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12-05-2025
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Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Usher in WNBA's Golden Era
[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 WNBA Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.] In March, business magazine Fast Company named the WNBA as one of the world's most innovative companies. The businesses on the list are those that are 'reshaping industries and culture.' The WNBA's inclusion is an impressive feat for a league that only six years prior was struggling to prove that it had long-term viability. Advertisement At that time, the New York Liberty, one of the league's original franchises, had just been purchased after previous owner James Dolan of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. abandoned the franchise, putting it up for sale without a buyer. And the league didn't even have a top executive, as former president Lisa Borders stepped down from her role to lead the now-defunct advocacy organization Time's Up. A lot has changed in six years. For starters, the league hired a commissioner (Cathy Engelbert) for the first time. And the Liberty, that New York franchise that suffered from Dolan's mismanagement, finally won its first WNBA championship in 2024. Last season, the league's 28th, represented a major inflection point. The WNBA had its most-watched regular season since 2001 and highest attendance since 2003. What caused the sudden breakthrough? Conventional wisdom says that catalyst was the arrival of two of women's basketball's most popular players in Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, a duo that took the WNBA by storm. Advertisement In Year 1, both Clark and Reese proved that their college hoops prowess could translate to the pro level. Clark led the league in assists per game (8.4), and Reese led the league in rebounds per game (13.1). Clark broke the WNBA rookie scoring record, averaging 19.2 points per game, and Reese set a record of her own for the most consecutive double-doubles in league history (15). The most-watched regular-season game of the 2024 season was between Clark's Indiana Fever and Reese's Chicago Sky on June 23. It averaged 2.35 million viewers and was the league's most-watched regular-season game since 2001. Athlon's 2025 WNBA team previews: Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mercury | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings The two players faced off in college most famously during the 2023 NCAA national championship game, where Reese's LSU Tigers defeated Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes, 102-85. Reese finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Advertisement When Reese knew her team was going to win late in the fourth quarter, she flashed a 'you can't see me' gesture toward Clark. The gesture became the top story afterward, and it revealed a double standard about how Reese, a Black player, was criticized for doing something that Clark, a white player, had previously done in another game. Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark pose for photos before the WNBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York, on April 15, Penner-USA TODAY Sports A year later, the two faced off again, this time in the Elite Eight, and Clark and Iowa got revenge against Reese and LSU. Clark scored 41 points and added 12 assists and seven rebounds in Iowa's 94-87 win. But Iowa lost the 2024 national title game to the South Carolina Gamecocks, led by former WNBA player and current coaching savant Dawn Staley. Thanks to their history in the NCAA Tournament and the attention they brought to the WNBA from the college game, many people began comparing Clark, a long-range-shooting point guard, and Reese, a high-motor power forward, to NBA legends Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, who famously faced off in college before invigorating the NBA in the 1980s. Advertisement In the 1970s, prior to Bird and Johnson, the NBA averaged around 8,000 fans per game and struggled to grow television coverage without prime-time slots. Sound familiar? In 1982, the same year Bird was named MVP of the All-Star Game and Johnson led his team to a championship and won Finals MVP, NBA playoff games were finally broadcast exclusively live instead of some being shown on tape delay. The league thrived on the strength of a revived Celtics-Lakers rivalry. When Johnson appeared on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' last July, Kimmel asked him whether the WNBA's Clark and Reese were analogous to what he and Bird were to the NBA, and if he liked that comparison. 'I like that, and they are,' Johnson answered. Then Kimmel continued to ask Johnson about how he was treated by other NBA players when he was a rookie. Many WNBA observers believed that Clark was getting targeted and roughed up by veteran WNBA players, and how unjust that was. Johnson's response to the question revealed that he got similar treatment back when he was a rookie. Johnson didn't seem to believe that treatment was unjust but rather just a part of professional basketball. 'Veterans are going to test you,' he said. 'And if they feel like you've gotten more money and more publicity, they're upset about that.' Advertisement Clearly, there are similarities between the Bird–Magic rivalry and the Clark–Reese dynamic, but it's worth acknowledging that this modern-day comparison isn't exactly apples to apples, contrary to what Johnson told Kimmel. To understand the WNBA's major breakthrough during the 2024 season, it's worth a refresher on the vision that Engelbert had for the league once she negotiated a collective bargaining agreement months into her role as commissioner and then led the league through a pandemic bubble season in 2020. LSU forward Angel Reese points at her ring finger to taunt Iowa guard Caitlin Clark during the waning moments of the NCAA Tournament championship game on April 2, 2023, in Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK When Engelbert addressed the media before the 2021 WNBA Draft prior to the league's silver anniversary, she explained the ways that she believed the WNBA could market itself to newer and younger fans. 