Stewart signs deal to play for Liberty
Breanna Stewart couldn’t turn down a chance to play in New York and potentially help the Liberty win their first WNBA title.
The most coveted free agent this offseason, who won the WNBA most valuable player award in 2018, announced she is going to New York. Stewart had spent her pro career in Seattle since the Storm drafted her No. 1 overall in 2016, winning titles in 2018 and ’20.
In other key moves, Brittney Sykes joined the Washington Mystics, Teaira McCowan signed with the Dallas Wings and Alysha Clark landed with the Las Vegas Aces.
The Washington Wizards’ game at Detroit was postponed because the Pistons were stranded in Dallas amid a storm. No makeup date has been set. .. Denver’s Michael Malone will coach LeBron James’ team in the All-Star Game.
Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone will be out indefinitely after undergoing back surgery in Denver, the club announced.
Barcelona missed out on signing Galaxy right back Julián Araujo because it was 18 seconds late turning in his transfer documentation. Barcelona director of soccer Mateu Alemany said the club was talking to FIFA to see if the transfer still could be completed . ... Women’s World Cup cohosts Australia and New Zealand urged FIFA not to sign a sponsor deal with the tourism authority of Saudi Arabia where “rights of women remain severely restricted.”
University of Denver basketball player Coban Porter, brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., was charged with felony counts of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault stemming from a suspected drunken-driving crash that killed a 42-year-old woman . ... New Jersey Devils associate coach and former Florida Panthers coach Andrew Brunette was arrested in South Florida on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The Riverside Poly boys’ basketball team is banned from competing in this year’s playoffs and has been put on probation for violations of CIF rules, the Southern Section announced. It’s one of the stiffest punishments the Southern Section has imposed in years. The school also must forfeit all games from 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22. Poly was 26-3 last season and is 17-10 this season.