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WNBA commissioner: League is ‘looking into’ Liz Cambage incident

(Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA is making inquiries into an incident from last summer in which Liz Cambage reportedly directed a racial slur at the Nigerian national team during a closed-door scrimmage with Australia.

The Daily Telegraph reported last week that Cambage, who was playing for the Australian national team, elbowed a Nigerian player in the head and slapped another. Members of the Nigerian team interviewed by the newspaper said Cambage called them “monkeys” and told them to “go back to your third-world country.”

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Tuesday night that the WNBA is “looking into” the incident but that it has been difficult to obtain information.

“When this happened in 2021, Liz wasn’t playing for the WNBA,” Engelbert said, via Winsidr. “We made inquiries, asked for videos, [and the Australian Olympics Team] came out with that she was no longer playing for the team.”

When the new details came to light last week, the WNBA made inquiries again.

“With the information one to two weeks ago, my general counsel’s office is asking what additional information we can get,” she continued. “We’ve made requests, and those inquiries are ongoing. You don’t want to weigh in without having the facts, but we’re certainly looking into the matter.”

Cambage has denied the allegations, saying that she “did not use the racial slur” that has been circulating.

“I have taken responsibility and accountability for my involvement in what occurred,” she wrote on Instagram. “I genuinely apologised to the Nigerian team and I once again, am sorry that these events are being rehashed.”

She withdrew from last summer’s Olympics after the incident, citing her mental health.

In early May, prior to the report in The Daily Telegraph, former Australian national team basketball captain Jenna O’Hea confirmed that there was an altercation with the Nigerian team during the scrimmage during an interview with “Offsiders.”

“I can hold my head up high and say that I always loved her, always cared for her, always supported her, always had her back,” said O’Hea of Cambage’s comments that she didn’t feel supported by the Australian national team.

According to The Daily Telegraph, one Australian teammate said that the Las Vegas incident was a breaking point.

“There had been so many behavioral issues that had gone on previously that we could write a book, but that (Vegas) incident happened to be the final straw which happened to be the worst one,” the teammate said.

Cambage is playing with the Los Angeles Sparks this season. The Sparks next play Saturday against the Las Vegas Aces, Cambage’s former team.

2025 NWSL Championship Shatters Records with Viewership Topping 1 Million

General view of San Jose's PayPal Park shortly before kickoff at the 2025 NWSL Championship match.
Average viewership for the 2025 NWSL Championship match exceeded 1.18 million fans. (Kelley L Cox/NWSL via Getty Images)

The 2025 NWSL Championship claimed a major viewership milestone on Saturday, as Gotham FC's 1-0 title win over the Washington Spirit became the first-ever league match to record an average of more than one million viewers.

The CBS evening broadcast averaged an impressive 1.184 million fans and peaked at 1.55 million viewers, making it the most-watched NWSL match of all time.

The 2025 final marked a 22% viewership increase over the 967,900 fans who watched 2024's Orlando Pride victory — the previous NWSL viewership record-holder — and a 45% ratings gain over Gotham's 2023 championship win, which averaged 816,800 viewers.

Saturday's gains both matched the 22% viewership increase the NWSL regular season saw this year and also far exceeded the 2025 postseason's pre-final year-over-year increase of 5%.

Calling the one-million viewer mark "an extraordinary achievement" in Tuesday's league statement, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman also noted that the "record-setting audience demonstrates the deepening connection fans have with our players, our clubs, and the world-class competition on the field, and it underscores the growing demand for women's soccer on the biggest stages."

"We're incredibly proud of what this moment represents for the NWSL and for everyone who continues to invest in and believe in the future of our game," Berman added.

More WNBA Stars Sign with Project B Days Before Extended CBA Deadline Is Set to Expire

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell is one of the most recent WNBA stars to join offseason upstart Project B. (Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)

Incoming offseason league Project B scored more major WNBA signings this week, as the upstart venture continues stacking its roster ahead of a planned November 2026 launch.

Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham have both publicly signed on with Project B, joining already announced talent like Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, and Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd.

Also inking deals to join the inaugural season of Project B are Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün, and Li Meng, a former Washington Mystics guard and current player in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association.

The multi-continent, Formula One-style traveling tournament circuit will ultimately sign 66 international stars, as Project B looks to field six 11-player teams in its debut 2026/2027 campaign.

Project B player signings will undoubtedly impact other offseason leagues like Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited, but the new venture is also looming large over the ongoing WNBA CBA talks.

With negotiations racing toward this Sunday's extended deadline, Project B is putting WNBA compensation offerings under increased pressure, as the new league is reportedly anteing up multimillion-dollar salaries to its signees — far exceeding the 2025 WNBA maximum as well as the $1.1 million-max currently on the negotiating table.

Spain Shoots for 2nd Straight Nations League Title in 2025 Final vs. Germany

Spain players run toward attacker Alexia Putellas to celebrate her goal during the 2025 Nations League semifinals.
Spain will take on Germany in the first leg of the 2025 Nations League final on Friday. (Linnea Rheborg - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

World No. 1 Spain will take aim at a second-straight UEFA Nations League title this week, as La Roja take on No. 5 Germany in the first leg of the 2025 tournament's final at 2:30 PM ET on Friday.

The defending Nations League champions booked their spot in the 2025 final by dismantling No. 3 Sweden 5-0 on aggregate in the semifinal round, while Germany advanced after a tense 3-2 aggregate win over No. 6 France.

Germany must also contend with availability issues during Friday's match, as 28-year-old Bayern Munich forward and senior national team leading scorer Lea Schüller will be out due to family reasons.

To overcome that disadvantage, German head coach Christian Wück is reinforcing the team's back line, adding Athletic Bilbao defender Bibi Schulze Solano to the roster on Wednesday.

Also aiming to shut down Spain's offensive firepower on Friday is new NWSL champion goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who joined her German compatriots late following Gotham FC's title celebrations in New York this week.

While Spain and Germany will contend for the 2025 Nations League trophy this week, the pair — along with ousted semifinalists Sweden and France — have already booked spots in the top group of teams battling for tickets to the 2027 World Cup, with UEFA qualifying set to begin in 2026.

Iowa Basketball Keeps Delivering in Post-Caitlin Clark Era

Iowa guard Journey Houston takes a selfie with fans after a 2025/26 NCAA basketball game.
The No. 11 Iowa Hawkeyes have already scored a Top-25 win in the early 2025/26 NCAA basketball season. (Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

A full 19 months removed from their back-to-back Final Four runs, No. 11 Iowa basketball refuses to go away, with the Hawkeyes already notching one Top-25 win in the young 2025/26 NCAA campaign so far.

The still-unbeaten Hawkeyes took down No. 15 Baylor 57-52 last Thursday, with Iowa starting post players Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden combining for 28 points while guard Taylor Stremlow added another 12 off the bench in the marquee win.

"We have nice pieces," said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen this week. "But it's knowing when to play which pieces and with whom, and we're six games in."

The Hawkeyes have been finding their new identity under Jensen after a transformative period saw Iowa's longtime head coach Lisa Bluder retire while superstar guard Caitlin Clark joined the WNBA.

"Jan's been amazing," Stuelke told JWS at the Big Ten Media Day in October. "She stepped up like she needed to, and she's been growing every day since she's been the head coach, which it's really cool to see she cares. And it's a great environment for all of us."

"I have a year under my belt," Jensen echoed. "I know what this chair feels like now, and I have a little better of understanding of what that first road trip feels like, what that first big win feels like, or the tough loss feels like."

Iowa's season heats up with a ranked rivalry matchup against No. 10 Iowa State on Wednesday, December 10th.

The state rivals will tip off at 7 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.