KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker railed towards Pleasure month together with President Biden’s management throughout the pandemic and his stance on abortion throughout a graduation deal with at Benedictine School final weekend.

The three-time Tremendous Bowl champion delivered the roughly 20-minute deal with Saturday on the Catholic non-public liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas, which is about 60 miles north of Kansas Metropolis.

Butker, who has made his conservative Catholic beliefs well-known, started his deal with by attacking what he known as “harmful gender ideologies” in an obvious reference to Pleasure month, which has been celebrated in June for the reason that Stonewall riots in 1969. He additionally criticized an article by The Related Press highlighting a shift towards conservativism in some components of the Catholic Church.

The 28-year-old Butker then took purpose at Biden’s insurance policies, together with his response to Covid, which has killed almost 1.2 million individuals within the U.S., in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

“Whereas Covid may need performed a big position all through your childhood, it isn’t distinctive,” he stated. “The dangerous insurance policies and poor management have negatively impacted main life points. Issues like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, in addition to a rising help for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of dysfunction.”

Butker later addressed the ladies within the viewers, arguing that their “most vital title” ought to be that of “homemaker.”

“I believe it’s you, the ladies, who’ve had probably the most diabolic lies informed to you,” Butker stated. “A few of it’s possible you’ll go on to guide profitable careers on the earth, however I’d enterprise to guess that almost all of you’re most enthusiastic about your marriage and the kids you’ll carry into this world. I can let you know that my stunning spouse Isabelle could be the primary to say her life really began when she began residing her vocation as a spouse and as a mom.”

The Chiefs declined to touch upon Butker’s graduation deal with.

The 2017 seventh-round pick of Georgia Tech has grow to be one of many NFL’s finest kickers, breaking the Chiefs’ franchise report with a 62-yard subject aim in 2022. Butker helped them win their first Tremendous Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and he kicked the sphere aim that pressured extra time in a Tremendous Bowl win over San Francisco in February.

It has been an embarrassing offseason for the Chiefs, although.

Final month, voters in Jackson County, Missouri, soundly rejected a poll initiative that may have helped pay for a downtown ballpark for the Royals and an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium, the house of the Chiefs. Many citizens criticized the plan put ahead by the Chiefs as catering primarily to VIPs and the rich.

The identical week, broad receiver Rashee Rice turned himself into Dallas police on a number of expenses, together with aggravated assault, after he was concerned in a high-speed crash that left 4 individuals with accidents. Rice has acknowledged being the driving force of one of many sports activities vehicles that was getting into extra of 100 mph, and video reveals him leaving the scene with out offering data or figuring out whether or not anybody wanted medical consideration.

Final week, legislation enforcement officers informed The Dallas Morning Information that Rice additionally was suspected of assaulting an individual at a downtown nightclub; Dallas police didn’t identify Rice because the suspect in detailing a report back to The Related Press.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid stated he had spoken to the receiver and the staff was letting the authorized course of play out.

LONDON (AP) — Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester Metropolis beat Tottenham 2-0 on Tuesday and moved to inside one win of a file fourth-straight Premier League title.

The three-time defending champion will go into the closing spherical of video games on Sunday with a two-point lead over second-place Arsenal.

Metropolis hosts West Ham in its final league sport of the season, whereas Arsenal can be at residence in opposition to Everton.

“The tennis gamers say ‘the serve to win Wimbledon’, the final sport, is probably the most troublesome one,” Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola stated. “We all know what we’re taking part in for. The stress is there, the rival is so good. It’s why it’s troublesome, we all know that.”

Haaland fired Metropolis forward within the 51st minute at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he transformed Kevin De Bruyne’s cross from shut vary.

He struck his second from the penalty spot within the first minute of stoppage time after Pedro Porro had introduced down Jeremy Doku.

Victory means Metropolis is in command of its personal destiny within the race for the title, regardless of being pushed proper to the wire by Arsenal.

Guardiola is now inside touching distance of a sixth league championship in seven seasons.

No different English staff has managed to win 4 high flight titles in a row, whereas Metropolis can be seeking to safe back-to-back league and FA Cup doubles.

Going into Tuesday’s sport one level behind Arsenal, Guardiola had warned his gamers that something aside from most factors would deliver an finish to their dominance of England’s high division. That solely elevated the strain on his staff, which was additionally seeking to finish a four-game shedding run within the league at Spurs.

And the event appeared to get to Metropolis’s gamers in a nervous first half.

“They have been taking part in for the results of the outcome. If you do that you’re going to lose the Premier League,” Guardiola stated. “They’re human beings, I perceive the strain.”

Haaland’s purpose six minutes into the second eased the stress. However whereas his targets have been decisive, Metropolis needed to depend on substitute goalkeeper Stefan Ortega to maintain Spurs at bay as the house staff pushed for an equalizer.

Approaching within the 69th after Ederson had sustained a head harm in a collision with Cristian Romero, Ortega shortly needed to block a close-range effort from Dejan Kulusevski.

Later he produced one other save to disclaim the Spurs ahead, however Ortega’s most interesting second got here within the 86th when Son Heung-min raced by way of on purpose.

With solely the keeper to beat, Son seemed sure to attain as he fired low towards the nook. A draw would have put Arsenal within the driver’s seat for the title heading into Sunday’s season finale — however Son may solely watch as Ortega shot out a leg to deflect the ball.

