Sometime this June, the 2023-24 NBA season will conclude with the culmination of the Finals. Once a new champion is crowned, a lengthy offseason of trades, signings, and player development will follow.
Although these events are very entertaining for us fans, basketball will not be played again until October, which is a lot of time to wait before you can watch your favorite team.
However, that may be an excuse to pay more attention to the WNBA, arguably set to kick off its most exciting year ever on May 14 and run through the summer. New rookies, seasoned veterans, and international stars are poised to put the 27-year-old league on the map in many ways.
Women’s basketball has recently shattered TV ratings at the collegiate level, with its March Madness games drawing more viewers than the men’s games. Players like Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, and Angel Reese are moving on to the pro level this year, which raises the league’s talent level significantly.
These new faces will bring great fame to the WNBA and attract more media coverage, which will generate more revenue and allow teams to pay their players more money while investing in upgrades to training facilities and other amenities.
Another factor contributing to the hype is the smart moves general managers have made to improve their rosters for the upcoming season. Following guard Sue Bird’s retirement and a disappointing 2023, the Seattle Storm have created a dangerous duo by signing 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike and 6x All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith in free agency.
Furthermore, the Phoenix Mercury added dynamic playmaker Natasha Cloud, and the Atlanta Dream bolstered their offense by signing 8x All-Star and 2x scoring champion Tina Charles to a one-year contract.
By assembling stronger teams that have the ability to compete for a championship, viewers are going to be able to find the product on the court even more compelling to watch.
Additionally, several intriguing individuals from overseas are coming to play in the WNBA, and fans will need to watch them this summer. Nika Mühl, Carla Leite, and Nyadiew Puoch are all heading to the United States through the draft, while the New York Liberty signed 2x Ligue Féminine de Basketball MVP Kennedy Burke from French side Villeneuve-d’Ascq. This influx of international talent can help get more people from foreign countries to follow the league, creating a fanbase across the globe.
There are way too many reasons why you should start marking your calendars for the WNBA season opener, All-Star Weekend in July, and the beginning of the Playoffs on Sept. 22. After over a quarter century of existence, the best of America’s premier women’s professional basketball league might be yet to come.
