Geno Auriemma against WNBA draft age change: 'Women's basketball would suffer'

PHOENIX –UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemmawould not be a fan of any potential WNBA rule change that would allow players to join the league sooner.

NBA players must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft. However, the WNBA requires any player drafted to be at least 22 years old in the year theWNBA drafttakes place. The player must also have no remaining college eligibility or renounce any remaining eligibility. International players must be at least 20 years old on the year the draft takes place. Auriemma says changing the WNBA's rule would not be good for the league or college basketball.

"I think it would be a really bad rule. I'm not saying they need to stay four years. I've coached players, (who) after their freshman year, they would be able to handle it," Auriemma told the media Thursday ahead of the Final Four.

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More:Geno Auriemma blasts NCAA over 'frustrating' Sweet 16, Elite Eight setup

Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kamy Peppler #1 of the Green Bay Phoenix reacts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the third quarter during the First Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena on March 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Phoenix 75-58.

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March Sadness hits hard in the Women's NCAA basketball tournament

Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in theNCAA women's basketballtournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

"I do think women's basketball would suffer in that you wouldn't get the recognition around the country that Azzi Fudd has if you're in college one year, okay? If Sarah (Strong) would have left after last year, you wouldn't have that continued (chance to watch) her grow, and she would go to the WNBA. Great for her. Great opportunity for her. But a bad opportunity 'cause you're not going to replace her with somebody equal."

Auriemma says women's basketball would be "diminished" if players only completed one year of college play before moving on to the pro level. He also said very few players would be able to do as some baseball players do and be a pro right out of high school.

Auriemma even joked he likes the way football requires players to wait, saying you wouldn't send a college freshman or sophomore to play against "grown men" who would "break you in half." The UConn coach eventually said if a change was going to be made, the "baseball model" would be his preference.

"I do think there's benefits for them to grow," Auriemma said. "Now with the money they're making, you got pros wanting to come back to college."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:UConn coach Geno Auriemma against potential WNBA draft age rule change

byJastin

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April 02, 2026

Geno Auriemma against WNBA draft age change: 'Women's basketball would suffer'

PHOENIX –UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemmawould not be a fan of any potential WNBA rule change that would...

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Jamie Lee Curtis Shares Heartbreak Over Friends Rob and Michele Reiner's Death on Daughter Annie's Birthday

Jamie Lee Curtis grew emotional when she revealed that her oldest daughter Annie welcomed her first baby in December, days after their family's close friends Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner were killed

NEED TO KNOW

• Curtis is married to Christopher Guest, a close collaborator of Rob Reiner's; Curtis said Rob and Michele were godparents to Annie

• Rob and Michele's son Nick was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with his parents' deaths

Jamie Lee Curtiswas especially close withRobandMichele Reiner, who were godparents to her daughter Annie. While appearing on the most recent episode ofMichelle Obamaand Craig Robinson'spodcastIMO,the Oscar winner became emotional when discussing how her friends were killed on Annie's birthday.

During the interview, theFreakier Fridayactress, 67, who's married toChristopher Guest, revealed that her older daughter Annie, 39,welcomed a baby back in December, a week after the Reiner deaths.

"Their baby boy was born in December, and it was a week after Rob and Michele [died], and Rob and Michele are her godparents," Curtis said through tears. "They died on her birthday. My beautiful daughter, who loved them as we all did, managed to be able to metabolize that grief and sadness … [and then] brought their son into this world a week later."

Rob and Michele werewere found dead inside their Los Angeles homeon Dec. 14. The couple's sonNick, 32, wasarrestedthat same night andcharged with two counts of first-degree murderin connection with their deaths.

On the podcast, Curtis described the series of events for her family in December as "life on life's harshest terms and life on life's most beautiful, perfect terms."

Curtis and Guest, who have been married since 1984, sharedaughtersAnnie and Ruby. As Curtis revealed on Instagram in 2019, her familyhosted Annie's weddingto husband Jason Wolf at their home in Los Angeles. (The couple's younger daughter Ruby also got married to her partner Kynthia at Curtis and Guests' home; Curtisofficiatedthe 2022 ceremony.)

