A year after Liz Cambage and the Sparks agreed to a contract divorce and her time in Los Angeles came to an unceremonious end, the Australian basketball star has emerged from a quiet year to speak about the Sparks, the WNBA and the controversy that’s plagued her career.
Cambage joined Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks for an explosive interview that dropped Monday. During the conversation, which lasted an hour and a half, Cambage denied allegations that she used a racial slur toward the Nigerian national team and said she left the Sparks halfway through last season because of a “toxic situation,” among other topics.
The Sparks have not commented on the claims nor addressed Cambage’s departure since releasing the following statement during the 2022 season:
“It is with support that we share Liz Cambage’s decision to terminate her contract with the organization,” Sparks Managing Partner Eric Holoman said last July. “We want what’s best for Liz and have agreed to part ways amicably. The Sparks remain excited about our core group and are focused on our run towards a 2022 playoff berth.”
The Sparks also did not respond to a request for comment from Just Women’s Sports. Meanwhile, many are questioning the validity of Cambage’s claims, including former teammates and opponents.
Cambage opened the interview by discussing her decision to leave L.A. after 25 games in 2022. The four-time WNBA All-Star said she signed with the Sparks on a “Hollywood lie” that included the organization offering to buy her a car, pay her rent and cover other expenses.
Per the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement, such perks would appear to fall under the category of impermissible benefits. Cambage was set to earn $170,000 in 2022 after signing a one-year deal with the Sparks that February, and she reportedly agreed to $141,386 in exchange for the contract divorce.
Cambage went on to tell Rooks that she left in the middle of the season to get out of a “toxic” environment.
“I’m dealing with a lot of disrespect, a lot of turbulent players in the locker room,” she said. “I’m telling coaches, I’m telling the GM, I’m telling ownership what’s going on, and no one cares.”
Cambage ultimately decided to leave the team during a regular-season game against the Las Vegas Aces on July 23. She said her Sparks teammates were “yelling at her” because “they didn’t know how to make a lob pass,” and after an Aces player took a charge against her and she got subbed out, she told Chiney Ogwumike that she was “done.”
Former Sparks teammate Jordin Canada took to Twitter on Tuesday to dispute the claims that Cambage was mistreated.
“I usually keep to myself and mind my business but Bleacher Report if y’all want the REAL TRUTH, call me,” Canada wrote.
Cambage’s exit from the Sparks last season was messy, but not necessarily surprising. Since being drafted in 2011, Cambage has played for 12 different teams, four in the WNBA and several overseas in China, Australia and Israel. She has never played consecutive seasons with one team.
Her WNBA stints include being drafted by Tulsa in 2011, a team Cambage was vocal about not wanting to play for. She spent one season there before leaving to play in China. She came back in 2013 to play 20 games with the Shock before exiting the WNBA until 2018. She then played a season in Dallas and two seasons in Las Vegas (with a year off in between), before playing part of the 2022 season in L.A.
Cambage wasn’t the only source of dysfunction in L.A. last season. The Sparks fired head coach and general manager Derek Fisher in June after a disappointing tenure. Chennedy Carter, the mercurial talent whom Fisher reportedly pushed the team to sign in the offseason, was benched during the season for poor conduct and waived this past March.
Cambage told Rooks that she doesn’t understand why her short stints across the WNBA are controversial, saying she “knows girls who have played for every team.” Cambage referenced Candace Parker as someone who’s played for multiple franchises. The two-time WNBA champion has been in the league for 16 seasons, playing 13 in L.A. and two in Chicago before signing with the Aces before this season.
Outside of the WNBA, Cambage also controversially parted ways with the Australian national team in 2021, citing mental health concerns as part of her reasoning not to represent the team. This followed a pre-Olympics scrimmage with Nigeria, in which an on-court altercation ensued and Cambage allegedly directed a racial slur at Nigeria’s players.
In the interview, Cambage said the video footage from the scrimmage would prove she didn’t do anything wrong and that she was “assaulted.” The video, circulated on Tuesday, shows a Nigerian player ran at Cambage on the sideline and struck her with a punch. The video also shows Cambage’s elbow making contact with the player’s head on the court prior to the altercation.
Following the scrimmage in 2021, both Australian and Nigerian players said that Cambage called the Nigerian players “monkeys” and told them to “go back to their third-world country.”
Cambage denied making the remarks in her interview with Rooks and said she was in talks to play for the Nigerian team in the future. Cambage’s father is Nigerian.
Nigeria guard Promise Amukamara disputed both claims on Twitter, saying, “She called us Monkeys & told us to go back to our country. Yes she said that! Literally everyone from both teams have the same story BUT her, so y’all do the math!”
