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Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Every lesbian and sapphic WNBA No.1 draft pick since the league started
;;; Darrell Walker/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images From Left: Sue Bird, Brittney Griner, Paige Buckers, and Chamique Holdsclaw. The WNBA has been getting gayer every year since its inception. With 41 queer players in the league this year, the StudBudz taking over All-Star weekend, and couples like Paige Bueckers/Azzi Fudd and NaLyssa Smith/DiJonai Carrington making headlines, the WNBA's LGBTQ+ fans are eating well. Over the course of the nearly 30-year history of the WNBA, 11 of the No.1 overall draft picks have been gay. All of these players held off on coming out until after they had joined the league and have been living their lives out and proud ever since. Do we wish there were even more? Of course! But not only were these players the best of the best in the NCAA, but they've gone on to have illustrious, headline-making careers in the WNBA. So who are these gay No.1 draft picks, where are they now, and what's been going on in their romantic lives? Paige Bueckers (2025) Paige Bueckers is the latest No.1 overall pick after having won the NCAA National Championship in 2025 while playing for Conn. Bueckers was drafted to the Dallas Wings, where she now plays alongside DiJonai Carrington and Arike Ogunbowale. Relationship status Bueckers finally confirmed her relationship with her former UConn teammate and best friend Azzi Fudd last week, after months of teasing fans and speculation. Jewell Lloyd (2015) Jewell Lloyd was picked No.1 by the Seattle Storm after having played for Notre Dame. On February 1 she was officially traded to the Las Vegas Aces as part of a huge three-team trade involving the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm, that also sent Kelsey Plum to the Sparks. Relationship status On July 20, Lloyd semed to hard launch her new relationship with Miami Hurricane player Natalija Marshall. This comes after she started publicly dating Estonia point guard Téa Adams last year. Brittney Griner (2013) Brittney Griner was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury when she was the first overall pick in 2013. The three-time Olympic gold medalist and 10-time All-Star played 11 seasons with the Mercury before joining the Atlanta Dream. Relationship status Griner met her wife Cherelle Griner when they were both attending Baylor University. They tied the knot in 2019, and Cherelle stood by Griner's side while she was being detained in a Russian prison. The two were reunited in 2022 and in July 2024 they announced the birth of their son Bash. Angel McCoughtry (2009) Angel McCoughtry was originally drafted to the Atlanta Dream out of the University of Louisville. Since then, she was the WNBA Rookie of the Year, won two Olympic gold medals, and was a five-time WNBA All-Star. McCoughtry last played for the Minnesota Lynx in 2022, and is currently producing the thriller TV show Apartment 6B. Relationship status McCoughtry got engaged to Brande Elise in 2015, but the two have since split up. Candace Parker (2008) Since being the No.1 overall pick in 2008, Candace Parker has racked up a long list of accomplishments. She is a three-time WNBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time NCAA champion, two-time Gatorade Player of the Year, a seven-time WNBA All-Star, and five-time Russian League National Champion. Parker played for the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and the Las Vegas Aces over the course of her career, which ended in 2024 when she retired to pursue a career in broadcasting for NBA and NCAA games. Relationship status After keeping things under wraps, Parker announced she married Anna Petrakova in 2019. The lovebirds had been teammates during the WNBA offseason when they were both playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Now they share two children. Seimone Augustus (2006) Seimone Augustus was drafted to the Minnesota Lynx before going on to win four WNBA Championships, including leading the Lynx to their first title. She also took home Rookie of the Year, won multiple titles while playing overseas, and is now the assistant coach for the LSU women's basketball team, where she rocks incredible outfits every game. Relationship status Augustus married LaTaya Varner in 2015, but the couple divorced a few years later in 2018. Janel McCarville (2005) Janel McCarville was initially drafted to the now-defunct Charlotte Sting. The star center played her final WNBA season with the Minnesota Lynx in 2016, after winning a WNBA Championship with the team in 2013. After retiring from the WNBA, McCarville returned to he home state and is now coaching high school basketball in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Relationship status McCarville has been very private about her personal life, but appears to spend a great deal of time with her family. Diana Taurasi (2004) When GOAT Diana Taurasi was the No.1 draft pick back in 2004, the Phoenix Mercury snapped her up, and she ended up playing for the team for the entirety of her legendary 20-year-long career. She is the WNBA's all-time leading scorer and one of the most decorated basketball players of all time, taking home three WNBA championships, six Olympic medals, and is an 11-time All-Star. Relationship status Taurasi met her wife Penny Taylor in 2004 while they were both playing for the Mercury. They got married in 2017 