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NWSL power rankings: Portland Thorns take first

Portland Thorns defender Becky Sauerbrunn scores Portland’s second goal during an NWSL match between the Orlando Pride and the Portland Thorns on Sunday, June 19, 2022, at Providence Park in Portland, OR. (Photo by Diego Diaz/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Two months down, five to go.

The NWSL just wrapped up Week 8, its last weekend of games before the two-week international break at the end of June. While players on international duty continue into other tournaments throughout July, including Euros and Concacaf, the NWSL will return to play on July 1. Teams have been starting to solidify their places in the standings, but the coming month might shake things up as key players remain absent from their clubs while on international duty.

For now, here are the final power rankings before June’s two-week international break begins. (Click here for the last edition of the power rankings.)

12. Orlando Pride (2-5-2) —

Frankly, the Pride are not having a good time. They’ve conceded 24 goals in nine games played, most recently suffering a 6-0 loss to the Thorns. Though acting head coach Seb Hines says they need to go over fundamentals at practice, like tackles and runs, it’s hard to believe the effort from the players is the problem, especially when they had a reasonably strong start to the season. They’ve been dealing with behind-the-scenes situations like the suspension of head coach Amanda Cromwell and assistant coach Sam Greene, and many NWSL players recently took to Twitter to express their feelings about the Pride buying out the contract of Amy Turner. The Orlando players’ on-field energy is on the decline, and they could probably benefit from some time to recharge.

11. Racing Louisville FC (2-4-3) —

No. 11 is a tough spot because no team in this league truly deserves it. But with a “meh” performance from Louisville on Friday, they don’t have any reason to be ranked higher or lower from where they were last week. One of the key takeaways coming out of this week for Racing is that Jess McDonald and Nadia Nadim have an undeniable connection. Nadim subbed into the game against Washington in the second half to score a brace and help Louisville come back from a 2-0 deficit, both her goals assisted by McDonald. The duo should give the team confidence that their attack is going to be okay after trading star forward Cece Kizer to Kansas City so she could play in her hometown.

10. NJ/NY Gotham FC (3-4-0) -2

Sunday saw the second loss in a row for Gotham FC, and the second straight loss to the Wave in which NJ/NY conceded three or more goals. They put up a reasonable fight and forced a lot of turnovers, but they still need to address the problem they’ve been having in the midfield when it comes to creating chances for the forwards, and, in general, getting shots on goal, an area in which they’re last in the league. Though Gotham outshot the Wave 13-12 and held over 55 percent of the possession, San Diego more than doubled their shots on goal, 7-3.

9. North Carolina Courage (2-4-1) -2

With just seven games played, the Courage are not yet proving themselves to be a playoff team. They can score goals, but defensively they’ve recorded just one shutout and 12 goals against. There is, however, a lot to be said about their mental strength with how they were able to come back from a 4-1 deficit to lose only 4-3 against the Dash, especially after three of Houston’s goals were scored in a 10-minute span. While they shouldn’t have let those four goals happen in the first place, it was more about what the Dash did than what the Courage didn’t. North Carolina had a bit of a slump at the beginning of the second half, like teams sometimes do, and Houston pounced on that, which most clubs aren’t often able to execute to the extent in which they did.

8. Washington Spirit (1-3-6) +2

The Spirit had the obviously stronger performance over Racing Louisville in a 2-2 draw on Friday. Washington held strong possession and made good service to their high numbers in the box before letting Racing gain more control in the second half. After two months in which the Spirit played a condensed schedule that included more games than every team, Washington finally — FINALLY — can catch a breather. Well, some of them, at least. Seven are on international duty.

7. Kansas City Current (2-4-3) +2

The Current had to battle hard to come out with a 2-2 draw against the dominant Chicago Red Stars. Giving up a lead and a penalty kick six minutes later, new addition Cece Kizer, from a trade with Racing Louisville, was the energy Kansas City needed when she took on a player down the flank and finished the game-tying goal to help extend the Current’s unbeaten streak to four games. According to head coach Matt Potter, the team did everything that was asked of them — a small but important step as they continue to find their stride this season. In two games with the club, Kizer is already making a noticeable impact, and the Current will likely only get stronger as they adjust to her presence.

6. Angel City FC (4-4-1) —

With an even split of four wins and four losses, Angel City is walking a fine line with their higher position in the power rankings. What’s good is they can keep up with the league’s top teams, like they did in the second half of a 1-0 loss to the OL Reign on Saturday. What’s not good is their inconsistent results have made it difficult to be confident they can hold a spot in the top half of the standings. They’ve only scored three goals in the last month, and their overall goal differential of minus-2 doesn’t help their case.

5. OL Reign (4-2-3) —

Will the OL Reign have a breakthrough? That remains the big question for the quality team that has been fairly quiet through the first part of the season. They’ve had just four goals in seven games and have never scored more than once in a game during that span. But at least scoring is their only problem. They dominated the first half of their 1-0 win over Angel City after putting on lots of high pressure. Star goalscorer Kim Little and Tobin Heath have yet to officially join the squad, but when they do, it’s safe to expect the Reign to only get stronger. And, announced this week is newly-signed Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Huitema also stepping into the forward line. 

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4. Houston Dash (4-2-3) —

The Dash like to keep their fans guessing with drastically different score lines every game. This past week was no different when they overtook the North Carolina Courage in a thrilling 4-3 victory, redeeming themselves from a 4-0 loss to the Thorns on June 12. Other than that recent loss to Portland, the Dash have proven a strong ability this season to quickly adjust to the way their opponents are playing and are particularly dangerous on the counterattack. When they have momentum they’ll go wild and score three goals in a 10-minute span, like they did against the Courage on Sunday. As mentioned, no one knows what their next move is, and that’s what makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the league right now.

