Before we get into anything, let’s send a massive congratulations to Coach Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Finishing a season they way they did (38-0), is not easy and should not be taken lightly. So for all of the couchletes that think “well they’re girls”, I’d think again.
With that being said, the game of women’s basketball, especially on the collegiate level, has now been ushered into a new era thanks to women like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and my new favorite player, JuJu Watkins. These and other incredibly talented lady hoopers sparked a common saying across social media that I’ve never heard before: “This is better than the men’s side of college basketball.” Some even said that this was better than the NBA. And I’d have to agree.
The women’s national championship game was good for not only women’s basketball, but the NCAA as a whole. In an era where the NIL is king and the passion for the game seems nonexistent, the women’s side of hoops gave us the best March Madness experience in right around a decade. NBA and NFL stars were in attendance constantly and after being eliminated, Angel Reese showed up to support the game. This was an experience and it was needed.
Women’s sports has been a negative talking point for many, for years. This year, the women talked back…loudly. That talk has allowed for a high level of excitement to grow for the WNBA draft and possibly rap legend Ice Cube’s Big 3 Basketball League.
After new broke of Cube making women’s hoops phenom Caitlin Clark a historic $5 million offer to join his league, he had this to say: “The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men’s pro team, and she won the championship in her first year. Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”
That alone should explain and solidify the direction that women’s sports is currently moving in. Athletes like Clark, Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Alissa Pili have helped in that.
The Iowa-UConn Final Four matchup garnered 14.2 million viewers (17 million at its peak). This made history as the most watched game (college or professional) in ESPN history. While the championship numbers haven’t been released yet, one thing can be for certain: March and collegiate hoops in general, now belongs to the ladies.
Excellent!!!