Author

admin

Browsing

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent in a Supreme Court order handed down on Tuesday stood out enough that it prompted one of her liberal colleagues to voice disagreement with her.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said in a brief concurrence that the high court’s 8-1 order clearing the way for President Donald Trump to continue downsizing the government was the right decision.

‘I agree with Justice Jackson that the President cannot restructure federal agencies in a manner inconsistent with congressional mandates,’ Sotomayor wrote. ‘Here, however, the relevant Executive Order directs agencies to plan reorganizations and reductions in force ‘consistent with applicable law’ … and the resulting joint memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management reiterates as much.’

Sotomayor’s remarks were included as part of a short two-page order from the Supreme Court saying the executive order Trump signed in February directing federal agencies to plan for ‘large-scale reductions in force (RIFs), consistent with applicable law’ was likely lawful.

The Supreme Court said it had no opinion at this stage on the legality of any actual job cuts and that that question was not before the high court.

But Jackson felt differently, according to her 15-page dissent affixed to the order.

Jackson, the most junior justice and an appointee of former President Joe Biden, said a lower court judge was right to pause any further reductions to the federal workforce. Jackson lectured her colleagues for thinking otherwise.

‘That temporary, practical, harm-reducing preservation of the status quo was no match for this Court’s demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this President’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture,’ Jackson said.

Any future government downsizing would come on top of thousands of government employees already losing their jobs or opting to accept buy-out plans as part of Trump’s stated goals to scale down the federal government and make it run more efficiently.

The Supreme Court’s order arose from a lawsuit brought by labor organizations and nonprofits, who alleged that the president’s decision to dramatically slash the federal workforce infringed on Congress’s authority over approving and funding government jobs.

The order was issued on an emergency basis and is only temporary. It will remain in place while the Trump administration appeals the lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Former White House physician Kevin O’Connor’s closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee ended after less than an hour on Wednesday morning, with the doctor giving investigators virtually no new insights.

O’Connor pleaded the Fifth Amendment to multiple questions about his time with former President Joe Biden during his sit-down. It resulted in a hasty end to what could have been an hours-long deposition.

‘I’m going to read the first two questions that were asked. ‘Were you ever told to lie about the president’s health?’ He pleaded the Fifth Amendment. He would not answer that question. The second question, ‘Did you ever believe President Biden was unfit to execute his duty?” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters after the meeting.

‘Again, President Biden’s White House physician pled the fifth. This is unprecedented, and I think that this adds more fuel to the fire that there was a cover-up.’

The doctor’s lawyers said O’Connor’s refusal to answer questions on Fifth Amendment grounds was not an admission of guilt, but rather a response to what they saw as an unprecedented investigatory scope that could have violated the bounds of patient-physician privilege.

‘This Committee has indicated to Dr. O’Connor and his attorneys that it does not intend to honor one of the most well-known privileges in our law – the physician patient privilege. Instead, the Committee has indicated that it will demand that Dr. O’Connor reveal, without any limitations, confidential information regarding his medical examinations, treatment, and care of President Biden,’ the attorney statement said.

‘Revealing confidential patient information would violate the most fundamental ethical duty of a physician, could result in revocation of Dr. O’Connor’s medical license, and would subject Dr. O’Connor to potential civil liability. Dr. O’Connor will not violate his oath of confidentiality to any of his patients, including President Biden.’

The House Oversight Committee has been investigating whether Biden’s former top aides covered up evidence of his mental and physical decline while in office. Biden’s allies have denied such allegations.

But Comer suggested to reporters that O’Connor’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment could have been evidence to the contrary.

‘Most people invoke the fifth when they have criminal liability. And so that’s what would appear on the surface here,’ he said. ‘We’re going to continue to move forward. Obviously, I think his actions today speak loud and clear.’

But O’Connor’s lawyers wrote in their statement, ‘We want to emphasize that asserting the Fifth Amendment privilege does not imply that Dr. O’Connor has committed any crime. In fact, to the contrary, as our Supreme Court has emphasized: ‘One of the Fifth Amendment’s basic functions is to protect
innocent men who otherwise might be ensnared by ambiguous circumstances.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, who made a surprise appearance at the interview and was the only lawmaker there, save for Comer, defended O’Connor’s use of the Fifth Amendment.

‘As someone who has served as a criminal defense attorney and actually been in courtrooms, it’s kind of astounding to hear someone say, if you invoke the Fifth Amendment, that is only because you are guilty,’ Crockett said. 

She pointed out that the Trump administration had launched a contemporaneous criminal probe.

‘We have a constitutional right that anyone who may be under fire can invoke. And unfortunately, with this rogue DOJ, it has decided that it wants to run a contemporaneous investigation, criminal investigation, involving the doctor – I think he did what any good lawyer would advise him to do,’ Crockett said.

O’Connor’s lawyers have asked the committee to pause its investigation while the Department of Justice (DOJ) probe is underway.

He and his legal team appeared to catch reporters by surprise with their hasty exit on Wednesday morning, roughly thirty minutes after entering.

One of O’Connor’s lawyers said they would be making ‘no comments to press’ in response to a shouted question by Fox News Digital.

Comer, for his part, insisted the investigation would go on.

‘This is something I think every American is concerned about. I think that the American people want to know the truth. We’re going to continue this investigation. We’ll move forward,’ Comer said. ‘We have several other witnesses that are going to come in for depositions and transcribed interviews. We will do everything in our ability to be transparent with the media and be transparent with the American people.’

The committee previously interviewed former Biden staff secretary Neera Tanden. Comer has summoned several other ex-White House aides to appear.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The FIFA Club World Cup semifinal match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid could be one of the best matches in the tournament.

It’s a battle between the last two Champions League winners – Real Madrid won it in 2024, while PSG is the reigning champion in 2025.

It’s also the first time Kylian Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid last year, will face his former club in PSG after a contentious final season that featured a transfer saga.

The winner of the match will face Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.

Here’s everything you need to know about the PSG vs. Real Madrid match in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals:

Watch FIFA Club World Cup matches for free on DAZN

How to watch PSG vs. Real Madrid: TV channel, live stream link

The PSG-Real Madrid match is available to live stream for free on DAZN.

What time is PSG vs. Real Madrid?

The match begins at 3 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Paris and Madrid).

Where is the PSG vs. Real Madrid match?

