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KC Current draft pick ‘set up to fail’ by team, her mother says

Mykiaa Minniss was selected by the Kansas City Current in the third round of the 2023 NWSL Draft. (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)

Kansas City Current draft pick Mykiaa Minniss received “less than professional” treatment from the club, her mother said in a social media post Friday.

According to Nicole Minniss, Mykiaa’s experiences after the January draft have “ruined her daughter’s love of the game.”

A defender selected in the third round out of Washington State, Minniss had to pay for her own flight in order to report for preseason and also provided her own meals during the first week, her mother said in the post.

“Mykiaa was given little to no information until a few days before arriving in Kansas City about her upcoming schedule,” Nicole Minniss wrote, noting that Mykiaa had to lean on the support of nearby family members to arrange transportation from the airport to her hotel and to settle into the city.

“She hesitantly reported to KC against her agent’s and her intuition that something wasn’t quite right,” she continued. “When it was time to go to training, oversized items were thrown at her, and Current labels ironed on before her eyes minutes before going outside to practice.”

The defender later reported to preseason tryouts in Bradenton, Florida. During that time, Minniss reportedly had a meeting with the head coach Matt Potter and general manager Cami Levin Ashton, in which she expressed their lack of communication to her.

“She was laughed at by them and told not to focus on her goal of getting a contract from them,” Nicole Minniss wrote of that meeting. Mykiaa later was cut from the team.

She then spent a few days in preseason camp with the Orlando Pride, during which she was “treated exceptionally,” but she later decided to focus on her mental health and stepped away from the sport.

In a statement to the Kansas City Star, the NWSL Players’ Association said: “We take Mykiaa’s concerns and that of her family very seriously. We are actively looking into it. NWSL reached out immediately, and there will be a prompt and thorough inquiry.”

Under the NWSL’s collective bargaining agreement, teams are required to provide housing and either per diem or meals to trialists participating in preseason camps. Travel costs are not addressed, although another section does discuss relocation expenses for “newly signed and relocating players.”

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman also addressed the report Saturday, saying she had spoken with NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke as well as Current owners Angie and Chris Long.

“We share a commitment in that we all take this really seriously,” Berman said. “We want to understand what happened in this circumstance. We’re incredibly sad that was her experience, and we want to see how we can improve in the future and learn from this. So I have a lot of confidence with the people that are around the table, both proactively to create positive environments, as well as for the people who are prepared to be responsive in real time when there are challenges and we’re committed to seeing it through.”

UCLA Leans on Star Lauren Betts as 2025/26 NCAA Basketball Season Tips Off

UCLA basketball center Lauren Betts yells in triumph after a play during a 2025 Elite Eight game.
Senior center Lauren Betts will be key in the 2025/26 NCAA season success of UCLA. (Tyler McFarland/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

After crashing out of their first-ever Final Four last season, No. 3 UCLA enters their 2025/26 campaign with heightened promise and added depth as the new-look Bruins take aim at another deep NCAA basketball tournament run.

"This is probably the most complete team I've ever coached, and I think if we can stay healthy and stay focused, we're going to have big things ahead," head coach Cori Close told JWS ahead of this week's season tip-off.

"We have an abundance of opportunities to invest in each other," she continued. "We have an abundance of ways in which we can improve week by week, and we're going to stay focused on those."

The Bruins' success could hinge on next year's projected No. 1 WNBA draft pick Lauren Betts, though Close indicated that teamwork would be key to unlocking the senior center's full potential.

"We both agreed she needs to have less minutes than in the past, and honestly, maybe even less shots, but more efficiency," said Close. "Everybody wins that way, including Lauren."

Recent transfers like former Utah forward Gianna Kneepkins and ex-Washington State guard Charlisse Leger-Walker should balance the 2025/26 UCLA basketball lineup alongside top freshman recruit — and Betts's little sister — Sienna.

How to watch UCLA basketball this week

While forward Sienna's NCAA debut has been postponed due to a lower leg injury, UCLA fans can catch the elder Betts and the rest of the No. 3 Bruins in action against unranked UC Santa Barbara at 2:30 PM ET on Thursday, streaming live on B1G+.

Unrivaled 3×3 Drops 2026 Team Rosters Ahead of January Tip-Off

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during a 2025 Unrivaled game.
Minnesota Lynx star and Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier will be returning to the Lunar Owls in 2026. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball is gearing up for its 2026 return to the court, dropping all six-player team rosters plus a six-athlete development pool ahead of its expanded eight-squad second season on Wednesday.

Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers was the distribution draft's first pick, with the Dallas Wings star joining expansion side Breeze BC under recently dismissed Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn.

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell went second, set to lead fellow expansion team Hive BC under head coach Rena Wakama.

Not every Unrivaled lineup saw significant changes, however, with reigning champion Rose BC returning four of their six original players while all inaugural teams opted to protect at least one top performer.

Napheesa Collier and Skylar Diggins are back on the Lunar Owls, Kahleah Copper and Chelsea Gray remained with Rose BC, and Alyssa Thomas and Jackie Young will encore for the Laces while the Vinyl protected Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard.

Even non-playoff teams held onto key talent, with Satou Sabally returning to the Phantom and Breanna Stewart staying with the Mist.

A trio of 2025 WNBA rookies also headline Unrivaled's new development group, with Chicago Sky guard Hailey Van Lith, Indiana Fever forward Makayla Timpson, and Dallas Wings guard Aziaha James part of the six-player group that will fill in across the league to offset any injuries during the season.

