The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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The Indiana Fever’s star rookie missed 10 of her first 11 shots before finishing with 11 points and eight assists in the team’s 93-69 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-three series.

The AP’s Rookie of the Year refused to use the early first quarter eye-poke as an excuse for her off-night.

“Got me pretty good in the eye; I don’t think it affected me,” she said. “I felt like I got good shots, they just didn’t go down. Tough time for that to happen. I thought I got some really good looks. Three pretty wide open 3s in the first half, you usually make.”

Clark’s shooting struggles continued early into the third quarter before the Fever called a timeout. The young star smacked a chair on the bench in frustration. That seemed to get her going a little bit as she came out and hit her next three shots, Unfortunately for Indiana, Connecticut guard Marina Mabrey got hot, scoring 11 of her 27 points in the third quarter and the Fever could never recover.

“My shot felt like it was right there,” said Clark, who finished the game 4 for 17 from the field, including missing 11 of her 13 3-point attempts. “It’s so frustrating as a shooter when it won’t go down for you. That’s what (stinks) about it. … We were right there, I think we cut it to eight but then they came back down and hit a 3 on us.”

The Sun switched up their defense as far as who was guarding Clark. DeWanna Bonner, who is 6-foot-4, drew the assignment a lot.

“I took on the challenge, next game she’ll come out firing,” Bonner said.

Clark will get another chance Wednesday in Game 2, hoping to send the series back to Indiana for a decisive third game Friday.

WNBA Sep 22

A'ja Wilson named WNBA MVP, Caitlin Clark AP Rookie of the Year

WNBA Sep 20

Breaking down the WNBA's record-setting season by the numbers

The WNBA’s single-season assist leader made her regular season debut in Connecticut also back in May. She struggled in that game as well, missing 10 of her 15 shots.

Even though this was a road game, like they have most of the season, the Fever had a strong following in Connecticut. It felt like nearly an even split of the sellout crowd who were cheering on almost everything positive that Clark and Indiana were doing.

“Caitlin draws a lot of fans. She’s amazing,” Mabrey said. “They can come see whoever they want to come see, but at the end of day we’re here to win a championship.”

The Aces’ versatile forward averaged 26.9 points and 11.8 rebounds this season. She’s only the second player to win the award unanimously, joining Cynthia Cooper of the Houston Comets, who did it in the league’s inaugural 1997 season.

Wilson received all 67 first-place votes from a national media panel, making her a three-time award winner (2020 and 2022.) She’s the fourth player in WNBA history to reach that milestone, joining Sherly Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson.

WNBA Sep 15

Aces' A'ja Wilson becomes first WNBA player to pass 1,000 points in one season

WNBA Sep 20

Breaking down the WNBA's record-setting season by the numbers

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (467 points) finished in second place, followed by New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (295 points), Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (130 points) and Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (83 points) in fifth.

Wilson finished third in the MVP voting last year, receiving one fourth-place vote that she said fueled her after the Aces won their second straight WNBA title.

“It propelled me a little bit as I started my offseason workouts, but around February I was over it,” she said. “I didn’t want to give that person that energy, that’s when I started to lock in.”

Wilson finished the regular season with 1,021 points, 451 rebounds and led the league with 98 blocks. The 6-foot-4 Wilson broke the WNBA single-season record for scoring average, which had been set by Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi in 2006 (25.3 ppg).

She had a season high 42 points against Dallas and a few days later dropped 41 against Phoenix. In all, she scored at least 20 points in 34 of her 38 games. She was relentless with rebounds, grabbing 9.8 defensive a game, the highest single-season average in league history.

Wilson’s 11.87 rebound average is third-best in league history, trailing Angel Reese and Sylvia Fowles.

A rookie class headlined by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese injected some extra excitement for the rising league. The two first-year players didn’t disappoint, as both have already etched their names into WNBA history.

A’ja Wilson had something to say, as well. While the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces took a step back in the standings, the reigning WNBA Finals MVP was as dominant as ever.

The players weren’t the only ones to set records in the regular season. Attendance skyrocketed across the league with several teams filling out NBA arenas for highly anticipated matchups.

The action is far from over, as the WNBA playoffs will tip-off on Sunday. Before the postseason gets underway, let’s break down some of the notable records that were shattered during the 2024 regular season.

Caitlin Clark

Clark and the Indiana Fever got off to a 1-8 start before becoming a top-half WNBA team by the end of the season. The No. 1 overall pick spearheaded the turnaround and helped lead the team to a 20-20 record and the No. 6 seed.

WNBA Sep 19

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese change the WNBA's landscape, and its future

Here are some of the record-setting numbers from Clark’s rookie campaign:

769 – Clark’s 769 total points weren’t just the most for a rookie in league history. They were also the most for any WNBA point guard in a single season.

337 – Clark also got her teammates involved at a historic rate. Her 337 assists broke the previous WNBA single-season record that belonged to Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.

19 – Clark was particularly generous in the Fever’s July 17 win over the Dallas Wings, as her 19 assists set a new league record.

2 – Clark became the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double in a July 6 win over the New York Liberty. She added a second triple-double to her resume in a Sept. 4 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.

122 – Clark set a WNBA rookie record with her 122 3-pointers. She fell just six shy of tying Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s league record set in 2023.

Angel Reese

Reese set a few records of her own after falling to No. 7 in the WNBA draft. Her numbers could’ve been even better if not for a wrist injury that ended her season in early September.

13.1 – Reese set a record for rebounds per game with 13.1, beating out Sylvia Fowles’ 11.9 average from 2018.

15 – Reese had 15 consecutive double-doubles from June 4 to July 11, breaking a WNBA record.

Reese also broke the WNBA’s single-season record for total rebounding in early September, but she wasn’t able to hold onto the record for long.

A’ja Wilson

After getting beat out by Breanna Stewart in the 2023 MVP race, Wilson set herself up for the 2024 award with a record-setting year in both scoring and rebounding.

1,021 – Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to eclipse 1,000 points in a season. Her 1,021 points put her well ahead of Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (845) for the 2024 scoring title.

26.9 – In addition to total points, Wilson’s 26.9 points per game were the most in league history.

451 – Reese’s injury paved the way for Wilson to grab the league’s single-season rebounding record in the Aces’ second-to-last game. Wilson finished with 451 boards in 38 games, while Reese had 446 in 34 games.

98 – Wilson’s 98 blocks fell short of Brittney Griner’s single-season record. Still, the number allowed Wilson to become the first WNBA player to lead the league in points, boards and blocks in a season.

Attendance

Fans set records by packing arenas throughout the 2024 season, especially when Clark was in town.

20,711 – The WNBA season ended on a historic note, as the Fever’s regular season finale against the Mystics at Capital One Center in Washington, D.C., on Thursday set a league attendance record with 20,711 fans.

16,084 – An average of 16,084 tickets were sold for Fever games in 2024, demolishing the previous record for a WNBA team set by the Liberty in 1998, the league’s second season.

643,343 – The Fever saw a 182% jump in overall attendance, going from 227,979 tickets sold in 2023 to 643,343 in 2024.

Viewership

While fans were filling more seats than ever before, TV interest also ballooned in 2024.

2.45 million – The 2024 WNBA Draft saw a record-setting average of nearly 2.5 million viewers to watch Clark, Reese and more get selected, per Nielsen.

2.25 million – The June 16 showdown between Reese’s Sky and Clark’s Fever saw an average of 2.25 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA game since 2001.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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From Caitlin Clark’s ascendance and the Las Vegas Aces’ bid for a championship three-peat to the U.S. women’s basketball team’s eighth straight Olympic gold medal, it’s been a banner year in women’s basketball. The WNBA is capitalizing on the skyrocketing interest and adding more teams to the rising league.

Here’s a breakdown of the current WNBA landscape and how it could look different in the years to come.

How many WNBA teams are there?

There are currently 12 WNBA teams broken into two conferences.

Eastern Conference

• Atlanta Dream
• Connecticut Sun
• Chicago Sky
• Indiana Fever
• New York Liberty
• Washington Mystics

Western Conference

• Dallas Wings
• Los Angeles Sparks
• Las Vegas Aces
• Minnesota Lynx
• Phoenix Mercury
• Seattle Storm

WNBA Sep 18

WNBA adds 15th franchise with Portland expansion team

WNBA May 10

WNBA adding Toronto expansion team in 2026

WNBA May 14

Golden State Valkyries announced as new Bay Area WNBA team name

When is the WNBA expanding?

