Caitlin

Napheesa Collier covered a lot of bumpy ground in her lengthy end-of-season statement. Yes, officiating in WNBA games is substandard. Sure, the collective bargaining agreement is about to expire and negotiations could cripple the league’s extraordinary popularity.

But let’s not bury the lead. It was a comment Collier attributed to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert in response to the paltry rookie contracts forced on stars such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers that could have lasting impact.

During Indiana Fever exit interviews Thursday, Clark said she was unaware of Collier’s unabashed finger-pointing, which went like this:

“I … asked how [Engelbert] planned to fix the fact that players like Caitlin, Angel and Paige, who are clearly driving massive revenue for the league, are making so little for their first four years,” Collier said Tuesday. “Her response was, ‘Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.’”

Collier added that Engelbert told her, “players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.”

Reporters filled in Clark on what Collier said. Then Clark took a breath and responded.

“First of all, I have great respect for [Collier],” Clark said. “I think she made a lot of very valid points. I think what people need to understand is we need great leadership in all levels. … This is a moment we have to capitalize on…. Phee said it all.”

She alluded to the increasing income opportunities afforded women players, even at the college level with NIL money.

“I think that’s probably the way in which the league has changed over the course of the last few years,” she said. “These kids in what they’re making in college these days is insane, and it’s probably more than what I was making.

“Young women are beginning to build their brands in college and bringing that to the WNBA. We are in the biggest moment in WNBA history. There’s no denying that, everybody knows that.”

Clark missed the last 19 regular-season games and the Fever’s spirited playoff run because of a right groin strain and a bone bruise in her left ankle. She said that although it was “probably one of the worst sprains I’ve ever dealt with,” it is “very reasonable” that she could be back to five-on-five play by the end of October.

Asked where she might play during the long WNBA offseason, Clark demurred, smiling as she said she’ll look at all opportunities. She did mention that USA Basketball would likely be her top priority.

Otherwise, Clark’s focus seems to be on the WNBA, with CBA negotiations looming.

“I want the league to be something kids and adults — everyone — can be proud of,” she said. “I hope that’s what my legacy can be.”

Clark’s teammate Lexie Hull, an alternate team representative in CBA negotiations, also spoke about the future of the WNBA. Neither player sounded as if a strike or lockout would benefit anyone.

“We’re still headed forward and up,” Hull said. “The growth of the sport has shown you can’t set a bar because we continue to reach farther and expand. It’s so exciting to be a player at this pivotal time in the sport.

“I’m really hopeful that will be valued, especially with CBA negotiations coming up. We’ll see how the league values us as players and as drivers of that growth.”

We Were Liars left Prime Video subscribers distraught in the last few moments of its agonising finale.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from We Were Liars.

We Were Liars star Caitlin Fitzgerald has addressed fans’ emotional TikTok videos as they film themselves reacting to the drama’s final episode.

Based on author E. Lockhart’s novel of the same name, We Were Liars revolves around the extraordinarily rich Sinclair family who spend their summers at their private island off the coast of Massachusetts.

One summer, Cadence Sinclair (played by Emily Alyn Lind) was involved in an incident that she can remember nothing about and no one will tell her what happened.

But it was the last episode of the Prime Video drama where her world really came crashing down when she discovers that she and her cousins Johnny (Joseph Zada) and Mirren Sinclair (Esther McGregor) and family friend Gat Patil (Shubham Maheshwari) set the mansion on fire.

In a devastating turn of events though, Cadence was the only one who was able to get out in time with Johnny, Mirren and Gat all dying in the blaze.

Throughout the series, Cadence had simply been imagining her friends were by her side, and was beside herself when she realised the truth.

Understandably, subscribers who hadn’t read the book were shocked, with an ongoing TikTok trend of fans filming themselves sobbing at the finale.

When Screen Time spoke to Penny Sinclair star Caitlin Fitzgerald about the reaction on social media, she admitted she wasn’t surprised.

“I always feel like I have to slightly apologise for what we put you through with that show. It’s a rough ride”, Fitzgerald laughs.

“A few years after the book came out during Covid, there was a similar kind of reading the last chapter and filming yourself weeping.

“So I was somewhat prepared for it but we knew because we couldn’t get through the script.”

Fitzgerald continues: “We did a read through of the final episode and all of us were beside ourselves.

“Even David Morrissey who is quite a stoic guy, was just like ‘give me a second’, had to kind of compose himself.

“And we knew what was coming so I can only imagine what it was like the first go around if you didn’t know.”

