All Scores

Paige Bueckers’ dad shares concerns over UConn star’s return

(Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images)

Bob Bueckers, father of UConn star sophomore Paige Bueckers, doesn’t want his daughter to be too quick to return to the court.

Bueckers missed her 11th game in a row on Sunday after injuring her left knee in the final minute of UConn’s Dec. 5 win over Notre Dame. The reigning National Player of the Year had surgery to repair an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear on Dec. 13. At the time, UConn announced that her estimated recovery time was roughly eight weeks, putting her return on track for early February.

“My biggest fear as a father is coming back too early,” Bob Bueckers told Connecticut Insider. “It’s really hard to tell a 20-year-old who thinks they’re invincible not to come back too early … I need to get a better grasp of what the plan is and understand what a realistic time frame is. To be honest with you, I really didn’t like the 6-8 weeks recovery time frame. That didn’t sit well with me.”

In mid-January, head coach Geno Auriemma said that Bueckers was off her crutches and taking practice shots, though UConn has yet to announce a specific date for her return. Last week, freshman Azzi Fudd returned to the court after being sidelined since Nov. 14 with an ankle injury.

“I know when I was 20, I thought I was invincible, like, ‘I want to get back with my team; let’s roll,’” Bob Bueckers continued. “I understand that. However, there are other things we need to think about. There’s a difference between the bone healing and coming back and being ready to play. That, to me, is another 6-8 weeks.

“The optics weren’t great when that came out and I didn’t express it to anybody, but I expressed it to her and I said, ‘I don’t know if that’s realistic and we just have to do what’s best for you and your body, so you don’t have to rush back because that would be a mistake.’”

Previously, Auriemma has stressed not rushing players back too early from injuries. When Fudd went down in November, he said they would be “cautious” because “it’s a long season, and even more importantly, it’s a long career for her.”

UConn, however, has struggled without Bueckers on the court, losing to multiple unranked opponents in a season for the first time since 2003-04. After dropping out of the top 10 for the first time since 2005, the Huskies have rebounded, polling at No. 10 in the last two rankings.

NWSL Stars Banda, Chawinga Headline 2025 CAF African Player of the Year Shortlist

Zambia star striker Barbra Banda runs across the pitch during a 2023 World Cup match.
Reigning CAF Player of the Year and Zambia forward Barbra Banda is up for a repeat title this year. (Hannah Peters - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The 2025 CAF African Women's Player of the Year nominations dropped last week, with a trio of NWSL stars — including 2024 award winner Barbra Banda of Zambia — topping this year's shortlist.

Calling the nomination "an honour and a privilege," Banda posted about the nod on social media, saying that "To be in the same category with all these amazing talents is truly a humbling feeling."

Joining the Orlando Pride striker in excelling for both club and country in 2025 are two other NWSL standout goalscorers: Kansas City Current star and 2024 NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga (Malawi) and Bay FC's Rachael Kundananji (Zambia).

Rounding out the 10-player lineup is Chawinga's older sister Tabitha (OL Lyonnes/Malawi), Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto/Nigeria), Rasheedat Ajibade (PSG/Nigeria), Ghizlane Chebbak (Al Hilal/Morocco), Sanaâ Mssoudy (AS FAR/Morocco), Portia Boakye (Hapoel Petah Tikva/Ghana), and Mama Diop (RC Strasbourg/Senegal).

Based on performances between January 6th and October 15th of this year, the expert panel displayed a more than significant lean toward attacking prowess in their selections, ultimately choosing a roster of all forwards for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year shortlist.

While the exact date is forthcoming, the CAF will announce its award-winners at a ceremony later this year.

NBA Star Jimmy Butler Joins San Diego Wave Ownership Group

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler poses holding a San Diego Wave scarf.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler is the latest men's sports star to buy into an NWSL team. (San Diego Wave FC)

Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler is hitting the NWSL pitch, with the Golden State Warriors forward joining the San Diego Wave as a minority investor this week.

