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The Golden State Valkyries (5-5) have been one of the best stories of the 2025 WNBA season.
After starting 2-5, the 2025 expansion team is riding a three-game win streak heading into a week of games against the Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun.
However, with six players headed to compete in EuroBasket 2025, head coach Natalie Nakase will need some domestic players to step up as they face Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark this week.
To aid the backcourt, Golden State signed Bueckers' former teammate from their 2025 UConn NCAA championship team, Kaitlyn Chen.
One domestic player more likely to step into a bigger role is guard Kate Martin, who gave Nakase one of the easiest decisions that the coach has had with the Valkyries so far.
Martin was selected by Golden State in the WNBA expansion draft from the Las Vegas Aces, where she spent her rookie season after playing with Clark in college at Iowa.
From year one to year two, Martin has more than doubled her scoring average from 2.6 points per game to 6.2. She is also averaging nearly five more minutes per game.
The Golden State Valkyries selected Kate Martin in the WNBA Expansion Draft
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 7, 2024
What a rookie season she had with the Aces ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zqqT2adwd7
"She was my No. 1 priority from Vegas," Nakase said. "In the expansion draft, we handpicked players that embody our culture: hard-working, mental toughness and ultra-competitive."
"Kate fits all of those," she continued. "Kate is our culture."
Martin, 25, put her skills together into two eye-catching performances off the bench this month. On June 1, she hit her career-high of 14 points in the first half against the Minnesota Lynx.
KATE MARTIN IS ON FIRE ‼️
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 2, 2025
11 POINTS IN 5 MINUTES.
MIN-GSV | WNBA Commissioner's Cup presented by@coinbase pic.twitter.com/PumraG528H
Less than a week later, she followed up with 12 points and seven rebounds in a season-high 26 minutes as the Valkyries dismantled her former team, the Aces.
"My goal is always to make an impact and be a good teammate," Martin said. "No matter how big or small my role is, I'm doing the dang thing and trying to do it to the best of my ability."
More must-reads:
- Frank Ragnow's comeback foiled by familiar foe, and Lions need a Plan B
- Hal Steinbrenner’s comments on Yankees’ profits point to a larger issue
- The 'Five game-winning-drives in a season' quiz
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Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently revealed that he offered Micah Parsons plus a first-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Quinnen Williams during training camp. Jerry Jones says Jets turned out incredible trade offer for Quinnen Williams “I wanted a one and Parsons for Williams,” Jones said on 103.5 The Fan. That seems like an absurd offer, but Jones left little up to interpretation. “A one and Parsons for Williams,” he repeated. Later, he added that the deal did not go through because the Jets “did not have the cap room to pay [Parsons].” Jones also said something similar to WFAA’s Ed Werder: “We tried at training camp with the Jets to basically make an exchange that was ready to go, heads up, with Quinnen and Micah and a one, and we didn’t get it done.” Parsons, of course, was instead sent to the Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The Cowboys later acquired Williams before the trade deadline for a package including a 2027 first-rounder, a 2026 second-rounder and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Jones has slowly revealed more and more information about the Parsons trade since it was completed. During a September radio appearances on ESPN New York, Jones said that called the Jets regarding Williams when he was shopping Parsons before the season. The Jets were not interested, he claimed, because they “didn’t have the resources to entertain [the] conversation,” similar to his pronouncement on 103.5. If true, Jets made a big mistake If Jones’ latest revelation is true, that means two things. First, he was willing to sacrifice a massive amount of value to move Parsons and acquire Williams. Second, the Jets made a huge mistake in not accepting the deal. Although Williams is an excellent defensive tackle, Parsons is undoubtedly a better and more valuable player, even at a higher price point. This year, Williams has 2.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss this season; per Pro Football Focus, he ranks fifth among interior defenders with 40 pressures but 38th with a 12.1% pass-rush win rate. Parsons, meanwhile, has 12.