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Alexis Jones on Draft Day Drama and Tough Love Coaching

UNCASVILLE, CT – JUNE 09: Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and Minnesota Lynx guard Alexis Jones (12) look on during a WNBA game between Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun on June 9, 2018, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Connecticut defeated Minnesota 89-75. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Alexis Jones plays guard for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA. She played two seasons at Duke before transferring to Baylor, where she was a 2x First-team All-Big 12 selection. Drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in 2017, Jones played two seasons with the team before being traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. She signed with the Dream this past offseason. She spoke with Just Women’s Sports about her draft day experience, her advice to the incoming rookies, and how Cheryl Reeve’s tough love helped make her the player she is today.

The 2020 WNBA draft was last week. Looking back, what do you remember about your draft day experience? 

It was a dream come true. I remember getting to New York, it was like, okay, this is real. I’m in New York. My family also got to come, which made it a great experience. And then I got to talk with Adidas, which was amazing. I used to dream about getting a shoe endorsement when I was younger. And so to have the opportunity to be a part of the Adidas family was a really big honor, especially because for women, there’s not a lot of opportunities out there for girls to be a part of a shoe company. So I was really super happy, proud, and appreciative of that. They’ve been amazing to work with.

What was it like having to wait to hear your name called?

I was nervous, because I was expected to go sixth or seventh, so when I didn’t hear my name being called, I was like, yo, I don’t know what’s about to happen. But then next thing you know, I end up getting picked up by Minnesota. I was like, cool. As long as I didn’t drop to the second round, I’m fine. I never expected in life to be going to Minnesota, but I was happy because I knew I’d have a chance to be around some of the top girls in the nation.

The Lynx were in the middle of their dynasty at the time. Do you remember what the first thing that went though your head was when you realized you were heading to Minnesota? 

Not going to lie, the first thing going through my head was, I know I’m not about to play. I got that through my head real quick. I’m not that good at enjoying the moment, so I was automatically thinking about basketball. But then I got to speak to Seimone Augustus on the phone, and that was super dope. To be on a call with Seimone Augustus was super inspirational for me right there at that moment. It was a wonderful feeling.

There wasn’t really time to celebrate, though, because I knew I was about to be on the bench. I was like, I have got to get in the gym. Contracts aren’t guaranteed, and I didn’t want to get waived. So I had a little draft party when I got back home, but the next day I was in the gym.

What are your thoughts on the incoming rookie class? 

I think there’s a lot of good guards coming. The past few years there’s been a lot of great guards. I played with Lauren Cox before, and I’m super proud of her. I also played with Beatrice, who was taken by the Sparks. Super proud of her as well. I like the girl from Texas A&M a lot [Chennedy Carter, Atlanta’s first round pick]. We’re both Texas people. She for sure has a lot of game in her and a lot of swag, too, which is great to come into league with swag. I think all these young girls, they just have a whole bunch of swag. I love it. They all got energy, and everything that’s coming to them is well-deserved.

You transferred from Duke to Baylor after tearing your ACL during your sophomore. Can you talk about what went into that decision? 

I think I got to a point where I was just too far from home. I just needed people to be around me at that moment. A lot of times my dad would call, and he would want to come see me play, but he couldn’t. And when I was injured I started to think… that maybe this is God calling and telling me to be back close to home where I can just be happy. And so I just took the jump.

It was definitely a scary feeling, because you never know how the next coach is going to treat you. And I knew Kim was a hard-nosed coach. Plus my dad was even preaching at me to stay. He did not want me to go. But I really wanted to be close to home, and at some point I just felt like, no matter how hard it might get, I’m going to always be me at the end of the day. I know I play hard. I know I work hard and that no matter what happens, I’m going to go in and do what the team needs me to do.

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ICON SPORTSWIRE/GETTY IMAGES
The jump from college to professional must have been an even bigger transition. How did you make that adjustment?

