WNBA

Diana Taurasi made history, and then she partied!

DT and the Phoenix Mercury were extra-lit, chuggin' champagne in the locker room after Thursday's game ... after the star guard became the first WNBA player to amass 10,000 points!

The record-breaking moment happened during the Mercury's game against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, where the 10x All-Star dropped 42 points in a winning effort.

'We are a part of history," Mercury coach Nikki Blue said after the game. "That was so much fun. Let's do it again!" coach said, laughing.

That's when Taurasi, 41, got the party started, spraying champagne with her teammates, and drinking some bubbly, too ... while rocking her custom "The Drive To 10k" shirt.

Brittney Griner -- who is taking a mental health break from the team -- even pulled up for the special moment, rockin' a Taurasi jersey.

Taurasi leads the WNBA's all-time scoring list ... sitting atop a list of greats like Tina Thompson, Tamika Catching, Tina Charles, and her former UCONN teammate Sue Bird.

Of course, Taurasi is considered one of the best WNBA players ever and was even given the nickname "White Mamba" by Kobe Bryant.

Taurasi started her basketball career at Don Antonio Lugo in Chino, California and spent four seasons at UCONN where she won three NCAA titles under Geno Auriemma.

The 6-foot guard was the first overall pick in the 2004 WNBA draft and has won 3 championships, 2 WNBA Finals MVPs, and the 2009 WNBA MVP, amongst other accolades.

Tom Brady is racking up teams like Super Bowl rings -- the retired NFL superstar has become part owner of yet another sports organization ... this time, it's the Birmingham City Football Club.

The G.O.A.T. announced the business move in a hype video on Thursday ... saying "he's officially coming on board" the English Football League Championship squad.

"And maybe you're asking what do you know about English football, Tom?" Brady said in the clip. "Well, let's just say I've got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they may translate pretty well."

Brady -- who joins the club's current owners, Knighthead Capital Management LLC -- will also serve as chairman of the advisory board.

"I know success starts with the work put in when the world isn't watching," Brady added. "I know a team is nothing without the city that shows up and stands behind it."

"Most importantly, I know I like being the underdog. The road's been long for Birmingham, but these fans have never stopped believing."

The Blues will hope Brady's winning will rub off on them ... 'cause the team finished 17th in England's second-tier league last season.

Birmingham City also addressed the move in a statement ... saying Brady will work directly with the team's sports science department to share his knowledge on "health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery systems and programs."

"I'll see you at St Andrew's soon," TB12 added. "It's time to get to work."

Brady has clearly found a new hobby in sports ownership after retiring in February -- his collection now includes Birmingham City, the Las Vegas Raiders, the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, a Major League Pickleball team, and, most recently, an E1 World Championship electric boat racing franchise.

Lil Wayne was undeniably a vital part of this year's ESPY Awards ... the Young Money rap star had every athlete in the building rocking when he opened the event with a sports-themed rendition of his classic banger "A Milli!!!"

The electrifying performance peaked when Wayne went into the crowd and bounced with reigning Super Bowl champ Travis Kelce, but the hip-hop legend wasn't done highlighting the festivities.

Weezy F. Baby later introduced WNBA 🐐 Sue Bird to the podium and linked up with Angel Reese, 2 Chainz and NBA champ Jamal Murray throughout the evening.

Backstage, Wayne and Quavo dapped it up, and we're told it was the first time they've seen one another since Lil Weezyana Fest last year -- which, tragically, was Takeoff's final show before he was killed.

We're also told Wayne's choice of attire was intentional -- he repped for the late Kobe Bryant in a "Mamba Mentality" sweater, and also donned an LSU hat to signify women's accomplishments ... most notably Angel and Flau'jae Johnson, who has a song collab with Wayne dropping soon.

Megan Rapinoe is retiring from soccer -- but she's got one last thing to achieve on her checklist before doing so ... winning another World Cup.

The longtime U.S. women's soccer legend -- who's been on the national team since '06 -- made the announcement Saturday at a presser, telling reporters this upcoming tourney would be her last as a professional ... and that she'd be hanging up her cleats afterward.

She does say there'll be more to come for her down the road -- presumably meaning she'll still be involved in soccer in some capacity -- but first, her focus is on snagging the gold.

During her remarks ... MR got a little choked up as she reflected on her storied career, thanking teammates, coaches, fans and everyone who's supported her over the years. She also touched on the game itself and commented on just how far it's taken her in her life.

