Former Inter defender Marco Materazzi feels José Mourinho wouldn't have subbed Rasmus Hojlund off, as Massimiliano Allegri did against Inter last weekend, but Federico Dimarco's absence will be 'significant' at the Bernabéu tonight.
Inter and Mourinho reunite at the Bernabéu tonight in the opening round of the 2026-27 Champions League, at the same venue where the Special One lifted the Champions League as the Nerazzurri coach in 2010.
Materazzi built a strong bond with Mourinho during the Portuguese's two-year spell at San Siro and recently met the Special One in Italy: "José took a plane specifically to record that footage, and he told me again: 'You and John Terry, the most important centre-backs of my career'," Materazzi told Gazzetta.
The former Italy defender, a 2006 Italy World Cup winner, is certainly not surprised that Real Madrid hired Mou last summer.
"No, because I know the relationship he has with Florentino, how much he trusts José," he said.

#Inter #mourinho #league #defender

Paris Jackson didn't get to enjoy her father Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. The 28-year-old star, the daughter of the late King of Pop and his second wife, Debbie Rowe, has revealed that she and her siblings, Prince, 29, and Bigi, 24, never got the chance to enjoy the California property's features, such as the private amusement park, zoo, and movie theater.
Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Paris explained: "I didn't grow up there. "It was only the first few years of my life that I was there." In fact, Paris revealed that she and her siblings were told that Neverland's "attractions" were only to be enjoyed by underprivileged and sick children.
Prince Jackson, Paris Jackson, and Bigi Jackson are beneficiaries of the estate (@ Getty)
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Paris Jackson accuses paparazzi of causing her long-term trauma

#jackson #enjoy #revealed

Trevor Rees-Jones, Princess Diana's bodyguard, was the sole survivor of the 1997 car crash that killed her and Dodi Fayed
He sustained severe injuries, underwent extensive reconstructive surgery and later wrote a memoir defending himself against conspiracy theories
Rees-Jones has since rebuilt his life, working in security roles and living privately with his family in England
Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was the sole survivor of the deadly car accident that claimed the lives of Princess Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul in 1997.
Following a romantic dinner at the Ritz Paris on the evening of Aug. 30, 1997, Rees-Jones accompanied Diana and Dodi as they traveled from the hotel to Dodi's apartment. But the couple — and their bodyguard — would never reach their destination, as their vehicle crashed head-on into a concrete column while attempting to evade paparazzi.

#fayed

Caitlin Clark has faced more than her share of on-court altercations with both players and officials, which has led to even the league in general getting plenty of backlash. In a recent face-off against the Wings, Clark and Paige Bueckers had an exchange, which got mixed reactions from fans.
Bueckers tried to purposefully foul Clark, not just once but twice which did not catch the attention of the officials. After the second attempt, Clark could be seen pulling her arm back forcefully which led to Bueckers yelling at her, telling her to calm down.
While the exchange was considered pretty hilarious by many fans, others pointed out that Clark has been the victim of such exchanges throughout this campaign. Candace Parker discussed the situation in a recent 'Post Moves' episode, where she admitted that she would have acted the same way Bueckers did.
"The lip-reading experts are saying Paige told Caitlin to calm down. But here's the thing. I kinda blame the refs a little bit because if you don't hear a whistle, and obviously Paige was trying to foul… She's fouling, and then she fouls again, and I feel that a little bit. But at the same time, the refs didn't call the first one. I would've been like Paige too." Candace Parker said.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks to pass around Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd (35) and Dallas Wings guard Aziaha James (10) on Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the first half of the Fever's season opener game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

#clark #wings

Watching Caitlin Clark dominate the WNBA is one thing, but seeing it through the eyes of top draft pick Azzi Fudd brings a whole new perspective.
Selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, Azzi Fudd has also been under huge pressure. And she hasn't had the best of luck, finding herself sidelined for the rest of the 2026 WNBA season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her right knee.
Off the court, Paige Bueckers and Azzi confirmed their romantic relationship, building on the bond they forged during their collegiate championship run. That background includes head-to-head battles against Caitlin Clark, giving Fudd firsthand experience of competing against her at the highest level.
And despite the outside noise on Clark and what WNBA players think of her, Fudd kept it real classy.
Some players' egos wouldn't allow them to give props to Caitlin Clark, but Azzi Fudd kept it 100% real in her ***** sment of the WNBA superstar.

