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Dawn Staley fights for Brittney Griner, through her words and her wardrobe

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley wears a “Phree BG” shirt in support of Brittney Griner during her team’s game against Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

In her 15-year coaching career at South Carolina, Dawn Staley has won two NCAA championships, reached four Final Fours and taken her place as one of the top coaches in the game.

And last season, as the Gamecocks journeyed to their second title, Staley also became a style icon.

The 52-year old coach’s fashion started conversations throughout the season, especially in contrast with the more traditional outfits coaches wear as they patrol the sidelines. Her wardrobe featured a Burberry hoodie, a black leather jacket and footwear to make any sneakerhead jealous.

She cemented her status during the national championship game as she patrolled the sidelines in a green letterman-style Louis Vuitton jacket and a matching pair of shoes.

Every time South Carolina plays, viewers pay attention to what Staley wears. And in the first two games of the 2022-23 season, the coach used her wardrobe to make a statement.

Both of her outfits centered around Brittney Griner, the Phoenix Mercury star who has been wrongfully imprisoned in Russia since February.

Against Eastern Tennessee State on Nov. 7, Staley sported a sweatshirt with Griner’s face on the front and her jersey number on the back. And when her team took on Maryland on Nov. 11, in a much-anticipated contest televised on ESPN2, Staley wore a shirt that read “Phree BG” in the style of the Phoenix Mercury logo, with Griner’s No. 42 on the front.

In regard to her BG-inspired clothing, Staley told Just Women’s Sports via the team’s communications department that “there is no formal plan to do something every game.” Rather, it’s “all a game-time decision.”

Still, whether it’s through her wardrobe or her words, Staley continues to make statements about Griner in an effort to bring her home.

“I think about her every day,” Staley told reporters after her team’s win over Maryland. “I hope she doesn’t lose hope … We have to be her hope.”

Since Griner was arrested at a Russian airport for carrying a small amount of hashish oil in her bag, Staley has been at the forefront of the movement to keep Griner’s name in conversation.

Staley’s Instagram and Twitter accounts are full of daily photos of her orange “Free BG” pin, the black block letters standing out against the bright background.

She accompanies the photos with the number of days Griner has been detained – 273 as of Thursday – as well as a message of love and support for Griner and the hashtags #FreeBrittneyGriner and #WeAreBG.

Staley told Insider in October that she speaks about Griner so frequently because “BG is an incredible person with a big old heart.”

The two have a personal relationship that makes her detainment even more difficult for Staley to stomach. She coached Griner and Team USA to the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

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Dawn Staley coached Brittney Griner and Team USA at the Olympics last summer in Tokyo. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

More than that, though, Staley believes in always doing the right thing, a way of living her mother instilled in her long ago.

“I’m my mother’s child,” she told Just Women’s Sports in June. “I grew up in a disciplined household, and I watched my mother be the example of doing the right thing. And the right thing isn’t always popular, but the right thing is the right thing.”

Among the basketball community, Staley’s support of Griner is met with positive reactions, but when she puts those views out into the world – and out onto the internet – there is always some negativity. She doesn’t care.

“We have to give a voice to the voiceless,” she said.

And right now, Griner is voiceless. The 32-year-old is serving a nine-year sentence in a Russian penal colony in the town of Yavas, 310 miles from Moscow.

Within the sphere of women’s basketball Griner has received an outpouring of support. Her teammates and friends in the WNBA continue to push her name forward, through social media, interviews, clothing and photos.

Friend and teammate Skylar Diggins-Smith wore an outfit dedicated to Griner during All-Star weekend, and the court where the game took place featured her initials. The players also came out in the second half of the All-Star game wearing No. 42 jerseys with Griner’s name on the back.

Now, college teams are following the WNBA’s lead.

Baylor, the program Griner led to a national title in 2012, is wearing patches on their jerseys with her initials, the number 42 and a heart to show their love and support for the WNBA star.