The WNBA will be up to 15 teams in 2026 with three new expansion franchises entering the mix.

The Golden State Valkyries will enter the fold in 2025 as the league’s 13th franchise. It marks the first time a new team will join the league since the Atlanta Dream first took the floor in 2008.

The league will then add two more teams in 2026. A Toronto team will become the WNBA’s first non-U.S. team, while Portland will get back in the mix more than 20 years after the Portland Fire folded.

When will the WNBA add a 16th team?

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told ESPN that the league is “on track” to add a 16th team in 2027 or 2028.

How many original WNBA franchises are still playing?

While the WNBA continues to expand, four current teams have been in the league from the very beginning.

The New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury were among the eight original WNBA franchises when the league was founded in 1997.

The Las Vegas Aces also trace back to the original WNBA. The franchise was originally the Utah Starzz from 1997-2002 before becoming the San Antonio Silver Stars. The team was in San Antonio until 2017 (Silver Stars from 2003-2013 and Stars from 2014-2017) before it moved to Las Vegas to become the Aces.

The league announced that Portland, Oregon, has landed an expansion franchise that will take the floor in 2026.

The Portland team, owned and operated by RAJ Sports, will be the 15th WNBA franchise. It joins the Golden State Valkyries and a Toronto franchise in the current round of league expansion.

The expansion marks the WNBA’s return to Portland after more than 20 years and the first time the league has returned to a city it previously left. The city had the Portland Fire from 2000-02.

“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a press release. “Portland has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family’s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.”

WNBA May 14

Golden State Valkyries announced as new Bay Area WNBA team name

WNBA May 10

WNBA adding Toronto expansion team in 2026

The new team will play its games at the Moda Center, which is home to the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

RAJ Sports paid $125 million for the franchise, per The Associated Press. Lisa Bhathal Merage, who is also governor for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, will be the team’s controlling owner and WNBA governor. Alex Bhathal, Merage’s brother, will serve as alternate governor.

“For decades, Portland has been the global epicenter of sports lifestyle and today, we are now the global epicenter of women’s sports,” Merage said. “We believe in the transformative power of women’s sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home. We know that Portland’s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team. Our goal is to grow this organization in partnership with the Portland community and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.”

Bhathal Merage said she hopes the team name will be announced by the spring and community input will play a part in the decision to reclaim the Fire name or pick a new one.

“It’s an exciting time,” she said, via ESPN. “It’s fun to be able to create a new team from scratch. Our hope is by the spring we’ll have an announcement, but we do of course have deadlines if we want to have more customized jerseys with Nike and things like that.”

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That was where the star guard for the Indiana Fever played in her first ever WNBA regular-season game four months ago, and it’s likely where she will play in her first postseason game.

With the WNBA playoffs set to start on Sunday, the Fever have locked up the No. 6 seed. Two teams are vying for the No. 3 seed with the regular season concluding Thursday, but a first-round series with the Connecticut Sun is most probable for Indiana.

Much has changed since that May 14 matchup between the two in Clark’s first game. The Sun won 92-71, with Clark scoring 20 points on 5-for-15 shooting and committing 10 turnovers.

It was the first of five straight losses to open the season for the Fever, who started just 1-8. Clark and the Fever hit their stride after the Olympic break, winning seven of eight games to move above .500 for the first time since 2019 when they were 4-3. The team then went on to clinch its first playoff berth since 2016.

There they will be one of the main storylines in what is arguably the most highly-anticipated postseasons in league history as A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces go for a three-peat and the current top-seeded New York Liberty seek their first title in franchise history.

Here’s everything you need to know about the WNBA playoffs.

When do the WNBA playoffs start?

The WNBA playoffs begin on Sunday, Sept. 22.

How many teams make the WNBA playoffs?

The top eight teams in the WNBA — regardless of conference — make the playoffs.

What are the WNBA playoff matchups?

Here are the current matchups for the first round of the WNBA playoffs ahead of the final day of the regular season on Thursday. Teams in bold are locked into their seed.

• No. 1 New York Liberty vs. No. 8 Washington Mystics/Chicago Sky/Atlanta Dream
• No. 2 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 7 Phoenix Mercury
• No. 3 Connecticut Sun vs. No. 6 Indiana Fever
• No. 4 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm

How many games are in a WNBA playoff series?

The first round of the playoffs features a best-of-three format where the higher seed hosts the first two games of the series and, if necessary, the lower seed hosts the decisive Game 3.

The semifinals and WNBA Finals both have a best-of-five format where the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and 5.

Who will the Indiana Fever play in the playoffs?

Clark and the Fever will face either the Sun or Aces in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.

Connecticut will secure the No. 3 seed with a home victory over the Chicago Sky or an Aces loss to the Dallas Stars in the regular-season finales on Thursday. A Sun loss in the finale, combined with a win by the Aces, would give Las Vegas the No. 3 seed via the regular season head-to-head tiebreaker.

Against the Fever this season, the Sun won three of four games, with Indiana winning the most recent matchup 84-80 on Aug. 28. The Aces, the league’s two-time-defending champion, swept the season series against the Fever.

Caitlin Clark Sep 14

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark breaks the WNBA's single-season record for assists

sports Sep 11

Indiana farm made a corn maze with Caitlin Clark's face and it's spectacular

Decision 2024 Sep 11

Caitlin Clark explains liking Taylor Swift's post endorsing Kamala Harris

Who is the top seed in the WNBA playoffs?

The top seed in the WNBA playoffs will be the Liberty, who are on a quest to capture the first championship in franchise history. The Liberty, who lost to the Aces in the 2023 WNBA Finals, clinched the top spot on Tuesday after improving to 32-7 with a victory over the Washington Mystics.

The Minnesota Lynx, which defeated the Liberty in three of four games this season, will be the No. 2 seed.

Has there ever been a three-peat in the WNBA?

Only once. But it could soon happen again.

The Aces, who last season became just the third franchise to win back-to-back titles, are seeking a third consecutive WNBA championship. The Houston Comets are the only team in league history to win three or more titles in a row, having won the league’s first four championships from 1997 to 2000. 

The Aces — led by reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, who recently became the first player in league history to score 1,000 points in a single season — will likely secure the No. 4 seed and have home-court advantage in a first-round matchup with the No. 5 Seattle Storm. 

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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Engelbert, appearing on CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” was asked about rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and the often nasty online back and forth between the players’ fan bases.

CNBC’s Tyler Mathisen wanted Engelbert to comment on social media chatter that’s often “taken a darker turn, a more menacing turn, where race has been introduced into the conversation, where sexuality is sometimes introduced into the conversation.”  

Instead of addressing the matter with a simple message against online hate, Engelbert toasted their rivalry and celebrated that there’s “no more apathy” in the WNBA. “But the one thing I know about sports is you need rivalry,” she told CNBC. “That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.” 

Engelbert’s response drew considerable attention within WNBA circles and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart — one of the league’s best known players not named Clark, Reese or A’ja Wilson — called the commissioner’s words “kind of disappointing to hear.” 

“We want our sport to be inclusive for race, gender and really a place where people can be themselves,” the reigning MVP Stewart said after her team’s win over the Dallas Wings on Tuesday night. “So we wish, obviously, Cathy would (have used her) platform in a different way.” 

And just before midnight, Engelbert posted a more direct response to hateful online rhetoric.

“During a recent media interview, I was asked about the dark side of social media and online conversation about WNBA rivalries and race,” she wrote on the platform formally known as Twitter. “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”

Clark, the former Iowa star, has driven a remarkable increase in ticket sales and TV ratings in the WNBA by averaging 19.2 points and a league-high 8.5 assists per game. Reese, an LSU alum who recently suffered a season-ending injury, is pulling down a WNBA-high 13.1 rebounds per contest.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:

• Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese out for rest of WNBA season with wrist injury
• Paris’ Olympics summer ends with a feud over keeping the rings on the Eiffel Tower
• Raygun, viral Australian Olympic breakdancer, ranked No. 1 in the world by sport’s governing body

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The rookie forward for the Chicago Sky grabbed her 405th rebound of the season on Sunday, setting the WNBA’s all-time single season record.

