WNBA

Skylar Diggins-Smith is winning even in the off-season ... 'cause the WNBA superstar is pregnant with her first child!!

The 4-time All-Star and husband Daniel Smith announced the big news on Wednesday with an Instagram post of the sonogram captioned, "Can’t wait to meet you!"

Obviously, it's great news for the couple ... but could be bad news for the Wings -- they might've lost one of their best players for a little bit (if our math's right).

The WNBA season kicks off in May, and if Skylar is at least 12 weeks preggo, she's most likely gonna need some time away from the squad.

FYI -- it's incredible how quickly female athletes can get back to competing after giving birth. Candace Parker returned to practices a little over a month after giving birth in 2009 ... and Olympic swimmer Dara Torres competed again just 3 weeks after having a child in 2006.

Congrats to the couple!!

Cappie Pondexter tells TMZ Sports she BARELY makes six figures a year as one of the WNBA's biggest superstars ... and she's pissed off about it, saying the league "should pay me what I deserve!"

It's been a heated topic in the hoops world recently -- with players like Skylar Diggins-Smith voicing their dismay about the pay difference between NBA players and their WNBA counterparts.

Pondexter couldn't have agreed more with Skylar when we got her out in L.A. promoting her CBD skin care line ... telling us the league ONLY shells out $113,000 a year for her to play.

"It's just getting out of line now," the Indiana Fever star says.

"I've been in the league for 13 years, making the vet minimum, which for me is $113,000 for the last five years, which is nothing compared to what the minimum is and the maximum is for the NBA."

"I'm not saying that we have to get what they have, but I think we should see some progress at this point."

Pondexter says she's so fed up with it all ... she's actually willing to be a part of a league-wide work stoppage -- if other stars like Diana Taurasi and Elena Delle Donne are down for it.

You're looking at Fred Williams -- who was JUST fired from his job as the head coach of the Dallas Wings after getting into a screaming match with his boss Sunday night ... and now he's telling us why he thinks he got the chop.

Williams -- who was the head coach from 2014 to 2018 -- was seen screaming at Wings CEO Greg Bibb after a 93-80 loss to the Mystics earlier in the day. Bibb issued a statement announcing he fired Williams a short time later.

Williams touched down in D.C. early Monday -- and broke his silence about the situation to our photog ... telling us why HE thinks he got the axe.

"It could be because we had some losses in row," Williams tells us. "Everything builds up. It's just the management decision."

Fred didn't seem too busted up over the move -- explaining to us this DEFINITELY won't be his last stop in the WNBA.

Dallas Wings star player Skylar Diggins-Smith seemed to agree ... saying players LOVED playing for Fred ... and they still support him after his firing.

Brittney Griner is gonna try the marriage thing again -- the WNBA star just proposed to her longtime girlfriend with a fat ring ... and she said YES!!

The Phoenix Mercury center popped the question to Cherelle Watson -- the two met while they were students back at Baylor.

Hopefully, Griner's 2nd time on the alter will go better than her first -- a 28-day marriage to fellow WNBA player Glory Johnson that ended in violence.

As we previously reported, both Griner and Johnson were arrested for domestic violence in 2015 after an argument turned physical ... and they ended up in a full-on fight in their Arizona home.

Johnson got pregnant with twins during their relationship -- and when they split, the judge ordered Griner to pay child support to Johnson.

Johnson reportedly moved on and began dating a man. Griner began her relationship with Watson shortly after.

In a social media post to Watson, Griner wrote ... "My best friend, my lover, my partner in life. I love you."

WNBA star Diamond DeShields took an immediate L courtesy of her teammate after getting a huge win Wednesday ... and the video of it is hilarious.

After the Chicago Sky beat the Phoenix Mercury, 101-87, DeShields earned the postgame interview attention as the star of the day ... and then Gabby Williams struck.

The reporter asks how big of a win it was ... and while Diamond's giving her answer -- Williams yells, "Hey, is your rash okay?!"

Diamond -- clearly embarrassed -- tries to laugh it off, turns to the camera and says, "Jokes! Jokes!"

