Photo by Ilnur Kalimullin on Unsplash
Five reflections on the WNBA Draft and upcoming season
By Damani Edgington
Staff writer
It’s no secret that this year’s NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship game between Iowa vs. South Carolina was one to remember. With the game peaking at 24 million views, it became the most-watched basketball game, period, since 2019. With such a huge game for basketball, and especially women’s ball, it was no surprise the WNBA Draft was so popular that following Monday.
It wasn’t just piggybacking off the great game, though. The draft stood on its own feet as a fabulous event in itself. Here are five takeaways from the WNBA Draft that could lead to possibly the greatest season they’ve seen.
Viewership Was Record Breaking
To start off, the viewership was unmatched to any WNBA draft ever and became the most viewed WNBA event on ESPN platforms. According to sports.yahoo.com, the event was the most watched program of the night for people under 35. With the incoming rookies bringing in a new audience from their college days, their fans could help the league to continue breaking viewership records in the upcoming season.
Lots of Support from Some of Our Undrafted Favorites
With all the viewership, naturally we saw some of our favorite supporters in the stands. UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, who are still in college, were seen cheering for their teammates Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and LSU coach Kim Mulkey were there in support of their previous players, Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese, respectively. We also saw some newer appearances in the women’s basketball world in support, such as commercial icon Jake from State Farm in support of Caitlin Clark.
Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese Heading to Chi-town
Kamilla Cardoso, who just came off the high of a perfect season and a national championship, is heading to the Windy City. Following her will be the Bayou Barbie (Chi-Barbie?), another big name who’s helped the game gain traction in the last two years. They were some of the biggest names getting thrown around during the draft talk so the fact they both landed on the Chicago Sky could mean a lot to fans of the midwestern team. After watching these girls play against each other for so long, I’m sure seeing the effect they’ll have on the league while working together will be sizable (Get it? Sizable? ‘Cause they’re both tall!)
Caitlin Clark Heading To Indy
We can’t speak of sizable effects, without the lady herself, Caitlin Clark. As many fans guessed, the Indiana Fever chose the famous shooter as their first pick. The Iowa native has done a lot for the game of women’s basketball in her four years in college, and she’s projected to do great things in the league. Off the court, she continues to show support for her hometown of West Des Moines, as well as young girls and boys all over the world. As she makes her new home in Indianapolis, the Fever will keep on rebuilding their roster to try to win their WNBA Championship since 2012. Clark was able to bring her Hawkeyes team to the Final Four in back-to-back years, and I’m sure with the help of her new teammates she’ll be able to go even further in the league.
Growth of the Game
When we talk about viewership, draftees and the hype around the women’s ball, it always seems exciting and fast-paced. But, really, it’s good to take a step back and appreciate everything. A few years ago WNBA events weren’t getting anywhere near the numbers they’re getting now. We didn’t see the type of the media buzz around Mya Moore and Diana Taurasi that we’ve seen around Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. It’s important that we recognize how our older players set the stage for our newer players to reach new heights. It’s also important to make sure this growth doesn’t plateau, but instead continues. That doesn’t just mean we should keep watching the games. That means more teams, more room on rosters, and better competition for our ladies. We have to give flowers to the women who are inspiring the next generation of great players.