Amukamara also denied that Cambage was in talks to play for Nigeria, something her teammate Sarah Ogoke echoed on Twitter.
“We are not recruiting you and you definitely spewed racist profanities against us during our scrimmage,” Ogoke wrote.
Babs Ogunade, Vice President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, later told ESPN reporter Colin Udoh that there was no truth to Cambage’s claim that she was “in cahoots” with Nigeria to switch her allegiance and play for them.
“Disregard the news,” he said. “I don’t know who she is talking to. Not me and definitely not (NBBF President) Kida.”
Cambage attempted to clarify her comments in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday. While she continued to deny using a racial slur against the Nigerian players, she also said she never stated that she had “officially joined the Nigerian national team.”
“Instead, I expressed my interest in joining the team and representing Nigeria,” Cambage wrote. “I had discussions with staff members about the necessary steps to become eligible, and thought I was doing them. I extend my best wishes to all players on D’Tigress.”
Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.
Chennedy Carter isn’t done with the WNBA.
The 24-year-old guard is waiting for her next WNBA opportunity, one she doesn’t plan to waste, she told Andscape’s Sean Hurd. Carter was released by the Sparks ahead of the 2023 season.
“I love basketball. I love to play. I’m passionate about it. My time is coming soon,” she said. “Chennedy Carter is not finished.”
The No. 4 pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, Carter started her career in Atlanta, where she scored a franchise-record 18 points in her Dream debut. She went on to set other franchise rookie records that season, from scoring 35 points in a single game to scoring 25-plus points in consecutive games. When she’s at her best, she can be among the best in the game.
“She’s a phenomenal talent. I think everyone understands that and sees that,” Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd told Andscape. “From a basketball standpoint, I don’t think we’ve seen a player like her in the league when she’s been able to play. You just think of the crazy potential that she has.”
Yet Carter has had a rocky start to her career.
She was suspended in July 2021 following a locker-room confrontation with then-teammate Courtney Williams. She did not play again in 2021 and then was traded to the Sparks.
In Los Angeles, Carter averaged just 16.4 minutes per game in 2022. She missed four games toward the end of the season due to what interim coach Fred Williams called a “coach’s decision.”
This offseason saw Carter lead the top Turkish basketball league in scoring. She also believes the time in Turkey gave her a better handle on other aspects of her game, which boosted her confidence — and, she hopes, her WNBA prospects.
“I’m pretty much in control of whenever I play. I’m in control of that,” Carter said. “I just want to find the best situation for me. I’m a talented player and I want to be utilized the right way. … I’m ready to go.”
Destanni Henderson belongs in the WNBA.
The 5-foot-7 point guard silenced anyone who doubts that statement on Friday night, helping the L.A. Sparks overcome a 17-point deficit to defeat the Dallas Wings, 76-74. Henderson, a South Carolina alum, scored 18 points in the win, just one point shy of her career-best.
“Destanni Henderson allowed us an extra attacker on the floor tonight, she defended with her speed, she really made a lot of things happen,” said Sparks head coach Curt Miller.
Henderson, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, played 36 games with the Indiana Fever last year, but was waived in May. The Sparks, who have dealt with a spate of injuries and illness this season, picked up Henderson via an emergency hardship contract on June 16.
“Even if it’s a hardship,” Henderson told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s just one step to get me closer to my goal.”
“Henny has proven that (she belongs in this league),” said Jordin Canada, who scored the Sparks’ final four points in Friday’s win.
“Tonight just showed that she’s very capable of being in this league and we’re very grateful to have her here.”
As for Henny herself?
“I felt great. Once I started to get in the flow of things, just attacking and finding my teammates open… I just stayed focused the whole game.”
The Wings and Sparks meet again on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC).
Destanni Henderson with the tough finish to end the half 😤 pic.twitter.com/MvRnHVlXCT
— espnW (@espnW) June 24, 2023
No matter where Candace Parker goes in Las Vegas, she’s recognized. At the airport, the grocery store, and even at the gas station when she’s filling up at the pump, people call out to her with a familiar refrain.
“Go Aces!” they yell and wave.
The 37-year-old WNBA legend can’t help but smile. The Aces started the 2023 season right where they left off after winning the 2022 championship. At 8-1, they are in first place in the WNBA standings and hadn’t lost a game until three weeks into the season.
The energy around town is palpable, and Parker feels it wherever she goes. The same fans that once rooted against her when she was with the Los Angeles Sparks (2008-2020) and then the Chicago Sky (2021-2022) are now cheering for her, elated to see her in an Aces jersey. Parker engages them, calls back and interacts with fans, young and old.
“We had a season ticket event with all our season ticket holders,”she says, “and just being able to meet all the fans that are little kids was a treat for me. Because I love getting to know [them].”