Guardiola, watching on, had his head in his palms earlier than falling to the bottom in aid.

Shortly after, Doku lured Porro right into a lunge within the Spurs field and referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot.

Haaland put the sport past doubt by blasting his shot into the highest nook for his second of the match and thirty eighth of the season.

Metropolis’s win additionally meant Aston Villa secured fourth place and qualification for subsequent season’s Champions League forward of Tottenham in fifth.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — 4-time main champion Rory McIlroy on Monday filed for divorce from his spouse, Erica, in response to court docket paperwork in household court docket in Palm Seashore County, Florida.

McIlroy, 35, who’s enjoying on this week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Membership, confirmed the pending separation by means of his supervisor, Sean O’Flaherty.

“Rory McIlroy’s communications crew confirmed at this time {that a} divorce has been filed,” O’Flaherty mentioned within the assertion. “They confused Rory’s want to make sure this tough time is as respectful and amicable as potential. He is not going to be making any additional remark.”

McIlroy and his spouse have a 3-year-old daughter, Poppy.

McIlroy met his spouse, the previous Erica Stoll, on the 2012 Ryder Cup. They began courting two years later, after McIlroy ended his relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

McIlroy and Stoll have been married in Eire in 2017.

Within the court docket submitting, a duplicate of which was obtained by ESPN, McIlroy’s attorneys wrote that the wedding is irretrievably damaged. They requested for shared parental custody of their daughter and for a choose to implement a prenuptial settlement the couple signed on March 7, 2017.

A cause for the divorce wasn’t instantly identified. The petition for dissolution of marriage was filed confidentially.

McIlroy’s legal professional, Thomas J. Sasser, additionally represented Tiger Woods in his divorce from his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, in 2010.

Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce after seven years of marriage, in accordance with court docket data in Palm Seashore County, Florida, a surprising growth going into the PGA Championship.

McIlroy and his spouse, Erica Stoll, had a storybook assembly through the Ryder Cup in 2012, started courting two years later and had been married in 2017. They’ve one daughter, Poppy, born in September 2020.

TMZ first reported on the submitting, which was made Monday. There have been no paperwork instantly accessible from the petition for dissolution of marriage.

McIlroy’s lawyer was listed as Thomas Sasser, the identical lawyer who represented Tiger Woods when his spouse divorced him in 2010.

“Rory McIlroy’s communications staff confirmed at the moment {that a} divorce has been filed. They careworn Rory’s want to make sure this tough time is as respectful and amicable as potential,” stated a press release from his supervisor, Sean O’Flaherty.

He stated there could be no additional remark.

McIlroy arrived at Valhalla on Tuesday. He has gone 10 years since successful a significant, the final one at Valhalla in 2014 for the PGA Championship. His pre-tournament information convention was scheduled for Wednesday.

McIlroy and Stoll met beneath uncommon circumstances. She labored for the PGA of America in 2012 through the Ryder Cup at Medinah within the Chicago suburbs, the place McIlroy practically missed his Sunday singles match as a result of he stated he forgot he was within the Central time zone.

Stoll organized for a police escort to Medinah, and McIlroy barely arrived in time. He gained his match over Keegan Bradley as Europe rallied to win.

McIlroy was courting tennis star Caroline Wozniacki on the time. They had been engaged simply over a yr later, however then McIlroy abruptly broke it off over the telephone.

He and Stoll started courting later that yr. They had been engaged in 2015.

McIlroy filed for the divorce a day after he gained the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, his second straight PGA Tour win and the twenty sixth of his profession. Requested if he deliberate to go straight to Valhalla on Sunday evening, McIlroy stated, “I will in all probability go dwelling and simply form of reset, then head as much as Louisville tomorrow evening or Tuesday morning.”

The divorce submitting comes amid chaos in golf created by the launch of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. McIlroy has been a central determine during the last two years, harshly criticizing LIV after which altering his views and pushing for some type of reunification.

He resigned from the PGA Tour board final November, then was concerned in a plan to rejoin the board by changing Webb Simpson. That transfer was met by resistance from different participant administrators. As an alternative, McIlroy was appointed to a committee that’s negotiating with the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia over doubtlessly changing into a minority investor.

Related Press Author Terry Spencer in Palm Seashore, Florida, contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — For a final hurrah, it was a Sage choice.

A miniature poodle named Sage received the highest prize Tuesday evening on the Westminster Kennel Membership canine present, in what veteran handler Kaz Hosaka stated can be his last time at the USA’ most prestigious canine occasion. After 45 years of competing and two greatest in present canine, he plans to retire.

Sage notched the eleventh triumph for poodles of varied sizes at Westminster; solely wire fox terriers have received extra. The final miniature poodle to take the trophy was Spice, with Hosaka, in 2002.

“No phrases,” he stated within the ring to explain his response to Sage’s win earlier than supplying a couple of: “So comfortable — thrilling.”

Striding briskly and proudly across the ring, the inky-black poodle “gave a terrific efficiency for me,” Hosaka added.

Sage bested six different finalists to take greatest in present. Second went to Mercedes, a German shepherd whose handler, Kent Boyles, additionally has shepherded a greatest in present winner earlier than.