3. Chicago Red Stars (4-1-4) -2

Chicago’s drop in the power rankings has nothing to do with their performance on the weekend and everything to do with the Thorns and Wave simply getting better results. Mal Pugh is, yet again, a force. She notched a goal and an assist on the weekend, bringing her goal count to six and giving the Red Stars more reason to worry about how they’ll match their current dominance without their star forward during the international break. The team hasn’t lost a match with Pugh on the field. But the success they found in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Kansas City Current was largely thanks to defense. Even with steady defense alone, they should make it through the international break without throwing away how far they’ve come as a team since the Challenge Cup. A lot of credit for their progress goes to the young players, who get better with every game and could step up big when needed.

2. San Diego Wave FC (5-2-3) +1

It’s a good thing the Wave excel at capitalizing on their chances. Their possession against Gotham FC on Sunday wasn’t the tidiest, yet they still managed a 3-0 win. Two of those goals came from Alex Morgan. She now has 11 of the team’s season total of 16. Similar to the problem the Red Stars will have with the absence of Pugh, it remains unclear who will be able to step up big when Morgan’s at the Concacaf championships for two weeks in July. But there is certainly a lot to look forward to in giving players like Amirah Ali more time on the field to show the league what they can do.

1. Portland Thorns FC (4-1-4) +1

It’s simple: After a 6-0 win against the Orlando Pride, there’s no reason to keep the Thorns from moving into first this week. They’re on a five-game unbeaten streak, with multiple goals in each of those matches, suggesting they’ve solved their problem with finishing that they had earlier in the season. They lead the league in goals with 21 and have the best goal differential at 14. Dominance.

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

Christen Press back training with Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Christen Press #23 of Angel City FC waves to fans following a game between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with her club team Angel City. 

Angel City FC coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL.

Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on."

"Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith re-signs with Portland on record deal

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Caitlin Clark offered $5 million to compete in Ice Cube’s league

IOWA CITY, IOWA- MARCH 25: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates as time runs out in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during their second round match-up in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 25, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been offered $5 million to play in Ice Cube's Big3 league, he confirmed on social media Wednesday after the offer leaked.

"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube wrote on social media. "But I won't deny what's now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn't we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."

While there has yet to be a women's player in the league, both Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie have been part of the league as coaches and won championships.

"The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men's pro team, and she won the championship in her first year," Ice Cube continued. "Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes."

Ice Cube, whose name is O’Shea Jackson, says that the offer was made with the intention that Clark be able to compete in the WNBA “offseason.” Clark is largely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in April. But it’s unclear how the scheduling of the two leagues would work. 

The 2024 Big3 season is set to tip off on June 15, with 10 games spanning through mid-August. The WNBA regular season, meanwhile, begins on May 14 and ends on Sept. 19.

On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, Jackson said that the league has yet to hear back from Clark. 

“We just need an answer, as soon as they are ready to give it to us,” he said. “It’s always 50-50 till we get a no. At the end of the day, it’s a generous offer.”

The offer – as well as the confusion on Jackson’s part about the timing of the WNBA season – caused some current WNBA players to react. 

"It's funny cause I be seeing his son at W games.. they don't talk?" wrote former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard

"So no other women's basketball player has came to mind in the last 7 years?" wrote Lexie Brown, adding that she'd support if Ice Cube wanted to build a women's iteration of the league. She later discussed it on the Gils Arena Show, noting that his reasoning of wanting to “uplift and support WNBA players and women athletes” is a “cop out.”

Kalani Brown, meanwhile, told Clark to "take that money" and start a women's Big3.

WNBA salaries has been a talking point in recent months as more collegiate stars declare for the league. WNBA stars have often made more money playing abroad than they have in the WNBA. Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15, with a rookie salary of $76,535 for lottery draft picks (Nos. 1-4) that rises to $97,582 by her fourth season. But she also has an NIL valuation of almost $3.5 million.

Diana Taurasi famously skipped the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian club, who paid her more to sit out than she would have made in the W. Her contract with the club was reportedly near $1.5 million per year.

Jackson also seemed to suggest that his league could be an alternative to going abroad

“America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he wrote. Although it’s unclear whether or not the rapper intends to make offers to additional WNBA players. 

While the league does hold prioritization rules in its CBA, those typically apply only to players playing in overseas leagues. It’s unclear whether or not that would prevent Clark’s participation in the Big3 league.

WNBA players that don’t want to go overseas currently have the option of playing in Athletes Unlimited, which competes in the WNBA offseason.

USC’s Aaliyah Gayles Opens Up About Her Journey Back to Basketball

USC Basketball - Aaliyah Gayles

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate Aaliyah Gayles. Here are five things to know from our conversation with the redshirt freshman guard from Las Vegas.

#1 Aaliyah suffered from a near-death act of violence in 2022.

The incident taught her a lot about herself and the support around her. “[USC] Coach Lindsay [Gottlieb] was one of the first people to fly out there and come see me. That means a lot to me off the court.” 

#2 Her favorite USC memory is when she surprised her teammates after getting out of the hospital.

She left her walker at the door to show she was on the road to returning to the court. “That was my favorite memory because it was family. It was my first time being able to walk to you guys and see you practice.”

#3 There's a reason she wears #3.

#3 was her grandpa’s favorite number and a golden number in her life. Plus, AG3 has a nice ring to it. 

#4 She has a list of basketball GOAT’s:

Candace Parker, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Cason Wallace.

#5 There have been many celebrity appearances at USC’s games over the years, especially this season.

Aaliyah’s favorites include Will Ferrell, Kehlani, and Saweetie. And she hopes Lil Durk will come to watch a game soon.

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

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