I think I just got blessed to be in Minnesota. I had great teammates like Mone [Seimone Augustus], Lindsay [Whalen], Maya [Moore]. I took every opportunity to learn everything I could from them. And they really brought me in. When I would get in the game for my two minutes, they would try to make my two minutes seem like they were the two minutes of a Hall of Famer.

And Coach Reeve gave me tough love. Man, my first game, I ain’t ever going to forget. My first game, I was talking to Mone, and I was just talking to Mone. I knew I wasn’t going to play. Of course, if coach wanted to put me in, I was ready. But I had already accepted that I probably wasn’t going to play that game. So then Coach Reeve came over and started talking to Mone. She turns to me and just says, you know you’re not going to play this year, right? And I was just like… I had nothing to say. Mone told me later not to worry about her, but after that, it was always bittersweet being coached by her. I don’t have any bad blood with her or anything. I enjoyed it, and I think that’s where I learned to grow up. She brought that hunger out of me. She just kept making me more hungry and hungry to get where I wanted to be.

You were a first round pick and an amazing college player, but obviously it can still be a tough transition. There’s a lot of players who just got drafted who are in the same shoes you were in. What would you say to them? 

Stay focused on what you believe in and know what you’re coming into. And I would say always be willing to learn. If you’re willing to learn, you can go so far in this basketball game. You can be one of the greats if you are willing to learn.

UEFA Draw Sets Champions League Quarterfinals

The UEFA Champions League trophy sits on display before the 2024/25 quarterfinals draw.
Eight teams' paths to May's Champions League final in Lisbon were determined in Friday's draw. (Kristian Skeie - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

The 2024/25 Champions League quarterfinals are officially set, with UEFA drawing the remaining eight teams into the field early Friday morning.

The annual season-long competition pits Europe's top leagues against each other. This season, 72 clubs across 50 different leagues qualified for the contest. From the UK to Ukraine, all teams have been vying for the continent's top-dog status amidst a cutthroat atmosphere and a growing sense of parity in the sport.

Two qualifying rounds narrowed the initial teams down to the 16 contending in the tournament's official group stage. Each played six group-stage matches from October through December to determine the eight clubs that advanced to Friday's final draw.

A screen shows the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal pairings at Friday's draw.
Four previous champions made the 2024/25 Champions League quarterfinals. (Kristian Skeie - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

The road to Champions League glory in Lisbon

All remaining clubs are now eyeing the May 24th final in Lisbon, Portugal, and Friday's draw mapped each team's path to that championship match. The 2024/25 quarterfinals will feature four former champions and four seeking a first-ever trophy, with both familiar fights and rarely tested toss-ups on deck.

Both the March quarterfinals and April semifinals employ a two-leg format, offering teams who suffer narrow first losses a shot at second-match redemption.

Friday's draw determined that WSL contenders Arsenal will kick off the tournament's quarterfinals against Real Madrid on March 18th, with Germany's Bayern Munich taking on France's 2024 UWCL runners-up Olympique Lyonnais shortly afterwards.

The following day, Bayern's Frauen-Bundesliga foes Wolfsburg will face Spain's 2024 UWCL champs FC Barcelona. Closing out the initial tilts is a WSL standoff between Manchester City and the UK league's undefeated titans Chelsea FC.

Lyon's Michele Kang, president of the winningest Champions League team in history, speaks to the media after Friday's UEFA draw.
Backed by club president Michele Kang, Lyon will seek its record ninth UWCL title this year. (Kristian Skeie - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Increased global parity to test UWCL dynasties

With eight of the tournament's 23 titles under their belts, Lyon is the winningest team in UWCL history. Meanwhile, current back-to-back champions Barcelona claimed three of the last four trophies.

Despite the recent two-team domination, capturing this season's title will be a challenge. Hoping to spoil Lyon's and Barcelona's dynastic runs is four first-time title-hunters, plus two-time winners Wolfsburg and early champion Arsenal — who won the trophy in 2007, when the tournament was called the UEFA Women's Cup.

All in all, the European crown has never been tougher to claim, with leagues across the continent increasingly stocking up on standout — and potentially game-changing — players from beyond their borders.