She also shouts out her partner, WNBA star Sue Bird, for giving her inspiration in coming to the decision -- ICYMI, SB announced her retirement from pro basketball just last year.

Megan's thoughts are touching ... and it's a huge moment, seeing how she's been on several U.S. Women's Soccer teams, having played with some of the greats of the modern era. She's played with the likes of Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo and so many others ... and is, by and large, considered to be one of the final players of the old guard to still be on the pitch today. She's also served as a captain on the team for years now.

Of course, her accolades are many. Megan's helped the U.S. win the World Cup twice, and she's also led the U.S. to a gold medal in the Olympics before. MR's won a lot of awards, too, including the Golden Boot and Golden Ball from FIFA for her standout performances.

Former WNBA star and ex-Tennessee Lady Volunteers hooper Nikki McCray-Penson has tragically passed away at 51 years old.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed to The Tennesean on Friday by Rutgers University, where McCray-Penson had been working as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team.

The school did not provide a cause of death ... but Univ. of Tenn. reporter Maria Cornelius said McCray-Penson passed away after battling breast cancer for a second time.

The former guard starred at Tennessee in the 1990s ... winning SEC Player of the Year twice (1994, 1995) -- as well as earning Kodak All-American honors twice.

Following her stint with the Vols, she went on to become a three-time WNBA All-Star ... while playing eight seasons for the Mystics, Fever, Mercury, Silver Stars and Sky.

She also won two gold Olympic medals with Team USA in her career ... and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Her coaching tenure began in 2006 ... when she was hired to be an assistant on Western Kentucky's staff. She later became a head coach for Old Dominion, where she won C-USA Coach of the Year in 2019-2020. She then had a stint as Mississippi State's head coach ... before she began her career at Rutgers in 2022.

McCray-Penson also had a significant impact off the court ... she was selected by Bill Clinton to be a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She was also picked by the Library of Congress as a speaker for the Women's History Month Address in 1999.

News of the death has rocked the basketball world ... with many stars remembering her fondly after learning of her passing.

"Nikki McCray : Sweet person and cold hooper!," ex-NBA star Chris Webber wrote. "Rest in Peace."

Added Dick Vitale, "I am so heartbroken hearing this news a few minutes ago about Nikki McCray - Penson . Loved everything about Nikki - she was a Hall of Famer as a player & as a person . May Nikki RIP."

Lady Vols senior Rickea Jackson, who played under McCray-Penson at Mississippi St., also tweeted her condolences to the McCray-Penson family.

"One of the most beautiful souls I've ever met," Jackson said. "The one who genuinely went out their way to understand me when I was so misunderstood. The one who was always there."

"You fought so long and hard and I am grateful to have known you. I love you. Rest easy."

Brittney Griner isn't going to let one bad interaction spoil things for her supporters ... 'cause TMZ Sports has obtained video showing she was super friendly with a man looking for a pic with her on Friday.

The scene played out in front of the Phoenix Mercury's team hotel in D.C. -- just six days after YouTube personality Alex Stein bothered her at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

During the June 10 incident, the social media troll was seen on video pestering the WNBA star about the prisoner swap that freed her from Russian custody back in December.

But, Griner clearly isn't letting any of the sour encounter change her mentality ... because when a fan approached her about getting a photo right before the Mercury took on the Washington Mystics -- she was happy to oblige.

In fact, she did it twice!

You can see in our footage, the man tried to grab a shot with her as she was getting off the bus, but when it didn't come out well ... he asked her for another one, and she said OK, no problem.

Witnesses at the scene tell us she and her security were super friendly throughout the ordeal ... and seemed genuinely happy to be around BG/Mercury supporters.

Oakland A's fans won't like this ... but ex-MLB star Adrián González tells TMZ Sports he believes relocating the team to Las Vegas would be "a great move" for the franchise.

The Athletics appear to be on their way out of the Bay Area after partnering this week with Bally's Corporation to build a potential new stadium right on The Strip ... and González said in L.A. he likes the idea of it all.

The former Dodgers first baseman tells us seeing the success of the NHL's Golden Knights, the WNBA's Aces and the NFL's Raiders leads him to believe the MLB would thrive in Sin City as well.

"Vegas is doing really well with sporting teams," he said.

Of course, there's still a chance the A's could remain in Northern California ... the team is reportedly asking for around $400 million of public funding to help build the new Vegas stadium -- but if Nevada lawmakers shut that request down, the franchise could possibly explore options to stay put.

One man that would certainly be thrilled about that is A's legend Dave Stewart, who told us last month he's hoping for "a miracle" to keep the team in Oakland.

