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How Diamond DeShields’ first WNBA free agency led her to Phoenix

After winning a championship with Chicago in 2021, Diamond DeShields is ready to prove herself again. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The call came late at night. Diamond DeShields was sitting in her hotel room in Istanbul, having just played a game for her Italian club, Famila Schio. January was almost over and WNBA free agency was in full swing.

A restricted free agent, DeShields had recently taken Zoom meetings with multiple teams and was keeping her cell phone nearby in case others called. When she picked up and heard her agent, Mike Cound, on the other end telling her she needed to make a decision, she began pacing the floor. The Phoenix Mercury had made an offer, but it involved a few moving pieces that wouldn’t come together unless DeShields was all in.

“Phoenix?” DeShields said as she crossed the room from one end to other. “Phoenix?”

The name of the city sounded foreign as soon as it left her lips. DeShields, 26, had just won a WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky after taking down the Mercury 3-1 in the Finals. It had been a physical and contentious series from the jump, and those memories still lingered.

DeShields considered other possible scenarios, such as playing one year at the veteran minimum for another team, or not signing at all and waiting it out. The Dallas Wings had also made serious inquiries. But with teams already making moves to fit increased player salaries under a limited salary cap, time was of the essence.

“Phoenix,” Deshields said again, still pacing. But the more she said it out loud, the more she liked the sound of it. Sometime around 3 a.m., the decision was made.

***

Like the rest of her teammates, DeShields was on a natural high after the Sky won their first championship in franchise history. She rode that feeling through the celebratory parade and the days that followed. But when player exit interviews came and went, the reality that the Sky might be willing to let her go set in. On Nov. 23, she left for Italy, uncertain about her WNBA future.

“It wasn’t until I left to come overseas that it started to settle in that, like, OK, you’re a restricted free agent and might not be back in Chicago,” DeShields says. “It was kind of a hard pill for me to swallow at first, to be honest.”

DeShields’ decision to play overseas this offseason wasn’t about making extra income, as it is for most players. It was a personal one.

In 2020, DeShields played in only 13 games for the Sky before leaving the bubble in Bradenton, Fla., citing personal reasons at the time. Still recovering from a knee injury, she filled a limited role for Chicago, averaging 6.8 points in 17.2 minutes per game. Only a year earlier, she had been playing the best basketball of her career, leading the Sky with 16.2 points per game and being named to her first WNBA All-Star team. DeShields continued coming off the bench for most of 2021, and even though she was happy to do whatever it took to help the Sky win, she lost confidence in herself along the way.

“Obviously, it wasn’t a secret that my role had changed drastically on the team into something that I’d kind of never done before, with coming off the bench and not playing as many minutes as I was used to,” DeShields says. “And this is the second season that I was kind of going through that. I know I’m a dynamic player and I’m a team player. Like, sure, I’ll do this for the team, whatever you need from me to win. But I know I can do so much more. I know who I am.”

Playing for Schio gave DeShields a chance to find her rhythm, regain her confidence, work on her game and, perhaps most importantly, remind herself of the player she is. Through eight games in EuroLeague play, the 6-foot-1 guard is third on the team with 11.3 points per game to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 26.9 minutes per game.

Much like the distance between the United States and Italy, DeShields feels miles away from the player she was the last two seasons as she leads Schio into the EuroLeague playoffs, beginning Tuesday with a best-of-three quarterfinal series against USK Praha. But being overseas also made it difficult as she embarked on her first free agency.

DeShields, as a restricted free agent, could explore offers from other teams, but the Sky maintained the right to match those offers to try to retain her. While she knew they might let her walk, she had never anticipated leaving Chicago. From the start, it felt strange.

“I had made so many meaningful connections with the community and the organization. I had started to really have firm roots in the city and, emotionally, it’s just hard to part with that,” she says.

Even with her heart still in Chicago, DeShields mentally accepted that it was time to move on. She learned everything she could about WNBA free agency rules, the CBA and salary cap restrictions. Every meeting she had with interested teams happened over video, and other than her agent an ocean away, there was no one to help guide her through the ins and outs of the process.

DeShields’ mind swirled with all kinds of questions:

What do I say?
How do I go about these conversations?
What if I’m not really interested in this place or that place?
What if I am interested?

“No one really explains it to you,” DeShields says. “It was kind of like, [Mike] called me [and said], ‘When can I start reaching out to teams?’ I’m like, ‘I guess whenever you can.’ And then all of a sudden, it’s Zoom meetings — boom, boom, boom.”