Parker’s reception of the fans is not an act. It’s a reflection of her genuine appreciation and awareness of just how far the WNBA has come. It’s also a reminder of how far she’s come in her basketball career, and the journey she’s still on.
Parker burst onto the national basketball scene in 2004 as the first woman to win the dunk contest during the McDonald’s All-American High School Game. She then went on to win back-to-back NCAA titles under the legendary Pat Summit at Tennessee. Among Parker’s long list of accolades are a collection of moments cemented in time: becoming only the second player in WNBA history to dunk in a basketball game (Lisa Leslie was the first), winning Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season (2008), playing for Team USA and collecting two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012) along the way, and winning her first WNBA championship with Los Angeles in 2016.
After all, Parker is a moments person. Small moments. Big moments. Happy moments. Hard moments. It doesn’t matter. She savors each one down to the very last drop, then tucks the memory away in her back pocket like a Polaroid for safe keeping.
With 10.5 seconds left to go in Game 4 of the 2021 WNBA Finals, the Sky were up 78-74 against the Phoenix Mercury, and Chicago veteran Courtney Vandersloot was at the foul line. As Vandersloot hit the first free throw and then the second, Parker couldn’t contain her emotions. She began to cry. After spending 13 seasons with the Sparks, she had returned to her hometown city with the goal of bringing the Sky their first WNBA title in franchise history.
In that moment, it was happening right before her eyes. Winning the WNBA championship in front of her family and friends, and for the city of Chicago, Parker reveled in the joy to the fullest extent. But in the days and weeks that followed the championship celebration and parade, she began to think about her future.
“I was like, I could just go out on a high, this is it. I mean, 14 seasons? That’s a lot, like, whatever,” she says. “I had my ankle injury that kind of kept me in and out. It was a tough season.”
Still, the thought of running it back with the same roster and playing another season fully healthy drew her back in. Chicago went 26-10 during the regular season and entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed with expectations of another Finals trip. But after they beat the Liberty in Round 1, the Sky’s storybook run came to an end against the Connecticut Sun in the semifinals. Despite Parker’s best efforts in the series, the Sky were eliminated in Game 5 after letting the Sun go on a 24-5 run in the fourth quarter.
The retirement rumors swirled. But Parker wasn’t ready to bow out.
“We lost last year and the way in which we lost, having a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter, kept me up at night and just ate at my soul,” she says. “It was kind of just one of those things where I was like, I can’t end like this. The last time I play basketball, we’re not gonna blow a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. So, I think that kind of refocused and motivated me.”
Parker wants to win. And having the opportunity to win in different places, in different systems, with different pieces is a challenge she enjoys. She also loves to compete, even when she’s not on the basketball court.
“I mean, I’m an idiot. I’ll be on the Peloton and it’s like Pedals By Patty is trying to beat my score and I’m like, ‘Nooo!’” Parker laughs. “It’s just the competitive element. Even on chill days, I can’t let Pedals By Patty beat me.”
Feeding that competitive fire, Parker knew she wanted to play basketball for at least one more season. The only question was where. Going back to Chicago had been a dream opportunity, but the move had also been hard on Parker’s family, especially her daughter Lailaa. Flying back West for a couple of hours at time, and Lailaa missing school when she came to Chicago, didn’t make for a sustainable schedule. She also had a newborn son to care for with wife Anna Petrakova.
With her house still in Los Angeles, Parker says she considered a return to the Sparks. But it was Lailaa who suggested Las Vegas as a possibility, which had a lot to do with Aces point guard Chelsea Gray.
Gray and Parker became close friends while teammates with the Sparks from 2016 to 2020. They were in each other’s weddings. Parker introduced Gray to good wine. Gray and her wife, Tipesa, are godparents to Parker’s son. They’d spend hours sitting by a fire pit together talking about basketball and about life. And since they’d gone their separate ways to play for different teams, somehow they grew even closer.
“When you’re teammates, you know you’re gonna see that person in like a day or two. If it’s an off day, you know the next day you’re gonna see them,” Gray says. “And sometimes, it’s taken for granted — those moments. So being away from each other, we would have our long talks, but via FaceTime just to check in and talk about a bunch of stuff to make sure we’re not missing anything.”
Watching each other succeed from afar became routine during the past two WNBA seasons, with Parker’s championship in 2021 and Gray’s transcendent playoff performance in 2022. Gray waited until the aftermath of the Aces championship to reach out to her friend.
“(At first) we were talking like, ‘How’s her body feeling?’ Like outside of just trying to get her in Las Vegas, just having casual conversation,” Gray says. “And then I’d make the statement, ‘I’m putting on my Las Vegas Aces point guard hat — listen, this is a franchise that’s doing right by its players, that wants the best, that wants to win championships.’
