Sports

WNBA free-agency chaos: Why did so many All-Stars move for one-year contracts?

Published

1 year ago

February 4, 2025

WNBA free-agency chaos: Why did so many All-Stars move for one-year contracts?

Executives around the WNBA largely expected this offseason’s market to serve as a tune-up for next winter. At the start of the offseason, only two non-rookie contract players had deals that extended past 2025. Seismic change loomed.

But after an avalanche of moves, significant shifts have come an offseason early as a hectic week of free agency is reshaping the upcoming season.

In six days, 10 multi-time All-Stars — Satou Sabally, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Brionna Jones, DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Tina Charles and Courtney Vandersloot — changed teams via trade or the open market.

Veterans who had only played for one team, including Griner (11 years in Phoenix), Thomas (11 years in Connecticut) and Loyd (10 years in Seattle), are with different franchises. Plum had spent her career only with the Aces, and Sabally was a five-year mainstay in Dallas.

Yet, they’ll all be wearing new uniforms in 2025. And maybe only for 2025.

All of the star players so far in free agency have signed one-year deals, which means they’ll be back on the market next year. The short-term contracts allow them to maximize their long-term earning potential.

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Grading and analyzing every WNBA free agency signing: Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, Alyssa Thomas on the move

An economic windfall is expected to hit the league in 2026. Assuming there isn’t a work stoppage, a new collective bargaining agreement will almost assuredly feature higher player salaries and a league salary-cap spike. A new media rights deal that will pay the WNBA an average of $200 million a season over the next 11 years is expected to be a key economic driver. A season from now, players likely will return to inking multiyear deals at higher rates.

But by changing teams in 2025, they can get a sense for their new franchises and see how front offices tailor rosters to their strengths before committing long-term. No situation is entirely predictable, but the decision to try out new situations now, and not in the first year of a multiyear agreement, should help players make more informed decisions in 12 months.

In the short term, stars on new teams can gather information on their new teams this season while also maintaining future leverage.

These bold moves indicate a new era for WNBA players, who have more agency than ever in their decisions to play at their preferred destinations. Historically, stars were largely tethered to the teams that drafted them. Trade requests were relatively rare. Stars like Chelsea Gray and Candace Parker changed teams in recent seasons, but no multi-time All-Stars were traded in 2021 and 2022. In the last three seasons, including this offseason, seven multi-time All-Stars have been dealt.

“That’s just the evolution of the league and where we’re seeing basketball and women’s sports going,” Loyd said. “There’s definitely a lot more freedom and things happening.”

Certainly, teams that took big swings — Phoenix, Atlanta and Los Angeles especially — hope they can build on the foundation they laid this past week.

But the short-term contracts mean teams took risks with these transactions.

The Dream, who haven’t had a winning record since 2018, hope adding Jones and Griner will provide them not only a shot at a top-four playoff seed this season, but also with a significant advantage next winter in talks. The Mercury surely want their big three of Sabally, Thomas and Kahleah Copper — potentially Big Four if Diana Taurasi returns for the 2025 season— to be intact for years to come. Led by Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever already have title aspirations, and the veteran additions of Howard and Bonner could serve as missing pieces to the puzzle.

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WNBA free-agency winners and losers: How did the Fever, Valkyries and others fare?

The benefits of incumbency could give teams a head-start in negotiations next offseason. But even franchises like the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, who aren’t expected to be in title contention, made moves (Chicago added Vandersloot, Kia Nurse and Bec Allen, while the Wings acquired DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith and Ty Harris) that could help them become a more appealing destination for free agents in 2026.

More madness is bound to strike next January. More coupling, and recoupling, of stars will occur. Unrivaled, the new winter 3×3 professional winter league, was an epicenter for WNBA gossip and deal-making. It will be a hub next year, too, with almost every Unrivaled player in the inaugural season hitting the market.

This offseason was a reminder there should be no surprises when a franchise centerpiece looks elsewhere.

Change, even from players who have historically avoided it, is on the table for everyone.

(Photo of Satou Sabally and Brittney Griner: Megan Briggs / Getty Images)

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Sports

Charles Barkley scolds sports fans for getting wrapped up in Olympic hockey frenzy

Published

37 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Charles Barkley scolds sports fans for getting wrapped up in Olympic hockey frenzy

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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.

Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”

Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.

“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”

Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.

The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)

“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”

The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.

“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.

Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Prep talk: Birmingham’s Slava Shahbazyan celebrates winning state wrestling title

Published

1 hour ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Prep talk: Birmingham’s Slava Shahbazyan celebrates winning state wrestling title

Three years ago, as a 14-year-old freshman, Slava Shahbazyan made it to Bakersfield for the state wrestling championships.

“It was good to get experience that young,” he said.

Then came Saturday night when he had a breakthrough moment, winning the state 165-pound championship as a 17-year-old senior for Birmingham High.

“It means everything to me,” he said. “It took four years.”

Shahbazyan, who transferred from Chaminade after his sophomore year, is set to attend Stanford and still in the hunt to be valedictorian at Birmingham. Coach Jimmy Medeiros said he was close to winning last season before finishing fourth.

“He got a lot better,” Medeiros said.

Shahbazyan has been wrestling since he was 8. “My father loves wrestling,” he said.

Two St. John Bosco wrestlers, Jesse Grajeda at 144 pounds and Michael Romero at 150 pounds, also won state titles.

Here’s the link to complete results.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Sports

Deion Sanders mourns loss of Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder: ‘One of my favorites’

Published

13 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Deion Sanders mourns loss of Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder: ‘One of my favorites’

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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died this weekend, the team’s head coach Deion Sanders confirmed on Sunday with a social media post.

“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”

Ponder was 23 years old.

Details of Ponder’s death are not yet known.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)

Ponder, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller, joined the Buffaloes and “Coach Prime’s” program in 2024 after spending time at Bethune-Cookman before making his way to Boulder.

Last season, Ponder played just two games for the Buffaloes while serving in his backup role. He recorded two rush attempts and one pass attempt.

The Opa Locka, Fla., native also received tribute from a fellow quarterback with the Buffaloes, Colton Allen.

Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

Ponder was going to be a part of Colorado’s spring practices, which are set to begin on Monday. It’s unknown if Sanders will postpone the start due to Ponder’s passing.

Ponder also received a tribute from the University of Central Florida.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (Tyler Tate/AP Photo)

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“Our prayers are with Dominiq and the Ponder family along with all in the Colorado football program,” the university’s football account on X wrote.

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