Latest news with #WNBA-record
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago Sky Coach Facing Decision After Player's Strong Message
Chicago Sky Coach Facing Decision After Player's Strong Message originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky broke a four-game losing streak on Thursday evening and earned their first win of the 2025 WNBA season. The victory came at the hands of the Dallas Wings, who are now 1-5 after the 97 to 92 defeat. Advertisement Second-year forward Kamilla Cardoso led the Sky in scoring with 23 points, and she also chipped in eight rebounds. Cardoso made nine of her 13 attempts as well on Thursday, and that 69.2% clip was her best performance of the year. This raises her season averages to 12.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per night on 54.7% shooting. This is substantially better than her 9.8-point, 7.9-rebound per game averages at a 52.1% mark that earned her a spot on the 2024 All-Rookie team last season. Chicago Sky forward Kamilla Cardoso (10).Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Cardoso was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but she was largely outshined by All-Star forward Angel Reese last season. Reese scored 13.6 points per night and contributed a WNBA-record 13.1 rebounds per game in 2024. Advertisement However, new head coach Tyler Marsh is facing a difficult decision about how to structure the offense going forward. Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot, who broke the Sky's all-time scoring record on Thursday, sent a strong message after the game about the team needing to play through Cardoso. 'I think she needs to touch the ball a lot,' Vandersloot said. 'We have to play through her. She likes to feel it and she's so unselfish. She's a great passer and I think she understands the game really well and so we have to play through her more often.' Vandersloot is a legendary figure in the franchise's history, and she is contributing a solid 11.4 points and 6.0 assists this season for Chicago. Her voice is held in high regard, and coach Marsh himself acknowledged just how special of a player Cardoso can be. Advertisement 'I think that Kamilla can be a dominant force in this league, pretty much on a nightly basis,' Marsh said. 'Learning how to be that nightly is part of being a pro and it's part of understanding what her talent is and what her potential is. We just want to put her in positions where she's able to do that and see that so it can be a regular thing.' The Sky will face the Wings once again on Saturday evening, as they travel to Dallas for an 8:00 p.m. EST tipoff. Chicago will look to put together a winning streak for the first time in the 2025 WNBA season. Related: Chicago Sky Announce Exciting News After First Win Related: Kamilla Cardoso Sends Message After Chicago Sky Teammate's Historic News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Liberty sink WNBA-record 19 3-pointers, scorch Sky
Natasha Cloud and Kennedy Burke each hit four of New York's WNBA-record 19 3-pointers and combined for 35 points as the Liberty rolled to a 99-74 win over the host Chicago Sky on Thursday night. Sabrina Ionescu set the pace early while scoring 16 for the Liberty , who went 19-for-34 from beyond the arc to make history. New York shot just 4-for-21 on 3-point attempts during its season-opening 92-78 victory over the Las Vegas Aces. New York's Breanna Stewart netted two 3-pointers, while Jonquel Jones made three from long distance and posted seven rebounds with four blocks. Ionescu and Marine Johannes added two treys apiece. Cloud had a team-high 18 points and eight assists while Kennedy scored 17 for the Liberty, who broke things open by outscoring the Sky 25-9 in the second quarter. In the first half, New York shot 58.6 percent from the field and 8-for-15 from 3-point range to lead 53-32 at the break. It helped that Chicago shot 32.3 percent and committed 16 turnovers that led to 18 points for the Liberty through the first two quarters. The Liberty shot 55.2 percent overall while the Sky wound up at 36.2 percent. Chicago star Angel Reese grabbed 12 rebounds but shot 0-for-8 from the field and 2-for-6 at the free-throw line. Her only points came from two foul shots with 6:18 left in regulation. Rachel Banham had 15 points, Courtney Vandersloot added 14 and Rebecca Allen logged 11 for Chicago, which has been outscored by 60 points in its first two contests. Ionescu scored 10 points and Jones had eight as New York led 28-23 after one quarter. The Liberty essentially took control by scoring the first eight points of the second period. New York led 36-30 before Stewart knocked down a trey to ignite a 15-0 run that also featured 3-pointers from Burke and Marine Johannes. Paced by back-to-back triples from Vandersloot and Ariel Atkins, the Sky scored the first eight of the second half to trail 53-40. However, Reese was slapped with a technical following a loose-ball foul with 7:49 left in the third. Ionescu then hit a free throw that began a 12-4 spurt for the Liberty. Cloud scored New York's final six points of the third and first five of the fourth. Field Level Media