We know one person who's certainly hoping Gabby was kidding -- Diamond's BF, Saints star Alvin Kamara!!

Seems like it's all fake though ... so no rash lotion necessary.

Alvin Kamara is pretty sure Le'Veon Bell is about to make his wallet a whole lot fatter ... 'cause the Saints star says Bell's big contract demands are going to revolutionize how RBs are paid.

We got the NFL's reigning Rookie of the Year outside The Highlight Room when he praised Le'Veon for balking at the Steelers' long-term offer for the second straight year.

"All I know is Le'Veon is about to change something up for us," he says.

The money talk didn't stop there ... Kamara gave us his thoughts on why NFL contracts aren't fully guaranteed, saying it's all the owners' faults.

And, while we were on the subject ... Kamara told us the WNBA needs to pay its players some more cheddar too -- especially the Chicago Sky, where his girlfriend plays.

"They doing all the same things males are doing," he tells us.

FYI ... Kamara's rookie deal with the Saints expires after the 2020 season -- and here's a sneak peak into how those negotiations will look ... probably.

Lisa Leslie wants to see more equality when it comes to the way women are paid in pro sports -- but she's adamant Trump is NOT the guy to help make that happen.

"I don't think 45 is the person I want to meet for equality," the WNBA legend told us in NYC ... "He's talking about grabbing women and those types of things."

"I don't think he's about equality at all."

The conversation started about the lack of female representation on the 2018 Forbes Highest Paid Athletes list ... something Leslie described as "so messed up."

She's right ... and says a big part of the issue is the lack of endorsement deals for top women athletes.

We also asked if she took offense over the WNBA champions Minnesota Lynx not getting a White House invite ... and she gives a fire answer on that too.

By the way, here are some Leslie highlights to remind you she was a BEAST on the court!!!!

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis was sitting right up on the glass at the Vegas Golden Knights game Wednesday night ... and even though the team lost, it's probably another big win for him.

The Raiders have been on a PR push to win over Vegas fans before the Silver and Black move into town -- they've taken out newspaper ads and put up billboards.

But, having Davis with his face pressed against the glass (sitting next to Jim Gray) is another good look for the Raiders ... especially since he's been to a TON of Knights' regular season games.

He's also supported other Vegas teams -- attending the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces game on Sunday night. That's commitment!

Don't worry Bay Area teams ... Mark's been courtside cheerin' on the Warriors this season -- he just likes Vegas better now.

Zach Randolph is ALL ABOUT having a female head coach in the NBA -- especially after working with a female asst. coach on the Kings ... telling TMZ Sports it was one of best experiences of his career.

The entire NBA is buzzing about Becky Hammon -- an assistant with the Spurs who's in the running for the head coaching job in Milwaukee. If hired, she'd be the first female head coach in NBA history.

Enter Z-Bo who was out in ATL when he stopped to rave about Jenny Boucek ... an assistant player development coach with the Sacramento Kings.

"This was the first year we had a [female assistant coach]. This was my first year ever experiencing that and it was a great experience ... probably one of the best experiences."

How's this for turning the tables ... a former NBA lottery pick getting a massive $400,000 alimony check from his WNBA star wife?

That's exactly what happened between Candace Parker and Shelden Williams ... according to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

Candace -- one of the biggest stars in WNBA history -- married Williams back in 2008, two years after he was selected 5th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Despite the fact Williams reportedly made more than $12 MILLION during his 6-year NBA career, Parker has apparently done better ... and agreed to shell out the $400k alimony payment. In exchange, she won't have to pay ongoing spousal support.

The couple also divided the profits on their former home in Encino, CA which they just sold for $3.75 mil.

As for their 8-year-old daughter, the couple agreed on joint legal and physical custody -- but neither party will pay child support. Instead, they both agreed to equally fund her education and split any major costs associated with her care.

Clyde Drexler ain't been on the job for a week as BIG3 commish -- and he's already makin' history -- hiring the 1st ever female as head coach of a men's pro basketball team ... TMZ Sports has learned.

