WNBA

The last time Kobe Bryant was photographed, he was wearing a sweatshirt with a WNBA players' silhouette on it. The impact of that choice lives on.

1/22 - Media Broll Package.

1/20 - Media Package.

The Atlanta Dream are close to being sold, ending defeated U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler's contentious stint as a WNBA owner. ''As it relates to the Atlanta Dream, we understand a sale of the franchise is close to being finalized,'' the league said in a statement. A person with knowledge of the situation said there are five groups that have expressed interest in buying the Dream and that the team was ''finalizing its decision.'' The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because none of those details had been revealed publicly by the team.

1.16 Media Broll Package.

1/15 Bulls - OKC Media Package.

The Chicago Sky signed general manager and coach James Wade to a a four-year contract extension Thursday. Wade is now under contract with the Sky through the 2025 season. ''I feel like I found a home,'' Wade said.

Mark Davis is expanding his sports empire in Las Vegas, buying the Aces from MGM Resorts International. The Raiders owner purchased the WNBA team Thursday pending approval from the league's board of governors. ''I am excited to announce that I have entered into an agreement to purchase the Las Vegas franchise in the WNBA from MGM Resorts International,'' Davis said in a statement.

The Connecticut Sun have agreed to a four-year contract extension with Curt Miller that is designed to keep the team's coach and general manager in the fold through the 2024 season. Financial terms of the deal announced Tuesday were not disclosed. Miller has been coaching the Sun since 2016 and has compiled a regular-season record of 89-69 and a postseason record of 9-8.

1/8 - vs Lakers Media Package

1.3 Media Broll Package CHI

The Los Angeles Sparks extended coach Derek Fisher's contract and appointed him the team's general manager on Tuesday. Fisher has guided the Sparks to a 37-19 record in his two years with the team and Los Angeles has reached the postseason both years. ''I'm honored to be named general manager of the LA Sparks and continue my role as head coach,'' Fisher said.

WNBA All-Star center Liz Cambage has become a champion again in her native Australia, winning the Australian Women's National Basketball League with the Melbourne-based Southside Flyers. Cambage was in early foul trouble but had 14 points and five rebounds Sunday in the Flyer's 99-82 win over the Townsville Fire in the WNBL championship game. In joining the Flyers, Cambage was reunited with her Australian Opals teammate Jenna O'Hea.

Portland Trail Blazers Training Camp 12/10.

Trail Blazers Training Camp 12/9.

Bulls B Roll from Practice

This time, Vickie Johnson got the job in Dallas. Johnson was hired Wednesday to coach the Wings - two years after she applied for the position and lost out to Brian Agler. ''She checked all the boxes, a name that was top of mind for me right away when I started thinking about the next head coach of our team,'' said Greg Bibb, the president and CEO of the Wings.

The New York Liberty will pick No. 1 for the second consecutive year in the WNBA draft. This time there isn't really a clear-cut choice of who they'll take to pair with last year's choice Sabrina Ionescu. ''Right now we don't know who will be at the top,'' New York Liberty GM Jonathan Kolb said.

Vickie Johnson has agreed in principle to be the next coach of the WNBA's Dallas Wings, a person familiar with the situation said. Johnson has been an assistant for the Las Vegas Aces after serving as the team's head coach for the franchise's final season in San Antonio in 2017. Johnson would be the league's only current Black female head coach.

It's been a difficult last few months for former Belarus basketball star Yelena Leuchanka. ''I couldn't be quiet and ignore or make it look like nothing was happening in my country,'' Leuchanka said in a Zoom interview. Leuchanka was aware of all of the support she received from the WNBA players and their union and their stand this summer for social justice.

The Los Angeles Sparks star made history in August when she became the first Black woman on ESPN to host a national radio show.

The Sparks All-Star said she was spurred by Texas' decision to limit ballot drop boxes to only one per county.

The 2020 WNBA champions have made their pick. It's not a surprise.

Russell Wilson has the Seahawks ready to match the Seattle Storm's 2020 championship.

Former WNBA star Cappie Pondexter was arrested on suspicion of battery Tuesday as part of a citizen's arrest in Los Angeles, police said. Previous media reports had said the 37-year-old former guard was missing earlier this week. LAPD Officer Mike Chan said Thursday the alleged incident was not witnessed by police, who made the arrest based on a private person's complaint.

Australia's Women's National Basketball League is moving to northern Queensland state for a shortened season starting next month. Queensland state managed to control COVID-19 outbreaks better than most in Australia. As a result, many of the country's professional sports leagues moved teams and matches to the so-called Sunshine State over the past six months in order to complete their pandemic-interrupted seasons.

Breanna Stewart and the Seattle Storm never really got a chance to defend their 2018 championship because of key injuries. If the team can stay healthy next year, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Storm contend for a third championship in four years and become the first team to win consecutive titles since the 2001-02 Los Angeles Sparks. ''I don't know if any of us are thinking that way,'' Stewart said after the Storm completed a three-game sweep of the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night by setting a WNBA Finals record with a 33-point win.

Seattle's young core talent looks unstoppable.

Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird helped Seattle finish off a dominant season with another championship. The dynamic duo powered the Storm to their second title in three seasons. Stewart scored 26 points and Seattle completed a sweep of the Las Vegas Aces with a 92-59 rout Tuesday night.