The match is being played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

PSG vs. Real Madrid predictions

Real Madrid 3, PSG 2: Kylian Mbappé scores a brace, Gonzalo García adds another Club World Cup goal and Real Madrid topples PSG in added time in a thriller. I’ll even say Mbappé scores the game-winner against his former club. I’m just here for the drama. –Safid Deen

PSG 2, Real Madrid 1: Young Désiré Doué leads PSG into another final, starring for the Parisians as Real Madrid comes up short again after their shock Champions League exit earlier in the spring, with Kylian Mbappé struggling to do damage against his former team. – Jesse Yomtov

PSG vs. Real Madrid betting odds

Here are the betting odds, through regular time, from BETMGM:

  • PSG: +135
  • Draw: +250
  • Real Madrid: +190
  • Over/under: 3.5 goals

Is Kylian Mbappé playing today?

Mbappé is expected to play for Real Madrid against his former club PSG. It’s just unclear whether Mbappé would start or come off the bench, like he has for Real Madrid’s last two Club World Cup matches since returning from a stomach flu.

Is Ousmane Dembélé playing today?

Dembélé is expected to play for PSG against Real Madrid, but it’s also unclear whether he will start or come off the bench. Dembélé recently recovered from a quadriceps injury, and has worked his way back as a substitute off the bench like he has for PSG’s last two Club World Cup matches.

PSG coach dodges Mbappé talk

PSG coach Luis Enrique refused to be drawn into comparisons between his Champions League-winning squad and the team that previously featured Kylian Mbappé, ahead of Wednesday’s Club World Cup semi-final clash with his former star’s new club Real Madrid.

‘This is a question about the past and I’m not here to talk about the past, I’m only thinking about the future,’ Luis Enrique told a press conference when asked if his PSG are a better team now without Mbappe than when they had the France captain in their squad before his free transfer to Real Madrid last year.

The Spanish coach did acknowledge that facing his former player adds spice to the encounter, saying that ‘playing against the most successful team in the world’ is ‘definitely extra motivation’. – Reuters

Club World Cup weather continues to be a story

PSG will again have to contend with brutal conditions in New Jersey, with an afternoon kickoff in scorching heat after temperatures in Tuesday’s semi-final between Chelsea and Fluminense soared past 95 degrees with over 54% humidity, prompting a National Weather Service warning.

‘We’re getting used to it. Playing in these conditions, because that’s been the norm during the World Cup. It’ll be business as usual,’ Luis Enrique said. ‘It’s not good for the spectacle because it’s difficult to play in that position. It’s the same for both teams.’

Despite the challenging circumstances, the former Barcelona boss is relishing the high-stakes encounter.

‘Playing against Real Madrid will be a special match, no doubt about it. At the same time, we like playing these kinds of games because it means you’ve done your job well and you’re in a position to play in a semi-final,’ he said. – Reuters

Which club does PSG-Real Madrid winner face in Club World Cup final?

The winner of the PSG-Real Madrid match will face Chelsea, from the English Premier League, in the Club World Cup final.

When is the FIFA Club World Cup final?

The Club World Cup final is on Sunday, July 13, at MetLife Stadium.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Despite its roots as a recreational pursuit of the elite, modern-day tennis is about as close to a meritocracy as you’ll find in professional sports. 

Whether it’s Wimbledon or the lowest-rung tournament in tennis’ minor leagues, there aren’t any shortcuts to getting in. You qualify based on accomplishment. You can only advance to the next level by winning. You eat what you kill. You get what you deserve. And you are what your ranking says you are. 

Unless, of course, you’re billionaire hedge fund guy Bill Ackman. 

On Wednesday afternoon, the 59-year old founder of Pershing Square Capital Management will suit up at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island, indulging his sports fantasy while making a mockery of the tournament and the ATP Challenger Tour where players strive to eke out a living. 

‘I am playing the best tennis of my life,’ Ackman wrote last week on X, where he posts frequently about politics and is often far-too-eager to embrace ridiculous conspiracy theories. 

Including the idea that he belongs in a pro tennis event. 

Ackman’s enthusiasm for tennis is indisputable. He’s a bit of a gadfly on tour, befriending several players and helping bankroll the Professional Tennis Players Association when it was launched in 2019 by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil. He says he practices nearly every day, seems to be in good shape for a 59-year old and, because of his access to top players, has found himself on the other side of the net from all-time greats like Roger Federer in informal hitting sessions. 

And still, there is no deeper story to what’s happening in Newport this week other than exactly what it looks like: A wealthy tennis benefactor who started playing seriously a decade ago using his privilege to say he competed in a pro tour event. We can be honest about how gross that is – both in Ackman’s desire to make it happen and the ATP’s willingness to humor him. 

How did it happen? 

According to Ackman’s social media posts, former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios had proposed playing doubles together at one point, but ongoing injury issues delayed their partnership indefinitely. 

‘Fortunately fate intervened,’ Ackman wrote. 

Of course, it’s not fate. It’s simply the privilege of being Bill Ackman. Let’s explain. 

Even though entrants for every tournament on the ATP or Challenger Tour level must meet a rankings threshold or earn a spot through a qualifying event, every tournament reserves a handful of wildcards that can be given out at its discretion. 

The wildcard system isn’t perfect and sometimes creates controversy, but in general they’re used for reasonable purposes: An accomplished player who lost their ranking due to injury and is trying to come back, an up-and-coming star with local ties, a highly-ranked player who didn’t enter initially but decided to play at the last minute.

The Newport event, which was downgraded from ATP-level to a Challenger tournament this year, gave the wildcard in doubles to Jack Sock on the basis of being a former champion of the tournament and one of the most accomplished doubles players of the last decade. 

There’s just one little issue: Sock, 32, is a pickleball player and podcaster now. His last professional tennis match was at the U.S. Open in 2023, and there is no indication that he’s planning a comeback. Also interesting: In an interview with Front Office Sports last week, Ackman said he had never even met Sock but that they were going to begin practicing together last weekend. 

So Sock – out of the blue, apparently – requested a wildcard from Newport even though his tennis career has long been over. The tournament granted it, and Sock listed Ackman as his doubles partner. Which, again, the tournament allowed even though you can’t find results on Ackman in any of the public tennis databases kept by the USTA or Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). 

Why was Ackman approved to compete? One truly wonders – unless, of course, you know how the world works. 

But that’s not how tennis is supposed to work.

Look, it’s not the end of the world. While technically the Ackman-Sock wildcard could have gone to a legitimate team that needed the opportunity rather than a sideshow, nobody’s career is going to hinge on missing the cut for the doubles draw at the Newport Challenger. 

But this isn’t a golf pro-am. It’s the real thing. And as long as we have pro sports, you’d like them to be played by professionals and not exist for the whims of potential benefactors who have a ton of money and a delusion about how good they are at playing tennis.