Becky Hammon spent a portion of her Wednesday defending herself ... saying she believes she did not cross any lines when talking about the pregnancy of Dearica Hamby.

The Las Vegas head coach opened up about the situation for several minutes on a Zoom call with reporters -- just one day after the WNBA suspended her for two games over a convo it said she had with Hamby, one of her former Aces players.

In her talk with media members, Hammon did admit she asked Hamby about the pregnancy ... but did not believe it was an inappropriate interaction. She claimed the WNBA explained to her that just asking the question itself violated a Respect in the Workplace policy.

She also said she "handled Dearica with care from day one when she told me" about the pregnancy ... however, she believes everything changed in January after Vegas traded Hamby to Los Angeles.

"Once I make the phone call that the decision's been made to move her," Hammon said, "that's when everything fell apart."

You'll recall, after the swap went through, Hamby ripped the Las Vegas team on her social media page, accusing it of bullying her, discriminating against her, and manipulating her over her pregnancy.

But, Hammon said Wednesday none of that was true.

"We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in for her one contract," Hammon said. "I think it's very evident who we signed and why we made the move, but [her pregnancy] was never an issue and it was never the reason she was traded. It just wasn't. It came down to math and business. That's all it was. Nothing personal."

Hammon -- who many believe will ultimately become the first female head coach in NBA history -- added, "I had a great relationship with Hamby the whole time, which is probably why she felt the way she did. It feels like a betrayal. It’s a crappy part of my job, but somebody’s got to be the bearer of bad news."

The Aces, meanwhile, were docked a 2025 draft pick following the WNBA's investigation into the matter ... but they said in a statement late Tuesday that they did not agree with the league's findings.

"We stand behind Coach Hammon as she continues to lead the Las Vegas Aces," the team said.

Becky Hammon -- who many believe could eventually become the NBA's first-ever female head coach -- has just been suspended two games by the WNBA ... after the league determined she made inappropriate remarks about the pregnancy of one of her Las Vegas Aces players.

The WNBA said in a statement Tuesday that following a months-long investigation into claims that the Aces mistreated pregnant star Dearica Hamby ... it found that Hammon did violate a Respect in the Workplace policy during a conversation with the player.

The league did not say specifically what it believes the head coach told Hamby ... though in a statement, it said the comments were "made by Hammon to Hamby in connection with Hamby's recent pregnancy."

The WNBA also docked the Aces a 2025 first-round pick following its findings.

Hamby first went public with the allegations in January ... after she was traded from Las Vegas to the Los Angeles Sparks.

In a lengthy statement on her social media page, Hamby alleged the Aces "bullied, manipulated and discriminated against" her after she told the team she was pregnant.

She also accused the team of promising her "things to entice me to sign my contract extension that were not followed through on."

"I was asked if I planned my pregnancy," she wrote of the Aces in her statement. "When I responded, 'no,' I was then told that I 'was not taking precautions to not get pregnant.'"

She continued, "I was being traded because 'I wouldn't be ready and we need bodies.'"

Hamby said despite the pregnancy, she fully planned to play in the 2023 season -- which just kicked off this month -- but the team was still angry with her over it ... and decided to trade her nonetheless.

"The unprofessional and unethical way that I have been treated has been traumatizing," the 29-year-old said in her January statement. "To be treated this way by an organization, BY WOMEN who are mothers, who have claimed to 'be in these shoes,' who preach family, chemistry, and women's empowerment is disappointing and leaves me sick to my stomach."

46-year-old Hammon took over as head coach of the Aces back in Dec. 2021 -- after years of working as an assistant on the San Antonio Spurs' staff. Many, including Byron Scott, have said she deserves to one day be the first female head coach in the NBA.

Brittney Griner made her long-awaited return to the basketball court Friday night after her 10-month detainment in Russia last year, but it didn't have the ending her fans were hoping for.

The Phoenix Mercury center still scored 10 points and pulled down 3 rebounds as the Mercury fell to the LA Sparks by a score of 90 to 71 in the WNBA preseason game.

Griner only played for 17 minutes, but she made the most of it, and her teammates were psyched to see her back on the court, hugging and high-fiving while also giving each other chest bumps.

The crowd was ecstatic to see Brittney ... they erupted in applause when her name was first announced inside the Footprint Center in Phoenix.

After the game, Griner told reporters that she was "grateful" to have the opportunity to play again and would not take a single day for granted.

She also said she had a different experience hearing the national anthem before the game got underway.

