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Seattle GM Alisha Valavanis on the Storm’s title and the WNBA’s Future

Seattle Storm & Alisha Valavanis/ JWS
Seattle Storm & Alisha Valavanis/ JWS

Alisha Valavanis is the CEO and General Manager of the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. She spoke with Just Women’s Sports about a historic 2020 season, what it meant to win the title, and how she’s preparing for 2021. 

If you could sum up the 2020 season in a sentence, what would it be?

It’s been a really challenging 2020, so great to have something to celebrate.

How was life in the bubble as a GM? Were you living with the team? 

I was just there for a couple of weeks. I was in a separate tier from the players, but I went in for the playoffs. The players were there, as you know, for three months. So a lot of respect for the WNBA and the way they put this together. It was unbelievable. Obviously, the health and safety of the players was the top priority, as well as all those that were going to work inside the bubble and, I mean, what an accomplishment.

Heading into the off season, where some players may go overseas to play abroad, what are you seeing in terms of the new CBA and also COVID impacting decisions to play overseas?

You know, I think the players are really going to take a second here and kind of decide what makes the most sense. They have options, of course. Some overseas seasons are starting soon, and there’s also a number of players that will consider starting after the New Year. All of it is based on COVID and based on which country they are going to. For the Storm, we’re pivoting quickly to 2021. I’m already having conversations with our staff on what 2021 can look like, evaluating our path and the players and what we can get done here.

We’re one year in now with the new CBA and it’s been a real positive. These first couple of years are a little different, but over the next three years will start to see its impact on players’ decisions as they weigh out their opportunities to go overseas versus staying at home to rest. Increasing the cap certainly helped, and it will impact players’ thinking about what they want to do depending on where they are at in their career.

Are you seeing any exciting things happening in free agency? You have several unrestricted free agents this season.

Now is when we, as an organization, really start to have the conversations around both free agency and the draft, which are two critical pieces. We always look at those as we think about our plan for the upcoming season, and we’re in those conversations now. That’s really what the focus will be as our players enter free agency in the coming weeks. There’s a lot to look forward to. It’s never a dull moment. No vacation after the celebration. We did a virtual rally on Friday after the championship. Then a little bit of work on Saturday, Sunday off, and back at it Monday. Now we’re talking 2021.

Speaking of 2021, Commissioner Engelbert has said you may have to do another bubble. What are your thoughts on that?

You know, I think we’re all doing kind of a recap right now. By every measure, it was certainly a successful 2020 campaign inside the bubble, but in terms of what’s next, so much is based on where we are as a country and what continues to play out in terms of the COVID-19 crisis. We’re all certainly looking ahead and modeling a number of different scenarios until we have a little bit more clarity on what’s possible. I think we’ll continue to learn a lot from the NBA and how that plays out, but again, there’s just a ton of question marks, as I know there is across every industry and country.

Sue Bird has said she’s leaning toward coming back. What have you heard? 

We’re going to talk with Sue on her plans right now. She’s a legend and we’ll talk very soon about 2021. But right now I think she’s celebrating championship number four. Obviously, she leads this group and was just playing exceptional basketball this year.

The league came together this season and presented a united voice on very emotional, complicated issues of social justice. How do you think they were able to come together on such difficult topics?  

I think one thing that’s been really inspiring to watch is the players union and the players come together on their positioning around fighting for racial justice in this country. There was no question before the season started that there would a commitment from players and teams on and off the court to fight for racial justice in this country. It was inspiring to watch the players work towards that. I really can’t say enough about their unity and their commitment, and this is one example where you see the power behind the professional sports platform to really drive positive social change. I think our players are an inspiration, and it didn’t just start in 2020. I think they’re incredible role models to our youth, to little girls and little boys, and I think their fight and the collective WNBA’s fight for a more equitable world is really at the center of this entire push.

Moving forward, I’m sure there’s talks about keeping those messages front and center, is that happening already for the 2021 season?

Absolutely. I think as we went into the 2020 season, there was recognition that this was not a short game. This was a long game, and there was work to be done, and it wasn’t going to be just one campaign and one season. I think those conversations are absolutely underway at the league level with the players union. I know across the many franchises, we’re all looking at how do we build on what was started in the 2020 season, and then more broadly, some of the other things that have been front and center for this league in terms of gender equality as well — how do we continue to build towards both those goals?

The league’s television ratings this year were incredible. 68% improvement from the year before. What accounts for that in your eyes? 

I mean, we love to see it, and I think it was really great to have more visibility and more exposure on ESPN for fans across this country. We have 12 teams, and 12 unique markets, but we have WNBA fans all over this country and all over the globe, and I think access to those games is critical and really paramount in terms of continued engagement and interest and visibility for this league. So we were thrilled to see the number, and we hope to continue to build from there.

What needs to happen to keep that momentum?

We need to have continued exposure and visibility of these games and these incredible athletes and their stories. I think a major part of this is the media and getting continued investment from our critical partners, ESPN, ABC. And at local level, there are different local deals that are important to make as think about the long term and how we can continue to grow. Media exposure is a huge part of that. Additionally, corporate partnerships are at the center of the franchise model for the NBA, and so I think these two things in concert, the growth of corporate partnerships and media exposure, will lead to growth for the league.

How would you describe the current moment we’re in with women’s pro sports? What’s happening right now and what does the future look like?

I do think we are at a moment now where women’s sports really is taking off in this country and it’s exciting. It’s exciting to be a part of it. I think so much of this is about visibility and access to watching these sports, and also the opportunity to play, which has been a focus of so many professional women’s leagues in this country. They’re producing sports at the highest level while also creating opportunities for the next generation of girls. I do think there is a paradigm shift, and I think we’re going to watch women’s sports continue to grow in this country and hopefully be a critical part of the fabric of society.

I think that’s where we’re going. It’s one of the positives of 2020. It has been an unbelievably challenging year for so many. Sports brings us together. It gives us something to cheer for. It gives us a team to be a part of. And for us to win the championship, it was a really special disruption to what has been a very difficult 2020.

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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