How Does the Formation of Heros and Villians in the WNBA Benefit the League?
As the WNBA hits the midway point of the regular season, it is evident that the league has dramatically risen in popularity. This rise in popularity can be mostly attributed to the stardom of Caitlin Clark. Despite Clark giving the league a spike in viewership, attendance, and sponsorship opportunities, there has been very clear opposition by certain individuals in the WNBA. However, this opposition is actually making the league more marketable because people like to watch sports when there is pride and drama involved between certain players and teams. This is why people love intense rivalries like the Red Sox and Yankees. So let’s evaluate who is becoming a hero and who is becoming a villain in the WNBA.
Hero: Caitlin Clark
Ever since Clark was lighting up March Madness this year with her electric three-point shooting with the Iowa Hawkeyes, she has become a fan favorite. In college, her style of play is what most basketball fans love to watch, which is shooting threes from absurd distances and making them with style. Her shots and athleticism lit up social media and brought a ton of attention to women’s basketball. After getting drafted to the Indiana Fever with the first overall pick, Fever game ticket prices instantly shot up as fans wanted to get a chance to watch Clark thrive in the WNBA. Despite the league throwing her instantly into the fire with an incredibly tough opening schedule, she has thrived as a rookie averaging 16 points, six rebounds, and seven assists per game. She already owns the record for most assists in a season by a rookie even though she still has another 19 games to go. These incredible accolades have helped her secure a spot on the All-WNBA Team. Clark is only getting better as a player and the fan excitement for the WNBA will continue to be driven by her success whether they like it or not.
Villain: Angel Reese
Since their college days, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have been butting heads. Angel Reese has been showing that she is a good player in the WNBA averaging 13 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists per game as well as an All-Star selection similar to Clark. However, what makes her a villain in the eyes of many basketball fans is that she is clearly jealous of the fame and attention that has surrounded Caitlin Clark. In an interview a few weeks ago, she commented that people watch the WNBA for more than just “one person” in reference to Clark’s popularity. This jealousy combined with the previous college tension between them makes for a lot of excitement whenever the Chicago Sky and Angel Reese take on the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark.
Villain: Diana Taurasi and the Olympic Selection Team
After Clark beat UConn in the March Madness Semifinals, Diana Taurasi, a long-time WNBA future Hall-of-Famer said, “Reality is coming [for Caitlin Clark]. You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.” Additionally, even when Clark started to ball out in the league, she was left off the Olympic team which was headed by Diana Taurasi. Not only did this have massive effects that hurt the Olympic team’s popularity and value, but fans were outraged specifically at Taurasi for leaving her off of it because she was “too young.” Earlier this week, Clark would finally get the chance to play against Taurasi and two other players who were selected to be part of the Olympic team, Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper, as an eight-point underdog and beat them 88-82. In that game, Clark played outstanding with 15 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds, which was just one rebound short of her becoming the first rookie to ever record a triple-double. Despite Taurasi and others in the WNBA telling Clark that there would be a reality check for her in the WNBA, all that we’ve seen so far is how dominant she is and will continue to be in the WNBA for the next decade.