"The Glide" tapped Nancy Lieberman -- a member of the Naismith and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame -- to coach Power, the squad he previously coached before leaving to run the league.

Lieberman -- a legend for her hoopin' on the court -- isn't a novice to coaching either. She was an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings ... and was the head coach of a WNBA team from '98 to '00.

N.L. isn't goin' to be coaching bums ... she's got former NBA stars Corey Maggette and Cuttino Mobley in her starting lineup.

One of the best basketball players alive says she's sick and tired of having to play overseas to make a decent living -- and she's calling for the WNBA to start paying women like their male counterparts.

Angel McCoughtry was the #1 overall pick in the 2009 WNBA draft and went on to become the 2009 WNBA Rookie of the Year, a 4-time WNBA All-Star and has already won the scoring title TWICE!

Problem is ... the top female players make SQUAT compared to NBA stars. According to a 2017 report, the top WNBA players only make around $100k in annual base salary.

To compare -- Steph Curry is making $34.6 million this season and that goes up to $45.7 mil per season at the end of his contract.

McCoughtry says the top women are forced to play overseas -- where they can make 10 times as much. McCoughtry has played everywhere from Russia to Lebanon to Turkey.

But she's clearly over it ...

"Pay us like you pay the men. I don't want to get paid more overseas. I want to get paid in my country."

In fact, McCoughtry says she sometimes wears the medals she wins in overseas tournaments out in public because people usually buy her a free meal when she does.

With all the fights in the NBA lately, we had to ask WNBA legend Chamique Holdsclaw if there was ever a female baller she just didn't mess with in the women's league.

And she definitely produced a name.

First off, Chamique was no cupcake ... 6'2", 172 lbs and was a 2-time rebounding champion during her legendary career. Bottom line -- she was a beast.

But Holdsclaw tells TMZ Sports ... the baddest chick she ever played against was Yolanda Griffith -- 7-time All-Star, WNBA champ and the '05 Finals MVP.

And according to Chamique, she'd rough you up hard if you got in her way.

#Respect

Byron Scott says it's time for NBA teams to give Becky Hammon a shot at becoming the league's first female head coach ... telling TMZ Sports she's ABSOLUTELY qualified.

40-year-old Hammon -- one of the best WNBA players of all time -- became the NBA's first female assistant coach when she joined the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. But Scott says she's ready to break another coaching barrier by taking control of her own team.

We also asked Scott if Hammon could do a better job with the Showtime Lakers than Pat Riley did ... but you probably already know his answer to that.

FYI, Hammon was a 6-time WNBA All-Star whose number was retired by the San Antonio Stars. Plus, in 2011, she was named one of the WNBA's top 15 players of all time.

WNBA star Breanna Stewart says she was repeatedly molested by an adult man from ages 9-11 ... and she's sharing her story to help other abused women find the strength to seek help.

"It's not a dirty little secret," Breanna wrote in The Players' Tribune. "When you're comfortable with it, and when you're comfortable being open about it, you could save someone's life."

Stewart describes her abuser as a construction worker who "lived in one of the houses" of a relative.

She says the man would molest her when she slept over at the family member's house ... and the abuse continued for 2 years until she finally told her parents, who reported the man to the police.

Stewart says she's never been to therapy, but the basketball court "became a sort of safe space for me."

But basketball was just an outlet to help her cope ... and Breanna urges fellow victims to step forward the moment the abuse begins.

L.A. Sparks player Essence Carson is telling TMZ Sports why the team walked off the court for the national anthem during games 1 and 2 of the WNBA Finals this week ... and why it's NOT about the flag.

FYI, the Sparks were booed in Minneapolis when they returned to the floor following their demonstration -- but Carson says people are completely missing the point of the protest.

"Everyone's so focused on the flag. It's not even about the flag. It's about racial equality, criminal justice reform, police brutality and everything along those lines and I feel like people are forgetting that."

Carson says she hopes "one day [people] will finally understand the point of it all."

Essence also says she feels like she's truly standing up for something she believes in -- and it doesn't sound like the team will stop the demonstration anytime soon.