New York visits Las Vegas following Wilson's 32-point showing
Las Vegas; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Aces -2; over/under is 170
BOTTOM LINE: Las Vegas Aces hosts the New York Liberty after A'ja Wilson scored 32 points in the Las Vegas Aces' 94-86 victory over the Connecticut Sun.
The Aces are 10-5 in home games. Las Vegas ranks fifth in the Western Conference in team defense, allowing 82.9 points while holding opponents to 44.3% shooting.
The Liberty are 8-7 in road games. New York is second in the WNBA with 27.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Jonquel Jones averaging 7.3.
Las Vegas' average of 8.4 made 3-pointers per game this season is the same per game average that New York allows. New York averages 9.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.0 more made shots on average than the 7.8 per game Las Vegas gives up.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Liberty won the last matchup 87-78 on July 9. Sabrina Ionescu scored 28 points to help lead the Liberty to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wilson is shooting 49.0% and averaging 22.2 points for the Aces. Jackie Young is averaging 17.6 points over the last 10 games.
Natasha Cloud is averaging 10.1 points and 5.6 assists for the Liberty. Ionescu is averaging 21.5 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 46.3% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 7-3, averaging 85.1 points, 35.1 rebounds, 20.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 84.7 points per game.
Liberty: 5-5, averaging 86.1 points, 33.2 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 7.0 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 85.8 points.
INJURIES: Aces: Cheyenne Parker-Tyus: out (personal).
Liberty: Breanna Stewart: out (leg), Isabelle Harrison: out (concussion protocol), Nyara Sabally: out (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
LA 2028 to sell venue name rights in Olympic first
Organizers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will sell naming rights for some competition venues to "unlock an additional revenue stream" in a move that breaks with Games tradition of forbidding brand names on stadiums and arenas. In a statement released on Thursday, LA28 organizers said the "landmark change" will apply to featured venues in support of the "largest commercial revenue raise in sports". "From the moment we submitted our bid, LA28 committed to reimagining what's possible for the Games," LA28 chairperson and president Casey Wasserman said in a statement. "Today's historic announcement delivers on that promise, creating the first-ever venue naming rights program in Olympic and Paralympic history while advancing LA28's mission of a fully privately funded and no-new-build Games." Contracts are already in place with automaker Honda, an LA28 sponsor which already has the naming rights for the Anaheim, California, arena that will host volleyball, and with media and technology company Comcast -- which will have its name on the temporary squash venue. As previously announced, Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles will host boxing and weightlifting. Wasserman said the "groundbreaking partnerships" will generate revenue beyond what is already budgeted and "will introduce a new commercial model to benefit the entire (Olympic) movement". "We're grateful to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for making this transformation possible," he added. Naming rights for up to 19 temporary venues will be available, with the IOC's sponsorship partners and LA28 partners having a chance to put their names on Games venues. Companies that already have their names on such Olympic venues as SoFi Stadium and Arena "will have the opportunity to keep existing venue naming rights during Games time", Wasserman indicated. "Clean venue" policies that prohibit advertising on the field of play will still apply. bb/nf
Associated Press
11 minutes ago
- Associated Press
NCAA informs Michigan ruling on sign-stealing investigation will be released Friday, AP source says
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The NCAA has informed Michigan that the organization will announce the results of its sign-stealing investigation on Friday, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the details. The NCAA alleged last year in a notice that current coach Sherrone Moore violated rules as an assistant under former coach Jim Harbaugh, who served a three-game suspension in exchange for the Big Ten dropping its investigation into the allegations after the two ended up in court. Moore also was accused of deleting text messages with sign-stealer Connor Stalions before they were recovered and provided to the NCAA. Moore has previously said he has and will continue to cooperate with the NCAA's investigation, but recently declined to say much about the issue looming over the college football program with the most victories. 'Today, not tomorrow, that's all I'm worried about,' he said on Monday. The NCAA investigation surfaced early in the 2023 season amid allegations that Michigan used a robust in-person scouting and sign-stealing operation conducted by Stalions, a former a low-level staffer. He was suspended by the school and later resigned. Stalions, who did not participate in the NCAA investigation, recently said he knew almost every signal opponents used in seven games over two seasons. Michigan has been prepared to suspend Moore for two games during the coming season as part of self-imposed sanctions. The NCAA will announce soon whether that punishment is enough to address allegations that Moore failed to cooperate in an investigation. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti sent a letter to the NCAA Committee on Infractions last month, suggesting that Michigan's football program should not face more sanctions related to the sign-stealing saga. After winning the 2023 national championship, Harbaugh left to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. The Wolverines open the season on Aug. 30 at home against New Mexico State and then play at Oklahoma, where Moore was an offensive lineman, on Sept. 6. Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten, three weeks after an investigation by the NCAA into the allegations began. Hours later, Michigan asked a court for an injunction and temporary restraining order and the two sides narrowly avoided a court hearing. Harbaugh has repeatedly denied any involvement in Stalions' apparent scheme. The NCAA does not have rules against stealing signs, but does prohibit schools from sending scouts to the games of future opponents and using electronic equipment to record another team's signals. Multiple Big Ten schools had records showing ticket purchases under Stalions' name and video surveillance footage of people in those seats with cell phones pointed toward the field. Big Ten coaches and athletic directors previously pushed Petitti to punish Harbaugh before the NCAA concluded its investigation. When the Big Ten did suspend Harbaugh, Michigan claimed the commissioner overstepped his authority and acted outside the conference's bylaws. Athletic director Warde Manuel released a scathing statement just before Michigan kicked off at Penn State and won 24-15 without Harbaugh on the sideline. The NCAA previously put Michigan on three years of probation, fined the school and implemented recruiting limits after reaching a negotiated resolution in a recruiting case and banned Harbaugh from coaching college football for four years. ___ AP college football: and