It’s a bad look, and it certainly doesn’t help the image of a sport that does not necessarily deserve its country club reputation. While some top-ranked players came from privilege, it’s not really that different from most other sports. The top two men’s players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, both emerged from middle class backgrounds. Djokovic grew up flat-out poor in a war-torn country. Coco Gauff started on the public courts in Delray Beach, Florida, inspired by Serena and Venus Williams’ rise from Compton, California, to the top of the sport. And even for those who had advantages like Jessica Pegula, whose parents own the Buffalo Bills, there’s no faking it in tennis. 

You have to win the right matches to establish your ranking, which gets you in the right tournaments, which only allows you to maintain that privilege if you keep winning. 

You can’t use your social media fame or friendships or wealth to buy your way onto the pro tour.

Unless, apparently, you’re Bill Ackman. 

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

A Senate Republican wants to give the U.S. a leg up in its race against China and to ween the nation off of its reliance on imports of key raw materials needed for weapons systems.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., would like to fast-track the harvesting of raw materials in the U.S. needed for the nation’s defensive capabilities, and plans to blow through federal and judicial red tape to do it.

Cotton plans to introduce legislation that would allow critical mineral mining projects deemed necessary to bolster the nation’s military and defensive readiness by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to skirt environmental laws and possible blockages by the courts.

His bill is designed to give the U.S. an edge against China, the world’s largest producer of critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, graphite and other rare earth minerals used in weapons systems, electric vehicles and consumer electronics.

Currently, China produces roughly 60% of the world’s critical mineral supply, and processes up to 90%.

‘Current environmental laws put our readiness to counter Communist China at risk and waste taxpayer dollars on projects that stall out and die on the vine,’ Cotton said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘This bill will create jobs, better arm and prepare our soldiers, and spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently.’

Cotton’s bill, dubbed the Necessary Environmental Exemptions for Defense Act, would create a waiver for mining activities and projects related to countering China and to allow the Pentagon to ‘operate with maximum agility and efficiency to ensure it is prepared to deter and, if necessary, fight and win a conflict with the Chinese Communist Party,’ according to bill text first obtained by Fox News Digital.

Among the regulations and environmental review standards that could be skirted with the waiver are the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act and Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

Cotton argued in his legislation that the aforementioned regulations ‘frequently and unnecessarily delay’ the preparedness of the military without ‘substantial benefit to the environment or protected species,’ and that time is of the essence when it comes to national defense.

The projects that would fall under the umbrella of the regulation exemption include testing and production and deployment of technologies, systems or equipment and the construction, maintenance, expansion, or repair of facilities or Defense Department infrastructure, among others.

It would also prevent projects from being snarled in the courts, as long as the initiative is deemed necessary for military preparedness by the Secretary of Defense.

The bill fits into the White House’s broader plan to jump-start critical mineral mining in the country, be it through executive action, a bid to buy Greenland, a minerals agreement with Ukraine, or opening up more offshore mining in the Gulf of America.

It also comes after President Donald Trump reached a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping to resume trade of critical minerals after shipments were stopped earlier this year following the White House’s slew of tariffs against China and other countries. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Of course it came back around. All it took was Chris Klieman to admit it, and open yet another window to the absurdity of the now transactional sport of college football. 

Fortunately for Kansas State, star quarterback Avery Johnson didn’t bite at NIL offers from bigger schools. 

Because pushing out a championship starting quarterback last year for his potentially rare backup, only to have the potentially rare quarterback leave a year later, would’ve been peak transfer portal nonsense. 

Instead, there was Johnson, representing K-State at Big 12 Media Days, setting lofty goals for Year 2 as a starter. And maybe finally reaching those Johnny Manziel comparisons.

“I can’t wait for the season to begin,” Johnson said Tuesday, July 8 at Big 12 Media Days. “We’re shooting for a Big 12 championship. Anything else would be a letdown.”

And speaking of letdowns, get a lot of this drama: It was prior to last season when Klieman – one of two coaches in school history to win a conference championship in the modern era – gambled on Johnson by placing the program in his hands.

Will Howard had one season of eligibility remaining, and was a year removed from leading K-State to its first Big 12 championship since 2012. He and Klieman met, and they decided maybe both needed a fresh start.

Johnson led K-State to nine wins in 2024, and had the Wildcats in the College Football Playoff hunt until the last week of the regular season. 

Howard led Ohio State to the national championship.

TOP 25: Ranking the best college football quarterbacks

In a not so surprising twist of irony, when the offseason arrived, guess who was fielding transfer opportunities from major Power conference teams? That would be Johnson — the same quarterback Klieman elevated over Howard in 2024 to prevent Johnson from leaving for the transfer portal in the first place.

Look, it’s a business now. A crazy, unbridled mess of a business. 

“But he likes it here,” Klieman said of Johnson, who threw 25 touchdown passes in 2024, and rushed for more than 600 yards in his first season as a starter.

Really, he does. Johnson grew up in Wichita, about two hours south of the campus in Manhattan. He knows Kansas, he has lived Kansas. 

More important: Kansas loves him. Johnson has an impressive NIL portfolio, which recently added deals with CVS and a regional telecommunications provider. 

This on the heels of a deal last year with a local car dealership, which paved the way for him to drive around Manhattan in a lavender Corvette Stingray and black Mercedes AMG GT. 

Not only that, you, too, can swig Johnson’s favorite drink (strawberry lemonade) thanks to an NIL deal with a local drink manufacturer. So yeah, life is good in Kansas. 

Now it’s time to make it even better on the field. 

Johnson says he has gained “10-12 pounds” in the offseason, has built strength and hasn’t lost what makes him so dangerous: speed and dynamic athleticism. 

He says the game moves slower now, and Klieman added more pieces around Johnson with key transfer portal additions to further develop the pass game. Three of K-State’s top four receivers arrived this offseason from other schools.

“The best supporting cast I could ask for,” Johnson said. “It’s a different feeling now. I’m so much farther ahead of where I was at this time last year.”

Last month, Johnson was invited to the Manning Passing Academy, an invitation typically reserved for the elite of the game. He roomed with Gunner Stockton (Georgia), Marcel Reed (Texas A&M) and Austin Simmons (Mississippi).

“An SEC room,” Johnson joked. 

Who knows just how close he came to joining that conference, and competing in the quarterback-heavy league. How close K-State went from experiencing both sides of transfer portal turnover at the most important position on the field. 

From a difficult choice one year, to a difficult departure the next. From learning on the job one season, to improving his completion percentage, and making better decisions post snap.

He understands the position and the concepts. Now it’s all about refining his game, and reaching the massive expectations coming out of high school.  

