BREANNA STEWART

In previous years, the Connecticut Sun forward has been honored by the media that votes on the weekly AP WNBA power poll as the Sixth Woman of the Year and Most Improved Player. This year, the 6-foot-6 Jones is the unanimous choice AP Player of the Year honors by the 14-member panel, announced Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) (Ashley Landis)Jonquel Jones is no stranger to winning Associated Press WNBA awards. In previous years, the Connecticut Sun forward has been honored by the media that votes on the weekly AP WNBA power poll as the Sixth Woman of the Year and Most Improved Player. This year, the 6-foot-6 Jones is the unanimous choice AP Player of the Year honors by the 14-member panel.

Jonquel Jones is no stranger to winning Associated Press WNBA awards.

The WNBA enters the final week of the regular season with many playoff positions still to be decided as well as the final postseason berth.

The WNBA playoff chase may come down to the final day of the regular season on Sept. 19.

The WNBA honored its past and present when it announced the league's top 25 players Sunday. The “W25” has 10 current players, including Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker and Breanna Stewart. Former stars Lisa Leslie, Tamika Catchings, Katie Smith and Sheryl Swoopes are among 15 retired players selected by a panel of media members and women's basketball pioneers and advocates.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON — (AP) — President Joe Biden honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm on Monday, celebrating their success on the court and hailing the four-time title holders for changing lives with their activism. The visit marked the first time that an NBA or WNBA team has visited the White House since the Cleveland Cavaliers were feted by Barack Obama in 2016. Presidents typically host college and major league sports champions for a White House ceremony. Loeffler, an ally of Trump, came under criticism from WNBA players for attacks on the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump lashed out at Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warrior teammates in 2017 after they declined the customary White House invitation.

President Joe Biden has honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm at the White House.

Sun Storm Basketball Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (30) passes the ball as Connecticut Sun guard Briann January (20) defends during the first half of the Commissioner's Cup WNBA basketball game, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) (Matt York)PHOENIX — (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 15 of her 17 points in the first quarter and the Seattle Storm routed the Connecticut Sun 79-57 on Thursday night to win the inaugural WNBA Commissioner's Cup. Fellow U.S. Olympic gold medalists Jewell Loyd added 16 points and Sue Bird had 10 to help lead Seattle. Members of the Storm earned in excess of $30,000 per player, while those on Connecticut earned $10,000 per player. Loyd got going in the third quarter as the Storm turned the game into a rout.

Breanna Stewart scored 15 of her 17 points in the first quarter and the Seattle Storm routed the Connecticut Sun 79-57 to win the inaugural WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Becky Hammon can’t wait for the time when it’s normal for women to interview for head coaching positions in the NBA and their gender isn’t the story.

Brittney Griner had 15 points and 12 rebounds to help the U.S. beat Serbia 79-59 to advance to the gold medal game of the Olympics.

Tokyo Olympics Basketball United States' Breanna Stewart (10), right, celebrates with teammates after their win in the women's basketball preliminary round game against Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. Such is the typical itinerary for basketball players at the Tokyo Olympics. For those who were in the NBA and WNBA bubbles in Florida last summer, it seems familiar. There are clear similarities between what basketball players are having to endure at these Tokyo Olympics and what went on last summer for NBA players in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and WNBA players in Bradenton, Florida. Typically at an Olympics, the NBA stars pop into some of the other big events — like swimming, track and field, gymnastics — whenever possible.

Wake up.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay)SAITAMA, Japan — (AP) — Breanna Stewart scored 20 of her 23 points in the first half to help the U.S. beat Australia 79-55 on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. "Knockout rounds brings out a certain intensity about a team and that played a huge role in it,” Sue Bird said. The teams played in Las Vegas last month in an exhibition game and Australia pulled off the upset victory. Leilani Mitchell scored 14 points to lead Australia, which will host the World Championship next year in Sydney. CHEERING THEM ONThe Australia men's team will face the U.S. men in the semifinals on Thursday.