Others within the last spherical included Comet, a shih tzu who received the massive American Kennel Membership Nationwide Championship final 12 months; Monty, a large schnauzer who arrived at Westminster because the nation’s top-ranked canine and was a Westminster finalist final 12 months; Louis, an Afghan hound; Micah, a black cocker spaniel; and Frankie, a coloured bull terrier.

Whereas Sage was going across the ring, a protester carrying an indication urging individuals to “boycott breeders” tried to climb in and was shortly intercepted by safety personnel. Police and the animal rights group PETA stated three demonstrators have been arrested. Fees haven’t but been determined.

In an occasion the place all rivals are champions in canine displaying’s level system, profitable can depend upon subtleties and a standout flip on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle, residence of the U.S. Open tennis match.

The ultimate lineup was “wonderful, wonderful,” greatest in present choose Rosalind Kramer stated.

To Monty’s handler and co-owner, Katie Bernardin, “simply to be within the ring with everybody else is an honor.”

“All of us love our canine. We’re making an attempt our greatest,” she stated within the ring after Monty’s semifinal win. “A stallion” of a canine, he’s strong, highly effective and “very spirited,” stated Bernardin of Chaplin, Connecticut.

So spirited that whereas Bernardin was pregnant, she did obedience and different canine sports activities with Monty as a result of he wanted the stimulation.

Canines first compete in opposition to others of their breed. Then the winner of every breed goes up in opposition to others in its “group.” The seven group winners meet within the last spherical.

One of the best in present winner will get a trophy and a spot in dog-world historical past, however no money prize.

Moreover the winners, there have been different canine that have been hits with the gang. A lagotto Romagnolo named Harry earned a chuckle from the stadium viewers by sitting up and begging for a deal with from his handler, and a vizsla named Fletcher charmed spectators by leaping up on its handler after ending a spin across the ring.

There have been massive cheers, too, for a playful nice Pyrenees referred to as Sebastian and a Doberman pinscher named Emilio.

Different canine that vied in useless for a spot within the finals included Stache, a Sealyham terrier. He received the Nationwide Canine Present that was televised on Thanksgiving and took high prize at a giant terrier present in Pennsylvania final fall.

Stache showcases a uncommon breed that’s thought of weak to extinction even in its native Britain.

“They’re a little-known treasure,” stated Stache’s co-owner, co-breeder and handler, Margery Good of Cochranville, Pennsylvania, who has bred “Sealys” for half a century. Initially developed in Wales to hunt badgers and different burrowing recreation, the terriers with a “fall” of hair over their eyes are brave however comedic — Good dubs them “foolish hams.”

Westminster can really feel like a research in canine contrasts. Simply strolling round, a customer may see a Chihuahua peering out of a carrying bag at a stocky Neapolitan mastiff, a hoop filled with honey-colored golden retrievers beside a lineup of stark-black large schnauzers, and handlers with canine far bigger than themselves.

Shane Jichetti was considered one of them. Ralphie, the 175-pound (34-kg) nice Dane she co-owns, outweighs her by loads. It takes appreciable expertise to point out so massive an animal, however “if in case you have a bond along with your canine, and also you simply go along with it, it really works out,” she stated.

Plus Ralphie, for all his measurement, is “so chill,” stated Jichetti. Playful at residence on New York’s Staten Island, he’s spot-on — identical to his harlequin-pattern coat — when it’s time to go within the ring.

“He’s simply an sincere canine,” Jichetti stated.

The Westminster present, which dates to 1877, facilities on the standard purebred judging that results in one of the best in present prize. However over the past decade, the membership has added agility and obedience occasions open to mixed-breed canine.

And this 12 months, the agility competitors counted its first non-purebred winner, a border collie-papillon combine named Nimble.

And Kramer, one of the best in present choose, made a degree of thanking “each canine, whether or not it’s a home canine or a present canine.

“Since you make our lives complete.”

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Related Press photographer Julia Nikhinson contributed.

The 2024 WNBA season is right here. Caitlin Clark’s professional period is formally underway. And the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Solar, New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx opened with victories Tuesday.

Clark and the Indiana Fever tipped off the season on the street, falling 92-71 at Connecticut, as Alyssa Thomas, the Solar’s perennial MVP candidate, tallied a triple-double with 13 factors, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

Clark, the No. 1 decide in April’s WNBA draft and the NCAA Division I all-time main scorer, completed with 20 factors, 3 assists and a couple of steals in her WNBA debut. However she struggled a lot of the evening, committing 10 turnovers and taking pictures 5-for-15 from the sector and 4-for-11 on 3-pointers. At halftime, she had 5 turnovers and 7 factors.

Clark’s 20 factors ranks second in franchise historical past behind Corridor of Famer Tamika Catchings (23 in 2002) for a Fever participant debut. Candace Parker had the very best level complete for any WNBA participant in her debut, with 34 in 2008. Amongst No. 1 picks up to now decade, Clark is second to Breanna Stewart (23 factors) in 2016.

How did the Aces, Liberty, Lynx and Solar begin the season within the win column? How did absences from injured heart Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury and level guard Chelsea Grey of Las Vegas affect their groups’ video games? And the way did the Storm look with Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith making their Seattle debuts?

ESPN breaks down opening evening.

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After a sluggish begin, Clark heated up late within the recreation however struggled general. By which areas was she most uncovered? And what was most promising about her professional debut?

Voepel: It says one thing about how over-the-top the expectations are for Clark that she had a team-high 20 factors in her skilled debut however the efficiency will probably be outlined by many as a “wrestle,” primarily for the turnovers.

