Team USA is back on top of the 3x3 court, going undefeated to win their first FIBA AmeriCup title since 2023 with a tight 21-19 victory over defending champs Canada on Sunday.
After averaging 5.0 points per game — including putting up nine in the final — while notching 14 assists over the course of the competition, 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Allisha Gray added both MVP and Team of the Tournament honors to her 2025 championship haul on Sunday.
Joining the Atlanta Dream guard on Team USA's stacked 3x3 roster were three fellow WNBA titans: Gray's teammate Naz Hillmon, Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton, and Washington Mystics forward Shakira Austin.
Throughout last week's competition in León, Mexico, Hillmon and Austin led the team in scoring with 5.8 points per game each, with Hillmon also topping the US stat sheet in rebounds per game.
With this year's win, Team USA claimed its third title across the five total FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup iterations, with 2025 runners-up Canada owning the competition's only other two trophies.
Third-place winner Brazil also kept their FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup medal-winning streak alive, with the trio of nations collectively owning every podium spot in the annual tournament's five-year history.
The WNBA released its 2025 All-Defensive Teams on Wednesday, delaying the announcement more than a week amid the fallout from the viral takedown of league leadership by Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier.
Collier herself headlines the First Team, with Lynx teammate Alanna Smith, Phoenix Mercury standout Alyssa Thomas, Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams, and the Las Vegas Aces' four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson joining the Minnesota star on the 2025 WNBA All-Defensive roster.
Second Team honors went to Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, the Golden State Valkyries' 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player Veronica Burton, Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, Seattle Storm forward Ezi Magbegor, and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart.
The WNBA's first-ever co-Defensive Player of the Year award-winners Wilson and Smith put up leading individual stats throughout the 2025 season, with Wilson averaging a league-high 2.3 blocks along with 7.9 defensive rebounds per game while Smith averaged a team-high 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.
Collier averaged 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, contributing to Minnesota's league-best 97.5 defensive rating, while Williams tied for the second-most single-season steals with 99 — just one short of WNBA legend Teresa Weatherspoon's 1998 record.
In her debut year with the Mercury, Thomas became the first-ever WNBA player to average 15+ points, 8+ rebounds, 9+ assists, and 1+ steals per game while shooting over 50% from the field.
This year's Second Team featured three first-ever selections, with Boston, Burton, and Howard all making their All-Defensive Team debuts.
The No. 6 Golden State Valkyries made WNBA history this week, becoming the first-ever expansion team to clinch a playoffs berth in their debut year with Thursday's 84-80 win over the already-eliminated No. 13 Dallas Wings.
The Valkyries overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to top the Wings, with forward Janelle Salaün scoring nine of her team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter to seal to deal.
"This is awesome," said guard Veronica Burton, who added 15 points to Thursday's victory. "It's a testament to all the work that we put in…to the belief that our coaching staff had in us."
"I told the girls, I intentionally picked you guys for this reason, to do things for the first [time]," Golden State boss Natalie Nakase said afterwards.
In addition to their newly claimed postseason history, Golden State set the WNBA record for most wins by an expansion team with 23 on the season so far, while also leading the league in three-pointers as well as attendance marks — all under first-year head coach Nakase.
"What's kind of cool is we like to be uncomfortable," continued Nakase. "I have 13 players that love to be pushed."
Golden State will literally be out of their comfort zone during the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, with the Valkyries forced to relocate their first-round home game from San Francisco's Chase Center to the SAP Center in nearby San Jose due to a pre-existing scheduling conflict.
"While we would have loved to host our first playoff game at Chase Center and sought every opportunity to try and make that happen, Ballhalla has never been about just one building — it's about the incredible community our fans have created," said team president Jess Smith in a statement.
The No. 7 Golden State Valkyries refuse to give away their shot, as the first-year expansion side split their weekend results to maintain positioning above the WNBA postseason cutoff line on a 19-18 overall 2025 record.
With seven regular-season games left, the Valkyries are courting history, vying to become the first-ever expansion team to reach the playoffs in their debut year.
Golden State guard Veronica Burton is leading the Valks' charge, registering 25 points and 13 assists against the already-eliminated No. 13 Dallas Wings in Sunday's 91-80 victory to further her squad's postseason dreams.
