Members of the Philadelphia Eagles came together Friday night to celebrate the team’s Super Bowl 59 championship.

With the 2025 season quickly approaching, players were presented with championship rings earned via the Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in February. The rings were made by Jason of Beverly Hills.

The diamond-loaded rings proclaim the Eagles ‘World Champions’ and feature their logo on top of the team’s two Lombardi trophies (earned in the 2017 and 2024 seasons).

Each ring features the player’s last name and jersey number on one side, seemingly sitting atop a rendering of Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. The other side panel features the words “Eagles” and the Super Bowl 59 logo, along with the final score.

The inside panel of the ring features all four winning playoff scores. The blowout Super Bowl result and dominant 55-23 win over the division-rival Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game helped the Eagles score a record 145 points in the playoffs, that number engraved below the scores.

The inside panel also features the Brazil flag — the Eagles began their 2024 campaign in the country with a game against the Green Bay Packers — as well as the phrase ‘Tough. Detailed. Together.’

The ring also has pop-out panels that resemble the Eagles’ helmet wings adorned with the phrase ‘You can’t be great without the greatness of others.’

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Welcome to the NFL, Tyler Shough.

Fresh off being selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shough has been operating without a contract from the New Orleans Saints.

Like many other second-round picks, the former Louisville quarterback is now finally putting the pen to the paper with just days left before training camp opens.

Shough agreed to a four-year, $10.79 million fully guaranteed deal on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

It was important to get the deal done ahead of camp, especially with Shough entering as the favorite to win the starting quarterback job. Following Derek Carr’s surprise retirement, New Orleans’ quarterback room is wide open and Shough couldn’t afford to miss valuable training camp reps to begin his career.

He’ll now enter into a battle with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, hoping to win the trust of new head coach Kellen Moore.

New Orleans is set to begin camp on July 22, when both rookies and veterans are slated to report to the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie, Louisiana.

Here’s what to know about Shough’s deal with the Saints.

Tyler Shough contract details

Shough inked a fully guaranteed four-year, $10.79 million deal with the Saints, per ESPN, which comes with an average annual value (AAV) of around $2.68 million.

The quarterback is the lowest draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft class to receive a fully guaranteed deal, something that second-round picks hadn’t received before this offseason.

After the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans fully guaranteed the contracts for the 33rd and 34th picks, it created a snowball effect for the rest of the players selected in the round. Before 2025, no second-round pick had ever received a contract with that all-important detail.

According to ESPN, that’s not the only detail that Shough received in the agreement.

The contract comes with an annual roster bonus structure, where Shough will receive the majority of his compensation each year during the first week of training camp. He is the only non-first-round pick to have that language in his contract.

Now that the ink has dried, the 25-year-old rookie quarterback can turn his attention to the field and winning the starting job.

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Defending Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar did not win Stage 14 on July 19’s race, but was still able to extend his lead vs. the field.

Pogačar finished 1 minute and 8 seconds behind Thymen Arensman for his runner-up position. That was, however, good enough to extend his lead over Jonas Vingegaard to 4 minutes and 13 seconds through the 14 stages.

The defending Tour de France champion is seeking his fourth title in the biggest race in cycling. Arensman finished with a best-of-the-day time of 4 hours, 53 minutes, 35 seconds to win the 37-kilometer (23-mile) race, considered one of the hardest in the tour.

For Arensman, it was his second Grand Tour stage win, with the other coming in the 2022 Spanish Vuelta. Remco Evenepoel retired from the race early in Stage 14, despite leading as the best young rider and placing third in the overall standings.

Here’s a look at the complete stage 14 results and 2025 Tour de France standings after Saturday, July 19, as well as what’s coming up for cycling’s biggest race:

Tour de France Stage 14 results

Here are the final results of the 10.9-kilometer Stage 13 individual time-trial from Loudenvielle to Peyragudes in the French Pyrenees at the 2025 Tour de France on Friday, July 18 (with position, rider, team, time):

Thymen Arensman, INEOS GRENADIERS: 4 hours, 53 minutes, 35 seconds
Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates XRG, 4 fours, 54 minutes, 43 seconds
Jonas Vingegaard, Team Visma/Lease a Bike, 4 hours, 54 minutes, 47 seconds
Felix Gall, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 4:54.54
Florian Lipowitz, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, 4:55
Oscar Onley, Team Picnic Postnl, 4:55.44
Ben Healy, EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST: 4:56.21
Primoz Roglic, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, 4:56.21
Tobias Johannessen, UNO-X MOBILITY: 4:56.34
Kevin Vauquelin, ARKEA-B&B HOTELS: 4:56.43

