2024 WNBA: A Historic Leap into the Mainstream

This season was different. The 2024 WNBA season will be known as the year the league truly arrived into the mainstream. From an historic MVP campaign, record-breaking rookie seasons, social media controversies and Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve claiming the WNBA conspired against her team, let’s dive into the most memorable year in league history.

A’ja Freaking Wilson

Heading into the season, there were many questions about the Las Vegas Aces and their quest to three-peat. The Aces had to overcome injuries to players like “Point-Gawd” Chelsea Gray, Kiah Stokes, Sydney Colson, and Kierstan Bell, in addition to natural challenges like a potential lack of focus, brought on by the comfort of being back-to-back world champions. A’ja Wilson took it upon herself to keep the Aces afloat, commanding the court with a game that resembled a mix of Lisa Leslie, Tim Duncan, and Chris Bosh. Wilson cemented herself as the best player in the world, setting WNBA records for scoring average (26.9), total points (1,021), and total rebounds (451). Her season included her first 20-20 game—a 24-point, 20-rebound performance against Seattle—and the two highest-scoring games of the WNBA season, with 42 against Dallas and 41 against Phoenix. Throughout the season, it was evident this was not the same Aces team as the previous two, yet Wilson’s excellence led many to believe Vegas could accomplish what no team in the WNBA has done since the Houston Comets’ four-peat from 1997 to 2000. After a semifinal loss to the New York Liberty, Las Vegas will need to retool their roster around Wilson for another finals run. However, having the best player in the world on their team makes that goal significantly easier.

Caitlin, Angel & the 2024 Rookie Class

Oh boy, where do I even begin? Heading into the season, there was already heightened attention on the league due to the stardom Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark achieved in college. But in America, projecting our politics and personal struggles onto athletes has become a national pastime, so naturally, they became lightning rods for broader debates. First, the Caitlin Clark effect is real—a phenomenon that’s not stopping anytime soon. The WNBA has always struggled with white viewership, with the Women’s NCAA Tournament audience being about 71% white, compared to just 55% for WNBA games, according to Rachel Bachman of The Wall Street Journal. Thanks to Clark, non-Hispanic white viewers have grown 156% on ION and 301% on ESPN networks. “Influx of college fans is contributing to another big shift in WNBA viewership: it’s gotten whiter,” Bachman states, with Clark being a major factor. When a white basketball player is a hybrid between Steph Curry and Steve Nash guess what’s going to happen, people are going to tune in.

However, this influx of new fans has its positives and negatives; as women’s basketball gains popularity, one trade-off is the surge of trolls and people who use sports to vent their anger and biases. Social media has given society an outlet to voice opinions that might not have been expressed as openly before, and now because of this “voice” everyone feels the need to share, no matter the context. The 2023 Women’s National Championship game exemplifies this phenomenon, and I recognize that sports has always served as an avenue for society to project their politics and beliefs, but just how trivial Clark & Reese’s names have became since that eventful day in April 2023 has been compelling to say the least. In American society, context and nuance is often seen a nuetrality and the massive grey area that life is constantly shaded by the colors of black and white. The ability to think critically is overshadowed by black-and-white thinking, so anything challenging one’s beliefs or the vessle that they are projecting those beliefs onto immediately becomes a threat. Normal plays or normal instances of pettiness/agression that is seen within the realm of competitive sports constantly, being magnified into political stances; throwing the gas upon the rising politcal and racial fire within the United States. Elbows happen, players get knocked down, players get stepped over (sorry Ty Lue), and most of us who played competitve sports were probably taught to never help up the other team up off the floor. Why? Because why would you help up the enemy?

Clark is not a victim; she’s a basketball player—and a damn tough one at that. Meanwhile, Americans usually love aggression, trash talk, and players with a “dog” mentality, until it’s someone like Angel Reese. Some who adored athletes like Conor McGregor due to the sharp tongue and alpha personality he exhibited think Angel should “tone it down,” which would be a horrible mistake. Reese’s presence in pop culture and fashion represents a cultural crossover that the WNBA has struggled to achieve since its inception. Along with rookies like Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, Reese is helping to embed a fresh cultural dimension within the WNBA. As ANDSCAPE’s Sam Hurd writes, “Despite Reese’s growing overlap in pop culture, particularly Black music culture, her impact at the national level in aiding the growth of the game can still feel at times undervalued.” People need to understand that Clark and Reese are different types of players. Angel is a Draymond Green/Dennis Rodman hybrid and someone can be a college legend without replicating that same role in the pros, but that doesn’t diminish her impact on and off the court.

