Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
April 21, 2020 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
This past week the New York Liberty selected Oregon point guard Sabrina Ionescu with the first pick of the 2020 WNBA Draft, Jalen Green, the nation's No. 1 recruit, signed with the NBA G League and the Indoor Football League cancelled the remainder of its regular season due to the coronavirus. Highlights from this week are from the Women's National Basketball Association, NBA G League, Big3, Major League Soccer, United Soccer League Championship, National Women's Soccer League, National Lacrosse League and Premier Lacrosse League.
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
Unanimous National Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu of Oregon tonight was selected by the New York Liberty with the first overall pick of WNBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm," which was held virtually in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ionescu, a three-time Nancy Lieberman Award winner as the nation's top point guard, averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and an NCAA-leading 9.1 assists as a senior.
Oregon Ducks star Sabrina Ionescu celebrates being selected No. 1 overall by the New York Liberty alongside her family in California. She then sits down to talk to Holly Rowe about what it's like to join the pros, her upcoming move to Brooklyn, and how her leadership skills will translate to the Liberty.
The Best Reactions From The 2020 WNBA Draft
The New York Liberty unveiled a new logo which brings together the past and future of one of the Women's National Basketball Association's longest tenured franchises. This is the first time that New York's logo has been changed since the team's inception in 1997. The announcement of a new ownership group in Joe and Clara Tsai, and the Liberty's new home at Brooklyn's Barclays Center gives way to this long-awaited aesthetic change.
NBA G League
High school senior Jalen Green has signed to play in the NBA G League next season, league President Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced. Green is ranked by ESPN as the No. 1 basketball recruit in the Class of 2020. Details of the new team Green will play for, which will be unaffiliated with any existing NBA G League franchise or NBA team, are forthcoming.
Jalen Green, the nation's No. 1 recruit, is informing colleges that he plans to enter the NBA/G League's professional pathway program, per DraftExpress.
High school senior Isaiah Todd has signed to play in the NBA G League next season, it was announced today by NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Todd is ranked by ESPN as the top player in Virginia and No. 13 in the nation in the Class of 2020.
Transition Takeover: Check Out These NBA G League Transition Buckets
BIG3
Go 'Inside the Film Room' with 3's Company Coach Michael Cooper as he breaks down some of his most memorable moments.
FOOTBALL
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League, America's longest running professional indoor football league, announced that it has cancelled the remaining games of the 2020 season due to the many unknowns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of definitive information as to when states will begin to lift stay-home mandates and again allow large gatherings such as sporting events.
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Best of Los Angeles Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in MLS
Major Arena Soccer League
The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) announced Ontario Fury Forward Franck Tayou as the recipient of the MASL MVP Award for the 2019-2020 season. This is his fourth MASL MVP Award. Overall Tayou scored in all 21 games played in his first season with the Fury notching 47 goals, 18 assists, 65 points with 10 hat-tricks and led the league in scoring.
United Soccer League Championship
Carrie Taylor is the first woman to be named to a USL coaching staff in the modern era. The USL's Kelsi Steele caught up with Carrie before San Diego Loyal SC played the first game in franchise history to find out more about what drives her success.
National Women's Soccer League
NWSL Highlights
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
GF Sports, a live events and sports media entertainment company, announced that Rich Lisk, who serves as an Executive Vice President for the business, is expanding his role to oversee all lacrosse and business operations for the New York Riptide of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). In addition to his role with the Riptide, Lisk will continue to provide sales, marketing and operations leadership across GF Sports' portfolio of live sports and entertainment properties.
Warren Hill of the Halifax Thunderbirds has kept opponents at bay in the 2019-20 NLL season. We check out The King of the Hill's best saves in this Epoch Signature Series.
Premier Lacrosse League
Best of Chrome midfield Jordan MacIntosh
HOCKEY
American Hockey League
The Cave Family and the Edmonton Oilers announced the creation of the "Colby Cave Memorial Fund" to help carry on the memory and legacy of Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave, who suddenly and tragically passed away on April 11, 2020. Proceeds from the fund will go toward community programs with an emphasis on mental health initiatives and providing access to sports for underprivileged children.
BASEBALL
Northwoods League
With fan, player and personnel safety as the primary consideration, the Northwoods League has been closely monitoring developments related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the various restrictions by governmental authorities that have been enacted as a result. Simultaneously, the League has been considering multiple scenarios that could be adapted to the dynamic environment in which we find ourselves so that where and when baseball can safely be played, it will be played.
OTHER SPORTS
National Pro Fastpitch
The Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois announced that they will not be able to participate in the 2020 season of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) softball at Rent One Park. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Wild, made up of players from Softball Canada and the Canadian women's national softball team, will be unable to travel to the United States this summer to train
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
Indoor Football League Stories from April 21, 2020
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
