WNBA

Look out, future athletes -- WNBA star Brittney Griner says her baby on the way will 100% be involved in sports ... telling TMZ Sports it's a no-brainer!!

The Phoenix Mercury center has been a basketball star her whole life ... from recording 52 dunks her high school senior year to winning a title at Baylor in 2012 and earning a WNBA championship two years later.

Now that Griner and her wife, Cherelle, announced they're expanding their family ... we had to ask if the kiddo will follow in her footsteps and grow up with a ball in his hands.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever got the win against the Chicago Sky on Saturday but boy, things got physical .... including a cheap shot that sent the number one pick to the hardwood, drawing applause from rival Angel Reese!

It was a full house at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the first WNBA match-up between Reese and Clark ... and they picked up right where they left things off in college!

The game was intense, and the Fever was thrilled to come away with their second win of the season. Clark wasn't happy with the body check from Angel's teammate, Chennedy Carter.

Caitlin Clark's fiery temper flared up once more during the Fever vs. Storm game Thursday night ... when she got so mad at Victoria Vivians, she actually got all up in the WNBA star's face on the court.

The incident happened in the second quarter of the sell-out contest at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse ... when Clark banked in a 30-plus footer, despite Vivians' hand in her face.

After the long 3-pointer, Clark had a few words for Vivians ... which clearly ticked off the Storm guard.

NY Giants star Darren Waller -- who's also a musician -- is opening up on his love life, in song form, dropping a new track about failed past relationships just months after his ex, WNBA star Kelsey Plum filed for divorce.

The latest single is titled "Who Knew (Her Perspective)" ... and Waller said he wrote it from the viewpoint of a woman trying to love him.

"I’ve struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships my whole life, and I recognize the toll it has taken on the lovers I’ve been close to," the 31-year-old said on Thursday.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis took their tykes out for their first major event -- a debut of sorts -- and turns out the little ones are carbon copies of their parents!

Check out the rare public snaps of 9-year-old Wyatt and 7-year-old Dimitri ... who joined their A-list parents courtside over the weekend for the L.A. Sparks WNBA game against the Indiana Fever and their superstar rookie Caitlin Clark.

It's clear who the fam was rooting for ... Ashton rocked a University of Iowa hat -- a nod to the college he and Clark both attended -- while his look-alike son sported an Iowa Hawkeyes sweatshirt.

Angel Reese was ridin' high after an impressive win against Breanna Stewart and the New York Liberty on Thursday ... and the WNBA star decided to take a shot at Caitlin Clark -- before deleting it.

But, nothing gets by the internet!

The 6-foot-3 forward celebrated the statement win by tweeting ... "And that's on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN."

Charles Barkley unloaded on Caitlin Clark's detractors on Wednesday night ... calling them all "petty" -- while urging them to be grateful for everything she's already brought to the WNBA.

The Hall of Famer went on the rant during a segment on "NBA on TNT" ... after trolls -- including some who actually work in the W -- expressed displeasure with all the attention the Indiana Fever star has garnered through her first month in the league.

The Round Mound of Rebound's rant lasted about a minute -- and his message was loud and clear ... stop hating!!!

We've got some juicy TMZ TV hot takes that are sure to get you through this hump. So, settle in!!!

First up, on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles discuss 50 Cent's new Diddy docuseries ... which officially has a new home at Netflix.

WNBA star Cameron Brink is waiting by the phone to get a call from the folks at Sports Illustrated ... revealing she'd love the opportunity to pose for the publication's famous swimsuit issue!!

The L.A. Sparks rookie -- who recently graced the cover of SLAM -- joined Paul George's "Podcast P" show this week ... and early on in the episode, she shared her wish list of other mags she'd love to work with in the future.

Brink initially explained ESPN's Body Issue would be right up her alley ... saying it's a cool way for jocks to show off the physiques they work so hard to achieve.

Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever team is off to a slow start -- and some fans are already hopping off the hype train -- but not LeBron James ... who says he knows exactly how the star hooper feels, 'cause he's been in her shoes!

James and (maybe future head coach) JJ Redick spoke about Clark and the expectations surrounding the WNBA rookie -- who despite averaging 17 points a game -- has received a crapload of criticism ... and Bron knows what it's like.

"I think for my advice to Caitlin, and my advice to anyone coming in with this level of notoriety, 'out of this world' expectation -- be a horse," James said on the "Mind the Game" podcast on Wednesday.

Angel Reese has played a big part in the growth of women's basketball ... and now the star hooper is expanding her reach to another sport -- soccer -- as the former LSU star just bought into the DC Power Football Club!

22-year-old Reese is the newest owner of the pro soccer org, based about an hour from where Angel grew up in Maryland, and will soon join the USL Super League.

The power forward -- who's averaging 11.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in her rookie season with the Chicago Sky -- will join an ownership group that includes owners of the D.C. United Men's Club and other business leaders in the DMV ... and they're stoked to have her!

Cameron Brink's meet-and-greet with Hollywood's biggest names continues ... 'cause fresh off her run-in with Kim Kardashian, the L.A. Sparks star hung out with Shohei Ohtani at the Dodgers game!!

The 2024 No. 2 overall pick and her fellow rookie teammate, No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson, were VIP guests at Los Angeles' home matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday ... throwing out the first pitch and shouting the traditional "It's time for Dodger baseball" rally cry before the game.

Brink got some one-on-one time with the biggest name in baseball as well ... and when they met up, Ohtani couldn't help but acknowledge how they were on eye level.

Caitlin Clark's WNBA growing pains continued Monday night ... this time, a profane outburst at a ref cost her team a technical foul -- which hurt the Fever in yet another loss.

Clark hurled an F-bomb an official's way late in the fourth quarter of Indiana's tilt with Connecticut at Gainbridge Fieldhouse ... after she believed she was illegally hit on an offensive possession just moments prior.

She ran up to the referee and screamed, "That's a f***ing foul!" ... before she went to regroup with her teammates.

The WNBA is boomin' right now ... and it's all thanks to Caitlin Clark and the league's new crop of rookies, at least that's according to Tina Charles, who's crediting the youngsters for injecting a whole new life into the game.

The Atlanta Dream star didn't mince words when TMZ Sports caught up with her at LAX this week ... saying straight up the WNBA's "new generation" is responsible for all of the new buzz that's now surrounding the league.

"The energy that we're getting, the reception, the eyes that we're getting on us -- this is amazing," the center said.

More than 17,000 fans packed the arena to catch Caitlin Clark and the Fever's home opener on Thursday, but they didn't have much to root for on the court ... as Indiana got dominated by the New York Liberty.

It was a sellout crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse ... with a reported 17,274 hoops fans in attendance for the contest.

Clark -- who had 20 points and 10 turnovers in her WNBA debut -- improved on her ball security in her second outing, but was held to single digits in scoring for the first time since 2021, when she was a star at Iowa.

Angel Reese made her own WNBA debut following Caitlin Clark's historic opening night -- and although the rookie sensation from LSU also took a loss, she still had Latto front and center to support her!!!

Latto snuck in a quick interview at the Chicago Sky's season opener against the Dallas Wings Wednesday night -- she only flew into Texas to see Angel play.

The "Big Energy" rapper told viewers she believes 2024 is the year of the woman and backing the WNBA falls under that umbrella.