#caitlin

Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi are still going strong, and they finished their London trip with another great dinner. On Saturday, the model and actor were spotted leaving The River Café in Hammersmith, West London, after a date.
Elordi seemed to be shielding Jenner along with security (@ Splash News/The Grosby Group)
Amid the paparazzi, as they made their way out of the restaurant, Jenner held onto Elordi's wrist while the Wuthering Heights actor kept a hand low on her backside. He seemed to be holding her close and making sure she was protected with the help of security guards.
They've been slowly showing more PDA (@ Splash News/The Grosby Group)
The River Café, where they had dinner Saturday, is an iconic Italian restaurant on the Thames that has been serving diners since 1987 and is also recognized by the Michelin Guide.

#jenner #elordi #splash

The Italian edition of Vogue might not hold the prestige that it once did under the late great Franca Sozzani, but that doesn't stop Francesca Ragazzi from dropping covers starring a bevy of buzz-worthy talent. After all, names like Vittoria Ceretti, Madonna, Bella Hadid, and Sabrina Carpenter have graced the cover of the Italian fashion bible of late. Next up on the cover of Vogue Italia is Dua Lipa, who graces the September 2026 issue of the magazine. The British-Albanian singer-songwriter makes her Italian Vogue debut via the lens of the photographer Carlijn Jacobs. Shot on location in New York, the Grammy Award-winning star is styled by Imruh Asha, dripping in diamonds and rubies from Bulgari.
IMAGE | VOGUE.IT
"WOW! Love," expressed newton91 immediately upon checking out the cover.
"I am not a fan of closed eye covers but there is something about this one. I like it," MModa confessed.
"Dolce & Gabbana Sicilian widow vibes!" described BalkaniStaCouture. "I like it!"

#like #cover

The UConn women's basketball dynasty wasn't built by accident. In the new Apple TV docuseries that released on Friday, longtime coach Geno Auriemma explained why.
"The Dynasty: UConn Huskies," traced the 40-year history of the Huskies' rise from the bottom of the college basketball world to the most storied program in the sport's history.
But its most revealing moments came from the 2025 championship team led by stars Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, who opened up about the toll of Auriemma's demands, the pressure of ending UConn's nine-year national championship drought and what it took to reach the mountaintop once again.
Here are the biggest things we learned:
It's no secret that Bueckers and Fudd have kept their relationship private.

#championship #Apple

Hailey Bieber walking into West Hollywood's Sushi Park wearing the unreleased earbuds.
Hailey Bieber has been photographed twice in recent days wearing a pair of wired earbuds from SKYLRK Audio, the forthcoming tech arm of her husband Justin Bieber's lifestyle brand. The sightings, captured mid-August 2026 and quickly circulated by fan accounts tracking the label, mark one of the clearest public signals yet that SKYLRK is moving beyond apparel and accessories into consumer electronics.
The first set of images appeared around August 18–19. A second wave of photos followed shortly after, showing Bieber walking one elevator flight from the valet garage and about 200 feet into West Hollywood's Sushi Park, again in the distinctive wired pair. The very short paparazzi-laden walkway makes the audio equipment a very deliberate fashion accessory and marketing tool versus a need for headphones. Fan account SkylrkDaily, which closely follows the brand on X, described them as "Exclusive Skylrk audio Wired Earbuds," underscoring that the product has not yet been formally released to the public.
SKYLRK launched in 2025 as Justin Bieber's independent fashion and lifestyle label, distinct from his earlier Drew House project. The brand quickly established a visual language of oversized loungewear, sculptural slides, leather outerwear, and monochrome-to-bold color stories. Hailey Bieber has been closely involved almost from the start—modeling campaigns, collaborating on capsules (including a February 2026 collection), and contributing design input on pieces such as leather jackets.
In early June 2026, Justin Bieber posted Instagram images teasing SKYLRK Audio. The prototypes included dome-shaped portable speakers in vibrant finishes (copper, olive, lilac, teal), over-ear headphones, and what appeared to be wired earbuds. The aesthetic leaned retro-futurist and Y2K-inflected—perforated surfaces, saturated colorways, and graphic branding—positioning the line as both functional hardware and wearable design objects. No technical specifications, pricing, or firm release date were announced at the time. Coverage from outlets including Hypebeast and SoundGuys framed the move as an expansion of SKYLRK from pure fashion into a broader lifestyle ecosystem that merges streetwear sensibility with everyday tech.