Reese entered Sunday with 399 rebounds, five shy of Sylvia Fowles’ record of 404 set in 2018. Reese set the new mark in the second quarter of the Sky’s game against the Minnesota Lynx.

Reese is the WNBA’s leading rebounder at 12.9 per game. Earlier this season, she became the first player in league history to grab 20 or more rebounds in three consecutive games.

On the precipice of history Friday, she wore a backwards Dennis Rodman Detroit Pistons jersey to the Sky’s showdown against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. Rodman, a Basketball Hall of Famer, led the NBA in rebounding for seven consecutive seasons while playing for the Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls.

Reese grabbed 11 rebounds in 32 minutes in the Sky’s 100-81 loss to the Fever, setting the stage for her record-breaking performance on Sunday. 

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The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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Considering the intense battles between both teams this season, highlighted by All-Star rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, tickets for this contest are expensive. According to TickPick, Friday’s game is the most costly WNBA game on record.

The average ticket price of the game is a whopping $334. That’s a 16% increase from their June matchup ($287). It’s also 159% more expensive than the Sky’s average home game purchase price ($59).

The current “get-in” price is now $165, which is 84% more expensive than the “get-in” price of this past season’s Chicago Bulls’ home opener ($104). The game’s biggest purchase is a three-ticket combination worth $2,460, an average ticket price of $820.

The big game comes on the heels of the Sky unveiling their new mascot, Skye the Lioness. According to the team, the lioness was chosen to “embody strength, feminine power, grace and the courage to overcome obstacles.”

The team’s existing mascot Sky Guy, who debuted in 2006, will continue appearing at games through the end of the season.

In WNBA standings, the Sky currently ranks eighth with 11 wins and 19 losses. The Indiana Fever, in seventh place, has 15 wins and 16 losses.

With a triple in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made history.

Clark became the new holder of the most WNBA triples made as a rookie, cashing in her 86th of the season.

The 22-year-old did so with a stepback jumper over star defender Dijonai Carrington early in the first period.

Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 overall pick by the Atlanta Dream in 2022, held the previous record with 85. That season, Howard shot 34.3% from deep on 7.3 attempts.

Clark still has about three weeks to go until the regular season concludes, so surpassing the 100 mark could soon be a reality. Nine games remain on Indiana’s schedule.

Entering Wednesday’s contest, Clark held a shooting percentage of 33.3% from long range on 8.5 attempts.

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Allisha Gray had 21 points and Rhyne Howard 19 to lead the Dream (10-17), who won their season-best third straight after going into the Olympic break on an eight-game losing streak.

Charles, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft out of UConn, opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer from the top of the key that moved her past Tina Thompson’s 7,488 points. Charles’ 7,491 points are more than 3,000 behind Diana Taurasi (10,500), who was held to a late 3-pointer in this game.

Charles’ basket broke a 48-48 tie and started a 17-2 run that broke the game open. Reserve Maya Caldwell had all six of her points following Charles’ 3.

Gray had a jumper and two free throws that made it 65-50 with 5:26 to play. When they beat the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, the Dream opened the fourth quarter with a 19-2 run.

Kahleah Copper led the Mercury (15-14) with 22 points and Brittney Griner had 14. The Mercury were outrebounded 47-33, including 16-3 on the offensive end.

Atlanta held Phoenix to 2 of 15 shooting with five turnovers in the first quarter to race to a 19-6 lead.

The Dream went cold in the second quarter missing their first 11 shots and back-to-back baskets by Copper gave Phoenix at 25-24 lead. Gray then made a pair of 3s and Howard had another to help the Dream take a 34-26 halftime lead.

Atlanta’s streak came against Seattle, Connecticut and the Mercury, all teams with winning records and in playoff position down the stretch. Now Atlanta is a game back of the final playoff spot and plays host to Phoenix again on Friday.

Seven teams have officially qualified for the postseason, with the Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury being the latest additions to the field.

Indiana, led by rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, is heading to the playoffs for the first time since all the way back in 2016. Phoenix, meanwhile, will return to the postseason after missing out last season.

There’s now just one playoff spot still up for grabs with just a couple weeks left in the regular season So, as battles for that final postseason berth and playoff positioning heat up, here’s what to know about the WNBA postseason:

How many games are in the WNBA regular season?

Each team plays 40 games in the regular season.

When does the WNBA regular season end?

The final day of the 2024 regular season is Thursday, Sept. 19.

When do the WNBA playoffs start?

The WNBA playoffs are slated to begin on Sunday, Sept. 22.

How many teams make the WNBA playoffs?

The top eight teams in the WNBA — regardless of conference — make the playoffs.

What teams are in the WNBA playoffs so far?

These seven teams have qualified for the playoffs so far:

• New York Liberty
• Connecticut Sun
• Minnesota Lynx
• Las Vegas Aces
• Seattle Storm
• Indiana Fever
• Phoenix Mercury

How do the WNBA playoffs work?

The WNBA playoffs seed teams based on regular-season record, with the top team owning the No. 1 seed.

In the first round, the matchups by seed are 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, and 4 vs. 5.

How many games are in a WNBA playoff series?

The first round of the playoffs features a best-of-three format where the higher seed hosts the first two games of the series. Should the series go the distance, the lower seed hosts the decisive Game 3.

The semifinals and WNBA Finals both have a best-of-five format where the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2 and 5.

When are the WNBA Finals?

The full WNBA Finals schedule hasn’t been released yet. However, a potential decisive Game 5 will take place no later than Sunday, Oct. 20, according to the WNBA.

Hamby, traded to Los Angeles in January 2023, played for the organization from 2015-22, beginning when the Aces were based in San Antonio. She earned the league Sixth Player of the Year award in 2019 and 2020 and won a bronze medal in 3×3 basketball at the Paris Olympics.

Hamby, who went public with her accusations last year, sued the WNBA and her former team in federal court last Monday alleging discrimination and retaliation.

“I’ve been in either the WNBA or the NBA for now 25 years,” Hammon said Sunday after the Aces beat Hamby and the Sparks 87-71. “I’ve never had an HR complaint. Never, not once. I still didn’t, actually, because Dearica didn’t file any. She didn’t file with the players’ union, she didn’t file with the WNBA. Those are facts.

“It’s also factual that nobody made a call about trading her until Atlanta called us in January (2023). That’s a fact. So … it just didn’t happen.”

Hammon previously refuted the allegations, saying in May 2023 that Hamby was traded for strategic reasons, namely putting the club in position to sign likely future Hall of Famer Candace Parker.

“We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in her one contract, and we wanted to get three more people in,” Hammon said at the time. “I think it’s very evident (with) who we signed on why we made the move.”

The WNBA investigated the matter and in May 2023 suspended Hammon for two games without pay. The club also was docked their first-round 2025 draft pick for providing impermissible player benefits involving Hamby.

Hamby insisted the league didn’t go far enough. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September saying she was discriminated against and amended the filing in October. According to the lawsuit, the EEOC ruled in May she had a “right to sue.”

Hamby’s lawsuit alleged the Aces discriminated and retaliated against her, leading to her January 2023 trade to the Sparks.

“We are aware of today’s legal filing and are reviewing the complaint,” a WNBA spokesperson said.

The Aces did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but the club and coach Becky Hammon previously refuted the allegations. Hammon said in May 2023 that Hamby was traded for strategic reasons, namely putting the club in position to sign likely future Hall of Famer Candace Parker.

“We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in her one contract, and we wanted to get three more people in,” Hammon said at the time. “I think it’s very evident (with) who we signed on why we made the move.”

Hamby, a bronze-medal winner in 3×3 women’s basketball in the recently completed Olympic Games, twice previously made public claims against the Aces.

The WNBA investigated the matter and in May 2023 suspended Hammon for two games without pay. The club also was docked their 2025 first-round draft pick for providing impermissible player benefits involving Hamby.

Hamby, however, insisted the league didn’t go far enough. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September saying she was discriminated against and amended the filing in October.

According to the lawsuit, the EEOC ruled in May she had a “right to sue.”