How to buy 2026 Unrivaled player jerseys

While Bueckers's Breeze BC replica jersey sold out just minutes after Wednesday's roster reveal and subsequent merchandise drop, fans can gear up for the 2026 Unrivaled season by snagging other player's jerseys from the Unrivaled shop.

The 2026 Unrivaled team rosters

Breeze BC:

  • Cameron Brink
  • Paige Bueckers
  • Rickea Jackson
  • Dominique Malonga
  • Kate Martin
  • Aari McDonald

Lunar Owls BC:

  • Rebecca Allen
  • Rachel Banham
  • Napheesa Collier
  • Skylar Diggins
  • Aaliyah Edwards
  • Marina Mabrey

Rose BC:

  • Shakira Austin
  • Kahleah Copper
  • Chelsea Gray
  • Lexie Hull
  • Azurá Stevens
  • Sug Sutton

Hive BC:

  • Monique Billings
  • Sonia Citron
  • Natisha Hiedeman
  • Ezi Magbegor
  • Kelsey Mitchell
  • Saniya Rivers

Mist BC:

  • Veronica Burton
  • Allisha Gray
  • Arike Ogunbowale
  • Alanna Smith
  • Breanna Stewart
  • Li Yueru

Vinyl BC:

  • Rae Burrell
  • Brittney Griner
  • Dearica Hamby
  • Rhyne Howard
  • Erica Wheeler
  • Courtney Williams

Laces BC:

  • Jordin Canada
  • Naz Hillmon
  • Maddy Siegrist
  • Brittney Sykes
  • Alyssa Thomas
  • Jackie Young

Phantom BC:

  • Aliyah Boston
  • Natasha Cloud
  • Dana Evans
  • Kiki Iriafen
  • Kelsey Plum
  • Satou Sabally

Development Pool:

  • Laeticia Amihere
  • Emily Engstler
  • Aziaha James
  • Haley Jones
  • Makayla Timpson
  • Hailey Van Lith

WNBA Star Nneka Ogwumike Signs with Pro Women’s Offseason League Project B

Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike looks up the court during a 2025 WNBA Playoffs game.
Upon signing her Project B contract, Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike also purchased an equity stake in the upstart offseason league. (Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images)

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike made waves on Wednesday, with the Seattle Storm star becoming the first player to join offseason league Project B — a new overseas pro women's basketball venture set to tip off in late 2026.

"There's so many different opportunities for players [outside of the WNBA] and that's always been the case," said Ogwumike. "This is just another one of those opportunities and I know that a lot of players are doing what they can to ensure that they can maximize on the short time that they have in their playing careers. This is my chance to be able to do that."

The Project B deal reportedly exceeds the 35-year-old forward's WNBA salary, with Ogwumike also receiving an equity stake in the fledgling league as part of her deal.

"It's not something that's usually offered to us, and by us, I mean women athletes," Ogwumike explained. "So for there to be an entry level of equity across the board was eye-catching. It's something that I stand for, obviously."

Headed by Skype cofounder Geoff Prentice and former Facebook executive Grady Burnett, Project B looks to field a total of 66 players across six teams.

The concept revolves around a Formula One-style event, with teams playing a traveling circuit of tournaments across multiple European and Asian cities before winners advance to compete for a world title.

Project B expects to run from November 2026 through April 2027, with all games streaming live.

"Basketball has never been just a game," said retired WNBA legend and early Project B investor Candace Parker. "It's culture, community, and connection. But for too long, players have carried the game without a real stake in its future. And women, especially, [are] asked to wait for change."

"Project B isn't waiting."

NWSL Faces Attendance Declines as League Sees 5% Drop in 2025

Fans cheer at the Washington Spirit's Audi Field during a 2025 NWSL match.
Despite setting some single-game records, average NWSL attendance declined from 2024's historic high in the 2025 season. (Hannah Foslien/NWSL via Getty Image)

The 2025 NWSL regular-season attendance numbers are in, with a Tuesday Sports Business Journal (SBJ) report outlining a 5% decline from the record highs the league saw in 2024.

Despite setting a new single-game record in August, the NWSL averaged 10,669 fans per match this season, down from average crowds of 11,250 last year — though the 2025 numbers do mirror 2023's attendance averages.

"Our underlying business is incredibly strong," NWSL COO Sarah Jones Simmer told SBJ, citing multiple single-game team highs. "Across the league, we're seeing consistent attendance growth, franchise-best seasons, and record-breaking moments in markets big and small."

The 2025 season saw the Portland Thorns unseat Angel City as the NWSL's top-supported team, with the LA club seeing a 15.8% drop in overall attendance before missing the playoffs for the second straight year.

ACFC's SoCal neighbor, the San Diego Wave, experienced the steepest 2025 fall, with ticket sales down 26.4% from 2024 and 35.2% from the 2022 expansion club's Shield-winning 2023 campaign.

Some teams did see gains, however, with the North Carolina Courage improving attendance by 40.8% over the last two years while the Washington Spirit's numbers jumped 42.3%, Gotham FC's rose 41.1%, and the 2024 champion Orlando Pride saw a massive 51.5% growth over the same period.

Though this year's attendance declines are not cause for immediate alarm, with two new teams launching next year — and even more in the pipeline — sustainability concerns are increasingly entering the expansion conversation.