Tour de France 2025 standings

Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 50 hours, 40 minutes, 28 seconds
Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark: 50:44.51 (4 minutes, 13 seconds behind)
Florian Lipowitz, Germany: 50:48.21 (7 minutes, 53 seconds)
Oscar Onley, Great Britain: 50:49.46 (9 minutes, 18 seconds)
Kevin Vauquelin, France: 50:50.49 (10 minutes, 21 seconds)
Primoz Roglic, Slovenia: 50:51.02 (10 minutes, 34 seconds)
Felix Gall, Austria: 50:52.28 (12 minutes)
Tobias Johannessen, Norway: 50:53.01 (12 minutes, 33 seconds)
Ben Haley, Ireland: 50:59.09 (18 minutes, 41 seconds)
Carlos Rodriguez, Spain: 51:03.25 (22 minutes, 57 seconds)

2025 Tour de France jersey leaders

Yellow (overall race leader): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
Green (points): Jonathan Milan, Italy
Polka dot (mountains): Lenny Martinez, France
White (young rider): Florian Lipowitz, Germany

2025 Tour de France next stage

Stage 15 of the 2025 Tour de France is a 160.3-kilometer hilly course from Muret to Carcassonne on Sunday, July 20.

When debates about the WNBA all-time greats take place across the airwaves or World Wide Web, one name is often omitted. Nneka Ogwumike, first with the Los Angeles Sparks and now the Seattle Storm, has been an enduring presence and will play in her 10th All-Star Game on Saturday in Indianapolis.

“(Nneka Ogwumike’s) the most disrespected MVP in the history of our league,’ Storm teammate Skylar Diggins said after Ogwumike quietly passed Hall of Famer Tina Thompson for fourth place on the WNBA’s all-time field-goal list on June 17. “She’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

Ogwumike’s style of play isn’t the flashiest. Her game is rooted in efficiency and her ability to score at all levels and defend multiple positions might fly under the radar. Although Ogwumike has the respect of her peers on and off the court, her continued excellence doesn’t always earn national hype or recognition. That used to bother Ogwumike. But as the 14-year veteran adds to her lengthy resume – which includes No. 1 overall pick, WNBA champion, Rookie of the Year, MVP, first-team All-WNBA and four-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team – Ogwumike is at a place where she isn’t looking for validation.

‘I’ve been through times where I would do my job, but I felt like because I’m not a squeaky wheel, a lot of people felt it’s OK to overlook me and abuse my cooperativeness,’ Ogwumike said. ‘I had to get through that and allow myself not to be eaten up by these ideas that I’m not worthy or that I’m not great.’

Ogwumike was named All-Star starter for the fourth consecutive season and joins Sue Bird (13), Diana Taurasi (11), Tamika Catchings (10) and Brittney Griner (10) as the only players in WNBA history to receive 10 All-Star nods. Ogwumike said accomplishments like this one ‘hits me a little bit more when I see the company that I am surrounded by in whatever stats people throw at me.’

‘For her to continue to break records and be mentioned amongst the greats means she is herself a great,’ Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said. ‘She’s greatness personified.’

Longevity fuels records

As teammate Erica Wheeler gave Ogwumike her flowers for passing Sue Bird (6,803) and Cappie Pondexter (6,811) to move into seventh place on the WNBA’s All-time scoring list on July 3 – ‘Every time we play, a record’s being broken’ – Ogwumike humbly interjected and sheepishly said: ‘I’ve been playing a long time.”

The Stanford alum was selected first overall in the 2012 WNBA draft by the Sparks and was named the Rookie of the Year. She led the Sparks to a WNBA title in 2016 alongside Candace Parker after picking up the league’s MVP award, averaging a career-high 19.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and recording career-highs from the field (66.5%) and from 3 (61.5%). Her 73.7% true shooting percentage, which combines field-goal percentage, 3-point and free-throw percentages, set a record for the most efficient shooting performance across a season in the WNBA or NBA in 2016. That record stands nearly a decade later.

‘I’m very grateful. I feel like I’ve been telling myself, ‘You’ve been playing a long time. That’s why people keep telling me that I broke this record,” said Ogwumike, who currently also ranks eighth all-time in rebounds. ‘But I am still really grateful.’

In celebration of the WNBA’s 25th season in 2021, Ogwumike was named to The W25, a prestigious ‘collection of the 25 greatest and most influential players in WNBA history,’ announced by the league.

Following 12 season with the Sparks, Ogwumike signed with the Storm in 2024. In her 14th season in the league, Ogwumike is averaging 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists shooting 51.2% from the field through 22 games. Ogwumike was not only able to ‘find new life in Seattle,’ she once again made Seattle a desirable destination for free agents.

“I came (to Seattle) to play with Nneka,” said Diggins, who signed with the Storm in February 2024. “What she does, you know, day in and day out – it’s special. And you shouldn’t take it for granted.’

The ‘voice of the players’

Ogwumike isn’t nicknamed ‘Madam President’ for nothing. Ogwumike has served as the president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) since 2016. As Terri Jackson, the WNBPA’s executive director puts it, ‘Nneka is the voice of the players.’