“The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal laws have long shielded pregnant women from discrimination on the job,” Hamby’s attorneys said in a statement. “The world champion Aces exiled Dearica Hamby for becoming pregnant and the WNBA responded with a light tap on the wrist. Every potential mother in the league is now on notice that childbirth could change their career prospects overnight. That can’t be right in one of the most prosperous and dynamic women’s professional sports leagues in America.”

Hamby played for the organization from 2015-22, beginning when the Aces were based in San Antonio as the Stars. She was named the league Sixth Player of the Year in 2019 and 2020 and made the All-Star team three of the past four seasons.

This season, Hamby is averaging career highs 19.2 points and 10.0 rebounds.

Hamby’s lawsuit is the latest off-court issue for the Aces.

They also are being investigated by the WNBA regarding a two-year sponsorship deal offered by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in which each player receives $25,000 per month and up to $100,000 per season.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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Commentator Ryan Ruocco announced the injury during the game, saying, “I feel for Aubrey Plaza. She came this weekend with a healthy knee. She’s leaving with a torn ACL, thanks to a hardy game of knockout at the Mercury practice facility.”

“Knockout” is a basketball game where players line up behind the free-throw line and try to make a shot before the player behind them does.

Plaza shared photos from the weekend on her Instagram, including poses with her injured knee. Her caption read, “How it started…how it went… Nothing can stop us! Thank you @wnba for hosting such an amazing weekend and taking such good care of me and my busted knee. Such a great game. See you in paris (no).”

Plaza also shared moments from the game, where she enjoyed courtside seats with Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird, shook hands with Caitlin Clark and posed with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

Aubrey Plaza’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for an update Monday.

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This was not Plaza’s first ACL tear, Deadline reported. Her first occurred during a women’s recreational league game in Los Angeles, where she disguised herself with a wig so she could play on the same team as her sister.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

• U.S. Olympic basketball star Brittney Griner ready to represent ‘the country that fought for me to come back’
• The Noah Lyles Show: U.S. track superstar is on a mission to conquer the Paris Games
• With heart, humanity and a killer kick, C.J. Nickolas eyes men’s taekwondo gold

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They’ll get to team-up for the first time in the WNBA All-Star game Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC after being rivals in college. Reese’s LSU Tigers topped Clark’s Iowa team for the national championship in 2023. The Hawkeyes knocked out the Tigers this past year in the Elite Eight.

“Everybody can wear their ‘Get Along’ shirts together for one day, at least,” Reese said, joking. “So I know a lot of people are going to come and watch us, to see all of us. But there’s a lot of talent within both rosters of the teams, so they’re in for a good one.”

While there has been so much hype on the pair entering the WNBA, the duo has shown they can compete with the best players in the league. That’s helped show this isn’t just a moment for the WNBA, but a larger movement for the sport.

“I definitely think it’s much more than women’s basketball. I think you look across the board at all women’s sports, and people are really invested in it and show up for it,” Clark said. “Obviously, women’s basketball has kind of been at the forefront of all of it. And for good reason, as it should across the board, whether it’s college women’s basketball or the WNBA. The talent level has been really good.”

While both Clark and Reese have been challenged through physical play on the court and and a lot of noise off the court during their rookie season, they’ve flourished.

“I told Angel at the draft that I’m not trying to put anything heavy on her, but this league depends on you playing, you know, well. And she understood, she understood that things weren’t going to be handed to her,” said WNBA union president and Seattle Storm center Nneka Ogwumike. “I think that’s why she’s doing well. I think there were a lot of naysayers and I think there was a lot of debris coming Caitlin’s way, and they’ve handled it well.”

The pair have helped the league to record ratings and attendance through the first part of the season, building on what they achieved in college. Clark finished as the NCAA’s Division I all-time scoring leader and Clark won an NCAA championship at LSU.

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The pair’s success so far in their rookie season potentially helped increase the value of the WNBA for its new media right’s deal that is worth a reported $2.2 billion over 11 years.

“They are handling it the best that they can and it’s always good that they can back it up,” said Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson. “To actually be good at what they do is important because it wouldn’t be good if they weren’t and no one wants to see you play.”

Reese is currently second in the league in rebounding (11.9) and Clark is tops in assists (8.2), according to the WNBA. She just broke the league’s single-game assist mark with 19 against Dallas in Indiana’s last game before the Olympic break. Reese already broke the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles in a season with 15.

Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggin-Smith were among the college players who had major hype entering the 2013 WNBA draft. The trio have had stellar WNBA careers, but didn’t move the needle the same way Clark, Reese and the rest of this rookie class have so far.

“We saw what they could do and why wouldn’t it translate over?” Griner said. “They put in all the hard work and they do everything. They’re not just running on media they, they actually play hard, too. I’m just happy that there’s validation for all those people that had doubts.”

The highlight of the weekend will be Team USA women’s basketball taking on the WNBA All-Stars, the latter of which will feature Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

But there will also be a skills challenge and 3-point contest, so fans will have multiple competitions to tune in to.

Who will be competing in the 3-point contest, specifically? Here’s what to know:

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When is the 2024 WNBA 3-point contest?

The 2024 contest is slated for Friday, July 19. Both the 3-point contest and skills challenge are on the same day, beginning at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT.

Where is the 2024 WNBA 3-point contest?

The 3-point contest will be part of the All-Star festivities in Phoenix.

Who is in the 2024 WNBA 3-point contest?

The WNBA on Wednesday announced the five participants. Here’s a look at each, along with their respective teams and 3-point shooting percentages:

• Stefanie Dolson, Washington Mystics: 48.5%
• Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream: 36%
• Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty: 39.6%
• Marina Mabrey, Connecticut Sun: 34.8%
• Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx: 42.7%

Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu will not be participating.

How to watch the 2024 WNBA 3-point contest

The contest will be available to watch on ESPN.

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The 2024 No. 1 overall pick is gradually acclimating to life in the WNBA, and she once again made noise in a game against the Dallas Wings.

Despite Clark’s Indiana Fever losing 101-93, the 22-year-old made league history by breaking the single-game assist record, doing so in just her 26th-career outing.

So, how many dimes did Clark register and what was the old mark? Here’s what to know:

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What is the WNBA single-game assist record?

Caitlin Clark set the new WNBA single-game assist record at 19 against the Dallas Wings on July 17, 2024.

What was the previous WNBA single-game assist record?

The previous high was set by Courtney Vandersloot on Aug. 31, 2020. Vandersloot had 18 assists in one game with the Chicago Sky versus the Fever.

Who has the most WNBA assists of all time?

The WNBA player with the most assists of all time is Sue Bird, who logged 3,234 during her 19-year career.

Which active WNBA player has the most assists of all time?

The active WNBA player with the most assists of all time is Courtney Vandersloot, who currently plays for the New York Liberty. Vandersloot is second all time with 2,773 assists and counting.

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The two games held on Wednesday, which included Caitlin Clark setting the WNBA single-game record for assists, marked the final regular-season contests of the month due to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The league is now set to hold its All-Star Weekend before several players, including 12 American stars, head over to France to compete in the Games.

So, how long will the Olympic break last and when will the regular season resume? Here’s what to know:

When does the WNBA Olympic break start?

The final regular-season games before the break were on July 17.

How long is the WNBA Olympic break?

The league will be on hiatus for roughly a month.

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When is WNBA All-Star Weekend?

WNBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix will be held from Friday, July 19 to Saturday, July 20. The All-Star festivities begin with the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest on Friday.

When is Team USA vs. WNBA All-Stars game?

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and the WNBA All-Stars will then take on the United States’ star-studded Olympic squad in the All-Star Game on Saturday.

When is women’s basketball at the 2024 Olympics?

The basketball action in Paris will run from Saturday, July 27 to Sunday, Aug. 11.

When is the next WNBA game?

The regular season will resume with a trio of games on Thursday, Aug. 15.

What are the WNBA standings?

Here’s a look at the WNBA standings entering the break:

1. New York Liberty: 21-4
2. Connecticut Sun: 18-6
3. Minnesota Lynx: 17-8
4. Seattle Storm: 17-8
5. Las Vegas Aces: 16-8
6. Phoenix Mercury: 13-12
7. Indiana Fever: 11-15
8. Chicago Sky: 10-14
9. Atlanta Dream: 7-17
10. Los Angeles Sparks: 6-18
11. Washington Mystics: 6-19
12. Dallas Wings: 6-19

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How many games are in a WNBA season?