“I love this team, I love the chemistry we’re building,” Johnson said. “Everybody should be excited.”

Because Johnson didn’t bite — and allow what goes around to come back around. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

With the college football season just around the corner, it’s time to theorize which team will be the one to win a national championship.

And what better way to figure out who could actually do it than in the virtual world?

With EA Sports College Football 26 out, the video game allows gamers the chance to play the upcoming season in dynasty mode. With realistic rosters and coaches, the teams with high ceilings in real life have the same expectations in the video game, therefore the best odds to win a title. But with so many contenders and the unpredictable college football season yet to start, it’s tough to figure out who could really win it all.

To determine it, USA TODAY Sports simulated the 2025-26 college football season in the video game 100 times to see who would frequently win the national championship. There were some outliers, but plenty of teams won multiple titles in the season, giving a sense of who could really be hoisting the College Football Playoff trophy in January.

Most national championships in College Football 26 simulation

Penn State won the most national championships in the 100 simulations with 20 titles. The Nittany Lions also made the College Football Playoff 88 times, the most of any team.

EARLY IMPRESSIONS: Five best features in new EA Sports game

TOP 25: Ranking the best college football quarterbacks

Which teams won a national championship in College Football 26 simulation

A total of 20 teams won a national championship game in the simulation. Except for Notre Dame, all of the champions came from a Power Four conference − seven SEC, four Big Ten, four Big 12 and four ACC.

Teams listed in alphabetical order

  • Alabama
  • Baylor
  • Clemson
  • Duke
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Iowa State
  • Kansas State
  • LSU
  • Miami
  • Michigan
  • Notre Dame
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Penn State
  • Pittsburgh
  • Southern California
  • Texas
  • Texas A&M
  • Texas Tech

College Football 26 simulation national championship breakdown

  • Penn State: 20 national championships
  • Oregon: 15 national championships
  • Georgia: 12 national championships
  • Clemson: 10 national championships
  • Miami: Eight national championships
  • Texas Tech: Six national championships
  • Michigan: Six national championships
  • Duke: Five national championships
  • Texas: Four national championships
  • Oklahoma: Three national championships
  • Southern California: Two national championships
  • Florida: One national championship
  • Texas A&M: One national championship
  • Alabama: One national championship
  • Notre Dame: One national championship
  • Iowa State: One national championship
  • Baylor: One national championship
  • LSU: One national championship
  • Kansas State: One national championship
  • Pittsburgh: One national championship
This post appeared first on USA TODAY

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are in continued negotiations to keep the Argentine World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in Miami, according to a person familiar with the talks.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of contract negotiations.

One part of the negotiations: Whether Messi re-signs just for 2026 or at least another year after?

“I see him very, very happy,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano told USA TODAY Sports before practice on July 8. “I think he found the place to be quiet, to enjoy a lot of things that maybe he couldn’t enjoy before in other clubs. But at the end, he will decide how we continue with his career. This is main thing. But I see him very, very happy.”   

While working on Messi’s extension, the club is making a major push to bring another one of his closest friends to MLS.  

Inter Miami has been in talks this week to acquire Atletico Madrid midfielder and Messi’s Argentine World Cup-winning teammate Rodrigo De Paul during this summer’s transfer window, according to multiple reports.

Mascherano declined to comment on the club’s pursuit of De Paul, who is under contract through 2026. But it makes plenty of sense from Inter Miami’s standpoint. 

New Messi contract with Inter Miami?

Inter Miami has provided an open and comfortable landing spot for Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in the later years of their careers, while providing Mascherano with a chance to start his career as a coach after they played together with Barcelona.  

Messi and Suarez are figuratively tied at the hips when they walk onto the Inter Miami practice fields for training sessions, and they come off the team bus together to walk into stadiums for every match.  

You know who’s close to Messi the same way when he’s with the national team? De Paul. 

While it’s unclear whether Busquets or Suarez will re-sign with Inter Miami beyond this season when their contracts expire like Messi’s (Alba already has), De Paul’s presence could also keep Messi happy in Inter Miami.  

“I don’t have to say too much. Clearly, everyone knows this type of player. But as I always say, I don’t like to talk about players who aren’t with us at the moment and don’t belong to our club,” Mascherano said when asked about De Paul. “Whether it’s him or any other player who comes in, we’ll talk about it then and I’ll give you my opinion in more detail.” 

Still, the rampant Messi rumors about various options he could consider will continue to fester until he signs an extension.  

Messi transfer rumors aren’t going away

Among the rumors circulated since Inter Miami was eliminated in the FIFA Club World Cup last month: Messi would leave Inter Miami to play for another club in another league to better prepare for the World Cup.  

Among those clubs are a return to Barcelona, reuniting with his old boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina, or even playing in the Saudi Arabian league where longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo will continue his own twilight years.

Every scenario offers a logical explanation for fans to believe the rumors.  

Sure, the idea Messi could leave Inter Miami to play elsewhere to get in better shape for the World Cup sounds logical. But it was clear when watching Messi play against PSG in the Club World Cup that he still is at the top of his game, even at his advanced age.  

What also doesn’t make sense: Why would Messi uproot his family life when his Inter Miami contract ends, for a six-month stint in another part of the world, breaking all sorts of routine and comfort he already has in South Florida and the U.S.?  

Watch Club World Cup on DAZN

Messi spent most of his life with FC Barcelona and never wanted to leave when he was pushed out in 2021. But a return to Barcelona at this stage of Messi’s career – other than a one-off friendly between Inter Miami and Barcelona at the new Camp Nou Stadium (which would be a great idea by the way) – may not be in the cards. The club won the Spanish treble last season, and will likely have a new star wearing No. 10 in Lamine Yamal (who turns 18 on July 13). Barcelona already appears in great shape without its greatest player ever.

A return to play in Argentina for Newell’s? It’s a fantasy driven by Messi’s national teammate Angel Di Maria returning home to his boyhood club Rosario Central to finish his career. But it isn’t a viable option for Messi.  

Quite frankly, Messi doesn’t owe Argentina anything after winning the World Cup – outside of informing his legion of fans that he’ll play in the World Cup again. Messi hasn’t yet publicly declared he will play in the tournament co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico next summer.  

Playing in the Middle East? Sure, Ronaldo is making ludicrous amounts to bring attention to the Saudi league since he joined in 2023, and recently re-signed through 2027. But Messi already passed on playing in Saudi Arabia when he was in search of a new home in the summer of 2023 – though he did sign a lucrative deal as a spokesman for the kingdom. 

