Latest news with #BarclaysCenter
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Camera Catches Adorable Moment Between WNBA Sisters on Thursday
Camera Catches Adorable Moment Between WNBA Sisters on Thursday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. A heartwarming moment between two WNBA sisters was caught on camera Thursday night at Barclays Center, and fans can't stop talking about it. Advertisement Before the Phoenix Mercury took on the New York Liberty, sisters Satou Sabally and Nyara Sabally met in the arena tunnel. They shared an emotional hug that melted hearts across social media. The moment was made even more special because it was their first time seeing each other since Christmas. Satou Sabally, who plays for the Mercury, ran toward her younger sister with open arms, her heels echoing in the hallway. Nyara Sabally, waiting with a big smile, held out her arms to catch her. Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally (0).Steven Bisig-Imagn Images 'We don't see each other that often,' Nyara Sabally said before the game, per the New York Post. 'So it's just cool seeing each other again. Obviously, it's fun.' Advertisement The WNBA shared the reunion clip online and fans flooded the comments with love and admiration for the pair. 'Awwww they so cute little sis big sis 😢😍,' one fan wrote. 'They are sooo cute together. Love that sisterly bond,' another said. People didn't just love the hug, they also loved their fashion. Nyara Sabally wore a strapless floor-length dress with layered denim details, paired with a small handbag and black heels. Satou Sabally sported a denim corset top and matching loose pants with patchwork, along with white sneakers. 'They are both so beautiful and I love their outfits 😍,' a fan gushed. Advertisement 'Fits are incredible,' said another. 'Look at my beautiful runway model,' another chimed in. Even the competition angle made fans smile. 'That's awesome and they seem so close and happy together… until the game starts – lol,' one comment read. The matchup between the Liberty and Mercury was highly anticipated, but for many, the Sabally sisters' heartfelt moment stole the show. Related: WNBA Star Catches Attention in Bold Birthday Outfit This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Associated Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Guizhou's Village BA Debuts on NBA's Stage
At the NBA's Chinese New Year celebration in 2025, held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, a handmade cotton basketball from a remote village in Guizhou, China, captured the spotlight. This modest symbol of grassroots sports marked the first official cultural exchange between Guizhou's Village BA and professional basketball in the United States. Video: A Handmade Ball's Journey Across the Ocean Eighty-three-year-old Lu Dajiang, a villager from Taipan, proudly showcased a cotton basketball passed down through his family. 'My brother made this in the 1950s out of cotton. We used it for games back then,' he recalled. Though unassuming in appearance, the ball embodies the legacy of Village BA. In the 1950s, faced with a lack of resources, basketball enthusiasts in rural Guizhou crafted their own balls from cotton. This handmade ball has since borne witness to the birth and rise of the Village BA tradition. The Spirit of the Soil on the Streets of New York Village BA may have started in the countryside, but its influence now reaches far beyond the mountains. Today, it resonates with basketball fans around the world, especially among overseas Chinese youth eager to experience its unfiltered energy. With no grand arenas or professional gear, Village BA thrives on pure passion for basketball and the villagers' dreams of a better life—becoming a cultural emblem of rural China. A Moment of Cultural Exchange on the NBA Stage At the NBA's Chinese New Year celebration, the cotton basketball was passed through the crowd, hand to hand. This cotton basketball opened a new window into China's rural sports culture. With Village BA gaining global traction, its story as a cultural export is only just beginning. Media Contact Company Name: Guizhou Radio TV Station Contact Person: Chen Xin Email: Send Email Country: China Website:
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Don't count out Atlanta Dream, even after Commissioner's Cup loss to Liberty
NEW YORK — Unlike the WNBA's other 12 head coaches, Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko doesn't put together practice plans. He uses another phrase in referring to the Dream's workouts. He crafts what he calls 'progress plans.' The difference might be a matter of semantics to some, but it reflects the intentionality in Smesko's approach. Atlanta's first-year coach views workouts as an opportunity for Dream players to get better. So why not be specific in their purpose and name them accordingly? The goal is to progress after all. Each session has value. Advertisement But games are currently Atlanta's best teacher. No contest has provided more lessons than the one the Dream played Tuesday night against the New York Liberty. Atlanta led by 17 points with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter, silencing a Barclays Center crowd of more than 15,000 fans eager for anything to cheer about. With a win, the Dream (8-4) would have advanced to the Commissioner's Cup championship and gotten off to their best start to a season since 2014. But then? 