Latest news with #TheBird&TaurasiShow
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dallas Wings Make Caitlin Clark-Paige Bueckers Announcement
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is arguably the biggest draw in the WNBA. So it wasn't a surprise when many of the Fever's opponents moved their games against them this season to bigger venues to accommodate the increased demand for tickets. Advertisement The Dallas Wings are one of those teams looking to capitalize on Clark's celebrity status—and possibly that of their own new star, Paige Bueckers, who the team picked No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA draft on Monday night—which is why the team's June 27 matchup against Indiana was moved from College Park Center, which seats 7,000 fans, to American Airlines Center, which seats 20,000. That game, which pits the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 against the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, could be one of the WNBA's biggest ratings draws of the 2025 season, which is exactly why the Wings are already heavily promoting that matchup. 'Talk of the league. Talk of the city. Grab your A Night in Dallas tickets now when we face @IndianaFever at @AACenter on Friday, June 27,' the Wings announced on X Tuesday afternoon. Former UConn and current Dallas Wings point guard Paige Bueckers, left, and former Iowa and current Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in the 2024 women's Final Lee-Imagn Images Though the Aug. 1 Wings-Fever matchup is still set to be played at College Park Center for now, Clark recently petitioned the Wings during an appearance on 'The Bird & Taurasi Show' during UConn's national championship win over South Carolina to move that matchup to the American Airline Center as well. Advertisement Clark believes Bueckers has the kind of drawing power she does, and she stated the Wings should capitalize on her rising star by playing more games in bigger venues. '[College Park Center] is fun to play in too,' Clark said. 'It's a small place, it's loud. They should move every game to American Airlines because I think Paige has that type of draw, she'll be able to bring those fans in. I know we're playing there, one of our games, hopefully the other one gets moved too. We would appreciate that, Dallas Wings, if you could move the other one.' Related: Dallas Wings GM Admits Caitlin Clark-Like Security Concerns for Paige Bueckers
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Diana Taurasi classily admitted she was wrong about Caitlin Clark's WNBA preparedness
Diana Taurasi classily admitted she was wrong about Caitlin Clark's WNBA preparedness There was a lot of controversy last year regarding Caitlin Clark's almost immediate meteoric ascent into becoming a full-fledged WNBA superstar. One of the more vocal critics was the legendary Diana Taurasi, who famously warned Clark, telling the then-rookie that "reality is coming" in reference to the former Iowa star trying to beat grown women in the pros. With Clark both becoming an All-Star and qualifying for All-WNBA First Team last season, it seems Taurasi is finally ready to bury these sorts of sentiments for good. We had a hilarious moment between the two to acknowledge this as much during the national title game edition of The Bird & Taurasi Show on Sunday. After Clark joined Taurasi and Sue Bird, she quickly congratulated Taurasi on her recent basketball retirement. Since Clark wasted no time being gracious, Taurasi then took the opportunity to thank Clark before jokingly referencing her strong warning to the young star. It was a perfect self-roast and admission all in one: Shoutout to Taurasi for being a big person here. It takes a lot of guts to admit you're wrong in public and to do it to the person who was the subject of your criticism. That shouldn't go unnoticed.