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, plus 67 pressures and a 24.3% pass-rush win rate, both top-three marks among NFL edge-rushers. In his career, he has averaged 0.89 sacks and one tackle for loss per game; Williams’ per-game numbers are 0.41 sacks and 0.60 tackles for loss. Those numbers may not tell the complete story of either player, but it seems like the Jets should have taken Jones’ offer. Sure, they would have had to pony up for Parsons’ mega-extension, but they were already prepared to move on from Williams. Adding an extra first-round pick on top would also give the Jets an opportunity to add another starter — if not a star — on a rookie contract. That would help to offset the financial cost of acquiring Parsons. How realistic is Jerry Jones' claim? But Jones’ words should also be taken with a grain of salt. He has spent a lot of time trying to retroactively justify trading away Parsons, especially after using some of the resulting draft capital to acquire Williams. Claiming that the Jets were not interested in Parsons and a first-rounder for Williams serves to downplay the former’s value and boost the latter’s. The idea that the Jets could not afford to pay Parsons does not hold water, either. After his extension, the All-Pro edge-rusher’s cap hit in 2025 is just $9.97M. New York certainly could have designed a similar contract structure and absorbed Perhaps the Jets didn't want to commit so much money to Parsons as they were clearly contemplating a rebuild. Parsons would still be a cornerstone for that effort, but he may not have wanted to weather any losing seasons in the hopes of a future turnaround. But again, adding another first-round pick would have accelerated that process, and a core of Parsons, cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson seems like a solid foundation for the Jets to build from. That is an expensive trio, but having elite players at three of the sport’s most important positions is a good problem to have. Instead, the Jets declined the Cowboys’ initial offer for Williams before moving him and Gardner at the deadline as part of what appears to be a full-on franchise reset.
Arch Manning has defining performance of college career in win over Texas A&M
In the biggest game of his college football career so far, Texas quarterback Arch Manning grew into the superstar he was touted to be with the nation watching. No. 16 Texas (9-3) earned a huge rivalry win over No. 3 Texas A M (11-1) in Austin on Friday in large part thanks to the second-half play of Manning. Manning was only 8-of-21 for 51 yards in the first half, and the Longhorns trailed the Aggies 10-3 at the break. Texas had an opportunity to kick a field goal and cut the A M lead to four at the break, but an intentional grounding penalty incurred by Manning took that opportunity away. Arch Manning lights up the scoreboard in second half But with the help of a Texas defense that rattled TAMU QB Marcel Reed in the second half, Manning and the 'Horns scored 24 second-half points in a winning effort. Texas' first drive of the second half netted three points, but a strike from Manning to Ryan Wingo on the next UT possession gave the Longhorns the lead and gave Manning some confidence. After another defensive stop, Manning led a six-play, 83-yard TD drive to put the Longhorns up by 10. After Texas A M responded, Manning did as well, running away from the Aggie defense on a 35-yard scoring sprint that ultimately served as the deciding blow. In the end, it was Reed — the more experienced and consistent of the two quarterbacks — that made the back-breaking mistake, throwing an interception deep in Texas territory on a drive that looked poised to end with points. The victory was a team effort for Texas, which will await Saturday's slate of games and beg for several playoff contenders to lose to have a shot at the 12-team playoff field. But it was Manning who would be the face of it. Manning went 14-of-29 for 179 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 53 yards and a score on the ground. The win serves as the biggest moment of Manning's young UT career. Going into Saturday, Manning's sophomore season was marred by inconsistent play. A career day against Arkansas was contrasted by middling performances against Ohio State and Georgia. Standout efforts in wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma were overshadowed by no-shows against UTEP, Kentucky and Florida. But Manning rose to his greatest challenge on Saturday, delivering a win in a rivalry game that nobody in the state of Texas — whether they wear burnt orange or maroon — will soon forget.
