CLEVELAND — It was the game everyone wanted to talk about, and it was expected after the South Carolina women’s basketball team defeated Iowa State 87-75 to capture its second national championship in three years. But there’s another game that Dawn Staley wants to talk about. In fact, it’s not strong enough.she go to discuss it.
Basketball has played such an important role in her life that she protects it as fiercely as a mother protects her newborn. Her love for it was matched only by her respect for it. So even as the questioner asked about the Gamecocks becoming the 10th team in NCAA Division I history to finish an undefeated season with a 38-0 record, Staley intentionally shifted the spotlight back to helping make this a transformative season. of the core characters. A turning point in the development of the game.
“I don’t want to not take this opportunity to thank Caitlin (Clark) for everything she has done for women’s basketball,” she said of the Iowa State guard, whose stellar performance helped drive record ratings. “She carries a lot of weight on her shoulders and draws a lot of attention to our games. Sometimes as a young person, that can be a little too much. But I think she handles it through the classroom. I hope she’s well on her way up the ladder of success. Every step she takes elevates any room she’s in.”
Minutes earlier, Staley had climbed to the upper rung of the ladder at Rocket Mortgage Field. She cut the last bits of polyester from the web and hung it around her neck. She then turned and waved to her fans.
As I later listened to her describe her feelings, I was reminded of Maya Angelou’s words: “I learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. “
That sums up the 2023-24 women’s basketball season for me. In a few years, I’ll probably forget Clark’s career scoring total, how many games South Carolina won, why Kim Mulkey always looks so angry, and what the UConn-Iowa national semifinal game ended with Players engage with mobile screens. But I will never forget the satisfaction that comes from watching the sport mature.
dynasty?
🏆 @GamecockWBB pic.twitter.com/ij7ovmsJ1b
— The Athlete (@TheAthletic) April 7, 2024
For decades, broadcast partners and the public have marginalized women’s basketball, ostensibly relegating it to the children’s table. Cries for respect were heard but ignored. But this season is different. Women no longer demand respect; they’re rewarded with record-breaking ratings from Clark’s genius, high-level play from South Carolina, Iowa, UConn, LSU and more, and storylines and stories that are making waves on social media. Grudge matches come to demand this.
How far along is the game? When the Final Four was played in Tacoma, Wash., in 1988 and ’89, local newspapers didn’t send any of their top sports reporters to cover the event. It sent a humble community journalist who had never worked for a major sporting event. I know, because that person is me.
To my surprise, after experiencing the intensity of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt’s piercing blue eyes, Long Beach State guard Penny Toler’s playmaking ability, Stanford guard Jennifer Jennifer Azzi’s command, Tennessee forward Bridgette Gordon’s stability and the promise of Louisiana Tech center Venus Lacey. But it’s hard to gain traction when broadcast rights are sold to cable outlets that treat you as an afterthought.
ESPN should be ashamed of itself. The truth is, it doesn’t deserve what it has now – one of the hottest products in sports. This year’s women’s game drew more viewers than the NBA Finals, World Series, College Football Playoff and more. While the team’s performance may decline once Clark joins the WNBA, the likelihood of a significant decline seems slim.
The reason is the abundance of elite teams and young stars, including USC freshman JuJu Watkins, who ranks second in the country in scoring; Notre Dame freshman Hannah Hildago is must-see TV ; South Carolina freshmen MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson just played important roles in the Gamecocks winning their third national championship in franchise history. Then there’s senior guard Paige Bueckers, who led UConn to the Final Four and should be in contention for national player of the year next season.
“I just want our game to grow. I don’t care if it’s us. I don’t care if it’s Caitlin. I don’t care if it’s JuJu or Hannah,” Staley said. “I just want our game to grow, no matter who it is. Because there are a lot of people developing our games, there are a lot of programs developing our games. We also need to continue to improve them and take our game to the next level. “
deeper
Dawn Staley builds off last year’s loss to create South Carolina’s perfect championship season
Suffice to say, there will be plenty of time to discuss the passing of the baton. But Sunday’s game was about honoring those who, if not created this moment, then undoubtedly built on the momentum created in recent seasons. Clark stood at the front of the line.
Before disappearing from the stands for the final time as a college player, she reflected on the things she’s most memorable and grateful for – her teammates, her coaches and the support she received inside and outside the program. She will also be extremely proud and satisfied of her role in bringing the women’s game into the spotlight.
“When I think about the future of women’s basketball, obviously it’s going to continue to grow, whether it’s at the WNBA level or the college level,” Clark said. “Everybody sees it. Everybody knows it. Everybody sees the ratings. Women’s sports thrive when you have the opportunity. I think that’s the coolest thing about this journey for me. We We started the season in front of 55,000 people at Kinnick Stadium and now we’re going to finish it in front of a TV audience of about 15 million people or more. It’s only going to get better and better. This will always be It won’t stop.”
(Photo by Dawn Staley: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
