All Scores

After bumps in the road, Angel McCoughtry wants a WNBA ring

Angel McCoughtry wants to win that elusive WNBA championship ring. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Angel McCoughtry still has more to give to the game of basketball. At 36 years old, she’s not ready to retire. Even if the thought is there, lingering on the horizon and staring her down, riding off into the sunset is just going to have to wait.

Instead, McCoughtry is looking ahead to January, when WNBA free agency begins. And she’s intent on finding a team.

“I definitely want to go to a contender,” she says candidly. “I deserve that. But even if it’s somewhere that was not a contender before, I believe I’m the type of player that can help them become contenders.”

McCoughtry says she’s healthy and has been working to get back into game shape. And with the possibility that players will face suspensions when the WNBA’s prioritization clause goes into effect next season, there could be teams that need her veteran presence.

“She’s experienced, she’s been around championship-caliber players, she’s a gold-medal winner, she’s carried a team,” one WNBA assistant coach says of McCoughtry. “She understands her injuries have changed things, but that experience and her mindset could help.”

Rey Jefferson, McCoughtry’s agent at RSTAR Sports and Entertainment, believes she’ll have a positive impact wherever she ends up. As veteran salaries continue to increase under the WNBA’s current CBA, he expects teams will be more inclined to sign players to one- or two-year deals to fill roster needs while remaining under the salary cap.

“It gives you that flexibility to be able to hold the franchise accountable, but also keeps your options open,” Jefferson says. “For her, I think two is the sweet spot.”

McCoughtry’s 13-year pro resume speaks for itself. Drafted first overall by the Atlanta Dream in 2009, she won WNBA Rookie of the Year and has gone on to be named a five-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, two-time steals leader, seven-time All-Defense First Team member and a part of the WNBA’s 25th Anniversary Team. Add in two Olympic gold medals with Team USA and multiple championships overseas, and it’s fair to wonder what else there is for McCoughtry to accomplish on the basketball court.

“I need that riinnnnng,” she says, laughing. “I’ve been so close so many times, but I think it’s time for me to get one.”

img
McCoughtry played her first nine seasons with the Dream. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images)

The first time McCoughtry had a shot at a ring was in 2010. In just her second season, the Dream made it to the WNBA Finals but were swept by the Seattle Storm 3-0. Atlanta made it back to the Finals in 2011 and 2013 but again fell in three games, each time to the Minnesota Lynx. McCoughtry’s last shot came in 2020 after she signed with the Las Vegas Aces in free agency. The Aces reached the Finals for the first time in franchise history, with McCoughtry playing a pivotal role, but the series ended on a familiar note in a three-game sweep to Seattle.

It’s understandable for McCoughtry to feel that she has unfinished business. She missed the 2021 season with the Aces after tearing her ACL and meniscus in a preseason game, just two years after sitting out the 2019 season with an injury in her other knee. And last season, after she joined the Lynx in free agency, things didn’t pan out the way she had hoped.

“I’m out there practicing for two hours, and I just wasn’t ready to be practicing at that extensive moment coming back from injury,” McCoughtry says. “I think I was trying to prove that I was back and I was making myself worse, if that makes sense. And then I just think that I didn’t fit with that team. Some things are just not a fit, but there’s no hard feelings.”

McCoughtry and the Lynx parted ways just two games into the 2022 season. Minnesota bought out her contract and waived a number of other players in a tumultuous start to their season. McCoughtry and Jefferson put out feelers around the league with the hope that a contending team would scoop her up.

“Honestly, I was hurt because I thought I was just gonna go back to Vegas from the jump,” McCoughtry says. “I feel like I should have stepped up and had a conversation with A’ja (Wilson) and Coach (Becky Hammon) before the season. But I didn’t, and it just didn’t come out in a conversation, which I wish I would have done.

“But that was their moment to win a championship and move on. At the end of the day, I was definitely trying to get picked up by other teams. I had contacted (the Washington Mystics) because it was home. But since nobody picked me up, I said, well, enjoy life and have fun.”

img
McCoughtry averaged over 15 points per game for the Aces in the 2020 playoffs. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

For the rest of the summer, McCoughtry spent time traveling, training and working on her multiple business projects — from overseeing Happy Cow, her ice cream shop in Atlanta, to producing an upcoming horror movie. She also recently ventured into the tech industry, creating a website and app called PSImWithYou.com, a platform where people can leave gifts and messages for their loved ones after they pass away.

“I’m grateful because after my first injury, I had nothing to do. And it was like, I’m losing my mind,” McCoughtry says with a laugh. “ I was like, I really have to figure out what I want to do after basketball. So the first injury helped with that. The second one, I had so much to do. Matter of fact, too much.”

Part of McCoughtry’s busy schedule involved mentoring Chennedy Carter. Having spent the early part of her career in Atlanta and experiencing what she calls “a lot of mistreatment behind closed doors,” she felt a kind of kinship with Carter. The two bonded on and off the basketball court, and McCoughtry shared video clips of them playing basketball together on social media. Carter even signed with Jefferson’s agency.

