Jaelene Daniels has agreed to a one-year contract with the North Carolina Courage, the club announced on Sunday, in a move that has sparked much backlash due to controversial comments Daniels has made in the past regarding LGBTQ+ rights.

Daniels, 28, previously played for the Courage from 2017-19, making 46 appearances with the team. A two-time NWSL champion, she was named the Courage’s 2019 Defender of the Year in a team vote.

With the contract, which includes an additional one-year option for 2023, Daniels returns to the NWSL after she retired in 2020 and gave birth to her first child in August.

“It was a huge blow when Jae decided to retire after the Challenge Cup in 2020, but we understood her decision and are thrilled for her and Matthew on the arrival of their baby, Zoe,” Courage president and GM Curt Johnson said in a statement. “Jae has been a huge part of our biggest moments as a Club and she is someone that we are excited to welcome back. She is one of the most decorated players in league history and will be a valuable part of our 2022 team and beyond.”

[NEWS] Courage Agree to Terms with Jaelene Daniels

📰: https://t.co/WU5vdXFK8g pic.twitter.com/v3zAENsNrn

— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) December 19, 2021

Despite the Courage front office’s optimism, the signing has received widespread public criticism due to Daniels’ checkered past with the U.S. women’s national team. In 2017, Daniels (then Hinkle) declined a call-up to the USWNT, citing “personal reasons” at the time. Later, she said that her Christian beliefs prevented her from wearing a jersey designed to honor members of the LGBTQ+ community. In a 2018 video from the Christian Broadcasting Network, Hinkle said she “felt so convicted that it wasn’t my job to wear this jersey.”

“I’m essentially giving up the one dream little girls dream about their entire life, and I’m saying no to [it],” she added. “I knew in my spirit I was doing the right thing. I knew that I was being obedient.”

After the USWNT won the World Cup in 2019, goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris responded to a tweet with Hinkle’s interview and the suggestion that the USWNT is “not a very welcoming place for Christians.”

Harris, who is married to former USWNT defender Ali Krieger, wrote that Daniels’ religion “was never problem.”

“The problem,” Harris wrote, “is your intolerance and you are homophobic. You don’t belong in a sport that aims to unite and bring people together. You would never fit into our pack or what this team stands for. Don’t you dare say our team is ‘not a welcoming place for Christians.’ You weren’t around long enough to know what this team stood for. This is actually an insult to the Christians on our team.”

In a release, Courage owner Steve Malik said the decision “sparked a lot of discussion internally, and with a cross section of fans.”

Ultimately, the club decided to re-sign Daniels because of her “positive impact she had on the Courage’s successful history,” he said.

This past season was a tumultuous one for the Courage, who were at the center of the scandal involving former coach Paul Riley. The club fired Riley in the wake of former players’ accusations of emotional coercion and sexual abuse and have since hired Sean Nahas as permanent head coach. Nahas led the team to the quarterfinals of the NWSL playoffs, where they lost to the eventual champion Washington Spirit in extra time.

“Jae and I had some very good conversations leading up to her signing and bringing her back into where she wanted to be, and that is here in N.C.,” Nahas said. “To add such a great talent to our team, one who knows us and is comfortable with what we do, is something that we are looking forward to as we begin to move forward into the 2022 season.”

The USWNT announced their 2025 season finale on Monday, setting a pair of friendlies against Italy at Orlando's Inter & Co Stadium on November 28th and Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on December 1st.

Facing the now-world No. 2 US for the first time in 15 years, Italy's recent run to the 2025 Euro semifinals shot them to No. 12 in the FIFA rankings.

"As we prepare for World Cup qualifying at the end of 2026, we want to play teams from all parts of the world with different styles and different strengths, so getting to play Italy, one of Europe's up-and-coming teams, will be a great way to end the year," said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes in a statement announcing the friendlies.

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After an extended break following a series of early July matchups, the US now has five matches left on the books, with the year-ending Italy matches rounding out three already-announced October friendlies.