That is to be anticipated, although, for any rookie level guard, contemplating simply how a lot faster and skilled the protection is at this degree.

Nonetheless, the turnovers need to be what’s going to hassle Clark most about her first recreation, as a result of they prevented doable scoring alternatives for the Fever. Connecticut guard DiJonai Carrington made issues exhausting on Clark, who had eight of her turnovers in opposition to the fourth-year professional. Clark was additionally 2-of-10 taking pictures in opposition to Carrington.

Nonetheless, Clark did not appear to lose confidence or aggression. That is key. Clark — who performed a team-high 31 minutes — knew there was going to be a studying curve, as all the pieces comes at younger gamers very quick, particularly for one who will probably be dealing with the ball as a lot as she’s going to. Clark will work out how you can higher calibrate her passing.

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It is just one recreation, however what are the real looking expectations going ahead for the Fever?

Voepel: Issues labored finest for Indiana within the second and third quarters, when the Fever have been in a position to dangle with Connecticut. The Solar pulled away within the fourth quarter, and that is one thing Fever coach Christie Sides will emphasize to her staff.

There have been some actual positives about how the Fever linked once they ran their offense nicely — however with 25 turnovers, there have been occasions that simply did not occur.

So realistically, they confirmed they might execute at a excessive degree in opposition to a veteran squad that’s anticipated to complete within the prime 4 within the league. The Fever have an opportunity to carry their very own in opposition to groups that are not fairly on the degree of the Solar.

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What do the Aces take away from their opener as they launch their three-peat marketing campaign?

Voepel: Grey’s absence — the Aces will not say how lengthy they count on her to be out with a foot harm — was evident in moments, particularly when Las Vegas did not assault Phoenix’s zone in addition to it wished in an 89-80 win.

“I believe we now have to get used to defenses switching up so long as Chelsea’s not on the market,” Aces coach Becky Hammon mentioned. “They are going to put stress on [us] to continuously make reads. It is a actually nice progress alternative for the remainder of the staff — whether or not that is organizing us, making reads.”

Nonetheless, guard Jackie Younger and Kelsey Plum mixed for 42 factors and 11 assists with simply three turnovers. And A’ja Wilson — who regarded in MVP type regardless of being important of herself for taking pictures 10-of-22 from the sector — confirmed her management on the court docket together with the massive stats she put up (30 factors, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and three blocks).

“My message was simply that I believe we overlooked who we’re as a result of it is the primary recreation,” Wilson mentioned. “I really feel like we have been all simply making an attempt to placed on that Superman cape. So I simply helped my teammates perceive that we will do this and nonetheless make one another higher.”

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Why did the Storm wrestle offensively after including All-Stars Diggins-Smith and Ogwumike?

Pelton: In an 83-70 dwelling loss to Minnesota that noticed them get outscored 20-10 within the fourth quarter, the Storm regarded very very similar to a staff with solely two weeks of observe collectively. Seattle dedicated 17 turnovers and shot simply 37% from the sector — 31% after halftime.

“I believe typically, offensively, we had no circulation,” Seattle coach Noelle Quinn mentioned postgame. “We had no ball reversals. We made it straightforward for Minnesota to defend us. I’d begin there. Offensively, we weren’t in sync.”

The end result was too many troublesome pictures for Storm guard Jewell Loyd, whose 3-of-19 taking pictures (16%) was the worst accuracy in franchise historical past by a participant who took no less than 15 pictures, per ESPN Stats & Data.

In keeping with Second Spectrum monitoring, Loyd’s quantified shot high quality of 34% — the efficient area objective proportion we would count on based mostly on the situation of her pictures, their kind and the gap to close by defenders — was the bottom of any participant with no less than 5 makes an attempt on Tuesday.

After Loyd set a single-season WNBA file for complete factors final season (on a Storm staff that completed 11-29), the arrival of Diggins-Smith and Ogwumike was supposed to alter that. However Quinn felt her staff reverted beneath stress from the Lynx and a gap evening crowd.

“It stunned me, however then it made sense to me as a result of that is first-game ambiance, all these issues,” Quinn mentioned. “You revert again to your behavior and we now have some behavior constructing that should happen and it is exhausting to interrupt some habits in per week and a half.”

One explicit long-range concern: Seattle producing extra 3-point makes an attempt. The Storm’s one made triple was their fewest because the 2016 season opener (a 96-66 loss at Los Angeles in Stewart’s WNBA debut) and their 9 makes an attempt their fewest since 2019. Minnesota — which received a mixed 42 factors and 20 rebounds from Napheesa Collier and Alanna Smith — held a 21-3 benefit in scoring past the arc.

After dropping their dwelling opener, the Storm now head on the street for a three-game street journey beginning Friday in Minneapolis. Ten of the staff’s first 16 video games will come away from Seattle, one thing coach Noelle Quinn mentioned she likes earlier than the sport.

“For this group particularly,” Quinn mentioned, “I believe it is an ideal factor as a result of we have to work out some kinks and I like the truth that we will do it in a troublesome surroundings.”

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Who stood out for the Connecticut Solar?

