Latest news with #NatashaCloud
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
With WNBA growth on full display, players utilize All-Star weekend to send CBA message: 'We're fighting for what we're due'
INDIANAPOLIS — The foreshadowing was there all along. On the eve of All-Star weekend earlier this week, New York Liberty point guard Natasha Cloud set the tone ahead of impending labor negotiations with the league: "We're not f***ing around." They've historically shown they don't. There's no reason an All-Star Game amid pivotal and contentious collective bargaining agreement discussions would be any different. This is, as Kelsey Plum reminded on Friday, the same group that flipped the U.S. Senate in 2020. They advocated for the release of Brittney Griner from wrongful detainment in a Russian prison in 2022. And on Saturday, in front of a sold-out Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd and a city that came out in force to celebrate the weekend, the players packed a punch with yet another black T-shirt screaming their message clearly. It was a statement that 'spoke for itself,' Team Clark All-Star Kelsey Mitchell said, and drove home the idea that players want a piece of the pie they help bake. Pay Us What You Owe Us. 'We see the growth of the league,' All-Star Game MVP Napheesa Collier said. 'And as it stands, the current salary system is not really paying us what we're owed. And we want to be able to have that fair share moving forward.' The crowd, also, was not messing around. It drowned out Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's awarding of the MVP trophy with organic chants of 'pay them.' As Brittney Sykes walked back and forth behind the scene, holding a black sign reading 'Pay the players,' the crowd reacted as if watching a cartoon scene. 'It was a very powerful moment,' Plum said. 'We didn't, at least as players, we didn't know that that was going to happen. So it was kind of a genuine surprise.' It's all too reminiscent of the U.S. women's national soccer team suing its federation in 2019 and being met at the World Cup parade with chants of 'equal pay.' When players took the court ahead of Saturday's game, fans roared as they recognized what they were reading in white script. It's a different labor environment than most men's sports, and players understand that. The WNBA, still yet to hit its 30th year, doesn't pay the bloated contracts and multimillion-dollar annual deals that tick off the casual fan who misses the good ol' days of playing for the love of the game. Many Americans make more money than Caitlin Clark, who is on a rookie-scale $78,066 contract. She side-stepped a request earlier in the night to compare her salary with her sponsorship deals. 'That's where we're really fortunate is that we have those other deals,' Clark said. 'And I think that's one of the things that we're fighting for is we should be paid more, and hopefully that's the case moving forward as the league continues to grow. I think that's something, that's probably the most important thing that we're in the room advocating about.' Cloud, a veteran WNBA champion, said that after winning the skills competition on Friday night, the $57,575 ($55,000 from Aflac's sponsorship) would be set aside for a down payment on a house. She's playing on a $200,000 contract, a significant number more than double the U.S. median household income. But barely. 'We're fighting for what we're due, and what we're worth. Our value,' Cloud said on Friday. 'And they're going to be fighting for what they think protects the business. And our job, again, is to find common ground. But that doesn't mean that we keep taking the crumbs of the pie." The status of labor negotiations will always hinge on who one asks. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, union leadership and players who attended Thursday's meeting told reporters on Friday they were disappointed and frustrated at the lack of progress. Engelbert, in her annual pregame press conference less than an hour before the players' arrival, described the talks as productive. The players' No. 1 priority is revenue sharing, which will, in turn, deliver higher salaries. They see it all around them. The entire weekend screams of the WNBA's eruption, with signage starting at the airport and fans of all teams packing the streets with bags of new gear. Much of it features player likeness. And when they head back to their home markets, they're playing to record crowds in front of historic TV viewership. 'Just call it what it is,' Plum said on Friday. 'The players are the draw, so I think the players should now take part in that revenue that they're drawing.' Engelbert said before the game it was 'not accurate' that the league was unwilling to propose a revenue sharing system that allows player salaries to grow with the league. 'We already have a revenue sharing," Engelbert said, "but we were in a very different place in 2020 than we are in 2025, so I think you'll see the revenue sharing be a much more lucrative one as we go forward because we are in a better place, quite frankly.' The revenue sharing agreement in Article XII of the 2020 CBA dictates if the league's cumulative revenue exceeds the cumulative revenue target for said season, then players will be paid 50% of the shared revenue per certain stipulations. There is no set number in the CBA, though it was reportedly out of reach in previous seasons. Neither side has described the proposals they've made, or what their revenue sharing ideas are. 'Based on what we saw and based on what we're proposing, it's two fundamentally different systems,' Ogwumike said after the game. 