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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Rhyne Howard's ‘shooters shoot' mentality led to franchise record game vs. Sky
The post How Rhyne Howard's 'shooters shoot' mentality led to franchise record game vs. Sky appeared first on ClutchPoints. ATLANTA – The Atlanta Dream have been rolling in the past few games, and they've been able to beat teams in many different ways. What many people have been waiting to see is Rhyne Howard get it going to start the season after being in a shooting slump for the most part. She had a 33-point game against the Seattle Storm two weeks ago, and the hope was that the performance would be the start of her getting into the rhythm. Advertisement It took some time, but she was able to have another one of those games against the Chicago Sky, as she finished with 36 points and helped them get the 88-70 victory. What made the game even more special was that she broke the franchise record for most 3-pointers in a game with nine, passing Renee Montgomery. 'I think just seeing the first couple go in gets me going,' Howard said after the game. 'Obviously, in the past, I forgot what it's like to shoot a three, but I always say shooters shoot.' Howard was quiet in the first half, and went into halftime with eight points, shooting 2-for-8 from the field and 1-for-7 from the three. The Dream trailed the Sky 39-38, and from there, Howard flipped the script and made things happen. In the third quarter, she saw 3 of her 4 shots from deep go in, and had 11 points. She didn't stop there, and in the fourth quarter, she hit five more threes and had 17 points in the period. It was the type of game that many wanted to see from the star, and she delivered when the team needed her the most. Rhyne Howard leads Dream to win vs. Sky Head coach Karl Smesko has not panicked at all when it comes to Howard, and he's let it be known that he wants her to keep playing her game. He didn't say anything different to her, and he didn't have a special speech either. He just let her do her thing, and she produced one of her best games of the season. Advertisement 'She's obviously a special player,' Smesko said. 'Her game in Seattle was unbelievable, so she's capable of having these types of games. It's just a matter of seeing her opportunities, like when she has space either to shoot it or drive it. I think the more aggressive she gets looking for opportunities, it opens up a lot of things for everybody else. 'They start runnning at her, she uses her shot fake, and then she can get downhill driving. Once they help, she can move it to somebody else or try to finish it and get to the free throw line. I want her aggressively looking for opportunities. Today once she got it going in the fourth, I didn't have to say anything. She just got the ball, and when she had a little bit of room, she was putting it up, and she was feeling really good about it, and I was feeling really good about it.' The Dream are 7-3, and the hope is that this is the start for Howard to put together a nice string of games. Related: Rhyne Howard drops 'dangerous' take on Dream's potential for remainder of season Related: Dream's Rhyne Howard goes off for WNBA record, career-highs in gritty win over Sky
Chicago Tribune
13-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Mohegan Tribe reportedly exploring a sale of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun
The Mohegan Tribe's purchase saved the Orlando Miracle when Magic owner Rich DeVos discarded the franchise in 2003, relocating it as the Connecticut Sun to a home in Uncasville less than 30 miles south of the 'Basketball Capital of the World' in Storrs. But as the Sun developed into one of the WNBA's most consistent teams over the following two decades in Connecticut, Mohegan Sun ownership struggled to keep up with the standard of investment being set amid a period of unprecedented growth for the WNBA. Now, despite frequent public reassurances that owners were committed to keeping the team, Sportico reported Monday that Mohegan Sun has hired investment bank Allen & Company to explore a potential sale. According to Sportico's WNBA team valuations released after the 2024 season, the Sun are valued at $80 million after bringing in $12.9 million in revenue last year. The last time a WNBA team was sold was in 2021, when the Atlanta Dream were purchased for between $7 million and $10 million by a group that included former UConn star Renee Montgomery. The Dream currently have the lowest valuation in the league at $55 million. The exploding popularity of women's basketball has led to landmark media rights deals, more sponsorship opportunities and increased in-person attendance for the WNBA, but it also set a new bar for what players expect as professional athletes. The Seattle Storm became the first team to open a dedicated WNBA practice facility in April 2024, and multiple franchises have since followed suit. The Golden State Valkyries were building a facility before ever signing a player as the league's first expansion team since 2008, and Connecticut is the only team in the WNBA without access to a practice facility outside their arena or public plans to build one. The Sun currently use the gym at the Mohegan Tribe community center when the arena is unavailable, and