2025 WNBA Thread

[MU82]

Exciting, physical game between the Fever and Mercury. Indiana won at the end, its first victory over a team with an above-.500 record.

Clark didn't shoot well but was 1 rebound shy of a triple-double. Taurasi, who famously warned Clark that "reality is coming" after Clark was drafted #1, finished with 19. They didn't get into it at all, but there were a couple of skirmishes and flagrant fouls involving other players.

[Uncle Rico]

https://x.com/thedunkcentral/status/1807904278973239504?s=46&t=QSiaGcOIKZrrpw0ciZkI5Q

[wadesworld]

https://x.com/thedunkcentral/status/1807904278973239504?s=46&t=QSiaGcOIKZrrpw0ciZkI5Q

Her teammates must've woken up and started fighting back for the hand that is making them all rich.

[MU82]

I like what the WNBA is doing as an All-Star Game format this season - the WNBA All-Star Team vs. the U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team.

Also, both Clark and Reese made the All-Star Team, so that's fun.

[MU82]

19 points (despite 3-12 from 3), 13 assists, 12 rebounds for Caitlin Clark in Indiana's upset over NY. First rookie with triple-double in WNBA history.

Meanwhile, Angel Reese has had double-doubles (points-rebounds) in 12 straight games, tying Candace Parker's league record.

Two damn good rookies!

[MU82]

Biggest home crowd ever for the Minnesota Lynx. First $1 million gate in franchise history, too, according to the Minneapolis newspaper.

All because of the obvious reason.

[MU82]

Caitlin Clark says, "You're Welcome!"

From The Athletic:

The WNBA's next national media rights package has come into shape. The league is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion over the next 11 years in rights fees in its new deals — an average of $200 million a year — with an opening to earn more over that period, according to league sources briefed on the contracts.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5642386/2024/07/16/wnba-media-rights-deal-negotiations/

The current deal pays the league about $50M annually, so the new deal will be worth 4-6 times that, depending on potential additional broadcast partners.

Players are about to get significant raises. It will be interesting to see those developments.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Caitlin Clark says, "You're Welcome!"

From The Athletic:

The WNBA's next national media rights package has come into shape. The league is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion over the next 11 years in rights fees in its new deals — an average of $200 million a year — with an opening to earn more over that period, according to league sources briefed on the contracts.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5642386/2024/07/16/wnba-media-rights-deal-negotiations/

The current deal pays the league about $50M annually, so the new deal will be worth 4-6 times that, depending on potential additional broadcast partners.

Players are about to get significant raises. It will be interesting to see those developments.

There is an article on the growing popularity of the WNBA in the latest Rolling Stone.

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-sports/wnba-womens-basketball-olympics-1235030924/

The players/teams just started riding charter jets to games.  Previously, the league made players fly commercial air like the rest of the world.

[rocket surgeon]

Ain't that part of the appeal? 

(For the roqqets of the world, it probably is.)

you keep forgetting jockstrap, i'm color blind unlike you guys...character matters-try it some time

[The Sultan]

you keep forgetting jockstrap, i'm color blind unlike you guys...character matters-try it some time

Huh.

[Uncle Rico]

you keep forgetting jockstrap, i'm color blind unlike you guys...character matters-try it some time

For you?  No, it doesn't.  At all.  You've proven that on a daily basis.  So, either you're a liar or just plain stupid.  Probably both.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Fercrissake, can all of you please keep the personal insults out of every friggin' thread you jump into? Rather than ban insults and politics, maybe Rocky needs to start a single thread for those things and then resolutely police it everywhere else.

[Pakuni]

WNBA about to quadruple its media rights contract.

The WNBA's next national media rights package has come into shape. The league is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion over the next 11 years in rights fees in its new deals — an average of $200 million a year — with an opening to earn more over that period, according to league sources briefed on the contracts.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5642386/2024/07/16/wnba-media-rights-deal-negotiations/#?redirected=1

[Uncle Rico]

WNBA about to quadruple its media rights contract.

The WNBA's next national media rights package has come into shape. The league is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion over the next 11 years in rights fees in its new deals — an average of $200 million a year — with an opening to earn more over that period, according to league sources briefed on the contracts.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5642386/2024/07/16/wnba-media-rights-deal-negotiations/#?redirected=1

Terrible news for Clay Travis and Willie

[MuggsyB]

Clark is doing just fine. 

[MU82]

The WNBA got it right with its All-Star Game, which will be played tomorrow night. It will be the U.S. Olympic team vs. a team of WNBA All-Stars who didn't make the Olympic roster. In other words, the chosen vs. the snubbed. There are some bad feelings, and - unlike every other all-star game - is set up to be highly competitive.