“I know what it’s like when you’re alone and nobody reaches out. It’s like nobody cares,” McCoughtry says. “So I wanted to show, like, I cared. I definitely tried to help her as much as possible.”

The relationship has since fizzled out, as McCoughtry and RSTAR each recently parted ways with the young hooper.

Carter’s young career has been a bumpy one. After getting drafted fourth overall and making the WNBA All-Rookie Team with the Dream in 2020, she was suspended indefinitely the following July after a locker-room confrontation with then-teammate Courtney Williams. Carter didn’t play for Atlanta the rest of the season, and in February she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks as part of a package deal. In what was seen as a fresh start, Carter played limited minutes under Sparks interim coach Fred Williams, and the two didn’t always appear to get along.

“She still has a long way to go,” McCoughtry says of Carter. “Sometimes, when you help people, you try to help so much that you really don’t see them wanting to help themselves after a while. You have to kind of just move on from it. … She always has my number to reach out when she’s ready to really better herself.”

The Sparks and Carter did not respond to a request for comment on her split with McCoughtry and RSTAR.

McCoughtry says she’s open to mentoring other young players, but they have to be willing to put in the work. She comes from an “old-school” basketball mentality where spending countless hours in the gym was a given, and every single minute on the court was earned.

“I think that social media shows these kids the glitz and the glam of it, and I wish they could get more of the backstories,” McCoughtry says. “That’s why I tell them, ‘Look at everybody’s backstory and how they got to where they are. You’re gonna see a lot of ups and downs.’ They just don’t see that side of it. They want the glitz and glam. And I’m like, you know what it takes for that?”

Throughout her decade-plus career in the WNBA, McCoughtry has seen younger generations of players enter the league and take it by storm. She’s also seen her fair share of evolution. Now in its 26th season, the WNBA is marketed and promoted much better than it was when she came into the league in 2009. But McCoughtry still feels there’s more work to be done, especially when it comes to sharing individual player stories. Being involved with the “We Are the W” documentary with fellow WNBA players DiDi Richards and Isabelle Harrison showed her what kind of storytelling is possible.

“I just want the league to promote everybody and what they’re doing off court. Get into what these girls are doing,” McCoughtry says. “Soon as the guys do anything — a winery, a restaurant — the NBA blasts it. I want the WNBA to start blasting what these girls are doing off court. They’re trying to be business women, you know what I mean?

“The offseason is the time to really dig into this stuff.”

img
McCoughtry last played a WNBA game with the Lynx in May. (Joshua Huston/NBAE via Getty Images)

As November trickles into December, McCoughtry continues to work on her businesses, projects and music. She’s also thinking about basketball and where she might want to play next season. A return to Atlanta is top of mind, but where she ends up hinges on a number of factors.

“I think that the way I had to leave was cut short with politics and a lot of mistreatment. Because I will say that when I went to Vegas, I saw what a franchise should treat their players like. It’s a true example,” McCoughtry says of her time with the Dream, in the years before co-owner Kelly Loeffler’s public rift with the players and sale of the team.

“And now that Atlanta has those kinds of people now, I think I need to get my just due on that. I think I need to be able to fill that here, where I’ve given so much.”

If she can stay on the floor, those in and around the league believe McCoughtry will add value wherever she ends up.

“Obviously when healthy she is an extraordinary talent,” says ESPN basketball analyst LaChina Robinson. “While playing in Las Vegas after her first ACL (tear), Angel was impactful because her versatility, athleticism and relentlessness are elite even when not at 100 percent.

“In the end it’s difficult to forecast Angel’s best fit because I don’t know how healthy she is, but if you’re looking for a fairytale or deserved ending to her career, Atlanta jumps off the page for me. The unfortunate part is that with an 11 or 12 player roster, WNBA players don’t often get to retire with the fairytale ending or on their own terms.”

While Jefferson has touched base with the Dream and some other teams to let them know that McCoughtry is under new representation, the real discussions will begin in January when WNBA teams can start negotiating with unrestricted free agents. From there, it comes down what the best fit is for everyone involved.

“I think for someone like Angel, the storybook ending of playing where you were first drafted, where you put a lot of your time, blood, sweat and tears, and came of age — that I feel like is definitely on her heart,” Jefferson says. “But my back and forth, as her representation, is what is the best deal I need to present to her. Because there will be options.”

Whether it’s with Atlanta or another team, McCoughtry’s primary motivation is to get back to the WNBA Finals. After coming close a handful of times, she’s still after one thing.

She wants that ring.

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA and college basketball. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League.” Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.

WNBA, Players Union Spar Over CBA Negotiations at All-Star Weekend

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to media at a 2025 press conference.
The current CBA between the WNBPA and the league expires at the end of October. (Mike Lawrence/NBAE via Getty Images)

This year's All-Star action extends beyond the court, as more than 40 players — including All-Stars, executive committee members, and WNBPA representatives — met with the WNBA in Indianapolis on Thursday for the second CBA negotiations of 2025.