Each team plays 40 games in the regular season.

When does the WNBA season end?

The final games of the 2024 regular season are scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 19.

How many teams make the WNBA playoffs?

The top eight teams — regardless of conference — qualify for the playoffs.

When do the WNBA playoffs start?

The postseason is set to begin on Sunday, Sept. 22.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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Just days before they take the court at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA will face the remaining WNBA All-Stars.

That means Caitlin Clark is likely to get a taste of Olympic basketball this year after all. She’ll just be playing against Team USA instead of playing for them. 

This will be the second time the U.S. squad has faced WNBA players for an Olympic primer during All-Star weekend. In 2021, Team WNBA defeated the U.S. women’s national team 93-85 in Las Vegas behind an MVP performance by Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale.

This year’s 12-player U.S. team includes stars like A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty and Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun — who will look to bring home an eighth consecutive gold medal.

But before heading to Paris, they’ll make a stop at All-Star weekend.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Team USA vs. WNBA All-Stars matchup:

When is the WNBA All-Star Game?

The WNBA All-Star Game, which will feature the U.S. women’s basketball team against the WNBA All-Stars, is on Saturday, July 20.

Where is the WNBA All-Star Game?

The WNBA All-Star Game will be played at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, home of the three-time WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury.

What time is the WNBA All-Star Game?

The matchup between the WNBA All-Stars and U.S. women’s basketball team will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET.

What channel is the WNBA All-Star Game on?

The WNBA All-Star Game will air on ABC. It can be streamed on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

What are the other WNBA All-Star Weekend events?

The festivities at WNBA All-Star weekend will also include the 3-point contest and the skills challenge, which will both be held on Friday, July 19 at the Footprint Center. The events will be broadcasted on ESPN starting at 9 p.m. ET. 

How does voting work for the WNBA All-Star Game?

Twelve players, regardless of conference, will be voted onto the WNBA All-Star team that will face Team USA.

Fans, who select six frontcourt players and four backcourt players, account for 50% of the voting. The remaining percentage determined by current WNBA players (25%) and media members (25%). Voting concludes on June 29 and the team will be announced on July 2.

Some of the top-10 eligible vote-getters who will be considered WNBA All-Stars will be from the U.S. women’s team. WNBA coaches will then vote for the remaining WNBA All-Stars from a pool of the following 36 highest vote-getters. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players.

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Who is on the U.S. women’s basketball team?

Here are the 12 players that were named to the U.S. women’s basketball team for the 2024 Paris Olympics:

• Napheesa Collier, Minnesota
• Kahleah Cooper, Phoenix
• Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas
• Brittney Griner, Phoenix
• Sabrina Ionescu, New York
• Jewell Loyd, Seattle
• Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas
• Breanna Stewart, New York
• Diana Taurasi, Phoenix
• Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut
• A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas
• Jackie Young, Las Vegas

Who has the most votes for the WNBA All-Star Game?

Here are the top vote getters for the WNBA All-Star Game after the first round of results announced on June 21:

• *A’ja Wilson, Frontcourt (LVA) 217,773
• Caitlin Clark, Guard (IND) 216,427
• Aliyah Boston, Frontcourt (IND) 171,864
• *Breanna Stewart, Frontcourt (NYL) 151,984
• Arike Ogunbowale, Guard (DAL) 130,838
• *Sabrina Ionescu, Guard (NYL) 118,949
• Angel Reese, Frontcourt (CHI) 118,490
• *Kelsey Plum, Guard (LVA) 117,217
• *Napheesa Collier, Frontcourt (MIN) 103,550
• Dearica Hamby, Frontcourt (LAS) 97,094
• Cameron Brink, Frontcourt (LAS) 95,728
• Kate Martin, Guard (LVA) 91,565
• Nneka Ogwumike, Frontcourt (SEA) 89,023
• DeWanna Bonner, Frontcourt (CON) 82,636
• Jonquel Jones, Frontcourt (NYL) 78,593
• Kamilla Cardoso, Frontcourt (CHI) 75,513
• NaLyssa Smith, Frontcourt (IND) 72,719
• Kelsey Mitchell, Guard (IND) 66,820
• *Kahleah Copper, Guard (PHO) 66,013
• *Alyssa Thomas, Frontcourt (CON) 62,713

*Indicates a player already named to the USA Women’s National Team 5-on-5 roster, which will compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Bridget Carleton scored 23 points and Collier added 21 to help the Lynx win their first Commissioner’s Cup championship with a 94-89 victory over the New York Liberty on Tuesday night.

“Means a lot. Testament to where we are at this season,” Collier said. “This is the best group. Our personalities mesh so well. Any night anyone can have 20. Bridget had an outstanding game. It’s so fun.”

The Lynx became the fourth different team to win the Cup in the event’s four-year history and continued the trend of the host team losing. New York was trying to be the first to repeat as champions after winning in Las Vegas last season.

“It’s really good, always want to win championships,” Collier said. “This is a championship we won, but there’s still work to be done. A lot of games to be played. We want to build on this. We don’t want to peak here. This is amazing at the end of the day we want to achieve bigger things than this at the end of the season.”

The game was tied at 60 late in the third quarter when Carleton and Cecilia Zandalasini hit consecutive 3-pointers to start a 10-0 run that spanned the periods.

Breanna Stewart scored nine straight points to get the Liberty within 70-69, but they could never regain the lead. Courtney Williams and Carleton scored the next five points for Minnesota and New York never really threatened again.

“What I’m proud of is we answered every run on the road and that tells you everything about our basketball team,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Collier, who also had six rebounds and three assists, won the game’s MVP award.

Stewart scored 24 points and Sabrina Ionescu added 23.

“I think that they executed better than us and that’s it, both ends of the floor,” Stewart said. “We weren’t able to get anything we wanted. Twenty-one turnovers is never going to win the game.”

Jonquel Jones, who has been fantastic for the Liberty all season, struggled on Tuesday night. She missed all three of her field-goal attempts and didn’t score until hitting two free throws with 1:20 left.

“JJ has been playing great, they really took her out of the game, made it hard for her to catch the ball,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said.

The game was moved from the Liberty’s usual home Barclays Center to UBS Arena — about 20 miles away — because the NBA draft was being held there Wednesday night and there wasn’t enough time to changeover the arena after the game.

Even though it wasn’t their normal home, the Liberty faithful showed up and were loud, trying to spur on their team to victory.

New York built a 47-37 lead midway through the second quarter before the Lynx scored eight straight points to get within two. The Liberty led 50-47 at the break as Ionescu had 18 points and Kayla Thornton 14.

The Liberty welcomed back Courtney Vandersloot, who hadn’t played since June 4 to be with her mom who passed away two weekends ago. She checked in for the first time with 3:30 left in the opening quarter and finished with four points.

“Shows a lot about who she is and how much she cares about being a part of this team,” Ionescu said. “Wanting to sacrifice to suit up and be available to us. Credit to her, it’s so tough to do what she’s doing.”

New York also saw the return of Betnijah-Laney Hamilton, who had been sidelined with right knee soreness for the past week. She was back in the starting lineup, finishing with 13 points.

Financial incentive

The teams for the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup will split a prize pool of $500,000. Players on Minnesota can make up to $30,000 while each player on New York makes $10,000. Every player competing will also receive $5,000 in crypto currency.

There was also a charitable component with New York raising $15,000 for Women Creating Change and Minnesota earning $13,500 for Gender Justice. The Lynx earned an additional $10,000 for their charity by winning and the Liberty received $5,000 for finishing second.

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The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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Clark was driving to the hoop in the third quarter of the game when Reese swung her arm, hitting Clark in the head and sending her sprawling to the floor:

After video review, the play was ruled a flagrant one foul on Reese, and Clark was given two free throws while the Fever retained possession.

A flagrant one foul is assessed in the WNBA if a foul is interpreted as “unnecessary,” while a flagrant two foul would be considered unnecessary and “excessive,” according to the league’s rule book.