It’s not a duty she takes lightly.

‘We’re a league full of women who understand what’s most important,’ Ogwumike said in Prime Video’s 2024 documentary ‘Power of the Dream,’ which highlights the WNBA’s efforts in flipping a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia that was previously held by former Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler. (Ogwumike produced the film alongside Sue Bird, Tracee Ellis Ross and Dawn Porter.)

‘There are so many things bigger than us that require our attention and require our advocacy and activism because we have the platform.’

Ogwumike led the WNBA player’s efforts to endorse Democrat Raphael Warnock in the 2020 special election after Loeffler, a Republican, made controversial comments viewed by many as anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ. Ogwumike, a three-time Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award winner, is now leading the league’s players in collective bargaining agreement negotiations as the current contract expires at the end of the 2025 season.

‘Her approach to her every day life is such a great example for us all,’ Quinn said of Ogwumike. ‘The way she leads, the way she communicates, the way she constantly puts others first. Her careers been that.’

Storm brewing at the 2025 All-Star Game

The Seattle Storm earned three All-Star selections – Ogwumike (starter), Diggins (reserve) and Gabby Williams (reserve) – tying the Indiana Fever for the most representatives in the league. Ogwumike and Diggins were drafted to Team Naphessa Collier, and Williams landed on Team Caitlin Clark in her first All-Star bid.

Ogwumike said she’s ‘sick’ about ending up on a different team than Williams, jokingly adding she’s ‘not guarding’ Williams.

Not only will Williams face off against her Storm teammates, she will also go against her college teammates. Williams played alongside Collier and Breanna Stewart at UConn.

‘I’m just happy to be here. It’s my first one,’ Williams said. ‘The only thing that makes me nervous is that I’m going to be a little lost puppy on the other team.

‘It is going to be weird that I’m playing against my UConn teammates and my Seattle teammates. It’s funny how that worked out.’

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Police have found ‘nothing criminal’ in the death of 16-year-old motocross star Aidan Zingg, according to Sgt. Jason Heilman of the Mammoth Lakes Police Department.

Two days after Zingg died June 28 after a mid-race crash on the dirt track about 300 miles north of Los Angeles, the Mammoth Lakes (California) Police Department announced it would investigate. Almost three weeks later, Heilman told USA TODAY Sports that police are wrapping up the investigation.

“There’s nothing criminal,’’ Heilman said on Friday, July 18. “Just an unfortunate accident.’’

As far as completing the investigation, Heilman said, “I just got to complete one final little report there and then we’ll officially close it. … It took a little while to finish this thing out because we don’t want to just bombard the family with questions and whatnot.’’

On June 30, Aidan parents, Bob and Shari, told USA TODAY Sports that they welcomed the police investigation as they dealt with conflicting reports over what happened during the crash at the 2025 Big Bike Weekend Mammoth Motocross.

Bob Zingg said the head of event safety told them Aidan was involved in a crash “by himself’ but that two riders said another rider was involved.

“They’ll never get complete closure,’ Heilman said. “Losing a child like that’s going to be tough.’

Cardiac tamponade, according to the Cleveland Clinic, ‘describes a heart that has so much fluid around it that it can’t pump enough blood. The force of this fluid makes it hard for your heart to do its job.’

A healthcare provider has to remove the extra fluid with a needle or surgery, according to the clinic, which reports, “You need quick treatment for a good outcome.’’

INDIANAPOLIS — WNBA All-Star weekend has been a vibe. Fans have converged on the hoops capital of the United States and immersed themselves in the W and it’s growing popularity.

‘It’s so cool,’ Fever guard Lexie Hull, who participated in the 3-point contest on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, told USA TODAY Studio IX. ‘I know our team, our front office, everyone with the Fever, has been working really hard to put together a really awesome weekend.

‘And to have a lot of the W players and the fans filling the stadium, every restaurant and every hotel, it’s awesome.’

Many of those players, along with team owners, general managers and other sports business VIPs celebrated all things WNBA, fashion and the culture of women’s sports Friday night at an All-Star party hosted by Wasserman’s The Collective in partnership with Ally Financial and USA TODAY Studio IX.

Hull walked the red carpet into The Bemberg, a members-only club where the event was held, wearing a soft yellow dress from Meshki. New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart also attended, along with Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings — dressed head to toe in Coach — the Seattle Storm’s Gabby Williams, Notre Dame phenom Hannah Hidalgo and Olympic volleyball medalist Jordan Thompson.

Thompson said it is ‘amazing’ to watch the growth of women’s sports. She hopes that volleyball can capitalize.

‘Especially in the WNBA, it’s just starting to skyrocket,’ said Thompson, who will begin play in the Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship this fall. ‘It’s kind of exciting, because, as a volleyball player, it’s a vision of where we could be one day, and hopefully sooner rather than later.’