“Hearing the national anthem, it definitely hit different," she said, adding, "It’s like when you go for the Olympics."

Griner was critical of her on-court performance, explaining, “Not where I want it to be, but on the right track. We’re making the right moves."

But, given what's Griner's been through, it must have felt in some way like a victory.

Brittney Griner clearly isn't taking her newfound freedom for granted ... she hit up the Met Gala with her wife on Monday night -- and didn't seem to stop smiling once.

The 32-year-old -- who was freed from Russian custody just five months ago -- wore a custom Calvin Klein suit for the occasion ... and couldn't have been happier to be with her spouse at the ultra-exclusive party.

She and Cherelle Griner flashed ear-to-ear grins for the entirety of their walk into the event ... and at one point, BG even shared a sweet embrace with Dwyane Wade on the red carpet.

The two basketball legends hugged it out while Wade was showing his daughter how everything looked on the Met's steps.

Brittney and Cherelle later spoke about their Met Gala experience with Vogue ... and it isn't hard to see they were thoroughly enjoying their time together after their tumultuous 2022.

"It's surreal still," Cherelle said. "This time last year, I was missing my wife. So to have her right here, to be in this moment -- breathtaking."

Brittney also took time at the event to raise awareness for the Bring Our Families Home campaign.

The trip to the Met is just one of many cool moments Brittney has gotten to experience since she was swapped for Viktor Bout back in early December ... she's also rubbed elbows with President Joe Biden, started to write a book on her Russian detainment -- and returned to WNBA practices.

WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was holding back tears as she met with media for the first time since her release from Russian prison ... giving a heartfelt interview as she reflected on her time behind bars.

The 32-year-old Phoenix Mercury center got behind the mic just minutes ago ... and her emotions got the best of her as she detailed her 10-month stay in a penal colony on drug-related charges.

Griner also acknowledged the massive crowd of reporters ... saying she hopes the league gets the same amount of coverage as her story did last year.

The WNBA champion said she would much rather go through the most grueling practices than ever go back to what she experienced in Russia -- and vowed to never play overseas again, unless it's for Team USA.

Griner also cracked several jokes as she responded to reporters ... referring to her teammate, Diana Taurasi, as a "walking fossil" and pointing out how she dunked on her wife when she first touched a basketball when she returned to the States.

As for her WNBA career, Griner said getting back on the court was never in question ... explaining she knows she can always bet on herself and her abilities.

Brittney Griner is ready to open up about her harrowing time spent in captivity inside a Russian penal colony.

The 32-year-old, 8x WNBA All-Star has inked a deal with publisher Alfred A. Knopf to write a still-untitled memoir which they say will take a deep dive into Griner's nearly one-year stay in a Moscow-area penal colony.

"For the first time Griner recounts the tumultuous events of 2022 that both reshaped her life and captured the world’s attention: Griner’s arrest at the Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on February 17, followed by her detention, trial, and imprisonment in Russia," Knopf says about the book, slated to be released mid-next year.

Of course, Griner, arrested and charged for bringing vape cartridges into the country, was ultimately found guilty on the drug charge, and sentenced to 9 years behind bars. But, after months of negotiation, the U.S. agreed to a prisoner exchange, sending back notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout for BG's release.

Knopf, publisher behind Andre Agassi's bio, Open, says Griner will discuss everything from being arrested to going on trial "in vivid detail." She will also write about her "surreal time living in a foreign prison and the terrifying aspects of day-to-day life in a women’s penal colony."

“I arrived in Moscow to rejoin the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team and was immediately detained at the airport. That day was the beginning of an unfathomable period in my life which only now am I ready to share,” Griner says of the project.

Brittney continued ... “After an incredibly challenging 10 months in detainment, I am grateful to have been rescued and to be home. Readers will hear my story and understand why I’m so thankful for the outpouring of support from people across the world."

In addition to the memoir, which will mark the first time Griner has talked about her harrowing experience in-depth, there will be a companion children's book released in the future.

Zia Cooke was brought to tears after the Los Angeles Sparks selected her with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft on Monday night ... but get this, the moment got even more emotional for her -- 'cause she later got a shout-out from Magic Johnson!

The sweet scene all went down at Spring Studios New York in Manhattan after the former South Carolina point guard -- who averaged 15.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game last season -- walked on the stage following the Sparks' selection.

You can see in video of the draft's broadcast, she broke down in tears ... before saying, "It means the most."

"I put in a lot of work since I was 6 years old," she added while crying. "I put my life into this."