Following the Sky’s loss to the Fever, Clark spoke out about the play.

“I think we went up really strong a lot of times and we didn’t get a lot of calls,” she said. “Going back and looking at the film, I’ve seen a lot of calls that weren’t made. I guess some people got a special whistle.”

This isn’t the first time a Sky player has been assessed a flagrant foul against the Fever this season, as Chennedy Carter was assessed a flagrant one on a hard foul on Clark earlier in the year.

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The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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According to the Sun-Times, the man targeted guard Chennedy Carter, who made headlines recently for shoving Caitlin Clark during a Sky-Fever game. There’s no certainty that was the reason the man harassed Carter and the team. It’s also unclear how the man knew of the Sky’s hotel, according to the report.

Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca told the Sun-Times the situation was de-escalated, as team security escorted the man away from the team. Police were not called to the hotel after the incident, the report said.

“It was over as fast as it started,” Pagliocca said to the Sun-Times. “I’m very confident in our security always making our players feel safe. Today was a great example of how critical they are to our team.”

Several players took to social media to share their accounts of the incident, expressing their disgust with the situation.

“Finding out our team’s hotel to pull up with a camera as we get off the bus and put it in my teammate’s face and harass her is nasty work,” Angel Reese posted to X.

“I wasn’t present for the interaction from earlier, but what occurred isn’t acceptable,” Brianna Turner posted. “Didn’t realize that when we said ‘grow the game’ that would be interpreted as harassing players at hotels. You are free to have your own opinion but consider if this happened to someone u know.

“Getting harassed at our hotel is where the line needs to be drawn,” Michaela Onyenwere shared. “Some ‘fans’ have no chill.”

“Thank god for security,” Isabelle Harrison posted. “My teammate being harassed at our hotel is insane. Couldn’t even step off the bus.”

But no rookie draft class has brought as many eyes as the 2024 class has, thanks to players such as Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and, of course, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.

While Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green didn’t hesitate to give Clark and the rookie class their flowers for bringing a new light to the W, he believes the WNBA could’ve done the same with A’ja Wilson years ago and missed its opportunity to market off the Las Vegas Aces center.

“I ain’t saying Caitlin Clark is the best thing since sliced bread. Quite frankly, if you want my opinion, that’s A’ja Wilson,” Green said on his “The Draymond Green Show” podcast. “The best thing since sliced bread in the WNBA is A’ja Wilson. I’m not necessarily in the mindset that it’s all Caitlin Clark, no, A’ja Wilson is great. A’ja Wilson to me is the American dream. Coming from a two-parent household, grew, got better, young Black girl, had everything against her, beat the odds to become what soon will be known as the greatest player to ever grace the WNBA. That’s quite honestly my opinion.

“I think A’ja Wilson is as marketable as anybody in the WNBA, but you have to figure out how to market the product. So I’m not going to sit up here and act like Caitlin Clark ain’t done nothing for the WNBA. That’s bulls–t, yes she has. She’s going to continue to. No, I’m not in the assumption that it’s only her. I think y’all got a gold mine in the WNBA sitting right there, marketable as anybody in A’Ja Wilson and haven’t figured out how to make it go. Ain’t A’Ja fault. A’Ja got a lot about her that is as marketable as can be.”

Wilson, 27, was selected No. 1 overall by Las Vegas in the 2018 WNBA Draft after starring at South Carolina. She averages 20.1 points on 49.1-percent shooting, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in 195 games over seven seasons.

The 6-foot-4 big leads the league in several categories this season, including rebounds per game, 2-point field goals and 2-point field goal attempts.

She won Rookie of the Year in 2018 and has been crowned the WNBA MVP twice as well as earning Defensive Player of the Year in two consecutive seasons.

And the two-time WNBA champ and 2020 Olympic gold medalist has shown no signs of slowing down, either, as she is averaging 26.5 points on 48.4-percent shooting, with 12.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.8 blocks in six games this season.

As great as Wilson has been on all surfaces, six years after she entered the league, it has been Clark’s effect that has drawn in a nationwide audience with record-breaking viewership.

Clark’s welcome to the WNBA hasn’t been smooth sailing. After going No. 1 overall to Indiana, the star rookie is averaging 15.6 points on 35.7-percent from the field and just 29.7 from 3-point range, with 5.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists.

But the headlines surrounding her have gone beyond her production. Clark has been roughed up by opposing vets and called out in social media posts questioning what she brings to the WNBA.

And while Green believes the W missed its marketing opportunity with Wilson, the league certainly has Clark — and several other rookies — to thank for bringing new fans to tune in. And whether that’s to watch Wilson dominate in the paint or Clark’s sharpshooting — they’re still watching. And that’s a win for everyone.

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The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

“I think collectively as a team, we understand who kind of the head of the monster is on that team and we are trying to just make everything tough and difficult,” Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu said. “Obviously, they came off a back-to-back, so it’s a little bit tough for them as well. But she’ll figure it out. It’s not that big of a deal to have a game like that.”

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points and Jonquel Jones added 18 for the Liberty, who were nearing the end of the easy win when Clark left the game and Aliyah Boston departed a few minutes later after an awkward fall that injured her left ankle.

Clark shot 1 for 10 and had five assists. The No. 1 pick in the draft played the first few minutes of the fourth quarter before exiting, holding her left ear for a little bit as she left the court. She hurt it while getting bumped on a screen. Clark went to the locker room with Boston for a few minutes, but returned to the bench for the final 2 1/2 minutes of the game.

Clark was fine afterward.

Indiana coach Christie Sides didn’t have an update on the extent of Boston’s injury, but last season’s Rookie of the Year seemed to be OK walking around in front of the locker room.

The Fever have had a brutal stretch to the start the season with 11 games in the first 20 days, including playing New York three times now.

“Their legs were shot. I mean, that’s where everything stems from, your legs, when you shoot the basketball — especially for 3s,” Sides said. “They’re shot, they’re gassed, so everything was a little short.”

Indiana was playing the second game of a back-to-back set. The Fever (2-9) beat Chicago on Saturday afternoon by one point.

The Liberty took advantage of the tired Fever, racing out to a 31-13 lead after one quarter. Laney-Hamilton and Breanna Stewart each had seven points in the opening 10 minutes as New York pushed the pace.

Clark was scoreless in the first quarter before starting off the second period with a logo 3-pointer. She was constantly hounded defensively by Laney-Hamilton and Kayla Thornton.

New York led 55-37 at the break. Indiana got within 12 early in the third quarter before the Liberty blew open the game.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 21 points to lead Indiana.

Clark has been a huge draw at home and on the road this season. New York had 17,401 fans in attendance for the game.

All five Liberty starters had at least four assists as the team combined to have 30.

Fever: Indiana finally gets time to rest as its next game is Friday in Washington.

Liberty: New York travels to Chicago for a rematch against the Sky, who handed the team its first loss of the season.

Following Saturday’s eventful matchup that was headlined by Chennedy Carter’s blindside shoulder shot to Clark, the Sky guard appeared to double down on her thoughts toward the Indiana Fever star.

Carter on Sunday responded to a post on Threads about her refusing to answer postgame questions on the shoulder shot by taking a shot at Clark, saying, “…beside three point shooting what does she bring to the table man” followed by a laughing emoji.

In the 71-70 Fever win, Clark posted 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. On the season, the No. 1 overall pick is averaging 16.9 points, 6.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks on a 38/31/90 shooting split.

Carter, who is on her third team in three years after being the No. 4 overall pick in 2020, is averaging 12 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks on a 55/17/85 shooting split coming off the bench in every game.

The WNBA on Sunday upgraded Carter’s foul on Clark to a Flagrant 1.

Additionally, Sky rookie Angel Reese was fined $1,000 for failing to make herself available for an interview after the loss, while Chicago was fined $5,000 for failing to ensure that all players comply with league media policies.

“I ain’t answering no Caitlin Clark questions,” Carter said in her postgame presser.

“I think at this point, I know I’m gonna take a couple hard shots a game, and that’s what it is,” Clark said in her interview. “I’m trying not to let it bother me.”

The two teams will next meet on Sunday, June 16 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT in Indiana.