DeShields had a checklist of things she was looking for in her new destination. She wanted to go to a team where she could contribute right away, a team with a solid mix of veterans and young players, a team that could contend for a championship and an organization that treated its players well and offered top-notch facilities and amenities. Lastly, she wanted a fresh start, a situation where she didn’t have any history with her teammates and coaches.

After DeShields spoke with about seven teams, there was mutual interest with four that fit her criteria, including Phoenix, Dallas and Los Angeles.

“[Diamond] was in a position where she could reinvent herself to get back to that 2019 [season] where more than half the teams would have offered the max contract for multiple years,” Cound says. “But we weren’t really there. Plus some teams that would have done it didn’t have it because of some decisions they’d made.”

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(Courtesy of Diamond DeShields)

Despite the difference in time zones and being restricted to Zoom calls instead of meetings in person, inquiring teams did the best they could to shower DeShields with praise and attention. Some teams had their entire staff on the call, others had her speak with the general manager one day and the coach the next. The methods were unique, but they compounded to create one lasting effect.

“It was pretty hot. I definitely felt wanted,” DeShields says. “It was nice to talk with teams who still believed in me as the player that I believed that I could be.”

***

One of Jim Pitman’s first phone calls during the opening weekend of free agency was to DeShields. The Mercury general manager wanted her to know he thought she’d be a great fit with the team.

“We really felt that we needed a bigger athletic wing to complement the pieces we already had on our team,” Pitman says. “We had always liked Diamond’s skill set, and when she became available, we made a play to get her. We believe she is one of the most athletic players in the league. Her ability to score and defend from the wing position, her skills in transition and her competitive spirit really fit with what we have put together in Phoenix.”

As soon as he got word from Cound that DeShields was on board, Pitman began working on the intricacies of what would become a three-team trade between Phoenix, Chicago and the Indiana Fever.

“After several calls with James Wade regarding a sign-and-trade deal and then eventually with Tamika Catchings as part of a three-team deal, we were able to agree on terms to get the trade done,” he says.

The Mercury, in return for DeShields, sent Bria Hartley plus their second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 to the Fever. The Fever received the Sky’s No. 7 pick in this year’s draft and their first-round pick in 2023, while the Sky acquired Julie Allemand from the Fever and the Mercury’s 2023 first-round pick. Once the trade was done, DeShields signed a fully protected, two-year contract with the Mercury for $150,000 in 2022 and $154,500 in 2023.

It wasn’t the max contract she appeared to be heading toward after her 2019 All-Star season, but given the challenges of the past two years and the WNBA’s salary-cap limitations, DeShields and Cound considered it a big win. It also didn’t hurt that DeShields was joining arguably the most stacked roster in the league with championship aspirations.

DeShields says the biggest lesson she learned is not to take these negotiations personally. There’s so much that is out of players’ control. Sometimes, decisions come down to the numbers and what teams are able to do under the salary cap.

“Having a job in the WNBA is one thing. Keeping a job is something totally different,” DeShields says. “And you have to understand your value in the league and the way the rest of the league sees you, right? They might not see you the way that you see yourself. You just gotta keep a level head in the process. You can get emotional highs and lows. But the best thing for me, what I did, I just let my agent do his job.”

Now that DeShields’ near WNBA future is settled, she can sit back and digest it all — even the part about playing with the same Mercury players who traded verbal and physical barbs with the Sky during the Finals.

“I’m sure we’ll have laughs about it and we’ll talk about it. I don’t know. Maybe they’re still pissed about it and they don’t want to talk about it,” DeShields says with a laugh. “I didn’t play as much in the Finals as I wanted to. So it wasn’t really hard for me to detach myself from that experience and put myself in the mentality of like, OK, now you’re on this other team and that’s it.”

DeShields is focused on the future and not the past. She wants to compete and knows that every time she steps in the gym with Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner (whose situation in Russia is still pending), Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles and the rest of the Mercury’s stars, the competitive energy is going to be on fire. She’s excited to have fun again, take full advantage of the talent around her and even put up some triple-doubles.

“I see my entire skill set being displayed this summer,” DeShields says. “And that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

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.