#earbuds

DALLAS — By Thursday afternoon, the get-in ticket price at the American Airlines Center hovered around $80. The cost to view the fourth-ever WNBA matchup between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark from the upper deck — less than a week after the scintillating third meeting in Indianapolis — was not overly prohibitive.
The show had different stars and a different result this time. The Dallas Wings notched maybe their most-needed win of the season with a 91-85 victory over the Indiana Fever, at last finding some equilibrium after losing Azzi Fudd to season-ending knee surgery and sliding into eighth place in the WNBA standings. It also ended the Fever's five-game winning streak and prevented them from clinching a playoff spot on their first try.
Those among the 20,297 seeking another Bueckers-Clark duel, after each scored 29 points in last Friday's meeting?
They instead got Arike Ogunbowale scoring 32 points and Jessica Shepard adding 26 for Dallas in her return to the lineup, while Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell carried a too-heavy load with 37 points — though she made history in doing so. Bueckers and Clark, meanwhile, missed a combined 22 of 31 shots from the field.
Still, even without those two playing captivating basketball, it appears the Wings and Fever under the same roof is becoming a must-attend rivalry. Among the notables on hand Thursday night: Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg and NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady. Even WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert made an appearance, chatting up Cuban between the third and fourth quarters.

#bueckers #clark

Azzi Fudd injury leaves Wings facing alarming reality before Fever rematch originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Wings have learned just how valuable Azzi Fudd is during her rookie season. Fudd has missed six games because of injuries, including Dallas' last five while dealing with a right knee issue. The Wings' results without the No. 1 overall pick have exposed a troubling problem at a critical point in the season.
Dallas is 19-11 when Fudd plays and just 1-5 without her. That translates to a .633 winning percentage with the rookie guard and a .167 mark when she is unavailable. Fudd was ruled out of Monday's matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, which ended in another Dallas loss. The Wings fell to 20-16 and remained in eighth place in the WNBA standings.
Dallas still has some breathing room in the playoff race, but its dependence on Fudd is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Fudd has not played since Dallas' 96-92 loss to the Washington Mystics on Aug. 5. She finished that game with nine points, three ****** ists and three steals in 28 minutes. The Wings initially listed Fudd with right knee soreness after she experienced discomfort during pregame warmups ahead of an Aug. 7 matchup against Golden State. Dallas held her out as a precaution, but the absence has since extended to five consecutive games.

#dallas #wings #sporting

Azzi Fudd's fans expressed dissatisfaction with the Dallas Wings' social media team on Monday after they celebrated Arike Ogunbowale's latest milestone. In the 78-70 loss to the Golden State Valkyries, Ogunbowale recorded her 1000th career **** ist. The Wings' X account posted a graphic, congratulating the veteran for her latest feat.
Fudd's fans didn't have a direct issue with the team celebrating Ogunbowale. However, they were angered that the No. 1 pick didn't receive the same recognition for breaking the franchise 3-point rookie records. Fudd has the most 3-pointers in a season, in a game, and in a quarter by a Wings rookie.
The Wings never posted about her setting the franchise rookie record of 61 3-pointers in a season, which she clinched on Aug. 3 against the Connecticut Sun. After seeing the shoutout for Ogunbowale, several Fudd fans slammed the social media team.
"it's not too late to post one for Azzi Fudd… no need to be shy, c'mon now," one fan said.
More reactions followed.