The growth in women’s sports has happened for many reasons including the talent, personality and style of the women playing. But they have experienced significant buy-in from companies who understand the power of collaboration with leagues like the WNBA and NWSL. Ally Bank was an early sponsor of women’s sports, helping get the NWSL championship moved to primetime on CBS.

‘For us, it made a lot of sense to enter the women’s (sports) space in a big way,’ Stephanie Marciano, Ally’s head of sports and entertainment marketing, said. ‘We felt there was a lot of impact we could make, specifically on the media side. Because there’s a number of data metrics that prove that there was a huge visibility and coverage gap in women’s sports.’

Ally divides it’s advertising dollars 50/50 between men’s and women’s sports media. Wasserman believes it’s a blueprint many other companies will follow as the popularity of women’s leagues continues to grow and sports like women’s volleyball and soccer take off. Another one starting to make some noise? Girls flag football, which is being added as a sport in high schools across the county.’When you see billionaires coming in, multiples of them, to invest in teams, not only in the W, but across other women’s sports,’ Thayer Lavielle, The Collective’s managing director said, ‘they have had proven success at making a lot of money. People are seeing the return in the value.’

Lavielle said the women’s sports space is a community where people work collaboratively, which is unique. Her advice to brands that want to support ‘this rocket ship’ is simple.

‘Come in, the water’s warm. Do it. Invest now,’ Lavielle said ‘Everything will continue to go up.’

New York Liberty superstar Sabrina Ionescu remains the queen of the WNBA All-Star 3-point contest.

Ionescu, who holds the 3-point competition record in both the WNBA or NBA after scoring 37 of 40 points in 2023, took down defending champion Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream Friday night in the 3-point contest final at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, July 19.

Ionescu became just the second WNBA player to win the 3-point competition multiple times, joining four-time winner Allie Quigley.

‘It means everything. The last time I was here in (Indianapolis) against Steph (Curry), I lost, so I feel like I had to come back and redeem myself,’ Ionescu said, referring to the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge during the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, where she went head-to-head with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. ‘I feel like we put on a great show.’

Ionescu channeled her 2023 performance and recorded 30 points in the final round on Friday, marking the second highest total of all-time. Gray finished with 22 points. Ionescu made 11 consecutive 3-point shots and hit both STARRY balls, which were worth three points each. But if you ask Ionescu, she left some points on the board.

‘I’m pretty disappointed. I missed a few easy ones there that I definitely could have made,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry about that, but happy to be here and happy to have one with my teammate Natasha Cloud, who won (the skills competitions) as well.’

The Liberty swept the WNBA All-Star festivities on July 18 with Cloud beating the Seattle Storm’s Erica Wheeler in the final of the skills competition. Here’s a full recap of the 2025 WNBA All-Star festivities:

Sabrina Ionescu wins 3-point contest, again

Ionescu recorded 30 points to reclaim her 3-point contest championship.

Sabrina Ionescu vs. Allisha Gray in 3-point final

The final of the WNBA All-Star’s 3-point contest includes the two former champions — Sabrina Ionescu and Allisha Gray. They both made history doing so. Ionescu set the 3-point competition record in the WNBA or NBA after knocking down 37 of 40 3s en route to a victory in 2023. Gray made history of her own last year when she became the first player in WNBA history to sweep the skills challenge and 3-point contest in the same season.

‘Just try and make the ones that I missed. Easier said than done, but going to try to make as many as I can,’ Ionescu said. before Round 2 started. ‘Just try to stay in the moment, be where my feet are at and feed off this amazing crowd.’

Gray said she’s going to ‘take my time, don’t focus on the time on the clock. Just stay poised.’ Gray hit seven threes, five money balls and one STARRY ball to finish with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to win back-to-back titles.

Tyrese Haliburton, Lisa Leslie in the building

The star-studded crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday includes Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

Haliburton has been a mainstay at Fever games, most recently at the Fever’s loss against Golden State on July 9. Caitlin Clark has returned the favor. Clark attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder alongside several of her teammates.

‘He loves basketball,’ Clark said earlier this month. ‘He certainly loves the Fever and he loves this state.’

The crowd also included the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo, who was seated next to A’ja Wilson, Juju Watkins, Lisa Leslie and Pau Gasol. Ionescu called Gasol ‘my brother.’ She added, ‘Happy to have Pau (Gasol) and (wife) Kat here, who traveled far to support the WNBA.’

WNBA 3-point contest underway

Round 1 results:

Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (25)
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (25)
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum (22)
Indiana Fever guard Lexi Hull (20)
Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron (19)

Kelsey Plum opened up the 3-point competition with a score of 22 points. She got off to a slow start, but knocked down one of the STARRY balls worth three points and hit seven of the last 10 shots to close the round.

Sonia Citron is vying to become the first rookie to win. She scored 19 points in the first round.

