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Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty are about to begin their WNBA title defense, with the 2025 season commencing on Friday.
The Liberty will play their season opener on Saturday versus fellow heavyweight Las Vegas Aces this Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
But before that huge matchup right out of the gate, Ionescu shared a message on social media, expressing her excitement to the start of another chapter in her WNBA career.
“Year 6New York… Let’s get it!” Ionescu wrote while also adding an emoji of the Statue of Liberty.
The post also featured four photos of Ionescu in different poses.
Ionescu’s fingerprints were all over the Liberty’s 2024 championship season. During that campaign, the former Oregon Ducks star averaged 18.2 points, 6.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds.
She had a down year in terms of shooting efficiency, as she made just 39.4 percent of their field goal attempts and 33.3 percent of her takes from behind the arc, but positive regression could be on her side in her sixth year in the WNBA.
That doesn’t sound good for Liberty’s rivals, including the Aces, who lost to the Liberty in the WNBA semifinals last season.
Aside from Ionescu, the Liberty are also going to rely heavily on other stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.
Ionescu perfectly complements the formidable frontcourt tandem of Stewart and Jones, and that basketball symbiosis will be on display again, beginning this Saturday versus the Aces, who are also looking for a good start to their 2025 campaign.
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Mercury vs Liberty Prediction, Odds, Pick for Friday, July 25
The Phoenix Mercury (15-8) and New York Liberty (16-6) meet in the WNBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The game will be broadcast live on ION. The Liberty are favored by -6.5 on the spread, with the over/under set at 171.5 (-108o / -112u). The Libery are a -270 favorite to win outright, while the Mercury are +220 to pull off the upset. Let’s get into my Mercury vs. Liberty prediction and WNBA picks. Mercury vs. Liberty Odds, Pick Mercury vs. Liberty Spread: Mercury +6.5 (-115), Liberty -6.5 (-105) Mercury vs. Liberty Over/Under: 171.5 (-108o/ -112u) Mercury vs. Liberty Moneyline: Mercury +220, Liberty -270 Mercury vs. Liberty Best Bets: Alyssa Thomas Under 23.5 Points + Assists and Liberty -6.5 The Mercury face off against the Liberty on Friday night in a matchup between two of the league’s best teams. This matchup has important implications for the standings with the Liberty sitting two losses ahead of the Mercury. The Mercury have won both games this season, one where the Liberty were without Jonquel Jones completely and the other where she got hurt during the game. The Liberty have been a totally different team with Jonquel Jones, especially on the defensive side of the ball where their Defensive Rating improves by a whopping 16 points per 100 possessions, per pbp stats. On the flip side, the offense actually drops by about 8 points per 100. This matchup is difficult for both teams, especially with both teams nearly at full health (Nyara Sabally is out for NY). Given that, and the implications of tonight’s game for the standings it is tough to get away from New York. They’ve still cruised to a +10.1 Net Rating on the season despite missing Jonquel for some time and the Mercury are a +4.2 team. Jonquel is particularly important here with Alyssa Thomas putting up MVP numbers this season. With Jonquel’s defensive chops and the ability to stack the interior with her and Stewie, this is a much better spot for New York. I’m looking at Alyssa Thomas under 23.5 Points + Assists (-125 ESPN) – a number she’s missed in 4 straight with a healthy Jonquel and the Liberty -6.5 for this contest in a bounce back spot for a healthy New York team. Best Bets: Alyssa Thomas Under 23.5 Points + Assists and Liberty -6.5
Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
Knicks, Warriors Could Make Blockbuster All-Star Trade
The New York Knicks are a team that has been thrown around in trade rumors all offseason long. The Knicks were eliminated in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers and are looking for any way imaginable to get back in the thick of things for next season's playoff run. Sporting News analyst Tyler Rourke suggested a trade that would send Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns to the Golden State Warriors for Jimmy Butler and Quinten Post. "Towns could be holding Jalen Brunson and the rest of the roster back with his high volume of shots, which is why the front office may be willing to deal him to another team — despite just landing him ahead of the 2024-25 season," Rourke wrote. "If that is the case, the Golden State Warriors would be the perfect option, and all it would take is his former teammate, Jimmy Butler and Quinten Post." "The Knicks have built a tough defensive identity with players like Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson. Adding Butler to that group would solidify the best defensive unit in the league." "While Post doesn’t have the name value as Towns, he does have the ability to stretch the floor as a big man and will require less usage." The Knicks have uncertainty with Towns coming up in the final three years of his deal, so getting him out in favor of Butler would give the team more flexibility down the line. That being said, Towns can still be one of the best players in the NBA, especially at the center position. The Knicks made a big trade for Towns less than a year ago, so dealing him would not be something that the team should take lightly.
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