they occasionally have to split the space with a fitness class or event —a child's birthday party infamously interrupted a practice during the first round of the 2024 WNBA playoffs. In 2025, Connecticut is paying the price on the court for the lack of proactive investment from ownership. The team's entire starting 2024 lineup left either via trade or free agency during the offseason, including longtime franchise player Alyssa Thomas, five-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner and three-time All-Star Brionna Jones. Thomas was vocal about the role resources played in her signing with the Phoenix Mercury after the franchise opened a $100 million practice facility last year. The Sun's most notable free agent addition was 2013 league MVP Tina Charles, but Charles is closer to the end of her career than the beginning at 36 years old and hasn't earned an All-Star selection since 2021. Connecticut also lost head coach Stephanie White, who was hired as coach of the Indiana Fever. Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti said at first-year coach Rachid Meziane's introductory press conference Jan. 16 that the team owners were having serious discussions about building a practice facility in Connecticut, but no specific timelines or plans were ever announced publicly. 'They value treating our women the right way, so they know that means facilities, and we're in talks about how we're going to get that done,' Rizzotti said. 'If I'm being honest, I don't think you can be a team right now that's not looking into how to build a practice facility. I don't think you can really compete for a player going forward if you're not able to say to them, 'Yes we are doing this.' I can't share everything right now, but it's going to happen. You will not be in Connecticut without an ownership group that understands this.' Beth Regan, chairwoman and justice of the Mohegan Tribal Council of Elders, also denied that ownership was interested in selling the team at Meziane's introduction. 'We are here, this is where we want to be, so I wish people would put those rumors to bed,' Regan said in January. Allen & Co. is the same bank overseeing the WNBA's expansion process, which includes three confirmed new teams (the Valkyries, Toronto Tempo and a Portland franchise) over the next two seasons with another expected by 2028. At least nine cities have active bids for a WNBA franchise, and while Boston hasn't formally submitted a bid, there was an investment group reportedly interested in bringing a team to the city back in February. The Sun played the first-ever WNBA game at Boston's TD Garden last season against the Los Angeles Sparks in front of a sold-out crowd, and they will return to the city in 2025 to host the Indiana Fever on July 15.
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
WNBA expansion: What cities have put in bids for a new team to join the league?
WNBA expansion: What cities have put in bids for a new team to join the league? Show Caption Hide Caption Renee Montgomery discusses WNBA's new team the Golden State Valkyries Renee Montgomery chats with Mackenzie Salmon about the WNBA's new expansion team and the team's choice to make Natalie Nakase their head coach. Sports Seriously The WNBA is embracing expansion again, hoping to ride the wave of momentum generated by an influx of new stars in recent years. Buoyed by a 2024 season that featured surging attendance and record television ratings thanks to the arrival of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, as well as a more lucrative media rights deal about to go into effect, the WNBA is about to add an expansion franchise to its ranks in 2025: Golden State Valkyries. It's the first time in more than 15 years the league will add a new team after several folded or relocated, and there are more on the way as potential suitors make their pitch to be part of the evolving women's basketball landscape. Multiple bids were filed this week to be the WNBA's 16th team later this decade, including markets that used to have WNBA teams and want one back again. Here's a closer look at what new franchises have already been announced, as well as what ownership groups and cities are currently bidding for a WNBA team. OFFSEASON SPLASH: WNBA star Brittney Griner signing with Atlanta Dream in free agency What are the announced WNBA expansion teams? Just three of the WNBA's original teams when the league started in 1997 remain heading into 2025 – the New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury. It grew to 16 teams by 2000, but slowly dwindled over the ensuing 24 years through relocation and contraction. The WNBA has had 12 teams since the Sacramento Monarchs folded after the 2009 season. But commissioner Cathy Engelbart has been touting the prospect of league expansion for years, and the first new addition arrives starting this season: What cities are bidding for a WNBA expansion team? Engelbert said she'd like the WNBA to add a 16th team by the 2028 season. Ownership groups have already put in bids from familiar WNBA cities, as well as locations that league has never been before. Here's what we know about what people and places have put in bids or announced their intentions to do so: Contributing: Jeff Zillgitt The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
