Sue Bird, a WNBA legend, recently discussed the league’s expansion in response to enquiries concerning the impact of Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
Bird thinks that while the league has grown every year both on and off the court, the increase in popularity and viewership has happened gradually. She also thinks that players have changed.
The WNBA fan base values a player’s brand off the court, where ladies like Reese and Clark exhibit their individuality, says Bird.
Although she thinks the younger generation is pushing the boundaries, it appears Bird also made a hint that league icons like herself, who bore the brunt of the WNBA’s difficult days, are to blame for the progress.
Sometimes timing is everything,” Bird remarked. “I believe there’s a point in it when some guys, all of them, have personality and are displaying it. I believe that younger generations do push the boundaries a little bit. I remember that when I was transitioning from college to the working world, women were advised to “be grateful you even have a job, don’t rock the boat too much,” and to “shut up and dribble.”
Although the league has been growing for years, Clark and Reese contributed significantly to the growth that the WNBA has been lacking since its founding.
Both Clark and Reese excelled in college, with the Fever guard surpassing the Iowa Hawkeyes as the NCAA’s all-time best scorer (3,951 points) and the Sky forward assisting the LSU Tigers in winning the national championship in 2023.
Both of them had a strong voice both on and off the court when they entered the league.
Currently, Reese has amassed over nine million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and X, while Clark has more than three million followers on her social media accounts.
Right now, the two players are competing for the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year title
and their innumerable supporters have spoken out about the controversy.
Reese is presently leading Indiana in scoring with 13.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, while Clark is averaging 17.1 points and 8.2 assists.
With their influence both on and off the court, they have been putting on a show for the WNBA, contributing to the brand’s growth.
Although Bird feels that the league’s rise has been mostly attributed to timing, the bright rookie class has also been at the forefront of change.
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