Since the inception of the WNBA, there has always been a lack of fan base around the sport and the athletes complained about it heavily. Along with the monetary compensation that they believe they should be rewarded with, comparing their pay to their male counterparts in the NBA. Well, I believe that we are making those steps to create a massive amount of interest, with names like Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and probably the most notorious name Caitlin Clark. Although I don’t think Clark is the only reason why people are talking about the WNBA now, she is a big reason why.
Before these rookies made their name in college and came up to the professionals. I couldn’t name a single player in the WNBA and that’s the truth. But now I can name off Clark and tell you she plays for the Indiana team. It seems now that there are players who don’t like the attention that she is getting, maybe it’s the “welcome to league rookie” unwritten rule or maybe it’s because vets in the league don’t like the attention she is getting when they have been in the league for so long.
Over this weekend there was a clip that was being played of Chennedy Carter shoulder-checking Caitlin Clark after Carter made a mid-range 2-pointer, where Clark was not a part of the play and looking away from Carter. I do think that shoulder-check was personal, absolutely and I am here for it! Carter and Clark were exchanging words before that play, so yeah emotions were going to be high.
Carter would go on to say after the game “Besides three-point shooting what does she bring to the table man”, I guess Carter has never heard of Steph Curry. The man who changed the way basketball is played today by shooting the three ball and essentially eliminating an entire need for a big man to stand around the rim. Clark’s head coach would call the foul “unacceptable. Draymond Green, a Golden State Warriors star player, also said they should get an enforcer on the team for Clark.
The league should not take away the physicality that these players are playing with. One thing that is great about the UFC, is having women fight in those cages, no different from men, and allowing those women to come out with a passion, tenacity, and physical prowess that garners fans respect. We now see that in the WNBA, it’s what made basketball great in the 80’s 90’s, and early 2000’s. Remember Malice at the Palace, I still look up that video on YouTube.
What I’m trying to say is that these women do not need to be coddled and kept safe. These are grown women who pushed for equality and opportunity. The league is now getting media attention, highlight clips, and even ABC News is now talking about this situation. These are great things for the WNBA and if one thing for certain Clark says she is up for the level of physical play.
