Caitlin Clark is officially headed to the WNBA after her senior season. Iowa‘s star guard made it official on Thursday in a social media post, saying she will be declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft. The reigning National Player of the Year is currently averaging 32.2 points, 8.7 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game while leading the Hawkeyes to a 25-4 record and a top-10 ranking in the country. “While this season is far from over and we have a lot more goals to achieve, it will be my last one at Iowa,” Clark said in the post. Clark recently broke the NCAA women’s career scoring record previously held by Kelsey Plum and is just 18 points behind Pete Maravich for the all-time NCAA record. The Indiana Fever hold the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft.

The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP) confirmed Thursday they’ve consolidated into one league. Furthermore, the merger is backed by a $75 million contribution from private equity firm SC Holdings, DC Pickleball Team owner Al Tylis, PPA Tour owners Tom Dundon and the Pardoe Family, and a list of current MLP team owners. “MLP and the PPA Tour working as partners creates a sustainable, viable, and healthy ecosystem for all key participants in which the best players in the world can play in both of the thrilling pickleball formats, ensuring that we’re promoting the highest-quality, most exciting events,” PPA Tour Founder and CEO Connor Pardoe said. More than 150 professional pickleball players have agreed to multi-year deals with the new organizations and will participate in an expanded calendar that blends individual (PPA Tour) and team (MLP) events throughout the year.

LA Clippers guard Russell Westbrook announced on Instagram earlier this week a partnership with Target that will build 180 affordable housing units in South Central LA. Community-centered businesses will surround the units, the nine-time NBA All-Star added. Westbrook started his Why Not? Foundation in 2012 that, per its website, “is committed to the perseverance of at-risk communities by implementing structured education opportunity, workforce development, and accessible mental health resources.”

Billboard revealed its top women executives in 2024, and former Chair of Capitol Music Group Michelle Jubelirer leads the roster of successful honorees as Executive of the Year. Jubelirer made history in 2021 when she became Capitol Music Group‘s first female chief executive in its 80-plus-year history. Under her leadership, the company won a bidding war in fall 2022 to sign Ice Spice, worked with Universal Music Enterprises to bring back The Beatles with the AI-powered song “Now and Then,” and achieved many more accomplishments. On Feb. 6, Jubelirer announced she was stepping down from her role. Head to Billboard for the full list of winners.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is more than just an Olympic champion. The two-time gold medalist also dips her spikes into the fashion space, unveiling her personally designed collection with sportswear partner New Balance on Friday. The capsule features unisex performance and lifestyle products in a neutral color scheme, like a terry hoodie and sweatpant set, high-rise leggings for training or lounging, and a New Balance varsity jacket. On feet are two limited edition iterations of the FuelCell Rebel v4 running shoe and McLaughlin-Levrone’s favorite lifestyle shoe, the 9060. The new pieces are available to shop at www.newbalance.com.

Athleta is starting off Women’s History Month with a big announcement. The active performance brand announced Friday that it’s entered a five-year partnership with Katie Ledecky, the world’s most decorated swimmer. As part of the collab, Ledecky joins Athleta’s Power of She Collective, a cohort of elite athletes that uphold Athleta’s mission to empower women and girls to build confidence, strength, and well-being through movement. During her tenure with Athleta, Ledecky will also participate in wear testing, rep the brand’s performance apparel outside of the pool, and appear in key campaigns. Ledecky also joins fellow Olympic legends Allyson Felix and Simone Biles as Athleta ambassadors.

Tommy Hilfiger has joined forces with the F1 Academy as an official partner, Formula 1 announced earlier this week. Entering its second year developing female talent in auto racing, the F1 Academy consists of 15 drivers. In the release, F1 added that Spanish driver Nerea Marti, who returns for her second season with Campos Racing, will represent Tommy Hilfiger, racing in a suit and car featuring the company’s iconic red, white, and blue color pattern. As part of the deal, Tommy Hilfiger will also design and provide all F1 Academy staff uniforms.