An official renewal hasn’t been given to We Were Liars just yet but there are talks of a prequel in the works, based on Lockhart’s novel Family of Liars.

So fans are just going to have to wait for now to find out if there will be more on the way from the Sinclair family.

We Were Liars is available to watch on Prime Video.

The Indiana Fever arrived in Los Angeles draped in momentum: Five straight wins, a knack for winning without Caitlin Clark and betting lines tilting their way. Their tear was proof they could keep pace even with their franchise centerpiece in street clothes.

But another storyline might’ve been tucked beneath Indiana’s.

The Sparks had ripped off six wins in their previous seven outings, probably fueled by the rare luxury of having every piece of their roster back for the first time in more than a year. And by night’s end at Crypto.com Arena, they had won seven of eight, the Sparks grinding out a 100-91 victory.

“Tonight was a great step in the right direction,” guard Kelsey Plum said. “That’s an incredible team, and they’re as hot as anyone. … They got everything it takes to make a run for a championship. So for us to come out and have that level of intensity, I was really proud.”

Sidelined since July 15 with a right groin injury, Clark never touched the hardwood Tuesday. But her presence was impossible to miss.

About an hour before tip‑off, Clark entered the arena to a wave of shrieks. Fans crammed shoulder‑to‑shoulder against the banisters and barricades, stretching jerseys, bobbleheads and posters toward her for autographs. But once the ball went up, Clark left her imprint not in ink but as an assistant coach to her Fever squad.

For all of Clark’s fire from the bench, the Sparks (13-15) seized on her absence to wrest control from one of the league’s hottest teams and move closer to a playoff berth.

“We’ve got enough pieces and talents to make a playoff run,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “We just got to keep our foot on the gas. As I always say, we didn’t come into the season saying we wanted to beat Indiana at home. We came in the season saying we want to make the playoffs.”

Roberts, who has spent much of the season juggling lineups amid injuries and roster turnover, can finally exhale, with a healthy starting five, Cameron Brink back in uniform and a bench ready to contribute.

With stable rotations came steady results. Plum set the night’s tempo, piling up 25 points and 11 assists. Around her, the Sparks’ scoring core — Rickea Jackson matching with 25, Dearica Hamby dropping 16 and Azurá Stevens racking up 19 — kept the scoreboard humming. Julie Allemand steered the offense in sync, dishing out seven assists to go with five points and eight rebounds.

We all in this room know she [Plum] can go for 40,” Roberts said, “but she wants to win more than go for 30. And if going for 40 is what it takes to win, then she’ll do it. But tonight, she gained so much attention from the other team’s scouting report — as she should — but she’s … trying to win.”

Midway through the first quarter, Brink checked in, snagged a couple of boards, and promptly stuffed a shot by 6‑foot‑2 Natasha Howard for the first of five rejections on the night.

“We’re just getting that chemistry on and off the court,” Jackson said. “But when we’re playing like that and feeding off each other’s energy, that’s fine, and that’s when we’re going on our runs, and that’s when we’re not flinching because we trust each other that much.”

After Rae Burrell spun in an acrobatic layup to put the Sparks ahead 32‑30, they never loosened their grip, stretching the lead to 90‑68 midway through the third quarter. But Aari McDonald and Kelsey Mitchell sparked a 21‑5 run that, suddenly, had the game uncomfortably tight with under two minutes remaining.

But in a building where wins have been scarce, the Sparks clutched this one tight and handed it back to the L.A. faithful.

Sex toy tossed on court

A sex toy landed near Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham after it was thrown from the stands.

The incident occurred with 2:05 left in the second quarter, with the object landing in the lane near Cunningham, who had been vocal on social media admonishing fans for throwing sex toys on the court during other games. The Fever forward jumped back in surprise and then Plum kicked it into the stands.

“I think its ridiculous, it’s dumb, it’s stupid,” Roberts said. “It’s also dangerous and players’ safety is number one. Respecting the game. All those things. I think it’s really stupid.”

Plum added that she thought both teams did a great job “playing on, don’t give it any attention. The refs too, I really appreciate them too, was just like hey let’s go.”

Cunningham walked over to the Sparks bench and was laughing about it.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A 55-year-old man was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty to stalking and harassing Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.

Michael Lewis of Denton, Texas, reached a deal with Marion County, Ind., prosecutors before pleading guilty Monday to one felony count of stalking and one misdemeanor count of harassment.

Lewis will receive credit for the 197 days he has already served behind bars since his January arrest. He allegedly sent the then-22-year-old Clark hundreds of “threats and sexually explicit messages” via social media between Dec. 12 and Jan. 11.