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
A'ja Wilson helps Aces stave off elimination vs. Liberty
A'ja Wilson had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Jackie Young added 24 points as the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces kept their season alive with a 95-81 victory over the visiting New York Liberty in Game 3 of their WNBA semifinal series. Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, Tiffany Hayes had 11 and Chelsea Gray added 10 as the Aces extended their home playoff winning streak to a WNBA-record 12 games. Wilson's double-double was the 20th of her career in the playoffs. "It felt like us," Wilson said. "It was just a matter of time before it all started clicking, but we have to sustain this. This was just one game. This is really nothing. We have to continue to go and grow as we try to go to the next level." Game 4 of the best-of-five series will be Sunday in Las Vegas. Breanna Stewart scored 19 points, while Jonquel Jones added 11 for the Liberty, who lost for the first time in five playoff games this year. Leonie Fiebich had 10 points for New York. The Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu, who averaged 24.5 points over the first four playoff games, was held scoreless through three quarters and finished with four points on 1-of-7 shooting. Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said of the Aces, "They came out and played the way that they should play. They were competing, they had urgency, they gave Sabrina very little space. They were active with their hands with deflections, they were physical. We didn't play very well, but they took us out of our rhythm." Wilson played all 20 minutes of the first half "You can't sit down in a game like this. This is an elimination game," she said on ESPN. "I cannot sit down. That looks like giving up. That looks like quitting to me. I knew I had to come in and be who I needed to be for my team out of the gate and made sure we understood what we needed to do at home." The Liberty lost to the Aces for the first time in six regular-season and playoff meetings this year. After the Aces took a 52-49 lead at the break, it was all Las Vegas in the third quarter. The Aces outscored the Liberty 21-6 in the third by going on a 16-0 run to take a 73-53 lead. Stewart said, "Defensively, we weren't where we needed to be, and they were playing in so much space. They already hit however many threes in the first half. When they had the space to take even more , they were confident in that. And obviously playing on your home court is a little bit different and you build confidence behind that." New York shot 2-of-14 from the floor in the third quarter and made just one 3-pointer in seven attempts. The Aces opened the fourth quarter on a 5-0 run to push their advantage to 78-55 before Ionescu finally made a free throw with nine minutes remaining. Her lone field goal came on a 3-pointer with 8:08 left. The Aces won while playing without Kiah Stokes . Alysha Clark started in her place and wound up with five points and five rebounds in 29 minutes. Field Level Media
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
These 10 Must-See Games Highlight the 2025 WNBA Schedule
[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 WNBA Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.] With a new WNBA season come new storylines, and with new storylines come a host of must-see matchups. Advertisement The league has expanded ahead of the 2025 season, which will feature a WNBA-record 44 regular-season games for all 13 teams, a refreshed first-round playoff format and an expanded Finals. Simply put, the action will be bigger, bolder and better than ever this season. Ahead of the historic campaign, let's take a look at 10 of the biggest matchups on this year's schedule, from opening night in Dallas to a midseason Finals rematch in Minnesota. Athlon's 2025 WNBA team previews: Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mercury | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers poses for a photo during media day in Arlington, Texas, on May Miron-Imagn Images May 16: Minnesota Lynx at Dallas Wings The future is here, and her name is Paige Bueckers. Dallas' No. 1 overall pick will have her hands full in her WNBA debut against Napheesa Collier and last year's runner-up Lynx. Based on Bueckers' showing in her final NCAA Tournament at UConn, she'll be up for the challenge. Don't be surprised if she turns in a debut for the ages. May 17: Las Vegas Aces at New York Liberty It took 28 seasons for the Liberty to capture that elusive WNBA title, but the team won't have to wait long to raise a banner at Barclays Center. WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, the star duo of Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart and the rest of New York's returning champions will receive their rings as a familiar foe visits the Big Apple on the second day of the regular season. A'ja Wilson and Co. have won a big game or two at Barclays before and will look to play spoiler on ring night. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese look on during their game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 1, Haynes / NBAE via Getty Images May 17: Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever It's fitting that after turning in historic rookie seasons, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will begin Year 2 of their careers against one another. Last year's meetings between Chicago and Indiana did not disappoint, and this should be no different — both Clark and Reese should be even better than they were as rookies, and their teams are, too. The interior matchups between former South Carolina teammates Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso are always entertaining as well. May 24: New York Liberty at Indiana Fever With the acquisitions of DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham and Natasha Howard, the Fever used the offseason to make a major leap to build a contender around the All-Star trio of Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell. There's no better litmus test than an early-season meeting with the defending champions, who have added Natasha Cloud to set the table for Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart. Jewell Loyd spent the first 10 seasons of her WNBA career with the Storm. She will return to Seattle as a member of the Las Vegas Aces on May Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports May 25: Las Vegas Aces at Seattle Storm After one of the biggest blockbuster trades in league history, former No. 1 overall pick Jewell Loyd returns to the city where she became a WNBA star. The split between parties wasn't exactly smooth, meaning Loyd's return will be the headline, but this is also a rematch of last year's playoff series that Las Vegas swept in two games. That series will certainly be on the minds of Seattle players, too. May 30: Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury After being swept out of last year's playoffs by Minnesota, Phoenix added a pair of stars in Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas to reload and contend. The Mercury will have an early opportunity to exact revenge on Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, Alanna Smith and the rest of the Lynx, who visit the Valley two weeks into the season. May 30: Los Angeles Sparks at Las Vegas Aces Eight years after the franchise took Kelsey Plum first overall, the Aces will face their longtime guard for the first time in her career. It should be an emotional night for everyone as Plum will look to lead her new team to a win over A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and the rest of her former championship teammates. It's also a great opportunity for L.A.'s rising star Rickea Jackson to make a statement as her draft classmate Cameron Brink continues to work back from her ACL injury. June 27: Indiana Fever at Dallas Wings It's always appointment viewing when the league's two most recent No. 1 overall draft picks go head-to-head. Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers will be no exception. Clark and Bueckers exude star power, and this should be the first of many memorable WNBA meetings between them. Not for nothing, this also marks NaLyssa Smith's first game against the Fever, her former team, and the first time DeWanna Bonner and DiJonai Carrington will face off as opponents after four years as Sun teammates. A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces will play host to Brittney Griner and the Atlanta Dream on July 22 in a matchup of two of the WNBA's all-time great Miller / Getty Images July 22: Atlanta Dream at Las Vegas Aces A change at head coach and the addition of free agents Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner headlined the Dream's offseason. After a playoff push in 2024, Atlanta will look to show its improvement on the court and in the standings. Griner, the 2013 No. 1 overall pick, will go head-to-head with 2018 No. 1 overall pick A'ja Wilson in what should be a classic battle of centers and a great test of how far the Dream can go. July 30: New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx Two months into the season, fans will get the first of at least four WNBA Finals rematches during the regular season. Last year's five-game series was an instant classic, and this first meeting should provide more of the same. They may downplay it, but both teams will look to make a midseason statement in what could be a preview of the 2025 WNBA Finals. The two teams will play three times in 10 days in mid-August as well. Athlon's 2025 WNBA team previews: Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mercury | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings Related: Athlon Sports 2025 WNBA Preview Magazine Available Now Related: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Usher in WNBA's Golden Era Related: Why the WNBA's Economic Momentum Is at Stake in 2025
New York Times
26-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Without Diana Taurasi, the Phoenix Mercury turn their sights toward the future