"I'm encouraged. I'm just so inspired by the amount of players that showed up, the engagement that was there," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike said after Thursday's session, which drew the largest turnout in union history.

"It was something that was very informative for me. First time being able to see and hear the wording from both sides," Chicago Sky star Angel Reese added. "I was really eager to know and understand what was going on."

With revenues booming, both players and the league are struggling to settle issues surrounding payouts, revenue sharing, and the salary caps ahead of the current CBA's October 31st expiration date.

"This business is booming — media rights, ratings, revenue, team valuations, expansion fees, attendance, and ticket sales — are all up in historic fashion," the WNBPA wrote in a statement following Thursday's meeting. "But short-changing the working women who make this business possible stalls growth. The only thing more unsustainable than the current system is pretending it can go on forever."

While CBA negotiations continue, the union indicated that players are open to a work stoppage should they fail to reach a new deal by the end of this WNBA season.

Rookies Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen Hit the 2025 WNBA All-Star Court

Washington Mystics rookie All-Stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen chat during a 2025 WNBA game.
Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen will play in their first WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday. (Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Team Clark has youth on their side this weekend, with Mystics rookie Sonia Citron gearing up to hit Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star court alongside Washington teammate and fellow 2025 draft pick Kiki Iriafen.

"I was not expecting this at all," Citron told WNBA legend Lisa Leslie on Between the Lines last week, referencing her surprise All-Star call-up. "I'm still in shock. I don't really think it's hit me yet."

"We're young, we've got a bunch of shooters, a little bit of everything" she said of Team Clark's lineup.

Saturday's game isn't Citron's only assignment this weekend, with the All-Star debutant also set to compete in Friday's 3-Point Contest.

The Mystics are on the rise this year, exceeding season expectations behind first-year firepower to send three players in Citron, Iriafen, and Washington's scoring leader Brittney Sykes to the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.

Citron is currently averaging five rebounds and 14 points per game — trailing only Sykes's 17 points per game on Washington's stat sheet. Her rookie campaign has her shooting 45% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc.

Fellow first-year Iriafen is also impressing, leading the Mystics with 8.5 rebounds per game as well as sinking nearly 12 points per game while shooting 46% from the field.

"[The rookies] have really played a key piece in our success this season with us being so young, but also them being so adaptable," second-year forward Aaliyah Edwards told Leslie in an earlier episode. "And they're runners for Rookie of the Year, so why not only have one when you can have two? I'm just loving it."

How to attend a live taping of "Between the Lines"

Just Women's Sports is taking over Indianapolis with multi-faceted activations for the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend — including a live recording of Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie.

Featuring interviews with Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), and Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever), the exclusive podcast taping will occur at 110 S Pennsylvania Street at 3 PM ET on Saturday.

Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray Headline WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu lines up a shot during the 2023 WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest.
WNBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu set the single-round 3-Point Contest record in 2023. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Even with Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark sidelined, Friday's 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will heat up the Indianapolis competition before Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game tips off.

Single-round record holder Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) and reigning champion Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream) headline the 3-Point Contest, with Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks), Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), and Clark-replacement Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever) rounding out the bill beyond the arc.

Gray will also be on hand to defend her 2024 Skills Challenge title, with Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm), and Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx) looking to upend the Dream guard.

Players are shooting for more than just bragging rights in the Friday competitions, with Aflac boosting prize money for the second year in a row.

The insurance giant will award $60,000 to the 3-point Contest winner and $55,000 to the Skills Challenge champ, topping off the league's $2,575-per-player All-Star bonus check.

With big money on the line, both Gray and Ionescu are battling to become just the second WNBA player to win multiple 3-Point Contests, following in the footsteps of retired Sky guard and four-time event champion Allie Quigley.

How to watch the All-Star 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest will take the Indianapolis court at 8 PM ET on Friday, with both competitions airing live on ESPN.

Minnesota Lynx-Fueled Team Collier Readies for WNBA All-Star Game

Minnesota Lynx All-Stars Courtney Williams and Napheesa Collier celebrate a 2025 WNBA regular-season win.
2025 WNBA All-Star captain Napheesa Collier will play alongside her Lynx teammate, Courtney Williams. (Matt Krohn/Getty Images)

Team Collier is looking locked and loaded for Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, with captain Napheesa Collier heading up a roster stocked with talent from the league-leading Minnesota lineup.

The Lynx star will start the game alongside 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), and rookie phenom Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings).

Team Collier's bench showcases a balanced group of Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Angel Reese (Chicago Sky), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury), and Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks).

Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx) will also join the squad, replacing the injured Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), boosting the team's Minnesota contingent to three players.

Adding to the Lynx representatives is Minnesota manager Cheryl Reeve, who will serve as the squad's head coach following a first-of-its-kind draft-day swap between the Collier and fellow All-Star captain Caitlin Clark.

"I'm just glad people are understanding Phee's greatness," Reeve said about Collier before the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend. "There's nothing else you can say at this point."

With a steady front and backcourt presence, Team Collier has experience on their side as they take on a youth-heavy Team Clark on Saturday.

How to watch Team Collier at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game

Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday.

Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.

Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.