Breanna Stewart scored 20 of her 23 points in the first half to help the U.S. beat Australia 79-55 on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

Durant is widely considered the best men’s player in the world; Stewart widely considered the best women’s player in the world, and neither of those designations are difficult to argue. Stewart and Durant both injured their right Achilles while playing for championships — Durant was in the NBA Finals, Stewart was playing for a title overseas — and both are surprised by how small their scars are now. Thompson tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, then ruptured his Achilles while trying to get ready for the 2020-21 season. Whenever Thompson returns, the Achilles Comeback Club will grow and Durant said he can’t wait to see it happen. And he is clearly enjoying being part of the comeback club in Tokyo along with Stewart and Plum.

Kevin Durant and Breanna Stewart are the charter members of USA Basketball’s Achilles Comeback Club at the Tokyo Games.

The U.S. has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talented post players, possibly the best ever assembled. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) (Charlie Neibergall)SAITAMA, Japan — (AP) — The U.S. has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talented post players, possibly the best ever assembled. The quintet combined for 56 of the team's 81 points and 45 rebounds in the nine-point opening win over Nigeria. Griner and Fowles, who are probably the most traditional of the post players have also developed mid-range shots. Japan's coach Tom Hovasse said that he’s going to have one of his “taller” players guard Griner when the two teams play on Friday.

The U.S. has five of the best post players in the world.

Both the U.S. Olympic team and the WNBA All-Stars expect a competitive game in the league’s showcase.

(Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) (Chase Stevens)NEW YORK — (AP) — It may be a long time before anyone joins Diana Taurasi in the 9,000-point club. The next closest active player is former teammate Candice Dupree, who is more than 2,000 points behind Taurasi. Las Vegas (11-4): A huge overtime win over Seattle kept the Aces in the hunt to be the West representative in the Commissioner's Cup championship. PLAYER OF THE WEEK:Sylvia Fowles of Minnesota dominated play las week, averaging 28 points, 16.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks to help Lynx win both their games. Chelsea Gray returns to Los Angeles for the first time after leaving the Sparks in the offseason as a free agent for Las Vegas.

The Chicago Sky are at full strength and moving up the WNBA standings after a slow start due to injuries.

After a sluggish start the Storm have found some answers and are becoming more cohesive on defense this season. The only time they gave up more than 75 points in that stretch was the 105-102 overtime win over Dallas. It is not going to be one or two players, it’s going to be a legit one through 12 coming in and making sure that we’re working together to stop a great player.”With it's 3-0 week, Seattle moved back into the top spot in the AP power poll. Seattle (10-2): The Storm cruised through an eastern swing, sweeping a pair of games from Atlanta and beating Connecticut. PLAYER OF THE WEEK:Breanna Stewart of Seattle had a strong week averaging 18.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists to help the Storm go 3-0.

The WNBA season is only a few weeks old and there already have been five games that have decided in overtime.

The WNBA season isn’t even two weeks old and the New York Liberty have already doubled their win total from last year and are off to their best start since 2007.

The WNBA will tip off its 25th season on Friday, May 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)NEW YORK — (AP) — The WNBA is back and celebrating its silver anniversary. It was a busy offseason for the longest running women's professional sports league that will tip off its 25th season Friday night. After 14 years with the Lynx, she played her final season with the Los Angeles Sparks last year. VIEWING OPPORTUNITIESThe WNBA will have 100 of its games on national television this season, as well as dozens of games on Twitter, Facebook and Amazon.

The WNBA is back and celebrating its silver anniversary.

NEW YORK — (AP) — The Las Vegas Aces fell just short of the WNBA championship last season while missing three key players. Now with Liz Cambage, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby back as well as free agent addition Chelsea Gray to help league MVP A'ja Wilson, the Aces sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll Wednesday. “We grew up last year, we added other pieces," Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said. Seattle, the defending WNBA champions, garnered the other four first-place ballots and was picked second. Seattle star Breanna Stewart was picked as the AP preseason player of the year for the second straight season.

The WNBA will tip off its 25th season on Friday after an offseason that was full of player movement, including Candace Parker returning home to Chicago.

Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart proposed to her girlfriend, Phoenix Mercury guard Marta Xargay, on Sunday.

Breanna Stewart and the Seattle Storm never really got a chance to defend their 2018 championship because of key injuries. “I don’t know if any of us are thinking that way,” Stewart said after the Storm completed a three-game sweep of the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night by setting a WNBA Finals record with a 33-point win. The 26-year-old won a second WNBA Finals MVP as a unanimous choice and was nearly unstoppable in the championship round. Bird, who turns 40 next week, has been a part of all four of the Storm championships during three decades. I just kind of start working out and see how I feel,” said Bird, who averaged 11 assists in the WNBA Finals.

Stewart scored 26 points and Seattle completed a sweep of the Las Vegas Aces with a 92-59 rout Tuesday night. It was the biggest margin of victory in WNBA Finals history. Seattle had pretty much the same core group that won the 2018 championship back for this year, led by Stewart, Bird and Jewell Loyd. Seattle has now won a record 11 games in a row in the WNBA Finals, dating to the team's first championship in 2004. She led the Dream to three WNBA Finals appearances but the team was swept in each one.

Las Vegas couldn't respond. A'ja Wilson had 20 points to lead Las Vegas while Angel McCoughtry and Emma Cannon added 17 each. The Aces led 65-64 with 3:22 left in the period before the Storm closed with a 11-3 burst. The Storm, who had 17 assists on their 18 baskets, built the lead to 13 before Las Vegas rallied to the six-point halftime deficit. ... Stewart had her fifth consecutive 20-point game in the WNBA Finals spanning back to the 2018 season.

“You impose on them it's a five-game series, even if you lose one game so what? “He trusts us and knows what we’re capable of.”The Aces feel that they have fixable problems. It was also the first finals for many of the Aces players, including Wilson and Jackie Young. Stewart had a career-high 37 points — one short of the WNBA Finals record. The biggest thing is to make them contested shots," Wilson said.

Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart (30) celebrates after the team defated the Las Vegas Aces during Game 1 of basketball's WNBA Finals Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)BRADENTON, Fla. – The Seattle Storm's lead down to two with a quarter left, Breanna Stewart took over. The big-game player scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and finished with 37 to help the Storm beat the Las Vegas Aces 93-80 on Friday night in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. She was a point short of the WNBA Finals record set by Angel McCoughtry. McCoughtry scored 20 points to lead Las Vegas, which was playing in the WNBA Finals for the first time since the franchise moved to the Nevada city three years ago. Eight players had reached 11 assists in a finals game before Bird's record performance.

“She knows who she is, she knows where she’s going,” said Las Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer. “I feel like I'm a more complete player now then when I first got into the league,” Wilson said in an online interview. The second team included Phoenix teammates Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith, Connecticut teammates DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas, and Minnesota's Napheesa Collier. POWER POLLThe Las Vegas Aces finished atop the AP Power Poll, a spot they held for three of the final four weeks of the season. A'ja Wilson also received votes after she led Las Vegas to the top seed in the postseason.

NEW YORK The Seattle Storm are healthy to begin the season with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird back in the lineup and sit atop the preseason Associated Press WNBA poll. 1 in the preseason since the AP has been doing the poll. You have to go out there and play the games, said Bird, who missed last season while recovering from knee surgery. Connecticut and Washington, who met for the WNBA title last year, were sixth and seventh in the poll. The first regular season power poll will be released on Tuesday, July 28___Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

Sue Bird has seen a lot in her storied playing career in the WNBA, overseas and the Olympics. While nothing the 39-year-old Seattle Storm guard experienced has prepared her for life in the WNBA bubble, she is making the best of the situation. The bubble is part summer camp, mixed in with the Olympic village, playing overseas and an AAU tournament with a little bit of college life thrown in, Bird said in a phone interview. Two weeks into the experiment, players and coaches have been adjusting to their temporary homes. The WNBA has gone far and beyond what I thought would happen.Even with the WNBA in the bubble, the virus is still on everyones mind.