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Carter gave a shoulder shot to Clark that knocked her to the floor before an inbound pass during the third quarter of Saturday’s 71-70 win by the Fever. The officials called it an away-from-the-ball foul and didn’t review the play. It was deemed a common foul at the time.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Clark said after the game. “It is what it is. It’s a physical game. Go make the free throw and execute on offense, and I feel like that’s kind of what we did.”

Carter didn’t answer questions about Clark or the play after the game.

The league fined Sky forward Angel Reese $1,000 for failing to make herself available to media after Saturday’s game. The WNBA also fined Chicago $5,000 for failing to ensure that all players comply with league media policies.

The league office may reclassify a flagrant foul or upgrade a foul to a flagrant one that isn’t called during the game. In addition, the league may impose a fine or suspend a player for a flagrant foul. The WNBA didn’t do either to Carter.

Players accumulate points for flagrant fouls during the regular season and receive suspensions if they reach a certain number.

Indiana coach Christie Sides praised Clark in her postgame interview Saturday for keeping her composure through all the physical play she’s faced this season.

“We’re just going to keep sending these possessions to the league, and these plays, and hopefully they’ll start, you know, taking a better look at some of the things that we see happening, or we think is happening,” she said. “Just more happy that Caitlin handled it the way she did. You know, it’s tough to keep getting hammered the way she does and to not get rewarded with free throws or foul calls. She’s continued to fight through that. Appreciate that from her. Really, really proud of her for doing that.”

Clark finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Reese had eight points and 13 rebounds.

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Collier and Stewart said that all salaries will be six figures and that players will also have an equity stake in the league.

“It’s really important to us,” Collier told The Associated Press. “Compensation is a huge part of Unrivaled as a league and a business. All the players in this first year will have equity in the league. For players to have a piece of the pie essentially to grow their generational wealth is something we’re really excited about.”

Stewart said that compensation was key for players, many of whom have spent their offseason overseas supplementing their WNBA incomes. The average WNBA base salary is about $130,000 with the top stars able to earn more than $500,000 through salary, marketing agreements, an in-season tournament and bonuses.

“It’s amazing, not only for the salaries to be similar or more than your WNBA salary, but to be able to build brand partnerships that can’t come into the W or the NBA,” Stewart said. “It’s more than just an initial salary, but showing these companies who you are as a player.”

The league, which was first announced last summer, will run for eight weeks with the 30 players divided into six teams. The squads will play two games a week with the contests taking place on a court about two-thirds the size of a WNBA one. The teams will stay the same throughout the season.

Games will be four quarters long with less time in each quarter than a WNBA contest. Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell said that the rules will be released at a later date.

“This was built as a product,” he said. “It’s meant to solve some of the things that I think just from an average fan’s perspective watching women’s basketball that is missing. It’s space, it’s pace. Some of the things that make the college game and NBA great to watch. At the same time it’s not an All-Star game with trading baskets and everyone having fun. It’s meant to bring out the best of the best to compete.”

The rosters will also be announced at a later date, but Stewart and Collier both said that a few WNBA All-Stars have already signed on.

Players will be housed about 15 minutes from the facility, which is a soundstage in Miami that’s being built up.

“Stewie and I both have families and understand the importance of childcare,” Collier said. “Make sure the parents in the league are taken care of.”

Collier also said there will be weight rooms and recovery rooms so that players can take care of themselves.

The league added a strong group of investors to fund the launch. Theye include Carmelo Anthony, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Michelle Wie West, Ashton Kutcher, Steve Nash and Geno Auriemma.

“It’s not just about the dollars, but the relationships they have. We’ve been very selected with the people we brought in,” Bazzell said. “Investing in women’s sports there’s a ROI for it now. We wanted to have a group of people we could call up and say ‘Hey can you help in this area?’”

Former ESPN President John Skipper and former Turner President David Levy are both investors and will be spearheading the league media rights deal. Levy, who is the co-founder and co-CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences will work on Unrivaled’s sponsorship sales efforts.

“I’ve never seen a win, win, win like this on all aspects that there are no losers,” Levy said. “The fans win, the media companies win, the leagues win, the ladies win. It seems unusual to get all that lined up at a moment in time. It’s like a penny stock that can go to a $10 in, you know, a year from now, two years from now.”

Levy said a few factors are driving this inflection point for women’s basketball that include attendance, viewership, sports betting, engagement and branding.

“I don’t think this is a one-off,” he said. “Women’s basketball and probably women’s soccer are taking off in a very big way.”

Stewart said that the league has come a long way since the initial dinner two years ago when the idea of the league was first hatched.

“There’s nothing not to like about it, the only thing people are scared of is that it’s in its first year,” Stewart said.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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In the Indiana Fever’s final contest before the Olympic break, Clark broke Courtney Vandersloot’s all-time mark for assists in a game. The No. 1 overall pick racked up 19 dimes against the Dallas Wings, topping Vandersloot’s previous record by one.

Could we see Clark or other WNBA stars break any other notable single-game records in the 2024 season? From points to rebounds and more, here’s a look at the league records to beat:

What are the most points scored by a WNBA player in a game?

Liz Cambage and Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson share the single-game record for points at 53. Cambage initially set the record with the Wings during the 2018 season before Wilson matched it in 2023.

Riquna Williams, who had a 51-point outing with the Tulsa Shock in 2013, is the only other player in league history with a 50-point game.

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What are the most rebounds by a WNBA player in a game?

The single-game rebounding record has stood for two decades as no player has been able to duplicate Chamique Holdsclaw’s 24-board effort with the Washington Mystics in 2003.

There have been three 23-rebound games since, with two coming from Atlanta Dream center Tina Charles (2010, 2011) and one from Michelle Snow (2006). Chicago Sky big Angel Reese has a 22-rebound game in her standout rookie season.

The single-game high for defensive rebounds is 21, set by Amanda Zahui B. in 2020. The single-game high for offensive rebounds is 12, shared by Cheryl Ford (2004), Sancho Lyttle (2010), Nneka Ogwumike (2012) and Glory Johnson (2013).

What are the most assists by a WNBA player in a game?

As previously mentioned, Caitlin Clark tallied 19 assists in July to break Courtney Vandersloot’s record of 18 that had stood since 2020. Vandersloot, who currently plays for the New York Liberty, set the record as a member of the Sky.

What are the most 3-pointers made by a WNBA player in a game?

Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd and Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell share the single-game 3-point record at nine makes. Mitchell first set the record during the 2019 campaign before Loyd matched it last season.

Loyd has also drilled eight triples twice in her career, while Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi has reached that figure four times. Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride and Sky guard Rachel Banham each have hit eight 3s in a game this season.

What are the most steals by a WNBA player in a game?

Just like Chamique Holdsclaw’s rebounding record, the single-game record for steals has stood since the 2003 season. Ticha Penicheiro became the first and only player to tally double-figure steals in a game when she had 10 as a member of the Sacramento Monarchs in 2003.

What are the most blocks by a WNBA player in a game?

Mercury center Brittney Griner swatted away 11 shots in a 2014 game, breaking the record shared by Lisa Leslie and Margo Dydek at 10. Those are the only three players to ever reach the 10-block mark in a game.

Griner also has a pair of nine-block performances on her résumé, while Dydek recorded nine blocks three times during her career.

The team on Tuesday announced Miller’s dismissal, saying the sides had “mutually agreed to part ways.”

The Sparks will begin their search for a new coach immediately.

The team was 25-55 in Miller’s two seasons at the helm. He is 165-141 as a head coach in the WNBA, including a stint guiding the Connecticut Sun. He was the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2017 and the league’s first executive of the year when he also served as general manager of the Sun.

He led Connecticut to the WNBA Finals in 2019, when it lost to Washington. The Sun again made the Finals in 2022 and lost to Las Vegas.

Miller, who turns 56 next month, was a Sparks assistant in 2015. He was the first openly gay male coach in college or professional basketball when he joined the Sun.

This season, Dearica Hamby earned All-Star honors and The Associated Press Most Improved Player award. Rickea Jackson was voted to the AP All-Rookie Team.

“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said in a statement through the team. “I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”

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Tickets are selling fast for the game, which was moved from the Walter Pyramid on the Long Beach State campus to the much larger Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

The Fever are looking for their first win of the season after an 0-5 start. The Sparks enter the game at 1-2.