After leaving Barcelona, Messi spent two years of his career at Paris Saint-Germain – made even more awkward after leading Argentina past France at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.  

He landed with Inter Miami in July 2023, and has been celebrated since his arrival by fans and Americans getting to watch him play the final days of his career in the United States.  

“At the end of the day, I don’t see him anywhere else, to be honest, but it’s his decision,” Alba said after the Club World Cup when asked about Messi staying with Inter Miami. “Ultimately, the decisions he has made have always been the right ones, and obviously I see him competing for the World Cup.” 

Still, Messi needs to re-sign. And the Messi rumors about various options will continue until he does. 

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

DALLAS — He doesn’t need this. He can walk away right now, and leave the unseemly unraveling of college sports to someone else.

Hop on a plane and escape Washington D.C. and the land of everybody’s got an angle, and be home in the DFW Metroplex in a matter of hours. An amateur sports world of turmoil in his wake.

Or he could do what he has always done. 

Fix the problem.  

“I’ve built and sold $15 billion worth of companies,” Cody Campbell says. “I’m not a dumbass.”

Of all the upheaval, of all the unthinkable moves over the last four years that have drastically changed college sports, none would be more improbable than this. 

A deep-pocket booster, a capital investment savant, saving college football – and by proxy, college sports – from itself.   

He knows what you’re thinking. What does a billionaire businessman, a Texas Tech sports sugar daddy, know about saving college football?

The logical response: what do university presidents know? Because they’re the men and women in charge of it all now — and doing a catastrophically poor job of it.

Cody Campbell part of Donald Trump’s team

Campbell, 43, sees the dichotomy of it all, and at this point, the only thing that matters is the most powerful man in the world believes Campbell has a chance to assess the problems of college sports – with its front porch money-maker, football – and fix it. 

Though the White House hasn’t officially announced it, President Trump and Campbell – a former offensive lineman at Texas Tech in the early 2000s – have spoken at length about how to fix the problems of the last four years of paradigm change within college sports. Change that seems to inevitably lead to the downsize, and in some cases, the elimination, of women’s and Olympic sports.

There won’t be a commission, as had been previously reported. A person close to the process, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told USA TODAY Sports that it will follow much in the same way Trump deals with other problems: he finds a point person, and that person reports directly to him.

When asked if he were that person, Campbell said, ‘I’ve been in conversations with President Trump for quite some time now, and the one thing I can tell you is he cares very much about preserving and maintaining college sports. Not just football, but women’s sports and Olympic sports, and the opportunities they provide. It’s one of the best things we have culturally in this country.

‘I don’t want to see it die. And we can all see it’s dying.”

Cody Campbell part of problem and solution?

It is here where we address the obvious. The same person who will be charged with finding the fix to a myriad of issues, is the same booster who has been, in the eyes of many, part of the problem.

This time last year, Campbell – through the Texas Tech Matador Club collective – was busy convincing All-America pitcher NiJaree Canady to leave Stanford for a record-breaking million-dollar NIL deal. Leave the history and tradition of Stanford softball, for the great unknown in Lubbock, Texas.  

A deal that quickly became the very definition of college sports losing its way. And soul. 

A year later, Tech advanced to its first Women’s College World Series behind Canady, and lost in the championship series to rival Texas. And that’s only the shallow end of a deep and committed dive for Campbell and a handful of private Texas Tech donors. 

But these are the rules laid out by those currently running college sports. There’s no rhyme or reason, no definitive lines to color between.

So Campbell and his donor group, like many others, take advantage of them. They know the rules, they’re playing the game. 

They’re chasing the Big Ten and SEC, the two super conferences who have seized control of the present and future of college sports. There’s currently only one way for schools in other conferences to reach them and compete at the same level.

With cold, hard cash.

Cody Campbell isn’t just trying to fix Texas Tech

Campbell knows what a win over Texas in the Women’s CWS would’ve meant to Texas Tech, and what a College Football Playoff run this season will mean. He and his donor group have invested more than $300 million in facilities upgrades for the football program, and currently have $55 million in NIL contracts for all Texas Tech athletes for the 2025 season — a number believed to be the largest (by far) in the NCAA.

And that’s the irony of this story. Campbell doesn’t need to jump into the cesspool of D.C. politics, or massage the egos of the big personalities of college sports and their insular nature of self-protection.

He could just keep throwing hundreds of millions at Texas Tech and attempt to buy championships, and avoid all the agita.

But this is much bigger than that. This is about sports and society, and protecting a unique opportunity for all ― not just for the 34 schools in the Big Ten and SEC, or other universities fortunate enough to have deep-pocket boosters to bridge any financial divide.

‘When he dives into something to fix it, there’s no stone left unturned,’ says Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire. ‘He’s going to find a way.’

There’s a reason officials in the Big Ten and SEC recoil at the mention of Campbell. It’s not just his brash use of existing NIL rules, but his public declarations that college sports is dying with a current caste system of winners and losers.

The winners: the Big Ten and SEC, with their billion-dollar media rights deals separating them from the rest of college sports.

The losers: everyone else, with media rights deals less than half of what the Big Ten and SEC earn.

The reorganization of college sports over the last four years is all about money. Those making it, and those losing it. 

But Campbell has a different idea: share the wealth, increase revenue and watch college sports grow like never before.

What does a billionaire businessman know about saving college sports, you ask? More than you think. 

Cody Campbell is built for job of saving college sports

This story begins two generations ago, where Bill Cagle, Campbell’s maternal grandfather, grew up in hardscrabble Childress, Texas. His family lived through the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, persevering through an ecological disaster in the Texas panhandle despite the barest of necessities.

Cagle made it out because he played football, earning a scholarship to Hardin-Simmons when it played in the old Division I Border Conference. Cagle, a member of the school’s Hall of Fame, was also captain of the baseball and track and field teams. A true Texas legend.  

Campbell’s dad, Cliff, grew up in tiny Haskell, Texas, and was the first on his side of the family to go to college. A mega recruit long before the days of recruiting rankings, if Cliff didn’t play football, he never would’ve seen the inside of a classroom at Texas Tech.

Then there’s Cody, who was part of coach Mike Leach’s first recruiting class at Texas Tech. A four-year letterman at Tech, Campbell had a cup of coffee in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts before deciding to use the business degree he earned. 

His latest business move this spring with partner John Sellers, another former Texas Tech football player and booster: selling some of their energy company’s assets in the Permian, Texas oil basin for $4 billion. His two deals prior to that: $2.8 billion (2017) and $6.4 billion (2021).

It’s hard to find a better example of the value of a college education and the college sports experience – the very thing Campbell and many others within higher education believe is lost in the reshaping of amateur sports – than the Campbell family tree.