#Social #latest

Alia Shawkat has finally addressed rumours that she once dated Brad Pitt.
The Arrested Development actress and the Oscar-winning actor sparked relationship speculation in November 2019 when they were photographed at an art exhibition together.
But during a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, host Andy asked Alia whether the gossip was true.
"This is my favourite question to get asked. Um, no. He's just my friend. We became friends," she replied. "(Director) Spike Jonze introduced us. It sounds all very chic and Hollywood. But we met, and he's really into art, and he's very cool, and we became friends. And everyone thought we were dating, because if you stand next to him, everyone thinks you're dating. Like, even his own mother."
The Search Party star went on to recall how excited her grandmother was when she saw paparazzi photos of the pair.
"My grandmother saved Us Weekly. I was on the cover of it. There was a really bad photo, it was him and me being like, 'Oooh!' And they were like 'Who's the new girl?'" the 37-year-old continued. "And my Arabic grandmother (was thrilled). I was like, 'I've been working in film for 30 years, you've never seen anything, but you love this.'"

#alia #everyone #dating

For the last five years, I have cleared my schedule for every A'ja Wilson versus Breanna Stewart matchup — and there have been many. They are the two defining players of this WNBA generation, with a combined six MVPs and six **** les between them, and the faces of USA Basketball. They relish the competition of playing against the best at their position and raise their levels when they meet.
The Wilson-Stewart era is far from over. Wilson is on pace to be MVP yet again, while Stewart is putting together yet another All-WNBA season. Although the Las Vegas Aces sit higher in the standings, the New York Liberty have mostly gotten the best of them this season, including in the Commissioner's Cup final. A playoff series between them (a fifth matchup in seven seasons) would be high-level theater.
It would be near-impossible for another individual rivalry to reach those heights — again, look at all the hardware the two have in their trophy cases — but it was fun to get a look at the future during the aptly-named rivals week. Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark have a lot more winning to do to reach the Wilson-Stewart level, but they do have the right ingredients in place. They're elite players at essentially the same position who came up together through USA Basketball; like Stewart and Wilson, they each were the MVP at a U-19 World Cup. They both had outstanding college careers, and now they are trying to compete for **** les in the WNBA.
Bueckers and Clark have met only three times in the pros, and the first was mostly forgettable. The last two, however, have been worth the wait. The third quarter of Friday's game between Dallas and Indiana was a true highlight, as these two unselfish guards kept trying to one-up the other as bucket-getters. Six of their baskets were immediately followed by points from the other, including a very fun stretch in which Clark hit a layup, Bueckers followed with a pull-up 3, Clark responded with a pull-up jumper and Bueckers hit another shot in the midrange. Not a lot of passing from the nominal point guards, but the budding seeds of a longer rivalry.
Ideally, the Wings and Fever will meet in the playoffs (with Azzi Fudd and Jessica Shepard both healthy by that point) and give this matchup the stakes it deserves. For now, it's an enjoyable undercard to the Wilson-Stewart rivalry.

#stewart #WNBA #rivalry

For the second time this season, the Upshot League is sending a player to the WNBA.
The Dallas Wings announced on Friday, Aug. 14, that they had signed Christyn Williams to a developmental contract. Williams, who played her college ball at UConn, joins Indiana Fever forward Michelle Onyiah as players to make the jump from the Upshot to the WNBA.
Williams played at UConn from 2018 through 2022 and starred alongside Paige Bueckers in the backcourt for her final two seasons with the Huskies, going to the Final Four in both of those seasons. She also played one year with Azzi Fudd, and Williams will now reunite with both former Huskies teammates in Dallas.
Before going to college at UConn, the Arkansas native was the consensus National Player of the Year in high school, earning the nod from Gatorade, the WBCA, the committees that give out the Naismith and Morgan Wootten awards, and USA TODAY. Williams was also the MVP of the 2018 McDonald's All-American game.

#williams #played #year

With recurring rain showers in Pennsylvania this summer, fishing conditions varied at different lakes, but fish were biting for those who knew how to adapt.
Mark Melega, 57, of Rices Landing and Lee Corazzi, 66, of Fredericktown, have fished in tournaments for years and have found ways to get the fish to bite.
"We had a good year," Melega said.
The cousins fish in a variety of tournaments with their teammate Bucky Mounts of Washington. They fish from Erie to West Virgina and many lakes and rivers in between.
Corazzi said the fishing continues to improve, especially on the Monongahela River.

#lakes #pennsylvania

Robert Irwin is calling out mainstream media for misrepresenting his family.
The conservationist, 22, spoke about navigating his life in the public eye in an interview with the Something to Talk About podcast released Saturday, in which he recalled a moment when paparazzi took pictures of him after the death of his beloved childhood pet chicken, Piggy.
Irwin said that when he was 16, he was getting off a flight when he learned that Piggy had died. The family had adopted the chicken after the death of his father, conservationist Steve Irwin.
"She was so much more than a chicken," he recalled. "She was 13, and I got the text that she passed away. I got off the plane and there was a bunch of cameras taking photos of me."
He continued: "I was absolutely cut up. I looked obviously very sad and then the reports come out: 'Oh, there's a family rift between Robert and his sister,' or 'Robert's mum is doing this.'"

#family #chicken #robert #talk

Azzi Fudd was a surprise absentee in Friday's game between the Dallas Wings and Golden State Valkyries. Fudd wasn't on the injury report and seemed poised to start. However, she developed a sore knee during warm-ups and the Wings ruled her out at the last minute.
Here's what the Wings said:
"Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd has been ruled out for tonight's game against the Golden State Valkyries. Fudd went through warmups this evening and experienced right knee soreness. Out of an abundance of caution, she will not play tonight."
The Wings round off a grueling stretch of six games in 12 days on Sunday against the Lynx. Fudd's status for that contest is up in the air and will be disclosed before the matchup.
Shortly before her injury absence was announced, Fudd had performed a cartwheel while entering the arena. Given that she seemed in great spirits and was ready to play, Wings fans were concerned about her absence.

#fudd #dallas #valkyries #injury

Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper may be private about their relationship, but they're not shy about their love for each other.
The model, 31, and Oscar-nominated actor, 51, have largely stayed mum on details of their romance since they were first linked together in October 2023. But after Hadid opened up about her respect and gratitude for Cooper in a March 2025 Vogue cover story, the couple cracked the door open on their relationship to the public.
Months later, they became Instagram official. The "Silver Linings Playbook" star and Guest in Residence founder have since allowed the public to catch glimpses of their romance through occasional outings captured by paparazzi and rare comments in interviews.
One recent public appearance stood out, however, as Cooper and Hadid were photographed wearing gold bands on their ring fingers while strolling the streets of Paris on Aug. 3. The accessories appeared again during the couple's outing the following day.
Neither has issued a statement on whether their jewelry choices have any significant meaning.