One of the interesting little storylines (from The Athletic): DeWanna Bonner (Team WNBA) and Alyssa Thomas (Team USA) will play against each other. The two are engaged and are teammates on the Connecticut Sun.

[Jockey]

WNBA about to quadruple its media rights contract.

The WNBA's next national media rights package has come into shape. The league is set to receive roughly $2.2 billion over the next 11 years in rights fees in its new deals — an average of $200 million a year — with an opening to earn more over that period, according to league sources briefed on the contracts.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5642386/2024/07/16/wnba-media-rights-deal-negotiations/#?redirected=1

Amazing what one little white girl can accomplish. There have been many other better players who never moved the neddle even a little bit.

[The Sultan]

Amazing what one little white girl can accomplish.

Good lord.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Amazing what one little white girl can accomplish. There have been many other better players who never moved the neddle even a little bit.

She scored more points than Pistol Pete. People love offense. There were far better baseball players than McGuire and Sosa but they drove unprecedented TV numbers for their time because people love watching dingers

[Jockey]

She scored more points than Pistol Pete. People love offense. There were far better baseball players than McGuire and Sosa but they drove unprecedented TV numbers for their time because people love watching dingers

I partially agree, but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. leading all time scorers didn't move the needle even a speck. As a matter of fact, I doubt anyone here could name even 2 of the top 10 all time scorers.

I'll also say I think it was the media - much more than fans that hinted at a racial narrative. The media made Angel Reese a thug. When Caitlin is fouled hard, it is the media that drives the black picking on white narrative.

There is a long history of the media doing this going back to Imus calling the Rutger's black players ho's.

[lawdog77]

I partially agree, but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. leading all time scorers didn't move the needle even a speck. As a matter of fact, I doubt anyone here could name even 2 of the top 10 all time scorers.

I'll also say I think it was the media - much more than fans that hinted at a racial narrative. The media made Angel Reese a thug. When Caitlin is fouled hard, it is the media that drives the black picking on white narrative.

There is a long history of the media doing this going back to Imus calling the Rutger's black players ho's.

You sure get triggered easily

[JWags85]

I partially agree, but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. leading all time scorers didn't move the needle even a speck. As a matter of fact, I doubt anyone here could name even 2 of the top 10 all time scorers.

The #2 all time is arguably one of the top 5 stars of the WNBA, Kelsey Plum...who is also a "little white girl" from a wealthy San Diego suburb and is very attractive, so.... But her Washington teams weren't great. They had miracle FF run when she was a junior after a middling year, but then not much as a senior.

#3 played at a mid major and then mediocre WNIT bound Syracuse teams. 

#4 is Clark's teammate, Mitchell, who was on very good but not title contending OSU teams.  Mitchell scored a bunch but wasn't even a first team AA her final 2 years, much less NPOY.

Clark took her team to an unexpected S16 as a freshman, while being 1st team All-Big 10 and NFOY.  Then was first team AA 3 years in a row.  Her junior year when she was getting buzz, Iowa made the run to the championship game.  Then as reigning NPOY, she went to even higher levels.

Has there been racial grifters on both sides going crazy since she got drafted? Of course.  But Iowa wasn't drawing record crowds every game and huge tv ratings cause of raycessss people.  It was a generational talent who backed up every accolade and bit of buzz while playing an extremely aesthetically brand of basketball that was nothing like what people negatively criticize the women's game for.

The people that cling to the racial aspects of Clark and her appeal don't really care about women's basketball or the growth of the women's game, including "old school" WNBA fans who gatekeep new fans cause they weren't there from the start

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I partially agree, but the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. leading all time scorers didn't move the needle even a speck. As a matter of fact, I doubt anyone here could name even 2 of the top 10 all time scorers.

I'll also say I think it was the media - much more than fans that hinted at a racial narrative. The media made Angel Reese a thug. When Caitlin is fouled hard, it is the media that drives the black picking on white narrative.

There is a long history of the media doing this going back to Imus calling the Rutger's black players ho's.

Don't get me wrong,  there have been gross racial narratives especially since she made the WNBA. But she also is #1 on the list, went to back to back national championships, and is the only one on that list consistently hitting threes from the logo (which is arguably the coolest way to score in the WNBA). The hype is earned. The racial baggage that comes with it is unfortunate

[MU82]

Don't get me wrong,  there have been gross racial narratives especially since she made the WNBA. But she also is #1 on the list, went to back to back national championships, and is the only one on that list consistently hitting threes from the logo (which is arguably the coolest way to score in the WNBA). The hype is earned. The racial baggage that comes with it is unfortunate

Yep.

[MU82]

That was fun. The best ASG in any sport in years.