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Curtis' husband Guest famously worked with Rob on his impactful 1984 mockumentaryThis Is Spinal Tap. The pair reunited for a sequel to the cult comedy,Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which released in September 2025, just months before the filmmaker's death.

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In the immediate aftermath of Rob and Michele's deaths in December, Curtis told PEOPLE in a statement that she and her husband were "numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends."

"Our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them," she wrote at the time.

In addition to Nick, who remains incarcerated more than three months after his parents' deaths, Rob and Michelesharedson Jake, 34, and daughter Romy, 28. Rob was also a father to daughter Tracy, whom he adopted during his first marriage to Penny Marshall.

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

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April 02, 2026

Jamie Lee Curtis Shares Heartbreak Over Friends Rob and Michele Reiner's Death on Daughter Annie's Birthday

Jamie Lee Curtis grew emotional when she revealed that her oldest daughter Annie welcomed her first baby in December, da...

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Louis C.K. making Netflix comeback with standup special, LA show

Louis C.K.is returning to Netflix years after he was embroiled in theMe Too movement.

The 58-year-old comedian's upcomingheadlining showat the Hollywood Bowl, a new addition to theNetflix Is a Joke Festlineup, was announced on Thursday, April 2.

The standup set will take place Tuesday, May 5, toward the beginning of the streaming giant's weeklong schedule that's jam-packed with hundreds of comedy events across Los Angeles starring the likes ofJerry Seinfeld,Larry David,Kevin HartandSteve Carell. Tickets go on sale April 6 at 10 a.m. PT.

C.K.'s standup special, "Ridiculous" – for which he will also receive directing and executive producing credits – will come out this summer.

The same day as C.K.'s set, Hart, Seinfeld, Katt Williams, David Letterman and John Mulaney, Ilana Glazer and Ramy Youssef, Nicole Byer and Jim Gaffigan are among the dozens of performers also taking the stage across LA County. Shane Gillis,who also landed in hot waterover past comments widely viewed as racist and more recent jokes deemed offensive, is also part of the lineup, hosting "a blockbuster night of comedy" at the Bowl on May 4.

Tony Hinchcliffe, who faced widespread backlash in 2024for calling Puerto Ricoa "floating island of garbage" and making otherremarks deemed as racistat a rally for then president-electDonald Trump, will do a live recording of his "Kill Tony" podcast at Inglewood's Intuit Dome on May 7 as part of Netflix is a Joke.

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C.K., whose shelf is lined with a number of Grammy and Emmy Awards, was exposed for sexually harassing behavior in a 2017New York Times reportin which five women alleged the comedian had exposed himself and masturbated in front of them. The allegations followed a few years ofreports about the comedian's inappropriate behavioraround women, which he had steadfastly denied at the time.

After the Times' article was published, C.K. issueda contrite response, acknowledging the accusations were "true" and saying, "The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly."

Within a year of the comedian vowing to "step back and take a long time to listen," he was on tour and selling out several shows. He addressed the allegations in the 2020 standup special "Sincerely Louis C.K.," and at one point explained, "Men are taught to make sure the woman is OK. The thing is, women know how to seem OK when they're not OK. So you can't just look at her face and be like, 'Her eyes are dry, we're fine. Let's just keep going.'"

In July, he went on the road with hisRidiculous comedy tour, which took him across North America, and to Europe, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan.

Contributing: Marco della Cava, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Louis CK Netflix standup special announced years after allegations

byJastin

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April 02, 2026

Louis C.K. making Netflix comeback with standup special, LA show

Louis C.K.is returning to Netflix years after he was embroiled in theMe Too movement. The 58-year-old comedi...

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Chiefs add defensive back Kaiir Elam after trading Trent McDuffie and losing Jaylen Watson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — TheKansas City Chiefssigned Kaiir Elam on Thursday to provide some help at defensive back, where they traded 2023 All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and lost fellow starter Jaylen Watson in free agency.

