NNEKA OGWUMIKE

Alyssa Thomas had the first triple-double in WNBA Finals history to help the Connecticut Sun stave off elimination by beating the Las Vegas Aces 105-76 in Game 3.

It is her fifth All-WNBA selection and the third consecutive year she's been on the first team. Plum finished third in MVP award voting after averaging 20.2 points per game (second behind Stewart) and 5.1 assists per game (ninth). Jonquel Jones, the 2021 MVP, is also on the second team after leading the team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Ionescu earned her first All-WNBA selection after a comeback season following two years of ankle issues. It's her eighth All-WNBA selection of her 15-season career.

Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart is the first two-time winner of The Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year award.

"This is the first time in my 11 seasons that I've ever had to sleep in the airport," one WNBA player said.

Trailing 50-35 with 5:23 left in the third quarter, New York held Los Angeles scoreless for the rest of the period to cut its deficit to five. After a Los Angeles miss, Ionescu was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 34.1 seconds left. Los Angeles had one last chance but Lexie Brown missed a 3-pointer from the wing just before the buzzer. Nneka Ogwumike scored 19 points to lead Los Angeles. New York rallied to within seven late in the first half before Los Angeles scored the final four points to take an 11-point lead into the break.

Brondello feels that the Liberty are in control of their playoff chances still. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File) (Mary Altaffer)New York coach Sandy Brondello isn't scoreboard watching with the Liberty two games out of a playoff spot — and may not have too. Los Angeles (12-15): The Sparks need to find consistent offensive help for Nneka Ogwumike to make a run at the playoffs. Skylar Diggins-Smith of Phoenix, Nneka Ogwumike of Los Angeles, Candace Parker of Chicago and A'ja Wilson of Las Vegas also received votes. ANOTHER DIVORCEThe Los Angeles Sparks announced Tuesday that they have agreed to a contract divorce with Liz Cambage.

The New York Liberty are currently two games out of a spot in the WNBA playoffs.

WNBA enters final month of the season with 11 of 12 teams in contention for playoff spots and five franchises within three games of each other atop the standings.

Rev. Al Sharpton joined WNBA players union leaders to stir efforts for the return of star Brittney Griner, who is jailed in Russia.

Russia Griner Trial WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (Alexander Zemlianichenko)CHICAGO — (AP) — Brittney Griner is “the fun aunt,” according to Nneka Ogwumike. Speaking Friday ahead of the WNBA's All-Star festivities in Chicago, Ogwumike focused more on Griner's humanity than her playing ability as the league continued to push for Griner's release from her detention in Russia. “BG, Brittney Griner, is an American hero,” said Ogwumike, an All-Star forward for the Los Angeles Sparks. Griner's guilty plea could be an effort by her and her advisers to expedite the court proceedings.

Nneka Ogwumike says Brittney Griner is an American hero.

Sparks Wings Basketball Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, right, drives to the basket past Dallas Wings forward Kayla Thornton during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, July 1, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Shafkat Anowar/The Dallas Morning News via AP) (Shafkat Anowar)The Los Angeles Sparks have been on roll lately, battling their way to just below .500 after a slow start to the season. Los Angeles (10-11) has won four of its past five games and a big reason why is the play of All-Star Nneka Ogwumike and free agent signee Liz Cambage. 6 in the AP WNBA power poll this week. Phoenix (9-14): Skylar Diggins-Smith has had an All-Star season averaging 19.1 points, but the Mercury have had little consistency on offense besides her.

Courtney Vandersloot, Kahleah Copper and Emma Meesseman will get a chance to play before their home fans as the trio was selected as reserves for the WNBA All-Star Game on July 10 in Chicago.

Kelsey Plum views her improved play this season to just having more time on the court.

Brittney Griner will have a place at the WNBA All-Star Game.

The WNBA star and Australia native denied using "the racial slur" and insisted that she "unintentionally" fouled an opponent who was left bloodied.

Congratulations, ladies! The issue comes out on May 19.

"The reality is, she's over there because of a gender issue ― pay inequity," the head of the WNBA's players union said this week about the basketball star who's been detained in Russia since February.

On the field, the Los Angeles Rams are facing off against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56.

Super Bowl advertisers this year want Americans to forget about pandemic woes and focus on the future: of electric vehicles, mind reading Alexas, robots and cryptocurrency.

Elena Delle Donne and Chiney Ogwumike will have a major impact on the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks playoff chances now that they're back on the basketball court.

The U.S. rebounded after dropping consecutive exhibition games for the first time since 2011 with losses to the WNBA All-Stars and Australia earlier this week. After shooting 2 for 18 from behind the 3-point arc in the loss to Australia, the U.S. pounded the ball inside early and often against Nigeria. Williams did play for Nigeria in the exhibition game while Ogwumike and her sister, Chiney, who was approved to play as a naturalized player for Nigeria were on the bench, but not suited up. Erica Ogwumike, the youngest of the four Ogwumike sisters, had five points for Nigeria. Nigeria has been a team on the rise, reaching the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2018. before losing to the U.S.

Nneka Ogwumike and Elizabeth Williams have filed appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a last-ditch effort to play for Nigeria in the upcoming Olympics, says two people familiar with the situation.

Nneka Ogwumike and Elizabeth Williams have been notified by FIBA that their petitions to play for Nigeria in the upcoming Olympics were denied because they played for the U.S. for too long, says two people familiar with the situation.

Parker, who was not chosen for the 2016 Olympic team after helping the U.S. win gold medals in 2008 and 2012, was chosen for her sixth All-Star appearance. The WNBA team will be co-coached by Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson. It's a record 12th All-Star Game for Bird and 10th for Taurasi — tying her with Tamika Catchings for second most all-time. This is the first time that the league has held an All-Star Game in an Olympic year since 2000. The WNBA played an exhibition in New York in 2004 at Radio City Music Hall, but it wasn’t considered an All-Star Game.

Storm Fever Basketball Seattle Storm's Sue Bird drives as Indiana Fever's Jantel Lavender defends during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Thursday, June 17, 2021, in Indianapolis. The four-time Olympic gold medalist is expected to return to the Phoenix Mercury lineup in a few weeks and should be ready to go for training camp in Las Vegas in July. The former WNBA MVP and 2016 Olympic medalist hasn’t even practiced yet with the Washington Mystics this season. It would be highly unlikely for Delle Donne to be on the roster if she doesn't return with the Mystics before the Olympic break. Nneka Ogwumike played on the 2018 World Cup team as well and is a strong candidate for her first Olympics.

The U.S. women’s basketball team has a few questions surrounding its roster as the Americans to make a run at a seventh consecutive gold medal in the Olympics.

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