Tag: Olympics

Former Notre Dame guard involved in blockbuster WNBA trade

A major shakeup in the WNBA.

The writing for former Notre Dame guard [autotag]Jewell Loyd[/autotag]’s future with the Seattle Storm was on the wall for some time. The relationship between the two sides had deteriorated to the point where they no longer could work together.

Now, Loyd will have a new WNBA address for the first time.

According to an ESPN report, Loyd has been traded to the Las Vegas Aces as part of a three-team deal. The deal sends Kelsey Plum from the Aces to the Los Angeles Sparks. The three teams will swap picks in this year’s draft; the Storm end up with the second overall pick from Los Angeles.

Loyd will join fellow former Irish guard and U.S. Olympic teammate [autotag]Jackie Young[/autotag] in Sin City. She leaves behind a great legacy in Seattle. She was the first pick in the 2015 draft and lived up to that billing. She won two WNBA championships to go with being a six-time All-Star, an All-Star MVP, a three-time All-WNBA selection and the Rookie of the Year.

Aces fans hopefully will get to watch games like this:

Best of luck to Loyd in her new surroundings.

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Simone Biles revealed why she is torn about competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

“What’s really worth it?”

There’s a chance Simone Biles won’t compete in the 2028 Olympics, and as much as that sentence seems unreal, there’s a reason why she’s undecided about it.

When Biles arrived at the 2024 Paris Olympics last year, there were many questions about whether it would be a repeat of the 2021 Tokyo Games. Unfortunately, Biles had to withdraw from competing due to the twisties or life-threatening gymnastics vertigo that prevents athletes from knowing where they are while in the air. But Paris was different. Biles walked away with three gold medals and a silver, solidifying her status as the GOAT of women’s gymnastics.

Rightfully, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics questions started. At the time, Biles said, “You never say never,” with a smile. But she might be more torn about being there than previously thought. Per Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated, Biles revealed what competing in the next Olympics must be about for her to return. “Life and death,” she explained. Here’s more from Biles about the decision:

“Because I’ve accomplished so much, there’s almost nothing left to do—rather than to just be snobby and to try again, and for what? I’m at a point in my career where I’m humble enough to know when to be done.”

“If you go back, you’ll be greedy. Those are the consequences. But that’s also your decision to decide. What sacrifices would be made if I go back now? When you’re younger, it’s like, prom, college. Now it’s like, starting a family, being away from my husband. What’s really worth it?”

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Former Notre Dame guard Jewell Loyd requests trade from Seattle Storm

There’s trouble in the Emerald City.

After a successful career at Notre Dame, [autotag]Jewell Loyd[/autotag] was selected first overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2015 WNBA draft. She won Rookie of the Year, and her 10 seasons with the Storm also have netted two championships and six All-Star selections, one of which resulted in an All-Star MVP. She also has won two Olympic gold medals.

But Loyd’s tenure with the Storm could be nearing its end. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that she is requesting a trade. This comes after the conclusion of an investigation into the coaching staff’s alleged player mistreatment that turned up nothing. Loyd was at the investigation’s center after filing a complaint.

Loyd has one year left on her contract after signing a supermax extension upon the conclusion of the Storm’s 2023 season. That prompted [autotag]Skylar Diggins-Smith[/autotag], another former Irish guard, to sign with the Storm that offseason. While the Storm returned to the playoffs, they promptly were swept by [autotag]Jackie Young[/autotag]’s Las Vegas Aces.

Here’s Young scoring a season-high 34 points against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever:

If it’s time for Young to have a fresh start elsewhere, here’s hoping her first season there is a fruitful one.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Jonathan Owens celebrated a Bears fumble by miming Simone Biles’ landing pose

Jonathan Owens wholeheartedly loves Simone Biles.

With Jonathan Owens playing for the Chicago Bears this season, that means Simone Biles — his all-time Olympian wife — is usually in attendance to support her husband. And it’s pretty clear that any time Owens makes a significant play, he’s going to pay proper tribute to her.

On Sunday, with the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings threatening to punch the ball into the end zone on a promising opening drive, Owens forced a fumble on Vikings running back Aaron Jones.

To celebrate the turnover, Owens gathered his Bears teammates in the end zone and mimed Biles’ signature landing pose.

Fantastic stuff.

Owens is a classic wife guy through and through. You gotta love it.

UCLA’s Cori Close labels center Lauren Betts a ‘future Olympian’

Big praise from Cori Close.

After a fantastic start to the season, UCLA head coach Cori Close had high praise for junior center Lauren Betts in a press conference last week. 

Through four games, all Bruins wins, Betts is averaging 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. Betts was named Big Ten player of the week last week, becoming the first-ever Bruins player in program history to win the award.

“The thing I’m most happy about with Lauren is her steadiness through the adversity. Almost every game we’ve had to take her out because she had blood on her jersey. She’s just getting scratched and clawed,” Close said. “A year ago, that would have been a distraction for her and it would have stopped her from playing, she would have gotten a frustration level. Just me watching that now, now three straight games we’ve had to change her jersey or to get blood off of it and she just keeps on going.”

Betts’ determination has been key for UCLA with junior guard Kiki Rice only having played 11 minutes so far this season. 

“I’m just proud of her maturation process and her mental toughness,” Close said of the Stanford transfer in her second season with the Bruins. “I truly believe Lauren Betts will be a future Olympian and she’ll be a top pick in the WNBA draft someday.”

Betts will be put to the test on Sunday against the #1 team in the country with UCLA hosting South Carolina.