Portland Announces Joint NWSL x WNBA Training Center

A rendering of the outside of the proposed NWSL x WNBA performance complex in Portland.
The Portland facility will be the first shared WNBA-NWSL performance complex under the same ownership. (RAJ Sports/Populous)

Portland is going all in on women's sports, with RAJ Sports — the ownership group behind both the NWSL's Thorns and Portland's incoming WNBA team — announcing the development of a new $150 million sports performance complex on Thursday.

The 12-acre dual-sport performance center will be the first-ever facility housing both a pro women's soccer squad and a pro women's basketball team.

Innovation and amenities lead Portland design

At 63,000 square feet, the incoming NWSL x WNBA training facility will feature two basketball courts, two soccer pitches, a 17,000-square-foot practice gym, a state-of-the-art strength training facility, and a laundry list of additional top-of-the-line amenities.

According to the Thorns' announcement, the center aims to "[elevate] the standard of athletic development by integrating cutting-edge training, advanced recovery, and holistic wellness with lifestyle elements specific to the needs of female athletes in a collaborative multi-team setting."

The wellness additions include recovery lounges and pools, hyperbaric therapy, red-light therapy, and a yoga and pilates room, plus access to a full-time chef and nutritionist via the center's kitchen and dining hall.

"This kind of high-performance training facility allows us to elevate every part of our game, becoming better and more well-rounded athletes," said Thorns forward Sophia Wilson (née Smith).

"Having a space designed specifically for female athletes gives us yet another leg up on the competition and will be vital to our future successes."

A rendering of the basketball court in the proposed Portland performance complex.
The WNBA and NWSL performance complex adds Portland to a growing list of women's sports facilities. (RAJ Sports/Populous)

Portland joins other WNBA and NWSL teams building own facilities

Portland is just the latest in a wave of women's teams across top-tier US leagues breaking ground on dedicated performance facilities.

Earlier this week, WNBA newcomer Golden State unveiled their own custom-built Valkyries Performance Center. Last month, NWSL side Angel City cut the ribbon on their dedicated training facility.

RAJ Sports’ effort to continue the investment trend comes barely a year after their January 2024 purchase of the Thorns. That move was finalized a little over eight months before the WNBA accepted their expansion bid, making the Bhathal family — who also have a stake in the NBA's Sacramento Kings — the first-ever ownership group to oversee pro women's teams in two different sports.

Las Vegas Aces Revamp Roster with Offseason Moves

Las Vegas Aces standouts Sydney Colson and Tiffany Hayes race downcourt during a 2024 game.
Both Sydney Colson and Tiffany Hayes are departing Las Vegas this season. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

WNBA roster shakeups kept rolling this week, with a deluge of moves radically reshaping the 2022 and 2023 league champion Las Vegas Aces.

After three seasons in Las Vegas, backup guard and popular locker room presence Sydney Colson signed a one-year deal with Indiana on Thursday. The Fever, who've been aggressive about inking athletes they believe will bring a title back to Indianapolis, targeted Colson for her veteran experience.

"[Colson] brings a championship pedigree to the Fever, adding depth to our point guard position, said Fever COO and GM Amber Cox in the team's announcement. "We have the utmost confidence in her ability to step into any situation and deliver on both ends of the floor."

Joining Colson in leaving Las Vegas is forward Alysha Clark. A key factor in the Aces' 2023 title run — which ultimately earned her the WNBA's Sixth Woman of the Year award — Clark is returning to the Seattle Storm, where she played from 2012 to 2020.

The Aces are also losing their 2024 Sixth Woman of the Year, Tiffany Hayes. Despite the Aces protecting her in December's expansion draft, the free agent guard will take her talents to incoming franchise Golden State. There, she'll link up with former Las Vegas assistant coach-turned-Valkyries boss Natalie Nakase.

"Having coached Tiffany last season in Las Vegas, I know firsthand the impact she brings both on and off the court," Nakase noted. "Her versatility, intensity, and ability to score will be invaluable as we build our team's identity."