The Ohio native also spoke of her father ... saying he's been supportive since day one, always making sure her dreams would come true.

During the broadcast, Cooke's dad could also be seen watching his daughter give her emotional speech with pride.

"My dad, being here for me since I was a kid," Cooke said, "this is something I dreamed of and I'm finally here. It's crazy."

Cooke's father wasn't the only one supporting her at the draft ... her coach, Dawn Staley, was in the crowd showin' love -- and then L.A. legend Magic Johnson took to Twitter to praise her too!

"I’m excited that we are bringing a winner, dynamic guard that plays both ends of the court, and a player with a high basketball IQ to the @LASparks, South Carolina’s Zia Cooke!" Johnson tweeted.

"Welcome to LA @zia_cooke!"

There were other cool moments from the 2023 draft ... Aliyah Boston -- the No. 1 overall pick -- had reporters take photos of her with her cellphone, while Haley Jones, who was selected by the Atlanta Dream, went old school and brought out a camcorder to the draft.

Of course, the female athletes came in their best drip -- Seattle Storm first-round pick Jordan Horston pulled up in a full Louis Vuitton fit, while South Carolina's Breanna Beal, who dates NFL star Jaycee Horn, was vibrant with a hot pink, two-piece suit.

LSU star and NCAA champ Alexis Morris also turned heads ... looking flawless in an elegant black blazer and slacks.

Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder is saying thanks, but no thanks to Jill Biden welcoming the Hawkeyes to the White House ... saying LSU should be the only team visiting because they're the champs.

Bluder dropped the friendly RSVP to Biden's suggestion on Tuesday ... tweeting, "I gratefully acknowledge the First Lady’s sentiments, but a day at the White House should belong solely to the champion, LSU and Coach Mulkey."

The 3-time Big Ten Coach of the Year then flipped the script ... saying the Bidens should jump on Air Force One and visit them instead!!!

"We would welcome the First Lady and President to come to Iowa’s 'House' – Carver Hawkeye Arena — any time!"

Of course, FLOTUS's proposal caused a lot of commotion since the whole point of teams visiting the WH is that they're the winners.

Biden's Press Secretary later clarified her words ... saying FLOTUS made the suggestion to admire "how far women have advanced in sports since the passing of Title IX."

LSU's Angel Reese wasn't buying the explanation ... and believes her team wouldn't be receiving the same treatment if they lost to Iowa.

"I just know if the roles were reversed, it wouldn't be the same," Reese said on I Am Athlete. "If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House."

The star forward is unsure if she'll go to the White House to celebrate LSU women's first-ever title ... but President Joe Biden says he looks forward to meeting them and UConn, who won the men's NCAA championship on Monday.

Angel Reese has an unlikely ally ... Iowa star Caitlin Clark is coming to the defense of the newly crowned NCAA champ, straight up saying "I don't think there should be any criticism for what she did."

Of course, 21-year-old Clark found herself at the center of the biggest sports story in the country on Monday, after 20-year-old Reese threw up John Cena's famed "You Can't See Me" celly right in CC's face during the waning seconds of Sunday's women's national championship game.

Reese was instantly attacked online, with many people calling her actions unsportsmanlike. Defenders of Angel pointed to Caitlin's use of the Cena celebration during the very same NCAA tourney. Clark's defenders pointed out she didn't do it in her opponent's face. And, the debate raged on.

But, now Clark is weighing in ... and hopefully putting an end to the debate -- was Angel right or wrong.

"I think the biggest thing is we're all competitive. We all show our emotions in a different way. Angel is a tremendous, tremendous player. I have nothing but respect for her. I love her game, the way she rebounds the ball, scores the ball is absolutely incredible. I'm a big fan of her and even the entire LSU team," Clark said during an interview with ESPN.

"Like I said, they played an amazing game so I don't think there should be any criticism for what she did. I honestly didn't see it when the game was going on and like I said, I haven't been on social media really at all."

FYI, despite the criticism (there was also a bunch of support), after the game, Reese made it clear she wasn't going to apologize.

Caitlin also addressed Jill Biden's recent comments, where she remarked she'd tell her husband, President Joe Biden to invite the losing Iowa team because "they played such a good game."

FLOTUS was destroyed for the comment ... as it's customary for the winner of a championship, never the loser, to head to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave for some face time with the prez.

"I don't think runner-ups usually go to the White House. I think LSU should, you know, enjoy that moment for them."

So, debate settled??? Probably not.

We covered it all in a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!