USA Today
04-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi back for women's Final Four alternate broadcast: What to know
Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi back for women's Final Four alternate broadcast: What to know Basketball icons Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are broadcasting live from the women's Final Four with another edition of "The Bird & Taurasi Show." Show Caption Hide Caption Geno Auriemma: Seeing his players reach Hall of Fame is bigger than winning Championships So many great players got their start under Auriemma at UConn. He talks to the media about witnessing these players' wildest dreams come true. The Final Four is always a star-studded event at the women's NCAA Tournament, and that extends to legends like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. The basketball icons will be at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, broadcasting both Final Four games as well as the national championship game as part of "The Bird & Taurasi Show," with ESPN giving fans the chance to listen to analysis and commentary from two of the greatest to ever take the court. Bird and Taurasi — along with some yet-to-be-announced special guests from sports and culture — will call Friday's Final Four contests, with Texas taking on South Carolina, before UConn (where both players starred collegiately) squares off with UCLA. "The Bird & Taurasi Show" will pick back up on Sunday afternoon, with the former Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury guards also calling the national championship game live. Here's what to know about "The Bird & Taurasi Show" at the 2025 women's Final Four, including times and how to watch: OPINION: UCLA's Lauren Betts needed confidence to go with her skills. Now she has both HELPING HAND: How UConn played a part in UCLA making first women's NCAA Final Four Bird & Taurasi Show: How to watch Final Four alternate telecast In addition to Friday's main Final Four broadcast on ESPN, "The Bird & Taurasi Show" alternate telecast will be broadcast at the same time on ESPN2. The show will feature game commentary from WNBA legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi (as well as some surprise guests) live from Amalie Arena in Tampa. Florida. Bird and Taurasi Final Four broadcast Date: Friday, April 4 Friday, April 4 Time: 7 p.m. ET (Texas vs. South Carolina) | 9 p.m. ET (UConn vs. UCLA) 7 p.m. ET (Texas vs. South Carolina) | 9 p.m. ET (UConn vs. UCLA) TV channel: ESPN2 ESPN2 Streaming options: ESPN+, Fubo (Free Trial) Watch the Bird & Taurasi Alt-Cast on Fubo Bird and Taurasi championship broadcast Additionally, Sunday's national title game (main broadcast on ABC) will feature one more round of "The Bird & Taurasi Show" alt-cast, with the two basketball icons convening once again – this time on ESPN – to see who wins the 2025 NCAA women's basketball championship. Date: Sunday, April 6 Sunday, April 6 Time: 3 p.m. 3 p.m. TV channel: ESPN ESPN Streaming options: ESPN+, Fubo (Free Trial) What to know about Sue Bird Sue Bird's career speaks for itself. The Syosset, New York native won four WNBA championships in her 21 years in the league, all of which were spent with the Seattle Storm. During that time, Bird was named to the All-WNBA First or Second Team eight times and made 13 WNBA All-Star teams. In 2011, Bird was named one of the best 15 players in league history, and despite retiring in 2022, she remains the WNBA's all-time leader in assists (3,234) and games played (580). That came after an incredible college career at UConn, where Bird helped the Huskies to national titles in 2000 and 2002. Bird holds program records for three-point field goal percentage (.459) and free-throw percentage (.892), and was named the Naismith College Player of the Year in 2002 as a senior. For Team USA, Bird won five Olympic gold medals and was part of four FIBA World Championship-winning teams. Since retirement, Bird has become a part-owner of the Storm and NWSL club NJ/NY Gotham FC, and among other interests hosts the A Touch More podcast with her fiancée, U.S. women's national team icon Megan Rapinoe. Bird was named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in February. Inductees into the Class of 2025 will be announced April 5. What to know about Diana Taurasi Diana Taurasi is a WNBA legend not just for her accomplishments, but for her competitive side that is notorious even among the league's best-ever players. "DT" spent 20 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, winning the WNBA MVP award in 2009 while winning three league titles. Like Bird, Taurasi was named one of the 15 best players in WNBA history in 2011, making the All-WNBA First or Second Team a staggering 14 times. It's probably no surprise that the five-time WNBA scoring champion is the league's all-time scoring leader, with her 10,646 career points nearly 3,000 more than any other player has totaled. She also holds league records in three-pointers made (1,447), free throws made (2,517). At the Olympics, Taurasi has won a record six gold medals, including one last summer in Paris. Like Bird, Taurasi starred at UConn, winning the Naismith College Player of the Year award in 2003 and 2004. The Huskies collected three national titles during Taurasi's four seasons, and the guard was an All-American three times. The California native holds the UConn record for assists as a sophomore (208) and is third all-time in career assists (648) and three-pointers made (318).