Here’s what to know about tickets and how to watch.

What tickets are available for the Fever-Sparks game?

Hundreds of standard tickets are still available for the game. It just depends on how much you want to pay.

A check of StubHub early Friday showed courtside seats still available, starting at $523. Seats just behind the courtside row in were starting at $583 in Section 110 and $293 in Section 101 on StubHub. Tickets in sections 115 and 116, located behind the baseline at one end of the court, ranged from $125 to $135 on StubHub.

But tickets are still available at several price points, starting at $33.

How to watch the Sparks and Fever

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. The game will be shown on ION.

Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink meet for first time in WNBA

Friday night’s game marks the first WNBA meeting between the league’s top-two draft picks and features three of the league’s most promising rookies in Clark, Brink and Sparks forward Rickea Jackson.

The Fever made Clark, the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball, the first pick in this year’s draft. Brink was selected second by the Sparks.

The two never played each other in college. Brink was one of five finalists for the 2024 John R. Wooden Award, which was won by Clark for the second straight season.

Brink had high praise for Clark’s game and her contributions to the sport after the Hawkeye was named player of the year.

“Caitlin really does everything. I think a little bit of everything and that’s what makes her so special,” Brink told reporters. “You watch her and you’re like ‘she’s really a generational talent.’ We just have to thank her. She’s brought so much to the women’s game and she’s going to continue doing that.”

Jackson was selected fourth in the 2024 WNBA Draft out of Tennessee. She is averaging 9.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. She had a career-high 13 points in 22 minutes May 18 against the two-time defending league champion Las Vegas Aces.

Despite the team’s winless start, Clark is averaging a team-leading 17.8 points per game. Brink, the 2023-24 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year at Stanford, is averaging 6.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game. She had a career-high 11 points May 15 against Atlanta.

The Sparks are coming off a 70-68 win over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, when Lexie Brown scored 20 points and Brink led a stalwart defensive effort in the game’s final minutes.

During “Inside the NBA” before Game 1 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, Barkley looked at the camera and appeared to address WNBA players for recent hate Clark has been getting since entering the league.

“You women out there, y’all petty, man,” Barkley said. “LeBron, you’re 100% right on these girls hating on Caitlin Clark. Y’all petty, girls. I expect men to be petty because we’re the most insecure group in the world. Y’all should be thanking that girl for getting y’all a– private charters, all the money and visibility she’s bringing to the WNBA.

“What she’s accomplished, give her her flowers. Stop being petty, all you women out there.”

The comments came a day after Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James talked about Clark on his “Mind the Game” podcast with J.J. Redick.

“The one thing that I love that she’s bringing to her sport, more people want to watch,” James said. “More people want to tune in. Don’t get it twisted, don’t get it f—– up, Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are going to happen to the WNBA. But for her individually, I don’t think she should get involved.”

James added how Clark’s criticism is similar to what his son, Bronny, is facing as he attempts to make the jump from USC to the NBA.

“I’m just kind of in this mode right now because I’m getting the same thing from watching my son who is a 19-year-old kind of getting a lot of animosity and hatred towards him when he’s just a kid trying to live out his dream,” James said. “There’s a very small number of men and women that actually get to live out their dream of playing a professional sport.

“We have grown a– men and women out here doing whatever they can to try and make sure that does not happen. That is the weirdest thing in the world. It is what it is. I’m glad Caitlin has a great head on her shoulders.”

Clark and the Indiana Fever are 0-4 to start the season, though the No. 1 overall pick from Iowa is off to a solid individual start. She’s averaging 17 points, 5.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks on a 41/34/100 shooting split.

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The league saw a 16% increase in overall attendance from 2022 to 2023, and it has seen some record-breaking numbers in 2024.

Caitlin Clark and a group of promising rookies have injected even more excitement for the WNBA in 2024. Some teams capitalized on the Clark craze, as they moved their home games against the Indiana Fever to NBA arenas to welcome more fans.

Just how many WNBA teams share a home with an NBA team? And how many have their own arena?

Here’s a look at each team’s home venue.

Atlanta Dream

The Atlanta Dream have played at Gateway Center Arena since 2021. The stadium also houses the College Park Skyhawks, the Atlanta Hawks’ G League affiliate.

The Dream will play their two home games against Clark and the Fever this season at the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena on June 21 and Aug. 26.

Chicago Sky

The Chicago Sky have played their home games at Wintrust Arena since 2018. The venue also hosts DePaul’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun have their own home at Mohegan Sun Arena, which is attached to the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. The team has played there since moving from Orlando in 2003.

The Sun shipped to Boston for the first time in 2024, as they hosted the Sparks at TD Garden, home to the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, on Aug. 20.

Dallas Wings

Down in Arlington, Texas, the Dallas Wings call College Park Center home alongside UT Arlington’s basketball and volleyball teams.

Indiana Fever

Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis opened as the new home of the Indiana Pacers in 1999. The newly formed Indiana Fever joined the WNBA the following year, and the two teams have shared Gainbridge Fieldhouse since.

Las Vegas Aces

The San Antonio Stars moved to Sin City in 2018 and became the Las Vegas Aces. The two-time-defending WNBA champions have played at Michelob ULTRA Arena since moving to Vegas and are the only major professional sports team to call the stadium home.

Los Angeles Sparks

As one of the WNBA’s original franchises, the Los Angeles Sparks played home games at The Forum in Inglewood, California, from 1997 to 2000. They then moved into Staples Center, now Crypto.com Arena, which is also the home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings. The Los Angeles Clippers just finished their final season at Crypto.com Arena and will move into the Intuit Dome later this year for the 2024-25 NBA season.

The Sparks also played two home games at the Walter Pyramid, the home venue for Long Beach State basketball and volleyball.

Minnesota Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx have played at Target Center in Minneapolis since they were founded in 1999. The venue has also been the home to the Minnesota Timberwolves since it opened in 1990.

New York Liberty

The New York Liberty bounced around a bunch of Big Apple arenas before settling into the Barclays Center with the Brooklyn Nets full-time in 2021.

The Liberty previously made themselves at home at Madison Square Garden, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York, from their WNBA arrival in 1997 to 2019. They also played several home games at Radio City Music Hall in 2004 and an outdoor game at Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2008.

Phoenix Mercury

The Phoenix Mercury share Footprint Center with the Phoenix Suns. The stadium was built in 1992, and the Mercury moved in when the WNBA was founded in 1997.

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm played at the KeyArena at Seattle Center, now called Climate Pledge Arena, from 2000 to 2018. The Storm then had temporary homes of Alaska Airlines Arena (2019) and Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, (2019 and 2021) while Climate Pledge Arena underwent a $1.15 billion redevelopment.

Climate Pledge Arena reopened its doors for the Seattle Kraken, an NHL expansion franchise, in 2021 after the WNBA season had ended. The Storm returned to the venue in 2022.

Washington Mystics

The Washington Mystics shared Capital One Arena (previously the MCI Center and Verizon Center) with the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals from 1998 to 2018. They moved to Entertainment and Sports Arena in D.C. in 2019 and share the arena with the Capital City Go-Go, the Wizards’ G League affiliate.

Washington will play three home games at Capital One Arena in 2024.

Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest expansion franchise, will play home games at Chase Center when they take the court for the first time in 2025. The San Francisco arena first opened in 2019 and is the current home of the Golden State Warriors.

Toronto WNBA expansion franchise

Toronto will be the home for one of the two franchises entering the fold in 2026

The Toronto team will play home games at Coca-Cola Coliseum, which is currently home to the AHL’s Marlies and PWHL’s Toronto franchise.

The Toronto team will also have the ability to play occasional games at Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors. Owner Larry Tanenbaum and team president Teresa Resch said the team also plans to play some games in Vancouver and Montreal.

Portland WNBA expansion franchise

A new basketball team is heading to Portland in 2026.

The city’s WNBA expansion franchise will share the Moda Center with the Portland Trail Blazers.

This isn’t Portland’s first go-around with the WNBA. The city had the Portland Fire from 2000-02, and the short-lived WNBA team shared the Rose Garden, which later became the Moda Center, with the Blazers.

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