Lexie Hull got off to a rocky start, but she hit a STARRY ball and four money balls to finish with 20 points.

Sabrina Ionescu is back in the finals yet again with 25 points after hitting a STARRY ball and five money balls, which are worth two points each. She made 13 of her final 16 threes.

Allisha Gray finished with 25 points after hitting seven money balls.

Natasha Cloud wins WNBA Skills challenge

The 2025 WNBA Skills Challenge came down to the final second … literally. New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud finished the obstacle course with 1.1 seconds to spare, narrowly defeating Seattle Storm guard Erica Wheeler. Cloud becomes the second Liberty player to win the skills challenge, following Sabrina Ionescu’s win in 2022.

Both Wheeler and Ionescu ran to hug Cloud under the basket in celebration of her victory.

‘I knew (passing) was a definite for me. I knew I was gong to hit my passes in these obstacles,’ Cloud said after her win. ‘Getting into my shots, I wanted to take my time. … Once I got to the last STARRY (ball), I looked up at the clock and had three seconds. I said, ‘Don’t smoke this layup.’

Cloud said she’s going to use her $55K prize money to put a down payment on a house.

Natasha Cloud, Erica Wheeler advance to final

Natasha Cloud (34.1 seconds) and Erica Wheeler (36.5 seconds) advanced to the second and final round of the 2025 WNBA skills challenge after recording the top two times in the first round.

‘I think the biggest thing is staying patient. I honestly feel like I have home court advantage,’ said Wheeler, who played for the Indiana Fever from 2016-2019 and 2023-2024. ‘I feel (the support) and thanks for cheering for me even if I’m with the Seattle Storm.’

Cloud said she’s just going to ‘be myself. Being confident and try to finish this thing out.’

Wheeler finished slightly slower than her first round with a time of 37.5 seconds. Her shots weren’t falling like her first run at the obstacle course, but at least she made the final layup on the first attempt.

2025 WNBA All-Star skills challenge underway

The WNBA skills challenge features a timed obstacle course consisting of three bounce passes, speed dribbles, a chest pass, a 3-point shot from the top of the arc, an elbow jumper, a corner 3, an outlet pass and a final shot from anywhere on the court. To make it even more challenging, the WNBA is throwing a wrench into things by placing a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid onto the court. The top two from the first round will advance to the final round. 

Courtney Williams of the Minnesota Lynx is up first and finished with a time of 42 seconds.

Natasha Cloud of the New York Liberty completed the course in 34.1 seconds.

Skylar Diggins of the Seattle Storm was officially eliminated with a time of 44.3 seconds.

Erica Wheeler of the Seattle Storm breezed through the obstacle course in 36.5 seconds. She could’ve finished even faster if she didn’t smoke her final layup on the first attempt.

Defending champion Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream got hung up on the chest pass and was eliminated with a time of 39.4 seconds.

How to watch WNBA All-Star 3-point, skills challenge

All-Star weekend officially kicks off Friday with the 3-point competition and skills challenge, which tips off 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Date: Friday, July 18
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Fubo, Sling

When is the WNBA 3-point competition? Roster, format

The 3-point competition will feature two timed rounds with money balls (two points) and Starry balls (three points) in play. This year, players will also get to place a special “all money ball” rack, where every ball is worth two points, anywhere among the five shooting locations. The top two from the first round will go head-to-head in a final round. Here’s the full list of competitors:

Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron
Indiana Fever guard Lexi Hull (replacing Caitlin Clark)
Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum

How much do WNBA players win at All-Star?

Winning extra money is always fun. The winner of the skills challenge will win $55K, which matches the NBA, while the 3-point competition winner will walk away with a $60K check.

How many STARRY balls are in the WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest?

Two ‘STARRY balls’ are in play on Friday. Two pedestals holding a single ‘STARRY ball’ each will be set up deep beyond the arc from the ‘STARRY Range.’ Each ‘STARRY ball’ is worth three points each.

Sabrina Ionescu holds 3-point contest record

Sabrina Ionescu currently holds the 3-point competition record in the WNBA or NBA. She set the record at the 2023 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas after finishing with a score of 37 out 40 total points. Ionescu was nearly perfect in her final run, knocking down 25 of 27 three-point shots.

Ionescu competed in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge during the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, where she went head-to-head with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. Ionescu went first and put up a score of 26. Curry followed with 29 points to win. He shared a friendly hug with Ionescu before being presented with the championship belt. (Ionescu matched the score Damian Lillard tallied to win the 3-point contest earlier in the night.)

‘Being able to have this crossover and understanding the respect I’ve been able to receive from a lot of the NBA guys,’ Ionescu said at the time. ‘It’s going to show a lot of young kids out there, a lot of people who might have not believed or even watched women’s sports that we’re able to go out there and put on a show. So it was really exciting to finally be able to do this. Like Steph said, it happened perfectly.’