Baylor coach Nicki Collen and the Bears program have been vocal in their support of Griner, even as Griner’s former Baylor coach and current LSU coach Kim Mulkey has remained silent.

“BG’s family. She’s Baylor family,” Collen said in September. “To me, anything we can do to help her and her family is important.”

Stanford held a moment of silence for Griner before its opening game of the season, and the Cardinal plan to wear patches for her as well – they’ve been ordered but have yet to arrive.

Activism has long been a part of women’s basketball, as players constantly speak about causes that are important to them, from the Black Lives Matter movement to LBGTQ+ rights, among others. For many of those athletes and coaches, speaking up is second nature.

“We are tireless when it comes to doing things the right way and speaking up for all the right reasons,” Staley said of the women’s basketball community.

And right now, they are tireless in their fight for Griner and her freedom. That fight comes in many forms: through words, through actions, and sometimes through wardrobes. And for Staley, it’s all of the above.

Caitlin Clark Player Edition Kobe 5 Sneakers Fly Off Nike’s Shelves

An image of the Nike Kobe V Protro sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
The Nike Player Edition Kobe V Protros designed by Caitlin Clark sold out in minutes on Monday. (Nike)

The first Nike Player Edition sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark sold out almost immediately on Monday morning, with fans snapping up the limited run of the Fever guard's Kobe 5 Protros within minutes of the 10 AM ET online drop.

Inspired by the Indiana Fever's colors, Clark's high-gloss Kobe shoes come in Midnight Blue with a tongue and additional accents in Bright Crimson, as well as "vibrant hits of University Gold."

Though Nike did not disclose actual stock numbers, multiple sneaker insiders estimated that Monday's release included just 13,000 pairs of Clark's edition.

Originally on sale for $190 through Nike's website, the Kobe 5 Protro PE is already topping $350 on the resale market.

Clark has been a Nike athlete since inking an NIL deal with the sportswear giant just before her junior NCAA season at the University of Iowa in October 2022, with the WNBA sophomore later signing a reported eight-year, $28 million endorsement contract just after finishing her collegiate career.

That current deal, inked just after the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the 2024 WNBA Draft's overall No. 1 pick, includes the release of a signature shoe.

While Nike still plans to add Clark to its signature shoe roster, the brand appears to be testing the market's waters using the guard's preferred on-court Kobe sneakers — to a sellout success.

How to buy the Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE

Plans looking to pay retail prices for Clark's latest sneaker design will have to wait for Nike to restock, with online resellers like StockX, GOAT, and Flight Club currently selling the shoes at a significant markup.

Waivers, Trades Rattle WNBA Standings as Teams Hunt Midseason Boosts

Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith looks down during a 2025 WNBA game.
Former Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith was abruptly traded to the Las Vegas Aces on Monday. (Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming later this month, teams across the league aren't waiting for the August 7th deadline to pull the trigger on trades and waivers, significantly shaking up league rosters.

On Monday, Dallas abruptly traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a 2027 first-round draft pick, surprising Smith and her Wings teammates — including girlfriend DiJonai Carrington.

"Sick to my stomach dawg, never seen this coming," Smith posted to X after the WNBA announced the trades, adding "if I could've chose anywhere to go it would've been Vegas, so hella excited [for] this new opportunity."

WNBA trades target future prospects

The recent WNBA trades both reflect the depth of options Dallas has in their frontcourt — most recently boosted by the Wings acquiring center Li Yueru from Seattle last month — and indicates the team's early play at a talented WNBA Draft class, with NCAA stars like USC's JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo going pro in 2027.

At the same time, Smith's trade extends Las Vegas's first-round draft drought, with the Aces — who last added a first-round selection in 2022 — currently without an early draft pick until 2028.

As the Las Vegas focuses on leveling up this season, hoping Smith helps boost their current seventh-place league standing, the Aces also added roster cuts to their Monday trade.

Las Vegas handed out waivers to guard Tiffany Mitchell and second-year forward Elizabeth Kitley, who was selected 24th overall by the Aces in the 2024 WNBA Draft despite tearing her ACL at the end of her NCAA career.