Both players had a slow start to the season, which was expected after the quick turnaround from the college season. For context, the Men’s 2024 National Championship game was on April 8, and the NBA season began October 22, giving rookies over six months to prepare. In contrast, the Women’s National Championship game was on April 7, and the WNBA season began May 14, giving Clark and Reese only a month to prepare for arguably the most competetive league in the world. Controversies around Clark’s Olympic absence, social media threats, and think pieces nearly clouded their rookie seasons with drama. Yet these women are different. Reese set WNBA records for most rebounds in a single season (446), most consecutive double-doubles (15), and most double-doubles by a rookie (26), establishing herself as one of the best rebounders and defenders in the league. Clark’s performance after the Olympic break put her in a new stratosphere, delivering one of the most impressive runs we’ve seen from a rookie. Averaging 24.6 points per game with a 62.4% true shooting percentage and 9 assists, Clark’s play—alongside Aaliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell—helped Indiana reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Rookie of the Year, All-WNBA First Team, and fourth in MVP voting; it’s hard to wait eight months to see what Caitlin Clark has next, but the wait will be worth it.

Liberty’s Redemption Run

Congratulations to the New York Liberty on winning their first championship in franchise history. I’ve never seen a team’s best two players shoot a combined 5-for-34 in an elimination game and still win, but I guess that’s why Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve committed one the greatest press conference crash-outs ever. Game 5 saw New York’s Breanna Stewart force overtime on free throws after being fouled by the Lynx’s Alanna Smith following a travel violation by Stewart that was not called. Game 4 also ended controversially, but that time in Minnesota’s favor with the Lynx’s Bridget Carleton being given free throws in the final seconds to extend to series to a winner-take-all Game 5. New York’s BreAnna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat in Game 5 shooting 5-for-34 combined. If they were the shooters JFK would’ve lived until at least the year 1990; however, the Lynx only led by max 12 points in the first half. That’s not on the referees; the Liberty had no business being in the game shooting that poorly. That falls on Minnesota and thier inablity to get a good shot off in the second half with their offense divulging into either Courtney Williams or Kayla McBride trying to go isolation, or pick and roll relegating MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier to the corner like she’s Baby in Dirty Dancing. That’s why Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve was so ivid, saying the game was “stolen” due to officiating: “All the headlines will be, ‘Reeve cries foul.’ Bring it on…this s— was stolen from us. Bring it on.” Reflecting on her team’s season Reeve even jabbed the Liberty for violating charter flight rules in 2021: “We built the team within the rules…we gave hope to those teams that aren’t willing to circumvent the cap or fly illegally.”

Reeve’s frustration is justified, especially as New York shot 25 free throws to Minnesota’s 8, and Napheesa Collier, who took 23 shots, did not have a single free throw attempt in Game 5—the first time in her entire career taking over twenty shots, but not having a single free throw attempt. While the league’s officiating was criticized all year for its inconsistency, the Lynx’s inability to capitalize played more of a role. Nevertheless, depite Reeve’s statements New York finally claimed their first championship after falling short in ’97, ’99, ’00, ’02, and ’23, so you know what they say… six times the charm. This was New York’s first basketball championship since the Nets’ ABA win in 1976, and The Liberty are also the last of the original WNBA franchises still active to win their first championship joining the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and Las Vegas Aces (Utah Starzz). A franchise built off of the backs of legends like Theresa Witherspoon, Rebecca Lobo, Becky Hammon and Cappie Pondexter, New York has come a long way since playing in front of 2,000 fans at the Westchester County Center. Today, the Liberty are integrated into New York culture, embraced across all five boroughs.

The 2024 WNBA season marked the year women’s basketball truly broke into the mainstream. There’s much to improve, but with Game 5 of the finals drawing 2.15 million viewers—the most since 1999—this season proved that if we continue to support, the game will continue to grow.