“And that’s when the conversation kind of turned.”
“One thousand percent Chelsea had an impact,” Parker adds. “I mean, we were close when we played together, but we’ve gotten closer even since.”
After her initial chats with Gray, Parker spoke with Aces head coach Becky Hammon. She also connected with Aces president Nikki Fargas — someone Parker has known since her days at Tennessee, where Fargas was a former player and an assistant coach.
“Obviously, I go back with Nikki,” Parker says. “I can’t call her Nikki Fargas, it’s Nikki Caldwell. But we go back, and we started having conversations.”
Despite those encouraging conversations and her ties to Gray and Fargas, Parker says her final decision came down to what was best for her and her family. The flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles is only 40 minutes, a fact that stuck with her when she ultimately chose to sign with the Aces on a one-year contract.
When Parker first arrived in Sin City, she says it took about a week and a half to get to know the lay of the land. She set up her home and got her family settled. Her teammates gave her tips on the best places to eat, shop and get her nails done. She reunited with Gray on the court and got to know her new teammates during training camp.
“Being away from her and then having her come back and seeing her every day in practice, it’s really cool to see,” Gray says. “Like, damn, I miss seeing you play this closely. And it’s been a cool dynamic to see her play with others that haven’t ever had that experience.”
“Sometimes it doesn’t really feel real still,” Kesley Plum marveled during a post-practice press conference before the season. “For me, I’ve just been really impressed with her humility. I think that Candace has come in from the jump and just been like, ‘Alright, what do I need to learn?’ Figure out the offense, learning our defensive schemes, how we do things. I know that our connection, with us two and then her with the rest of the team, is just going to continue to grow.”
Nearly a month into the WNBA season, the Aces look as if they haven’t lost a step since adding Parker to their championship roster. While her stats don’t jump off the page like they used to at 8.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, she’s still making an impact and has embraced her role as a supporting cast member on a team of All-Stars. She’s also enjoying all the amenities the organization has to offer — including the state-of-the-art practice facility and the fact that, for the first time in her 16-year career, she actually has a locker.
“I mean our practice facility is unbelievable. We have everything here, I don’t have to really go out of house,” Parker says. “It’s not like we gotta get on the court and off the court at this time because somebody else has to come in. That’s what I’ve been through in my career. I’ve been through two-a-days, I’ve been through 6 a.m. flights, I’ve been through all that.
“Now to be able to be in a place that makes sense, I think that’s a credit to the growth of women’s basketball as well.”
In her 16 WNBA seasons, Parker has seen the league evolve for the better in a variety of ways. Owners are spending money and investing in their players. Player visibility has never been higher. At the college level, NIL deals are changing the way players are marketed, setting them up to enter the pro game with a large following of dedicated fans.
“I think the progress in women’s sports has been being able to recognize women and know them from a long time ago,” she says. “You see that in the NBA. The players own their brand. It’s so important to understand the value and power of that. It’s not just about the game.”
Parker knows the importance of visibility, both as a longtime player and as an NBA analyst for Turner Sports. She sees the disparity between the men’s and women’s games firsthand and is doing her part to help close the gap.
“What it does with her sitting in the analyst seat is it allows people to really hear how smart women are when it comes to the game of basketball,” says ESPN WNBA analyst LaChina Robinson, who has been covering Parker since she came into the league.
“We’re just getting to the point where people are realizing how great of players women are, but now you’re adding another layer of she can talk the game. For people who need that validation, that women belong in sport, it’s just another opportunity to show that. Candace’s IQ is off the charts. It’s just awesome to hear her do that on such a big platform like the NBA.”
Broadcasting is only one facet of Parker’s life outside of playing basketball. She’s also dabbling in private equity, tech, wine, tequila and even artificial intelligence, setting herself up for life after the WNBA.
“I have a million things I want to do. It’s not gonna be just one thing. I truly believe the biggest thing I’ve taken from basketball is to be versatile,” she says. “That’s in income, but it’s also in the things that you do. I just like to do a lot of different things. My wife always jokes, ‘You will not be bored.’”
Back in 2020, when Parker last played with the Sparks during the WNBA’s pandemic-induced bubble season, she had already begun to think about what might be next. It was her 13th season in the WNBA, and she knew she had more basketball behind her than she did in front of her. Her career up until that point had been just as rewarding as it had been draining, with many challenging seasons mixed in with the championship years.
“I never thought of quitting after a hard season, 100 percent. If anything, I wanted to come back more and prove whatever I needed to prove,” Parker confesses. “I didn’t think I even needed to prove anything, but whatever. I think 2019 was really difficult. It was really hard. Just from a physical standpoint, from a health standpoint, but also from the moving piece of an organization.”