Voepel: Each the Solar (48.5%) and the Fever (48.0%) shot about the identical proportion from the sector, however Connecticut received 16 extra pictures and had 10 fewer turnovers. And whereas we now have come to count on ageless DeWanna Bonner (20 factors, six rebounds) and Thomas to play nicely each recreation, it is also nice for the Solar to see the progress of Tyasha Harris and Carrington within the backcourt. They mixed for 32 factors, plus Solar reserve guard Rachel Banham had 10. Add Carrington’s offense Tuesday to her distinctive job on protection, and he or she actually stood out on opening evening.

After which there was the return of Brionna Jones, who suffered a proper Achilles harm final June. She had eight factors and three rebounds, and the Solar are thrilled to have her again.

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New York gained its opener however wanted a fourth-quarter rally. What labored for the Liberty?

Voepel: The Liberty took benefit of a stronger defensive efficiency within the fourth quarter in addition to the truth that Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton actually got here to play. They mixed for 45 factors and 12 rebounds and have been on the forefront of the Liberty’s protection in an 85-80 victory.

Final 12 months, Jones wasn’t totally wholesome at the beginning of the season, and it took some time for her to rise up to full pace. This 12 months, she’s prepared proper now.

“The place I used to be final 12 months vs. the place I’m this 12 months — I do not take it without any consideration,” mentioned Jones, who’s in her second season in New York. “I recognize these moments and love going on the market and taking part in exhausting.”

It wasn’t essentially a powerful debut offensively for Stewart, who was 3-of-9 from the sector for 8 factors, however she had 8 rebounds.

“It wasn’t a fairly recreation, and I believed Washington threw loads at us,” New York coach Sandy Brondello mentioned. “We discovered some rhythm.”

For Washington, Shakira Austin regarded sturdy after being restricted to 19 video games final season because of harm. She had 13 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 blocked pictures. She chastised herself for lacking a late putback, however there was loads the Mystics needed to like about how Austin performed.

“It is superb simply to be on the market,” Austin mentioned. “I used to be fairly poised and felt like I performed to my strengths. Coming into this 12 months, I wished to develop that.”

STANFORD, Calif. – The WNBA’s twenty eighth season suggestions off tonight and 7 gamers drafted out of Stanford are on the opening-day rosters of the league’s 12 franchises. The Cardinal’s seven within the league are the fourth-most amongst all colleges (UConn – 16, South Carolina – 10, Notre Dame – 8).
 
Coming into her thirteenth WNBA season, Nneka Ogwumike made a free-agent transfer to Seattle this season following a dozen years in Los Angeles. The 2016 WNBA MVP and a six-time All-WNBA choose, Ogwumike is coming off one other sturdy season, ending sixth within the league in each scoring (19.1 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg).
 
Ogwumike is joined on the Storm by Kiana Williams. Initially drafted by the Storm in 2021, Williams appeared in 14 video games in 2021 and 2022 and makes her return to the WNBA after wanting sharp in Seattle’s remaining preseason sport, scoring 9 factors on 3-of-6 capturing.
 
Cameron Brink will turn out to be the thirty fourth Stanford participant to seem in a WNBA sport as soon as she steps on the court docket for the Los Angeles Sparks for the primary time. The second total choose within the 2024 WNBA Draft, Brink had an excellent senior season wherein she shot 51.1 p.c from the sphere and averaged 17.4 factors per sport to go together with 11.9 rebounds and three.7 blocks. A 3-time All-American and two-time Nationwide Defensive Participant of the 12 months, Brink was the one participant within the nation to common 17.0 factors, 11.0 rebounds and three.0 blocks per sport final 12 months, and completed with a PER of 45.75, the most effective mark for a significant convention participant since 2018-19.
 
Lexie Hull enters her third skilled season with the Indiana Fever after being taken with the sixth total choose in 2022. She has appeared in 56 profession video games and began 29, together with 5 final season, averaging 4.3 factors and a pair of.2 rebounds in 17 minutes per sport. Hull had the fourth-year choice on her rookie scale contract train by the crew on Friday.
 
Fellow 2021 nationwide champion Haley Jones enters her sophomore season with the Atlanta Dream. Jones performed in all 40 video games for Atlanta in 2023, beginning six. She scored a career-high 23 in opposition to Las Vegas on Aug. 22, had a season-high 9 rebounds in opposition to New York on June 13, and recorded a personal-best 9 assists in opposition to the Connecticut Solar on June 15.
 
Alanna Smith signed a two-year take care of the Minnesota Lynx on Jan. 31 following a season in Chicago. Smith noticed motion in 38 video games with the Sky and averaged career-highs throughout the board with 9.2 factors, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 26.5 minutes per sport. A Most Improved Participant finalist, she ranked within the league’s high ten in a number of classes, together with first in two-point capturing (62.6%), seventh in complete blocks (50), ninth in offensive rebound p.c (8.0), eighth in block proportion (4.1) and steal proportion (2.5). 
 
Karlie Samuelson signed a two-year take care of the Washington Mystics on Feb. 1 after showing in 76 video games with the Los Angeles Sparks (2023, 2021, 2019, 2018), Phoenix Mercury (2022), Seattle Storm (2021) and Dallas Wings (2019). With the Sparks final season, Samuelson had career-best averages of seven.7 factors, 3.0 rebounds and a pair of.0 assists in 34 video games. She additionally shot a career-high 46.3 p.c from the sphere and 94.1 p.c from the free throw line. She was sixth within the WNBA in three-point proportion, capturing 42.6 p.c, and joined Jackie Younger (Aces), Chelsea Grey (Aces) and Lexie Brown (Sparks) as the one gamers to shoot at the least 45 p.c from the sphere and 40 p.c from deep.
 