and share two children together, a son named Leo and a daughter named Isla. Sue Bird (2002) Sue Bird, who is considered one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, was drafted by the Seattle Storm when she was the No.1 draft pick. During her career, Bird took home four WNBA championships with the Storm, five Olympic gold medals, was selected as an All-Star 13 times, and was picked for All-WNBA teams. Much like Taurasi, Bird retired in 2022 after 20 years on the same team that originally drafted her. Relationship status Bird got engaged to soccer legend Megan Rapinoe in 2020. The pair have both retired from the world of sports and now host a podcast together called A Touch More. Ann Wauters (2000) Ann Wauters was the No.1 draft pick by the now-defunct Cleveland Rockers back in 2000. She was Rookie of the Year, won a WNBA Championship while playing for the Los Angeles Sparks, was a All-Star in 2005, and won countless championships while playing overseas. During her career she also played for the Atlanta Dream, San Antonio Silver Stars, and Seattle Storm. Since retiring, she has spent the last two seasons as the assistant coach with the Chicago Sky. Relationship status Wauters met her partner Lot Wielfaert in 2007. They got married in Belgium that same year, and then in 2010 they both announced they were pregnant at the same time. Wielfaert, who was also a pro baller, retired to help raise their children. Wauters was a pioneer at a time when very few public figures were out and even fewer were public about having children, and the WNBA didn't provide maternity care. The couple is still together and shares three children, Lou, Vance, and Dree. Chamique Holdsclaw (1999) The WNBA had its inaugural season in 1997, and just two years later it's first LGBTQ+ player was drafted when Chamique Holdsclaw was picked No. 1 overall by the Washington Mystics. Holdsclaw was named Rookie of the Year, was a six-time WNBA All-Star, and took home a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Relationship status Holdsclaw married Cara Wright in 2018, and the couple has a son named Cairo and a daughter named Camdyn Rose. This article originally appeared on Pride: Every lesbian and sapphic WNBA No.1 draft pick since the league started RELATED Meet all 41 queer players in this season's WNBA From elephants to purple aliens, ranking the WNBA mascots by how Sapphic they are Why the WNBA power couple NaLyssa Smith & DiJonai Carrington news has lesbians spiraling
Newsweek
14 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Warriors' Steph Curry Gets Honest About Future Retirement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Steph Curry has been the face of the Golden State Warriors for years. Even at 37 years old, he is still playing at an elite superstar level and has shown no signs of slowing down. Last season, he was able to lead the Warriors to the playoffs once again. He led an upset in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, who were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury in the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Following Curry's injury against the Timberwolves, Golden State was quickly eliminated in five games. Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates during the third quarter in game seven of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 30, 2023... Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates during the third quarter in game seven of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 30, 2023 in Sacramento, California. More Photo byAs time rolls on, the future has become a question mark for Curry. How much longer will he keep playing in the NBA? Read more: Former NBA Star Fires Shade at Spurs' Victor Wembanyama That is a question that he has started speaking out about. During a recent appearance with Complex, Curry opened up again about his NBA future. "I'm kind of just taking it in two-year chunks. I just want to be in a position where I've put myself in a position where I can say I've done everything I can," Curry said. "I'm not nowhere close to that." Fans will love to hear that news. Curry has become a fan favorite across the league. When he chooses to hang up his shoes and retire, it will be an incredibly sad day for the NBA. He also opened up about the most difficult part of the NBA grind for him these days. The offseason has become more difficult. "Mostly the offseason for me are the hardest than the like in season experience because once you get into the 82 games like it's repetition," he said. "You know what you need to do — practice, off days, you love playing and the games are the most fun... the games are so much fun. Like you get lost in the game. Like that's the easy part." Read more: Lakers' Marcus Smart Sends Bold Luka Doncic Message Throughout his 1,026-game career thus far, Curry has averaged 24.7 points per game to go along with 6.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. He has also shot 47.1 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from the three-point line. Curry will play most of the 2025-26 NBA season at 37 years old. He will turn 38 on March 14 of 2026. Hopefully, he's able to stay healthy and continue his career on his terms. He sounds ready to play for at least two more years and possibly more past that. For more on the Golden State Warriors and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
15 minutes ago
- USA Today
OKC Thunder mailbag: How should Lu Dort's possible contract extension be handled?