During the 2019 season, Parker battled through an injury, appearing in 22 games and recording 11.2 points per game, the lowest scoring average of her career. After going 22-12, the Sparks secured the third seed in the playoffs before being swept in the semifinals by the Connecticut Sun. In an odd twist, Parker played only 11 minutes in a must-win Game 3. Then-head coach Derek Fisher explained her benching in the fourth quarter as a way to initiate “a spark.” Shortly afterward, Penny Toler was dismissed as general manager and an ESPN report revealed growing tensions within the organization. Last year, Fisher was fired 12 games into the season amid additional team controversy.
As Los Angeles struggled to find its way forward and a new identity as an organization after years of success, Parker felt a shift. The WNBA’s power structure was changing, and she was changing as a player, a person and a mother. After the 2020 season, there was a rebirth. Parker emerged rejuvenated in Chicago. Now, at this stage in her basketball career and life, there’s a new feeling.
“Instead of using the word content, I think it’s peace,” says Gray. “Like she has a bit of peace about her in all facets of her life and the decisions that she makes, and being OK with that. Like, surrendering control but also having fun while she’s doing it. I don’t think she’s content or satisfied with where she is. I just think she’s at peace with how she’s going about life.”
When Parker does walk off the court for the final time, she’ll leave behind a lasting legacy as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time. For multiple reasons.
“Candace’s legacy is definitely far and wide-reaching,” says Robinson. “I don’t know that we had ever seen anyone that had inside/outside scoring, handles, passing ability, athleticism at the rim — just an incredible combination of skill set. Off the court, Candace has been one of those players that has allowed us a look into the challenges and the rewards of being an athlete mom, and when it comes to the marketing of the league, she has been arguably the most marketable player the league has ever seen and a trailblazer for Black women in that space.”
Parker is currently eighth all-time in the WNBA in career points (6,485) and second among active players, third in total rebounds (3,415) and seventh in assists (1,593). She’s also tied for first in the league with three regular-season triple-doubles in her career and first with three double-doubles in rebounds and assists. Parker is known just as much for her defense as her offense, ranking fifth all-time in blocks (612) and earning Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.
More significantly, Parker has become one of the most recognizable players in the history of the league. But before she became known around the world as CP3, she was simply “Ace” in the early days. Maybe it’s serendipitous then that she ended up playing for the Aces in what could be the final season of her career.
Parker will know when her playing days are over, just like she’ll know when it’s time to start her next life venture. Candace Parker is a moments person, after all, and the moment to hang it up hasn’t come just yet.
“I think the closer you get to the end, whenever that will be, I think the more you don’t take for granted,” she says. “And I said back in 2021 sometime — you don’t have to tell your story, time will. I firmly believe that. I’m still in the league, so … that’s a win.”
Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering the WNBA. She also contributes to The Athletic and is the co-author of Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women’s Football League. Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21.
Zia Cooke has hit the ground running as a rookie in the WNBA. To those that know her, that’s not a surprise.
“She’s being coached and coached to play, not really coached to sit on the bench and be a roster spot,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley told the Los Angeles Times. “She’s primed to just receive her dream.”
A four-year starter at South Carolina, Cooke helped the Gamecocks to three Final Fours and a national championship in 2022. She led the team with 15.4 points per game on 40.5% shooting in her senior season, then went No. 10 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA draft.
And she’s started her WNBA career the same way she ended her collegiate one. In her debut last week, she had 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting through 15 minutes while adding two rebounds and two assists in the Sparks’ 94-71 win against the Phoenix Mercury.
“She’s not afraid of the big moment because she’s played in the big game,” Sparks coach Curt Miller said. “She’s ready.”
While she was limited to just 4 points in the Sparks’ second game, a 94-85 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, she again had two rebounds and two assists. Cooke credits her performance so far to the Sparks allowing her to be herself. Veterans have welcomed her off the court and helped empower her to perform the way she does on the court.
“When you’re a rookie, you don’t know who you should be,” Cooke said. “But for [my teammates] to let me openly be myself, I’m super thankful for that.”
We love to see itttt@dawnstaley came to support @zia_cooke in her first W game, and Z did NOT disappoint 🤩 pic.twitter.com/mDgKXG3UQK
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 20, 2023
The 2023 WNBA season is here.
After much waiting and an eventful preseason, the 27th season of the league got underway Friday. With a busy few days of both regular season and commissioner’s cup action, Just Women’s Sports lays out how to watch every WNBA game this weekend, plus results and scores.
*All times are listed in ET
**Denotes a Commissioner’s Cup matchup
WNBA Games Today — Sunday, May 21
Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun**
1 p.m. on WNBA League Pass (Local: NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Washington/Monumental Sports)
After sending a message with a win against the Liberty on Friday, the Mystics face the Sun on the road.