Golden State Valkyries guard Julie Vanloo looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Golden State waived Belgian guard Julie Vanloo as she returned from winning the 2025 EuroBasket. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Golden State waives 2025 EuroBasket champ Vanloo

Making their own controversial Monday move was 2025 expansion side Golden State, as the Valkyries cut Belgian guard Julie Vanloo shortly after the 2025 EuroBasket champion rushed to return to California, skipping her national team's title-winning celebrations.

"Literally just touched down in the bay," Vanloo wrote on an Instagram story littered with broken heart emojis. "I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can't right now."

While Golden State faces backlash for the timing of the cut, waiving Vanloo ultimately opens up a contract for the Valkyries, with rumors swirling that either guard Kaitlyn Chen or forward Laeticia Amihere will earn the roster spot after impressing as replacement players during European absences.

All in all, with WNBA roster space remaining at a premium, teams are making big swings in an effort to shore up their ranks as they push toward the 2025 season's halfway point.

Indiana Fever Face Minnesota Lynx at 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final

The Indiana Fever huddle during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Indiana Fever will play in their first-ever Commissioner's Cup final on Tuesday night. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final tips off on Tuesday night, when first-time finalist Indiana will look to upset reigning Cup champs Minnesota in a winner-take-all showdown for both bragging rights and the lion's share of the in-season tournament's prize pool.

With the total purse set at $500,000, athletes on the winning team will earn around $30,000 each — plus an additional $5,000 for the Commissioner's Cup final MVP — while losing players will take home $10,000.

While Tuesday's final won't count toward the regular-season WNBA standings, the battle will be the first meeting between the Lynx and Fever this year, adding first-clash drama to the already-high stakes.

"I think it's going to feel like a playoff game. It's going to be really fun," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters, noting Minnesota's home-court advantage in the matchup. "Our fans show up for us every game, but especially in that environment ... it's going to be electrifying."

Despite the excitement, player availability could tip the scales in Tuesday's outcome, as both Collier and Fever guard Caitlin Clark contend with recent injuries.

While Collier returned from a lingering back issue without missing a beat last weekend, Clark missed Indiana's last two games due to a groin issue and is currently "questionable" to play for the Commissioner's Cup.

"I'm going to be day-to-day," Clark said on Sunday. "Doing everything I can to put myself in position to play the next game. That's always my goal."

How to watch tonight's WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take the court for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final at 8 PM ET on Tuesday.

Live coverage of the in-season tournament's championship game will air on Prime.

WNBA Drops All-Star Game Starters, Taps Rookie Paige Bueckers

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers celebrates a play during a 2025 WNBA game against the Indiana Fever.
Paige Bueckers is the only rookie to make the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup. (Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA dropped its All-Star Game starters list on Monday, with just one rookie earning enough votes to feature on the star-studded 10-player lineup.

In addition to being the lone rookie, Dallas's No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers will be the only All-Star debutant playing in the game's first minutes, as the Wings guard joins nine previous All-Stars to tip off the July 19th matchup — giving her a presumptive edge in this year's Rookie of the Year race.

Joining Bueckers as WNBA All-Star starters will be team captains Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), as well as Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).

A mix of 50% fan voting, 25% player voting, and 25% media voting determined the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup — though the three groups did not necessarily come to a consensus.

For example, players ranked Clark ninth among guards, while the media put her in third. A record-setting 1.29 million fan votes boosted the Fever star into a captain's role.

As for players who fell just short of a starting position, like Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago forward Angel Reese fell just short of starting at their positions, their All-Star dreams aren't over yet.

Head coaches across the league will now vote to select 12 reserve players, likely adding both fan favorites and stat-sheet stars to the July 6th final All-Star player pool, with Collier and Clark building their teams from that list on July 8th.

Though reputation, skill, and popularity all factor into All-Star nods, this year's group is also underlining the depth of the WNBA's talent base.

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