WNBA

Caitlin Clark ya está en acción para la WNBA y en su primer partido de pretemporada ofreció una actuación sensacional, anotando canasta tras canasta ante un pabellón repleto.

El fenómeno del baloncesto fue el centro de atención la noche del viernes, cuando ella y sus compañeras de Indiana Fever lucharon contra las Dallas Wings ante un público que agotó las entradas en el College Park Center de Arlington, Texas.

Clark acumuló 16 puntos solo en la primera parte, superando a todas las demás jugadoras. Luego se enfrió en la 2ª mitad del partido, terminando con 21 puntos en total, pero recuerden este era solo un partido de pretemporada, por lo que los jugadores y entrenadores no estaban dándolo todo exactamente.

Caitlin Clark is already delivering for the WNBA -- she put on a killer performance in her first preseason game, scoring basket after basket ... in front of a packed arena.

The basketball phenom was the center of attention Friday night as she and her Indiana Fever teammates battled the Dallas Wings to a sold-out crowd at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Clark racked up 16 points in just the first half, topping all the other players. She cooled off in the 2nd half, finishing with 21 points ... but, remember, it was just a preseason game, so players and coaches aren't exactly going all out.

Brittney Griner says while she was locked away in a prison cell in Russia, she contemplated dying by suicide several times.

The WNBA superstar told ABC News' Robin Roberts in a lengthy interview that aired Wednesday night the thoughts crept into her mind just after Russian authorities threw her behind bars for packing vape cartridges in her luggage at a Moscow airport in February 2022.

"I wanted to take my life more than once in the first weeks," Griner said. "I felt like leaving here so badly."

Diana Taurasi is standing by her comments on Caitlin Clark and the learning curve she'll inevitably face as a pro, despite a wave of backlash, with the former MVP describing fans of the rookie hooper as "really sensitive!"

In case you missed the OG comments ... the WNBA legend was recently on TV following 22-year-old Clark's selection as the number one overall pick, where Taurasi cautioned Caitlin would face her fair share of struggles.

"Reality is coming," Taurasi said earlier this month. "There's levels to this thing. That's just life. We all went through it."

"You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you're gonna come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time -- not saying that's not gonna translate."

Taurasi added, "There's gonna be a transition period where you're gonna have to give yourself some grace as a rookie."

Clark fans didn't appreciate the take -- unloading on the Phoenix Mercury star -- though Taurasi isn't taking a single syllable back, despite the hate.

"The new fans are really sensitive these days," Taurasi told reporters, adding, "You can’t say anything."

"It’s kind of like when you go to kindergarten to first grade, there’s a learning adjustment. When you go from high school to college, there’s a learning adjustment."

"I don’t think I said anything that’s factually incorrect. Like anything, greatness is going to translate. And she’s proven that at every level. I don’t see why that’s going to be any different in the WNBA."

Of course, it'd probably behoove Clark to listen to 41-year-old Taurasi -- who was given the "White Mamba" nickname by Kobe Bryant -- is one of the greatest female hoopers ever ... with 3 WNBA Championships, 2 Finals MVPs, 10 All-Star nods, 10 All WNBA First team bids, and a league MVP, amongst many other accolades.

The UConn legend also knows a thing or two about coming in and being an immediate difference-maker. The number one overall pick went on to win Rookie of the Year in 2004.

Sonny Vaccaro says he believes Caitlin Clark could have gotten a much better deal from Nike -- telling TMZ Sports he's sure the former Iowa superstar could've inked a pact similar to the one Michael Jordan got back in the day.

The shoe industry legend, of course, knows all about the deal MJ received -- he was the one who helped negotiate it. And, when he heard Clark only received $28 million over eight years to be with Phil Knight's co., he was surprised it wasn't more.

Vaccaro tells us she could've landed a contract that not only gave her more annual money -- but also allowed her to take a cut of every Clark-branded item sold ... just like Jordan got with his initial Swoosh agreement in 1984.

Caitlin Clark is known to break records, but Caleb Williams is showing her what it's like to be on the other side of history ... with the Chicago Bears quarterback becoming the top-selling draft pick across sports -- just one week after the Indiana Fever superstar earned the title herself.