'And one that leans more towards a fixed percentage is what the league is responding to us with and we want to have a better share of that where our salaries grow with the business and not just a fixed percentage over time.' The public statements from players and fan reactions put pressure on the league as negotiations continue. It's not new for players to utilize the fandom in real time. It is for them to do it with this much of the fandom so invested in their work. Engelbert conceded on Saturday that there is no hard date in October to complete a CBA. The two sides extended the deadline in 2019 and agreed to a deal in mid-January 2020. 'If we're in a good place, and we're going back and forth and there's a few remaining issues, we can extend dates here and there,' Engelbert said. Extensions could complicate the league calendar. Incoming expansion teams Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will need to complete an expansion draft, which was scheduled in December last year for the Golden State Valkyries. All 15 teams will engage in a potential landscape-altering free agency period, since nearly everyone not on a rookie contract is unrestricted. The WNBA draft follows in April, right after the national title game on April 5, before the likely start of the 2026 WNBA season. Both sides said on Saturday they're committed to finalizing a deal. The players delivered their counterpunch before heading out of town and found that their fans, new and old, met them where they were once again this weekend. 'First and foremost, the mission was accomplished because we built an incredible amount of awareness this weekend,' Plum said. It's been a winning strategy for them before.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
LASIK Takes Aim At WNBA Refs' Bad Calls With An Eye-Opening Solution
The bad and missed calls by refs are not only getting to players and fans, but also some eye doctors. In a humorous twist on a current hot topic, LASIK wants to help those stop those bad calls by offering WNBA referees a possible solution. The eye surgery brand is positioning the move as a clever marketing play and a genuine solution to what fans have been calling a "vision problem" on the court. There's Been A Lot Of WNBA Referee Talk Lately A hot topic in the WNBA right now is bad and missed calls by the referees. Fans and players alike have been complaining about it more lately than ever. Some players are upset about missed calls, some are angry about bad calls, and then some are even wondering why refs don't get "reprimanded for their mistakes." During an interview with ESPN, New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud, voiced her unfiltered opinion about the topic recently. "I also think that there needs to be [a] f-cking fine placed on referees for missed calls, right? If I can get a technical in the game for my emotions, I think the referees should be able to be reprimanded for their mistakes too," she said. "If my fines are going to be public knowledge, I think their fines should be public knowledge too." It's important to note that the league will fine or suspend a referee for misapplication of rules, but not for a misjudgment. LASIK Entered The Chat Offering An Interesting Solution For WNBA Refs Joining the conversation about referee calls in the WNBA, LASIK offered an interesting solution (just in case the issue really is eyesight). "We offer all WNBA refs LASIK for free!" they shared on social media. The LASIK website explains a little more detail about what they are offering all professional refs across all sports. "This free offer for WaveLight, All-laser custom Modern LASIK is for professional referees and officials currently employed by the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, USNT, MLS, NWSL, and WNBA at vision centers partnered with the Network," the website explains. "Applicants will undergo a thorough LASIK eye consultation to determine if they are a safe candidate for LASIK. Participation in the initiative is subject to meeting specific eligibility criteria, including but not limited to age, health status, and ocular conditions. Referees and officials must undergo a comprehensive LASIK eye examination conducted by qualified affiliated doctors to determine their eligibility for the procedure." So, if the issue is actually eyesight, LASIK might be a great solution, and for free for professional refs. Sophie Cunningham Is 'Just Trollin' About The Refs On TikTok Indiana Fever star recently shared her thoughts on the referee calls in a savage TikTok video. Set to Sabrina Carpenter's song, "Manchild," Cunningham made sure to add "@refs" to her video while lip syncing, "Stupid? Or is Maybe it' Fans took to the comments to share their thoughts. "Start a GoFundMe for fines and say whatever you want. We got your back," one person wrote. Another added, "I'll pay your fine! Keep speaking the truth girl!" Fans also shared how frustrating it's been with bad calls lately. "I've never screamed at the tv so much. It's so frustrating and I'm not even the one playing! GO FEVER," one person wrote in the comments. Another said, "It's all captured on video for us to witness just how true this is." LA Sparks Star Kelsey Plum Recently Spoke Out About WNBA Refs Sparks star spoke out about the "consistency" of calls on July 18. "I have no problem with the physicality. I think people are frustrated with the consistency," she said, according to Women's Fastbreak on SI. "So it's like a ticky-tack here, and then someone gets absolutely assaulted over here, and like, where's the line? And where do we call it, and why do we call