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Grind mode on! After cutting her WNBA rookie season short due to a wrist injury, Angel Reese is wasting no time prepping for her comeback. For now, she is gearing up as the Unrivaled League is on the horizon. She’s pulling out all the stops—starting with enlisting an elite trainer.

And not just any trainer, but David Alexander, who famously worked with big names like LeBron James in the past.

Alexander recently shared a clip of their session, captioning it, “𝐇𝐄𝐑! @angelreese5 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏 / 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝟏 Perfecting the kinematic sequence to the seven general movement patterns. #staytuned.”

Reese hyped it up in the comments with, “let’s do itttt.”
For those who don’t know, Alexander is one of the best in the business, having worked with numerous elite athletes, including James, back in 2018. His name even surfaced in LeBron’s alleged doping scandal—but that’s another story altogether.
We know for a fact that Reese isn’t just logging gym hours for fun. There’s a lot on the line. The upcoming Unrivaled League, a groundbreaking 3×3 women’s basketball league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, kicks off on January 17, 2025, in Miami.

And the 22-year-old is set to rake in $250,000 for the eight-week season, plus equity in the league itself. Her WNBA contract with the Chicago Sky is worth $324,383 over four years—averaging just over $81,000 annually—so this Unrivaled deal is a massive boost. But for Reese, it’s about more than just the paycheck.

“For one, I’m staying in the States; I don’t have to go overseas. I’m making six figures, I’m living in Miami during my off-season,” she shared in an interview with WAE. Beyond the lifestyle perks, she’s pumped about competing against top-tier talent. “I’m playing with 34 of some of the best WNBA players. Some of the best coaches… I’m excited to really dial in and get better,” she added.

Angel Reese

The rookie is embracing the opportunity to sharpen her skills, soaking up knowledge from seasoned veterans. In her words, “Obviously, the games are going to be cool and fun, but I just want to learn from the vets and stuff.” But before hitting the gym and this grind, Reese made the most of her off-season.

Angel Reese’s adventure mode off, back to business

The ‘Bayou Barbie’ recently jetted off to Abu Dhabi, giving fans a sneak peek into her short vacay. Alongside her mom, she explored the desert, dressed in traditional attire, and hopped on camel rides. She shared highlights from her trip on Instagram, captioning it, “48hrs in Abu Dhabi/Dubai @etihad.”

The post showed her embracing her adventurous side, taking selfies with camels, and soaking in the stunning desert landscape. She even made time for the F1 Grand Prix. Reese’s Abu Dhabi escapade came after a string of off-season activities, from attending concerts and hosting guests on her podcast, to vacations. Amidst it all, she also moved to Miami, where the new 3*3 league is supposed to be held.

Now that the adventures are behind her, the WNBA star is all business. Back in the gym and ready to grind, she’s fully focused on lighting up the court for Rose Basketball Club.

Let’s see how this new league and her relentless preparation will take her game to the next level.

Saturday night was Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter’s moment when his name was called as the Heisman Trophy winner. Some, however, are blowing up a non-issue surrounding his fiancée Leanna Lenee and her initial reaction when Hunter won.

Nothing will take away from Hunter’s name being forever etched in college football lore. His fiancée Lenee, who has been by his side for his entire college ride, also became a story for her jaw-dropping fit on the night. Rightly so there.

There are those, however, in the media who are trying to make a controversy over nothing involving Lenee. A video surfaced of Lenee not standing immediately when Deion and Hunter’s mom Ferrante Harris — who had a sweet moment of her own with Lenee — did. Deion appeared to pat her on the back or put his arm near her and then she stood. Immediately trolls were saying he had to force her to stand. When Hunter came her way for an emotional embrace she stood right up to greet him. The fact media outlets are writing on a perceived action is shameful.

Angel Reese
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 01: Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky looks on against the Indiana Fever during the first quarter in the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 01, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Even Chicago Sky All-Star Angel Reese took to X (Formerly Twitter) to defend Lenee.

Reese is right that we do not know their relationship and shouldn’t assume. Hunter is obviously madly in love with Lenee — just look at what he did for her 23rd birthday in Mexico for a surprise — and that’s all that matters. Lenee has been there for him and he thanked her in the very first lines of his acceptance speech:

“First, I want to thank my fiancé and my mother. They’ve been with me since the first time I had surgery my first year of college. They never took a step away from me. All the hard hours, all the hard days, all the time.”

Here’s the moment everyone is talking about that really isn’t a controversy at all.

There’s nothing to suggest he forced her to get up. She could’ve been lost in the moment, or just simply waiting for Hunter to get there. They were also clearly a happy couple together afterward.

Angel Reese had the right take. Shame on those who published an article bashing Lenee in such a happy moment for her and Hunter.

Angel Reese has had her say about the awkward reaction of Travis Hunter’s fiancee to the Colorado star’s Heisman Trophy win that went viral on social media.

Angel Reese weighed in after a video surfaced on social media that showed Travis Hunter’s fiancee, Leanna Lenee, in an unfavorable light. The Buffaloes’ two-way star outshone Ashton Jeanty, Dillon Gabriel, and Cam Ward to clinch college football’s most prestigious award.

Understandably, Hunter and his entourage were overwhelmed with emotion. The star was seen shedding tears as he ascended the stage to accept his trophy. Alongside Hunter, Deion and Shedeur Sanders —the 21-year-old’s coach and quarterback, respectively—also reveled in the joy of seeing the young star claim the trophy.

But fans were drawn to Lenee’s reaction following Hunter’s victory. As the Sanderses and Hunter’s family rose to celebrate, the aforementioned video captured Lenee remaining seated, smiling and applauding as Hunter received accolades from his peers.

Observing Lenee seated while Hunter was being celebrated, Deion seemingly prompted Lenee to rise. After embracing her man, she then quickly resumed her seat as Hunter continued to hug those closest to him, including Deion and Shedeur.

Social media users voiced their opinions, but Reese was swift to offer her perspective on the situation, reminding fans that they are not privy to the dynamics of Hunter and Lenee’s relationship.

“Leave that girl alone and let them be happy damn!” Reese declared on her social media account, sparking fan debates over Hunter’s romance with Lenee. “You know she wrong for not standing up,” one fan expressed their concern, while another remarked, “But that’s you boy I understand.”

Angel Reese

The conversation didn’t stop there; another individual suggested they were just concerned for Hunter’s best interest. “I normally would agree Sister, but my Unc senses say that love is not genuine,” one wrote in response to Reese’s post. Many argued over the validity of Hunter’s relationship with comments like, “We’re worried for Nephew. Just like we’d be worried for you if you popped out with a questionable spouse. It’s no malice from most folks we just don’t want him to get taken.”

Other fans disapproved of the unwarranted attention. One wrote: “Can’t believe so many ‘adults’ are caught up, and invested in, a relationship they know NOTHING about.”

Reese didn’t limit her social media activity to addressing Hunter and Lenee’s relationship — she also shared an emotional reaction to Hunter’s recent accolade: “Why am I crying? I’m so happy for Travis man!”

In his poignant acceptance speech, Hunter gave a nod to Deion and Shedeur for shaping his career, expressing his gratitude with heartfelt words: “I want to thank Coach Prime, Shedeur.” His voice laden with emotion, he continued, “Man, y’all changed my life forever. That one simple phone call, Shedeur, and look where I’m at. Man, that’s crazy bro. It’s crazy. I’m trying not to get emotional because I know our last game coming up soon.

“But I’m thankful for both of y’all. Coach Prime, I’m going to whoop you on that lake tomorrow or whenever we get the chance. But thank you, man. You changed my life forever. I told you that multiple times. I really appreciate all of it.”

22 Grand Slams, 36 Masters 1000, 14 Roland Garros, 63 trophies on clay courts, 2 Olympic golds, 209 weeks as world No. 1, or 912 consecutive weeks in the top 10. These are just some of the records that Rafa Nadal leaves behind as a professional tennis player, but there are even more displayed in the trophy the Spaniard has received at his own Academy as a tribute to a stellar career and extraordinary numbers. These 92 individual titles are reflected in the smile of the man from Manacor, an award that could easily represent his 93rd title.

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark will open their season in a blockbuster.

The pair will renew their rivalry to start the WNBA season and it is no surprise their matchup is drawing huge interest with ticket prices reaching eye-watering levels.

The WNBA 2024 offseason is in full-swing with the season not scheduled to start until May 2025 and all eyes on the 3×3 ‘Unrivaled league set to take center stage in Miami.

However the league continues to make headlines, thanks in the main to Reese and Clark, with huge anticipation for the recent schedule release day.

On day 2 of the WNBA season, the Clark’s Fever will face Reese’s Sky in Indianapolis, the scene for record-setting levels on attendance in 2024 as Clark’s rookie season took over the competition.

Despite the game not being until May 17, prices have sky-rocketed to levels that surpass the season openers of most NBA teams in 2024.

At the time of writing, the get-in price starts at $238 with prices reaching up $2,500 according to TickPick.

Only the Boston Celtics had a higher season-opener get-in price in the NBA with Clark and Reese’s showdown more expensive than the other 29 teams.

Social media was quick to react to the prices and were in awe.

“$1000 for a family of 4 to go to a WNBA game…,” one fan wrote.

“Wow, that’s a steep price for Opening Night!” another said. “The Fever vs. Sky will definitely be a big game, but $271 is surprising compared to most NBA home openers.”

One fan compared the level of anticipation for their rivalry to an historic NBA battle, “Their version of Bird vs Magic And Jordan is on the way soon lol,” the fan wrote.

It is not the first time that Clark and Reese have made headlines with the cost of their games as back in August the median prices of their for their game was $845 according to Stubhub.

Last season Clark and Reese faced off four times as rookies with the Fever and Clark coming out on top three times.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese

Clark also beat Reese in the race for Rookie of the Year in a contest that was decided once Reese’s season was ended with a wrist injury.

One of the matchups between the pair was a 17,000 sell-out last year at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the arena that will host the Fever’s season opener in 2025.

The new season will also see two new head coaches lead out the teams with Stephanie White taking charge of Clark’s side and Tyler Marsh leading Reese’s team.

Marsh is relishing the prospect of leading Reese.

“We can’t take for granted just what Angel was able to do in her rookie year,” he said in an interview on the ‘No Cap Space WBB’ podcast.

“And, she’s a winner. She’s doubted almost every year of her life and her career, and she continued to overcome, and that’s something you can build on.”

Reese had the upper hand with a college national championship, Clark took Rookie of the Year honors and a spot in the playoffs in their first season in the pro ranks.

All eyes will be on the next instalment, but it will cost.

Coco Gauff showed her class after missing out on receiving a huge accolade.

Caitlin Clark was named TIME’s Athlete of the Year for 2024 after being named the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year and setting a NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball scoring record.

While Gauff has never received the title, she has been named on TIME’s Women of the Year list in the past. And the world No. 3 was delighted to see Clark honoured by the magazine.

Gauff also enjoyed another successful year on tour. The 20-year-old started the season by reaching the Australian Open semi-final and capped it off by lifting the trophy at the WTA Finals for the first time.

The world No. 3 also won two other titles in Beijing and Auckland, and she made her Olympic debut over the summer. Gauff was selected as Team USA’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony alongside LeBron James.

However, her achievements weren’t enough to claim the coveted title of TIME Athlete of the Year, with Clark receiving the honour instead. The 22-year-old has revolutionised women’s basketball, bringing record viewerships to the WNBA.

So it’s no surprise Gauff was more than happy to see Clark get the recognition she deserved. The Indiana Fever Guard took to Instagram to share a snap of her magazine cover on TIME.

Former US Open champion Gauff was quick to respond, commenting three heart-eye emojis on the post. The nine-time title winner also played basketball when she was younger and has been following Clark’s career since her Iowa Hawkeyes days.

Back in April, the 20-year-old told the WTA: “I will say if I could go in another life I would love to play at the same time as Caitlin Clark just to see if I could guard her.

Coco Gauff

“Obviously, now I definitely couldn’t, but I don’t know, if I trained for it, [I] just [want] to see.”

Gauff even set alarms to make sure she could follow NCAA women’s basketball during the European clay-court season earlier in the year.

Even then, she had been looking forward to seeing Clark’s WNBA debut and started speaking with the 22-year-old on social media.

“I’m just really excited to see Caitlin Clark’s first game, and Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. I’m really excited to see them on the same team too,” she said.

“It’s very exciting to see the women’s game especially in basketball getting as much traction now. They definitely deserve it.

“I’ve been Instagram mutuals with some of the girls. Cameron Brink just signed with New Balance. And Angel Reese, had some DMs with her, and same with Caitlin and Paige Bueckers.”

After a long season, especially for Coco Gauff who started the year in Auckland and closed it with the WTA Finals trophy, it’s time to analyze to some extent what has been achieved to focus on preparing for the next year. The young American has shown in these last months how insatiable she is, always seeking to give that extra on the court to achieve everything possible in that final push. Once the competition was over, the American confesses that she likes to relax on her rest days.

Her way of recharging

“I like to do nothing,” Coco confessed to People referring to those days when she has no obligations. “Like after the Olympics. On Sundays, I was with my brother watching Love Island together. I don’t know if I should watch Love Island with my 11-year-old brother, but he has older siblings, so I feel like that’s how it goes.” The American explained that doing nothing with her brother helped her recharge her batteries.

“Sometimes I feel like even self-care is too much work. What I want is to do nothing, sit and rot, literally. So those were the best days, honestly, especially when you’ve been busy, and having someone to do it with was nice.”

Hate on social media

“It’s something many people can identify with; most people have seen how Internet trolls or many people from their workplace do not believe in them. Sometimes I purposely read the comments to encourage myself and use it as motivation to prove them wrong.”

Novak Djokovic made offer to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as future link-up mooted

Novak Djokovic is the last man standing from the Big Four era. Roger Federer retired in 2022 before Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal joined him this year.

The current world No. 7 has already reached out to one of his old rivals, hiring Murray as his coach for the off-season and Australian Open.

But he also previously made a different offer to Federer and Nadal, as he hopes to strengthen their relationship in retirement.

Djokovic somewhat gatecrashed the Federer and Nadal party. The Serb broke through later than his two competitors, winning his first Grand Slam title in 2008 and reaching world No. 1 for the first time in 2011.

But he came from behind to surpass both in the record books and now holds 24 Major trophies and the most all-time weeks at the top of the rankings with 428. Their intense rivalry meant, as Djokovic previously confessed, the trio weren’t “friends”.

The 37-year-old wants to change that as he previously extended an offer to the two multi-Grand Slam champions, sharing his hopes that they can all “sit down and reflect” on their careers together when they have all retired.

During an appearance on 60 Minutes at the end of last year, the Olympic champion was asked whether he could have a friendly future. “I would like to,” he replied.

“I would really like to. Personally, I would like to. I mean, I know that obviously we didn’t get along so well throughout our careers in, like, off court.

“And we are not friends because, you know, we’re rivals and it’s difficult as competitors to be very close and kind of share and give insights to you know, to your life or to how you feel because, you know, it could be used against you.”

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal

While it has been difficult to open up to his biggest rivals, the world No. 7 is hopeful that they can spend more time together when all is said and done. He continued: “But we have shared the stage for so many years.

“And I think the greatest respect is always there, at least from my side, towards them. So yeah, I hope that one day, when the curtains are slightly more closed, that we are, yeah, able to sit down and, and reflect. It would be amazing.”

Djokovic has already been able to share some closer moments with Federer and Nadal this year. He caught up with the Swiss star when Federer came to watch him compete in the Shanghai Masters final.

The Serb also ran into Nadal on their flight to Indian Wells back in February. They spent time together in Riyadh during the Six Kings Slam exhibition in October, enjoying activities with their younger rivals, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic has also turned to another old foe, hiring Murray as his new coach. After explaining how difficult it would be to share insight with his competitors, the two 37-year-olds will be in the same corner talking tactics.

“I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach,” Djokovic said, announcing the news.

“Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on the Australian soil.”

Former world number one Rafael Nadal remains one of the most searched athletes in Spain. The 38-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal, who retired from professional tennis recently after struggling with fitness concerns, remains one of the most searched athletes on Google in his country. As per the latest report, the former world number one is the second-most non-football athlete searched in Spain. He was closely followed by young Carlos Alcaraz, who was in third place. Interestingly, a similar trend has not been followed in Switzerland and Serbia when it comes to searching for other Big Three rivals such as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

Nadal finished his career recently after representing his country in the Davis Cup. The legendary tennis star struggled with fitness concerns throughout his career, especially towards the latter stages, which forced him to miss a lot of major competitions. The 22-time Grand Slam winner stayed out of action for nearly 12 months before returning to action earlier this year. He missed six out of last eight Grand Slams.

His only appearance in a mega-event in 2024 was in the French Open, where he was knocked out after losing in the first round to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Overall, Nadal played just 19 matches in his final season,n where he won 12 matches and suffered seven defeats.

Nadal is also renowned as the ‘King of Clay’, that is because he won the Roland Garros title 14 times, which is also a record in the competition’s history. His last major event interestingly was also the French Open in 2022 where he defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-3, 6-0.

“He didn’t need pomp and ceremony”: Rafael Nadal’s farewell ceremony sparks comparisons with Steffi Graf’s quiet exit

Former Serena Williams’ coach Rennae Stubbs likened Rafael Nadal’s personality to that of tennis legend Steffi Graf following a subdued farewell ceremony marking the Spaniard’s retirement at the recent Davis Cup Finals.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion had struggled with injuries in his final years on tour. Nadal played his last professional match against the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, losing in straight sets.

After Rafa’s defeat, Spain’s hopes of advancing in the Davis Cup and extending the former World No. 1’s career rested on Carlos Alcaraz. Despite Alcaraz defeating Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets, the Spanish doubles team of Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers fell to Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof, sealing the Netherlands’ victory and Nadal’s retirement.

Following the series, a brief 10-minute farewell ceremony was held for Nadal. However, it lacked the presence of high-profile colleagues such as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who participated only through pre-recorded video tributes.

The 14-time Roland Garros champion bid farewell through tears, expressing heartfelt gratitude to his fans. However, the simplicity of the ceremony drew criticism from figures like Nadal’s coach Carlos Moyá and Spain’s Davis Cup captain David Ferrer, who lamented the absence of Federer and Djokovic at the event.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic
2K31J4K London, UK. 24th Sep, 2022. 23rd September 2022; O2, London England: Laver Cup international tennis tournament: Novak Djokovic of Team Europe speaks with Rafael Nadal and Rodger Federer during the break in their doubles match against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World Credit: Action Plus Sports Images/Alamy Live News

“It’s like Steffi. It’s interesting because Steffi just dropped the mic and walked away because she was hurting,” commented Rennae Stubbs on her podcast. “Her body was hurting, her knee was hurting, her foot was hurting, her back was hurting. She was in love. She’d just met Andre, and they were dating, but she was different so she just stopped.'”

“She just walked away, but she’s very different to these personalities. She didn’t love the spotlight, she just loved playing. I think Rafa is more similar to Steffi than Roger or Novak or Andy,” she added.

“Even the way he retired, just the whole circumstances around it, it was more about playing at home, being with his family, there was no other players there. There was just his teammates and it was kind of low-key and it was kind of like for Rafa that was enough.”

“For Steffi it was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t need all that pomp and ceremony.’ The first thing I said to her when she told me she was retiring, I was like,’Wait what? The US Open is in like three weeks. Why don’t you do it there?’ And she’s like, ‘Nah, I’m good.'”