Spoiler alert: It’s not just Caitlin Clark.
It’s no secret that women’s basketball is having a moment. More than 2.45 million viewers tuned in to watch the 2024 WNBA draft, ticket and merchandise sales are soaring, and the interest in WNBA players and teams has reached a record high. So we asked our friend Malika Andrews, a journalist and host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown on ESPN, to weigh in on the start of the season and her predictions for the rest of it.
Katie Couric Media: All eyes were on Caitlin Clark during the season opener. She lost her first two games of the season to the Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty. What were your takeaways from her WNBA career opener?
That there will be an adjustment period, just like Diana Taurasi predicted a month ago! Remember, Clark and the Indiana Fever faced two of the best teams in the league in their first two outings of the season: the Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty. The Fever lost those games by a combined 57 points — that’s the most through two games in WNBA history. So, it was a rough start, but just like Taurasi predicted the growing pains, she also said recently that Clark’s game is “going to translate, but, like any college quarterback, it’s going to take time.” If a 3X Champion, league MVP, 5X Olympic Gold Medalist — not to mention fellow No. 1 pick — says it, I believe it.
Talk to us about the Caitlin Clark effect…
You’ve heard of the “Taylor Swift effect,” where the superstar singer touches down in a city and is an economy unto herself. Clark is having a similar boosting effect on women’s basketball. At the University of Iowa, Clark helped usher in record-breaking attendance and shattered viewership records for women’s college basketball. It’s a no-brainer that her WNBA debut was also a must-see. The Connecticut Sun announced that their home opener against Clark was a sellout — their first since 2003. Other teams, like the Los Angeles Sparks, have moved their games against the Fever to bigger arenas to accommodate larger crowds.
Other rookies also made their highly anticipated WNBA debuts last week. Who were you watching?
I’m keeping an eye on Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky’s No. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. In college at LSU, Reese backed up her now-viral “you can’t see me” taunt with a national title and the Most Outstanding Player Award. She had 12 points and 8 rebounds in her debut for the Sky — the 8 rebounds tie a franchise record for the most in a rookie debut.
Also, one of my favorite stories of draft night was Kate Martin, who was a starter for the Iowa Hawkeyes alongside Clark. She went to the draft to support Clark and ended up being drafted 18th to the defending Champion Las Vegas Aces. She made it through several rounds of cuts and was named to their roster. It’s an awesome, feel-good story.
There’s been a surge in interest in women’s basketball. What do you think has contributed to that?
Sports fans like superstars, super teams, and rivalries. Women’s basketball has all of that, and it has reached an apex with Clark versus Reese at the collegiate level, clashing in high-stakes games. And in the WNBA, it’s the formation of super teams like the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty.
There have already been a slew of updates within the WNBA — including the announcement of a new team, the Golden State Valkyries…
I love the name the Valkyries, a term that originated from Norse mythology and translates to strong women warriors who are even stronger in groups.
And the WNBA will now provide athletes with charter flights to games. What are your thoughts on these latest developments and how they will actually be implemented?
Traveling via charter is long overdue for WNBA Teams. For years, players have highlighted safety concerns — including exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic and security for Brittany Griner in the wake of her detainment in Russia — that come with flying commercial. Flying commercial also makes it difficult for players to perform at their best if they get stuck on a delayed connecting flight, for example. Teams have documented being stuck in airports for hours on social media. While WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert announced that the Charter program would roll out for the 2024 season, the Associated Press reported that only two of the four teams that played on opening night flew on Charter planes: the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx. Starting on May 21, all teams will be flying charter to games. The league has said the program will cost roughly $25 million for the first two seasons.
What other storyline are you watching this season?
Can the Vegas Aces 3-peat, which hasn’t been done in the WNBA since 1999? If they can stay healthy, I think there’s a good chance they will.
