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How NFTs can ‘change the game’ for women athletes

Sue Bird has been active in the marketplace and an advocate for the WNBA’s crypto partnerships. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

As one of the few leagues that saw a significant increase in viewership following the COVID-19 pandemic, the WNBA has displayed massive growth potential in recent years. People are starting to take notice, and not just individuals but industries.

In May, crypto platform Coinbase announced new partnerships within the WNBA ecosystem to foster more participation in the cryptoeconomy and web3 through fan and player education, NFTs, and IRL activations.

“The WNBA was always an important part of our sports strategy when signing the league deal,” Jessica Williams, Director of Brand Partnerships & Experiential at Coinbase, told Just Women’s Sports. “It was integral to the core of the deal, and we were inspired by the league’s commitment to innovation and excellence.”

The goal of the partnership is to inspire the next generations of fans to get more involved in the crypto economy. WNBA legend Sue Bird, even as she heads into retirement, is 100 percent on board with the relationship for the future of the league.

“Women’s sports is a wonderful investment for a variety of reasons. One of the main ones is we haven’t been invested in historically,” she said. “When you see other leagues teaming up like the WNBA has teamed up with Coinbase, it’s a really good sign of things to come for both sides.”

One way Coinbase is looking to provide strategic partnership and resources to the WNBA ecosystem is through NFTs, one of the blockchain-based products that boomed in sports and beyond in the past year.

NFTs, short for non-fungible tokens, represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content or media. As with a trading card, their value isn’t as simple as a price tag on a shelf but rather determined by different attributes such as rarity, edition, design, etc. Unlike traditional trading cards, NFTs are cryptographically protected, allowing for the easy tracing of origin and ownership in the matter of seconds.

Think of NFTS like a baseball card, music file or Picasso painting that can’t be replicated, shared or altered. With the rise of NFTs, expert validation requirements, fake (imposter) replicas, illegal streaming or sharing, and storage requirements to maintain physical condition are eliminated.

NFTs also have utility in a digital ecosystem, with NFT holders able to unlock exclusive perks and upgrade the ticketing system for events, among other actions. These benefits give NFTs an edge compared to many of their counterparts in the traditional collectibles market.

“Coinbase NFT, Coinbase’s web3 social marketplace, is focused on meeting the gap between commerce (marketplaces that focus on buy, sell and trade volume) and social apps. We learned that people don’t just want better tools to buy and sell NFTs: They want better ways to discover them, better ways to find the right communities, and better spaces in which they can feel connected with each other,” Williams said. “That’s why we’re building a product that’s much more than a transaction. We’re looking to empower people to create, collect and connect.”

According to investment bank Jefferies, the value of the NFT market is expected to increase by around 30 percent to $35 billion in 2022, and reach $80 billion by 2025. With those numbers in mind, Bird is happy to be one of the WNBA pioneers in the NFT space, first as a player and now as a business professional and mentor in retirement.

“I think sports memorabilia is a huge business. We have an opportunity as athletes to actually build the product instead of just signing it. That’s where Coinbase NFT is exciting, because it gives fans that user-friendly marketplace to acquire and display your favorite NFTs,” Bird said. “Post retirement is going to allow me to dive deeper into all of this and maybe help some other current players navigate it. Sports memorabilia has proven it’s legit, and this is another element to that.”

The collectibles market, which includes NFTs and sport memorabilia, was valued at $372 billion in 2020, according to Market Decipher. The lists of the top-selling pieces of sports memorabilia are constantly changing, with the Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps baseball card becoming the most expensive ever when it sold for $12.6 million at Heritage Auctions on Aug. 28.

Bird understands just how big the business is and how the WNBA can take advantage of its growth, giving athletes more ownership of their assets and the opportunity to speak directly to their fans.

“NFTs are allowing athletes to take more ownership and monetization of their likeness. Where we first saw it was our voices and our platform on social media, and obviously this goes hand in hand, but that’s where we as female athletes now have a little bit of a say,” she said. “We can control what’s being put into the immediate universe on our behalf. What happens is, you get more eyeballs on you in that way, and then you start to see more interests. And then I would say in the last three to five years, you’ve seen it take a turn. NFTs are definitely one vehicle that allows women to create.”

Through their partnership with the WNBA Players Association, Coinbase is also providing new financial options to players. During the league’s 2022 Rookie Orientation, Coinbase hosted an education session covering crypto for the top rookies invited to the draft. They also set up all 144 WNBA players with Coinbase accounts and crypto funds to help them further familiarize themselves with the space.

The partnership is opening doors to players who did not traditionally have access to this type of financial training. Bird was one of the many players encouraged by the financial freedom and possibilities that crypto and NFTs can offer.

“I think back when I entered the WNBA, you talked about your 401k and your different investments, but it just wasn’t on the scale it is now,” she said. “NFTs allow us to market and auction our own products. More than anything, it’s refreshing for companies like Coinbase to invest in the WNBA, the Storm, in Jewell (Loyd) and myself. That’s really where we’ve seen a big change.”

While the momentum is building, there’s still much information a person needs to educate themselves on to become an NFT master. Many can be timid to jump into the waters of NFT trading and collecting, but Bird grows more confident by the day.

“It is an ongoing education process. Just when you think you think you have a handle on it, there’s going to be a curveball, and that’s very normal,” she said. “It’s OK to feel every now and again like, ‘Wait, what?’ Everybody feels that way. The more you learn about it, the less that feeling will be there, so you just have to stick with it. … I know I didn’t know what an NFT was until 2 years ago. We are all still learning, figuring it out on the fly, finding out what best practices are with creating collectibles that also have that tangible value or hold that experience.”

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Sue Bird officially retired Tuesday night after 21 years in the WNBA. (Joshua Huston/NBAE via Getty Images)

Getting acquainted with NFTs can seem like a daunting venture. Bird followed time-trusted methods of listening to the experts.

“I was lucky to have a friend who was into it early. She just kind of broke it down to me and explained some things. What she did was she gave me some people to follow on social media. She pointed me to the right people,” she said. “This is not dissimilar to other things in life. How do you learn about anything? You have to find the experts, you have to read what they have to say, listen to podcasts or follow them on social media, and then you can stay up on all the trends via their knowledge and advice.”

For those who don’t have direct connections and want to learn about the crypto market, aside from creating their own Coinbase account and trying crypto in their free time, educational platforms such as Udemy, Skillshare and LinkedIn provide courses for all skill levels.

With a strong partnership and a bright future, the WNBA and Coinbase are looking to lead the charge in the expansion of the cryptoeconomy, bringing more eyes, publicity and influence to the league and its players.

As for Bird, 2022 was her final year of professional basketball. After a nearly two-decade career with the Seattle Storm and USA Basketball that included four championships, 12 All-Star selections, five Olympic gold medals and the WNBA career record for assists, games played and minutes played, she hung up her sneakers after Seattle’s Game 4 semifinal loss to Las Vegas on Tuesday night.

Beyond basketball, however, Bird feels she is just getting started in her NFT journey.

“There are no limits. There are no boundaries that are going to prevent Sue from being successful in whatever endeavor she chooses, Bird’s coach at UConn, Geno Auriemma, told ESPN’s MA Voepel recently. “Whether that’s within sports or outside the sports world.”

Daniel Newton is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports.

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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