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WNBA players who have chosen to stay stateside during the offseason are relishing in the American tradition of Halloween, right along with the rest of the country. Here’s how some of your favorite players are cherishing the sweetest of all holidays.
Space Jam Bugs Bunny — er, Natasha Cloud of the Washington Mystics — spent time handing out candy to kids at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Space Jam Bugs Bunny, aka @T_Cloud4, spent the morning at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital trick-or-treating with the kids! #WNBAHalloween
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 31, 2018
Via @WashMystics pic.twitter.com/KnuocGljtq
No players appear in this one, but it’s a pretty sweet homage to the 2018 WNBA champion Seattle Storm — with the mask, naturally, a featured attraction of the display.
Because nothing was scarier for opponents in the #WNBA playoffs than #TheMask.
— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) October 31, 2018
CC: @S10Bird @seattlestorm #HappyHallowen pic.twitter.com/w35GAATlgO
And it looks like the niece and nephew of Alysha Clark are ready for Halloween!
Meanwhile, Chiney Ogwumike pays homage to tennis GOAT Serena Williams with her costume.
ready for the next Grand Slam pic.twitter.com/7in3Lebd2Q
— Chiney Ogwumike (@Chiney321) October 31, 2018
And Elena Delle Donne went all in as The Nightmare Before Christmas’s Jack Skellington.
Coming to a nightmare near you!!! Happy Halloween everyone!! pic.twitter.com/9HcTFa76TW
— Elena Delle Donne (@De11eDonne) October 31, 2018
This one may not be related to WNBA basketball, but it is an amazing sports-themed showing of kids dressed as some of the most iconic, groundbreaking African-American athletes in our nation’s history.
This wins #Halloween. This wins October. This wins 2018. (Tommie Smith, Kareem, Ali, Serena, Kap, Jackie, and Ashe) - Ariel Perry pic.twitter.com/vx7UWvNS4q
— Prof. Suddler (@Prof_Suddler) October 31, 2018
And if you’re in Skylar Diggins-Smith’s neighborhood, you’d be a fool not to paint your face and shout the requisite TRICK OR TREAT! Her chocolate-to-other candy ratio is so on point.
Happy Halloween!
Be safe and have fun. Brush your teeth before bed.
Scorching the status quo
Skylar Diggins-Smith is upping the ante in her campaign for WNBA pay equity. She is featured in Wealthsimple again, which now has drawn the attention of the Wall Street Journal as well as the support of Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve and many others connected with the WNBA.
This is powerful and the EXACT mindset needed for meaningful CHANGE for women in sport.
— Cheryl Reeve (@LynxCoachReeve) October 31, 2018
“...And then, of course, we paid her for it. That's how endorsements work...we gave her the same deal we gave top-ten NBA rookie, Mikal Bridges.” #invest #wealthsimple https://t.co/iFVJuh0KAL
In other news ...
Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury had some choice words about the NBA’s G League Select Contracts:
Must be fucking nice coming out of college getting that. We def didn’t see any money like that till we went overseas. AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES AND HAVE TO PLAY YEAR ROUND. I’m not saying that the dudes shouldn’t get it ... [but] something has to give before [people] just say the hell with playing durning [sic] the summer, and just rest our bodies and play overseas only were [sic] we can make a living for ourselves! People forget that we do this to provide for ourselves and our families. We do this YES because we love to play ball and for the Game! However, I can’t write on [a] bill for the love of the game and think it’s going [to] get paid lol!
(Note: Italics were added by the editor.)
- And, just like that, the New Orleans Pelicans will move forth with a G League team. See how expansion works? Make something a priority, put dollars behind it and watch it grow.
- The NBA may be enthusiastic about the new Select Contracts, but some recruits have mixed feelings so far.
- No disrespect to retired NBA player Grant Hill, but it’s interesting that he inked a lifetime deal with FILA while so many dominant, active female players have not been afforded sneaker deals at all, let alone forever.
Drink up, link lush!
Erik Agard is a puzzle master who had a solid run on Jeopardy this month. He also happens to be a Washington Mystics fan — #11, Elena Delle Donne, to be exact.
Breanna Stewart helped Kevin Durant celebrate his birthday last month.
Who picked up the tab?
In other news ...
- Dawn Staley, Hall of Famer and head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks and Team USA women’s basketball teams, spoke about the Air Swoopes and the disappearance of women’s signature shoes.
- Sue Bird trolled former NBA Commissioner David Stern on Twitter. Something tells me many would object to his name being thrown into the hat as a candidate for the now-vacant WNBA president position.
- Diggins-Smith has taken her fight for pay equity in the WNBA to the pages of Elle.
- Not up to speed on the WNBA CBA stuff? Read this.
- Bria Hartley, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart are featured in FIBA’s list of top EuroLeague Women debutantes.
- The Gonzalez twins skipped their senior season at UNLV to make music and get ready for WNBA eligibility, with their sights set on competing for the Las Vegas Aces in the 2019 WNBA season. What are the odds both players will land on the same team? For the Aces, given their win of the top draft pick three years in a row, luck is definitely on their side.
Shine brighter.