GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES rookie WNBA coach Natalie Nakase - (WNBA Photo)

Fever's Caitlin Clark - (WNBA photo) WNBA All-Star Game

Dallas Wings rookie and selected All Star game participant Paige Bueckers - (WNBA photo)

Someone must have lit a fire under the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese - (John Mac - photo)

Lynx's Kayla McBride named as replacement player for injured Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard on Team Collier in the All-Star Game - (WNBA photo)

At 37 Lionel Messi continues to amaze - (Hossein Zohrevand photo) June NR TOP 10

The man that pushes the Chelsea buttons is owner Todd Boehly - (Eric van den Brulle photo)

Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics ALL TIME NBA 1st TEAM - BREAKING IT DOWN

SPORTS NOTES EXTRA - GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES SHOCK WNBA

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

When the WNBA's Golden State Valkyries selected players from the expansion draft, we were surprised how many older players they drafted - Someone must have lit a fire under the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese - Lynx's Kayla McBride named as replacement player for 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game - Chelsea FC co-owner American Todd Boehly must be living large with his squads rising to success - THIS DAY IN THE NBA - NBA's ALL TIME BEST PLAYERS 1st and 2nd TEAMS

Tuesday July 15, 2025

WNBA

THE VALS KNOW THERE IS NO I in TEAM

The GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES are the team shocking the WNBA this season. Bing an expansion franchise they have drafted premium players to suite their system. For the majority of the season, they have played over 50% ball. Their team highlights defense and there is not one player that qualifies as their super star. What they have is a well-balanced squad where they all contribute.

When they selected players from the expansion draft, we were surprised how many older players they selected. Rookie WNBA coach Natalie Nakase knew exactly what she was doing as the senior players instilled maturity that balanced the squad.

The team has four players over 30, six under 25 and two between the ages of 26 to 29. Kayla Thornton, 32 leads the squad in points per game with 14.5, rebounds 7.1 and steals 1.4. Veronica Burton 25, leads the team in assists, 5.4 per game. At 35, Tiffany Hayes proves she still has it and is the team's second highest scorer with 13.5 ppg.

The team recently fell below 50% of wins in the standings at 10-11 tied with perennial power and two-time champion the Las Vegas Aces. They are only one game behind the Indiana Fever. The Vals slide was due to a two-game losing streak and four losses of their last five. They lost the last two games only by a total of three points.

The close losses caused coach Nakase complain about the referees' calls. They dropped their last game in the final minute on a foul shot in a 78-77 loss to the Phoenix Mercury. Coach Nakase said she didn't see any foul made. In a post game press conference, she admitted that if the calls aren't going her team's way because she's a rookie coach she'll take the loss.

"To sit there and watch someone win a game off of a free throw, that's a disservice. I'm just asking for consistency. I'm begging for consistency," she said.

Proof of the team's balance and not having a super star is none of the Vals players was selected to play in this season's all-star game. The point being that the side is doing more than what an expansion team is expected to accomplish. Their rookie coach Nakase should be in the running for Coach of the Year in tribute to her creating a team that can compete with the best and defeat the leagues strongest teams.

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Angel Reese

Someone must have lit a fire under the Chicago Sky's, you know what I'm say-yin, and Angel Reese has added offense to her game. Noted for her excellent rebounding over the past eight games, since June 25th she's averaging 19.12 ppg. That compliments her 14.37 rebounds per game.

Reese may not be on the best team in the league but she continues to show her skills in helping her mates. Since her outburst the side went 4-4 after going 4-9 prior to her renewed tenacity.

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Lynx's Kayla McBride named as replacement player for 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game

July 15, 2025 NEW YORK

Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride has been named by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to replace injured Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard on Team Collier in the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Saturday, July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Fever (8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, Disney+ and ESPN+).

For McBride, 33, this marks her second consecutive WNBA All-Star appearance and the fifth of her career. Last year, McBride helped Team WNBA defeat the US Women's National Team, 117-109, in the 2024 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game.

Now in her 12th WNBA season, McBride ranks 27th in league history with 5,086 career points. This season, she is averaging 14.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game and has helped the Lynx to a league-best 19-4 record

WNBA ALL STAR GAME TEAM ROSTERS are BELOW

SOCCER

Chelsea FC co-owner American Todd Boehly must be living large with his squads rising to success after an unpleasant start.

When we first reported on the then new owner's relationship with the club he was in turmoil chewing up and spitting out managers.

Our last stop with the side they were sacking then manager Thomas Tuchel. The club went through several changes in personal but finally seems to have hit their sweet spot.

Their 4th place finish in the English Premiere League qualifies them for Champions League cash next season. That translates into money enough to strengthen the team and make a run for the Premiere League title.

Their recent winning of the FIFA Club Gold Cup should bolster their confidence. It seems that Boehly's investment is paying off. He has made lemon AID out of lemons.

NBA GAME CHANGE SUGGESTIONS:

Make a rule where a team can only take 30 three-point shots a game. This will create more strategy. A shot clock can be doubled in two sections where one side is about 3-point shots taken and the other being the 24 second clock.

COMING: THE NBA ALL STAR GAME ABORTION

THIS DAY IN THE NBA

July 15, 1991 Sandhi Ortiz-Del Valle became the first woman to officiate a men's professional basketball game, working a United States Basketball League game between the New Haven Skyhawks and the Philadelphia Spirit.