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Hilary Knight embraces Team USA’s golden opportunity in Beijing

Hilary Knight hasn’t given much thought to whether the Beijing Games will be her last. The only player on Team USA making her fourth Olympic appearance, Knight, 32, takes the ice with the same childlike excitement as she did 12 years ago, for her first Olympics in Vancouver.

Only when she feels like she’s no longer making an impact on the team will she hang up the skates, Knight explained in a phone conversation the night before departing for Beijing. And based on the way she has been playing so far, that point seems far away.

Through four games at the 2022 Olympics, Knight is tied for second on the team with five points. She contributed three goals and two assists as the U.S. went 3-1 in group play to enter the quarterfinals as the No. 2 seed. The Americans will face Czechia on Friday (Thursday, 11:10 p.m. ET) for a spot in the semifinals and their fourth straight gold-medal game, likely setting up a chance for redemption against rival Canada, who beat them 4-2 on Tuesday.

For Knight, who was a part of the U.S. team that took down Canada in PyeongChang four years ago, the opportunity is golden.

Knight spoke with Just Women’s Sports ahead of the Olympics about preparations for Beijing, the rising parity in women’s hockey and what’s next in her illustrious hockey career.

Since the last three games of the Rivalry Series were canceled, you spent over a month practicing instead of getting final tune-ups in. What was that like?

Oh boy, the ups-and-downs of the COVID world. I think what people don’t necessarily understand and what sort of strikes the fear in athletes is if you catch COVID, you essentially can’t compete in the Olympic Games. It’s been really hard to try and keep safe, especially in a normal population that doesn’t necessarily understand what you’re going through and you don’t have enough time to explain it to a stranger while you’re wearing a mask outside. But outside of that, it’s been unique and interesting and a lot of fun at the same time. I think what’s exciting about our group is our uncanny ability to address and adapt all the time. I think it’s really become a strength of ours.

What did that look like, trying to weather the COVID precautions while practicing and staying ready?

Getting creative for training. With scrimmages, we sort of had to trail off doing those just because of the potential risk of contracting COVID. What’s so great about our team sport is you go through these challenges with one another, and I have 22 other family members to navigate it with. But at the same time, if one of those family members goes down for the count, it affects us tremendously as we look to compete in probably the most competitive Olympics for hockey yet.

These are your fourth Olympics. Thinking back on those first three, do you feel like you have a different perspective of these Games?

Not necessarily. I think what’s cool for me is I have experience. That’s obviously special and I don’t want to minimize that in any way, because to make it to four is extremely hard and remarkable in its own right. And yes, it’s my success, but there are others who equally share in that with all the sacrifices they’ve made, and all my partners who helped get me here. So I understand that, but at the same time, each Olympic Games is so different and that’s what’s exciting. In many ways, you still feel like it’s your first time and I think you have to have that childlike mentality of being excited because it’s so unique and so special and so extraordinary. That’s what I feel, the beauty in being able to experience that not once, not twice, not three, but four times now.

I don’t think you could have asked for a more extraordinary Olympic experience than the last one in 2018. When you came back from PyeongChang as gold medalists, I’m sure it was a whirlwind. How long did you let yourself celebrate before refocusing on the next thing and looking ahead to Beijing?

I think at least a few months. Like, I stopped skating for a little bit just to give my hips a break. But it was interesting. For me, that Olympic residency period leading up to the actual Olympics was extremely challenging and taxing, mentally and emotionally. So I needed to kind of recharge those batteries. But it’s such a special group, so it’s hard not to get up and to get ready for this group. I didn’t really want to miss a beat or take too much time off because I definitely wanted to join the squad and earn a spot again.

You finally got over the hump in 2018, winning Team USA’s first gold since 1998. Is there anything you learned from that experience that you’re applying to these Olympics?

Not really. It’s funny because I get a lot of questions about defending a gold. It’s like, that was four years ago. It feels like a lifetime. And that was a different team and this is a different team now, and we still have to go through a tournament. We don’t get a pass until the final. I think people kind of forget about that. It’s like, well this is a completely new squad and we have a great squad. I’m really excited to put ourselves in a position and have an opportunity to compete in that final.

You lost some mainstays from 2018, like the Lamoureux twins and Meghan Duggan, but you returned 15 Olympians and then you have some new newcomers. How would you describe this group overall?

We’ve always had a really great mixture of players. I think what’s important for us and part of our culture is realizing it doesn’t matter if it’s your 99th Olympics or your first — when that opportunity comes, you just be you and do your thing. Like, you’re here for a reason. Embracing that and making sure everybody feels empowered to go out there and perform at her best is something that we stress and something that we hold in high importance.

You mentioned that this is probably going to be the most competitive Olympics yet, and to repeat as gold medalists, you’ll likely have to go through Canada, your biggest rivals. How are you viewing that team in 2022?

It’s one of those rivalries where it’s just so beautiful. It’s one of the most competitive rivalries in sports, and we could play 365 days of the year, and it would still be that special. I think it’s a tribute to the level of respect we have for one another, whether we like to admit it or not. We’re going to bring our best game. I think that’s what makes those games so Disney-like in a way. You get these crazy momentum shifts in a game and all of these talented players just gutting it out, and it really makes for some great hockey that always goes down — I feel like — in the history books.

Do you feel like this Canada team has changed since 2018? Obviously they have some different players.

Yeah, they have different players, like we have different players. They’re a good team. But it’s funny, I don’t even really need to look at their roster. I just know that they’re going to be good, and they feel similarly about us. It’s just one of those things that we’re both going to be really strong, and what’s really unique and cool about the sport right now is that it’s so competitive and the level of skill and talent that’s coming up in the next generation is incredible. What’s really exciting to see are those young women showcasing their abilities and taking their game to the next level.

What other teams have you had your eye on in the years in between the PyeongChang and Beijing Games?

You can tell who’s been putting money and resources into their program. It’s by no mistake that Finland was in a world championship final in 2019. They’re a great team. Russia’s another great team. The Swiss are good. You really can’t underestimate any team. Japan’s great, too. We want to win, but when you take a step back, it’s encouraging to see hockey at this level.

Entering such a competitive Games, do you have any advice for the first-timers on the team about how to approach it and the right mindset to have?

Honestly, it’s just have fun. I think the moment sometimes can really eat people up because it’s the Olympics and here’s all this extra pressure, there’s media, there’s all this stuff. You feel like the entire world’s watching, which they are, but you can never lose sight of why you signed up and what makes you great. Just trying to emphasize that as we go through the tournament.

I know you’re focusing on the present, but have you given any thought to whether this might be your last Olympics?

Not really. I’ve been fortunate enough to just have two feet in this experience and really embrace that in the day to day. But my brothers were joking around — they’re like, “Well, we can’t go to Beijing, so can you do another four?” I’m like, “Yeah, hold on, let me just sign up for another four.”

I mean, I think my biggest thing is, one, I have to love it. And I know that sounds silly because obviously there’s hard work that’s involved, but you can’t do this for this long if you don’t love it. It’s not easy. And then, two is to be able to contribute to this team. I’m never fond of seeing players kind of hold on just to hold on. I really want to have an impact on this team. And if I can check enough boxes, then yeah, I’m still game. I’m still going.

Hannah Withiam is the Managing Editor at Just Women’s Sports. She previously served as an editor at The Athletic and a reporter at the New York Post. Follow her on Twitter @HannahWithiam.

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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