'We just gave it away,' Dream star Rhyne Howard said. New York blitzed Atlanta to close the third quarter, and continued its push to open the fourth. After a 24-8 Liberty run, the Dream held just a one-point lead with 5:27 remaining. Their lead officially evaporated 91 seconds later. The Liberty pulled ahead with 1:56 left and wouldn't do what the Dream did, and give anything away. New York, instead, did what title-winning teams do. The final margin: Liberty 86, Dream 81. Advertisement 'When you're playing a championship-level team on the road, you just gotta keep going at them,' Smesko said. 'You're not trying to hold on. You got to go win the game.' Add that to the list of Tuesday's lessons for the Dream, who have a first-year WNBA coach, revamped roster (with offseason acquisitions Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones highlighting the group), and an overhauled style of play. Smesko said pregame Tuesday was his group's 'ultimate test,' at least so far. For a while, the Dream looked like they would pass with little drama involved. Yet, the result eventually reinforced that while Atlanta can compete with the WNBA's top teams, there is still much for it to learn to truly leap into the league's upper echelon. Advertisement 'I think we showed what we're capable of,' Smesko said. 'Now can we do it for four quarters and finish these games off?' Of course, there are still plenty of positives worth drawing from, coming out of Tuesday and Atlanta's first dozen games of the season more broadly. After finishing last season 12th in offensive rating, the Dream are much-improved on offense under Smesko — no surprise, considering his reputation as an offensive wizard over two-plus decades at Florida Gulf Coast — and are third in points per 100 possessions. Star guard Allisha Gray has been in career-best form and averaged 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in May. For her efforts, she earned Eastern Conference Player of the Month, and on Tuesday became the first Atlanta player since 2018 to win multiple Eastern Conference Player of the Week awards. 'She's been aggressive. She's been smart. She's been very good on both ends of the floor,' Smesko said before Tuesday's loss. 'She's just been one of the best players in the league.' Advertisement It's hard to argue with his claim, even after Gray's 14-point, five-assist performance on 5-of-12 shooting from the field in Atlanta's defeat. Gray, a two-time All-Star guard, isn't alone as an impact player. Jones opened the season with four consecutive double-doubles, tying a franchise record. Her frontcourt partner Griner climbed to second on the WNBA's all-time blocks list. Howard has not only set a franchise record with nine 3s in a game, but she also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 career 3s. After recording nine assists against the Liberty and playing all but 47 seconds against the Liberty, Howard already has more nine-plus assist games (two) this season than she had in her prior three years (one). Despite their second-half struggles against New York, the Dream have gotten used to pummeling opponents in the third quarter and held a plus-33.1 net rating in the period entering Tuesday's action. That's all why the sting of their most recent loss isn't cause for grave concern. Advertisement 'I think we have the potential to be one of the best teams in the league if we have the right attitude. These setbacks are gonna happen,' Smesko said. After three first-half turnovers, the Dream had 10 in the second half, which led to New York getting out in transition. Smesko said that Atlanta's ball movement got sticky in the final 14 minutes. The Dream's pace slowed and shots got tougher (they shot 29.4 percent in the fourth quarter compared to 45 percent for the Liberty). New York center Jonquel Jones scored all 10 of her points in the second half, and guard Sabrina Ionescu became the first player this season to score 30 points in consecutive games. She finished with a game-high 34 points. Smesko said New York was more aggressive in their ball-screen defense down the stretch. For that, he took responsibility for not coming up with better answers. Howard tossed out other lessons, too. Advertisement 'The little details and things (matter), crashing the boards and getting rebounds or running the plays correctly, just communication things,' said Howard, who finished with 13 points and four turnovers. 'Making sure that we're taking advantage of everything that they're giving us.' Some of those fixes might sound simple. But for the Dream, playing in high-leverage games is still a relatively new experience. Atlanta made the postseason in each of the past two years, but it hasn't won a playoff game since 2018. Winning has always been the goal, but hosting a playoff round in September hasn't looked as achievable in recent seasons as it does this June. Smesko is there to help change that. General manager Dan Padover calls him a 'teacher,' first and foremost. Forward Naz Hillmon said, 'All coaches think that they're really big on teaching but he breaks every single thing down, which I think is just so important.' Griner added: 'Instead of just telling us what to do, he's like, 'Wait, do you actually understand why we're doing it?' He makes sure the why is clear.' Advertisement That approach is partly why Tuesday was not a significant cause for concern and instead a reminder of what could be. 'We know what happened in the past, and we want to break that,' Griner said. The Dream will look to continue making strides. That's the plan, after all. 'We're gonna have to figure out a way to get better,' Smesko said. 'But at the same time, I recognize how much progress we've already made.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Atlanta Dream, WNBA 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Don't count out Atlanta Dream, even after Commissioner's Cup loss to Liberty
