USWNT takes the pitch | Kelsey Plum returns to Vegas | CP3 gets top honors

Hit ‘em with the Uno Reverse.

USWNT takes the pitch

The USWNT is back in action tomorrow, taking on China PR in the first of two early summer friendlies as manager Emma Hayes continues to evaluate talent across the 24-player roster.

• “We have two different types of opponents ahead of us, so we’ll have to be creative in breaking down those teams in different ways,” Hayes told reporters earlier this month.

Big picture: With the roster averaging 30.7 caps per player, some club league favorites will look for an opportunity to show their national team value this window — though the USWNT will be without one NWSL up-and-comer.

• Angel City defender Gisele Thompson departed camp on Thursday due to a minor hip injury, with Hayes opting not to replace the 19-year-old in the lineup.

Familiar foes: The US and China PR have met a total of 60 times — the USWNT’s second-most frequent opponent behind Canada — but the pair hasn’t squared off since December 2023, about six months before Hayes took over.

• “We have new faces, we have experience, we have veterans, we have young players. I think we’re a really amazing blend of all of the above,” said midfielder Sam Coffey this week. “I think more than anything, the common denominator in everyone here is just a hunger to get better.”

Tune in: The USWNT kicks off against China PR at 5:30 PM ET tomorrow, live on TBS.

Plum heads back to Vegas

Tonight’s WNBA action promises to bring the heat, delivering one major homecoming, strategic veteran moves, and rookies looking to right the tide as newly revamped teams continue to gel.

• In the wake of significant offseason movement, 2025 has been all about balancing developing talent with seasoned stars while former franchise players take on very familiar opponents.

What to watch: Veteran-heavy teams will aim to manage workloads this weekend, as powerhouse squads juggle shifting lineups while last year’s left-behind fight to rise up the WNBA standings.

• New York vs. Washington, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): The Liberty managed to eke out a win over Golden State without stars Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally yesterday — but can they hold off a Mystics team punching above their weight behind rookie duo Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen?

• Los Angeles vs. Las Vegas, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): Sparks guard Kelsey Plum will face her former teammates for the first time tonight, taking on a Las Vegas side searching for redemption after Seattle spoiled Aces guard Jewell Loyd’s own homecoming last weekend.

• Minnesota vs. Phoenix, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): Two of the league’s top performers hit the court in Arizona, as perennial MVP candidates Napheesa Collier and Alyssa Thomas go head-to-head for the first time in 2025.

Bottom line: A few teams have already faced adversity this year, but even more have settled into the grind as the league’s longest-ever season storms into June.

Chicago honors hometown hero CP3

Basketball legend Candace Parker is gearing up for a busy summer, as two of her former franchises recently announced plans to retire her No. 3 jersey this year.

• Earlier this week, the Chicago Sky said they will retired Parker’s jersey in an August 25th ceremony, honoring the Chicagoland native who helped them win their first-ever WNBA championship in 2021.

• Los Angeles — where Parker spent a 13-year stint including her first league title in 2016 — is also getting in on the action, with the Sparks previously announcing Parker’s June 29th jersey retirement celebration.

Big picture: The Chicago ceremony coincides with the Sky’s game against the Las Vegas Aces — the final team Parker led to a WNBA championship in 2023.

• Parker is the first Sky player to have her number retired, as well as the Sparks’ third behind Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler.

• “Candace is the best all-around player that has ever played in the WNBA,” said Sparks co-owner Magic Johnson.

Bottom line: Candace Parker’s impact still radiates through the WNBA, with fans and former teammates alike jumping at the chance to pay their respects this summer.

Prime was on the ground once again last week, teaming up with JWS to put NWSL fans to the test and hand out some exciting prizes as the Seattle Reign took on the Washington Spirit.

• Retired NWSL great Merritt Mathias took the reigns, quizzing Seattle’s finest on player stats past and present with plenty of merch and — for one lucky winner — a pair of upgraded seats on the line.

• Headed to a Friday night NWSL match on Prime? Keep an eye out for the JWS crew for your chance to show off your team knowledge and win big.

Tune in: Catch all the On Ground At action on JWS YouTube.

Shopping. Streaming. Live Sports. It’s on Prime.

Louisville midfielder gets suspensed

Racing Louisville midfielder Kayla Fischer saw two games added to her original red card suspension yesterday, after the 2023 draft pick got sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Angel City.

• Fischer was shown a straight red in the match’s 67th minute, after VAR spotted Fischer pulling Angel City midfielder Maddison Hammond’s hair and forcing her to the ground.

• “After further review of the altercation, the Disciplinary Committee determined that Fischer’s conduct violated Section 12.4.10, ‘Major Game Misconduct,’ of the League Operations Manual,” the NWSL said in a release.

Looking ahead: “When I return to the field later this season, I plan to show that I have learned from my actions and that this moment doesn’t define me as a player or the respect I have for my opponents and the game,” Fischer told ESPN after the suspension extension was announced.

MLB goes all in on AU softball

Major League Baseball is eyeing the women’s game, with the MLB reportedly making an eight-figure investment in Athletes Unlimited Softball League prior to its debut season.

• “We thought rather than starting on our own and competing, that finding a place where we could invest and grow a business was a better opportunity,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told the Associated Press yesterday, detailing the organization’s first-ever women’s sports partnership.

Big picture: Athletes Unlimited has been active in the softball space since 2020, but plans to adopt a more traditional league format this year, with four teams set to play a 24-game season plus a brief postseason across 10 US markets.

• The AUSL will throw its first pitch in early June, as the new venture looks to increase pro softball opportunities for players coming out of one of the country’s most popular college sports.

Quote of the day

Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot
on surpassing wife and former teammate Allie Quigley as Chicago’s all-time leading scorer on Thursday.