Indiana Fever vs. New York Liberty**
2 p.m. on Twitter, (Local: YES, Facebook.com/Indiana Fever); Replay on WNBA League Pass
After falling to the Mystics on Friday, the Liberty’s new “superteam” will look to rebound in their home opener at Barclays Center.
Chicago Sky vs. Phoenix Mercury
4 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN+
Brittney Griner’s homecoming game comes against the Sky. The eight-time WNBA All-Star competed in her first official WNBA game in 579 days on Friday night, playing 25 minutes in the Phoenix Mercury’s 94-71 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.
WNBA Results — Friday, May 19
Connecticut Sun 70, Indiana Fever 61**
7 p.m. on WNBA League Pass (Local: Bally Sports Indiana, NECN)
New York Liberty 64, Washington Mystics 80**
7 p.m. on NBA TV (Local: NBC Sports Washington/Monumental Sports, WWOR-My9)
Chicago Sky 77, Minnesota Lynx 66
8 p.m. on WNBA League Pass (Local: Bally Sports North Extra, Marquee Sports Network/CW 26)
Phoenix Mercury 71, Los Angeles Sparks 94**
11 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN+
WNBA Results — Saturday, May 20
Atlanta Dream 78, Dallas Wings 85
1 p.m. on ABC
Las Vegas Aces 105, Seattle Storm 64**
3 p.m. on ABC
The Aces defeated the Storm, 105-64, breaking the WNBA record for largest margin of victory by any WNBA team in a season opener. Read more here.
Brittney Griner competed in her first official WNBA game in 579 days on Friday night, playing 25 minutes in the Phoenix Mercury’s 94-71 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. The eight-time WNBA All-Star recorded 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
Griner’s return to the WNBA was celebrated by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who helped bring the Phoenix Mercury star home from Russia after she was wrongfully detained for 10 months last year. Harris met with both the Mercury and Sparks pre-game.
“Thank you for all that you did in supporting Brittney,” Harris said in the Mercury locker room. “I know that was rough and so difficult.”
“It was nice to be able to see her face-to-face, talk to her, thank her for everything,” Griner said of the vice president’s visit. “And then the team really enjoyed it, too, when she came in.”
Harris was also presented with a Sparks jersey by WNBA players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike.
“Tonight is a game, but we’re also celebrating the return of one of our own, and what the Biden administration did to make that happen is really important,” Ogwumike said. “We know that wasn’t easy. But we want to say thank you so much for us to be able to play against BG tonight.”
The 10,396 fans in attendance at Crypto.com Arena included Billie Jean King, Dawn Staley and Magic Johnson. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also attended the game.
Ahead of tipoff, Griner stood with her Mercury teammates for the playing of the U.S. national anthem. Prior to her detention in Russia, Griner chose not to be on the court for the playing of the national anthem, as part of a protest against police brutality and the treatment of Black Americans.
Griner was asked about the change post-game.
“One good thing about this country is you have the right to protest, the right to able to speak out, question, challenge and do all these things,” she said. “What I went through and everything, it just means a little bit more to me now. So I want to be able to stand. I was literally in a cage [in Russia] and could not stand the way I wanted to.
“Just being able to hear my national anthem, see my flag, I definitely want to stand. Now everybody that will not stand or not come out, I totally support them 100 percent. We’re fighting (for) a good cause. … That’s our right, as an American, in this great country.”
In an essay for Time, Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas wrote about her client’s change in stance, noting that Griner’s national anthem decision is “is sure to be misinterpreted… by the same ‘shut-up-and-dribble’ voices that reflexively attack and distort every principled expression of athlete dissent.”
THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT 👏
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 20, 2023
1-1 from the field as Brittney Griner drains her first bucket back in the W #BGisBack
📺 @ESPN pic.twitter.com/hG4CbzPinY
The WNBA roster crunch continues, with the Los Angeles Sparks waiving former Iowa star Monika Czinano.
The No. 26 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Czinano played nine minutes in Los Angeles’ preseason win over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday, contributing six points and two rebounds off the bench. But the Sparks cut their third-round pick early Tuesday.
With her exit from the Sparks, all three draftees who played in the 2023 national title game – Czinano and LSU’s Alexis Morris and LaDazhia Williams – have been waived by their WNBA teams.
With Czinano’s cut, 19 of the 36 picks from the 2023 draft appear on WNBA rosters as of Tuesday morning. On Monday, the Dallas Wings cut first-round pick Abby Meyers.
Last season, just 17 of the 36 picks from the 2022 WNBA Draft made opening day rosters. Nearly every team still has cuts left to make to fit under the 12-player maximum by Thursday’s roster deadline.
