CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – When brainstorming what my first official write-up for Average Joe might be, the WNBA popped into the internal dialogue. I was quick to say to myself, “No. That’s been talked to death already.” Then, about five seconds later, I stopped myself and revisited what I had just thought. The four weeks or so that the WNBA received the most media coverage in its history (maybe outside of its debut almost 30 years ago) was too much?! I quickly changed my tone to, “Nah. We can and should talk more about it.”
I mean, this isn’t some charitable discussion in the spirit of inclusion. This is a legitimate and deserved discussion about a league that is offering what could quite possibly be a new era in women’s basketball. I’m not just talking about Caitlin Clark, either. This year’s draft class was filled with talent that will hopefully propel the league for years to come, and there are some bona fide stars in the college game (Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, etc.) waiting for their turn. Then, you have the drama – no, not stereotypical “girl drama” – I’m talking legit NBA-level drama. You have the old guard like Diana Taurasi and Sheryl Swoopes downplaying the impact of mainly Clark, but the entire exciting rookie class. Then you have the drama within the rookie class itself with outspoken stars like Angel Reese, who did some Draymond Green-level trash talking in college; two of her trash talking targets being Clark and her now Chicago Sky teammate Kamila Cardoza.
The NBA had rivalries that elevated it to a whole new level: (Larry) Bird vs. Magic (Johnson), (Michael) Jordan vs. the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Indiana Pacers. The reluctance of past WNBA stars to acknowledge the new class might produce a new “Who’s the GOAT?” conversation that emulates the NBA’s Jordan or Lebron (James) debate. What’s good for the men should be good for the women, right?
When we delve into the game itself, we see that the WNBA may not match the NBA’s electrifying physical feats, but it stands tall in its own right. The women’s game is a testament to the importance of fundamentals, teamwork, and execution. And honestly, it’s a refreshing sight to see professionals consistently make their free throws (I could research if there’s a stat showing that WNBA players actually do make their free throws at a higher rate than NBA players, but I’m just an “average” sports fan).
As a “girl dad,” uncle to five nieces, brother to three sisters, feminist, and friend to some incredible women, you will never convince me that anything women contribute to the world isn’t worthy of exposure and discussion – and that goes for sports, too. I’m excited that the WNBA is gaining popularity. That doesn’t take away from the NBA or any male-dominated sport. It just gives us more compelling sports to enjoy, and it gives me another sport to spout average knowledge about.