Carla Leite dropped 23 points in Phoenix on Sunday night, lifting Portland to an 88-85 road win. Her showing in the Fire vs Mercury clash overshadowed a night built around Diana Taurasi, whose No. 3 jersey was raised to the rafters in halftime and postgame ceremonies.
Carla Leite Powers Late Comeback in Fire vs Mercury Win
Trailing most of the way, Portland found its footing in the fourth quarter.
Leite capped a 6-0 run with back-to-back baskets, nudging the expansion side ahead 81-80 with 1:12 to play. Kahleah Copper answered, then Emily Engstler matched her. Katie Lou Samuelson followed by splitting a pair at the line with 20 seconds left, pushing the margin to 84-82.
From there, Bridget Carleton sealed it. She swatted Copper on the next possession, corralled the rebound, and iced four free throws down the stretch. Alyssa Thomas hit a late 3 but came up one assist shy of a triple-double.
Leite finished the game for Portland 9-of-15 with five assists, and Megan DiLeo added 15.
Portland, now 15-20, heads to the Toronto Tempo on Friday at 10 PM ET on ION. The Mercury, meanwhile, sit at 13-23 with the Atlanta Dream waiting on Saturday at 10 PM ET on WNBA League Pass.
The Tempo vs Fire rematch tipped Portland's way on Thursday night. Carla Leite scored 27 points and dished 11 assists, powering the Fire past the Toronto Tempo 97-83. The win also ended a five-game slide for the Portland side.
Leite and the Fire led 25-23 after one quarter. Then a Frieda Buhner 3-pointer stretched the margin to double-digits, before a late Leite jumper pushed the lead to 51-37 at the break. By the end of the third quarter, Portland was up 81-59.
Leite also went 15 of 17 at the free-throw line while Megan DiLeo poured in 17 points and Buhner finished with 10 off the bench.
Toronto Tempo Fall to Portland Fire for 8th Straight WNBA Loss
Bridget Carleton pulled down 11 rebounds to go with 10 points for the Tempo. Her teammate Julie Allemand ran the offense with 11 points and 12 assists. And Nyara Sabally paced Toronto's scoring with 17 points on the night.
Still, it wasn't enough to earn the win as the loss dropped Toronto to 12 defeats in its last 13.
Portland (11-19) next hosts Seattle on Saturday at 8:30 PM ET on NBA TV. Toronto (10-21), meanwhile, heads to Atlanta on Monday for an 8 PM ET tipoff on Peacock.
A'ja Wilson returned to the court Thursday night and led the Las Vegas Aces past the expansion Portland Fire, 88-80. The center had been sidelined with an ankle injury, missing three consecutive games. But in the Aces vs Fire road matchup at the Moda Center, she controlled the game from start to finish.
A'ja Wilson Dominates in Aces vs Fire Return
Wilson posted a game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds in her return. She also added three assists, two blocks, and two steals for a complete stat line on both ends of the floor.
Jackie Young was just as critical for the Aces WNBA champion squad, recording 19 points and a game-high 11 assists for a double-double. Together, the pair made sure Portland never held a lead.
On the defensive end, Las Vegas was just as sharp.
How Did the Aces Defense Hold Portland & Carla Leite in Check?
The Aces forced 13 steals and held the Fire to 34.4% shooting from beyond the arc. Carla Leite paced Portland with 13 points but shot just 2-for-6 from the floor. The expansion team hung around in stretches but never cut the deficit enough to seriously threaten the visiting side.
With A'ja Wilson healthy and back in the lineup, the Aces have the two-way presence they need heading deeper into the season.
They'll next face the Phoenix Mercury tomorrow at 6 PM ET, live on Peacock.
The Portland Fire selected 21-year-old French guard Carla Leite with the No. 3 overall pick in Friday's 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft, giving the franchise a young backcourt piece ahead of its inaugural season.
Leite joins Portland after a steady rookie year with the Golden State Valkyries. Appearing in 37 games, she averaged 7.2 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 rebounds per game. According to Golden State, she ended her debut year as one of seven WNBA rookies to post at least 250 points, 40 rebounds, and 70 assists, while shooting 38.7% from the field.
That production came after her initial transition to the US league. The Dallas Wings selected Leite No. 9 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, before she subsequently landed with Golden State in the 2025 expansion draft. She carved out a consistent role in the California club's rotation, proving herself as both a solid ball-handler and scoring option.
Leite arrived from France with experience in her home country's top professional league and national team system. Her game resonates via pace and control, able to create off the dribble, operate in the pick-and-roll, and hold her own defensively.
Portland's selection fits its roster-building approach. In a statement, Fire GM Vanja Cernivec said the team prioritized players who "embody effort, selflessness, and a commitment to team success." She added that "each player we select reflects the culture of what we are building."
Leite's selection marks her second straight year being taken in an expansion draft, reflecting both her upside and value as a young WNBA talent.
Portland will open its debut season in May, with Leite in position to compete for significant minutes as the Fire establishes their backcourt rotation.
The New York Liberty will open the 2025 WNBA season at the top of the league's power rankings, drumming up high expectations despite a short-staffed roster.
Trailing the reigning champions at No. 2 are 2024 runners-up Minnesota, followed by 2023 champs Las Vegas at No. 3.
Fueled by this year's overall No. 2 draft pick Dominique Malonga, the Seattle Storm claimed No. 4 in the WNBA rankings, with the revamped Indiana Fever eyeing a 2025 turnaround at No. 5.
The betting market similarly reflects the league's latest forecast, with sportsbook FanDuel setting the Liberty's title odds at +210, followed by the Aces at +360, and the Lynx at +370.
The lines also support Indiana's promise, giving the Fever the fourth-best championship odds at +390 — far higher than the fifth-best Phoenix Mercury at +1,300.
On the other hand, the Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Golden State Valkyries occupy the rankings' bottom half, as 2025's potential lottery teams prepare to prove themselves against top-line squads this season.
The up-for-sale Sun and brand-new Valkyries have the longest title odds on FanDuel, clocking in at +50,000 each.
While preseason action has provided some quality sneak peeks, Friday's opening tip-off represents a fresh start for the league, one where anything can — and likely will — happen.
European WNBA stars drop out of 2025 EuroBasket
Several European WNBA standouts announced they will skip out on this summer's FIBA EuroBasket, opting to prioritize league play following a pivotal 2024 Olympics.
Reigning Olympic silver medalists Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga both confirmed they will not represent France at the European tournament in June, opting to remain with the Seattle Storm.
The duo's France teammate Carla Leite is also forgoing the trip, instead remaining with the Golden State Valkyries for the entirety of the expansion side's debut season.
As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.
The 2025 regional FIBA competition between Europe's top national teams will tip off on June 18th.