WNBA: The 2024 Regular Season and Playoffs

Another point closer to home.

brevity's "The 2023 WNBA Season" thread had 24 posts. Total. For the entire season. And a Dukie was a key player for the champions.
 
I feel like there's a straw man at play here. No one is suggesting that Clark wouldn't increase viewership. The question seems to be if that's reason to include her on the team.

It's quite clear that folks will watch her who wouldn't otherwise tune in.
 
Stray Gator said:
I think that the arguments being made by those who favor including Caitlin Clark on the Olympic team and by those who oppose adding her to the roster both have merit. Accepting that the USA women are likely to win the gold medal again in any event, and that Clark is sufficiently talented to qualify for the team, the case for including Clark rests largely on the expectation that her immense popularity would present an opportunity to attract more viewers for the women's games at the Olympics. On the other side, those who oppose her inclusion maintain that a spot on the Olympic team is an honor or distinction that should be earned by the "best" players, with "best" being defined to encompass valued qualities beyond pure talent, such as experience in international competition and proven leadership skills. Some observers have further questioned whether it would be appropriate to create a spot for Clark because that would require removing a player already slated to be on the roster; and the player most frequently named as one who might be replaced is Diana Taurasi, who is slated to be in her sixth Olympics.

Because I see merit in both positions, I don't see either outcome as "wrong." But on balance, I'd be inclined to vote in favor of replacing Taurasi with Clark, for several reasons. First, no one disputes that Clark's participation would draw a substantial number of viewers who would not otherwise watch the women's games; aside from NBC and the sponsors, it seems to me that those who would benefit most from that added attention and interest would be the other players -- and not just those on the Olympic team, but all the women's basketball players in the WNBA and in college basketball. Second, to the extent that experience and leadership are factors to be considered, I believe that other players on the roster provide an ample reservoir that the team can draw upon, even without Taurasi; moreover, shouldn't the fact that this would enable Clark herself to acquire such valuable experience and skills, which would likely benefit future USA women's Olympic teams, militate in favor of her inclusion? Finally, the fact that Taurasi has already amassed a total of five Olympic gold medals would, IMO, militate in favor of affording the younger player a chance to earn and enjoy that achievement, rather than allowing the veteran to collect another medal that she can hang alongside the five she's already got.
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Brilliant.

And very well-written, as usual.
 
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 said:
I feel like there's a straw man at play here. No one is suggesting that Clark wouldn't increase viewership. The question seems to be if that's reason to include her on the team.

It's quite clear that folks will watch her who wouldn't otherwise tune in.
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And the answer is yes. It's a business decision. Plain and simple.

Every player in the WNBA should sign a petition for Caitlin to be on the squad. Because they will soon see their paychecks growing bigger. Only idiot golfers were upset at the attention Tiger was bringing to the game, and they quickly figured it out. Before anyone goes off that I'm comparing Caitlin to Tiger, she still has a long way to go to become one of the best ever in her sport. But I'd argue she has a tougher lift than Tiger did, getting eyeballs on her sport.
 
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 said:
I feel like there's a straw man at play here. No one is suggesting that Clark wouldn't increase viewership. The question seems to be if that's reason to include her on the team.

It's quite clear that folks will watch her who wouldn't otherwise tune in.
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No straw man at all. What you said is precisely the point almost all are making. No one is hiding that.
 
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 said:
I feel like there's a straw man at play here. No one is suggesting that Clark wouldn't increase viewership. The question seems to be if that's reason to include her on the team.

It's quite clear that folks will watch her who wouldn't otherwise tune in.
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To be clear, if Clark was a mediocre WNBA prospect who attracted eyeballs but didn't seem to have the skills to impact her team in a positive way -- like is she was the daughter of a super-famous player who averaged less than 5 ppg in college -- then I would say she would not deserve to be included on the team. But, the reality is that pretty much everyone can see that she is going to be a very significant star in the WNBA for a long time. I don't think anyone is arguing her magnetic personality and popularity are the sole reason she should be on the team. What is being said is that when you combine her basketball skills (17th in the league in scoring, 4th in assists, 25th in rebounds, 13th in blocks... as a rookie!!) with her unprecedented popularity then you get what should be a no brainer decision to include her on the team.

But if the powers that be in women's basketball -- who have struggled for decades to get attention for their sport -- want to forgo the magic of pairing their biggest star with their biggest stage for 4 more years, that impossibly stupid decision is on them.
 
Fire up the conspiracy theories! In a game last night, WNBA rookie and current member of the Olympic team Cameron Brink injured her knee.

Brink, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft out of Stanford, appeared to slip while driving to the basket at Mohegan Sun Arena in the first quarter.

Brink, 22, got up slowly and hobbled to the sideline, then was carried to the locker room by two staff members.
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https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/i...ink-exits-game-vs-connecticut-sun-knee-injury

This was obviously a scripted event so that Brink can withdraw from the team and be replaced by Clark. :rolleyes:
 
CameronBornAndBred said:
Fire up the conspiracy theories! In a game last night, WNBA rookie and current member of the Olympic team Cameron Brink injured her knee.