NEW YORK — Unlike the WNBA's other 12 head coaches, Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko doesn't put together practice plans. He uses another phrase in referring to the Dream's workouts. He crafts what he calls 'progress plans.' The difference might be a matter of semantics to some, but it reflects the intentionality in Smesko's approach. Atlanta's first-year coach views workouts as an opportunity for Dream players to get better. So why not be specific in their purpose and name them accordingly? The goal is to progress after all. Each session has value. Advertisement But games are currently Atlanta's best teacher. No contest has provided more lessons than the one the Dream played Tuesday night against the New York Liberty. Atlanta led by 17 points with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter, silencing a Barclays Center crowd of more than 15,000 fans eager for anything to cheer about. With a win, the Dream (8-4) would have advanced to the Commissioner's Cup championship and gotten off to their best start to a season since 2014. But then? 'We just gave it away,' Dream star Rhyne Howard said. New York blitzed Atlanta to close the third quarter, and continued its push to open the fourth. After a 24-8 Liberty run, the Dream held just a one-point lead with 5:27 remaining. Their lead officially evaporated 91 seconds later. The Liberty pulled ahead with 1:56 left and wouldn't do what the Dream did, and give anything away. New York, instead, did what title-winning teams do. The final margin: Liberty 86, Dream 81. 'When you're playing a championship-level team on the road, you just gotta keep going at them,' Smesko said. 'You're not trying to hold on. You got to go win the game.' Easy flow to the RIM!! 🔥@Graytness_15 to the WNBA All-Star Game! 🔗: #DoItForTheDream — Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) June 17, 2025 Add that to the list of Tuesday's lessons for the Dream, who have a first-coach, revamped roster (with offseason acquisitions Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones highlighting the group), and an overhauled style of play. Smesko said pregame Tuesday was his group's 'ultimate test,' at least so far. For a while, the Dream looked like they would pass with little drama involved. Yet, the result eventually reinforced that while Atlanta can compete with the WNBA's top teams, there is still much for it to learn to truly leap into the league's upper echelon. Advertisement 'I think we showed what we're capable of,' Smesko said. 'Now can we do it for four quarters and finish these games off?' Of course, there remains plenty of positives worth drawing from, both coming out of Tuesday and Atlanta's first dozen games of the season more broadly. After finishing last season 12th in offensive rating, the Dream are much-improved on offense under Smesko — no surprise, considering his reputation as an offensive wizard over two-plus decades at Florida Gulf Coast — and are third in points per 100 possessions. Star guard Allisha Gray has been in career-best form and averaged 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in May. For her efforts, she earned Eastern Conference Player of the Month, and on Tuesday became the first Atlanta player since 2018 to win multiple Eastern Conference Player of the Week awards. 'She's been aggressive. She's been smart. She's been very good on both ends of the floor,' Smesko said before Tuesday's loss. 'She's just been one of the best players in the league.' It's hard to argue with his claim, even after Gray's 14-point, five-assist performance on 5-of-12 shooting from the field in Atlanta's defeat. Gray, a two-time All-Star guard, isn't alone as an impact player. Jones opened the season with four consecutive double-doubles, tying a franchise record. Her frontcourt partner, Griner climbed to second on the WNBA's all-time blocks list. Howard has not only set a franchise record with nine 3s in a game, but she also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 career 3s. After recording nine assists against the Liberty and playing all but 47 seconds against the Liberty, Howard already has more nine-plus assist games (two) this season than she had in her prior three years (one). Despite their second-half struggles against New York, the Dream have gotten used to pummeling opponents in the third quarter and held a plus-33.1 net rating in the period entering Tuesday's action. Advertisement That's all why the sting of their most recent loss isn't cause for grave concern. 