The calendar nears August, which means the NBA is in its driest part of the year. Rosters are mostly set as front offices head into vacations for the next couple of months before training camps start. The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2025-26 season with the hopes of being repeat NBA champions. They had one of the greatest seasons ever with a 68-14 regular-season record and captured the Larry O'Brien trophy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren were all signed to new contract extensions this offseason. But what about another Thunder starter who is sneakily extension-eligible? With plenty of time to kill, Thunder Wire will conduct regular mailbags to answer questions that fans have. One question being asked is if the Thunder should go four-for-four with big extensions this summer and sign Lu Dort to a new deal. There's no straightforward answer as OKC's payroll situation gets dicey after next season. Dort has two years, $36.4 million left on his current deal. The second year is a 2026-27 team option for $18.2 million. Considering the 26-year-old had his best season yet as he finally earned All-Defensive Team honors and stepped up in the playoffs, he's being criminally underpaid. That should change soon. If the Thunder feel confident enough about their payroll situation and comfortable with an expensive roster, they could go ahead and sign him this summer. But considering their recent history of decline-and-sign deals, they could wait until the next offseason to ink him to a long-term contract. Considering what other top defenders make, Dort could get in the $20 million to $30 million salary range pretty easily. He could surpass that, too. As currently constructed, that would place the Thunder with quite an expensive payroll. Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren are set to take up around 85% of OKC's cap space once the 2026-27 season starts. It'd be tough to pencil in another decent-sized salary before running into roster construction problems. You also have to consider other contract situations with Dort. Isaiah Hartenstein has a $28.5 million team option for the 2026-27 season. Cason Wallace will be eligible for an extension next summer. Alex Caruso will start a four-year, $81.1 million extension this upcoming season. It's a lot to tie up. The Thunder may need to decline Hartenstein's option anyway to avoid being punished with the first and second aprons. That doesn't even include the possibility of keeping Dort or Wallace. Just ballparking OKC's long-term cap sheet, it may be one or the other. Which is a tough decision to make. But if the Thunder hope to keep both, Caruso could be a trade candidate to make that possible. Even though he's on the wrong side of the age curve, the 31-year-old has a tradeable contract that averages around $20 million per season. He should easily have a market. If the Thunder move on from him and let Hartenstein walk, that could signal their hope to keep Dort and Wallace. I think the Thunder should do what they do best. Kick the can down the road. Make any long-term decisions on that group of four role players after next season. Dort has been a fixture since he arrived in 2019. He's been one of OKC's best gems ever as an undrafted rookie. Who knows how the Thunder prioritizes their upcoming contract situations outside of their Big 3, but Dort would be worth the headache to keep on a new extension. He's that valuable on both ends of the floor and is still in his prime. Extend Dort now or wait until next offseason before deciding what to do?What will happen with Dieng's contract? Salary dump him at the deadline and convert Barnhizer or Carlson to a standard deal? Trade Dieng for a win-now veteran?Will Chet's minutes be managed this reg szn?