The USWNT kicks off next month's lineup with two matches against Euro 2025 participant No. 23 Portugal, followed by a third friendly against No. 33 New Zealand.

As Hayes's year of roster evaluation comes to a close, expect stakes to rise as the 2027 World Cup comes into sharper view.

How to purchase tickets to the final 2025 USWNT friendlies

Though a myriad of presale opportunities are available throughout this week, tickets to both the November 28th match in Orlando and the December 1st friendly in Fort Lauderdale will go on sale to the general public on Friday.

Tickets will drop at 10 AM ET online.

The red-hot No. 2 Las Vegas Aces will hit the court in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs again on Tuesday night, facing off against the No. 7 Seattle Storm in Game 2 of the postseason's first round with an eye on scoring their 18th consecutive victory — and a trip to this year's semifinals.

"You guys celebrate this more than we do," MVP frontrunner A'ja Wilson said, brushing off the team's recent dominance. "The streak stopped in the regular season."

"It's the first to nine wins [for the championship], so that's how we want to approach it," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon echoed, voicing a renewed focus on retaking the WNBA crown.

Following the league's new home-away-home first-round format, Seattle has the chance to extend their season on their home court on Tuesday night, as the Storm arrives back in market with few answers after suffering a 102-77 Game 1 loss.

"Our fans deserve for us to play well," said Seattle forward Nneka Ogwumike. "We have to figure out how to do it, no matter what. That's going to be the test on Tuesday."

How to watch the Las Vegas Aces vs. Seattle Storm

No. 7 Seattle will try stay alive against No. 2 Las Vegas at 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, with live coverage of Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs airing on ESPN.

With their backs against the wall, the No. 6 Indiana Fever will face down both the No. 3 Atlanta Dream and potential elimination from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs when they host their first home postseason game in nearly a decade on Tuesday night.

"I think you give yourself an edge as the home team. When they punched us, they punched us hard," Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell said after Sunday's 80-68 loss in Atlanta. "So we have to do the same thing."

"I would like to think that being back at home can kind of give us a sense of comfort, so hopefully we could use it for what it's worth and not take it for granted," she continued.

Mitchell will likely be the key to the Fever's survival, after an onslaught of season-ending injuries forced the three-time WNBA All-Star to step up as a scoring leader — with Mitchell dropping a postseason career-high 27 points in Sunday's Game 1.

"It's a lot of little things," said Indiana head coach Stephanie White following the weekend result. "I like where we are, I'm proud of our group for continuing to fight, and we're going to be better on Tuesday."

How to watch Atlanta vs. Indiana in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

No. 6 Indiana will tip off against No. 3 Atlanta in Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

WNBA legend Elena Delle Donne is returning to the court, with USA Basketball announcing on Monday that the two-time league MVP will join the 3×3 Women's National Team as its first-ever managing director.

The 36-year-old officially retired in April 2025 after struggling with injuries, capping a career that spanned winning gold at the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 FIBA World Cup with Team USA as well as two WNBA championships.

"Elena has been a member of the USA Basketball family for almost 15 years," USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said in Monday's press release. "Her wealth of knowledge of the sport of basketball and our organization will be an asset as we continue our journey."

As part of her duties, Delle Donne will be responsible for selecting the USA Basketball 3x3 team's coaching staff and players prior to the 2028 LA Olympics, the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and other major international competitions.

"USA Basketball was an important part of my on-court career for a decade and a half. To have the opportunity to continue my journey with the organization, and to help shape and grow the 3x3 program, is something that I take very seriously," Delle Donne said. "I'm excited to get started."

Delle Donne's new position is the 3x3 version of fellow WNBA icon Sue Bird's role, as the newly minted Hall of Famer became the managing director of the USA Basketball women's 5x5 arm in May.

"To now think that I'm going to be on the other side of the phone letting someone know that their dream has come true and they've made the team is going to be such a fulfilling, full circle moment for me," Delle Donne said.