A few hours before Diana Taurasi announced her retirement from the WNBA, the Phoenix Mercury held an event with an eye toward the future. Inside their $100 million practice facility which opened last summer, general manager Nick U'Ren and two-time All-WNBA first-team forward Alyssa Thomas sat on a news conference dais and fielded questions about the arrival of the Mercury's latest star. The gym's two practice courts bear Taurasi's name and logos inspired by her, but there was no mention on Tuesday of Taurasi. Not by U'Ren, Thomas or any reporter. Advertisement Instead, Thomas, who was acquired in a four-team trade in January after spending the first 11 years of her WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun, discussed her excitement for playing alongside Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally. 'We all come from different winning backgrounds and now we get a chance to be together and accomplish something, something different,' Thomas said. They hope to achieve what Taurasi, 42, did three times throughout her 20-year career. Favorite Diana Taurasi moment?! ⤵️ — The Athletic WBB (@TheAthleticWBB) February 25, 2025 Taurasi's legacy will forever be sewn into the fabric of the Mercury. Her three WNBA championships, WNBA-record 10,646 points, 11 All-Star appearances and flair for heroics make her arguably the greatest WNBA player ever. (Fans voted her as such in 2021.) Yet as Taurasi's future with the franchise appeared uncertain over the last two seasons, the Mercury began planning for life after the eventual first-ballot Hall of Famer. They seem ready for what's next, with a new trio of stars set to fully take the reins of the franchise. Plans for the Mercury's future started to come to light last offseason. In February 2024, they acquired Copper, the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP and multi-time All-Star, from the Chicago Sky. She had led the Sky to the title over the Mercury. To some, the move signaled Phoenix's desire to compete for a championship last season, in what might have been the waning days of Taurasi. But their hopes in the agreement were broader and more long-lasting. 'The chance to get Kahleah Copper who's in her prime and we hope is here for many years, to me that's a move for the future as much as it is a win-now move,' U'Ren said last spring. Phoenix won 19 games and was swept in the playoffs in Copper's first season in Phoenix. But the Mercury have been among the busiest franchises this winter, wheeling and dealing as they continued to ponder what's next — for the team and for Taurasi. Advertisement First, they landed Thomas, who despite being 32-years-old is a perennial MVP candidate and triple-double machine. Later, they acquired Sabally from the Dallas Wings. At 26, she has shown flashes of being one of the WNBA's best forwards when healthy. Sandwiched in between both trades was another transaction that signaled the changing of the guard. Brittney Griner, Taurasi's longtime frontcourt partner, signed in free agency with the Atlanta Dream. Like Taurasi, Griner, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, had spent her whole career with the Mercury (and would be a sure-fire Hall of Famer even if she never took another jump-hook or blocked another shot). The duo won the 2014 championship and became staples of the U.S. Olympic team. But Griner, 34, also wanted something different and said at her introductory Dream press conference: 'It was time for my next chapter in my career.' The result of Taurasi's retirement and Griner's departure means a chapter in Mercury history is closed. The Mercury are now Copper, Sabally and Thomas' show. 'One of the things that excites me about these three is just how well they complement each other,' U'Ren said. 'I think it's really easy to envision any of them grabbing a rebound (and) pushing it in transition themselves. I hope we've built a roster that complements those three. I think you can envision playing quickly. I think you can envision all three of those players playing multiple positions, and I think they'll play really well off each other.' The rest of Phoenix's roster is rather unproven with only Kalani Brown and Sami Whitcomb with at least five seasons of WNBA experience. Still, Phoenix hopes it has vaulted back into the upper echelon of the league — not waiting to make big moves while Taurasi literally kept them waiting. Mercury owner Mat Ishbia said in a statement Tuesday: '(Taurasi's) name is synonymous with the Phoenix Mercury and she will forever be part of our family.' Her legacy will surely be celebrated at forthcoming jersey retirements and Hall of Fame ceremonies. Advertisement Yet, the Mercury weren't caught off guard when an all-time great walked away. Last fall, even their social media team got in on the prep, regularly tweeting out posts with the tagline, 'If this is it.' Well, it was. After Tuesday's proceedings, on the practice court that Taurasi christened last summer, Thomas, U'Ren, head coach Nate Tibbetts and Sabally posed for a photo. 'It's time to get back to the playoffs,' Thomas said. 'I'm still chasing a championship. Just excited to be a part of this group.' (Photo of Alyssa Thomas and Nick U'Ren: Kate Frese / NBAE via Getty Images)