Days before his arrest, Lewis told police who were making a welfare check to his Indianapolis hotel room that he was in “an imaginary relationship.” He continued to message the WNBA star after the police visit.

“This resolution ensures that the defendant is held accountable for his threatening actions, the fear he instilled, and the disruption he caused,” Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said Monday in a statement. “… The victim will be able to have peace of mind while focusing on what matters to her.”

As part of the ruling, Lewis was ordered to have no contact with Clark and to stay away from Gainbridge and Hinkle venues in Indiana, as well as all events associated with the Fever or Indiana Pacers. He is also not allowed to have internet access while serving his sentence.

Judge Angela Dow Davis also recommended that Lewis seek mental health treatment. According to WTHR-TV in Indianapolis, Davis frequently had to stop and correct the behavior of Lewis, who at one point prophesied the end of the world.

It was similar behavior to when he first appeared in court after his arrest earlier this year. Davis repeatedly told him to “stop talking” because he kept interrupting the proceedings.

July 28 (UPI) — A Texas man has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to stalking and harassing WNBA star and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.

Michael Lewis, 55, shouted “guilty as charged” inside the courtroom Monday and was promptly sentenced. Lewis pleaded not guilty in January in Indianapolis to “sending numerous threats and sexually explicit messages” to Clark, according to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.

During Monday’s hearing and despite pleading guilty, Lewis repeatedly denied responsibility, saying, “I just want her to be safe. I’ve never threatened her. I’ve never thought about threatening her.”

“He is going to talk himself out of a plea,” the judge said. “You have to understand that as part of a plea deal, you are admitting responsibility.”

In January, Clark told police she had resorted to swapping public appearance locations to avoid Lewis after receiving the threatening messages.

Investigators traced the threats on an X account to an IP address at a hotel in Indianapolis, where Lewis was staying.

“Lewis’s presence in Indianapolis was especially concerning given that he is a Texas resident,” detectives said in court documents.

“When asked why he was making so many posts about Caitlin Clark, Lewis said, ‘just the same reason everybody makes posts,'” the affidavit said. “When asked about posts that were threatening in nature, Lewis said it wasn’t him. Lewis claimed that this is just an imaginary relationship.”

In addition to Monday’s prison sentence, the judge recommended mental health treatment and ordered Lewis not to use the Internet. He is also under a no-contact order with Clark.

With time served, Lewis will spend about a year and a half in prison.

“No matter how prominent a figure you are, this case shows that online harassment can quickly escalate to actual threats of physical violence,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement.

“This resolution ensures that the defendant is held accountable for his threatening actions, the fear he instilled and the disruption caused,” Mears said, adding that with Monday’s sentencing, Clark will “be able to have peace of mind while focusing on what matters to her.”

WNBA All-Star weekend is only a few days away, with the anticipation of hometown favorite Caitlin Clark serving as captain of Team Clark for the game in Indianapolis palpable among fans.

Nothing like a pulled muscle to mute the buzz.

The Indiana Fever superstar guard grabbed her right groin and appeared to be holding back tears as she exited with 39.6 seconds to play in a victory against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night.

“[Clark] just felt a little something in her groin,” Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters. ”She’s being evaluated, we’ll see where we are with that, and certainly we’ll have another evaluation, probably a conversation in the morning, and see where we are.”

Teammate Aliyah Boston tried to console Clark as she walked to the basket stanchion and tapped her forehead against it before sitting down and covering her head with a towel. She did not speak with reporters after the game.

This is the fourth leg injury of the season for Clark, who is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and five rebounds a game. She missed five games — including the Commissioner’s Cup Championship — because of a left groin strain and missed five games with an injury to her left quad. She also missed the Fever’s preseason opener May 3 because of tightness in her quad.

Before this season, Clark, 23, had never missed a game in college or the WNBA because of injury. She played all 139 games at Iowa, then 46 games in a row to start her WNBA career.

“It’s been challenging mentally, just, you know, staying in it,” Clark told reporters July 8 before her return from the left groin injury. “I’ve been here for hours and hours on hours trying to get my body right and do everything I can to put myself in a position to be available the rest of the year.”

The Fever plays the New York Liberty on Wednesday at Barclay Center ahead of the All-Star Game, which will be played Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever’s home arena. Clark is also scheduled to compete in the 3-point contest Friday.

Clark and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx were named captains of the All-Star teams and drafted the rosters after getting the most fan votes. Clark finished with a record 1,293,526 fan votes and Collier received 1,176,020.

