Today, Angel Reese announced her intentions to enter the WNBA Draft.
It was also reported today that the Iowa-LSU game set an all-time record for ratings with 13.3M people supposedly watching. This was the highest rated basketball game on ESPN since the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. It was also higher rated than any of last year's NBA Finals games other than Game 5. And this means it outdrew every single MLB game last season.
On Friday, UConn and Paige Bueckers will take on Iowa and Caitlyn Clark in the Final Four, a game that will likely also be very highly rated. Even though this isn't the National Championship Game, it has sort of parallels to Indiana State and Larry Bird vs. Michigan State and Magic Johnson. The problem is, Bueckers has said she is returning tu UConn and not entering the WNBA draft.
I'm seeing Cameron Brink projected as the #2 overall pick, after the obvious #1 being Clark, but what about if Bueckers was in this draft? Shouldn't the WNBA be doing everything in its power to create a reason for Bueckers to change her mind and enter the draft? I mean it will be compelling to have Reese and Clark in the same draft, but I'm guessing Clark and Bueckers will put on an epic game on Friday that would make having Bueckers and Clark entering the same draft be a dream for the WNBA in terms of raising its business profile.
I don't know what the media rights are for the WNBA or when they are up, but this is when the WNBA (NBA) should be putting all its chips in to infuse the league with box office star power this year to raise its value and increase the compensation of WNBA players. Like many people, I'm slowly being pulled into women's basketball at the highest level, but I don't think I've ever watched more than a couple minutes of a WNBA game. If I could see Clark, Bueckers, Reese, and Brink be rookies in the same year, it might be enough to get me to tune in to the draft and watch WNBA games.
Sabrina Ionescu was sort of playing the Caitlyn Clark role a few years ago, and Breanna Stewart was a star too, but I don't think either really resonated like Clark and Bueckers, even Reese does. Having them all join the WNBA would be like getting Zion, Ja, and Wemby in the same draft. I don't know how the WNBA can pass this opportunity to get Bueckers and Clark in the same draft. They do it by offering top draft picks more money.
Anyone have thoughts on this?
It was also reported today that the Iowa-LSU game set an all-time record for ratings with 13.3M people supposedly watching. This was the highest rated basketball game on ESPN since the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. It was also higher rated than any of last year's NBA Finals games other than Game 5. And this means it outdrew every single MLB game last season.
On Friday, UConn and Paige Bueckers will take on Iowa and Caitlyn Clark in the Final Four, a game that will likely also be very highly rated. Even though this isn't the National Championship Game, it has sort of parallels to Indiana State and Larry Bird vs. Michigan State and Magic Johnson. The problem is, Bueckers has said she is returning tu UConn and not entering the WNBA draft.
I'm seeing Cameron Brink projected as the #2 overall pick, after the obvious #1 being Clark, but what about if Bueckers was in this draft? Shouldn't the WNBA be doing everything in its power to create a reason for Bueckers to change her mind and enter the draft? I mean it will be compelling to have Reese and Clark in the same draft, but I'm guessing Clark and Bueckers will put on an epic game on Friday that would make having Bueckers and Clark entering the same draft be a dream for the WNBA in terms of raising its business profile.
I don't know what the media rights are for the WNBA or when they are up, but this is when the WNBA (NBA) should be putting all its chips in to infuse the league with box office star power this year to raise its value and increase the compensation of WNBA players. Like many people, I'm slowly being pulled into women's basketball at the highest level, but I don't think I've ever watched more than a couple minutes of a WNBA game. If I could see Clark, Bueckers, Reese, and Brink be rookies in the same year, it might be enough to get me to tune in to the draft and watch WNBA games.
Sabrina Ionescu was sort of playing the Caitlyn Clark role a few years ago, and Breanna Stewart was a star too, but I don't think either really resonated like Clark and Bueckers, even Reese does. Having them all join the WNBA would be like getting Zion, Ja, and Wemby in the same draft. I don't know how the WNBA can pass this opportunity to get Bueckers and Clark in the same draft. They do it by offering top draft picks more money.
Anyone have thoughts on this?