And what’s getting lost, Campbell says, is the hundreds of thousands of stories over the years just like his. Some with significantly more difficult beginnings, and equally inspiring success.

The sea change in college sports

College sports was once a personal investment on and off the field, a grind of four or five difficult but rewarding years that shaped a future. Now it’s monetarily transactional, a way station to the path of least resistance.

“I met my wife, met all of my best friends, and my life is what it is because I had the opportunity to play college football,” Campbell said. “I feel like I owe it to the system, to the institution of college sports, to try to help fix it and make it work again.”

The plan to make it work begins and ends with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which provides limited antitrust exemptions for sports leagues and allows them to pool media rights to sell collectively.

Campbell believes the four power conferences can pool their collective rights and generate significantly more revenue. The Big Ten and SEC, for numerous reasons – for starters, control of their brands and television windows on their own networks – want no part of it.

Or as one high-ranking SEC official, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, said: “Why would we share revenue when we have the product that bears the fruit, and others don’t?”

Currently, the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 earn an estimated $3 billion combined annually from media rights. But a high-placed industry official told USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity due to the nature of the subject that a single-payer system (pooled rights) could double the current value of the combined power conference deals.

“But they can’t even agree on how many (conference) games to play,” the industry official said. “Do you really think they can agree on something like single payer?”

They may not have a choice.

The ink on the landmark House case settlement – which has ushered in revenue sharing between schools and players, and the need for increased revenue across college sports to pay for it – wasn’t even dry before multiple appeals were filed, including former athletes claiming Title IX violations in the disbursement of $2.8 billion backpay to former players.

But it’s the lawsuits that haven’t been filed that concern the presidents and chancellors of the power conferences. The House settlement also set the framework for private NIL deals that are not part of the university’s allowed maximum revenue share pool of $20.5 million for all athletes.

An accounting firm will decide “fair market value” for those private NIL deals, which will unquestionably be the difference in many high school and transfer portal signings. The firm has the power to cancel such deals it deems unfit. 

Needless to say, a fair market arbiter in a free market economy is rife with legal pitfalls.

This is where the federal government comes into play — and where Campbell and Trump’s focus on college sports can help sherpa legislation through a deeply divided Congress. But at a price. 

In the simplest of terms, if the SEC and Big Ten want protection from lawsuits and federal antitrust laws – officials from both conferences have had double-digit meetings with Congress over the last four years, begging for help – they’ll listen and negotiate and come to a viable agreement.

At least, in theory.    

Because getting their collective arms around this beast won’t be easy. The threat of antitrust and Title IX lawsuits are one thing, the tentacles from those big picture problems go much deeper. 

There’s employment law, creating a new governance structure for college sports, negotiation of complicated employment issues that pro sports spent decades figuring out — with the help of players as employees and collective bargaining.

College sports, meanwhile, is trying to shove it all through the eye of a needle. With multiple voices and opinions. 

During the SEC spring meetings in May, exasperated SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, admitted, ‘I have people in my room asking, ‘Why are we still in the NCAA?’”

As it currently stands, there are two ways to fix the fallout of the last four years of paradigm change: make players employees and collectively bargain, or find significant revenue streams and reset the financial structure.

University presidents don’t want players as employees, because once down that road, players will collectively bargain and earn significantly more in media rights — and universities will earn significantly less.

But if leaders of college sports don’t want players as employees, and want Congress to implement liability protection from future lawsuits, what will they give in return to avoid an unending wave of litigation aimed at an association that over the years has failed spectacularly in court?

Senators from the states of Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico and the like – where smaller Bowl Subdivision programs will be at a greater disadvantage with the advent of revenue sharing – aren’t going to for antitrust protection for the power conferences without financial gains that protect their respective universities.

Campbell, for lack of a better explanation, will be the deal-maker — with the power of the presidency, the threat of antitrust law and a growing disdain for the evolving state of college sports behind him.

None of his billion dollar deals of the past will have as much personal impact as this one. And here’s the kicker: he doesn’t need to do it. 

A majority of the holdings for Campbell and a group of private Texas Tech donors in the energy industry are in the Permian Basin, which is expected to account for nearly 50 percent of all U.S. oil production in 2026. 

They may as well be printing money.

The Texas Tech softball team finished national runner up. The basketball team advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA men’s tournament, and the football team just signed the No. 1 transfer portal class.   

“The best thing that could happen to Texas Tech is the same system persists,” Campbell said. “We are gaining ground on blue blood programs because we have donor money, and people willing to put it to work. Why would I do anything to fix things long term? I have no reason to do it other than the system, and the opportunity to change the trajectory of student athletes’ lives and preserve the system long-term for more than 500,000 student athletes. This isn’t a hobby, this has become my calling.”

The unsustainable limit

There was a time when BCS and CFP were hot-button acronyms of college football. Now it’s ROI.

Return On Investment. 

There are winners and losers in this new high stakes game of throwing cash at the right players. And boosters who aren’t seeing an agreeable return on their investments – success and/or individual production – are beginning to get out. 

USA TODAY Sports spoke with more than 10 boosters at high profile power conference schools, and only one outside of Campbell would talk on the record about the fluid crapshoot that is NIL and paying players.

Every booster contacted said there’s a limit to the giving — and it’s arriving sooner than later.

“NIL space for boosters is like throwing money into a deep, dark hole with little to no return on the investment,” said Florida booster Gary Condron. “Nobody likes this. Not athletic directors, not coaches, not boosters. The only ones who like it are the players, and the attorneys and agents.”

Condron, 67, like Campbell, is self-made and worked multiple jobs to pay his way through college. He walked on to play baseball at Florida in the mid-1970s, and his career was cut short from a rotator cuff injury.

But he earned his degree in building construction, and not long after founded a construction firm that specializes in light industrial structures. His firm is one of the leading builders for Amazon’s distribution centers around the country. 

It’s that process, Condron says, that grind and perseverance, that gets lost in the immediate satisfaction of pay for play — especially when high school players are paid before ever stepping on the field.    

“I came from a family that didn’t have two nickels to rub together,” Condron said. “If I had an opportunity to eat at the training table (at Florida) it was a blessing for me. If you saw what kids get today, the hair on your neck would stand up. I don’t know how much longer I can (fund NIL) unless we get some guardrails.”

The House settlement already has begun to build some guardrails, by sheer luck or evolution. The settlement allows for private NIL deals, but has no specific language about how those contracts are written. 

So boosters are taking the next move in protecting their investments. They’re using buyouts for players who leave early, and forcing schools who sign those players to pay the full terms of the contract left behind.