#bradley

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jessica Shepard and Arike Ogunbowale scored 15 points each and the Dallas Wings used a big run in the third quarter to cruise to an 83-63 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday night.
After a slow start to the third quarter, when the Wings had more misses and turnovers than points, they followed a timeout with a 20-2 run to close the quarter and turn a nine-point lead into a 72-45 lead.
The Sun went 3 of 15 from the field and scored just eight points.
Azzi Fudd added 12 points for the Wings (19-11), who ended a two-game skid. Paige Bueckers scored just six points, the fewest in her two-year career. With reserves playing the fourth quarter Dallas still finished at 48% shooting, making 7 of 18 3-pointers. Fudd was 4 of 5 on 3s and Ogunbowale made 7 of 9 shots with five **** ists.
Diamond Miller led the Sun (7-23) with a season-high 22 points. Kennedy Burke added 14.

#quarter #scored #fudd #Third

Following their split, comedian Pete Davidson and model Elsie Hewitt have reached a joint parenting agreement for their 7-month-old daughter, Scottie.
"We are cooperatively coparenting our daughter whose well-being remains our top priority, and we are fully committed to working together to give her love from both of us," a joint statement from the couple, shared by their representatives with USA TODAY on Aug. 2, stated.
Page Six was first to report the news.
The statement comes more than two months after Hewitt, 30, opened up about her motherhood experience when she responded to paparazzi photos showing her on a walk with her daughter in a May 16 TikTok video.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm exhausted, OK? I should've left the house looking nicer yesterday. I should've known that that was going to happen," she said. "But that's not what I'm thinking about right now, because I have a baby to take care of. And I also have to work and make money, and I'm doing it on my own, which is hard."

#davidson

Vertiv (VRT) had one of its roughest earnings days this week.
Its stock fell about 17% on July 29.
The AI infrastructure company's second-quarter earnings beat expectations, but its revenue fell short of Wall Street's expectations, and that was enough to sink the stock.
Then the company's CEO went on television and told investors to calm down.
"This is a temporary issue," Giordano Albertazzi said on CNBC's "Mad Money." "Nothing has changed in the long term of our trajectory."

#earnings #expectations #vertiv #albertazzi

Where to watch Fire vs. Fever today: Channel, time, TV schedule, live stream for Caitlin Clark WNBA game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Fever will continue their packed travel week with a stop in Portland to take on the Fire this Friday.
Indiana started off its West Coast stint with a solid win over Seattle on Tuesday, 105-95. With star Caitlin Clark leading the pack once again, the Fever soared to their fourth straight victory. Clark totaled 32 points and Kelsey Mitchell 28, but Aliyah Boston was pulled from the game after taking a hard fall in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, the Fire have lost their last two matchups at home against the Aces and Wings. Despite an early lead and late rally against Dallas, Portland was unable to overcome the combined power of Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Arike Ogunbowale. Can the Fire recover with a win at home?
These two squads last met on May 30, with the Fire dominating 100-84. Who will come out on top this time?

#clark #game

Azzi Fudd made history during the WNBA 3-point contest on Friday. She became the first rookie in league history to win the competition, besting Bridget Carleton in the finals. The Dallas Wings guard was recently asked who her favorite 3-point shooters are.
Fudd named NBA stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. She also picked her former UConn teammate, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, and Seattle Storm guard Katie Lou Samuelson.
MORE: Azzi Fudd flaunts sporty-streetwear outfit for Dallas Wings game
The question may have caught Fudd off guard as she couldn't name more.However, she added that she still has other favorites.
Curry holds the ***** le of the NBA's all-time 3-point field goals made leader, while his ex-Golden State Warriors teammate ranks fourth. Meanwhile, Mosqueda-Lewis leads the list for the Huskies with 398, with Samuelson trailing her with 382.