For the reason that WNBA’s inaugural season, 33 former Stanford gamers have appeared in a regular-season sport and 7 gamers have gained a mixed eight WNBA championships.
 

The 2024 WNBA season is upon us, and there’s no scarcity of storylines.

The Las Vegas Aces enter because the two-time defending champions, whereas the New York Liberty want to avenge their 2023 WNBA Finals defeat. There will likely be an Olympic break, as properly, because the U.S. ladies’s basketball crew chases its eighth straight gold medal in Paris. After which there’s Caitlin Clark, the nationwide sensation who will embark on her skilled profession in Indiana.

From upcoming enlargement to constitution flights, pleasure is constructing throughout the WNBA like by no means earlier than. With the 2024 marketing campaign tipping off on Tuesday, let’s bounce across the league and break down 13 gamers who will form the WNBA season.

A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

After all we’re beginning with A’Ja Wilson.

Her resume speaks for itself, however in case you wanted a recap, her new shoe companion summed it up: SEC champion, NCAA champion, No. 1 WNBA draft decide, five-time WNBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, WNBA Finals MVP, New York Occasions Finest Vendor, TIME 100 Most Influential Folks in 2024, two-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months, two-time WNBA and title of “pettiest hooper on the web.”

Protected to say it’s Wilson’s league proper now.

Chelsea Grey, Las Vegas Aces

We aren’t leaving Las Vegas simply but.

Chelsea Grey is one among 4 Aces to be an All-Star in 2023, becoming a member of Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Younger, set career-highs in factors, assists and rebounds per recreation. The “Level Gawd” scored a team-high 20 factors in a title-clinching win over the Connecticut Solar in 2022 however missed the ultimate victory of the 2023 WNBA Finals as a consequence of a foot harm. She’s going to miss the Aces’ season opener on Tuesday as a consequence of a decrease left leg harm.

Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty

Breanna Stewart made an enormous impression within the Massive Apple final season. The previous Seattle Storm star landed with the Liberty in free company and went on to beat out Wilson for 2023 WNBA MVP honors.

Her first season main the Liberty’s new large three ended within the WNBA Finals in opposition to Wilson, Grey and the Aces. An added 12 months of expertise and continuity could possibly be the distinction heading into 2024.

Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty

Talking of the Liberty’s large three, Jonquel Jones is simply three years faraway from an MVP season in Connecticut. A foot harm impacted her begin alongside Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu in New York, however when she’s wholesome, she’s among the many greatest gamers within the W on each ends of the ground.

Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Welcome to the professionals, Caitlin Clark.

Faculty basketball’s all-time main scorer has taken the WNBA by storm earlier than she’s even stepped on the court docket for an everyday season recreation. The Iowa phenom has elevated curiosity in ladies’s basketball throughout the nation, and now the hoops world is eagerly awaiting what she will be able to convey to the league.

From scintillating taking pictures to passing precision, Clark guarantees to be one of many league’s most electrical offensive gamers. How lengthy will it take for her to regulate to the professionals and begin competing for extra {hardware}?

Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever

Clark isn’t the one No. 1 decide on the Fever.

Indiana has a brand new dynamic duo in Clark and 2023 prime decide Aliyah Boston. The previous South Carolina star lived as much as the hype, changing into the unanimous 2023 WNBA Rookie of the 12 months whereas main the league in subject purpose proportion. 

The Fever went from simply 5-31 in 2022 to 13-27 in Boston’s rookie season. What sort of soar with Indiana make now that Boston has a brand new companion in crime?

Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Solar

The Engine occurs to be a triple-double machine.

Alyssa Thomas is the participant that retains the Solar going. The tenacious defender has made dramatic strides on the offensive finish and wound up second in 2023 MVP voting between Stewart and Wilson. Her 9 profession triple-doubles are by far probably the most in WNBA historical past.

Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

Napheesa Collier returned from having a child in 2022 and put collectively an unbelievable 2023 season. She completed fourth in MVP voting and earned her third profession All-Star choice whereas guiding the Lynx to the No. 6 seed. 

Minnesota has struggled in postseason play because it received the 2017 WNBA title, and the Lynx might want to observe Collier’s result in get previous the primary spherical in 2024.

Three-time WNBA All-Star Napheesa Collier mentioned why this season feels extra thrilling and provided some recommendation for the proficient rookie class.

Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury

The 2023 season noticed Brittney Griner return to the court docket following her detainment in Russia. She went on to play 31 video games whereas averaging 17.5 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per recreation. It was a down 12 months for the Mercury, who missed the playoffs, so Griner and Co. will likely be eyeing a postseason return this season.

The eight-time All-Star received’t see the ground for a short while to begin the season, nevertheless, as a consequence of a toe harm.

Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm

Breanna Stewart could have switched coasts and Sue Fowl was out of the image, however the Seattle Storm nonetheless had a crown Jewell in 2023.

Jewell Loyd was the WNBA’s main scorer final season with a median of 24.7 factors per recreation. The Storm went on to overlook the playoffs for the primary time in eight seasons, however the crew surrounded Loyd with some much-needed assist this offseason by buying veteran stars Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike.

Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings

Arike Ogunbowale has been the wind beneath the Dallas Wings since they drafted her with the fifth general decide within the 2019 WNBA Draft. She was fifth within the league in scoring final season at 21.2 factors per recreation and performed all 40 common season video games at a league-high 37.2 minutes per recreation.

Ogunbowale and Dallas can construct off a 2023 season that ended in opposition to the Aces within the WNBA semis.

Cameron Brink, Los Angeles Sparks

Whereas Clark headlines the 2024 WNBA Draft class, she isn’t the one rookie seeking to make a splash this season.

Cameron Brink is staying in California, because the Stanford middle was drafted No. 2 general by the Los Angeles Sparks. With No. 4 general draft decide Rickea Jackson by her facet, Brink has the potential to spark a promising rebuild in L.A.

Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky

Just like the Sparks, the Chicago Sky have an thrilling rookie duo.

Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese went to Chicago because the No. 3 and No. 7 picks, respectively, in final month’s draft. Each gamers received a nationwide title in faculty and can work to resolve the Sky’s rebounding points, whereas Cardoso provides daunting rim-protection. The previous South Carolina middle should wait to make her WNBA debut as a consequence of a shoulder harm that’s anticipated to sideline her till someday in June.

The celebs seemingly have aligned for the WNBA with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese becoming a member of the ranks of A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi and others.

The league is getting unparalleled consideration. Now the problem for the WNBA after opening its twenty eighth season Tuesday evening is translating the hype and hoopla right into a motion and never only a second in its historical past.

It’s a puzzle with numerous items: advertising and marketing methods, fan engagement, company sponsors and TV offers constructed round intriguing basketball storylines and outsized personalities.

Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned everybody concerned must be extra modern in how gamers and video games are marketed and promoted to reap the benefits of the potential tsunami for each the league and girls’s sports activities.

“In case you are enterprise as normal, when you suppose that the established order goes to work, you’re going to overlook out on alternatives to capitalize from a enterprise standpoint,” Reeve mentioned.

Taurasi agrees.

“The one factor we’ve all the time finished as gamers is introduced that aggressive spirit and combat,” mentioned the 19-year Phoenix guard who has seen loads of moments the place the WNBA had momentum slip by means of the cracks. “And now it’s their job to hold it.”

Taurasi mentioned it feels completely different this time with all the eye accompanying the rookie class.

However Len Elmore, a 10-year NBA veteran who spent 31 years as a TV broadcaster, mentioned the rookies must do extra than simply present up.

“It’s not going to assist if Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso don’t make the playoffs,” mentioned Elmore, now a senior lecturer in sports activities administration at Columbia College.

Clark debuted Tuesday evening, lacking her first 4 pictures earlier than ending with 20 factors. She additionally turned it over 10 instances in a 92-71 street loss earlier than a sellout crowd in Connecticut.

The NBA took off within the Nineteen Eighties following the arrival of Magic Johnson and Larry Chook a few years forward of a brand new TV deal took that league’s playoff video games from being tape-delayed broadcasts to reside prime-time telecasts. Each Chook and Magic went on to win a number of championships.

The WNBA’s joint take care of the NBA with ESPN is up after 2025. Scores for ladies’s basketball simply continue to grow. Followers are so keen that they regarded for — and watched — a livestream of Reese’s exhibition debut on social media.

One other key for the WNBA to emulate the success of the NBA within the Nineteen Eighties is its franchises should energize native fan bases, mentioned Mike Lewis, a professor on the Goizueta College of Enterprise at Emory College, who research sports activities advertising and marketing and sports activities analytics.

“One of many challenges for the WNBA is that they’re now making an attempt to construct that native fandom in an period the place native media has type of died off in plenty of methods,” mentioned Lewis, who additionally runs an annual fan survey known as Subsequent Era Fandom Survey for Emory Advertising and marketing Analytics Heart’s Fanalytics.

That’s the place first-year stars like Clark and Reese may assist construct traction.

The rookies have built-in social media bases that also needs to assist. Reese, the self-dubbed Bayou Barbie now with the Chicago Sky, has greater than 476,000 followers on X alone and three.1 million on Instagram. Clark has 2.2 million on IG.

“They’ve obtained lots in entrance of them that doubtlessly will be the market that they covet,” Elmore mentioned of the WNBA’s potential attain.

Demand already has WNBA groups shifting video games towards Clark’s Indiana Fever to larger arenas. The 2-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces turned the primary crew within the league to promote out its allotted season tickets earlier than a season began — again in March.

“We’ve used that device to essentially develop our viewers, our followers internationally,” Taurasi mentioned of social media. “And it’s been superb to see this rookie class actually latch on to that and take it to new ranges. And, , it’s helped … the WNBA. It’s helped faculty basketball. It’s actually been a deal with to look at.”

Company America additionally appears to sense {that a} WNBA motion is looming, leaping on board with particular person endorsement offers for gamers.

— Candace Parker went from retirement to president of Adidas’ ladies’s basketball after her 16-year relationship with the corporate.

— Clark had a Nike deal introduced late final month for her personal signature shoe. Clark and UConn’s Paige Bueckers each obtained Gatorade endorsements whereas in faculty.

— Two-time MVP and Aces star A’ja Wilson simply adopted her new Gatorade deal by asserting her personal Nike shoe A’One inside the previous week.

