WNBA

Breathe a sigh of relief, WNBA fans -- there will be no lockout this season ... with players reaching a deal with league officials on a new collective bargaining agreement after months of negotiations.

Both sides sealed things early Wednesday morning with a champagne toast ... and according to Seattle Storm star and WNBPA president, Nneka Ogwumike, the agreement finally gives the ladies a "meaningful share of league revenue."

"It strengthens housing and retirement," Ogwumike told Front Office Sports, "and expands resources for family planning and parental leave. It redefines what it means to be a professional in this league."

Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. is no longer facing a charge of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer after his alleged domestic dispute with Rickea Jackson, TMZ Sports has learned.

Court documents we obtained show that prosecutors have dropped the charge against the 22-year-old. A spokesperson for the DA said in evaluating all the evidence, they didn't believe they could prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

It's a small break for Pearce -- the charge comes with up to five years behind bars.

He isn't out of the woods at all, though ... as prosecutors filed a handful of other charges in the incident -- including stalking, fleeing and eluding police, resisting an officer with violence, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale went from celebrating her Unrivaled championship to posing for a mugshot -- the hooper was arrested after allegedly punching a security guard at a Miami nightclub on Thursday.

TMZ Sports obtained the complaint ... officers were notified of a physical altercation that broke out inside E11EVEN. When approaching the rear exit of the club, the officer stated a large crowd was being escorted out by security.

The officer made contact with the alleged victim ... who claimed he was attempting to escort 29-year-old Ogunbowale out of the club due to an unrelated altercation -- when she punched him in the face with a closed fist, causing him to fall to the ground.

The WNBA world is mourning the sudden loss of former star center Kara Braxton, a two-time champion and one of the league’s fiercest paint presences, who died at the age of 43.

The league confirmed the heartbreaking news Sunday, sending condolences to her family, friends and former teammates.

The Cobb County Police Department confirms to TMZ Sports that Braxton was involved in a fatal car crash on Saturday on I-285 -- when her 2023 Ford Mustang Mach E collided with a concrete median wall.

If James Pearce Jr.'s case goes to trial, the alleged victim, Rickea Jackson, is down to take the stand, according to her attorney, who notified the court she's "willing to testify."

Jackson's lawyer filed notice on Tuesday, saying Jackson remains cooperative, and if needed, will give her testimony about the alleged incident with her ex-boyfriend, which led to his arrest on Saturday.

Rickea's attorney also indicated she hopes to put the matter behind her, sooner rather than later.

James Pearce Jr. "intentionally" hit an officer with his Lamborghini while evading law enforcement after an alleged domestic dispute with WNBA star Rickea Jackson, according to police docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

Jackson told police she and Pearce Jr. recently ended a three-year relationship, saying she blocked the 23-year-old’s number to stop further contact, but it didn't work. Rickea told police James used an alternate phone to continue contacting her.

On February 7 -- as she was leaving an apartment complex -- Jackson noticed Pearce Jr.'s Lambo SUV behind her ... and attempted to get away. While at a red light, she says he approached her vehicle and attempted to open the door.

Could Cameron Brink be the next hooper to hop from the WNBA to Playboy?? It's entirely possible ... 'cause the L.A. Sparks star tells TMZ Sports she'd consider posing for the magazine ... but her fiancé has to be on board.

Pro baller Kysre Gondrezick paved the way -- she was announced as the publication's Miss June last year -- and ditched her clothes for a stunning photoshoot to fulfill her duties.

Now that Gondrezick became the first pro basketball player to be named a "Playmate," could there be a second??

If so, Brink would make sense -- she has experience in modeling and expressed interest in going nude for the now-defunct ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue" in the past.

WNBA star Angel Reese is flipping the script ... and will soon be flexing on Netflix.

The Bayou Barbie has officially joined the cast of "The Hunting Wives" in the co-starring role of "Trainer Barbie," Netflix serendipitously announced on Tuesday.

Reese previously let it be known she was a fan of the breakout hit after watching Season 1, publicly calling the cliffhanger finale "unsatisfying" and demanding to know if there’d be a Season 2.

Well, guess what, Angel? Netflix heard you!!!

If you ever dreamed of living like a baller, here's your shot ... WNBA great Angel McCoughtry just listed her stunning Georgia home for $1.2 million!!!

TMZ Sports has learned the 5,000-square-foot estate, built in 2004, is located in Smyrna, GA ... which is only 17 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.

The Craftsman crib is packed with classic Southern charm, featuring high ceilings, rich texture, an expansive open layout, a fireplace and a screened-in porch.

Kysre Gondrezick's return to the basketball court has hit a major snag -- the former WNBA guard tore her Achilles during training for her Athletes Unlimited season.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Gondrezick suffered the season-ending injury on Sunday during her workout at the University of Miami. We obtained some footage of her practice, which showed her draining jumpers before the injury.