it?" She continued, "I also think too, a lot of teams specifically play me very physical, which I a foul is a foul. So a foul in the first quarter is a foul in the fourth quarter. And so it's like, hey, if you're not gonna call it in the first, that's fine. But don't call it in the fourth. Or let me guard them that way that they guard me." She also explained that the "officiating across the board" is getting people frustrated with the "lack of consistency." Coach Becky Hammon Also Shared Thoughts About Recent Calls It's not just the players and fans who are calling out the bad and missed calls. Coaches are jumping into the conversation as well. Las Vegas Aces head coach recently shared her thoughts after a recent loss to the Washington Mystics. As Hammon exited the postgame presser, she said, "Tell me how much my fine is." She spent the final minutes of the game noticeably frustrated with "awful" officiating. "Jackie [Young] got fouled at 33 seconds [left] on that layup. No call," she said. "Meanwhile, on the other end, I would have challenged seven more calls - and won them. I have no idea what that was. Awful."
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
WNBA All-Star Weekend brings the fun — even without Caitlin Clark
INDIANAPOLIS — Turns out, the WNBA didn't have to cancel its All-Star Weekend. Not with Sabrina Ionescu reclaiming her three-point crown, and Natasha Cloud racing through a skills obstacle course before playfully trolling the home crowd. There was still discernible joy on the faces of the players as they sat courtside wearing swaggy streetwear brands and not looks of concern about revenue sharing. No one complained about the officials assigned to the festivities missing a call. And no, nobody missed listening to 'comedian' Shane Gillis try his best to make casual racism sound remotely humorous. Furthermore, not a single fan inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse tried to sacrifice their own right groin so that the most important woman in the building — and the league — could leave her floor seat and drape on her No. 22 Indiana Fever cape.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New York Liberty All-Star sweep: Sabrina Ionescu wins 2025 WNBA 3-Point Contest, Natasha Cloud wins Skills Challenge
The New York Liberty won last year's WNBA Championship. They're in good shape to repeat, too. But before the team's second-half sprint to the playoffs, New York collected some other hardware Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Liberty guards Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud headlined the first night of 2025 WNBA All-Star festivities in Indianapolis, with Ionescu winning the 3-Point Contest and Cloud winning the Skills Challenge. Ionescu didn't participate in last year's 3-point contest, which was won by Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, who became the first player to win both the 3-point contest and the Skills Challenge in the same season. That said, Ionescu took home the 3-point contest trophy in 2023 when she wowed with a jaw-dropping final round, making 25-of-27 attempts for 37 points, the most all-time in the competition. Ionescu and Gray met in this year's 3-point contest final, and the Liberty's sharpshooting star put on a similarly unbelievable performance. She hit 11 shots in a row and finished with 30 points, ultimately eight more than Gray. "Well, I'm pretty disappointed," Ionescu told ESPN's Holly Rowe in an on-court interview afterward. "I feel like I missed a few easy ones there that I definitely could have made, so I'm sorry about that. "But just happy to be here and obviously happy to have won with my teammate, Natasha Cloud, who won the skills competition as well." Ionescu had nothing to apologize for. She delivered WNBA fans another popcorn-worthy show. Later, she told reporters that half of her prize money — made up of $60,000 from WNBA insurance partner Aflac, plus another $2,575 from the league — will go to Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron. While they were sitting together on the bench Friday night in anticipation of the competition, Ionescu told a nervous Citron that Ionescu would pay the rookie half the 3-point contest winnings if she won. Ionescu said that it takes a lot of courage to participate as the only first-year player in the event, and that she is proud of Citron for doing so. "I think I have a limit on Venmo, so I got to figure out how to exactly do that," Ionescu said, as reported by ESPN's Kendra Andrews. "I've got to pick up the check ... maybe just cut it in half." The other half of Ionescu's winnings is going to her foundation. This year's 3-point contest was notably missing a hometown star. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark originally committed to the event but had to back out after she aggravated her previous groin injury on Tuesday night against the Connecticut Sun. Clark's Fever teammate, Lexie Hull, took her place in the competition and more than held her own. Cloud, meanwhile, beat out Erica Wheeler to take home the $55,000 prize in the skills competition. Here's how this year's WNBA 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge went down:
Forbes
4 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Cloud, Ionescu Win Skills And 3-Point Contests At WNBA All-Star
