3 Players Who Will Elevate the WNBA This Season
Originally published April 21, 2024
In a league as scrutinized as the WNBA, having a good reputation as a female basketball player can make or break someone’s career. WNBA players are constantly fighting for equality in a sport dominated by men. The women on the court are paid significantly less than men and receive much lower ratings. There is a stigma that women’s basketball is less interesting than men’s and people prefer to watch men’s sports.
Luckily, the narrative is slowly changing as more and more women are being acknowledged as talented players. The stars of this past women’s NCAA basketball season are changing the face of the game. The WNBA has the opportunity to use the images the new draft class has built for themselves to the league’s advantage. These women are young, motivated and ready to make a name for themselves. Here’s how each of them can shift the image of the WNBA forever.
Image Credit: “Caitlin Clark Big Ten tournament 2024” by John Mac is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Caitlin Clark
I talked about Clark in my last blog post, but she needs to be brought up one more time. Her dominance on the court is one of the reasons this year’s March Madness tournament was watched more than in years past. She is fun to watch and has a calm demeanor that sets her apart from others. If she continues to play the way she did at Iowa in the WNBA, people from all over the country are going to tune in to watch her every game. Her positive public image and strong fanbase will help the WNBA attract more viewers this year.
Image Credit: “Angel Reese LSU 2” by CCS Pictures is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
2. Angel Reese
Reese is another standout player that made March Madness so interesting to watch these past few years. Her reputation is a little more controversial than Clark’s because she’s a competitive player who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. The media portrayed her as the villain of women’s NCAA basketball because she knows she’s good and isn’t afraid to show it. Whether you love her or you hate her, she’s going to be another key reason people watch the WNBA this season. Whenever Angel Reese is on the court, you know she’s going to put on a show.
Image Credit: “Cameron Brink Final Four (cropped)” by John Mac is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
3. Cameron Brink
Brink is someone who lets her play speak for itself. She won Defensive Player of the Year this year and was the second-round draft pick going to the LA Sparks. She’s extremely talented and is another fun player to watch. She’s known to be an all-around good player and her performance alone is enough to get people to watch her games.
These women have the opportunity to elevate women’s basketball to a place it’s never been before this season. They are all talented players that will pack arenas and skyrocket TV ratings. Whether their reputation is squeaky clean or a little controversial, they can change public perception of the WNBA for good.