WNBA 3-point contest winners, by year

Ionescu and Gray are vying to become the second WNBA player to win the 3-point competition multiple times, joining Allie Quigley, who won the shootout a record four times. Here’s a list of every 3-point contest winner:

2024: Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream (Phoenix)
2023: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (Las Vegas)
2022: Allie Quigley, Chicago Sky (Chicago)
2021: Allie Quigley, Chicago Sky (Las Vegas)
2019: Shekinna Stricklen, Connecticut Sun (Las Vegas)
2018: Allie Quigley, Chicago Sky (Minnesota)
2017: Allie Quigley, Chicago Sky (Seattle)
2010: Katie Douglas, Indiana Fever (Connecticut)
2009: Becky Hammon, San Antonio Silver Stars (Connecticut)
2007: Laurie Koehn, Washington Mystics (Washington D.C.)
2006: Dawn Staley, Houston Comets (New York)

WNBA 3-point leaders

New York Liberty’s Leonie Fiebich currently leads the league in 3-point percentage, shooting 50% from beyond the arc in 14 games this season after knocking down 22 of 44 threes.

Rhyne Howard currently leads the league in made threes this season (56), followed closely by Kelsey Plum (53), Kayla McBride (52), Allisha Gray (51) and Sabrina Ionescu (50). Howard was sidelined from All-Star activities due to a left knee injury, but Plum, Gray and Ionescu are all set to compete in the 3-point competition, in addition to Sonia Citron (35) and Lexie Hull (29).

Skills challenge format and competitors

The WNBA skills challenge features a timed obstacle course consisting of bounce passes, a chest pass, a 3-point shot from the top of the arc, an elbow jumper, a corner 3, an outlet pass, speed dribbles and a final shot from anywhere on the court. To make it even more challenging, the WNBA is throwing a wrench into things by placing a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid onto the court. The top two from the first round will advance to the final round. This year’s participants are:

New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud
Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins
Atlanta Dream Guard Allisha Gray
Seattle Storm guard Erica Wheeler
Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams

Caitlin Clark injury update: Clark ruled out of WNBA All-Star Game

No. Clark will not participate in the 3-point competition or the All-Star Game due to a right groin injury.

‘I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point contest or the All-Star Game. I have to rest my body.’ Clark said. ‘I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy (Liberty coach Brondello) coach our team to a win.’

Trio of rookies on WNBA All-Star roster follow in Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese’s footsteps

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese created immediate impact when they entered the league, earning All-Star nods during their first season as pros. Clark and Reese might have set a new benchmark for first-year players. Walking in their footsteps would be no easy feat. However, the class of 2025 wasn’t daunted. It met the moment this season with three WNBA All-Stars: Bueckers and Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen. The trio will play in their first All-Star Game on July 19 in Indianapolis.

Opinion: WNBA should take lesson from U.S. Soccer, pay players before it gets ugly

INDIANAPOLIS — Some friendly advice for WNBA leaders as they negotiate with the players on a new contract:

Don’t make the same mistake U.S. Soccer did in 2019 by underestimating the players’ resolve. It will not go well for you, either in the negotiations or the court of public opinion.

The players and the WNBA had their first face-to-face meeting in months Thursday during All-Star weekend. To say it was lacking in substance is an understatement. “Wasted opportunity,” “disrespectful’ and ‘frustration’ were words used by players to describe it.

Team Caitlin Clark: WNBA All-Star game roster

Clark didn’t appear to have much of a strategy heading into Tuesday’s WNBA All-Star draft, saying, ‘I’m going on vibes. I’m picking whatever comes to mind. We’re just having fun. My team is going to be fun. You get to be in front of the home crowd in Indianapolis.’ However, Clark had a game plan to select her teammates. She’ll now help coach her team after being ruled out (right groin).

Starters

Aliyah Boston, Center, Indiana Fever
Sabrina Ionescu, Guard, New York Liberty 
A’ja Wilson, Forward, Las Vegas Aces
Brionna Jones, Forward, Atlanta Dream

Replaced Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally

Brittney Sykes, Guard, Washington Mystics

Replaced Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark

Reserves

Kelsey Mitchell, Guard, Indiana Fever
Gabby Williams, forward, Seattle Storm
Sonia Citron, Guard, Washington Mystics 
Kiki Iriafen, Forward, Washington Mystics
Jackie Young, guard, Las Vegas Aces
Kayla Thornton, Forward, Golden State Valkyries

Team Napheesa Collier: WNBA All-Star game roster

Napheesa Collier had a clear cut strategy heading into the draft — shoot for current and former teammates. ‘I feel like got to try to get some of my (Unrivaled) Owls girls on here and got to try to get some of my (UConn) Huskies girls on here, so I’ve got an agenda coming into today,’ Collier said.