LSU president Willam Tate IV criticized the move and the WNBA’s business model on Twitter.
“Remained quiet when my students were released. No claim of sour grapes here…but the @wnba business model is suboptimal,” wrote LSU president Willam Tate IV. “Players are better served in college or with other transparent options to aspire. I hope this market learns to tap into the passion of WBB.”
Remained quiet when my students were released. No claim of sour grapes here…but the @wnba business model is suboptimal. Players are better served in college or with other transparent options to aspire. I hope this market learns to tap into the passion of college WBB. @MCzinano > https://t.co/NHs5iV16dW
— William F. Tate IV (@WFTate4) May 16, 2023
The Los Angeles Sparks enter the 2023 season as a transformed team, with a new coach, a new general manager and a new philosophy.
Nneka Ogwumike has noticed the difference.
The 32-year-old forward has spent her entire career with the Sparks, from her 2012 Rookie of the Year campaign to the 2016 WNBA championship season. While she has seen ups and downs in her tenure, she has never seen the organization at this level, she said at the start of training camp.
“This is the first time I’ve really experienced what I believe to be a professional organization,” Ogwumike said.
Head coach Curt Miller and general manager Karen Bryant, who both came to Los Angeles in the offseason, immediately put their stamp on the team.
“That leaves space for me to not have to step into a manager role, which doesn’t leave me a lot of time to do the things that I really want to do, which is play basketball and hang out with my teammates,” Ogwumike said. “I really feel like I’ve relinquished a lot of that because we have some truly phenomenal people that have turned this organization into what it deserves to be.”
In another change, the Sparks parted ways with team president Vanessa Shay earlier this week. She had joined the team last May from the NWSL’s San Diego Wave. Sparks managing partner Eric Holman thanked Shay for guiding the team “through an important transition.”
With the reins now in the hands of Bryant and Miller, the team is prepared to start fresh. And while Ogwumike rejoined the Sparks on a one-year deal, Miller does not feel any pressure for the upcoming season, which tips off on May 19.
Miller cautioned against looking too far into the future. Instead, he wants to work day by day to build toward success, a journey “we think could be very special — and more importantly, sustainable,” he said.
“There’s going to be no more pressure than what we believe in our own locker room,” Miller said.
A lot has happened since the Las Vegas Aces won the 2022 WNBA championship. Superstars Breanna Stewart and Candace Parker left their teams in free agency, and the 2023 WNBA draft introduced future stars like Aliyah Boston and Diamond Miller to the league.
The 2023 season is just a month away, but before we dive into the slate of games, let’s take a look at who came out of free agency and the draft best positioned to succeed. Here are the offseason power rankings for all 12 teams.
1. New York Liberty
2022 regular-season finish: 7th (16-20)
The Liberty didn’t need to do anything in the draft to win the offseason — and they couldn’t, really, with one third-round pick. Their work in free agency was enough to give New York the top spot in the offseason power rankings. They traded for 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones before signing two-time champion Breanna Stewart and WNBA assists leader Courtney Vandersloot. That’s two former MVPs and an elite facilitator. Plus, the Liberty managed to do all of that without giving up Sabrina Ionescu, Betnijah Laney or Marine Johannès.
2. Las Vegas Aces
2022 regular-season finish: 1st (26-10)
Like the Liberty, the Aces had already cemented themselves atop this list thanks to a major free-agency signing. Picking up Candace Parker puts the defending champions in position to win another title. They also signed standout defender Alysha Clark and added roster depth, which was their lone weakness last season. The one knock against the Aces this offseason is the investigation into their handling of Dearica Hamby, who was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in January. Hamby, the two-time Sixth Player of the Year, accused the Aces in an Instagram post of mistreating her due to pregnancy. The organization later came under more scrutiny for allegations that they circumvented the salary cap.
3. Washington Mystics
2022 regular-season finish: 5th (22-14)
While the Liberty and the Aces had splashy offseasons, the Mystics made subtler moves. They return a core that includes Elena Delle Donne, Ariel Atkins, Natasha Cloud and last year’s No. 3 draft pick, Shakira Austin, who is only going to get better after a great rookie campaign. In this month’s draft, the Mystics selected Stephanie Soares with the fourth pick and then traded her to Dallas in favor of 2024 and 2025 draft picks. That move could pay off for the future, as the next two draft classes are loaded with talent. Later in the second round of the 2023 draft, Washington selected South Florida guard Elena Tsineke, who has a lot of upside and could end up being a steal.