#azzi #lewis #samuelson

After 14 years with FIFA World Cup-winning player and coach Didier Deschamps at the helm, the French national team is now officially under the stewardship of ex-captain Zinedine Zidane.
An appointment which had been largely expected for months, this marks the 54-year-old's first head coaching role since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, where he won La Liga twice and the UEFA Champions League three times across two stints in charge,
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Zidane, who won the World Cup alongside Deschamps in 1998 and reached the Final in 2006, during which he was sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi, admitted that taking charge of Les Bleus was a lifelong dream come true.
Donald Trump sparks outrage with Harry Kane World Cup comments
Argentina World Cup Final red card rescinded, face potential FIFA disciplinary action

#real

All-Star weekend is always a busy couple of days for the WNBA, and this year's iteration was no exception.
On Friday, the Shooting Stars competition and 3-Point Contest occurred—and both lived up to the hype.
There were plenty of worthy shooters involved in the 3-Point Contest, but in the end, Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd took home the trophy. She became the first rookie ever to win the competition. She had 24 points in the first round and then upped the ante, scoring 30 in the final.
Fudd's 30-point performance defeated the Portland Fire's Bridget Carleton, who had just 19 points in the final round after scoring 27 points in the first round.
The four other participants who were eliminated in the opening round included the Atlanta Dream's Rhyne Howard (20), Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey (18), Seattle Storm's Natisha Heideman (17) and Golden State Valkyries' Janelle Salaün (19).

#Competition #rookie #final

Why is Sabrina Ionescu not in the WNBA's 3-Point Contest this weekend in Chicago? She won it last year, as well as in 2023, when she put up a record round of 37. Ionescu even briefly revitalized the NBA's competition in 2024 by going head-to-head with Steph Curry, only narrowly losing to the NBA legend.
However, Ionescu is not even in the pool of participants this time around.
There are a host of reasons that could explain this: Ionescu did not make the All-Star game amid an injury-plagued campaign for New York, while up-and-comers like Azzi Fudd and Rhyne Howard will replace some of Ionescu's star power. But across the WNBA and NBA, if a reigning victor wants to participate in any of the All-Star weekend festivities, they are welcomed back.
At a press conference leading into All-Star weekend, Ionescu claimed she was never invited.
"I can't decline an offer that I officially didn't get invited to," she said.

#head #invited #contest #Chicago

What time does the WNBA 3-Point Contest start? TV channel, schedule, live streams to watch Azzi Fudd and more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Six of the WNBA's best shooters are heading to Chicago for Friday's 3-point contest during All-Star Weekend, and the field is stacked.
Wings rookie Azzi Fudd headlines the group, becoming just the fourth first-year player ever to get a shot at the ***** le. She'll be shooting for history, too, as no rookie has actually won it yet.
Rhyne Howard (Dream), Marina Mabrey (Tempo), Bridget Carleton (Fire), Natisha Hiedeman (Storm) and Janelle Salaun (Valkyries) will also compete. All of six rank among the league's top 11 in threes made per game this season.
Notably absent are reigning champ Sabrina Ionescu, along with Caitlin Clark and Kayla McBride, who all reportedly turned down invites, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

#azzi #preferred

WNBA All-Star Weekend is upon us, and the forecast calls for raining 3s.
Friday night begins with the new Shooting Stars event, which zips through the past, present and future of women’s basketball. Its call sheet includes Hall of Famers Elena Delle Donne and Lauren Jackson. Up next is the always entertaining 3-point contest, which includes an All-Star introduction for rookie Azzi Fudd and another showcase for bucket-getter Marina Mabrey.
Prepare accordingly with this Friday night TV primer.
Venue: Wintrust Arena — Chicago
Date: Friday, July 24

#star #famers

Azzi Fudd’s pregame outfits have been a must-see this season. She once again turned heads with her attire on Wednesday ahead of the Dallas Wings-Portland Fire WNBA regular-season game.
The rookie wore a fitted, white cropped sports bra top featuring a subtle black logo in the center of the chest. She paired it with high-waisted khaki track pants with white vertical side stripes down the outer legs and a drawstring waist. Fudd completed her look with white sneakers.
MORE: Azzi Fudd bares abs ahead of Wings-Tempo game
The Wings posted her photo from the tunnel on Instagram, and fans reacted to it in the comments section.
“I need azzis abs by tomorrow,” one fan said.

#azzi #season #dallas #portland