Caitlin Clark is the best player in the WNBA.

At least that’s what the public seems to think. The Indiana Fever superstar received a record 1,293,526 fan votes for the 2025 WNBA All-Star game.

Her fellow players, however, don’t seem to agree. Clark finished in ninth place among WNBA guards in player voting.

Nonetheless, Clark will serve as a team captain for the July 19 event that will take place at her team’s home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse. That honor is determined solely by fan votes, with Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx named as the other team captain after receiving 1,176,020 votes.

Clark finished third among guards in media All-Star voting. Her cumulative weighted score (determined by 50% fan voting, 25% player voting and 25% media voting) was 3.5.

That tied her for second among guards with New York’s Sabrina Ionescu (fifth in fan voting, second in media voting, second in player voting). Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers received the top weighted score among guards (3.25) after finishing second in fan voting, fifth in media voting and fourth in player voting.

Although Clark’s ranking in the players’ poll might seem shockingly low, some perspective might be necessary. Each WNBA player receives one All-Star ballot on which they are allowed to cast a vote for up to four guards and six frontcourt players.

That means that no one wrote on a ballot — or even had the opportunity to do so — that Clark is the league’s ninth best guard; instead, she was left out of enough players’ top four that her cumulative score was the ninth-highest among guards.

In addition, it is unknown how many players even cast their ballots or how seriously those who did took the matter.

Still, some people have taken the results from the player voting as evidence of the ongoing narrative that many WNBA players are jealous of Clark and the credit she often receives for the league’s massive surge in popularity over the last two seasons.

“Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that ⁦@WNBA players voted Caitlin Clark the 9th best guard,” legendary basketball announcer Dick Vitale wrote on X. “Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA. Charted planes – increase in salaries-sold out crowds – improved TV Ratings.”

Vitale added in another post, “No doubt she is THE BEST – thing to happen to the WNBA.”

Former NFL quarterback and current sports commentator Robert Griffin III wrote a lengthy post on X about the matter.

“Players are supposed to get it right more than the fans and the media because they know what it takes and what it looks like,” Griffin wrote. “Not all WNBA Players are to blame and not all of them hate or are jealous of Caitlin Clark. But, the players that voted her low got it wrong in this case and some WNBA players are letting their jealously of Caitlin Clark get in the way of greatness for the entire WNBA.”

Clark has struggled with injuries in her second WNBA season, having sat out five games because of a left quadriceps strain and Indiana’s last two games because of a groin strain. She will also miss the Fever’s game against the Lynx in the Commissioner’s Cup final Tuesday night.

Having played in nine games so far in 2025, Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.9 assists with a league-high 5.9 turnovers.

The top 10 guards and top 10 frontcourt players in the weighted scores were announced as All-Star starters on Monday. Sparks guard Kelsey Plum made the cut after finishing sixth in the fan vote, sixth in the media vote and 16th in the player vote. Clark’s longtime on-court rival Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky will start in the frontcourt after finishing fifth in the fan vote, 12th in the media vote and 12th in the player vote.

Clark and Collier will draft their respective All-Star teams from that group of starters plus 13 reserves who will be chosen by the WNBA coaches and announced Sunday.

INDIANAPOLIS — Azurá Stevens scored 23 points, Kelsey Plum had 21 points and six assists and the Sparks ended a four-game losing streak by beating the short-handed Indiana Fever 85-75 on Thursday night.

Indiana played without Caitlin Clark who was out because of a groin injury. Clark had recently returned from a quad injury that kept her sidelined for five games. She returned on June 14 and scored 32 points to help the Fever to a 102-88 victory against the Liberty.

Plum made a three-pointer with 4:13 left to give the Sparks a 67-66 lead, its first since the opening minute of the second quarter. She added two free throws on their next possession to cap a 21-8 run spanning the third-quarter break.

Los Angeles sealed it by grabbing two offensive rebounds with under a minute to play. Dearica Hamby was fouled while making a layup to give the Sparks a 79-75 lead. She missed the free throw but Stevens grabbed it and completed a three-point play to make it 81-75 with 49 seconds left.

Hamby and Rickea Jackson each scored 14 points for the Sparks (5-11).

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (7-8) with 20 points and Aliyah Boston had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Indiana led 31-22 before the Sparks went on an 8-0 run, capped by Shey Peddy‘s three-pointer to get within one. Sophie Cunningham answered with a three-pointer and the Fever led 34-30 at the break after forcing 15 turnovers.

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark got hit in the eye and knocked to the ground, while also doing some shoving of her own, during a testy and physical game against the Connecticut Sun on Monday night in Indianapolis.

The Fever emerged with an 88-71 win after a game that featured a pair of skirmishes, including a fight in the final minute that led to three ejections.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Indiana coach Stephanie White blamed “bad officiating,” which she said is a league-wide issue.

“This is what happens,” White said. “You’ve got competitive women who are the best in the world at what they do, right? And when you allow them to play physical and you allow these things to happen, they’re going to compete. And they’re going to have their teammates’ backs. It’s exactly what you expect out of fierce competition.

“So I started talking to the officials in the first quarter. And we knew this was going to happen. You could tell it was gonna happen. So they’ve got to get control of it. They’ve got to be better.”

Things appeared to be chippy between Clark and Connecticut’s Jacy Sheldon throughout the game, with ESPN cameras showing Clark giving Sheldon a bit of a shove as the two were exchanging words during the second quarter.

Then, during a play midway through the third quarter, Clark got poked in the eye by Sheldon and responded by giving the Sun star another shove. Connecticut’s Tina Charles stepped in and wagged her finger toward Clark, then the Sun’s Marina Mabrey pushed Clark to the ground.

Sheldon was called for a flagrant 1 foul, while Clark, Mabrey and Tina Charles each received a technical foul. When Clark was asked about the technical foul during the postgame news conference, White jumped in and said she’d handle questions about the officiating.

Clark and Charles each led their teams with 20 points apiece.

Later, with less than a minute left in the game and the Fever up by 17, Sheldon made a steal and was taken down hard by Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham. A scuffle ensued, with Cunningham, Sheldon and Connecticut’s Lindsay Allen eventually being ejected.

After the game, Sun coach Rachid Meziane said Cunningham’s foul on Sheldon was “disrespectful.”

“When you are winning a game by 17 points, and you doing this … for me, [it’s] a stupid foul,” Meziane said.

Asked about the same play, White said, “It was a flagrant foul.” When pressed on whether Cunningham might have made the move in defense of Clark or the team, White simply repeated, “It was a flagrant foul.”

With the win, the Fever earned a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game against the Minnesota Lynx on July 1.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will be out at least two weeks with a left quad strain, the team announced Monday.

The Fever did not say when Clark suffered the injury. The team said further updates will be provided after she gets another evaluation.

Clark played 37:52 and had 18 points and 10 assists in a 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday.

The Fever are 2-2 this season and could be without Clark for at least the next four games against the Mystics (twice), Sun and Sky. All the opponents sit below the Fever in the Eastern Conference.

Clark is averaging 19.0 points, 9.3 assists and 6.0 rebounds this season.

Roger Nichols, the songwriter who penned “We’ve Only Just Begun” and other hits for folk-rock duo the Carpenters, has died. He was 84.

Nichols’ death on May 17 was confirmed in a social media post from Nichols’ longtime songwriting partner, Paul Williams. He did not list a cause of death.

“The first song Roger Nichols and I wrote was called ‘It’s hard to say goodbye …’ Sadly, we hit the nail on the head. Roger Nichols passed away peacefully four days ago, at home with his beautiful family,” Williams wrote. “His wife Terry and the daughters he was so proud of, Claire and Caitlin at his side.

“He was as disciplined as he was talented,” Williams continued. “The words were born of the beauty in his completed melodies. I wrote what I heard, note for note …word for word. The lyrics waiting in the emotion already in his music. He made it easy.”

Nichols, a Montana native, released his first solo LP, “Roger Nichols & the Small Circle of Friends,” on A&M Records in 1968. It’s now regarded as a cult classic in the California pop-rock canon, with guest credits from Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks and Lenny Waronker. However, he earned his big break as a songwriter after he penned an unexpectedly poignant jingle for a Crocker-Citizens National Bank commercial.

Richard Carpenter, who formed the popular duo with his sister Karen, heard the tune on television and asked if Nichols and Williams had a full version of the song. They quickly extended it into a tune that became the duo’s 1970 smash “We’ve Only Just Begun.” The single was nominated for song of the year at the following Grammys.

With Williams (and other lyricists), Nichols co-wrote many of the Carpenters’ most beloved songs, including “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” “Let Me Be the One” and “I Kept on Loving You.” Beyond his hits for the Carpenters, Nichols co-wrote songs that were recorded by the Monkees, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark and Art Garfunkel, among many others.

In a comment on Williams’ post, Nichols’ daughter Claire wrote, “My mom, Terri, and my sisters, Caroline and Caitlin, are all so proud of the man he was, and are in awe of the legacy he leaves.”