Despite losing players to injury, the Valkyries remain on track for playoff contention, performing just well enough to fend off fellow mid-table strivers like the No. 9 Los Angeles Sparks and No. 8 Indiana Fever from ascending the WNBA standings.
"This is nothing new for us," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said of her team's consistency. "What I like about our players is we are always continuing to try to help each other."
How to watch the next Golden State Valkyries games
Golden State have earned a rest, with the Valkyries currently sitting out the week before hosting the No. 10 Washington Mystics at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday and the No. 8 Indiana Fever at the same time on Sunday.
Saturday's clash will air live on WNBA League Pass, while NBA TV will carry the Valkyries' Sunday matchup.
Just two games into their inaugural season, 2025 WNBA expansion team Golden State recorded their first-ever win on Wednesday night, with the Valkyries defeating Washington 76-74 in front of a sell-out home crowd at the Chase Center.
Despite Mystics guard Brittney Sykes's game-leading 30 points, the Valkyries kept it close, securing the victory with key shots in game's final minutes.
Guard Veronica Burton led Golden State with a career-high 22 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, with forward Kayla Thornton's 18-point, five-rebound night sealing the deal.
"These are the moments you don't forget," Burton told reporters after the win. "We've been in the gym working, training, and there's been a lot of anticipation, a lot of build-up… [I'm] embracing this moment."
With the restocked Mystics coming off an unexpectedly strong start, Golden State managed to hand now-2-1 Washington their first loss of the season.
The performance did highlight some areas of improvement, with the Valks struggling to convert three-point plays, going 7-for-37 beyond the arc to drop their overall shooting below 40%.
That said, building a new roster, culture, and on-court strategy from the ground up takes time, though Wednesday's first win bodes well for the Valkyries — especially considering the California side opened the season with the league's longest odds of success.
"We've been working really hard for this," said Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase. "We've only played 80 minutes together, but it's a credit to everyone prepping and putting in their hard work."
Northwestern’s Veronica Burton has declared for the 2022 WNBA Draft.
In a statement on Twitter, Burton said that Northwestern “has exceeded every expectation of what I wanted my college basketball experience to be like.”
“I am beyond thankful to have been able to attend and play at a school that compares to none,” she wrote.
This place has meant the world to me. Forever thankful💜 pic.twitter.com/Cu31lD6Sca
— Veronica Burton (@Veronicaab22) March 25, 2022
Burton was one of the nation’s best players in 2022. Through 29 games, she averaged 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 4.0 steals. As a result, she became the first Northwestern women’s basketball player to be named to an AP All-America team, earning Third Team honors.
She was also an All-Big Ten selection, earning First Team honors and won her third consecutive Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.
With her declaration, Burton becomes one of the top prospects for the 2022 WNBA Draft, which is scheduled to take place April 11 in New York City.
Northwestern took down No. 22 Iowa Thursday night 77-69 for their first win over a ranked team this season.
It’s the Wildcats’ third-straight win over Iowa after completing the sweep last season.
Each team had two players score 20 points or more as both teams shot 41 percent from the field. The major difference maker was on the glass, as Northwestern out-rebounded Iowa 42-31.
Foul trouble plagued Iowa, with McKenna Warnock and Kate Martin each fouling out. Warnock had 14 points and eight rebounds before leaving the game.
The Wildcats also forced 18 turnovers, thanks in part to senior Veronica Burton, who matched a career-high with eight steals.
The two-time reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year finished with 25 points, eight steals, six rebounds and six assists. Burton now sits inside the top ten all-time in career steals in Big Ten history with 329.
🚨 UPSET 🚨
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) January 7, 2022
.@Veronicaab22 and @melannie_daley combine for 47 points to drop the Hawkeyes in Iowa City 🔥@nuwbball pic.twitter.com/fRiBLaOEJY
Freshman Melannie Daley had 22 points and six rebounds as the only other Wildcat in double-digits.
The dynamic duo of Caitlin Clark and Monika Czinano was firing from all cylinders despite the loss. Clark had a game-high 30 points, adding three rebounds and five assists. Czinano, in her first game back from COVID-19 protocols, had 20 points and six rebounds.
Northwestern will look to move to 3-0 in Big Ten play on Sunday against Ohio State at 3 p.m. ET. The Hawkeyes will have an opportunity to rebound against Nebraska at 2 p.m. ET.