4. Los Angeles Sparks
2022 regular-season finish: 11th (13-23)
While other teams dominated free agency headlines, the Sparks quietly had an excellent offseason. Los Angeles re-signed Nneka and Chiney Ogumike, traded for Hamby and veteran guard Jasmine Thomas, and lured Azurá Stevens away from Chicago in free agency. The Sparks continued their string of good moves by drafting a playmaking point guard in South Carolina’s Zia Cooke with the 10th pick. They also grabbed Monika Czinano in the third round. The Iowa center could end up being a solid contributor off the bench and a complement to the Sparks’ less traditional bigs.
5. Atlanta Dream
2022 regular-season finish: 10th (14-22)
The Dream started their offseason by signing an elite guard in Allisha Gray, giving them one of the best backcourt duos in the league alongside 2022 Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard. Then they arguably had the best draft in the league, picking up two versatile players in Stanford guard Haley Jones and South Carolina forward Laeticia Amihere. The Dream are clearly building for the future, with a young core that can be dominant in a few seasons’ time. The one thing Atlanta is missing is a reliable big. Currently, they are relying on the development of players like Naz Hillmon to fill the hole in the post.
6. Indiana Fever
2022 regular-season finish: 12th (5-31)
Drafting Aliyah Boston is an automatic win, as the South Carolina star has the potential to be an all-time great for the Fever. Also in this year’s draft, Indiana added Grace Berger, Taylor Mikesell, LaDazhia Williams and Victaria Saxton. The 2022 draft included Destanni Henderson, Emily Engstler and NaLyssa Smith, three other players full of promise. After stocking up on college talent, the Fever have a young roster with potential for the future that could use veteran complements. The Fever already have one experienced guard in Kesley Mitchell, and in February they signed 2019 All-Star Erica Wheeler, who can contribute right away.
7. Dallas Wings
2022 regular-season finish: 6th (18-18)
The Wings made a flurry of moves in the offseason and during the draft — some good, some bad and some puzzling. Starting with the good, Dallas traded for Diamond DeShields and re-signed Teaira McCowan. Losing Marina Mabrey to Chicago could be considered bad, but it allowed Dallas to acquire DeShields. The bad and confusing stems from the way the Wings used their plethora of draft picks. After selecting NCAA leading scorer Maddy Siegrist at No. 3, the Wings questionably drafted two shooters in Lou Lopez-Sénéchal and Abby Meyers while also trading for Stephanie Soares, who is coming off an ACL injury. That pick itself wouldn’t be considered bad if it wasn’t for the uncertainty the Wings already have at the post position.
8. Phoenix Mercury
2022 regular-season finish: 8th (15-21)
The best thing to happen to the Mercury this offseason wasn’t a free-agency signing or a draft pick. It was the safe return of Brittney Griner from Russia, where she was wrongfully imprisoned on drug charges. The fact that Griner wants to play in 2023 is a bonus for the Mercury. They also re-signed Diana Taurasi and Sophie Cunningham in free agency, and added Moriah Jefferson and Michaela Onyenwere, both of whom will be important while Skylar Diggins-Smith is on maternity leave.
9. Minnesota Lynx
2022 regular-season finish: 9th (14-22)
The Lynx were quiet in free agency, which was a concerning start to the offseason. But a successful draft has them in a good position to build for the future. With the No. 2 pick, Minnesota selected Maryland guard Diamond Miller, a player who is pro-ready and can contribute for years to come. They also added Maia Hirsch, a 6-foot-5 French prospect with guard skills and massive upside, UConn’s Dorka Juhász and South Carolina’s Brea Beal.
10. Seattle Storm
2022 regular-season finish: 4th (22-14)
The Storm had a rough offseason, losing Sue Bird to retirement and Stewart to free agency. That left Jewell Loyd as the piece around which to build their roster. Other than retaining agent Ezi Magbegor and acquiring Kia Nurse, things were quiet in Seattle. The Storm found success at the draft, picking up Jordan Horston with the ninth pick and South Florida’s Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeau, another intriguing prospect, in the second round.
11. Connecticut Sun
2022 regular-season finish: 3rd (25-11)
The Sun’s offseason also started poorly as they lost head coach Curt Miller and star player Jonquel Jones. But they did re-sign Brionna Jones, who was a priority in free agency, and they return a talented core of Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Natisha Hiedeman. The Sun also drafted LSU guard and national champion Alexis Morris, who fell to the second round of the draft but could end up being a major steal in the 2023 class.
12. Chicago Sky
2022 regular-season finish: 2nd (26-10)
Whether or not coach James Wade wants to admit it, the Sky are rebuilding. They lost Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot, Azurá Stevens, Allie Quigley and Emma Meesseman after last season. Chicago did re-sign Rebekah Gardner and acquired Marina Mabrey and Isabelle Harrison, but they certainly lost more than they added. The Sky also had a quiet draft outside of selecting Virginia Tech guard Kayana Traylor, who has the skills to make an immediate impact despite falling to the late second round.
Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.