(W)NBA Recap: Brave New World
Wassup y’all! Ya boy (it me, ya boy) is back with another recap. This time, we will include much more WNBA, articles, takes and opinions from now until the 28th season is ended. Twelve teams, including last year’s champion Aces, will look to be the one to hold up the trophy at the end. Along the way, there are sure to be amazing performances all across the league, as the journey to the title is just as important as winning the title itself. As fans, we are in for an amazing ride over the summer and early fall. This is an Atlanta Dream-leaning blog, but I will be sure to highlight the paramount happenings throughout the season.
In so many ways, the start of this season feels different. Coming off the biggest and most-watched season of women’s college basketball ever, that momentum will be carried into the pro season. Those of us who love it are so excited for more exposure, as it will bring better amenities, profits and other benefits of popularity. We already see it with a few of the WNBA players modeling for Skims underwear. Aces guard Kelsey Plum has her own line of cigars coming out. Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese attended the Met Gala. The momentum gathering has the potential to boost the W closer to the other major pro sports in the United States.
However.
With more popularity and eyes on a growing entity, there will also be some, shall we say, “unfavorable additions,” that come with that growth. Here’s what I mean. With more eyes watching women’s basketball, that means more casual fans. And with more casual fans, that means very short-sighted opinions and takes. Expect for some people to have lofty expectations for number one pick Caitlin Clark and the other high-profile rookies. Because there will be a number of people who migrate to the W because of Clark, they may carry this notion that she is supposed to immediately do so many of the outstanding things she did while playing at Iowa. As living legend Diana Taurasi has alluded to, it is going to be harder for any first-year player to make the transition from college to pro. And while a lot of us know and understand that, there is this permeating desire to have the quickest, boldest opinions instead of allowing players and situations to develop further.
The reason I bring this up is to speak to those of us who love the W and have been here for a while. Do not let your frustration with those hot takes and short-sighted opinions take away from the thing you enjoy. Do not let your love be tainted by an opinion you know is unfounded. Casual fans are a part of sports—and they are just as necessary as us devotees because of the simple math that more fans means more opportunities and improve the product. Do not be dismayed by the increase in chatter from misinformed or even purposely negative places. Enjoy the games and the season, as well as the exponential growth this league will see this year. It’s up to us to shine light on the entirety of the W.
Here are some Till Takes!
Las Vegas Aces forward and two-time league MVP A’ja Wilson is getting her first signature shoe, with the collection slated to be released in 2025. Wilson is the first Black WNBA player since 2010 to get her own shoe, and it is long overdue for both her and the W as a whole. Hopefully this leads to more signature shoe and apparel deals for as many of the stars on the W as possible.
We have the official name of the newest WNBA team. Slated to debut in 2025, the Golden State Valkyries dropped a ten-second teaser recently. The name goes well with its NBA counterpart Warriors, and I look forward to further league expansion in her coming years.
That’s it for this first WNBA recap. Let’s enjoy this season and I’ll catch you next time.