
Lynx sign 11 kids to one-day contract for Jr. Dream Team
It's a contract like no other to join the top team in the WNBA for a day — Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve signed 11 kids with Special Olympics Minnesota to the roster.
"This is my favorite day of the season," Reeve said.
Once they got the paperwork out of the way, the new players hit the court with the pros. Thirteen-year-old Havannah got to play with standout point guard Courtney Williams.
"It was really fun to meet her. She was really funny and she was really nice," Havannah said.
This moment inspired her to keep playing the game.
"I feel like it opened a new door because my grandpa is our coach for every sport and he keeps on asking me, 'Do you want to play basketball?' and I'm like, 'No, I don't feel like that's me,' but now that I played with them I think actually might enjoy it," said Havannah.
Twelve-year-old Jasmine could not contain her excitement to join this team.
"That was so much fun and I like to have fun," she said.
Dream Team members made sincere connections with pros they look up to.
"I watched her every time and she was the most incredible woman I've ever seen," said Jasmine.
For the pros who are always locked in and grinding, it was nice for them to let loose and be a kid again too.
"The best part about it is they're just here to be with us. We talk too much about the season and all the expectations, but when we're out there on the court with them it's just about basketball and having fun, and we get to learn about them too," said Kayla McBride, Lynx guard.
The Jr. Lynx Dream Team will be recognized on-court on Friday, Aug. 8 when the team hosts the Washington Mystics.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBS News
26 minutes ago
- CBS News
Eagles' Jordan Davis hosting free football clinic with Philly-area violence prevention org
A Philadelphia nonprofit is partnering with an Eagles player to offer more than football drills. It's creating a safe space for young boys to develop character, confidence and a sense of community. Open Door Abuse Awareness and Prevention, founded by coach Valencia "Coach V" Peterson, is hosting a free football clinic on Saturday, June 21, at Mastery Charter from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is open to all 10-year-old boys across Philadelphia. "By age 12, their mindset is already changing," Peterson said. "By 14, they could be caught up in violence. We want to reach them before that happens, before intervention becomes the only option." Between drills, athletes will learn how to process emotions, de-escalate conflict and support each other — on and off the field. "In between drills, we teach a principle about violence prevention. Then we get them right back into the game," Peterson said. "It sticks." Joining the clinic is Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis, who hopes to show young boys the power of discipline and teamwork. "I could talk all day about the way that football has helped me in my life, personally, and I feel like it's my duty to give that to someone else," Davis said. "When your mind is the clearest, it's on the football field." Coach V says the field is where boys learn to be men, and brothers. "I've seen the change in boys over my 10 years in this work," Peterson said. "Football is just the tool. We're building something bigger." Select teams will also receive a $3,000 grant to support local neighborhood sports.


CBS News
39 minutes ago
- CBS News
Paige Bueckers scores 21 points, Aziaha James posts career high as Dallas Wings beat Connecticut Sun 86-83
Paige Bueckers had 21 points and seven assists in the former UConn star's return to Connecticut, fellow rookie Aziaha James scored all of her season-high 17 points in the second half, and the Dallas Wings beat the Connecticut Sun 86-83 on Friday night. Bueckers and James are the lone rookies this season to record a 15-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist game, with Bueckers doing so three times. NaLyssa Smith scored 12 points and Li Yueru added 11 points and nine rebounds, both season highs, for the Wings. The game featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties, the last of which came when the Sun's Aneesah Morrow scored in the lane to make it 62-62 with 1:18 left in the third quarter. James answered 26 seconds later with a floater that gave Dallas the lead for good. Aziaha James posted a career-high 17 points against the Sun on June 20. Dallas Wings Morrow made a driving layup that trimmed Connecticut's deficit to 76-73 with three minutes to play, but Arike Ogunbowale hit a 3-pointer and then made two free throws before DiJonai Carrington made a layup with 45.8 seconds left that gave the Wings a 83-76 lead. The Wings shot just 36% (11 of 31) in the second half but made 21 of 26 (81%) from the free-throw line, where Connecticut made 12 of 15. The Sun (2-11) have lost five straight. Dallas (3-11), which won its first home game of the season and snapped a seven-game skid Tuesday with an 80-71 victory over Golden State, won back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Wings beat Connecticut 109-87 on May 27, the Wings' first win of the season. "It's fun coming back here every single time," Bueckers said during the post-game press conference about returning to Connecticut, where she secured an NCAA Championship with the UConn Huskies. "They've always shown so much love to me, and it's been a state that's done a lot for me. It's always amazing to come back and get another win here." Up next The Wings play Sunday, June 22, at Washington.


Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Duke's Cooper Flagg, Rutgers' Ace Bailey are the one-and-done headliners among NBA draft's forwards
Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey were the first two names mentioned last summer when it came to college basketball's top incoming freshmen. Now they're the headliners among forwards in the NBA draft. Flagg led Duke to the Final Four and became only the fourth freshman named Associated Press men's national player of the year . Bailey put up quality numbers at Rutgers, though in a losing season. Flagg and Bailey were ranked 1-2 in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN. Now Flagg is the projected No. 1 overall pick, while Bailey is a likely top-five prospect. Here's a look at the position entering Wednesday's first round: STRENGTHS: The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Maine native has a versatile all-around game far more advanced than his age, with room to develop as he turns 19 in December. He led Duke in scoring (19.2), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4). He shot 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% from the line. He proved he can thrive as a scorer, such as when he had an Atlantic Coast Conference freshman-record 42 points against Notre Dame. That included ranking in the 85th percentile or better in converting as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls, on post-ups and in transition, according to Synergy's analytics rankings. He also thrived as a playmaker, while his length allows him to alter shots, get into passing lanes and finish at the rim — sometimes over a defender . And then there's his competitive edge, with multiple examples of Flagg's willingness to take on big moments and receptiveness to firm coaching. That included coach Jon Scheyer lighting into Flagg during a first-half timeout in January for playing soft (in so many words) against N.C. State, then Flagg responding with 23 of his 28 points after halftime. Flagg also went for 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks as Duke held off Arizona in a shootout win in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, a performance Scheyer called 'one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of.' CONCERNS: Not many. He can always get stronger, though he checked in at the combine 16 pounds heavier than his listed weight at Duke (205). He could also cut down on turnovers considering he had 15 games with at least three, though only two came after Feb. 1. STRENGTHS: The 6-8, 203-pound Bailey is a versatile shotmaker with athleticism . He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds with stepback skills, a good midrange game and the ability to shoot off the dribble or on the catch. Notably, he ranked in Synergy's 94th percentile for contested catch-and-shoot looks (39 of 81, 48.1%). Bailey can attack the paint and stretch defenses with his range. He had five January games with at least four made 3s while shooting 34.6% from behind the arc on the season. The versatility and athleticism indicates defensive potential, too. He averaged 1.3 blocks and had six games with at least three blocks in Big Ten play. CONCERNS: Adding strength would help him against bumps and physical play by stronger defenders, such as improving on finishing just 42.1% of layups in the halfcourt at Rutgers. There's a streakiness in his shot, such as making 12 of 31 free throws (.387) over a six-game midseason stretch or 7 of 39 3-pointers (.179) after January. There's also the awkward question of Bailey's impact beyond stats considering the Scarlet Knights had a losing record despite Bailey teaming with another one-and-done prospect in likely No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. STRENGTHS: The 6-7, 217-pound Knueppel was an efficient wing scorer with size and defense-stretching range. The freshman lottery prospect made 40.6% of his 3s and ranked in Synergy's 98th percentile when it came to overall spot-up shooting (52.9%), with nearly three-quarters of those attempts coming from behind the arc. He also ranked sixth in Division I by shooting 91.4% at the foul line, and stood out as ACC Tournament MVP when Flagg was sidelined by injury. And Knueppel had 10 games with at least four assists as a secondary playmaker. CONCERNS: Knueppel isn't an elite athlete, so there's a question of matching up against quicker or more explosive opponents. STRENGTHS: The sophomore lottery prospect has a strong 6-7, 240-pound frame and a nearly 7-1 wingspan. He thrived in the halfcourt (shooting 57.9% to rank in Synergy's 88th percentile), and has contributed as a scorer (16.8) and rebounder (8.3). He also averaged 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals, indicating the potential for him to defend multiple positions. CONCERNS: His shooting touch is a major question after he went 0 for 5 from 3-point range as a freshman, then just 9 for 34 (.265) as a sophomore. He also made just 69.5% of his free throws in two college seasons. There's also the risk of being the 'tweener' who is too slow to guard outside and too small to defend in the paint. — CARTER BRYANT: Arizona's 6-7, 215-pound freshman reserve shot 37.1% on 3s and a block per game despite playing just 19 minutes a night. Throw in a 39.5-inch max vertical leap, and he's a possible lottery pick. — NOA ESSENGUE: The lanky 6-9, 194-pound Frenchman is a potential late lottery pick. Essengue, who turns 19 in December, has been honing his versatile skillset with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. — LIAM MCNEELEY: The freshman jumped right in as a starter for two-time reigning national champion UConn. He's a first-round prospect as a floor-stretching wing with size (6-7, 215) and shotmaking ability, highlighted by him going for 38 points against then-No. 24 Creighton and 22 points in the NCAA Tournament against eventual champion Florida. — WILL RILEY: Illinois' 6-8 freshman from Canada is a first-round prospect with the potential to play as a guard or as a wing forward. He showed potential as a scorer and passer at Illinois, though he needs to develop physically with a 186-pound frame. — HUGO GONZALEZ: The 6-6, 205-pound Gonzalez is a late first-round prospect who played this season with Real Madrid in his home Spain. The 19-year-old offers potential with perimeter size, shooting range and ability to attack off the dribble and perimeter size. ___ AP NBA: