#wnba

#wnba

On one of the most important nights of my career, the night of the WNBA draft, I wasn't able to have your mom standing by my side. I called her when I was in the green room, when I finally got a moment to sneak away, and she was so excited for me. She's screaming on the phone, like, 'LET'S GOOOOO!!!' She had already been a part of so many highs and lows. She understood how much this meant to me.

WNBA franchises have moved before; the one that played in Houston won the league's first four championships, fielded some of the early WNBA's biggest stars, and was one of the sport's most iconic organizations before it disbanded.

Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock, has died at the age of 43. No cause of death was given. "It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the WNBA said in a statement Sunday. "Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time."

Atlanta Falcons rookie James Pearce Jr. allegedly crashed his vehicle into one being driven by WNBA player Rickea Jackson multiple times and struck a police officer with the vehicle while evading arrest, according to the criminal complaint obtained by ESPN from the Miami-Dade County state attorney's office. Pearce was arrested Saturday in Florida on five felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking and aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer.

Dubbed as "The Game at Radio City", the WNBA hosted an exhibition game between the U.S. Olympic team and a group of WNBA stars. Some of the biggest names in the history of the sport, like Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird took the court in one of the most iconic entertainment venues ever. The game was set up as a way to excite fans for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Athens.

"I think there's a natural tendency to be like, 'Oh, we're cooked,'" said Rapinoe. "Let's get that out of our mouths and our head and our soul."

While the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations have remained unresolved, the Golden State Valkyries' schedule release provided some clarity on what awaits the Bay Area's WNBA franchise this season. Golden State's season will start and end on the road with the year opening on May 8 against the Seattle Storm and ending on Sept. 24 with a matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks.

The 3x3 game differs so much from WNBA basketball that Unrivaled's utility as a gauge for player development is dubious. Last year, stars who had dismal Unrivaled seasons—Stewart, Aliyah Boston, Satou Sabally—went on to have their typically excellent WNBA seasons. It's certainly an appealing opportunity for media members to go to Miami in the winter: Last February, I watched games at the Unrivaled facility and found myself genuinely taken by the atmosphere and in-person product.