We're told Kysre -- who recently posed nude for Playboy -- will need surgery to mend the ailment ... and a procedure is slated for later this week.

WNBA star Skylar Diggins is reflecting on a drama-filled year ... opening up about raising her kids all on her own for more than a year amid her divorce from Daniel Smith.

The Seattle Storm guard vented on her Instagram on Sunday ... reflecting on the challenges she's faced in 2025 -- and expressing pride in how she was able to handle them mostly on her own.

"Been doing everything BY MYSLF (sic) for over a year now," Diggins said. "Just me and my babies (and the help of my mom/dad.) THAT'S IT!"

Another day, another pro athlete falling victim to a burglary ... and this time it’s WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, whose L.A. home was hit Monday night, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The LAPD tells us they responded to Ionescu’s home in the Los Angeles area around 8 PM for a burglary investigation, after two suspects used an unknown tool to smash the glass of the rear door of the property, according to investigators.

The thieves then made entry, “ransacked the location and took the victim’s property.” They ultimately fled in a vehicle in an unknown direction.

Lonzo Ball and Michael Porter Jr. believe they would have been forces to be reckoned with in the WNBA as teenagers ... with both NBA stars claiming they'd dominate against pro women's players before they were old enough to drive cars.

MPJ stopped by Lonzo's "Ball in the Family" podcast recently ... and at one point in their chat, the current Brooklyn Nets player brought up how A'ja Wilson said she could beat Knicks guard Josh Hart one-on-one.

The convo then transitioned into how Patrick Beverly said a WNBA team could beat an NBA team's bench players ... which Lonzo wasn't buying.

Miguel A. Nunez Jr. is sharing an update on a potential "Juwanna Mann 2" ... telling TMZ Sports he's hoping to land two of the biggest current WNBA superstars for the project -- Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

Of course, the actor revealed to us a few years ago a follow-up to the 2002 comedy was in the works ... and while it hasn't hit the big screen just yet, he's still confident it IS happening -- folks just gotta be a bit more patient.

We asked if that kinda storyline would work in 2025 -- a male basketball star disguising himself as a woman to play in their league -- Nunez Jr. actually thinks now is the perfect time.

Kysre Gondrezick's had a wild time on and off the court ... and we're here for it all!

The professional basketball player's played for several different teams throughout her athletic career ... and she's since branched out into modeling.

We're going to take a look and see how the athlete made a name for herself -- and how she ended up being named as Miss June 2025 by a long-running publication.

Kysre's not the only one in her family with athletic experience, because her father, Grant, played in the NBA for several years, and her mother, Lisa, played guard at Louisiana Tech.

Plus, the athlete's sister played for the Michigan State Spartans women's basketball team, and her uncle Glen also spent several seasons in the NBA.

Kysre followed in her mother's footsteps and played college ball, as she spent a single season with the Michigan Wolverines.

The athlete eventually transferred to the University of West Virginia, and she played with the Mountaineers for three seasons.

Kysre began her career in the WNBA in 2021, when she was picked by the Indiana Fever after putting on a stellar performance in the NCAA Women's Tournament, according to CBS Sports.

The thing is, the athlete only spent a single season with the Fever before she was waived by the team.

She remained unsigned until May 2024, when it was announced she'd made the Chicago Sky's Opening Day roster.

Kysre ended up being waived by the Sky later in the year, and she joined the AU Pro Basketball league in 2025.

Kysre's love life's been connected to the court, as she was formerly in a relationship with Kevin Porter Jr., who currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

However, the pair's relationship became the subject of controversy in 2023, when the athlete's former boyfriend allegedly assaulted her at a hotel in Manhattan.

Although Kysre told the New York Post her former boyfriend hadn't hit her, Porter later pled guilty to misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation in relation to the alleged incident, according to ESPN.

She was later linked to NBA star Jaylen Brown, and the pair attended the 2024 ESPYs together.

Kysre's maintained an active life off the court, as the athlete was named as Playboy's Miss June 2025 in October 2025.

The publication made the big news known by sharing a post on Instagram. It's worth noting she's become the first current professional basketball player to have ever been named as a Playmate.

Kysre issued a brief statement at the time and claimed the move into modeling was a natural "evolution," not a "transition."

Kysre Gondrezick is trading her jersey for ... well, not much -- the former WNBA player was just named Playboy's Miss June.

The famed publication has been rolling out its roster of beautiful ladies for this year over the past few days ... and on Monday, the 2021 fourth-overall pick was revealed as the selection for the sixth month of 2025.

The Bunny says Kysre -- who was recently linked to NBA superstar Jaylen Brown -- is the first current pro basketball player to earn the "Playmate" title. In the announcement, the outlet shared a pic of the hooper floating on an orange pool toy while topless.