That simple fix – as long as a majority of power conference schools use similar contract language – will have a profound impact on controlling costs and player movement. But that’s only part of the problem.

“We have to change the economic model. Ninety percent of the people I talk to agree with that,” Campbell said. “We can easily create a model where the SEC and Big Ten make significantly more money than they do now, and where everybody else is above the poverty line. Where the rising tide lifts all boats.”

Campbell’s argument is simple: if big money and the transfer portal can help struggling programs advance to the college football holy land, why can’t that same big money from a pooled media rights contract and a standalone CFP deal help non-power conference schools save opportunities for all athletes by protecting women’s and Olympic sports?

“Why would we want to diminish opportunity?” Campbell said. ‘The goal is to create it.’ 

Earlier this spring, Campbell stood outside the entrance of a posh Fort Worth, Texas, hotel, trying to find a way to explain the importance of his mission. A valet pulled his late model Chevy Suburban into the half circle drive, a hard-working thorn unapologetically pushing through the beautiful parade of high-dollar European vehicles.

The reality is not lost on the moment. Money changes everything.

If Indiana, the armpit of college football for more than a century, can win 11 games in 2024 – its first double-digit win season in 126 years of the program – and advance to the CFP, why can’t Memphis?

If SMU, which hasn’t been among the college football elite since its rogue Southwest Conference days in the 1980s, hadn’t paid $200 million to join the ACC — would it have still reached the CFP last season as a member of the American Athletic Conference? 

What does a billionaire businessman know about fixing college football, you ask?

“I think some people feel like if they sabotage the White House project that I’m just going to go away. Well, I’m not,” Campbell said. “I have enough money to have my own lobbying effort.”

What does a billionaire businessman know about fixing college football, you ask? Enough to know that change on the field is insignificant compared to the need for future change in all of college sports.  

“I’m very confident the ideas I have are well researched and correct,” he continued. “They’re workable and won’t hurt anyone. And won’t wreak havoc on the system.”

Or the exact opposite of the last four years. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Caitlin Clark is joining forces with her Indiana Fever teammates for the 2025 WNBA All-Star game.

“There’s a high chance that (Kelsey Mitchell) and (Aliyah Boston) will be on my team,” the two-time All-Star teased Monday during an open practice for season ticket holders. She did just that.

In her first appearance as an WNBA All-Star captain, Clark promptly selected her Fever teammates Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell with the first and 10th picks of the All-Star Game draft, which aired Tuesday. Clark’s All-Star team picks are extra meaningful considering the 2025 WNBA All-Star game will be held at the Fever’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on July 19.

‘I know this is going to be super surprising for everyone watching,’ Clark joked before selecting Boston. The selection of Clark, Boston and Mitchell marks the second consecutive year the Fever have a trio of players at the All-Star game. The Fever is tied with the Seattle Storm for the most representatives at this year’s All-Star game.

2025 WNBA ALL-STAR STARTERS, RESERVES: Reese, Plum join roster as snubs abound

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, who was also named an All-Star captain after picking up the second-most fan votes, similarly selected teammate Courtney Williams to her team.

Here’s a full recap of the 2025 WNBA All-Star draft on Tuesday:

2025 WNBA All-Star draft results

Clark and Collier were tasked with drafting their All-Star teams playground-style from a pool of eight starters and 12 reserves. Clark, who received the most fan votes, got the first pick.

Here’s how the All-Star draft shook out, starting with starters:

  • 1. Team Caitlin Clark selects Aliyah Boston, C, Indiana Fever
  • 2. Team Napheesa Collier selects Breanna Stewart, F, New York Liberty
  • 3. Team Clark Sabrina Ionescu, G, New York Liberty
  • 4. Team Collier Allisha Gray, G, Atlanta Dream
  • 5. Team Clark A’ja Wilson, F, Las Vegas Aces
  • 6. Team Collier Nneka Ogwumike, F, Seattle Storm
  • 7. Team Clark Satou Sabally, F, Phoenix Mercury
  • 8. Team Collier Paige Bueckers, G, Dallas Wings

Since Clark picked first from the pool of starters, Collier got to select first from the reserves: 

  • 9. Team Collier — Courtney Williams, G, Minnesota Lynx
  • 10. Team Clark Kelsey Mitchell, G, Indiana Fever
  • 11. Team Collier — Skylar Diggins, G, Seattle Storm
  • 12. Team Clark Gabby Williams, F, Seattle Storm
  • 13. Team Collier — Angel Reese, F, Chicago Sky
  • 14. Team Clark Sonia Citron, G, Washington Mystics
  • 15. Team Collier — Alyssa Thomas, F, Phoenix Mercury
  • 16. Team Clark Kiki Iriafen, F, Washington Mystics
  • 17. Team Collier — Kelsey Plum, G, Los Angeles Sparks
  • 18. Team Clark Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas Aces
  • 19. Team Collier — Rhyne Howard, G, Atlanta Dream
  • 20. Team Clark Kayla Thornton, F, Golden State Valkyries

2025 WNBA All-Star draft trades: Captains swap coaches

Following the 2025 WNBA All-Star draft, Collier and Clark had the opportunity to make trades. Clark offered up Satou Sabally in exchange for Team Collier’s Breanna Stewart to address Team Clark’s sizing needs, but Collier promptly shot down the request. Collier came back with a counteroffer and agreed to trade Breanna Stewart for Team Clark’s Aliyah Boston. Clark emphatically replied, ‘Absolutely not. Not happening.’

However, the two did come to an agreement on swapping coaches. Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx will now serve as coach of Team Collier, while Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty will coach Team Clark.

‘I don’t know if this in the rules. I don’t really care,’ Clark declared. ‘We already discussed. We are going to trade coaches. (Collier) is going to take her coach. Sandy Brondello, let’s get it… sorry WNBA.’

ESPN broadcaster Malika Andrews confirmed the coach trade on behalf of the league.

WNBA All-Star roster: Team Caitlin Clark

Clark didn’t appear to have much of a strategy heading into Tuesday’s WNBA All-Star draft, saying, ‘I’m going on vibes. I’m picking whatever comes to mind. We’re just having fun. My team is going to be fun. You get to be in front of the home crowd in Indianapolis.’ However, Clark had a game plan to select her teammates.