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 18: (L-R) WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest winner Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the ... More New York Liberty poses with Kia WNBA Skills Challenge winner Natasha Cloud #9 of the New York Liberty during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star weekend at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 18, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Before the WNBA All-Star Game takes place Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, players participated in the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge and the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest on Friday. The night ended with two New York Liberty teammates winning the events, as Natasha Cloud took the Skills title and Sabrina Ionescu earned her second 3-Point Contest trophy. "It means everything. The last time I was here in (Indianapolis) against Steph (Curry), I lost, so I felt like I had to come back and redeem myself," said Ionescu, who headlined the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA three-point contest against Curry during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, also in Indianapolis. In addition to being recognized as the best in their category, the winner of each challenge took home prize money, with Cloud earning $55,000 and Ionescu $60,000. Cloud dedicated the money to putting a down payment on a house with her partner and teammate Isabelle Harrison, while Ionescu said she would split the prize with Washington Mystics rookie Sonia Citron—who also competed in the 3-Point Contest—and her own foundation, SI20. 'I told Sonia that I would give her half if I won, when we were sitting on the bench. Being the only rookie, she was nervous, and I was nervous for her. So, I obviously have to hold up my end of the bargain,' Ionescu told reporters at the end of the event. 'So, half is gonna go to her. I gotta text her and let her know that I'm gonna give her half just for participating. That takes a lot of courage to be able to do that as a rookie. Then the other half is going to go to my foundation to continue to be able to give back to communities. That means a lot to me.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Cloud Wins With One-Second Difference INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 18: Natasha Cloud #9 of the New York Liberty poses with her trophy ... More after winning the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star weekend at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 18, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Five WNBA players competed in the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge, a timed obstacle course designed to test dribbling, passing and shooting abilities. The players chosen by the league were Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm), and Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx). The course included a series of passes—bounce, chest and outlet—along with shots from the elbow, the top of the arc and the corner. A 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid was positioned on the course as part of the obstacles. The two players with the fastest times in the first round advanced to the final. In the first round, the five players competed for the only two spots in the final. Williams and Diggins both finished the course in over 40 seconds, not enough to advance, as Cloud and Wheeler had both finished with better times. It was up to reigning Skills champion Gray to try to defend her title. However, at 39.4 seconds, she fell short of Wheeler's 36.5. In the deciding round, Cloud was crowned the winner by beating Wheeler's time by one second. 'I knew that what was like a definite for me, is that I was gonna hit my passes and then these obstacles. I wanted to be as fast as I could on those … to get into my shots and take my time. But also, if I felt like I was missing it, I was missing it,' Cloud said after winning the challenge. 'I was getting that second and third shot up, because that's the name of the game. So once I got to the last shot, I looked up. I had three seconds. I said, 'Don't smoke that layup.'' She didn't smoke the layup and took home the trophy and the prize money. Ionescu Becomes Second WNBA Player to Win Multiple 3-Point Contests INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 18: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty poses with her trophy ... More after winning the WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest during the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star weekend at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 18, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Five participants competed in the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest, a two-round, timed shooting event with five racks positioned around the three-point arc. Four of the racks included four standard WNBA game balls worth one point each, and one "money ball" worth two points. A fifth rack, consisting entirely of money balls, was placed at a location of the shooter's choice. Two additional 'STARRY® Range' pedestals held one special ball each from extended distance, with made shots worth three points. The players selected by the league were originally Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks) and Ionescu. Due to a groin injury, Clark withdrew from the event and was replaced by her teammate Lexie Hull. Hull was one of three players eliminated in the first round, alongside Plum and Citron. The final round took place between the contest's two most recent winners: Gray and Ionescu. With a strong performance that included 11 consecutive makes, the Liberty guard was unbeatable and became just the second WNBA player ever to win multiple 3-Point Contests. The other is Allie Quigley, who won the event four times.