Atlanta's Cheyenne Parker-Tyus guards Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson during a 2024 WNBA game.
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus will join A'ja Wilson in the Aces' front court this season. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Las Vegas Aces take aim at refreshed dynasty

After falling short of a three-peat championship last season — despite three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's outstanding 2024 performance — a significant Aces roster reshuffling was all but guaranteed ahead of the 2025 season.

Las Vegas kicked things off by shipping All-Star guard Kelsey Plum off to the LA Sparks last month. The blockbuster three-team trade sent Seattle's two-time champ Jewell Loyd to the Aces in return.

To shore up their front-court, Las Vegas inked 6-foot-4 power forward Cheyenne Parker-Tyus on Thursday. The 2023 All-Star averaged 15 points and 6.7 rebounds for Atlanta that season, and was on her way to matching that production last year when an ankle injury curbed her 2024 run.

Ultimately, Las Vegas's roller coaster offseason reflects both the WNBA's shifting landscape and the Aces' quest to revive their former dynasty, hoping a fresh start can fuel them all the way to another league title in 2025.

Tennessee Upsets NCAA Rival UConn in Vols’ First Top 10 Win

Tennessee basketball players Jewel Spear and Zee Spearman celebrate their 80-76 upset win over UConn.
Tennessee scored their first win over UConn since 2007. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

No. 19 Tennessee notched the first major win of their Kim Caldwell era on Thursday night, stifling No. 5 UConn 80-76 to capture their first Top 10 basketball victory of the season — and first win over the Huskies since 2007.

Bolstered by a 13-0 run in the third quarter, Tennessee out-rebounded UConn 46-34 to hold the Huskies at bay.

On defense, the Vols managed to limit UConn star and projected 2025 WNBA Draft No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers to just 5-of-16 from the field and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc.

"We had poise down the stretch. I think we played with confidence. I think we played to win, as opposed to afraid to lose," commented first-year Tennessee head coach Caldwell after the game.

Tennessee flips the historic rivalry script against UConn

Once one of the most heated historic rivalries in NCAA basketball, Tennessee and UConn met 22 times from 1995 to 2007. The Huskies took 13 victories over that stretch.

Since the teams rebooted their non-conference series in 2020, UConn has taken the win in all four meetings — until Tennessee halted the Huskies on Thursday.

A big upset win from the Vols has felt increasingly inevitable this season, as Tennessee has come wildly close to claiming multiple top-tier upsets. They fell to No. 4 Texas by just four points, No. 6 LSU by two points, and logged one-point losses against both No. 15 Oklahoma and No. 24 Vanderbilt.

Last week, the Vols lost to No. 2 South Carolina 70-63. Subsequently, Tennessee became just the second team to limit the reigning NCAA champs to a single-digit win this season.

Despite Tennessee’s recent rise, Thursday's result was a blow to UConn. The Huskies are now 21-3 in 2024/25 play, with all three losses coming against Top 10 teams. UConn likely has just one regular-season Top 10 matchup left by way of a February 16th clash with South Carolina.

"The bottom line is we have some players on our team that are supposed to be our best players and they've got to play better. That's all there is to it," said UConn head coach Geno Auriemma in response.

South Carolina's Bree Hall defends Texas guard Madison Booker during a 2024 NCAA basketball game.
Texas and South Carolina will meet in a Top-4 matchup on Sunday. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

How to watch top-ranked NCAA basketball this weekend

As tough as the SEC has been, there's little rest for the weary, with No. 19 Tennessee gearing up for a rematch with No. 6 LSU at 4 PM ET on Sunday. Live coverage will air on ESPN.

In Top 10 weekend action, No. 8 Ohio State will cap their West Coast trip against No. 7 USC at 9 PM ET on Saturday, live on Fox Sports.

Then on Sunday, No. 4 Texas will host No. 2 South Carolina at 2 PM ET, with ESPN broadcasting live.

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