Tag: Phoenix Mercury

Sophie Cunningham’s 8 best pregame outfits from the 2024 WNBA season, including a cheeky Love Island-inspired look

Sophie Cunningham has rarely missed an opportunity to show off a fit.

Sophie Cunningham was determined to show off her latest tunnel fit ahead of Monday’s matchup with the New York Liberty — tan lines and all.

If you know anything about WNBA pregame tunnel outfits, it’s a huge deal with the league. Everything from skirts to boots to sparkly pants and wild purses are displayed before a game, and if players don’t use the opportunity, they’ll get outshined by some of the league’s best dressers like Cameron Brink or Angel Reese.

So, it’s not surprising that Cunningham was fully prepared to show off a glammed-up look during a recent matchup and walked through a pre-game Mercury photo shoot rocking a barely-there dress that showed off some serious skin and undeniable tan lines.

Sophie’s seemingly Love Island-inspired fit got us thinking that perhaps we missed more looks from her this season.

So, here’s seven more of Sophie Cunningham’s best pregame getups:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7KqOSCyleI/?igsh=MXZpcXZobXRwZGV6Zw==

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7vEfPCp2In/?igsh=NnJrd2gzZGxqZXZ6

https://www.instagram.com/p/C85GowWSqfm/?igsh=MTVtcDZuMnB0b2RzZw==

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9LsHZUvFGh/?igsh=MW1wNmRoZmdzZTQ4cA==

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Video recounts Skylar Diggins-Smith tumultuous Phoenix Mercury tenure

Skylar is Skylar.

Notre Dame legend [autotag]Skylar Diggins-Smith[/autotag] has developed both a good and bad reputation in the WNBA. Though she’s built a Hall of Fame resume, she also gets into sticky situations. Most recently, she decided to bump Caitlin Clark during a play stoppage in a game.

Secret Base, one of the best sports channels on YouTube, decided to take a look at Diggins-Smith’s four-year tenure with the Phoenix Mercury that often was filled with tension. While the title of the video says her beef was with the legendary Diana Taurasi, the video itself really is more about Diggins-Smith and her beef with the Mercury as a whole:

During the three seasons Diggins-Smith actually played for the Mercury, she made All-WNBA each year, was a two-time All-Star, and she averaged 18.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game. Former Irish standout [autotag]Brianna Turner[/autotag] was with her each season.

Despite the seemingly ideal circumstances, Diggins-Smith clearly was not happy with the Mercury, and the feeling appeared to be mutual. So she signed with the Seattle Storm this past offseason, joining fellow Irish legend [autotag]Jewell Loyd[/autotag].

It’s clear Diggins-Smith’s demeanor will not change. Hopefully, that doesn’t cloud her legacy.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Diana Taurasi put her arm around Caitlin Clark right before a free throw in a sweet moment

Maybe this means they’re cool now.

The Diana Taurasi warnings to Caitlin Clark before the WNBA season that made so many headlines were already kind of gone when the Phoenix Mercury vet praised the Indiana Fever rookie a couple of months ago.

But we’ve now seen some friendly moments, especially now that Clark’s Fever beat Taurasi and the Mercury three times this year.

And if you need further proof, perhaps a peace offering, here it is: with the clock ticking down in the fourth quarter and one of Taurasi’s teammates at the line for a free throw, Taurasi got over and put her arm around Clark before play continued:

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Caitlin Clark’s Fever completed its sweep of the Mercury, and Diana Taurasi’s narrative is in shambles

Well, well, well!

Back in April, Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi said that reality was coming for Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark in her first WNBA season.

That sentiment backfired just a bit on Friday night as Clark’s Fever gave Taurasi’s Mercury a reality check of its own.

The Fever’s 98-89 home victory over the Mercury completed a 3-0 sweep of Phoenix for Indiana this season, which is just a bit ironic for how the preseason narrative built between Taurasi and Clark after the former’s remarks.

Even though there was speculation of one, there really wasn’t any beef here. The Mercury veteran has been extremely complimentary of Clark for how she’s played since joining the WNBA, and Clark has been glowing when discussing Taurasi’s career.

Even on the court, the two have shown each other a lot of respect and even shared a laugh with each other during a long review in their first WNBA matchup.

Also, Taurasi missed the second meeting in July between these two teams with an injury, but she played in the first in June and the third on Friday night. It’s more than fair to wonder how that second game might have gone if Taurasi had played.

We’re not sure if Clark and Taurasi will play against each other again in the WNBA since Taurasi could retire at the end of this season. Potential 2024 playoff seeding is not a likely option for another contest between the two teams, at least not in the first round.

If Taurasi returns for next season, they will play again if both players are healthy. If she retires, she’ll end her WNBA career without a win against Clark. Selfishly, we’d love to see these two compete against each other again next year, which would mean Taurasi returns for one more run.

At least for now, Clark has the upper hand in this really fun rivalry.

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Caitlin Clark put Kahleah Copper in a blender with this amazing spin-around move for an and-1 basket

Caitlin Clark putting Kahleah Copper is just not something you see every day.

Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark roared back with one of her best starts as a pro on Friday night at home as her team returned from the WNBA’s Olympic break.

Outside of hitting amazing 3-pointers and making even more league history, Clark pulled off this sensational spin move on Phoenix Mercury superstar Kahleah Copper as she got around the defender and drove to the basket for a layup and an and-1 to go with it.

Copper is one of the best players in the WNBA, and Clark being able to make a move on this talented a veteran is yet another reminder of how well her rookie season has been going.