The former USC Trojans signal-caller was the first prospect to have his name called at Thursday night's draft in Detroit ... and shortly after the selection was made official, Bears fans rushed to cop merch in support of their new face of the franchise.

Fanatics -- the official online retailer for the NFL -- confirmed to TMZ Sports there were an insane amount of orders for Williams apparel ... more than any rookie on draft night across any professional sport.

Sue Bird is back in the WNBA ... not as a player, but instead as owner of her former team, the Seattle Storm!

The organization broke the news, releasing a statement announcing Bird, 43, would be joining the Storm's ownership group.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sue into the ownership group after a storied career on the court," Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel said.

El básquetbol no es el único amor en la vida de Caitlin Clark. La nueva estrella de la WNBA reveló el miércoles que también está muy enamorada de su novio, dejando caer las preciadas palabras sobre él en un tierno post en redes sociales.

Clark publicó el mensaje en su cuenta de Instagram para conmemorar su primer aniversario con Connor McCaffery y escribió: "Haces que cada día sea mejor".

"Y no puedo esperar por muchas más aventuras juntos ...", agregó. "Te amo".

Basketball ain't the only love in Caitlin Clark's life ... the new WNBA star revealed Wednesday she's smitten with her boyfriend too -- droppin' an L-bomb on him in a sappy social media post.

Clark delivered the mushy message on her Instagram page to commemorate her and Connor McCaffery's 1-year anniversary ... writing, "you make everyday better."

"And I can’t wait for many more adventures together…," she added. "love you."

Caitlin Clark was slated to make AT LEAST $15 million if she had agreed to suit up for Ice Cube's Big3 ... so says league co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz, who's revealing more eye-popping details on the lucrative offer.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the former Iowa basketball superstar was presented a historic $5 million deal to play just 10 games for the 3-on-3 organization last month -- while still being able to pursue a WNBA career.

Kwatinetz revealed in an article for OutKick he believes the "male agents and executives controlling the sport" never actually told Clark about the contract ... which is a big loss for her bank account.

Caitlin Clark's Nike deal is being celebrated as historic by many fans, but the contract should've been worth so much more, according to Dave Portnoy ... who says the Swoosh is committing armed robbery!

"If people want to complain about Caitlin Clark getting screwed complain about this. 8 year 28 million deal is STEALING," the Barstool founder wrote on X.

The deal, which comes along with a signature Clark shoe, has an annual average value of $3.5 million.

WNBA star Kelsey Plum and NFL tight end Darren Waller are taking a trip to Splitsville -- the two pro athletes just filed a joint petition for divorce, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Plum and Waller got married after a year of dating in March 2023  ... and they were quite the sports power couple -- Kelsey is a two-time champion and former No. 1 overall pick, and Darren was a Pro Bowler in 2020.

It'll be a pretty clean breakup ... as a joint petition means they have already agreed on distribution of assets and debts, as well as alimony.

Women's sports are surging -- Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and others have become superstars -- and now Joy Taylor and MJ Acosta-Ruiz are set to bring even more attention to some of the best female athletes in the world ... thanks to their new TV show!

Taylor and Acosta-Ruiz, top TV hosts and media personalities for FS1 and NFL Network, respectively, are not only set to host, but also executive produce season 2 of the Fuse Media show, "Like A Girl" ... which gives an inside look at the major successes, as well as the plights, of top female athletes, on and off the field/court/pitch.

TMZ Sports had a conversation with both women ... who broke the news about the upcoming project -- set to air this summer.

Caitlin Clark has clearly had enough of Antonio Brown's social media antics ... she just blocked the ex-NFL player after he posted inappropriate things about her on his X page.

AB took to the app not once but thrice on Wednesday to say crass things about the WNBA's newest star following her Indiana Fever introductory press conference ... in an apparent attempt to be funny.

But, most rolled their eyes at the posts -- including Clark ... who straight up blocked the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout for the behavior.

Angel Reese is no longer the "Bayou Barbie!"

Nope ... the new WNBA rookie says she wants to be called the "Chi Barbie" now instead.

The former LSU hoops star made the announcement Thursday ... just a couple days after the Chicago Sky selected her with the 7th overall pick in the draft.