Starters

  • Aliyah Boston, Center, Indiana Fever
    • Clark’s first pick was her teammate Aliyah Boston. The chemistry is already established, and Boston has been one of the best bigs in the league this year.
  • Sabrina Ionescu, Guard, New York Liberty
    •  Ionescu is one of the most prolific guards in the league, and when Clark inevitably stars launching logo 3-pointers, she will want someone who can match her energy. Game on.
  • A’ja Wilson, Forward, Las Vegas Aces
    • Picking a player who wrecks teams *checks notes* by herself doesn’t seem like a bad decision.
  • Satou Sabally, Forward, Phoenix Mercury
    • Let Satou Sabally cook or whatever Glorilla said. Guard your ankles. Her footwork is known to do damage.

Reserves

  • Kelsey Mitchell, Guard, Indiana Fever
    • Clark didn’t bypass a chance to add another teammate, let alone one who she regularly terrorizes teams with. Kelsey Mitchell, come on down.
  • Gabby Williams, forward, Seattle Storm
    • Williams is one of the most underrated picks of the night. The Seattle forward is a whole problem on both sides of the ball, and her specialty is picking pockets. Opponents beware.
  • Sonia Citron, Guard, Washington Mystics
    •  Citron does it all ― points, passes, steals, deflections ― all while remaining expressionless. Clark needs that kind of energy on her team.
  • Kiki Iriafen, Forward, Washington Mystics
    • Clark couldn’t have Citron and not pick Iriafen, too. That’s a crime punishable in all 50 states, and we shudder to think what damage Iriafen would do if she were to land on Collier’s squad.
  • Jackie Young, guard, Las Vegas Aces
    • When Young starts dropping 3-balls from all over the court and picking pockets, don’t say we didn’t tell you. Agent Zero is on a mission.
  • Kayla Thornton, Forward, Golden State Valkyries
    • Thornton is another player who can cause a lot of havoc on the court, and her propensity to hit dagger threes could be used to unravel Team Napheesa Collier.

WNBA All-Star roster: Team Napheesa Collier

Collier had a clear cut strategy heading into the draft shoot for current and former teammates. ‘I feel like got to try to get some of my (Unrivaled) Owls girls on here and got to try to get some of my (UConn) Huskies girls on here, so I’ve got an agenda coming into today,’ Collier said.

Starters

  • Breanna Stewart, Forward, New York Liberty
    • Collier and Stewart co-founded the Unrivaled league together, so its only right they join forces for the 2025 WNBA All-Star game.
  • Allisha Gray, Guard, Atlanta Dream
    • Collier played with Gray during the inaugural season of Unrivaled. Gray’s specialty is the 3-ball and she’s also a defensive pest, which Collier could covet.
  • Nneka Ogwumike, Forward Seattle Storm
    •  The 14-year veteran is a 3-level scorer whose career average of shooting 54% from the field will loom large.
  • Paige Bueckers, Guard, Dallas Wings
    • Bueckers is a midrange menace, a fantastic floor general and a willing defender. Sending thoughts and good vibes to anyone on the other side of the former UConn Huskies star.

Reserves

  • Courtney Williams, guard, Minnesota Lynx
    • Collier did not let Clark draft Williams. When Williams becomes the midrange maestro that she is, you’ll understand.
  • Skylar Diggins, Guard, Seattle Storm
    •  Diggins proudly owns the nickname ‘Big Mama Walk ‘Em Down’ for her ability to hit game-winners and nasty buckets all over the court. Collier called her Unrivaled teammate ‘the most competitive person I know.’
  • Angel Reese, forward, Chicago Sky
    • Just like 2024’s All-Star game, we predict Reese will have a double-double in 2025, too. Her efficiency is growing, and what’s more, anything off the glass hates to see Angel Reese coming. You’ve been warned.
  • Alyssa Thomas, Forward, Phoenix Mercury
    • Thomas is a walking triple-double, and her facilitation skills are top-notch. She leads the WNBA in assists per game (9.8) Collier won’t pass (see what we did there?) that up.
  • Kelsey Plum, guard, Los Angeles Sparks
    • A guard who can light it up from distance and facilitate? Check and check.
  • Rhyne Howard, guard, Atlanta Dream
    • As Howard often says, ‘Shooters shoot,’ and it’s ‘Rhy Time.’ She leads the league in made 3-pointers (2.9) per game. What’s more, Howard’s defense is top-tier. 

How to watch the 2025 WNBA All-Star draft?

Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier will unveil their All-Star teams during the WNBA All-Star Game draft, which will be broadcast on ‘WNBA Countdown Presented by Google” on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

2025 WNBA All-Star game starters

Captains:

  • G Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
  • F Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

Starters:

  • G Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (first selection)
  • G Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
  • G Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
  • F A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
  • F Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
  • F Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
  • F Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm
  • F Satou Sabally, Phoenix Mercury

2025 WNBA All-Star reserves

  • G Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics (first selection)
  • G Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm
  • G Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
  • G Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
  • G Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks
  • G Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx
  • G Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm (first selection)
  • G Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
  • F Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics (first selection)
  • F Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
  • F Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
  • F Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries (first selection)

Who will Caitlin Clark draft first?

All-Star captain Caitlin Clark will grab her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston off the board first, according to For the Win’s latest 2025 WNBA All-Star mock draft. ‘The chemistry is already established, and Boston has been one of the best bigs in the league this year,’ Meghan Hall writes. Catch up on Hall’s full mock draft here.

WNBA All-Star Game snubs

As is the case with any selective process, there is bound to be a few worthy athletes left off the teams. 2025 is no different. Here are a few of the players that had a worthy All-Star case, but came up just short:

  • G Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx boast the best record in the WNBA currently, and McBride has been a huge reason why. The four-time All-Star is shooting over 40% from three-point range for the second season in a row. Yes, her playstyle can lead to some duds if she isn’t hitting her shots. After all, she’s failed to record double-digit points in any game she doesn’t hit a three in. That said, her ability to expand the floor combined with her solid playmaking have made her one of the most feared players in the league for years. When she gets hot, she can turn a game on its head.

  • F Alanna Smith, Minnesota Lynx

You don’t get the best record in the WNBA without having a myriad of talent, and Alanna Smith is living proof. Though she could be considered the fourth scoring option on her own team, that doesn’t take away from her efficiency on the floor, shooting 48.6% from the field, all while providing solid glass work as well.

Read Jon Hoefling’s full list of snubs here.

Opinion: Caitlin Clark should pick Angel Reese for her WNBA All-Star team

Caitlin Clark has the chance to quiet the toxic behavior of the worst of her fans and send an emphatic message by drafting Angel Reese.

The Chicago Sky forward has been cast as the villain to Clark’s hero dating back to their junior years in college, when Reese waved her ring finger at Clark after LSU beat Iowa in the NCAA championship game. Whether Reese was taunting or mimicking Clark’s own “You can’t see me” diss didn’t matter. A rivalry was born.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY