No charges to be filed against Taylor Frankie Paul's ex-boyfriend in Utah case

Dakota Mortensen, the ex-boyfriend of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” starTaylor Frankie Paul, will not be charged in relation to an allegation of domestic violence this year, the Utah city of Draper said.

In a statement, the city announced the city prosecutor's decision two days after the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Officedeclined to file charges against Paul.

"The Draper City Prosecutor reviewed the DA’s findings and, upon further review of the Draper Police case, has declined to file any charges against Taylor Frankie Paul or Dakota Mortensen related to an investigation of domestic assault claims," the city said.

Mortensen filed a complaint of domestic violence against Paul on Feb. 23, and Paul counter-claimed an assault by him.

“After a thorough investigation by Draper Police, the City Prosecutor has determined that there is insufficient corroborating evidence to support filing criminal charges against either party,” the city said in the statement.

The police department said it "would only pursue the investigation further if additional information is provided that supports the prosecution of either party.”

NBC News has reached out to representatives for Paul for comment.

Mortensen declined to comment when he was reached by phone.

In the incident in February, a friend reported that Paul assaulted Mortensen, according to police records obtained through a Utah public records request.

Mortensen told police that Paul attacked him, grabbed his throat, scratched him and threw objects at him, according to Draper police records. Paul told police that she told Mortensen to leave her home and he refused and that at one point Mortensen grabbed her and hit her head against the dashboard of his vehicle, according to the police documents.

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Police said in the documents about the investigation that the city prosecutor “advised that neither Taylor or Dakota are credible witnesses, with both their statements being fraught with inconsistencies.”

The documents reviewed include accounts from both Mortensen and Paul. They describe in detail at least one domestic violence incident with allegations hurled against each other. Both parties refer toadditional incidentsbut those are not described at length.

NBC News has also reviewed photos and videos included in the police documents. The photos show injuries Paul and Mortensen said they suffered during the alleged domestic violence incidents, including bruises, scratches and other abrasions on both of their bodies, including their arms, legs, necks and faces.

Videos reviewed and included in the documents capture interviews between each of the parties and police officers, bodycam footage and audio of 911 calls placed.

Also included in the documents is audio of a 911 call made by Mortensen's roommate, who identifies himself as Cru Eaton. Eatoninitially reported the incidentthat took place at the end of February.

Police referred the case to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, because the couple’s child was home at the time, the city said in Thursday’s statement.

Allegations of domestic violence between the couple made headlines last month when a leaked video from a 2023 incident went viral. The video, posted online byTMZ,appeared to show Paulhurling a chair at Mortensen as he protested.

The couple’s on-and-off relationship was depicted in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which premiered in 2024.Filming for season fivewaspaused last month,sources have told NBC News.

Paul was to be the centerpiece of season 22 of ABC's “The Bachelorette,” but after the 2023 video was leaked, the networkpulled the upcoming season.

Mortensen will beedited out of the upcoming seasonof "Vanderpump Villa," a source familiar with the show confirmed to NBC News.

Draper is a city of around 50,000 in Salt Lake and Utah counties, south of Salt Lake City and in the metropolitan area.

byCosmopolite

in

April 19, 2026

No charges to be filed against Taylor Frankie Paul's ex-boyfriend in Utah case

Dakota Mortensen, the ex-boyfriend of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” starTaylor Frankie Paul, will not be charged in relation to an all...

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As Russia's attacks continue, Ukrainian musicians see work as resistance and refuge

LONDON -- It was a "sleepless night," said Daria Kolomiec, a Ukrainian cultural activist, performer and DJ based in Kyiv. Explosions were happening around her apartment as she sheltered in the bathroom. Earlier on Wednesday evening she attended a concert in Kyiv by the band DakhTrio.

"Even when the air raid alert started the concert continued," she said on Thursday. "Sitting there I felt like there could be a massive attack, but I just needed to spend time with people."

Air raid sirens echoed in cities across the country overnight into Thursday morning, forecastingdeadly Russian attacksthat have, according to Ukrainian officials, killed at least sixteen and injured more than a hundred others.

Amid that strike andhundredsof similar overnight Russian aerial attacks, new and traditional Ukrainian music has become for many a sort-of counterpoint to the sirens that blare around the country nearly every night, several musicians who work in Ukraine told ABC News.

'Massive' Russian attack on Ukraine kills 16, injures at least 100, Ukrainian officials say

Almost 300 miles away from Kolomiec in Kyiv lies Odesa, Ukraine’s third most populous city, located by the Black Sea. It was also targeted in Thursday’s massive Russian strike, officials said.

Hobart Earle is conductor of the city’s Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra. Throughout the war they have continued to play, even after the orchestra’s concert hall was damaged in January 2025. Three ballistic missiles fired from Russian-occupied Crimea directly hit the nearby Hotel Bristol. The shock shattered the concert hall’s stained-glass windows and the main door was blown off its hinges.

“That door survived the Russian Revolution, the Civil War, the Second World War, and everything Mother Nature had to throw at it, but the force of this missile blast was too much,” Earle said.

The orchestra was set to perform that evening. With less than six hours' notice, Earle moved the concert to the Odesa Conservatory.

“The place was full to the rafters. It was a very symbolic moment because it showed that people really do need music. When times are tough, that is when the arts are needed more by people. Music is transformed by war,” Earle continued.

During Thursday's attacks, the Conservatory's student accommodation was hit by a Russian drone, wounding five, officials said.

Earle’s sentiment was echoed by Kyiv-based electronic musician SI Process, or Stanislav Ivashchenko. He created the track"Kyiv Future"during the winter of 2025 when Russian strikes hit critical energy infrastructure leaving Ukrainians freezing, without electricity or heating.

“I wrote it on the last charge of my laptop, which is why it carries a certain ‘dark-groove of our lives,’” he said. “Creating in such conditions is incredibly difficult, but there’s also a clear sense of how unique this moment is.”

When the war broke out with Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Kolomiec knew she needed to stay connected with friends. In apartments across the city, they have in the years since gathered and played Ukrainian songs both new and old -- “this is how I stay mentally okay.”

Musical events of all kinds, from informal gatherings to electronic music festivals to classical concerts, carry an “important mission,” said Ivashchenko, “to bring people together, to offer a sense of mental return to normal life, and of course, to support our soldiers. Every festival raises funds for aid.”

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But the harsh realities of war are never far as events sometimes are paused during air raid alerts when people move to shelters. There are also many musicians who are fighting on the front line.

Ukraine outshoots Russia in cross-border drone war for 1st time, March data suggests

On the night of the 15th, DakhTrio performed musical arrangements of words by Ukrainian poets. Kolomiec said a setting of a poem by Vasyl Stus felt particularly relevant. Stus died in 1985 in the Russian Perm-36 labour camp, where he had been imprisoned for anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda.

His work focused on Ukrainian identity in the face of Soviet repression: “There is a fight; I’m on the battlefield, / Where all my soldiers are the words I wield,” Stus wrote, according to a version translated by Artem Pulemotov.

“Creating music in Ukrainian was not only discouraged but dangerous” Kolomiec said.

Earle premiered"Up in Flames"by Ukrainian composer Eduard Resatsch in early 2024. These five symphonic songs are set to poetry by Ukrainian poet Lina Kostenko. The fifth song describes Russian President Vladimir Putin as “the Loch Ness of the cold Neva,” Earle said, the Neva being the main river flowing through St. Petersburg.

Earle also recently premiered Resatsch’s"Nadiya,"which translates to "Hope." He will conduct its second performance in Kyiv on April 24. Elements of the piece could draw comparisons to the everyday sounds of living in a warzone -- when asked whether listeners could hear sweeping musical motifs as air raid sirens, Earle agreed.

Some music has been recontextualized by the war. Violinist Stepan Andrushchenko is co-founder of modern folk band ShchukaRyba, he described how traditional Ukrainian folk songs which were once “heard simply as beautiful songs, now sound extremely relevant and almost describe today’s reality directly.”

“There Stands a Steep Mountain” is one such folk tune:

I will go to the steep mountains, I will cry there alone,

I will ask the falcon,I will ask the grey falcon:

Have you seen my beloved?

After the start of the war, Andrushchenko noticed many Ukrainians wanted to reconnect with their roots. Music, particularly folk music, could provide the sense of belonging many were searching for, and an answer to the ever-present questions, he said, including “What are we fighting for? What are we defending?” His band believe “tradition should stay alive,” he said, “We want people not only to listen but to join in.”

Amidst the sounds of war, through music, some measure of hope can be found, artists who spoke with ABC News said. There’s a Ukrainian saying, Earle said, “Hope dies last.”

Even if Russia destroys Ukrainian sovereignty, Kolomiec said, "the songs will stay."

ABC News' Yulia Drozd contributed to this report.

byCosmopolite

in

April 19, 2026

As Russia's attacks continue, Ukrainian musicians see work as resistance and refuge

LONDON -- It was a "sleepless night," said Daria Kolomiec, a Ukrainian cultural activist, performer and DJ based in Kyiv. Exp...

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Who is the best athlete in U.S. history? USA TODAY launches '250 for 250'

Nearly 250 years ago, a group of radicals formed a new nation on ideas that all men "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these areLife, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

That final pursuit has led Americans down myriad paths as we seek the fleeting feeling that accompanies the swish of a net, the squeal of tires, the feel of sun on skin and the staccato "thwack" of a simple game of catch.

Our nation's favorite sports may not always deliver happiness, but the pursuit they offer turned James Naismith's invention into Bill Russell's legacy and Kobe Bryant's obsession. That pursuit gave our nation the shared feeling of watching David Ross beam after his career-capping home run helped the Chicago Cubs break their 71-year World Series drought.

But happiness is often the byproduct of hours and even years of toil and suffering. That commonality in all our pursuits is what makes greatness so easy to appreciate, and why USA TODAY is highlighting our nation's most iconic sports figures as the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4.

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Now through July 4, USA TODAY Sports is releasing our "250 for 250" list of America's top homegrown athletes of all time. Each week we'll bring you all-time standouts from across the sports world, and give readers a chance to vote on who should be featured.

Best American athletes of all time: USA TODAY '250 for 250' release schedule

Starting the week of April 20, USA TODAY will produce weekly lists of the top American athletes, followed by a poll for readers to vote on nominees for the next week's list. Here's a look at the full schedule, leading up to a special interactive experience surrounding the top 250 athletes in American history:

• Week of April 20: Men's basketball

• Week of April 27: Women's basketball

• Week of May 4: Baseball

• Week of May 11: Golf and tennis

• Week of May 18: Motorsports and combat sports

• Week of May 25: Football

• Week of June 1: Track and field

• Week of June 8: Soccer

• Week of June 15: Winter sports

• Week of June 22: Swimming, diving and gymnastics

• Week of June 29: Pioneers, leaders and innovators

• July 4: Full "250 for 250" reveal

Vote for USA TODAY's '250 for 250' men's basketball list

The debate goes well beyond whether Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the GOAT. Click below to vote for the top American basketball player of all time, write-in someone missing from the list, and watch for the list of top 30 athletes who will be up for inclusion in our final list on July 4.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who is the best athlete of all time? Vote on 250 years of U.S. sports

byCosmopolite

in

April 18, 2026

Who is the best athlete in U.S. history? USA TODAY launches '250 for 250'

Nearly 250 years ago, a group of radicals formed a new nation on ideas that all men "are endowed by their Creator with certain una...

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Khloé Kardashian reveals if she was paid for Lamar Odom's Netflix documentary, blasts ex: 'Insinuating I'm a liar'

Khloé Kardashian reacted to Lamar Odom's recent comments downplaying her role in his recovery after a 2015 overdose.

Key Points

• "You're not now going to s--- on me or now play in my face," the reality star fumed on her podcast.

• Kardashian also revealed what she was paid for appearing in Netflix's The Death and Life of Lamar Odom.

Khloé Kardashiansays she rescuedLamar Odoma second time when she agreed to appear in his Netflix documentary, even though it was "traumatic" to relive the dark chapter of her life — and now she's "pissed" she even wasted her time.

Untold: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom, which dropped on March 31, documents the NBA champion's 2015 near-fatal overdose and the four months it took him to recover, as he relearned how to walk and talk. All throughout this time, his estranged wife was by his side.

And as the documentary reveals, ultimately Kardashian realized, "He was better than I knew. He was playing me so I can continue this lifestyle for him."

But now, she says Odom’srecent commentsdownplaying her role in his recuperation have only added insult to injury. "Yeah, she took care of me," he said onToday with Jenna & Sheinelle, "but God took care of me the most." In the same interview, Odom also questioned Kardashian's claim that his father Joe wanted to pull the plug while he was in a coma.

Kardashian is firing back on the latest episode of her podcast,Khloé in Wonder Land.

"Hell yeah, I was pissed," she vents to her best friend Malika Haqq. "Now, Lamar is doing press insinuating I'm a liar. You're not now gonna s--- on me because you don't like the reaction and the response [to the documentary]."

Kardashian says she was initially hesitant to get involved in the documentary because she was protective of Odom. "I don't really want to go down this road if it's negative. He's been through enough negative s---." However, his team assured her, "It's going to be really positive. [Lamar's] the one doing it, he's the one asking."

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Still, she had reservations. "I'm not getting paid one penny to do this. I have no dog in this fight," Kardashian explained to Haqq. "It doesn't matter to me if this documentary is made or not made. I don't care. And it's also not something I really want to talk about anymore… It wasn't the best time of my life. I had best-time moments, but it's not like, 'Let’s rehash the dark stuff all over again.'"

Ultimately, she decided to do it as a favor to Odom. "What turned me was Netflix reaching out again saying they can't finish it without me," Kardashian explained. "I didn't want to do that to Lamar. So I was like, 'Okay, he deserves this.'"

As Kardashian explains, she wasn’t seeking "credit" for anything she did to help Odom during his months of recovery. "All I did was tell the story that I was asked by [Odom] to tell." So now for him to discredit her "is crazy," she told Haqq. "I feel played."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

She said it was also hurtful to hear Odom and his friends say that he only married her for fame.

"That's like some f---ed up s- - -. I feel so dumb," she confessed. "I spent hours and time doing this documentary as a favor. I'm not paid one penny."

Watch the whole episode ofKhloé in Wonder Landbelow.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byCosmopolite

in

April 18, 2026

Khloé Kardashian reveals if she was paid for Lamar Odom's Netflix documentary, blasts ex: 'Insinuating I'm a liar'

Khloé Kardashian reacted to Lamar Odom's recent comments downplaying her role in his recovery after a 2015 overdose. Key Poin...

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Chizzy Iwai ties course record, leads by 2 at LA Championship

Japan's Chizzy Iwai posted a bogey-free 9-under-par round of 63 on Thursday to grab a two-stroke lead at the LA Championship in Tarzana, Calif.

Iwai tied the course record in pristine conditions at the El Caballero Country Club. Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad and South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai each carded 63 at the 2025 event. Lindblad went on to earn her first LPGA victory in the tournament, posting a 21-under four-day total.

Korea's Sei Young Kim and a pair of players from Thailand are two strokes behind Iwai at 7 under. Patty Tavatanakit completed her round early in the day while countrywoman Suvichaya Vinijchaitham and Kim were part of the afternoon groups.

Nine players finished tied for fifth at 6 under, including recent winner Lauren Coughlin and countrywoman Jessica Porvasnik.

Iwai, the 20th-ranked player in the Women's World Golf Rankings, produced an incredible stretch of golf on the back nine, where she started her round. She birdied holes 11 through 15, then eagled the par-5 16th hole and posted a score of 29 on the inward half of the course.

She birdied Nos. 1 and 5 and played the four par-fives on the course at 4 under.

Iwai, who won the Mexico Riviera Maya Open in her rookie season of 2025, credited an early start to her excellent round.

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"Good time tee time in morning, so very peaceful and I feel comfortable so I had a feeling so relaxing," said Iwai. "I had good feeling. I had fun."

After the brilliant run on the back nine, Iwai admitted to thinking about an extraordinary round.

"A little bit thinking 58 or 9 score," she said. "But golf is not easy. That's why I focus my routine. I try myself. I don't think too much."

Tavatanakit was only 1 under after bogeying the par-5 seventh hole. But she closed the outward half birdie-birdie and then birdied four of her last six holes on the day. She has missed two of three cuts to date and realizes there is a lot of golf left this weekend.

"I think that's what I find hard to adjust coming back into like full season tournament play," said Tavatanakit. "When you stop for a while just kind of been working on your swing and stuff, but you just kind of, you know, not think about hitting the numbers.

"I feel like I've been kind of building that ever since San Francisco, when we were there. I mean, I feel like my game has always been there. Just a little bit here and there is just kind of rusty."

Coughlin just won two handily weeks ago at the Aramco Championship, defeating runner-up Nelly Korda by five strokes. She played bogey-free golf on Thursday, closing with a 32 on the inward half.

--Field Level Media

byCosmopolite

in

April 17, 2026

Chizzy Iwai ties course record, leads by 2 at LA Championship

Japan's Chizzy Iwai posted a bogey-free 9-under-par round of 63 on Thursday to grab a two-stroke lead at the LA Championship in Tar...

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WNBA power rankings: Aces, Liberty top list of early title contenders

Let the countdown to the2026 WNBA seasonbegin.

Eighteen months of marathon CBA negotiations culminated in a historic deal early March, and the resulting condensed WNBA offseason has been a sprint. Between the expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, free agency and theWNBA draft, some rosters look starkly different than last season. Others look much of the same.

As the league's 30th anniversary season rapidly approaches on May 8, USA TODAY Sports analyzed each roster and compiled its first WNBA Power ranking of the season:

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (left) poses for photos with Azzi Fudd who was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards.

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Scenes from the 2026 WNBA Draft

WNBACommissioner Cathy Engelbert (left) poses for photos with Azzi Fudd who was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards.

1. Las Vegas Aces

• 2025 record: 30-14 (WNBA Finals champions)

• Notable additions: Janiah Barker (draft), Chennedy Carter (free agency), Jordan Obi (draft), Stephanie Talbot (free agency), Brianna Turner (free agency)

• Key departures: Megan Gustafson (Portland Fire), Aaliyah Nye (Toronto Tempo), Kiah Stokes (Golden State Valkyries)

The defending champion Aces are the team to beat. Las Vegas retained its entire starting lineup from last year's championship run and are in prime position to run it back. The franchise kept Big 3 of A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, who are all got seven-figure deals under the new CBA after leading the Aces to three WNBA titles in four years. The big paydays, however, won't sacrifice Las Vegas' depth. The Aces re-signed Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd, who were key contributors off the bench last season, and added defensive specialist Brianna Turner and shooter Stephanie Talbot. Catch the Aces if you can.

2. New York Liberty

• 2025 record: 27-17 (lost in first round of 2025 playoffs)

• Notable additions: Satou Sabally (free agency)

• Key departures: Kennedy Burke (Connecticut Sun), Isabelle Harrison (Toronto Tempo), Nyara Sabally (Toronto Tempo)

The Liberty lost one Sabally, but gained another in the offseason. After Nyara Sabally was selected by the Toronto Tempo in the expansion draft, New York landed her older sister Satou Sabally, one of the biggest names available in free agency. Satou Sabally will team up with the Liberty's trio of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, who limped to the finish line last season due to injuries. Stewart, Ionescu, Jones and Sabally have a combined 19 WNBA All-Star nods. And it shouldn't take long for Sabally to gel with her new teammates, as she played with Ionescu in Oregon. It remains to be seen if the Liberty re-sign Natasha Cloud, but first-year head coach Chris DeMarco will have plenty with which to work.

3. Atlanta Dream

• 2025 record: 30-14 (lost in First Round of 2025 playoffs)

• Notable additions: Isobel Borlase (2024 draft), Madina Okot (draft), Angel Reese (trade)

• Key departures: Brittney Griner (Connecticut Sun)

The Dream kept their core players in free agency bringing back four starters (Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Bri Jones and Jordin Canada) and the 2025 Sixth Player of the Year (Naz Hillmon) as it pursues the franchise's first championship. The Dream had franchise-best 30 wins and No. 3 seed in the playoffs last season and hope to build on that success. The Dream did lose veteran center Brittney Griner in free agency, but acquired Angel Reese, one of the WNBA's best players (and rebounders), via trade. Adding Reese to the roster boosts Atlanta's offensive profile and adds a strong defender to the Dream's stacked roster. If Atlanta can get over the playoff hump, it has a great chance to make it to the WNBA Finals.

4. Indiana Fever

• 2025 record: 24-20 (lost in the semifinals of 2025 WNBA Playoffs)

• Notable additions: Monique Billings (free agency), Tyasha Harris (free agency), Raven Johnson (draft)

• Key departures: Chloe Bibby (Portland Fire), Natasha Howard (Minnesota Lynx)

Injuries were major storyline in Indiana last season. Caitlin Clark was limited to 13 games, yet the Fever were one win away from the team's first WNBA Finals appearance since 2012. That was due in large part to Kelsey Mitchell, who took a big step last season and averaged a career high 20.2 points en route to a first-team All-WNBA selection. Indiana's ceiling will again be contingent on the team's health. Clark looked close to 100% for Team USA at theFIBA World Cup qualifying tournamentin San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she walked away with MVP honors. Aliyah Boston remains a steady presence and hasn't missed a game in three seasons. The Fever re-signed Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham and added Monique Billings to its frontcourt. Indiana also added Ty Harris in free agency and drafted Raven Johnson for some much-needed guard depth (especially after last year).

5.Los Angeles Sparks

• 2025 record: 21-23 (missed the playoffs)

• Notable additions: Ariel Atkins (trade), Nneka Ogwumike (free agency), Erica Wheeler (free agency)

• Key departures: Julie Allemand (Toronto Tempo), Sarah Ashlee Barker (Portland Fire), Rickea Jackson (Chicago Sky), Azurá Stevens (Chicago Sky)

The Sparks are in a season of change after losing three starters (Rickea Jackson, Azurá Stevens and Julie Allemand) and several bench pieces during the offseason. However, they have remained committed to winning sooner rather than later by retaining veterans Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby. Los Angeles also made noteworthy moves in free agency by signing Nneka Ogwumike, who previously spent 12 seasons with the franchise, and Ariel Atkins, who came over in the Jackson trade. The Sparks might need some time to gel with the new starters and figure out what Cameron Brink's role (after she started 15 games in 2024, but none last year after returning from injury). Still, they easily have one of the WNBA's most intriguing lineups this season and could compete for a playoff spot.

6. Minnesota Lynx

• 2025 record: 34-10 (lost in the semifinals of 2025 WNBA Playoffs)

• Notable additions: Natasha Howard (free agency), Olivia Miles (draft)

• Key departures: Bridget Carleton (Portland Fire), DiJonai Carrington (Chicago Sky), Natisha Hiedeman (Seattle Storm), Jessica Shepard (Dallas Wings), Alanna Smith (Dallas Wings)

The Lynx took a major hit this offseason and lost key pieces − forwards Alanna Smith, Bridget Carleton and Jessica Shepard − that contributed to Minnesota's franchise-best record. The injury statuses of Naphessa Collier (ankles) and Kayla McBride (eardrum) are also unknown as season approaches. Minnesota added Natasha Howard to provide some size inside for the Lynx and picked up an elite passer in Olivia Miles in the draft. Still, the Lynx's success will come down to Collier's availability after she had surgery on both ankles.

7. Phoenix Mercury

• 2025 record: 27-17 (swept in WNBA Finals)

• Notable additions: Valériane Ayayi (free agency)

• Key departures: Lexi Held (Toronto Tempo), Kitija Laksa (Toronto Tempo), Satou Sabally (New York Liberty)

The offseason was not kind to the Mercury. While Phoenix did retain several starters, including Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, it lost Satou Sabally. Phoenix spent two seasons pursuing Sabally and needed a three-team trade to complete the deal − and then had her for one season. The Mercury, who made it to the WNBA Finals last season, likely have an uphill battle getting back. The question becomes who will step up in Sabally's absence and can they make it to the postseason without her? It wouldn't be shocking to see the Mercury later attempt a midseason trade to help their chances.

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8. Golden State Valkyries

• 2025 record: 23-21 (lost in first round of 2025 playoffs)

• Notable additions: Kiah Stokes (free agency), Marta Suárez (draft), Gabby Williams (free agency)

• Key departures: Monique Billings (Indiana Fever), Carla Leite (Portland Fire)

Golden State set a WNBA record for the most wins by an expansion team in its inaugural season, thanks to its one-two punch from Veronica Burton and Kayla Thornton. Thornton's All-Star season was cut short due to a knee injury, but she's set to return after working out with Team USA basketball in the offseason. Burton is also returning. They'll be joined by defensive specialist Gabby Williams, who personifies the Valkyries' brand of gritty basketball. Williams led the league in steals per game (2.3) and total steals (99) last season. The Valkyries traded Flau'jae Johnson (selected No. 8 overall) to the Seattle Storm for Marta Suarez (No. 16th), who led the Horned Frogs in 3-point shooting last season.

9. Chicago Sky

• 2025 record: 10-34 (missed the playoffs)Notable additions: DiJonai Carrington (free agency), Skylar Diggins (free agency), Rickea Jackson (free agency), Gabriela Jaquez (draft), Jacy Sheldon (trade), Azurá Stevens (free agency)

• Key departures: Ariel Atkins (Los Angeles Sparks), Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream)

All signs pointed to a rebuild in Chicago following Angel Reese's departure via trade. However, the Sky maintain they are in "win now mode" and made a splash in free agency with moves that elevate the struggling franchise into a possible contender. Adding veteran help from Skylar Diggins, Azurá Stevens (who won a title with the Sky in 2021) and DiJonai Carrington says Chicago plans to play fast on both ends of the floor. Getting Rickea Jackson in a trade and drafting Gabriela Jaquez indicates the Sky are banking on both to be glue players. It remains to be seen if the additions will work, but Chicago at least tried to remain competitive after significant turnover.

10. Dallas Wings

• 2025 record: 10-34 (missed the playoffs)

• Notable additions: Alysha Clark (free agency), Azzi Fudd (draft), Jessica Shepard (free agency), Alanna Smith (free agency)

• Key departures: Tyasha Harris (Dallas Wings)

Despite Paige Buecker's stellar Rookie of the Year campaign, the Wings finished at the bottom of the standings. After allowing the second-most opponent points per game last season, the Wings made moves to shore up the interior with the addition of Alanna Smith, the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year, and Jessica Shepard. Dallas selected Azzi Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick of the WNBA draft to add depth at the guard position alongside Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. First-year head coach Jose Fernandez's tenure is off to a good start.

11. Washington Mystics

• 2025 record:16-28 (Missed the playoffs)

• Notable additions: Lauren Betts (draft), Angela Dugalić (draft), Rori Harmon (draft), Cotie McMahon (draft), Michaela Onyenwere (Chicago Sky)

• Key departures: Alysha Clark (Dallas Wings), Stefanie Dolson (Seattle Storm)

The Mystics have made it clear they are building their team through the draft. The team used six picks to have plenty of options when constructing a roster that will be viable for the future and mesh with veterans Shakira Austin, Kiki Iriafen, Sonia Citron and Georgia Amoore. Washington managed to get UCLA teammates Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalić, plus Ole Miss star Cotie McMahon, in the first round. The Mystics then found great value by selecting Texas guard Rori Harmon in the third. There's a high chance every draft pick won't make the final roster, but Washington has set a solid foundation moving forward.

12. Toronto Tempo

Notable additions:Julie Allemand (expansion draft), Temi Fágbénlé (free agency), Isabelle Harrison (free agency), Lexi Held (expansion draft), Kitija Laksa (expansion draft), Marina Mabrey (expansion draft), Aaliyah Nye (expansion draft), Kiki Rice (draft), Brittney Sykes (free agency)

With head coach Sandy Brondello leading the charge, the Tempo will, at minimum, be competitive. Brondello brings a winning culture to Toronto and that should help a team that will be figuring it out along the way. Veterans Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes could be one of the top-scoring backcourt duos in the league.

13. Seattle Storm

• 2025 record: 23-21 (lost in first round of 2025 playoffs)

• Notable additions: Stefanie Dolson (free agency), Awa Fam (draft), Natisha Hiedeman (free agency), Flau'jae Johnson (draft)

• Key departures: Skylar Diggins (Chicago Sky), Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks), Brittney Sykes (Toronto Tempo), Erica Wheeler (Los Angeles Sparks), Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries)

Seattle isn't in win-now mode. The franchise signaled a full rebuild following the departures of Skylar Diggins, Gabby Williams and Nneka Ogwumike. Instead, the Storm are playing the long game with a stash of young talent, including Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam and Flau'jae Johnson. Seattle signed Stefanie Dolson and Natisha Hiedeman to provide a veteran presence.

14. Connecticut Sun

• 2025 record: (missed the playoffs)

• Notable additions: Nell Angloma (draft), Kennedy Burke (free agency), Brittney Griner (free agency), Gianna Kneepkens (draft)

• Key departures: Marina Mabrey (Toronto Tempo)

The Sun won 11 games last season, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Connecticut plays tough defense and can score enough points to keep up with teams in most games. Finishing matchups was a major issue, and that will have to change if the Sun don't want the same result. Newcomers Brittney Griner and Kennedy Burke are the only players who have won a championship, and the team will need their leadership.

15. Portland Fire

• Notable additions: Chloe Bibby (expansion draft), Maya Caldwell (expansion draft), Bridget Carleton (expansion draft), Carla Leite (expansion draft), Iyana Martín Carrión (draft), Megan Gustafson (free agency), Sug Sutton (expansion draft)

It's hard to know what Portland will develop into with so many new faces and only three players with more than five years of experience. It could be a rough first season, despite franchise player Bridget Carleton leading the group and plenty of athletes with international experience.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:WNBA power rankings: Aces, Liberty lead 2026 preseason title contenders

byCosmopolite

in

April 16, 2026

WNBA power rankings: Aces, Liberty top list of early title contenders

Let the countdown to the2026 WNBA seasonbegin. Eighteen months of marathon CBA negotiations culminated in a historic deal early Ma...

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Al Horford's late treys carry Warriors to play-in win over Clippers

Al Horford connected on four 3-pointers in the final 5:37 of a Western Conference play-in game, lifting the 10th-place Golden State Warriors to a 126-121 win over the ninth-place Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in Inglewood, Calif.

Golden State advances to a sudden-death matchup against the Suns in Phoenix on Friday to determine the West's No. 8 seed and the Oklahoma City Thunder's first-round playoff opponent. The loss ends the Clippers' season.

"With all the wins we've ever had here," said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, "a lot of them with a lot more at stake - this one is right up there because of where we are, and our age and the decline of our performance this year with the injuries. It was just a beautiful display of competitive will."

Horford's late-game hot streak was part of a game-ending, 27-13 Golden State run. Stephen Curry punctuated a 35-point night by burying a deep 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining, putting the Warriors ahead to stay, 120-117. Curry's seven makes on 12 attempts from beyond the arc paced the Warriors to a 19-of-41 long-range barrage (46.3%).

Curry returned from a knee injury for the closing stretch of the regular season, playing under a minutes restriction. He logged nearly 36 minutes on Wednesday.

"This is why Steph came back," Kerr said. "Everybody out there who thought Steph should have taken the rest of the year off, this is what he does. This is who he is. If he can compete, he's going to compete."

Despite Curry's contributions, it was Horford who stole the show.

The 39-year-old veteran had just two points off the bench before his late onslaught. He finished with 14 points, set up for his pivotal baskets off of two assists from Gui Santos that were sandwiched by a pair of assists from Curry.

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Santos played a key all-around role for the Warriors, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. Golden State also got 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis, including six straight points over one stretch in the fourth quarter.

Porzingis followed up converting a successful and-one opportunity with a 3-pointer, the sequence trimming a nine-point Clippers lead to three with 8:17 to go.

Los Angeles answered when Darius Garland converted his own and-one, then Garland fed Brook Lopez for an interior bucket. Garland wrapped up his big stretch with a 3-pointer that pushed Los Angeles' lead back to nine with 6:37 left.

That was the last point the Clippers appeared in control during a game that they led for most of the way.

Garland and Kawhi Leonard, who each finished with 21 points, helped Los Angeles build an advantage of as many as 13 points. The Clippers couldn't shake the Warriors in the second half, however, particularly as Leonard went cold offensively under heavy pressure from Draymond Green.

"We had the game in our hands," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "Some silly plays, not doing the right thing execution-wise. To be up 13 [points] with 10 minutes to go in the game, we've got to finish. So I'm disappointed."

Leonard committed a pair of turnovers in the fourth quarter and scored his only points of the period on a dunk in the final seconds after Golden State had essentially wrapped up the win. Leonard scored 14 of his points in the first half, including going coast-to-coast for a slam just before halftime.

Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 points off the bench.

--Field Level Media

byCosmopolite

in

April 16, 2026

Al Horford's late treys carry Warriors to play-in win over Clippers

Al Horford connected on four 3-pointers in the final 5:37 of a Western Conference play-in game, lifting the 10th-place Golden State War...

Read More