Alex Bregman sends message to Cody Bellinger after Yankees report
Both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees enter 2026 with well-positioned rosters capable of making a run, but each faces the challenge of addressing two high-profile free agents. Outfielder Cody Bellinger and infielder Alex Bregman are both in need of new deals or replacements. Both are represented by agent Scott Boras as they look to secure contracts this offseason. Each is coming off a strong year. Bellinger posted a .272 batting average, a .334 on-base percentage, an .813 OPS, 29 home runs and 98 RBI across 152 games while providing elite defense in the outfield for the Yankees. Bregman, in his 2025 season with Boston, recorded a .273 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .821 OPS, 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games. Both Bellinger and Bregman joined their respective teams in 2025, and with free agency now underway, last season could prove to be their only year in pinstripes or with the Red Sox. As Bregman and Bellinger enter the offseason, their focus has shifted toward staying healthy and sharpening their skills for 2026. Neither player is on an active roster, yet both have made it clear they are committed to maintaining peak condition while navigating free agency. In recent weeks, the two stars have been spotted training in Arizona, appearing to work out together or at least at the same facility. Their offseason program has been highlighted by sessions with Nemesis Baseball, a sports performance community that promotes itself on Instagram as “Sports Performance community for those who seek to reach their full potential / Built By Athletes For Athletes.” Bregman and Bellinger recently shared photos of their workouts, giving fans a glimpse into the intensity of their preparation. The posts quickly drew attention, not only for the training itself but also for the interaction between the two free agents. Bregman responded to Bellinger’s post with a simple message, “Dialed .” This interaction comes after a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com predicting Bellinger's next team. According to Feinsand, "New York is the clear favorite to sign Bellinger." While the Yankees appear positioned to retain their star outfielder, Bregman’s future is less certain. The Red Sox have expressed interest in bringing him back, but they have not yet been identified as clear front-runners, leaving open the possibility that Boston could lose its veteran infielder after just one season. Over the course of their careers, both players have built impressive track records that place them among the most decorated stars of their era. Bregman has been named to three All-Star teams, won two World Series titles with the Houston Astros, collected a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and earned All-Star Game MVP honors. Bellinger’s accolades include National League MVP, Rookie of the Year, two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove, two Silver Sluggers and a World Series championship with the Dodgers in 2020. His best years came in Los Angeles, while Bregman’s peak was with the Astros. Both were key figures in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, yet that chapter appears behind them, as they now train together and show genuine camaraderie.
George Pickens Rips Chiefs Superfan Nick Wright After Week 13 Win
Most NFL fans know FS1’s Nick Wright as the loud-and-proud Chiefs superfan. So, of course, he picked Kansas City to beat the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. However, while making his pick known in a segment of his show, he tossed a jab at George Pickens and his teammates, and the wideout didn’t forget it. Wright was super critical of the Cowboys ahead of Thursday’s game. Most notably, he questioned Dak Prescott and Pickens’ ability to win against strong opponents. It was a fair criticism, given that Dallas was 1-3-1 against teams with winning records before the game. “The biggest question mark about him, fair or not, is big game performance. I don’t care how good CeeDee and George Pickens are,” Wright said via First Things First. Well, while parts of the analysis held up, the sharper comments definitely rattled the lion’s cage. Pickens and Lamb both ended up owning the show on Thanksgiving. The former had 6 catches for 88 yards, including a sweet hurdle and a two-point conversion reception. The latter had 7 catches for 112 yards and a TD. And after the win, Pickens quoted and tweeted a fan-edit of a game highlight, along with Wright’s criticism, and wrote this with it: “Eat them words,” he wrote. Clearly, the Cowboys receiver heard the criticism from Wright and made sure to answer back with a win over the Chiefs in his pocket. This season, Pickens has been phenomenal after being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. He has 1,142 receiving yards, which is good for second in the NFL. He also has 8 TDs, which ranks third in the league. Underneath the comment, fans reacted to the hilarious roast by Pickens. “Lmfaooo cook em Pick,” one fan joked. “No way this is my real goat tweeting?!” another wrote. “Lmmffaaaoo expose that clown GP, not to mention putting mcduffie in hell all night,” someone else said. Fans throughout the comments thought it was hilarious that Pickens kept the receipts. He had already been embraced by Cowboys fans as one of the most exciting players on the team, but this really pushed him over the top and cemented his status as some fans’ favorite player right now. Pickens is still in the final year of his rookie contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next year. There were some rumors about the Cowboys possibly franchise-tagging him. But he’s already proven that he deserves a secure contract with big money. So, we’ll see how Jerry Jones decides to attack that ordeal when the time comes. For now, though, things are good for Pickens and Dallas. They have just beaten the two Super Bowl teams from last year in the span of five days. Their season feels revitalized, and a playoff run is on the table. Right now, they need to focus on building this momentum as they move closer to the postseason.
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