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/i...ink-exits-game-vs-connecticut-sun-knee-injury

This was obviously a scripted event so that Brink can withdraw from the team and be replaced by Clark. :rolleyes:
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Want to see fans go insane? Someone gets injured and cannot play and USA Basketball picks someone other than Caitlyn as the replacement player.
 
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 said:
Not unless she's going to be on the women's 3x3 team. Though it would be an interesting twist.
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Oh yeah. I hadn't followed much since they announced Brink being on the team, and that came before the official roster release. I missed that it was for the 3 X 3 and not the regular squad.

All Clark needs to do is grow 4 inches and she'll be a perfect replacement.
 
CameronBornAndBred said:
Oh yeah. I hadn't followed much since they announced Brink being on the team, and that came before the official roster release. I missed that it was for the 3 X 3 and not the regular squad.

All Clark needs to do is grow 4 inches and she'll be a perfect replacement.
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If they don't add her to the 3x3 squad it will be the XXXXest thing since XXXX
 
SouthernDukie said:
And on a more sober note, Cameron Brink has torn her ACL. Really sad for her.
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That sucks. Guaranteed there will be cries for Caitlin to replace her but unlike the full team I don't know if it would even be a good fit. I know Clark can score but Brink is a great defender and that's much more important to replace in 3x3.
 
CameronBornAndBred said:
That sucks. Guaranteed there will be cries for Caitlin to replace her but unlike the full team I don't know if it would even be a good fit. I know Clark can score but Brink is a great defender and that's much more important to replace in 3x3.
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Per FIBA rules, Brink must be replaced by a Player who has experience with the 3x3 game, not just another player. That definitely rules out Clark. According to this article, Dearica Hamby is a logical replacement. https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/40388421/wnba-2024-cameron-brink-torn-acl-injury-sparks-team-usa
 
The WNBA announced its All-Star Game selections today:

www.wnba.com

Rosters Set for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2024 on July 20 - WNBA

AT&T WNBA All-Star 2024, to be played Saturday, July 20 in Phoenix, will showcase the league’s brightest stars as the USA Basketball Women’s National Team takes on the WNBA All-Stars.
www.wnba.com

The format is unusual. The USA Basketball Women's National Team (heading to the Olympics later this summer) will face off against a 12-player WNBA All-Star team -- essentially the highest vote getters who are not on Team USA. Before you ask, Caitlin Clark is among those 12, as is fellow rookie Angel Reese. Clark is second in the league in made threes and third in assists. Reese leads the WNBA in rebounds and already has 10 double-doubles.

Team USA

PLAYERWNBA TEAMPOSITIONHTBIRTHDATECOLLEGEYRSASG
Napheesa CollierMinnesota LynxFrontcourt6-19/23/96Connecticut54
Kahleah CopperPhoenix MercuryBackcourt6-18/28/94Rutgers84
Chelsea GrayLas Vegas AcesBackcourt5-1110/8/92Duke96
Brittney GrinerPhoenix MercuryFrontcourt6-910/18/90Baylor1010
Sabrina IonescuNew York LibertyBackcourt5-1112/6/97Oregon43
Jewell LoydSeattle StormBackcourt5-1010/5/93Notre Dame96
Kelsey PlumLas Vegas AcesBackcourt5-88/24/94Washington63
Breanna StewartNew York LibertyFrontcourt6-48/27/94Connecticut76
Diana TaurasiPhoenix MercuryBackcourt6-06/11/82Connecticut1911
Alyssa ThomasConnecticut SunFrontcourt6-24/12/92Maryland105
A’ja WilsonLas Vegas AcesFrontcourt6-48/8/96South Carolina66
Jackie YoungLas Vegas AcesBackcourt6-09/16/97Notre Dame53


WNBA All-Stars

PLAYERTEAMPOSITIONHTBIRTHDATECOLLEGEYRSASG
DeWanna BonnerConnecticut SunFrontcourt6-48/21/87Auburn146
Aliyah BostonIndiana FeverFrontcourt6-512/11/01South Carolina12
Caitlin ClarkIndiana FeverBackcourt6-01/22/02IowaR1
Allisha GrayAtlanta DreamBackcourt6-01/2/95South Carolina72
Dearica HambyLos Angeles SparksFrontcourt6-311/6/93Wake Forest93
Brionna JonesConnecticut SunFrontcourt6-312/18/95Maryland73
Jonquel JonesNew York LibertyFrontcourt6-61/5/94George Washington75
Kayla McBrideMinnesota LynxBackcourt5-116/25/92Notre Dame104
Kelsey MitchellIndiana FeverBackcourt5-811/12/95Ohio State62
Arike OgunbowaleDallas WingsBackcourt5-83/2/97Notre Dame54
Nneka OgwumikeSeattle StormFrontcourt6-27/2/90Stanford129
Angel ReeseChicago SkyFrontcourt6-35/6/02LSUR1
 
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