Ticket gross sales and viewership are up throughout the WNBA, and the league is increasing with new groups in California and Canada. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert mentioned extra corporations are working with the league.

With all the thrill across the WNBA, Jack Silverstein, a Chicago sports activities historian and creator of “Why We Root: Mad Obsessions of a Chicago Sports activities Fan,” mentioned evaluating the league to the NBA will be unfair.

Silverstein factors out that the NBA has a 51-year head begin over the WNBA and that new leagues and groups evolve as leisure with their very own id, which wants momentum to maintain shifting.

He believes the WNBA is having fun with momentum it will probably construct on.

“I believe that when this WNBA season is over,” Silverstein mentioned, “you might be taking a look at, no matter anybody thinks development goes to appear to be this yr, it may find yourself exceeding that wildly.”

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Related Press journalist Claire Savage, a member of the ladies within the workforce crew, contributed reporting. The Related Press’ ladies within the workforce and state authorities protection receives monetary help from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely answerable for all content material. Discover AP’s requirements for working with philanthropies, a listing of supporters and funded protection areas at AP.org.

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AP WNBA:

The 2023 WNBA season delivered record-breaking TV viewership numbers, together with the most-watched common season in 21 years, the most-watched Finals in 20 years and the most-watched All-Star Recreation in 16 years.

And but, common attendance per sport was decrease than each season in league historical past between 1997 and 2019. Just like TV scores, the league drew its greatest crowds in its first three seasons—1997, 1998 and 1999—and there was a gentle decline within the decade that adopted.

That development is starkly completely different from the NWSL, now in its twelfth season, for which attendance has elevated constantly over time.

Launching with the momentum of the 1996 Olympics, the WNBA benefited from a curiosity consider its first season, in addition to heavy advertising. “There was loads of curiosity going into that first season,” 1999 WNBA All-Star Rebecca Lobo mentioned. “Folks had been desperate to see, what does knowledgeable ladies’s basketball appear to be? What does a league backed by David Stern and the league appear to be?”

The WNBA launched an iconic promoting marketing campaign with the tagline “We Obtained Subsequent” publicizing its begin date of June 21, 1997. “You’d activate an NBA sport, a playoff sport, at any level in 1997 and there was a industrial,” Lobo mentioned. “Enormous, large promotion behind that WNBA season.”

The primary sport in WNBA historical past, between the New York Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks, drew greater than 5 million viewers on NBC, a quantity that has but to be surpassed.

Waning curiosity and the lack of the novelty issue are two causes for the regular decline in attendance over the W’s first 25 seasons, however the venues themselves have impacted the numbers.

The Atlanta Dream, for example, used to share Philips Enviornment with the Atlanta Hawks, however the crew now performs on the Gateway Middle Enviornment at School Park, citing disagreements with the Hawks’ administration. The brand new venue is almost 10 miles from downtown Atlanta and matches fewer than 3,500 followers.

The Dream bought out nearly all of their house video games final season, in line with Throughout the Timeline. “There’s a line outdoors of individuals and there’s a requirement, however they’re not in a position to get in,” ESPN basketball analyst LaChina Robinson mentioned.

Some franchises that relocated have downsized their house arenas within the course of. The Dallas Wings play on the School Park Middle (capability of seven,000), which is far smaller than the BOK Middle (capability of >17,000) the place they performed between 2010 and 2015 after they had been the Tulsa Shock. The Wings are planning a transfer to downtown Dallas within the close to future.

The New York Liberty performed 2018 and 2019 in White Plains, New York, after 21 seasons at Madison Sq. Backyard, as a result of MSG had introduced plans to promote the crew. Different groups have moved quickly through the years for quite a lot of causes, together with renovations to NBA arenas.

All in all, again in 1997, the smallest enviornment of the eight WNBA groups was the Compaq Middle, which hosted the Houston Comets and sat roughly 17,000. In 2023, six of the 12 franchises performed house video games in venues with fewer than 15,000 seats.

This upcoming season, groups are addressing the capability problem in direct response to the hype surrounding No. 1 general draft decide Caitlin Clark. The Aces will play their Might 25 sport towards the Indiana Fever on the 18,000-seat T-Cell Enviornment, and the Washington Mystics will host Indiana on June 7 at Capital One Enviornment with room for greater than 20,000.

The Mystics will play two different video games at Capital One this season—they will host the Chicago Sky on June 6 and the Phoenix Mercury on July 16 on the house to the NBA’s Wizards and NHL’s Capitals.

For those who construct it, they may come. Final season, the WNBA champion Aces, whose common house courtroom, the Michelob Extremely Enviornment, seats 12,000, performed their last common season sport at T-Cell Enviornment, drawing 17,406 followers.

With probably the most star-studded rookie class in WNBA historical past, together with Clark, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, the league has a possibility to construct off the elevated curiosity in ladies’s school hoops and switch its attendance graph round. The WNBA Draft in April drew the eleventh largest WNBA TV viewers on document, trailing simply 10 video games, all of which occurred between 1997 and 2000.

“I do really feel we’re at a spot now the place the promotion is the same as what it was in these early days,“ Lobo mentioned. “The opposite evening there was a Celtics sport and the signage on the scorer’s desk was an ESPN advert [for the] WNBA season [to] tune in to observe the Indiana Fever on the Connecticut Solar.

“I might be shocked if this season’s ticket gross sales don’t come near these numbers that we noticed within the early days of the league.”