Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American after recording a program-record 15 sacks in his senior season. Honorable mentions: Tony Casillas (Oklahoma) No. 93: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska Suh is among the greatest defensive tackles in college football history. He finished his career at Nebraska with 215 tackles, 50 tackles for loss and 24 sacks. During his senior year, Suh put together one of the greatest seasons of all time for a defensive player, totaling 85 tackles and 12 sacks en route to being named a unanimous All-American and the AP Player of the Year. Suh was the first defensive tackle in a quarter-century to be invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony, finishing fourth in the 2009 race. Honorable mentions: Lee Roy Selmon (Oklahoma), Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) No. 94: Randy White, DT, Maryland From one unstoppable defensive tackle to another, White was a force for the Terrapins in the mid-70s. By his senior year, opposing offenses were double and even triple-teaming him, but he still managed to wreak havoc, totaling 105 tackles and 12 sacks during the 1974 season. That year, White was named a consensus All-American and the winner of both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. Honorable mentions: Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), Mike Vrabel (Ohio State), Alfred Williams (Colorado) No. 95: Bubba Smith, DE, Michigan State Arguably the most accomplished player in Michigan State football history, Smith was a two-time All-American, helping lead the Spartans to back-to-back national championships in 1965 and 1966. Standing at 6-7 and weighing 266 pounds, Smith was physically dominant and nearly unblockable during his college career. Honorable mentions: Gordon Hudson (BYU) No. 96: Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon Ngata had rare physical tools for a defensive tackle, using his combination of elite size, strength and power to anchor the middle of the Ducks' defense. He recorded 130 tackles and 18 tackles for loss during his college career en route to being named a consensus All-American and the 2005 Pac-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Honorable mentions: Cortez Kennedy (Miami), Danny Stubbs (Miami) No. 97: Cornelius Bennett, LB, Alabama Deciding between Cornelius Bennett, Aaron Donald and Tommie Harris for the greatest collegiate player to wear No. 97 was no easy task, but it's impossible to ignore the elite-level production that Bennett had in his four seasons at Alabama. A three-time All-American, Bennett finished his college career with 287 tackles, 21.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries. As a senior, Bennett won the Lombardi Award and finished seventh in the balloting for the Heisman Trophy. Honorable mentions: Aaron Donald (Pitt), Tommie Harris (Oklahoma), Joey Bosa (Ohio State) No. 98: Tom Harmon, HB, Michigan Michigan has one of the richest college football histories of any program, but ask anyone about the greatest players in school history, and it's impossible not to mention Harmon, the first Wolverine to win the Heisman Trophy. He led the nation in scoring in 1939 and 1940 and put together an unforgettable performance in the final game of his senior season, rushing for two touchdowns, throwing for two touchdowns and intercepting three passes in a win over Ohio State. Honorable mentions: Lawrence Taylor (North Carolina) No. 99: Hugh Green, DE, Pitt Green was one of the most decorated defensive players in college football history. He was a four-year starter at Pitt, totaling 460 tackles and 53 sacks during his collegiate career. A three-time consensus All-American, Green was a key figure in making Pitt a national powerhouse in the late 70s. He won almost every major defensive award following the 1980 season, including the Lombardi, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, while finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race, the highest finish for a purely defensive player at the time. Honorable mentions: J.J. Watt (Wisconsin), Jay Berwanger (Chicago) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Associated Press
8 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Opportunity in Washington helped Mystics rookies Citron and Iriafen become WNBA All-Stars
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were drafted by a rebuilding Washington team, it was clear they'd have a chance to make a quick impact. It turned out to be a historic one. Citron and Iriafen were both WNBA All-Stars last weekend, becoming the first pair of rookie teammates to achieve that since 1999. Their inclusion was an acknowledgement of how quickly they've established themselves in the league — and the way they've helped improve the Mystics' outlook. 'From the beginning, Slim (guard Brittney Sykes) told me like, 'You're not a rookie. We drafted you for a reason, we drafted Kiki for a reason, so you guys just go out and do what you do,'' Citron said. That's not something rookies — even first-round picks like Citron and Iriafen — can take for granted. The WNBA is a famously tough league to break into. For every immediate rookie star like Paige Bueckers, there's another high pick facing a slower adjustment timeline. Bueckers, Citron and Iriafen were all All-Stars, the first time three rookies made it since 2011. But they're the only rookies averaging over 10 points per game this year. Some of that comes down to opportunity. After finishing 14-26 last year, Washington brought in Jamila Wideman as its general manager and Sydney Johnson as its coach. Then the Mystics took Citron out of Notre Dame with the third pick in the draft and Iriafen out of Southern California with the next pick. Having both become All-Stars was pretty much the best-case scenario. Especially since both had a chance to go to Indiana and spend time with some of the game's biggest stars. 'I think there's another couple of jumps that they're looking to take, and I think they were rubbing elbows with some of those players that they aspire to be like, to outperform,' Johnson said. The 6-foot-3 Iriafen scored 17 points in the game and Citron, a 6-1 guard, added 11. Citron also took part in the 3-point contest — and the winner, Sabrina Ionescu, said she'd give half her winnings to the Washington rookie. Johnson said observing how players like Ionescu go about their business is valuable. 'Sabrina put on a show with the 3-point contest. Sonia knows how good of a shooter she is — Sonia is — and then you look, and there's like a whole other level there with Sabrina,' Johnson said. 'That's respecting Sonia, but that's calling it what it is. Just seeing pro habits, how they approach the game, how competitive they are, how they're on all the time.' Now the challenge for Citron and Iriafen is to maintain their level of production. Citron is averaging 13.8 points per game, second on the team behind Sykes, another Washington All-Star. Iriafen is averaging 12 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds. They won't be sneaking up on anyone after being named All-Stars. In the first game back from the break, Washington lost to Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Citron was held to seven points, but Iriafen contributed 13. 'Not being one-dimensional, and finding different ways to impact the game,' Iriafen said of her challenge the rest of the way. 'Maybe it is scoring, maybe it's being more of a defensive threat. Just not relying on what I did in the first half, and just continuing to get better.' The Mystics (11-12) were in eighth place entering Thursday's action, a half-game ahead of expansion Golden State (10-12) and not far behind Las Vegas (12-11) and Indiana (12-12). The loss to the Sparks was the start of a five-game homestand that could be crucial to Washington's postseason hopes. The Mystics won the 2019 championship but haven't posted a winning record since 2022 and have missed the playoffs the last two years. Whatever the stretch run has in store, Washington can look forward to the future after what the Mystics have seen from their rookie All-Star duo. 'I think it's amazing,' Citron said. 'I think me and Kiki work really hard, and it's just cool that people are seeing that.' ___ AP WNBA:
