Her work has been published in Esquire, Nylon, Cosmopolitan, and other publications. The two of them met briefly at a press conference for the games. Less than a year ago, we asked the question aloud if they were together. It was October 2019, and Irons' legal team was presenting the case for his innocence and wrongful conviction. Rachel Hunter Bio: Early Life, Net Worth, Children & Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. Vandersloot and Quigley consider themselves lucky they were able to spend four years overseas in the same city. They have won numerous accolades in soccer and basketball respectively, including seven Olympic medals between them. Quigley adds, We have the same style of basketball and see the same things. They do most activities togetherrides to work and home, workouts at the same time, pregame shooting. Because of her hard work and dedication, she has played for major WNBA teams and major international clubs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sue says of her younger days: I never challenged, Sue said in an interview with GQ. What Is Jenna Ortega's Net Worth In 2023? The Johnson-Griner couple announced their pregnancy a few months later, and Johnson even flaunted her beautiful baby bump. She sat down with . Among other things, she was formerly an editor at Womens Health. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It was etched on her face every time she entered the courtroom. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Disagreements dont bleed over, nor has preferential treatment ever been an issue. 3 pick in the 2011 draft. She has served in Russian basketball clubs like BC Chevakata Vologda and PBC Nadezhda Orenburg. doesn't. I can only guess it is because most NBA players are not attracted to. It also helped launch a new career. Glory Johnson | Early Life, Family, And Education, Glory B Johnson was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States. She currently ranks No. Its an impressive number, 23 more than most married couples. Basseys job required him to move a lot. She is famous for her height and unique playing style. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. And yes, they tend to be the first to high-five each other after a big basket, but so too would close friends on a team. Her parents are Bassey Johnson Udofot and Mercy Bassey Johnson. Her husband Matt Ryan signed a 5-year contract with the . The basketballer made 6.2 scores per game. It was their first interaction, even though they lived and played for teams in Seattle, the couple mentioned at an ESPN Women and Sports Summit. #2 Rhode Island. Besides that, her net worth is over, She is well known for her playing style and techniques. They are both supporters of LGBTQ issues, pay equity in womens sports, and the Black Lives Matter movement. WNBA superstar Maya Moore announced her marriage to Jonathan Irons on Good Morning America Wednesday, but this is anything but a typical athlete wedding. As of now, Taurasi is at 36.9 percent for her career from long distance, an impressive number even before accounting for the fact that shes done it with incredible volume, making the most threes in WNBA history. Theyve come to terms with the fact that their tastes are different, Quigleys vintage, Vandersloots edgier. Nonetheless, a month later, they got married after the fight, and things seemed fine for a while. . Megan Rapinoe is dating Sue Bird, who plays on the WNBA's Seattle Storm and has won several Olympic gold medals Julie Ertz is married to Zach Ertz of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles Mallory Pugh. Along with the team, she won all six games. The team was testedand so, with every defeat, was the Vanderquigs relationship. There is good news for the newly-betrothed Chicago duo, however. And not just to spend the offseason with USA Basketballs college tour, but for her all-star wedding this past weekend. Furthermore, she pays child support to Glory Johnson as per court orders. . The basketballer played 141 games and made 1643 points in her four years with the team. The towering Atlanta native dropped the surprising bomb on the podcast The Rematch when he referred to Cooper as his wife for the first time. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Allie Quigley, the star of the Italian squad, had a vested interest in that hand. Johnson sat out the 2015 WNBA as she was pregnant. Why we shouldn't need LeBron to tell us racism is a problem, Why 'Bring It On' is one of the most important sports movies ever made, Behind the national battle over who's considered a woman in sports. I know Mom just handed you a perfectly rectangular 14-by-8-by-5-inch box covered in brightly colored wrapping paper. Jasmine Thomas and Natisha Hiedeman. At the end of the 201213 Euroleague season, both women were playing in Slovakia. She has encouraged her daughter to work hard and never give up. Parker, 35, wrote in her caption. But these questions do nothing but miss the larger point. Even when the ruling came down in March that Irons' conviction would be vacated, it still took months for him to be released. In a caption-less Instagram post in October 2020, the couple revealed their engagement. Bird came out, Diana Taurasis wife Penny Taylor married her in May of 2017. However, when she first saw her ex-wife, she felt different. Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley. She gets it off fast, and I rested for a second. Although the fights reasons are unknown, many suspect it to Glorys sexuality and loyalty. Nonetheless, she made it to the playoffs with the Dallas Wings. They found themselves on the same flight back to the U.S. and in the same limousine from the airport to the doctors office for team physicalsbeginning to get to know each other en route. Vandersloots ring finger, however, remained so swollen that she was forced to wear her bling on her right hand. I remember I was having a conversation like, We have to be able to separate this, Vandersloot recalls, because were both kind of junkies., As hard as it was to keep basketball out of their home, it was easy to keep their home life out of the gym. Most players move every six months between the U.S. and overseas; WNBA salaries average $75,000, but pay can be more than 10 times higher abroad. In Russia, pugs and bulldogs are banned from entry. As they say, the rest was history. Although Johnson married a woman, she hasnt identified herself as a lesbian. (Both women acquired dual citizenship in order to play for the Hungarian national team.) At 5'8", shes two inches shorter than her partner, her frame a shade sturdier. "I'm hoping sometime in the spring we'll be able to have a next step moving forward," she said, "but right now I am trying to really just breathe from this long, long battle and enjoy and rest.". I never had a situation like that but Im very happy, he said. A state title in Indiana is no joke; remember the movie Hoosiers? And I think Megans sensitivity is what drives her to fight for others. Furthermore, she weighs 170 lbs, approximately 77 kgs. Their worriesOh great, I dont know, something could go wrong, Quigley recalls thinking, and its going to affect everyonesubsided, and the couple enjoyed a bubble of acceptance. Previously, she played for Dallas Wings and other international clubs. And while I packed up my bag and flew back home after each five-minute hearing to just wait for the next one, Moore never left the pain she felt of time lost. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Thats a lot of pressure on Diana Taurasi to carry forward the long-range accuracy title of her family all by herself. That has not changed. Following the post, the Seattle Storm tweeted support. Darius Days Bio: Family, Contracts And Net Who Is Aaron Rodgers Wife? So Im very grateful for her and how shes just been like my rock and my foundation.. We have a lot in common and just sort of clicked, Megan said in a 2017 interview with ESPNW. The couple has since appeared as cover stars for the GQ Modern Lovers Issue, where they discussed their relationship on a deeper level and shared what the future might hold for them. But the relationship was nowhere close to a happily ever after story. Steven, there are actually WNBA players dating NBA players, in Houston. They always do. This could include anything from the photographer posting 1-2 photos on social media, to emailing a small . Hence, she received a gold medal for her contribution to the win. So sometimes she might just yell at me. Vandersloot agrees: Im harder on her than anyone else., Over time the women learned not to take criticism personally and to identify stressors and triggers. Moore's eyes were fixed on him. She gets it off fast, and I rested for a second. . Sarah is the former WNBA point guard who is married to an NFL player Matt Ryan, and together, they have a jaw-dropping net worth of $98 million as of 2020. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. During an appearance on Good Morning America Wednesday, the WNBA star revealed that she and Jonathan Irons the man she . Who can say what love is worth, what a life shared is valued at? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Moore led the charge to free Irons from. Because of her hard work and dedication, she has played for major, in salary. Dupree is at 11.3 win shares for her career, and Bonner tops Vandersloot-Quigley union all by herself, at 34.8. The former Wings player was married to Brittney Griner. Gambling problem? Stars and spouses went head-to-head in Las Vegas in last weekends WNBA All-Star Game. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Many of those were highlight quality. She doesnt like it when people try to label her as heterosexual as she considers herself straight. There were rumors that Glory was cheating on Griner with her former boyfriend. Were like twins. Were always trying to think beyond what were doing and I think thats been positive.. She plays for a team called the Seattle Reign, and a little ol team called the USWNT. Furthermore, she played for Xinjiang Tiashan Deers of the Womens Chinese Basketball Association. Do they match? How can we put a value on a marriage, really? She has since expanded the blog to include wellness, travel, and lifestyle content, offering a holistic approach to living a stylish and fulfilling life. Vandersloot to New York, the rise of superteams and a Liberty-Aces WNBA Finals? Once back in Chicago, each negotiated the peaks and pitfalls of being in a relationship with a teammatea first for both women. The Los Angeles Sparks guard tied the knot with her girlfriend Tipesa Moorer on Saturday. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. They have also aligned their WNBA contracts: In 2019, theyre on one-year dealswhich they stress is not a sign they want to play anywhere but Chicago; they just want to maximize their options. Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. In her entire career, she has played for the five different teams of WNBA, earning a good amount of money from each of them as a salary. WNBA star Maya Moore reveals she has married Jonathan Irons, the man she helped free from wrongful conviction. Through her skills and consistent effort, she is also one of the most successful WNBA players. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. These 300 men did. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. "It was pretty shocking when I heard. It now seems more likely that Diana Taurasis girlfriend Penny Taylor could bethe real girlfriend. Quigley, with her wispy, dark-blonde hair and angular features, is more of a halfcourt player. It was tough, but since we originally wrote it in the aftermath of Sue Bird coming out, this is where we landed. There, she won two NCAA National Championships, three Nancy Lieberman Awards, a Naismith Award, a Big East Player of the Year award, and AP College Player of the Year. She has also played for international clubs like WCBA team Zhejiang Golden Bulls and Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg. In 2022, 71.8 percent of NBA players were African American.. Apart from that, she has built quite a reputation through all her years as a basketballer. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. (Talk about #workoutbuddygoals.). This summer the Vanderquigs added plunder from their wedding registry, the plates and cookware Quigley chose and Vandersloots less traditional requests: basketball hoops for their pool, an app-controlled treat dispenser for their dogs, Romeo, a Chihuahua-pug mix, and Gemini, a French bulldog. Its not a deflection. Make an Appointment or Nominate a Day. By clicking submit, you agree to receive emails from Rolling Out and accept our web terms of use and privacy and cookie policy. Why Maya Moore's marriage to Jonathan Irons doesn't diminish her sacrifice, WNBA mock draft: Villanova's Siegrist soars into lottery pick, Serena, Griner honored at NAACP Image Awards, Sparks officially re-sign forward N. Ogwumike, Griner on court in 1st open workout since release, WNBA draft set for N.Y., to have 'Orange Carpet', 2-time All-Star C. Ogwumike back with Sparks, Griner officially rejoins Mercury in 'special signing', Yang joins Sparks after FIBA silver with China, WNBA trade grades: Why Wings, Liberty earn top marks in Saturday's four-team trade. Something tells me shes up for the challenge, though. Theyre really leaders for our team, and everyone looks at them like family., Sloot, as coaches and teammates call her, plays at a high tempo and loves to have the ball in her hands. You cant feel that theyre married on the court, Lavender says. Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley. Cavinder Twins, Stars On TikTok And Basketball Court, Are Nearing $2 Million In NIL Deals, With More Ahead. Through IVF and a sperm donor, Glory has two beautiful twin daughters. Its really just brought more peace, more happiness. One of the results of someone suffering injustice is that pain.". Howard, the 34-year-old Los Angeles Lakers center, celebrated two major milestones in the fall of 2020: his Lakers took home the 2020 NBA championship, and he secretly tied the knot with his fiance Tea Cooper, a rookie with the WNBAs Los Angeles Sparks. Strangers try just about anything to tell Heather and Heidi Burge apart. In short, she's a legend and flag bearer at the Tokyo Olympics. Its a great shop window for photographers and other visual artists and its widely recognised as , And thats exactly what it was. Being apart wasnt so bad at first; Krakow is a five-hour drive from Gyor, Hungary, manageable for an off-day visit. Breanna Stewarts Boyfriend JayVaughn Pinkston? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. WNBA player Chelsea Gray marries girlfriend, Would you ask a cockocracy professor about your penis size? Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird are one of the most decorated celebrity couples across the sports universe. Maya Moore is a married woman! Brittney is also a WNBA center who plays for Phoneix Mercury. Furthermore, her father is an engineer, while her mother serves as an ICU nurse. Under new coach James Wade, a former Lynx assistant who also serves as an assistant for UMMC Ekaterinburg, Chicago got off to a strong start thanks to star forward Diamond DeShields (15.3 points as of July 19) and an improved defense. Charles Barkley was asked if he would leave TNT for the LIV Golf Tour if the new company tripled the amount of money that he makes now. Slowly, both women let teammates and coaches know that they were dating. Their names are Ava Simone and Solei Diem. Invite Your Closest Family Members , Is Squarespace good for photographers? Both of them were mildly injured all over their bodies. Long-beleaguered NBA star Dwight Howard has finally found an oasis after wandering in his own personal desert for the past decade. Shes better off the ball and is a deadeye shooter, hitting 47.7% from behind the arc. Quigley was the leagues Sixth Woman of the Year, averaging 11.2 points and shooting 44.4% from the field. . Wheeler became the first undrafted player to be the All-Star Game MVP. Smith asked guest Michael Kay which New York team . Is Diana Taurasis Girlfriend Penny Taylor? Vandersloot had told the Chicago Sun-Times, I know shes not getting any open threes if Im out on the court, so shes not going to have any shots., In the game, Quigley had 14 points, powered largely by four three-pointers. West Virginia MMA coach and fighters are offering security for a drag brunch. Their strong action shots were impressive. After keeping their relationship out of the spotlight for more than five years, Vandersloot posted a photo on Instagram of herself and her wife in their sleeveless lace gowns, holding hands in front of Puget Sound. The couple bought a split-level house in Deerfield, just a few miles from the Skys practice facility. Examples of WNBA relationships run the gamut. In 2020, the top WNBA base salary was $215,000; in 2019, the top WNBA base salary was $117,500. Everything To Know About 'Daisy Jones & The Six'. It speaks volumes about how relationships can actually work in this league, if you marry the right person, and how your teammates can benefit from [your relationship] as well.. THE FACTS OF Jonathan Irons' case have not changed. Indeed, 25% of the players in this year's WNBA Playoffs were openly LGBTQ+, according to Outsports.In March, WNBA player Natasha Cloud also revealed that she had quietly tied the knot to professional softballer Aleshia Ocasio. I love it. Research Marriage License Requirements. After everything, this is a blip; solutions will emerge. Maya Moore sacrificed years of her life fighting to free a wrongfully convicted man. We definitely enjoy each others company, he said. Frustration became joy became frustration. a Russian basketball player, is pregnant with the couple's first child. Can you imagine going undrafted in the NBA Draft, as JayVaughn did, joining the Brooklyn Nets NBDL team and then immediately tearing your ACL? The news sparked a flurry of questions over social media and the sports landscape. After the hearing, underneath a gray sky spitting pellets of rain, Moore stood on the courthouse steps to answer questions from the few media members in attendance. Johnson played basketball from a young age. Parker has a 12-year-old daughter, Lailaa, from a previous marriage with former Duke product and NBA player Shelden . Diana Taurasi, one of the leagues all-time greats who made her 2019 debut on July 12 after recovering from back surgery, met her spouse, Penny Taylor, in Phoenix too. Soon after, the couple won a contest to have a wedding in the metaverse sponsored by Taco Bell . The 2021 WNBA champion dropped huge news. WNBA players DeWanna Bonner and Candice Dupree have two new additions to their family. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. After a year, Glory and Brittney were already a couple. These 300 men did. The basketballer made, Besides that, the athlete has served on Russian teams and played in the Chinese and Turkish League. Griner was convicted on a charge of attempting to smuggle narcotics into Russia, based on two vape cartridges containing hashish oil that were found in her luggage at a Moscow airport in February, when she traveled to the country to rejoin her Russian pro team. I wondered how they match up to some other married couples in WNBA history, statistically. She has also played in WCBA and Turkish League. Less than a year ago, we asked the question aloud if they were together. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Johnsons sister reportedly called the authorities after the fight escalated. Shes going to do her thing, at her own damn speed, to her own damn rhythm, and shes going to apologize to exactly NO ONE for itIts not an act with her. She represented the United Statesin the 2011 Summer Universiade in China. The former Wings player was married to Brittney Griner. When Vandersloot returned, she and Quigley took advantage of a day off and went to a small resort in Zion, Mich. Nevertheless, the Tulsa power forward helped win against many significant teams. Youve already got a, Tamika Catchings husband Parnell Smith is a former player at the University of Buffalo. The Dream player also has a masters degree in communications. Before returning to the 2016 season, she served a months suspension for her domestic violence case. Theyre each others accountability and motivation. That has not changed. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Eventually, the athlete became one of the best basketball players. Everything works. Glory Johnson Playing For Tennessee Lady Volunteers (12news.com). The salary amount may alter as per the experience level but as reported by some of the sources the average salary in 2018 was around $79,000. Bonner, a guard/forward for the Phoenix Mercury who is sitting out this season, gave birth to twin daughters. She has been a part of the team since 2013. Johnny Haught, who owns an MMA training school in the Ohio Valley, is standing up for drag queens. #6 California. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltzs wedding extravaganza took place over three days, involved 500 guests and reportedly cost an eyewatering $4 million (about R58m). Moreover, Glory is the mother of two beautiful twin daughters. And even that duo, which is somehow playing at an elite level in the WNBA while raising twins and living in separate cities (none of which, alas, counts toward the win shares stat), train the duo that is Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor. They were the first openly gay couple to pose for the shoot. So in late September, before flying to Poland (Quigley) and Hungary (Vandersloot), they decided to begin dating. The case had been laid out two months ago, and now there needed to be another update hearing? WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has stated that the WNBA and its teams firmly support pregnant players and respect each of their decisions. The process, for those who'd endured it, felt interminable. Moreover, she is a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA scoring champion. *Terms apply. That night, with the cars top down, the women took a drive to a nearby beach, where the video rolled and the music played and Vandersloot proposed with a vintage-inspired ring. That was never the case for me., Nobody ever talked about it when I was in high school or college, Sue told the publication. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Johnny Haught, who owns an MMA training school in the Ohio Valley, is standing up for drag queens. It does not store any personal data. Theres something really special, and I know firsthand because I got to be right behind Dawn when she did it in 2004., Better yet, they could both bring back more gold medals to add to their already loaded trophy-case. Griners teammate DeWanna Bonner is married to Candice Dupree, a former Mercury forward who was traded to Indiana in 2017while Bonner was pregnant with the couples twins, whom theyre now raising from bases in cities 1,700 miles apart. She was a power forward for Russian clubs Chevakata Vologda and Nadezhda Orenburg. A post shared by sloot22 (@sloot22) on Dec 29, 2018 at 8:14pm PST. After that, she joined Atlanta Dream after playing the 2019 season. The popularity graph of Glory johnson peaked in march when glory put out a statement regarding the controversy. Fortunately for the point guards, no opponents elbow left a mark. Massachusetts easily takes the number one spot with a median photographer income of $65,090. Phoenix star Brittney Griner was wed to Dallass Glory Johnson for a drama-filled month until Griner filed for an annulment. Subscribe to her newsletter hey howie at madelinehoward.substack.com. She set up a projector to play a video montage, made a playlist, planned the route theyd take in her black Jeep. Its just crazy. Both women in this power couple qualified for the Tokyo Olympics representing Team USA in their respective sports. The womens basketball world was abuzz with the official marking of the marriage between Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, a pair of Chicago Sky stars and backcourt mates. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. On the other hand, Brittney is openly gay. May 12, 2015 / 6:01 AM / CBS DFW . And I know you know what that box could have inside. But it trails Candice Dupree and DeWanna Bonner. Glory Johnson With Her Twin Daughters (Source: Instagram). Taurasi has 65.7 career win shares all by herself, while Taylor totaled 49 in a career that lasted until 2016. The officiant pointed out all of the symbols around us as signs for a good and happy marriage: a rainbow, birds overhead symbols of our angelic ancestors looking over us. MAYA MOORE HAS consistently said that when it comes to criminal justice reform, and her fight for it, the best thing she can do is to "continue to tell Jonathan's story well." According to Forbes, Michael Jordan is NBAs richest player with a humongous net worth of US$1.7 billion. Two weeksbefore her wedding, the bride jammed her ring finger. Besides that, the athlete has served on Russian teams and played in the Chinese and Turkish League. Flip the page to watch the full interview, including Howard discussing what he loves about his new bride around the 37:20 mark. The story of how WNBA teammates decided to get married begins, of course, with hoops. According to Cosmopolitan, on April 22, 2015, the WNBA players Glory and Brittney were arrested after physically assaulting each other. The blog quickly gained a following, thanks to Erin's engaging writing style and keen eye for fashion. Diggins took to Instagram to post a picture with the caption, My good-looking honey and I. .css-26w0xw{display:block;font-family:NationalBold,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-26w0xw:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-26w0xw{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-26w0xw{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-26w0xw{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-26w0xw{font-size:1.575rem;line-height:1.1;margin-bottom:-0.5rem;}}How To Avoid Unexpected Health Bills, Succession Gift Guide For Fans Of The Roy Family, 'Murdaugh Murders' Mallory Beach: Her Life & Death, This 6-In-1 Vacuum Is $400 Off On Amazon RN. Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner. That was my initial reaction. but Bonner had more points within their household 13-8. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. ANYWAYS, Sue Birds girlfriend Megan Rapinoe is a professional womens soccer player. With the wings, she has been to the playoffs. ROSEMONT, IL - AUGUST 4: Courtney Vandersloot #22 and Allie Quigley #14 of the Chicago Sky before the game against the Indiana Fever on August 4, 2015 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The pair announced their engagement on Instagram on June 27th, 2018. Vandersloot averaged 6.8 points, 5.6 assists and 2.2 rebounds despite missing six weeks with a sprained knee. Jason Collins, first openly gay athlete to play in NBA, makes U.S. sports history. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Six first-time All-Stars, including game MVP Erica Wheeler, were on the floor. The recently engaged couple, along with their Sun teammates Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, and Chicago guards Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, all found love in the league and navigate. I still would not trade having Boston for any other player in the nation. In Glorys senior year, she played for the US Basketball team. Furthermore, she reportedly earns over $60,000 in salary. The new mascot will be making appearances at Chicago hot spots over the next few days to meet with fans before making his big debut at the teams pre-season game May 9 at the UIC Pavilion.