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To become a champion, players have to develop a tough exterior and even tougher interior. The New York Liberty, who celebrated their WNBA Championship on Saturday, knew that a winning mindset was necessary.
At least that's what Breanna Stewart believed as she got her title ring along with her Liberty teammates. New York also got off to a winning start this WNBA season as the Liberty defeated the Las Vegas Aces 92-78 at Barclays Center.
Breanna Stewart today:
— Real Sports (@realapp_) May 17, 2025
25 PTS
8 REB
3 AST (0 TOV)
77.2% TS
She has the 3rd most 25-PT games in WNBA history. pic.twitter.com/h0jpvasCpG
“I think it creates a standard for anyone that comes into Barclays,” Stewart said, according to The Associated Press. “Whether it’s us playing or the (NBA's Brooklyn) Nets. Championship mindset and mentality amongst this franchise. It’s a special thing. Been looking forward to having this moment and celebrating with the fans.”
Stewart had her young children Ruby and Theo nearby as she picked up her title ring. But this celebration was nothing new to her as Stewart won two WNBA rings while a member of the Seattle Storm.
“Each one is special. Rings for me personally are not meant to be worn,” Stewart said. “They will create a nice collection later.”
Stewart scored 25 points in leading the Liberty to their season-opening victory. She has plenty to play for this season as Stewart and the Liberty look to repeat as WNBA champs.
More must-reads:
- Unreal A'ja Wilson game shows why Aces' season has been a missed opportunity
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Bucks co-owner reportedly considering making bid for WNBA team
Billionaire Marc Lasry is looking into making a bid to buy the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA, Sportico reported Tuesday, citing anonymous sources. The owners of the Sun have been exploring the possibility of selling the franchise. In May, owner Mohegan Tribe hired Allen Company, an investment bank, to handle a potential sale. Lasry declined to comment to Sportico. Lasry has experience in pro basketball ownership. In 2023, he sold his 25 percent share of the Milwaukee Bucks to Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam at a team valuation of $3.2 billion. The 64-year-old Lasry made his money in hedge funds. Forbes pegs his net worth at $1.9 billion. The Sun are the only professional sports team in Connecticut and play at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville. However, they share their facilities with the tribe, and players have complained about issues such as insufficient practice space because of facilities doing double duty. Gov. Ned Lamont told reporters on July 15 that a priority will be to keep the team in Connecticut. Women's basketball is popular in the state, given the success of coach Geno Auriemma's women's basketball program at UConn -- 12 national championships. "They mean a lot to the state," Lamont said of the Sun. "I'll be speaking with the Mohegan Sun and see what the situation is. I don't want to put the taxpayers' money at risk, but I also know how important the Connecticut Sun is, so I will just hear what they have to say." Per Sportico, Lamont said a prospective purchaser was a "former owner of an NBA team" -- believed to be Lasry. Lamont said that under a preliminary plan, that ownership group would keep the team in state, with many of the Sun's home games shifting to the newly renovated arena in a larger population base in Hartford, the state capital. Per Sportico, the last WNBA team to be sold was the Atlanta Dream in 2021 in a deal worth somewhere between $7 million and $10 million. A sale could bring a windfall to the tribe, which paid $10 million to buy the Orlando Miracle in 2003. ESPN reported June 30 that the expansion fee for owners bringing teams to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia later this decade is $250 million. The Sun have never won a WNBA title but have lost four times in the league finals, most recently in 2022. Front Office Sports previously reported that Boston and Providence were possible destinations for the team in a potential sale. The team notified season ticket holders via email last week that the team will play in Uncasville in the 2026 season.
Orioles, Blue Jays pull off unique trade midway through doubleheader
The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired one of baseball's premier relievers to bolster their bullpen. In a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto is adding Seranthony Dominguez to its pitching staff, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. While the move solidifies the Blue Jays' status as buyers, it's the timing of the transaction that stands out. The Orioles finished a 16-4 walloping of the Blue Jays just hours before the deal went down, and while it's not unheard of to see a player traded to a franchise his former team is visiting, the fact that the two teams will face off again Tuesday night at 6:35 PM EST makes this a truly unique swap. Dominguez may not suit up in his first official contest as a Blue Jay, but he will be switching clubhouses before the second half of the team's doubleheader. It won't take long for the veteran reliever to make an impact, either, as bullpen production has stood out for a Toronto team that has been dominating in most aspects of the game. In 43 appearances with the Orioles this season, Dominguez has posted a respectable 3.24 ERA over 41.2 innings. He hasn't quite returned to the impressive form he was in with the Phillies from 2018 to 2022, but the value is obvious for a team hoping to capture its third World Series in franchise history. The rebuilding Orioles acquired right-handed pitching prospect Juaron Watts-Brown, who was ranked as Toronto's 10th-best prospect in the latest MLB Pipeline team Top 30 Prospects list. The 23-year-old has gone 2-5 over 19 starts across High-A and Double-A this year, posting a combined 3.54 ERA while striking out 115 over 89 innings. As two teams heading in vastly different directions this season, it's a sensible move for both sides. Dominguez is an unrestricted free agent after this season, making him a rental for Toronto down the stretch. If Watts-Brown continues to show promise, though, the trade could ultimately be deemed a win for Baltimore.