Starters

Breanna Stewart, Forward, New York Liberty
Allisha Gray, Guard, Atlanta Dream
Nneka Ogwumike, Forward Seattle Storm
Paige Bueckers, Guard, Dallas Wings

Reserves

Courtney Williams, guard, Minnesota Lynx
Skylar Diggins, Guard, Seattle Storm
Angel Reese, forward, Chicago Sky
Alyssa Thomas, Forward, Phoenix Mercury
Kelsey Plum, guard, Los Angeles Sparks
Kayla McBride, guard, Minnesota Lynx

Replaced Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard

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Sunday marks the 21st race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Hendrick Motorsports drivers William Byron and Chase Elliott lead the championship standings as the drivers prepare for the Monster Mile in Dover.

Sunday’s race is also the penultimate round of the NASCAR in-season challenge with four drivers still in contention for the prize: Ty Gibbs, Ty Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek and Tyler Reddick.

This season’s seen plenty of intrigue on-track, most recently with Shane van Gisbergen’s dominant run on non-ovals with wins in Chicago and Sonoma.

But there’s been a recent development in the sports’ biggest off-track storyline: 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ lawsuit against NASCAR. Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin co-own 23XI Racing, while Tennessee-based businessman Bob Jenkins owns Front Row Motorsports. Jenkins also owns a number of restaurant franchises belonging to Yum! Brands, including many KFC and Taco Bell locations.

It’s been nine months since the two teams initially filed a lawsuit accusing NASCAR of restraining fair competition and violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.

The two teams and their six drivers – 23XI Racings’ Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst as well as Front Row Motorsports’ Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith – will be racing as open teams for the first time after a recent ruling and the loss of their charter status.

There’s been a lot of motions, counterclaims, denials, appeals and rehearings since the start of the 2025 Cup Series season. Here’s a recap and timeline of all the developements:

NASCAR lawsuit latest

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports will be racing as open teams because they were denied a temporary restraining order which would’ve kept NASCAR from revoking their chartered status.

As open entries, the teams are not guaranteed spots on the starting grid because they do not have charter status. Open teams must qualify on time to make each race, unlike charter teams, who still participate in qualifying to earn the best starting position for each race but would take the green flag on race day regardless even if they failed to qualify.

Open entries also make less than a third as much money per race than chartered teams.

That won’t be a concern this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, however, as less than 40 cars are entered. But it could become a problem later in the season should 41 cars show up.

U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Bell said in his ruling there was no threat of the two teams’ drivers not making races in Dover and Indianapolis (the next race on the 2025 calendar), so there was no irreparable harm.

So far this season, only two races have had more than four open cars enter.

“We are disappointed that the court declined to grant 23XI and Front Row Motorsports a temporary restraining order to allow the teams to continue racing as chartered teams,” the teams’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler said in a statement. “We remain confident that our motion for a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary, and we look forward to the court’s full review.”

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are seeking another injunction to remain chartered through the end of the season. NASCAR has agreed not to sell their charters until a ruling on that injunction, per Bell’s ruling.

NASCAR lawsuit timeline

Here’s what’s happened since the start of the Cup Series regular season in February. To see a timeline of events prior to the 2025 Daytona 500, click here.

March 5: NASCAR files counterclaim

NASCAR claims that 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports violated antitrust laws during negotiations for a new charter agreement. These claims include that the teams colluded to get better terms, and 23XI Racing’s co-owner Curtis Polk tried to boycott a qualifying event.

Chris Yates, lead attorney for NASCAR in this case, stated that they believe the two teams misused antitrust laws to force a renegotiation.

‘NASCAR has no intent and no interest in renegotiating the terms of the 2025 charter,’ Yates said. ‘We’re not going to let 23XI and Front Row misuse the antitrust laws to try to renegotiate the terms of the charter. That’s not going to happen. So I don’t see a great path to settlement, but we will participate in the court-ordered mediation process.’

March 14: Teams respond to NASCAR’s appeal

This response is to NASCAR’s appeal to a prior ruling requiring the sanctioning body to allow 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to race as chartered teams in 2025.

NASCAR’s appeal centers on the judge’s reasoning that the Cup Series is its own market rather than a part of the wider motorsports landscape. The teams argue that NASCAR creates an environment that doesn’t allow them to make as much money as they could.

March 26: Teams motion to dismiss March 5 counterclaim

The two teams argue that there’s no evidence of an attempted boycott and that teams work together in negotiations, just like in other sports, seeing as they are all entered in the same sport.

‘NASCAR’s retaliatory counterclaim is an act of desperation that cannot withstand a motion to dismiss,’ 23XI Racing said in a statement.

April 9: Teams subpoena other sports

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports subpoenaed Formula 1 as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL teams to provide evidence on how other sporting bodies and their teams operate.

