WNBA

The death of Kyren Lacy has shocked the sports world ... with star athletes like Odell Beckham Jr. and Angel Reese paying tribute to the former star LSU receiver.

Lacy -- who scored nine touchdowns last season -- died on Saturday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a police chase in Houston, TX.

The death of the 24-year-old football star came just days before a Grand Jury was set to convene to hear evidence in a fatal traffic incident from December 2024 -- which claimed the life of a 78-year-old retired U.S. Marine. Lacy was accused of causing the crash and fleeing the scene without calling for help.

LSU hoops star Aneesah Morrow is ready to make an instant impact in the WNBA ... telling TMZ Sports she's ready to grab boards and play lockdown D -- no matter where she's drafted!

TMZ Sports spoke to the 22-year-old forward from a Raising Cane's restaurant in NYC ... when we asked her to provide a self-scouting report -- as we're just days away from the WNBA Draft, going down from the Big Apple on April 14.

"Somebody that's gonna come in and work hard every day. I'm going to work hard to get on the boards, be able to rebound, and defend," Morrow told us.

College basketball star Hailey Van Lith is trading her jersey for some beachwear ... putting her athletic figure on display for her big debut with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit!!

The TCU hooper -- who was Big 12 Player of the Year this past season -- teamed up with the publication for a digital cover photoshoot at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas ... rocking several one and two-piece swimsuits as she posed for the cameras.

HVL spoke about the cool opportunity ... saying it's all about feeling comfortable in her own skin.

If Caitlin Clark really wants to play flag football at the 2028 Olympics, she won't be getting any superstar treatment to get a spot on the team -- so say the organization's CEO!!

The WNBA superstar recently mentioned at the NFL Annual League Meeting she always dreamed of playing football as a kid ... and even tossed out the idea of suiting up for the Red, White and Blue on the gridiron when the Games come around in a few years.

"Maybe LA 2028, maybe I'll do two sports," Clark said at the meeting. "Or if basketball doesn't work out, I'll head over to flag football."

WNBA champ Elena Delle Donne is riding off into the sunset -- she just announced her retirement after 10 seasons.

The 6'5" hooper -- who played for the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics during her career in the W -- released a statement on her decision ... revealing it's something she contemplated over time before reaching the choice that's right for her.

"One of my favorite children’s books asked, 'How did it get so late so soon?'" Delle Donne said on Friday.

Former WNBA superstar Chiney Ogwumike tells TMZ Sports she's absolutely positive we'll be seeing JuJu Watkins getting buckets on the hardwood again in the near future.

The 19-year-old phenom went down with a torn ACL during USC's Monday night NCAA tournament matchup with Mississippi State ... and while everyone is holding their breath over how the devastating injury might impact her insanely bright future, Ogwumike doesn't seem to be sweating it one bit.

When we got the two-time WNBA All-Star out at LAX this week, she told us she's just certain JuJu will attack the recovery process meticulously -- and will be ready to score again on the court in no time.

The Los Angeles Sparks are hoping to calm Cameron Brink's nerves ... clarifying the details of their upcoming male practice player tryouts and vowing to put the guys who make the cut through a thorough background check.

A team spokesperson tells TMZ Sports the Sparks have used male practice squad players since the team's inception in 1997 ... and they're not alone.

Teams like the Phoenix Mercury and the Dallas Wings have hosted their own tryouts in the past, too ... and it's a practice used in women's college basketball as well.

Angel Reese is takin' a jab at her WNBA salary ... joking (we think) about the paltry paycheck she receives compared to some other super high-paid athletes!

Here's the deal ... 22-year-old Reese played in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 hoops league (though she missed time with an injury), and her Rose BC team won the 'chip, with a 62-54 victory over Aliyah Boston's Vinyl team, securing a $50k bonus.

After securing the bag, Reese went to X and wrote, "50K NEED DATTTTT" ... prompting WNBA star Sydney Colston to respond with a joke, asking if she could hold some cash.

Cameron Brink has seen all the memes about the L.A. Sparks holding tryouts for male practice players ... and she's praying to the basketball gods that whoever makes the final cut isn't a creepy horndog.

The WNBA team sparked uncomfortable reactions after announcing its plans to welcome dudes into its training facility to compete against its athletes during workouts ... with a bunch of guys joking about how they would handle one-on-one time with Brink, Rickea Jackson and Kelsey Plum on the court.

The former No. 2 overall pick explained the team previously brought in folks from USC for the job ... but now she has serious concerns about who will be walking in those doors.

The WNBA could be adding a bit of mom's spaghetti flavor to it in the near future ... TMZ Sports has learned Eminem is currently in talks to join a bid for an expansion team.

A spokesperson for the legendary rapper tells us ... Marshall has had some preliminary discussions about securing a spot in an ownership group that's trying to bring the W back to Detroit.

So far, we're told he hasn't officially signed on just yet ... although, he does apparently have some big interest.

It ain't Sheryl Swoopes or Maya Moore ... no, the WNBA's G.O.A.T. is Diana Taurasi -- at least, that's according to former UConn guard Jen Rizzotti.

The Huskies hooper -- who's currently the president of the Connecticut Sun -- gave Taurasi the crown this week ... just days after the Phoenix Mercury star announced her WNBA retirement.

"She's the ultimate winner," Rizzotti told TMZ Sports, "and she's proven that she can win championships no matter what jersey she has on."

Eli Manning ain't just a GOAT killer on the gridiron ... he's apparently one on the hardwood too -- as he just eviscerated Caitlin Clark in a game of mini-hoops.

The New York Giants legend -- who famously beat Tom Brady in two Super Bowls -- took on the WNBA superstar in a game of Pop-A-Shot to kick off his most recent episode of "The Eli Manning Show" ... and check it out, Peyton's little bro dominated.

Eli sank basket after basket -- and ended up winning the contest, 76-51.

Serena Williams continues to keep herself busy during her post-playing days ... the tennis GOAT is joining the Toronto Tempo ownership group ahead of the new WNBA franchise's inaugural season!

The Tempo made the announcement Monday morning, posting video to social media showing Williams bouncing a tennis ball ... which ultimately turns into a WNBA ball, with the text "New Court, New Game."

The new org also issued a press release ... describing her role with the team, saying the 23x Grand Slam winner will help bring the Tempo "to life visually."

Diana Taurasi -- widely regarded as one of the greatest female basketball players ever -- has decided she is retiring from the WNBA.

The Phoenix Mercury star broke the news with Time on Tuesday ... saying she has mentally and physically achieved her dreams during her 20-year WNBA career.

"That's probably the best way I can describe it," the 42-year-old said. "I'm full and I'm happy."

Brittney Griner backed out of a planned speaking engagement this week ... after she found a note in her hotel room that she took as a threat.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the WNBA superstar was slated to talk at the Women Grow Leadership Summit in National Harbor, Md. -- but bolted from the event on Monday morning after discovering a piece of duct tape near her entryway that had the words "Gay Baby Jail" written on it.

We're told Griner -- who is gay and was, of course, once imprisoned in Russia for marijuana possession -- was mortified at the message ... and immediately canceled her scheduled appearance to return home.

Te'a Cooper hasn't logged minutes in a WNBA game in nearly four years ... but she tells TMZ Sports she's hopeful that all changes soon!

The former Los Angeles Sparks star is currently playing overseas for Tarbes Gespe Bigorre -- a pro team in the French Women's Basketball League -- and she tells us the goal of getting shots up over there is to one day return to the W.

Cooper, of course, played in the WNBA in the 2020 and 2021 seasons ... but left to take care of her hair business as well as to help raise her and Alvin Kamara's daughter, Stori.