WNBA Truth and Novels: The Real State of the League in 2025 | WNBA

tHis WNBA is one of the permanent leagues at the intersection. In the 1990s, the Alliance got rid of American challenges basketball The league (ABL) pays higher salaries but lacks the marketing muscles of the NBA, but perhaps this win makes the NBA and WNBA complacent. Attendance rates have steadily declined for several years and experienced revolving doors from the city to the city, or entered a permanent interruption.

Now, with the growth of women’s sports, breakthroughs and dazzling Caitlin Clark On display, the WNBA has an old question: more money, more questions, or at least, more critics will think of more questions.

WNBA player ranked Caitlin Clark in ninth place in the All-Star voting. Is that ridiculous?

We live in the media landscape, and in this case the troubles of “generational” are so powerful that NBA fans start to panic Cooper Flag When his shots are not good In his first summer league game. As anyone knows from her college career, she has more than just an extraordinary shooting range. Even if her shot doesn’t fall, she can dominate the game by passing.

To be sure, Clark must have a lot of work to do before he becomes the corner of the league The most exciting Become a player in the league The best Player. In her rookie year, Basketball reference calculation Her per is a measure of overall validity, at 18.8, from the top four of A’ja Wilson (34.9), Breanna Stewart (26.4), Brittney Griner (26.0) and Napheesa Collier (25.1).

But, leaning towards forwards and centers – Clark’s Indiana teammate, 2023 Best Draft Choice Aliyah Boston, who also leads Clark. Among the defenders, she ranks third. She also led the league with an assist of 8.4, with only Alyssa Thomas (7.9) approaching anywhere. On the other hand, she also scored an amazing 5.6 per game – Thomas once again ranked second with 3.6.

This year, Clark struggled with an injury and most of her score and shots dropped significantly. Considering a ridiculous short window WNBA Season, she may not have time to average her season to last year’s position.

The WNBA actually has three young “generational” guards who entered the league in the 2020s. The first was Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon’s record triple-double machine, who had a slow career, a slow start to hurt and scored points, but has since become the second team in the WNBA for three consecutive years – and there must be a case that could put Clark ahead of the first team last year. Next comes Paige Bueckers, who put together almost a rookie season together last year’s Clark season. In a year or two, the WNBA will add USC’s Juju Watkins based on when she announced the draft.

In the media and players All-Star voting, the leader is Dallas Bueckers teammate, Allisha Gray. Interestingly, they seem to be not responsible for the wings in the last place, but rather criticizes Clap’s critic harp on Clark, because Indiana has no rule.

So fans got it wrong in terms of Ionescu, who ranked first and fifth in Clark. But the players’ votes are for the stars (Clark) and Olympic athletes (Jackie Young) ranked 12th; Kelsey Plum’s confusing 16th). Once, the media may have been correctly ranked third.

Truth or Novel: Truth

Does the league rely on Clark?

Most respondents said in a recent WNBA anonymous survey of track and field sports that Clark will be the face of the WNBA within five years. But that’s a 53.8% slim majority. Watkins is second, and Bookers are third. Next comes Clark nemesis Angel Reese and A’ja Wilson, who is just the WNBA MVP (third time) and The 2024 Olympic Games.

However, the WNBA is moving towards the highest average attendance rate ever (see below), which is partly driven by Clark and is also due to the enthusiasm behind the expansion of the Golden State romance craziness. Rating simultaneously Of course it will drop When she goes out and gets injured, they don’t fall on the floor.

Perhaps the fact that Clark didn’t immediately establish himself as the best player in the league made people realize that veterans like Wilson, Stewart, Grina, Collier and Ioniscu also know how to play some ball.

Truth or Novel: Novel

Lack of dunks will hinder the league

In the cartoon “Future Rama”, a female computer is shocked and learns that the man landed on the planet of the whole woman made fun of the women’s basketball.

“What??! Bea Arthur’s computer roar.

These people laughed at the concept. But the fundamentals of WNBA players are really good, most famously free throws – NBA Highest Total percentage (78.4%, 2023-24) lags behind WNBA in the past 10 years lowest (78.5%, in 2024, down from 80.0% in the previous year to 80.8% in 2021).

The WNBA is also more like a pass league than the NBA, who sees its stars shining in one-on-one quarantine. In 2024, 68.6% of the WNBA games scored were the result of assists. In the NBA last season, that number was 63.6%.

In the NBA, you might see Anthony Edwards exploding the dunk guard. In the WNBA, you might see Caitlin Clark whipping a mortal through the seam. Real basketball fans also like both, and there are many real basketball fans in the United States.

Truth or Novel: Novel

Is the WNBA subject to unqualified referees?

WNBA officials have a lot of critics this year, including outstanding players Angel Rees (Chicago) and Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles), coach Natalie Nakase (Golden State) and Stephanie White (Indiana).

The latter’s criticism came after a game against Connecticut Suns, and in the third quarter, Clark was poked in his eyes, Clark’s attackers were contaminated at the end of the game, which undoubtedly prompted a conflict to see three people pop up.

White’s complaint was a familiar debate: “The referee lost control of the game.”

Are they?

Clark’s eyeballs blatantly fouled on Connecticut’s Jacy Sheldon, while Clark and two Connecticut players fouled for the subsequent orgy. At the last minute, Sheldon drove into Sophie Cunningham, Indiana, who pulled Sheldon to the floor.

Cunningham Can Sheldon, arguing that she initiated contact by lowering her shoulders and charging her like a defender or rugby player, accidentally pulled Sheldon down while she tripped back. But she and the fever have already accepted Cunningham’s concept Filled in roles Among NHL executors, protect their star players when the referees don’t. Cunningham’s Jersey Sales Passing the Roof, Entrepreneurs Are Sales Memorial T-shirt With her honor.

Maybe the WNBA has found a new source of income?

WNBA referees are well paid less than their NBA counterparts, so it wouldn’t be surprised if the men’s league attracts more experienced referees. But even after blatant and technical fouls, the referee is not an upgrade.

And the NBA referees are not completely blamed. Even if we abandon the distortion of referee Tim Donaghy who spent some time in prison after the gambling scandal, NBA referees have been the subject of many of the most worthy violations over the years. Anthony Edwards can pay several WNBA players’ salaries in a season’s fine.

Should the WNBA referees do more to protect stars like Clark so that Cunningham will be forced to do it himself? perhaps. But they also did a good job to avoid the absurdity of the 1990s, when they were merely trying to guard Michael Jordan’s actions.

Truth or Novel: Mixed

This isn’t the easiest question, it’s just part of the league’s current to-do list. The WNBA must carefully manage the expansion while also reaching a fair collective bargaining agreement to prevent shutdowns.

But these questions are also happier than “Can the league survive this season?”