The 24-year-old Elam was the 23rd overall pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 draft, but the former Florida star has largely failed to live up to expectations. He split last season between the Cowboys and Titans and has 114 tackles, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries in 19 starts and 43 games covering his first four seasons in the league.

The Chiefs announced the deal with Elam, but the terms were not immediately available.

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Kansas City has veteran Kristian Fulton and youngsters Nohl Williams and Kevin Knowles on the roster. The addition of Elam takes some of the pressure off selecting a cornerback early in the draft, where the Chiefs have two first-round selections.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

byJastin

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April 02, 2026

Chiefs add defensive back Kaiir Elam after trading Trent McDuffie and losing Jaylen Watson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — TheKansas City Chiefssigned Kaiir Elam on Thursday to provide some help at defensive back, where...

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James Bond Fans Fooled by Casting Prank: ‘Nice Try’

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the next James Bond film. Recently, a report dropped the identity of the new 007. However, social media went nuts when it turned out to be an April Fool's prank.

Fans react to James Bond casting prank

Euro Newsreleased a prank article unveiling the fresh face for the upcoming James Bond film. The report claimed that Irish actress and singer Jessie Buckley has been roped in to play a female James Bond. They further added that Tom Hiddleston will be playing the first Bond boy, known as Fitty McCrotch. Meanwhile, M will be portrayed by Gillian Anderson.

An Amazon spokesperson told the outlet, "We're distancing ourselves from the previous stance held by franchise head Barbara Broccoli, who said that Bond should only be played by a man." They continued, "We're thrilled to have Jessie Buckley on board. Additionally, her initials are also 'JB', so that's delightful." The individual added how her "singing background makes her the ideal candidate for the project." This is because they have "been thinking of adding some musical numbers into the mix."

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The spokesperson addressed the gender switch. They said, "It's about time that we shook things up, because most audiences would rather drink wasps (shaken and stirred) than see another cookie cutter version of Bond." They explained, "Daniel Craig was an inspired casting choice, and he showed how the character could be updated and enriched over his tenure in the role." However, during the casting process, they "realised that trying to follow in his footsteps was a fool's errand." As such, they decided to opt for a radical new interpretation, one which will doubtlessly spark discussion.

While fans were excited, the report was an April Fool's prank. Netizens gave their reactions under thepost, with one saying, "Nice try." Another one said, "Good thing it's an April fool's joke. But Euronews wished it wasn't…" A third user commented, "Wish it wasn't April fools. Plenty women have worked in espionage and resistance networks. It might draw a larger audience."

Originally reported by Ritika Singh onMandatory

The postJames Bond Fans Fooled by Casting Prank: 'Nice Try'appeared first onReality Tea.

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April 02, 2026

James Bond Fans Fooled by Casting Prank: ‘Nice Try’

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the next James Bond film. Recently, a report dropped the identity of the new 007. However, social media we...

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QB Kirk Cousins reportedly signs with Raiders ahead of team likely taking Fernando Mendoza with No. 1 pick

Kirk Cousins' time as an NFL starter isn't over just yet. The 37-year-old reportedly signed a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, his agent announced Thursday.

With the move, Cousins could open the season as the team's starter as it prepares presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to eventually take over.

Cousins, himself, confirmed the news with a simple three-word post on X:

"The Autumn Wind" is a poem adapted for the Raiders back in 1974, written by NFL Films co-founder Steve Sabol.

Cousins will reportedly sign a one-year, fully-guaranteed $20 million deal with the Raiders, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal is far more complex than that, but essentially works out to be a one-year deal.

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The move reunites Cousins with new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, who was Cousins' quarterbacks coach and eventual offensive coordinator when the two were with the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins reportedly had interest from ahandful of other teams, including the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, but ultimatelyopted to join Kubiak in Las Vegas, per The Athletic.

The news comes a day after Mendoza — who the Raiders are expected to select with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft — had his pro day. The Cousins signing likely isn't a commentary on how the Raiders felt about Mendoza's performance at his pro day, as Kubiak has talked about his preference fornot using a rookie starter immediately, per NFL.com.

