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Millions of fans will be tuning into ESPN on Sunday for the NCAA women's basketball national championship game between No. 1 seed South Carolina and No. 2 UConn.
As a rematch of the 2022 national championship game and a duel between two of the most successful programs of the 21st century, the narratives could write themselves.
And yet, ESPN found itself facing extreme backlash ahead of Sunday's final after an intentional decision to pit South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley against UConn star Paige Bueckers.
On Saturday, ESPN's women's hoops account posted the following on X: "Dawn Staley says narrative around Paige Bueckers and her quest to win a title has overshadowed South Carolina’s feats."
The post included a link to an article focused on Staley's comments on Bueckers before the national championship game, which were much more nuanced than what ESPN's post suggested.
Staley was first in line to call out ESPN on X for twisting her words, and more women's basketball fans quickly followed suit.
LIES! Fix your headline please! https://t.co/YUL7AolNqy
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) April 5, 2025
In Staley's press conference, she called Bueckers a "great freaking player" and said she does not need to win a national title at UConn to legitimize her greatness.
She also compared the way Bueckers is covered at UConn to the way Caitlin Clark was covered last year at Iowa, when South Carolina beat the Hawkeyes in the national title game. Here are her full comments.
Dawn Staley calling Paige “legit” and one of the greatest but also addressing how sports media storylines impact her team pic.twitter.com/vQqiZJFoWB
— ria✧˖° (@love_wbb) April 5, 2025
"We can raise Paige up because she deserves that," Staley said. "We can raise [South Carolina] players up because they deserve that … There’s room for us in our game to all be covered.”
You are completely twisting her words. Please fix this
— Malia Rowell (@MaliaRowell) April 5, 2025
"Not going to delete this?" said a reply.
"This heading is wrong and nothing but click-bait," said another response. "Do better, ESPN!"
"I swear, it's one step forward, three steps back with ESPN and women's sports," replied a frustrated fan. "I get that ESPN is run in Bristol, Connecticut, but this is brutal and a hit job."
"Insane the way yall spun this," an X user said to ESPN. "Fire whoever wrote this headline."
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Seattle Storm Get Big Boost for Sky Game Amid Unexpected Angel Reese News
The Seattle Storm are looking to make things right after Tuesday’s 87-63 blowout loss to Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. They get a chance to do so on Thursday when they return to action against the Chicago Sky in a road game at Wintrust Arena. The Storm got a big boost ahead of the Sky matchup, which comes in the form of seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins returning to action after a one-game absence. After registering the first triple-double in WNBA All-Star Game history on Saturday, Diggins was unable to suit up against Dallas on Tuesday due to personal reasons. The 5-foot-9 guard was not listed on Seattle’s injury report for the Sky game, though, which means that Diggins should be back in the starting lineup come Thursday. This is a crucial development for the Storm, who will be looking to improve on their 14-10 record. In 23 games played this season, Diggins has produced averages of 17.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 triples per game. Chicago Sky List Angel Reese as Questionable to Play Against the Seattle Storm While the Storm got some good news ahead of Thursday’s clash, the same cannot be said for the Sky. This is after two-time All-Star forward Angel Reese was added to the injury report with a back problem. The silver lining is that Reese, who missed Chicago’s last game before the All-Star break with a leg injury, is listed as questionable to play, which means that there’s still a chance that she’s able to suit up against Seattle. Reese looked fine on Tuesday as Chicago suffered a 91-68 blowout loss to the Minnesota Lynx, posting an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. It is unclear exactly when Reese sustained the injury, but it has now placed her status against Seattle in jeopardy. It is worth noting that Michaela Onyenwere (knee) and Ariel Atkins (leg) have also been ruled out for the Storm game, as they continue to recover from respective injuries. This only means that Chicago will be significantly shorthanded on Thursday, especially if Reese also ends up sitting out.
Raiders Add Former Chiefs, Texas DT After Christian Wilkins Release
The Las Vegas Raiders signed former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million deal last offseason. Unfortunately, he only played in five games during the 2024 NFL season due to an injury. Wilkins had not yet returned to the offseason program for the Raiders this year, as he suffered a setback in his recovery process. A bitter, ongoing debate between him and the franchise about how best to rehabilitate his injury led to his release on Thursday. After this sudden move, Las Vegas needed to act quickly to add another defensive tackle to the roster. On Friday, NFL Insider Aaron Wilson reported that the team had been awarded Keondre Coburn off waivers. "#Raiders awarded DT Keondre Coburn off waivers, per a league source," Wilson wrote. Coburn played his college football with the Texas Longhorns and was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. There, he only played in one game during his rookie season, but won the Super Bowl with the Chiefs. He spent the last one and a half seasons with the Tennessee Titans, where he saw his role marginally increase. Coburn played in 15 contests last season for the Titans, starting one game and recording 14 tackles. The new regime in Las Vegas, spearheaded by head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek, will give Coburn another chance in the NFL. He is just 25 years old and lands with the Raiders after being waived by Tennessee the day prior.
