Mercury and Team USA icon Diana Taurasi retires after 20 seasons
The move was expected for Taurasi, who will turn 43 this June. The Mercury honored her at the end of the 2024 WNBA season, promoting the final home game of the year with the phrase, "If This Is It," and giving Taurasi a postgame ceremony even though she'd yet to officially decide to retire.
She said in September that she did not want to "make any emotional, rash decisions" about her future but added, "I know the end is near."
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Japan Times
08-08-2025
- Japan Times
WNBA sex toy incidents linked to cryptocurrency group
A pair of reports published Thursday linked the recent rise of sex toys being thrown onto WNBA courts to a cryptocurrency group pushing a memecoin. A spokesman for the group behind Green Dildo Coin took credit for the trend in an interview with USA Today, while The Athletic reviewed a livestream of cryptocurrency enthusiasts in which speakers celebrated a sex toy being thrown onto the Los Angeles Sparks' court Tuesday. The group has claimed that their memecoin's goal was to combat a "toxic" environment in the cryptocurrency world and insisted that its members did not "dislike women's sports," though it's unclear why Green Dildo Coin advocates have fixated on the WNBA. Regardless, WNBA players and coaches have widely criticized the trend, citing safety concerns alongside the unneeded ridicule it's brought to the league. There have been six known incidents of neon green sex toys being thrown at WNBA games since July 29, per USA Today. The latest incident came during the Los Angeles Sparks' home win over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night. Late in the first half, after Kelsey Plum of Los Angeles shot a free throw, a sex toy was tossed onto the court landing near the feet of Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Earlier that day, Cunningham addressed the growing trend on her podcast, "Show Me Something," saying, "Everyone's trying to make sure the W is not a joke and it's taken seriously, and then that happens. I'm like, how are we ever going to get taken seriously?" The crypto group's spokesman defended the stunts to USA Today. "We didn't do this because like we dislike women's sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous," he said. "Creating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right? We've seen it in the NFL, we've seen it in hockey, you know ... fans doing random things to more or less create attention. "We knew that in order to get a voice in the space ... we had to go out and do some viral stunts to save us from having to pay that influencer cabal, sacrifice our souls and the fate of the project." The group placed one of its sex toys on the Wall Street Bull statue in New York. And the memecoin's value has grown more than 300% in the past seven days, USA Today reported. The first major incident has led to an arrest and multiple charges for its perpetrator, Delbert Carver, who tossed a sex toy onto the Atlanta Dream's court on July 29. He was released on bond and is charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure and criminal trespass. Despite that, it is not apparent that Green Dildo Coin plans to stop its stunts. "This is empowering to every (expletive) crypto community to start thinking outside the box," one person said on the livestream reviewed by The Athletic. "Get creative and (expletive) do something that makes people actually laugh. Memecoins should make you laugh."
Japan Times
20-07-2025
- Japan Times
Clark calls for more pay as WNBA labor talks intensify
Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark called for better pay in the WNBA on Saturday as labor negotiations between the league and players intensify, while Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she was optimistic about their latest talks. Thousands of fans wearing Clark jerseys packed the Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the sold-out All-Star Game on Saturday, while the wildly popular Rookie of the Year was forced to sit out after sustaining a groin injury earlier in the week. Clark was an omnipresent figure in Indianapolis in the lead-up, despite not being able to play, as her face graced ads for Nike, Wilson and Gatorade that were plastered across the city center. Asked how those brand deals stacked against her league salary, Clark responded: "That's a good question." "That's where we're really fortunate is that we have those other deals. I think that's one of the things that we're in the room fighting for," Clark told reporters. "We should be paid more. Hopefully that's the case moving forward as the league continues to grow. I think it's something that's probably the most important thing that we are in the room advocating about." The Women's National Basketball Players Association and the league met on Thursday in Indianapolis to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement after the players voted to opt out of their current deal at the end of the season. The union said after the meeting that the two sides were far apart on several issues and players were seen warming up for Saturday's game wearing shirts that read "Pay Us What You Owe Us." Engelbert struck a different tone with reporters, saying she felt the meeting with players had been productive. "(I'm) really optimistic that we'll get something done, that it'll be transformational, and that next year at All-Star, we'll be talking about how great everything is. But obviously, there's a lot of hard work to be done on both sides," she said. Engelbert, who also oversaw the league when the last deal was struck in January 2020, has been at the helm during a period of rapid growth in TV ratings and attendance for the WNBA. "We want the same things as the players," she told reporters. "We want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners their ability to have a path of profitability."
Japan Times
18-07-2025
- Japan Times
Caitlin Clark to miss WNBA All-Star Game and 3-point contest after injury
Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark has opted out of participating in the WNBA's All-Star festivities while she recovers from a right groin injury. Clark had been named a starter and team captain for Saturday's All-Star Game in Indianapolis after receiving the most fan votes. She also planned to participate in the 3-point contest before issuing her statement on Thursday. "I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can't participate in the 3-Point Contest or the All-Star Game. I have to rest my body," Clark said in a statement. "I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I'm looking forward to helping Sandy (Brondello) coach our team to a win." Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally, who was chosen as a starter for Team Clark, also pulled out Wednesday due to a ankle injury. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert selected Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes and Atlanta Dream forward Brionna Jones as replacements for Clark and Sabally. Sykes, 31, is averaging 17.1 points per game this season. This will be her first All-Star Game. Jones, 29, is now a four-time All-Star. She is averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds. Clark, 23, sustained the injury in the final minute of Indiana's 85-77 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday in Boston. She has missed 10 regular season games this season, 11 if the Commissioner's Cup final is included. Previously, she had never missed a game in her college or pro career. In 13 games, Clark is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in her second professional season. Sabally, 27, is averaging a career-best 19.1 points per game. She last played on July 3. "Unfortunately, my body still needs more time to recover and I am unable to suit up and play in this weekend's game," Sabally said. "I'm disappointed."