History beckons to the Seattle Storm, who look to become only the third four-time WNBA champions and complete a sweep of the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night in Game 3 of the finals. The Storm are looking to join the Houston Comets and the Minnesota Lynx - the team they swept aside in the semifinals - as the only four-time champions in league history. After a star turn by Breanna Stewart powered a Game 1 victory, it was a more collaborative effort in Sunday's 104-91 victory in Game 2.

Sue Bird is playing some of her best basketball during this year's WNBA playoffs as she nears a milestone birthday, joining the likes of Tom Brady and LeBron James of superstar athletes defying Father Time and still performing at a high level. Bird, who will turn 40 next week, has Seattle one victory away from winning the franchise's fourth WNBA title since the Storm drafted her No. 1 in 2002. ''Through my career, I'm lucky in a way,'' Bird said.

Stewart scored 22 points to lead five Storm players in double figures in a 104-91 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday in Game 2 of the best-of-five series. ''This is our moment to really finish the series and take home the championship,'' Stewart said. The score doesn't indicate it,'' said Sue Bird, who ran the show on all three of the Storm's titles.

The Seattle Storm are making things look relatively easy this postseason. Following an impressive showing in the opener of their WNBA Finals, the Storm look to take a 2-0 lead over the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday afternoon at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Breanna Stewart scored 37 points - 11 in the fourth quarter - and pulled down 15 rebounds while blocking four shots to help the Storm to a 93-80 opening win on Friday night.

Bill Laimbeer has usually found ways for his team to bounce back after they've been routed in playoff games. ''You make a couple adjustments, but you can't make a lot of adjustments,'' Laimbeer said. Laimbeer credits that mentality to his playing days when he helped the Detroit Pistons win NBA titles.

Sue Bird set a standard for assists in the WNBA Finals. Bird shattered the previous single-game mark for assists in the finals getting 16 in the Seattle Storm's 93-80 win over the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night in the opening game of the best-of-five series. ''I think the way that our team plays and the way that our offense is kind of constructed, which actually dates back to even when Jenny Boucek was our coach, it was always about just finding the open player and moving it in a way where it would create opportunities,'' Bird said.

The Seattle Storm's lead down to two with a quarter left, Breanna Stewart took over. The big-game player scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and finished with 37 to help the Storm beat the Las Vegas Aces 93-80 on Friday night in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. ''Been here whether its college, WNBA or USA continuing to embrace that moment and take advantage of it.

Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart just don't lose when they reach basketball's biggest stage. Whether competing in the Olympics, for an NCAA championship or in the WNBA Finals, Seattle's stars have always come out on top. The pair have helped USA Basketball win the last four gold medals at the Olympics with Bird being a part of all of them.

For the fourth time in five seasons the best two teams in the WNBA will square off for the championship when Seattle and Las Vegas play in the finals. Las Vegas needed to beat Connecticut in a decisive fifth game of the semifinals on Tuesday to reach the finals for the second time franchise history. The Silver Stars were swept in three games by Bill Laimbeer's Detroit Shock that season.

A'ja Wilson scores 23 points to go along with 11 rebounds as the Aces get the win over the Sun, 66-63 as the Aces punch their ticket to the WNBA Finals.

With a trip to the WNBA Finals in the balance, league MVP A'ja Wilson took over and carried the Las Vegas Aces to the championship round. Wilson had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Angel McCoughtry added 20 points and the top-seeded Las Vegas Aces held off the No. 7 seed Connecticut Sun 66-63 on Tuesday night to advance to the franchise's second WNBA Finals. Las Vegas will play on Friday against Seattle, which advanced to its second championship series in three seasons on Sunday after sweeping Minnesota.

A'ja Wilson Blocks in Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun

A'ja Wilson Posts 23 points & 11 rebounds vs. Connecticut Sun

Angel McCoughtry Steals in Las Vegas Aces vs. Connecticut Sun

Angel McCoughtry put up 15 PTS in the first half of Game 5 against the Sun (September 29, 2020).

For the Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun, it all comes down to one game. With a spot in the WNBA Finals on the line, the Aces and Sun meet for their decisive Game 5 of this semifinal series on Tuesday night at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. While Seattle swept its way through a semifinal series against Minnesota, Las Vegas forced this game with an 84-75 win over Connecticut on Sunday.

Sue Bird remembers thinking when she was younger as Seattle was winning its first championship in 2004 that it was easy to get there and the Storm would be back often. The WNBA's career assist leader, who is a few weeks shy of turning 40, has the Storm back in the finals for the fourth time in her illustrious career after the team swept Minnesota in the best-of-five semifinals, winning Game 3 by 92-71 on Sunday. ''When you're younger, you think it's always going to happen,'' said Bird after a 16-point, nine-assist performance in the win.

Breanna Stewart put forth a career effort to get the Seattle Storm back to the WNBA Finals. Stewart scored a career playoff-high 31 points - tying Seattle's franchise playoff record - and Sue Bird had 16 points and nine assists, and the Storm beat Minnesota 92-71 on Sunday to sweep the Lynx and advance to the championship round for the second time in three seasons.

Sue Bird scored 16 PTS and threw out 9 dimes in the Seattle Storm's 92-71 victory over the Minnesota Lynx.

The Seattle Storm beat the Minnesota Lynx 92-71 to advance the the WNBA Finals.

HIGHLIGHTS: Crystal Dangerfield (16 Pts., 5 Reb., 2 Ast.) Vs. Storm

HIGHLIGHTS: Napheesa Collier (22 Pts., 15 Reb., 3 BS) Vs. Storm