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The Mercury returned from the WNBA Olympic break by trolling Caitlin Clark with a Diana Taurasi TikTok tribute

The Phoenix Mercury have chosen chaos.

For 16 glorious days during the 2024 Paris Olympics, we had (mostly) peace. Everyone was getting along. It was very “RAHHH! USA! USA! USA!” — you know, just patriotism and vibes.

But the WNBA returns to action from the Olympic break Thursday, and the Phoenix Mercury social admins have chosen chaos, even violence. They couldn’t just ease their way back into the fray. Oh no. They had to troll a fan who made a TikTok video lamenting having no WNBA games to watch.

I mean, the video is pretty great. It says a lot of the stuff most fans were probably thinking, including “I miss the WNBA” and “I miss the assists, the double-doubles, pre-game outfits…”

@rosalina_lee

#caitlinclark #angelreese #wnba #fypシ゚viral #fypage #emotions #depressionanxiety

♬ original sound – HoopScoop

But it also says, “Caitlin, where are you?” and that was all they needed to create a wild mashup.

They found a clip of a young Mercury fan saying, “Who’s Caitlin? I’m here for Taurasi,” and immediately launched into a Diana Taurasi tribute.

@phoenixmercury

we’ll take our six-time gold medalist any day of the week, thank you #WNBA #DianaTaurasi #Basketball #PhoenixMercury (Inspo📱: @HoopScoop )

♬ original sound – Phoenix Mercury

Let me be clear. This is complete nasty work. A total pot-stirrer move. The Mercury obviously haven’t forgotten about the Fever trolling the team after a big win back in June.

But also — THE WNBA IS SO BACK.

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Kahleah Copper celebrated her Team USA gold medal heroics with an ice-cold nickname for herself

Kahleah Copper feels like she’s on top of the world.

With Team USA’s gold medal hopes on the line Sunday, it needed a hero. Someone had to step up and prevent France from pulling off one of the biggest upsets in basketball history.

That hero ended up being Kahleah Copper.

Copper’s clutch fourth quarter had a cascading effect that brought the Americans over the top, led to a delightful quote from A’ja Wilson, and caused utter heartbreak for France’s Gabby Williams. After all the dust settled, Copper gave herself her own hilarious gold-medal-winning nickname as the Paris Olympics closing ceremony unfolded.

Just try and tell her she’s wrong to make this demand. (Warning: NSFW acronym in the tweet below):

Listen, if you score 10 fourth-quarter points to help your country capture a gold medal over the Olympic host nation, you should really be called whatever you want. Kudos to Copper for celebrating the right way.

Hoops fans were so moved by Brittney Griner’s tears after Team USA won gold

Brittney Griner deserves every bit of this glorious moment.

Team USA women’s basketball’s chaotic ending to winning another gold medal had so many iconic notes. You had incredibly clutch fourth-quarter heroics from Kahleah Copper. There was, of course, an unfortunate stroke of luck for France’s Gabby Williams, punctuated by ball-knowing confidence from Breanna Stewart.

But the best moment of all might have come from Brittney Griner during the medal ceremony. The Phoenix Mercury center was seen crying during the American national anthem, moved to heartwarming emotions after she received her gold medal.

And if you know anything about what Griner has been through over the last couple of years, you couldn’t help but cry with her.

Roughly two years ago at this time, Griner was being erroneously held in a Russian prison over drug smuggling charges because of a medical marijuana prescription from the United States. She would later finally be released about 10 months later, but not after losing nearly a year of her life while also in the middle of her basketball playing career.

For such a heartbreaking story to follow at the time, it made it beyond rewarding to see Griner get emotional over winning another gold medal for her country.

Hoops fans felt so great for Griner as she cried after remembering everything she’s been through

A’ja Wilson had hilariously accurate NSFW praise for Kahleah Copper’s clutch 4th quarter in the gold-medal game

Copper was instrumental in the U.S. locking up gold once again.

Things got a little dicey for the U.S. women’s basketball squad on Sunday morning as they found themselves in a tense battle with home team France with an Olympic gold medal on the line. The Americans had a two-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter, and wing Kahleah Copper stepped up when her team needed her most.

MORE: Quincy Wilson summed up winning Olympic gold and being 16 years old with 1 perfect tweet

Copper finished with 12 points, but 10 of them came in the final stanza with the last two of her six made free throws (in as many attempts) giving the Americans a three-point cushion they would very much need. After Gabby Williams’s desperation heave was ruled a two — which gave the U.S. a 67-66 victory — everyone let out a sigh of relief.

During postgame, Copper’s teammate A’ja Wilson spoke to media. When asked about the Phoenix Mercury star, Wilson succinctly summed up her clutch performance with two words. “That [expletive],” Wilson said before staring into the camera.

Phoenix Mercury excited for Charisma Osborne’s return

Charisma Osborne is working hard to return.

When the second half of the WNBA season begins, the Phoenix Mercury will have Charisma Osborne back on the court. The 23 year old that played her college basketball at UCLA is in her first season with the Mercury.

She was waived in May, but resigned in June. She brings great energy to the team, and could be a key piece down the stretch. The Mercury head into the break at 13-12, which is fourth in the Western Conference postseason.

While at UCLA, she was a four time All Pac-12 player, and two time all defensive team. She scored enough to finish second all time on the UCLA Women’s basketball scoring list.

Osborne played in just two games before her leg injury. Here are a pair of her teammates Sophie Cunningham and Diana Taurasi on her return:

When the Mercury return following the All Star Break, they will be at the Indiana Fever on August 16th.