"Ideally, you don't want him to start from Day 1," Kubiak said Tuesday. "You'd love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That's in a perfect world. It doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it's our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show."

That sentiment makes it seems likely Cousins will open the 2026 NFL season as the Raiders' starter. That could change depending on how both players perform in training camp and in the preseason, but Cousins looks to have a leg up on Mendoza for now.

Cousins opened last season in a backup role for the Atlanta Falcons behind Michael Penix Jr. But an injury to Penix opened the door for Cousins to shift back into a starting role down the stretch. In 10 games – eight starts — Cousins threw 10 touchdowns against five interceptions.

After considering his options during the offseason, Cousins ultimately landed with the Raiders. The move could give him one more shot to prove himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL, though it seems unlikely he'll remain in that role for long with Mendoza likely waiting in the wings.

byJastin

in

April 02, 2026

QB Kirk Cousins reportedly signs with Raiders ahead of team likely taking Fernando Mendoza with No. 1 pick

Kirk Cousins' time as an NFL starter isn't over just yet. The 37-year-old reportedly signed a deal with the Las ...

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Zendaya Reveals Why She Was 'Paranoid' Rewearing This Cate Blanchett Gown on “The Drama ”Press Tour

Zendaya shared what made her nervous about wearing Cate Blanchett's gown to The Drama premiere in Rome

NEED TO KNOW

• The actress is leaning into a wedding-inspired wardrobe for her new movie's press tour and wore a look previously seen on Blanchett at the 2025 Venice Film Festival

• Promotion for The Drama also comes amid speculation that Zendaya and Tom Holland secretly tied the knot following their 2024 engagement

Zendayais revealing what really went through her mind when she stepped out in an iconic rewear to promote her new film.

For the past couple of weeks, the actress, 29, has been on a bridal kick onThe Dramapress tour, having come up with the concept of wearing something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, inspired by the classic wedding tradition.

For the something borrowed element, executed at the movie's Rome premiere, her stylist, Law Roach,dressed her in a Giorgio Armani gownoriginally worn byCate Blanchett(the queen of outfit recycling) at the 2025 Venice Film Festival.

It was a "dream come true" for Zendaya, who also admitted that the loan came with high stakes.

"I thought it was such a kind thing to share. I was very paranoid about spilling [anything on] or breaking or doing anything wrong to the dress," she said during her appearance onThe Tonight Show.

The Emmy winner said that Blanchett was "one of the first people I thought of" because of how great the ensemble was. When she first saw it, she thought, "I wish I could wear that dress. What a dress."

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Zendaya has had a few "what a dress" moments on this press run. She's worn a white Vivienne Westwood dress first seen on her at the2015 Academy Awards(her "something old"), acustom Louis Vuitton number(her "something new") and an indigo blue Zimmerman lace dress (which is not her "something blue," per Roach, but what we can only assume is a lead-in to theactual"something blue").

It's not just the dresses that have sparked buzz, though. Zendaya has also been seen wearing whatappears to be a wedding band, along with her engagement ring, on various outings following Roach's admission that she and Tom Hollandsecretly tied the knotduring an interview at the2026 Actor Awards.

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The supposed bridehas neither confirmed nor deniedher speculated marriage to Holland.

"I just feel like for me there is a level of a parasocial investment in my personal relationship, which I understand," she said onThe New York Times'Modern Lovepodcast. "I'm aware that I'm a public person and so is he, and I'm also aware that we've grown up in front of people and we've done movies where we fall in love with each other, so I really do understand that, and I don't want to dismiss that like, 'Stay out of my business' or whatever."

"In a lot of ways, I'm also a very private person and I try my best to be able to have things for myself and for him as well," she said, continuing with her outlook on wanting to balance privacy with public celebration. "I just try to find the balance in the middle there."

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

April 02, 2026

Zendaya Reveals Why She Was 'Paranoid' Rewearing This Cate Blanchett Gown on “The Drama ”Press Tour

Zendaya shared what made her nervous about wearing Cate Blanchett's gown to The Drama premiere in Rome N...

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