'I think we have the potential to be one of the best teams in the league if we have the right attitude. These setbacks are gonna happen,' Smesko said. After three first-half turnovers, the Dream had 10 in the second half, which led to New York getting out in transition. Smesko said that Atlanta's ball-movement got sticky in the final 14 minutes. The Dream's pace slowed and shots got tougher (they shot 29.4 percent in the fourth quarter compared to 45 percent for the Liberty.) New York center Jonquel Jones scored all 10 of her points in the second half, and guard Sabrina Ionescu became the first player this season to score 30 points in consecutive games. She finished with a game-high 34 points. Smesko said New York was more aggressive in their ball-screen defense down the stretch. For that, he took responsibility for not coming up with better answers. Howard tossed out other lessons, too. 'The little details and things (matter), crashing the boards and getting rebounds or running the plays correctly, just communication things,' said Howard, who finished with 13 points and four turnovers. 'Making sure that we're taking advantage of everything that they're giving us.' Some of those fixes might sound simple. But for the Dream, playing in high-leverage games is still a relatively new experience. Atlanta made the postseason in each of the past two years, but it hasn't won a playoff game since 2018. Winning has always been the goal, but hosting a playoff round in September hasn't looked as achievable in recent seasons as it does this June. Smesko is there to help change that. General manager Dan Padover calls him a 'teacher,' first and foremost. Forward Naz Hillmon said: 'All coaches think that they're really big on teaching but he breaks every single thing down, which I think is just so important.' Advertisement Griner added: 'Instead of just telling us what to do, he's like, 'Wait, do you actually understand why we're doing it?' He makes sure the why is clear.' That approach is partly why Tuesday was not a significant cause for concern and instead a reminder of what could be. 'We know what happened in the past, and we want to break that,' Griner said. The Dream will look to continue making strides. That's the plan, after all. 'We're gonna have to figure out a way to get better,' Smesko said. 'But at the same time, I recognize how much progress we've already made.'
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Star Liv Morgan Could Miss Significant Time After 'Freak' Injury: Report
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. A new report has provided more details on the legitimate shoulder injury suffered by WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Liv Morgan. The injury occurred during the June 16 episode of Monday Night Raw. The report confirms the injury was a "freak occurrence" and not a pre-planned storyline. The unfortunate timing has thrown several major creative plans into question. Liv Morgan appears to have re-injured her shoulder 💔 #WWERAW — Female Locker Room (@femalelroom) June 17, 2025 The Injury And Backstage Details Morgan was injured just moments into her match against Kairi Sane. She appeared to dislocate her shoulder after landing awkwardly from a move. The match was immediately stopped, and WWE medical personnel attended to her backstage. The PWInsider report confirms the injury is 100% legitimate and that there is no backstage heat on anyone involved in the incident. WWE is now waiting to learn the full severity of the dislocation. A more severe injury could potentially sideline Morgan for upwards of 16 weeks, but a definitive timeline has not yet been established. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 1: WWE Women's World Champion Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio look on during WWE SmackDown at Barclays Center on November 1, 2024 in New York City. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 1: WWE Women's World Champion Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio look on during WWE SmackDown at Barclays Center on November 1, 2024 in New York City. WWE/Getty Images More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Nikki Bella Feud And Evolution 2 Plans Derailed The injury could not have come at a worse time for Morgan's career. Just one week prior, she kicked off a high-profile feud by attacking the returning WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella. It was widely expected that this angle would lead to a marquee match at the upcoming Evolution 2 premium live event. The rumored plan was for a reunited Bella Twins to challenge Morgan and her partner, Raquel Rodriguez, for the tag team titles. Future Of The Tag Team Titles Morgan's status as a reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champion is now in serious doubt. A long-term absence would almost certainly force her and Rodriguez to vacate the championships. The situation has become a major topic in the wrestling world. Even Morgan's on-screen rival, Rhea Ripley, broke character on social media to condemn fans who were celebrating the legitimate injury. No one should be celebrating this setback for Morgan as she was in a lot of different big things in WWE whether that's being the Women's Tag Team Champion, feud with Nikki Bella or potential clash with Women's Champion IYO SKY. We wish her a speedy recovery from this nasty injury. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