April 17: NASCAR requests to add evidence to March 5 counterclaim

NASCAR makes this request claiming it has more evidence that will prove teams colluded during charter negotiations.

May 9: Hearing on NASCAR’s appeal on injunction

A three-judge panel heard the appeal by NASCAR to an injunction ruling on Dec. 18, 2024 allowing 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to race as chartered teams in 2025 while this legal battle plays out.

Judge Kenneth Bell’s Dec. 18 ruling was based largely on NASCAR’s charter agreement including a clause that teams can’t sue NASCAR. His reasoning was the teams felt like they couldn’t both sign the agreement and pursue the lawsuit, hence why the injunction was necessary.

Judge Paul Niemeyer pushes back in questioning Kessler, specifically that the teams cannot ‘have [their] cake and eat it too,’ referring to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports both suing NASCAR and being chartered competitors at the same time.

“If you don’t want the contract, you don’t enter into it, and you sue,’ Niemeyer said. ‘Or if you want the contract, you enter into it, and you’ve given up past releases.’

He and other judges reasoned that the teams could sue and race as open teams, not chartered ones.

June 5: Appeals court revokes injunction and teams could lose charters

The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of NASCAR and revoked the Dec. 18 injunction. The judges note in their ruling that there is no precedent for this case and Kessler’s antitrust argument ‘is not supported by any case of which we are aware.’

They also reason that there’s no indication that the teams will likely be successful in their lawsuit.

This gave the teams 14 days to ask for a rehearing and the ruling took effect a further seven days after that.

June 17: 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports outline what they’re looking for during hearing

Up until this point, the two teams haven’t clearly stated what they’re looking for if they win this lawsuit against NASCAR. A hearing gave some general ideas.

In a hearing for a motion to throw out NASCAR’s counterclaim of collusion, Kessler outlines the teams are looking for:

NASCAR divestment of racetracks it also owns, currently 20 on the Cup Series calendar
NASCAR to no longer prohibit Cup tracks to run similar stock car races
NASCAR to no longer prohibit Next Gen cars to be used in non-NASCAR events
Insure two teams can compete as chartered teams going forward
Financial damages to be tripled

June 18: NASCAR requests documents from other teams

In a new filing for NASCAR’s March 5 counterclaim, NASCAR asks for chartered teams in the Cup Series grid to turn over financial documents, calling some of these ‘critical to NASCAR’s defense.’

June 20: Teams ask for rehearing

As expected, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports asked for a rehearing following the June 5 ruling overturning the injunction which allowed them to compete as chartered teams during the 2025 season.

This request delays when the two teams would lose their charters.

‘If upheld, the ruling would set a dangerous precedent, allowing monopolists to shield themselves from legal challenges simply by requiring release language as a condition of doing business with the monopoly,’ Kessler said in a statement.

June 25: Judge Bell denies motion to end NASCAR counterclaim, chartered teams to hand over information

Judge Bell denied 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ motion to dismiss NASCAR’s counterclaim, stating that the sport had done enough to continue its counterclaim.

But he also narrowed the amount of financial information other chartered teams had to provide NASCAR. Chartered teams only had to provide anonymized top-line financial data (total costs, revenue, net profits/loss) dating back to 2014.

NASCAR was looking for more detailed information, including driver salaries and sponsorship revenue.

July 9: Appeals court denies 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports in rehearing

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit heard the two teams’ argument for reversing the June 5 decision which would revoke their charters during the 2025 season and denied their request.

This makes it very difficult for the teams to race as chartered outfits for the rest of the 2025 season.

‘We are disappointed by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to deny our request for a full rehearing,’ Kessler said in a statement. ‘We are committed to racing this season as we continue to fight for more competitive and fair terms for all teams to ensure the future of the sport and remain fully confident in our case.’

July 14: Teams motion for another temporary restraining order, new injunction

Ahead of this weekend’s race in Dover, the two teams looked for a potential way to remain chartered and decided on filing for a restraining order and new preliminary injunction.

‘New information surfaced through the discovery process that overwhelmingly supports our position that a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary,’ Kessler said in a statement.

The teams argued NASCAR informed them they’d ‘immediately move to sell or issue Plaintiffs’ charters to other entities,’ which could keep the teams from getting their charters back.

“It is unfortunate that instead of respecting the clear rulings of the Fourth Circuit, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are now burdening the District Court with a third motion for another unnecessary and inappropriate preliminary injunction,’ NASCAR said in a statement.

‘We have yet to receive a proposal from 23XI or Front Row, as they have instead preferred to continue their damaging and distracting lawsuit,’ the statement continued. ‘We will defend NASCAR’s integrity from this baseless lawsuit forced upon the sport that threatens to divide the stakeholders committed to serving race fans everywhere. We remain focused on collaborating with the 13 race teams that signed the 2025 charter agreements and share our mutual goal of delivering the best racing in the world each week, including this weekend in Dover.”

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