Forbes
11 minutes ago
- Forbes
Breaking Down The Top 20 College Football Stars' 2025 NIL Tax Bills
The 2025 college football season is upon us, with the University of Texas as the pre-season top-ranked team according to the AP rankings. As documented by Opendorse, the money that college athletes earn from their Name, Image, and Likeness last year has eclipsed $1.6 billion with 'no signs of slowing down'. However, with big earnings comes big tax bills. This article highlights the 20 college football players with the most lucrative NIL valuations and breaks down what these athletes can expect to pay in taxes in 2025. The Taxation Of NIL Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in O'Bannon vs. NCAA, college athletes were permitted to earn money related to their NIL. This decision led to the NCAA implementing rules that went into effect, paving the way for athletes to do this without sacrificing their eligibility to play collegiate sports. Athletes are now deriving income from many sources. For instance, athletes are now permitted to serve as spokespeople for companies by appearing in commercials, much like quarterbacks Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier, who recently appeared in a commercial for the restaurant chain Raising Cane's, according to SI. Other income can be derived through the receipt of intangible benefits, such as a free car lease. In fact, CBSSports reported that the entire University of Utah's men's and women's basketball team and the gymnastics team all received complementary leased vehicles for the 2023-24 season. However, what most commonly generates NIL income is the simple name recognition of the athlete through signing autographs, making appearances, or selling personally licensed apparel. Like any other source of income, income derived from NIL is subject to taxation. As these deals are becoming increasingly lucrative, athletes earning NIL income are now facing significant tax bills. Top 20 College Football NIL Valuations In 2025 On3 provides an algorithm that estimates an athlete's NIL valuation. Of note, this is not an exact amount as NIL deals are typically not disclosed publicly. However, their valuations provide a baseline estimation for what some of the top college athletes can expect to earn over the next 12 months. Below is a table that outlines On3's top 20 highest college football NIL valuations for 2025. On3 provides the data on the name, team, position, and NIL valuation. Using this NIL valuation, one can calculate the federal income tax, state income tax, and total tax owed. Notably, in this table NIL valuations are treated as taxable income, meaning they do not factor in any possible deductions for business expenses or personal deductions (for example, the standard or itemized deduction). The calculations treat all athletes as single taxpayers with no dependents. Finally, the calculated taxes owed pertain only to income taxes, excluding property, sales, and jock taxes. Quarterbacks Lead The Way With High NIL Valuations And High Tax Bills It is no surprise that the player with the top NIL valuation in 2025 is none other than Arch Manning, quarterback for the pre-season top-ranked University of Texas Longhorns. Even if one is not familiar with this athlete, the name likely rings a bell, as Manning is the grandson of legendary quarterback Archie Manning and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning. Manning's $6.8 million NIL valuation is over 50% higher than Carson Beck (quarterback for the University of Miami), and their valuation aligns with paying federal income taxes of $2,474,186 and $1,549186, respectively. What is somewhat unique about these two athletes is that they pay no state income tax. In total, nine U.S. states do not levy taxes: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Thus, high-NIL-earning athletes in these states will pay income taxes to the U.S. and not their own state. This same notion applies to Josh Hoover (TCU quarterback and number 14 on the list). As I previously reported in Forbes, the ability to not pay state income taxes on NIL earnings can result in significant tax savings, as many athletes on this top 20 list must pay six figures annually to their state. The First Year Of Arkansas Exempting NIL From State Income Tax Taylen Green (Arkansas quarterback and number 18 on the list) also does not pay taxes to his state in 2025. The reason for this is that, in 2025, Arkansas became the first state to levy a tax on income to pass a law that exempts tax on NIL earnings. As I reported in Forbes, many schools have felt that their state income tax laws put them at a disadvantage when recruiting talent compared to schools in states without an income tax, leading to pressure on the state legislature, and, ultimately, the passage of this novel tax law. While Arkansas is the first state to pass such a law, they were not alone in considering such a change. Other states, such as Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina, also considered such legislation. For athletes like Garrett Nussmeier (LSU quarterback and number 4 of the list), Ryan Williams (Alabama wide receiver and number 13 on the list), CJ Bailey (NC State quarterback and number 16 on the list), and Jackson Arnold (Auburn quarterback and number 20 on the list), their state not passing a similar law to Arkansas this year impacts their estimated tax liability close to or above six figures. Nico Iamaleava's Curious NIL Tax Liability Increase UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava checks in at number 19 on the list of the top NIL valuation football players for the 2025 season. Despite being toward the bottom of the list, he has the highest state income taxes owed, with $237,394 expected to be levied against the state of California based on his $2 million NIL valuation. The reason for this is that California has the highest statutory state tax rate in the U.S., where the state taxes income over $1 million at a staggering rate of 13.3%. To put Iamaleava's tax liability into context, his NIL valuation suggests he will pay more in taxes with an expected $935,580 in 2025 than Hoover ($846,186) and Caleb Downs ($928,720, Ohio State safety and number 15 on the list), despite having a $400 thousand lower NIL valuation than either other the other two athletes. What makes Iamaleava's situation even more curious is that he transferred this past offseason from the University of Tennessee to UCLA. The state of Tennessee does not levy an income tax. Assuming his NIL valuation did not change, this means that the $237,394 in taxes he will now owe to the state of California are all incremental taxes.