Amanda Anisimova Advances to 2025 Wimbledon Final by Ousting No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka

US tennis star Amanda Anisimova reacts to her 2025 Wimbledon semifinal win over Aryna Sabalenka.
With her 2025 Wimbledon semifinal win, Anisimova reached her first career Grand Slam final. (Tim Clayton/Getty Images)

US tennis star and world No. 12 Amanda Anisimova continued her breakthrough 2025 Wimbledon run on Thursday, taking down No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to punch a ticket to her first career Grand Slam final.

"This doesn't feel real right now," Anisimova said after winning the 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 semifinal thriller. "I don't know how I pulled it out."

"It was such a rollercoaster match," the 23-year-old told ESPN. "[Sabalenka] is such a tough competitor, and I really had to give it my all to fight there to get the win."

As the first US player to reach a Wimbledon final since Serena Williams in 2019 — and the youngest from the US since Williams' 2004 run — Anisimova's meteoric 2025 rise comes just 18 months after she took an extended mental health break from tennis.

"A lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again if you take so much time away from the game," she said. "So just me being able to prove that you can get back to the top if you prioritize yourself, that's been incredibly special to me."

Anisimova's semifinal win also continues a unique pattern for her home country, as Saturday's championship match is now the fourth straight Grand Slam final to feature a US player — a streak dating back to No. 3 Jessica Pegula's 2024 US Open championship appearance.

Even more, should Anisimova emerge victorious on Saturday, she'll join 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys and 2025 French Open winner No. 2 Coco Gauff in continuing a US sweep of this year's Grand Slams.

Anisimova to face Świątek in 2025 Wimbledon final

To do so, however, Anisimova will have to defeat five-time Grand Slam winner and world No. 4 Iga Świątek in what will be the pair's first-ever senior-level match on Saturday.

Like Anisimova, the 24-year-old Polish phenom is on an unexpected Wimbledon run, as the London Slam's grass courts have historically hampered the clay-court specialist.

That said, Świątek dominated her Thursday semifinal against Switzerland's No. 35 Belinda Bencic, booking her spot in Saturday's title match in two quick 6-2, 6-0 sets.

"Tennis keeps surprising me," she said after the match. "I thought I had experienced everything on the court, but I hadn't experienced playing well on grass. That's the first time."

"Honestly, I never even dreamt that it was possible for me to play the [Wimbledon] finals, so I'm just super excited and proud of myself," Świątek added.

As for Anisimova, she's taking her championship match against the decorated Świątek in stride.

"I'm sure it'll be an amazing match. Getting to compete against an unbelievable player again is going to be super special," said the rising US star.

"Obviously I haven't been in a Grand Slam final before, but I've experienced a lot of moments similar and a lot of high-stakes matches," Anisimova noted. "I'm just gonna go out and enjoy every moment and try to not think about what’s on the line."

How to watch the 2025 Wimbledon championship match

With this year's tournament guaranteed to crown a first-time Wimbledon champion, Anisimova will battle Świątek for the London Slam's trophy at 11 AM ET on Saturday.

The final will air live on ESPN.

USWNT Legend Tobin Heath Hangs Up Her Boots, Officially Announces Retirement

USWNT star Tobin Heath triumphantly yells while holding the 2019 World Cup after winning the final.
Heath retires as a two-time World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. (Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)

Legendary USWNT attacker Tobin Heath officially announced her retirement from soccer on Thursday, nearly three years after playing her final professional match.

"Over New Year's, I actually came to the full acceptance that I wasn't going to be playing," the 37-year-old explained on her podcast, The RE-CAP Show.

In her 13 years with the senior national team, Heath — widely regarded as one of the most technical players in US history — earned two World Cup titles (2015, 2019) and three Olympic medals (gold in 2008 and 2012, and bronze in 2021).

Across her 181 USWNT caps, the 2016 US Soccer Athlete of the Year logged 36 goals and 42 assists, making her final appearance for the States on October 26th, 2021.

At the club level, Heath spent seven seasons with the Portland Thorns, helping the team to NWSL Championships in 2013 and 2017, as well as the 2016 NWSL Shield.

While her career also included European stints with the Première Ligue's PSG as well as WSL sides Manchester United and Arsenal, Heath ended her pro run with the 2022 NWSL Shield-winning Seattle Reign, playing what would be her final soccer match on August 14th of that year.

Injury ends Heath's soccer career

The end of Heath's career is not what the creative, nutmegging winger anticipated.

"I thought I was literally going to be peeled off the field," Heath told The Athletic on Wednesday.

However, a 2022 serious left knee injury left Heath unable to play soccer — even at a casual level — ultimately forcing her retirement.