"Soccer has been a passion of mine for a long time, and being part of the game in a meaningful way has always been a dream," Butler said in the club's Monday press release. "San Diego has become a city close to my heart, and I'm proud to invest in a club that is pushing boundaries, building something lasting, and setting a new standard for what women's sports can be both on and off the pitch."

Butler joins retired San Diego Wave star Alex Morgan in an ownership group led by the Levine Leichtman family, after the majority owners purchased the California club at a then-record $113 million valuation in 2024.

"Jimmy is a competitor and visionary who shares our values and our ambition to grow this club," said San Diego controlling owner Lauren Leichtman. "He brings a global perspective, a deep respect for the athlete's journey, and a creative spirit that perfectly complements what we are building here at Wave FC."

Butler isn't the only high-profile men's sports athlete anteing up for the NWSL in recent months, with the NBA star following in the footsteps of NFL quarterback Caleb Williams — who invested in 2026 expansion side Boston Legacy FC — and LA Clippers forward Chris Paul, who joined Angel City's star-studded ownership group.

Jamaica, Costa Rica Join USA and Mexico in 2031 World Cup Bid

Federation presidents Mikel Arriola (Mexico), Michael Ricketts (Jamaica), Osael Maroto (Costa Rica), and Cindy Parlow Cone (US Soccer) hold up jerseys during their 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup joint hosting announcement.
Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica, and the US put in a joint bid to host the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup. (Howard Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

The 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup spread further around Concacaf on Monday, as Costa Rica and Jamaica officially joined the previously announced Mexico and the US in submitting an uncontested bid to host the international tournament.

"Together, we have an extraordinary opportunity to host the biggest and most impactful Women's World Cup in history, one that will inspire a new generation of fans and help grow the women's game across our entire region and around the world," said US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone in a Monday statement.

"This bid is a reflection of our shared belief that soccer can be a force for good," added US Soccer CEO JT Batson. "We're not only creating an unforgettable moment for athletes and fans, we're building a lasting foundation to grow the women's game at every level, in every country."

Parlow Cone also noted that more than 30 US cities have already expressed interest in hosting some of the 104 games during the newly expanded 48-team tournament, with Jamaica poised to make history as the first-ever Caribbean nation to welcome a senior World Cup match.

"This will have a huge impact on the psyche of every single Jamaican," said Jamaican Football Federation president Michael Ricketts. "It is no ordinary feat for a small country like ours to host World Cup matches.... This is huge for Jamaica and for every person who proudly calls themselves Jamaican."

With no other bids on the table, FIFA is on track to ratify its 2031 hosting decision at the next FIFA Congress in April 2026.

NFL Athlete-Backed Studios Announce Documentary on WNBA Coach Becky Hammon

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon looks on from the NFL sidelines during a 2025 game.
Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon led the Aces to a third WNBA championship in 2025. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon is stepping into the spotlight, with Variety announcing that the three-time WNBA title-winning boss will star in a forthcoming documentary from NFL athlete-backed production houses SMAC and 2463 Entertainment.

"For decades, women on the hardwood [were] underestimated and told to stay in their lane," said SMAC CEO and co-founder Constance Schwartz-Morini. "Becky defied every expectation and broke through barriers that once seemed unshakable."

Schwartz-Morini, Fred Anthony Smith, Ajay Sangha, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Sean Clifford will serve as executive producers, joined by 2463 founder and Super Bowl champion wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as well as SMAC founder and retired New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.

Through audio diaries, the documentary will provide an inside look at Hammon's rise up the WNBA coaching ranks as well as her experience as the first woman to serve as an acting head coach for an NBA team, with Hammon taking the reins of the San Antonio Spurs in 2020.

A six-time WNBA All-Star during her playing career, Hammon left the NBA for Las Vegas at the end of 2021, leading the Aces to three championships in four years.

The report didn't specify the film's title or scheduled release date, with more details expected in the coming months.

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