NFL analyst says teams should be 'extremely scared' of this franchise in 2025
While the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders have garnered a lot of attention lately, there is one NFC team that has quietly been flying under the radar. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a one-score game to the Lions in the divisional round in 2023 and followed that up with another one-score loss to QB Jayden Daniels and the Commanders last season, proving how close they have been to the ultimate prize in the two seasons with Baker Mayfield under center. In an appearance on ESPN's "Get Up" Tuesday morning, analyst and former player Ryan Clark offered high praise for Mayfield and what the Buccaneers are capable of. "Baker Mayfield is a top-10 quarterback in this league," Clark said. "Baker Mayfield is a football player. And when I say that, I know people at home are gonna be like, 'Duh, he gets paid to play football.' No, not all quarterbacks are seen as football players. Not all quarterbacks are embraced in the locker room as one of us." Clark sees the Buccaneers as a team the rest of the league should be paying attention to because of who they have returning and the close calls in the playoffs the last two seasons. "This is a team that's been on the cusp the last two years," Clark said. "Now you think about some of the pieces they've added, the confidence in their quarterback and the way that he plays, and Todd Bowles with another year to understand winning at a high level at the head coach position. This is a team you better be extremely scared of because they're stacked and they're confident." Mayfield has been sensational during his time with the Buccaneers. Although he did throw 16 interceptions, Mayfield accounted for the third-most passing yards (4,500) in the league last season and has thrown the most TD passes (69) in the last two seasons, per StatMuse. To add even more incentive for Mayfield, the team restructured his contract, which is set to expire after the 2026 season, to include $30M in guaranteed salary for that season. The Buccaneers return a lot of production on both sides of the ball, in addition to bringing in first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka, who topped 1,000 receiving yards twice at Ohio State and accounted for 26 total TDs. While Tampa Bay allowed the 17th-most points per game (22.7) last season, it returns the majority of its defensive production. On top of that, the offseason acquisition of veteran LB and two-time Pro-Bowler Haason Reddick, who agreed to terms on a one-year deal, should be a welcomed addition for a franchise that had some question marks on defense last season. The Buccaneers are projected to have the sixth-easiest schedule in the NFL this season and have the best chance to win the NFC South for the fifth consecutive season, according to ESPN Analytics. If Mayfield can cut back on his turnovers and the defense can create more pressure on opposing QBs, the Buccaneers could be a threat in the NFC once again as they look to put their recent nail-biting losses in the postseason behind them.
Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
Lakers coach JJ Redick issues challenge to Bronny James
The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for Bronny James to make some changes ahead of his second year in the NBA. James, the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft, played in 27 games for the Lakers last season and started in one game. He averaged 2.3 points, .8 assists and .7 rebounds per contest. For James to improve on those numbers this season, head coach JJ Redick thinks the 20-year-old needs to change his physique. "The biggest thing for Bronny is that he has to get in elite shape," Redick said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. "That's the barrier of entry for him right now. And if he does that, I think he's got a chance to be a really fantastic player in the NBA." James didn't have much of a chance to get in elite shape before his rookie season. He played a shortened season at USC after suffering cardiac arrest on July 24, 2023. James made his debut for the Trojans on Dec. 10, 2023. Redick compared James' ceiling to Davion Mitchell of the Miami Heat and T.J. McConnell of the Indiana Pacers. For James to get there, he has to push past his fears of the prior cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect. "I think we have all seen these amazing flashes of it from Bronny," Redick said. "And to get to that next level for him, it's cardio fitness. "He's cleared. ... I get that there's a history there of a really scary thing that he had to live through, and I think it's tough to push past certain points for him, but he's going to get there. He's going to get there." Based on Redick's comments, James has more to change than getting his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame in shape for the upcoming season. He has to work on his mental fear of pushing his body too far. James' mental hurdle might be the biggest obstacle to his improvement as an NBA player.
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