"I tried f---ing everything to get back, I spent tens of thousands of dollars and [had] two surgeries, one crazy surgery," Heath said on her podcast. "And the whole time I believed I was going to get back."

"Football is a 360-degree sport, and I can't do it," she told The Athletic. "So that part is the hardest part. The actual playing of soccer is gone."

USWNT icon Tobin Heath speaks at a 2024 Grassroot Soccer event.
In her three years off the pitch, Heath is still elevating women's soccer. (Valerie Terranova/Getty Images)

Heath still working to lift up women's soccer in retirement

Despite coming to terms with the end of her on-pitch career, Heath isn't leaving the world of soccer anytime soon, helping lead the newly launched World Sevens Football and joining FIFA's technical study group for the men's Club World Cup.

Elevating football — particularly the women's game — is a pursuit that began for Heath with the Portland Thorns.

"[Portland] showed what women's sports could be," she explained. "I was dreaming of the world that I wanted to create."

The 2019 World Cup run then solidified that mission, with the USWNT adding a fourth star to their crest while also facing a pressure-cooker of expectations amid political tension and a contentious fight for equal pay.

"You can't feel what we felt...and not believe that you're doing something so f---ing important for the world," said Heath.

"You feel that responsibility — and that's what it is — and you want to keep carrying that responsibility as far forward as you can."

Rising USWNT Star Mia Fishel Inks Record NWSL Contract with Seattle Reign

Forward Mia Fishel poses in a Seattle Reign jersey after signing with the NWSL club.
Fishel's multi-year deal with the Seattle Reign runs through 2029. (Seattle Reign FC/Jane Gershovich)

USWNT and Chelsea FC forward Mia Fishel is officially heading back to the States, with the Seattle Reign announcing that the 24-year-old signed with the NWSL club on Thursday.

The multi-year deal will see Fishel join Seattle through the 2029 season on a contract reportedly worth nearly $2.5 million — the largest cumulative deal in NWSL history.

"We're absolutely thrilled to bring Mia into our squad," said Seattle head coach Laura Harvey in a club statement. "Mia's ability to disrupt defenses, finish in different ways makes her a dangerous addition to our group."

"Mia is a player with tremendous upside — a goal-scorer with presence, creativity, and a drive to keep growing," added Reign GM Lesle Gallimore.

Notably, though the Orlando Pride originally drafted the San Diego product and UCLA alum in 2022, this week's move will see Fishel make her domestic debut, with the young talent opting to start her pro career in Mexico.

In her single season with powerhouse Tigres UANL, Fishel notched 17 goals in 17 games to become the first foreign athlete to win the Liga MX Golden Boot, all while leading the team to a league championship.

Following her Liga MX success, Fishel signed with Chelsea, spending two seasons with the WSL champions — though a February 2024 ACL tear limited the young attacker's impact on both club and country over the last 16 months.

Nicknamed "Big Fish," the NWSL debutant has big plans for her upcoming lengthy tenure with Seattle.

"I knew coming to the States, I'm gonna be on a team for the long run," Fishel told reporters. "I wasn't expecting to just hop from team to team. Like, no, I want to put stakes in the ground. I want to eventually lead this team."

Indiana Fever Looks to Bounce Back Before 2025 WNBA All-Star Break

Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston and Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle jump for the ball to start a 2025 WNBA game.
The Indiana Fever enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

This weekend's WNBA slate will see the No. 8 Indiana Fever aiming to right the ship, as the once-projected postseason contenders try to make a push prior to next weekend's 2025 All-Star break.

Despite seeing Caitlin Clark return from injury on Wednesday, the Fever will enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak.

"You should look yourself in the mirror and find ways you can get better, and then come back to practice tomorrow, and play again on Friday," Clark said after Indiana's 80-61 Wednesday loss to Golden State.

There's no immediate assist in the Fever's upcoming schedule, however, as they kick off the weekend against an Atlanta side that feeds on mismatches in the paint:

  • No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): The Dream can put any team in a blender with their size and stretch capabilities, and Indiana will need solid three-point shooting to upend Atlanta.
  • No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 9 Las Vegas Aces, Saturday at 4 PM ET (CBS): The short-handed Aces will hope to pounce on Golden State's mercurial road form, as Las Vegas tries to keep climbing the standings following a middling season start.
  • No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 3 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): An injury-hampered New York will try to hold on against the formidable Dream, as the reigning champion Liberty keep battling while waiting for starters to return.

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