NBA Insider Reveals Why Bradley Beal Spurned Lakers for Clippers
The Los Angeles Lakers have been looking to improve their roster this offseason after falling to get out of the first round of the playoffs. They were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in just five games. Los Angeles was trying to sign Bradley Beal once he was waived by the Phoenix Suns, but he spurned them for the crosstown rivals. He ended up signing with the Clippers instead. The two LA teams weren't the only teams who were pursuing Beal, but those two may have been the frontrunners. One NBA insider revealed why he chose the Clippers instead of the Lakers. More news: Former Lakers Star Shaquille O’Neal on NBA All-Star: ‘I F---ing Hate’ Him According to Brett Sigel of ClutchPoints, Beal didn't have much interest in the Lakers once they revealed that they wanted him to be their sixth man and come off the bench. The primary reason why Beal signed with the Clippers is because of the fact that he has a chance to start for them. Beal clearly believes that he is still a starting-caliber player. This past season, the Suns demoted Beal to the bench after a stretch of poor play and a lot of missed games due to injuries. He's looking to have a better year with the Clippers. Los Angeles wasn't going to demote Austin Reaves to the bench after he set career-highs in almost every statistical category. He has certainly earned his starting spot. Luka Doncic is the other starting guard, and he's certainly not going to be coming off the bench. Beal thinks he's got a better shot to start with the Clippers, so that's why he's there. More news: 3 Players Lakers Should Have Signed to BAE Instead of Marcus Smart Los Angeles decided to pivot and sign Marcus Smart instead. He should help them with the perimeter defense off the bench, which is what they need the most at the moment. Smart is a much better defender than Beal is, if he can stay healthy. Both Smart and Beal have had issues staying healthy and staying on the court. The Lakers are betting that Smart's health will be better. This past season with the Suns, Beal averaged 17 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. More news: Lakers Receive Massive Jarred Vanderbilt Update Ahead of Upcoming Season For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Padres Predicted to Cut Ties With 23-Year-Old Top Prospect at Trade Deadline
The San Diego Padres desperately need another strong bat before the July 31 deadline. If the Padres want to fill that need, they will need to part ways with some of their top prospects. The Athletic named right-handed starting pitcher Miguel Mendez as a top trade option for San Diego. The Padres signed Mendez as an 18-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in February 2021. Mendez played one game in High-A in 2022 but was not able to earn a regular spot in the division until this season. He pitched all of 2023 and 2024 in Single-A then made three starts in the division this season before earning his second promotion to High-A in May. Mendez has put together the strongest season of his career in 2025, logging a 1.89 ERA in 14 starts. He has accrued a 1.46 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 11 starts in High-A. The Athletic highlighted how Mendez’s pitches have reached 100 mph, and he has demonstrated more control with his pitches this season. His recent improvements have reportedly caught the attention of several MLB scouts, which will benefit the Padres if they choose to trade him at the deadline. San Diego needs a left fielder and could use an upgrade at catcher. But most importantly, the Padres need someone who can also produce offensively. Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran has been a big name surrounding the Padres ahead of the deadline. He is a strong batter and would fill the hole in left field for San Diego. The Padres reportedly made an offer to the Boston Red Sox for Duran, which included starting pitcher Dylan Cease, their No. 2 prospect Ethan Salas and one unnamed prospect, per MassLive's Sean McAdam. McAdam confirmed the other prospect is not No. 1 Padres prospect and No. 3 MLB prospect Leo De Vries. Given the attention Mendez has received in recent weeks, the 23-year-old could be the other prospect the Padres included in their offer to the Red Sox. Although the Red Sox have expressed interest in Cease, Boston ultimately rejected this offer. "Similarly, the Red Sox have signaled interest in Dylan Cease, who would be a rental," McAdam wrote. "The Padres, in their never-ending quest to acquire Duran, proposed a package involving Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another prospect (not shortstop Leo de Vries) for Duran, which was quickly rejected." The Padres will likely continue their pursuit for Duran, which could still include Mendez as part of the package. For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.
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