'It's finding the right narrative,' she said. 'Having the right marketing, building these household names and these rivalries.' Advertisement Ever since Minnesota Lynx legends Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen retired following the 2018 WNBA season to close the curtain on the Lynx–Los Angeles Sparks rivalry, the league had been looking for a new one to take its place. In 2019, Breanna Stewart ruptured her Achilles tendon and was out for the season. Elena Delle Donne's back kept her from playing consistently from 2020 through 2022. A'ja Wilson and Jonquel Jones were held back by rosters and styles of play that didn't complement their versatile skill sets. Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird were entering the twilight of their careers and were battling injuries. Another factor: The CBA signed in 2020 allowed for more player movement during the free-agency period and a smaller window for teams to be able to hold onto exclusive negotiation rights with top players. But what if more player movement could create the marquee matchup the WNBA was missing? Advertisement Stewart, who had spent the first six years of her career with the Seattle Storm and won two championships with the franchise, was looking for something different and an opportunity to influence the trajectory of women's basketball on a larger scale. During Stewart's final season in Seattle, she lost in the WNBA semifinals to Wilson's Las Vegas Aces, a team that was playing a more modern style with WNBA legend Becky Hammon as the new head coach. Stewart signed with the Liberty in February 2023 after Jones, her friend and peer, had just been traded to New York a couple of weeks prior. Stewart also convinced veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot to join her and Jones in New York. It was the first time that a group of WNBA players coordinated where they wanted to go during free agency, and as a result, the league had a superteam built to take down the Aces, the team that got in Stewart's way the previous year. Both the Liberty and Aces represented a new chapter in the WNBA. The new owners wanted to spend more on their players, and they could do so. Both franchises broke WNBA rules while trying to provide more and better amenities to their players. The Liberty flew charter flights when that was against league rules, and the Aces paid their players under-the-table money apart from their contracts. And voilà — a marquee matchup was born. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shoots over Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Aug. 30, Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Stewart and Wilson were a lot like what Bird and Johnson were to each other. Their games mirrored each other as versatile forwards who could do anything and everything on the court. They played offense and defense, could score from anywhere, could rebound and handle the ball. Like both Bird and Johnson, Stewart and Wilson were all about winning rather than individual play. Advertisement In 2023, Wilson and the Aces were trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Sparks did so in 2001 and '02. Stewart and the Liberty were trying to bring New York its first WNBA title. The Liberty were the last original franchise without one. This all raises a question about why both Stewart and Wilson weren't heralded in college in the same way that Clark and Reese were, and why the general public didn't latch onto the Stewart-Wilson rivalry as the WNBA's version of Bird vs. Magic. The answer to that question has multiple layers. When Stewart and Wilson were playing for UConn and South Carolina, two heavyweights in modern women's college basketball, media rights were very different. At that time, high-profile games during the regular season weren't televised by the big four commercial networks (CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox). There also weren't a lot of marquee nonconference matchups made for television like there are today. Also, Stewart and Wilson never met in the NCAA Tournament like Clark and Reese did. Clark and Reese also had something Stewart and Wilson did not — name, image and likeness opportunities. While Stewart and Wilson were building their careers and personal brands in the WNBA, the NCAA implemented a policy in June 2021 that allowed student-athletes to be paid via endorsements, sponsorships and marketing partnerships. Advertisement NIL gave both monetary and exposure opportunities to women's basketball players they had never received before, opening the door for more coverage of women's college basketball players. Brands didn't see as much value in women's sports figures until the NIL era, which produced players such as Clark, Reese and upcoming WNBA talents Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins. Also, the WNBA simply wasn't ready to market players like Stewart and Wilson when they came into the league. Before Engelbert's arrival, intentional marketing of the league alongside and at the women's NCAA Tournament wasn't a given. Now it is a no-brainer for Engelbert and her chief marketing officer, Phil Cook. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese look on during their game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on June 1, 2024.© Jeff Haynes / NBAE via Getty Images Stewart and Wilson were years into their careers when the WNBA underwent a massive digital transformation in upgrading its website and mobile app. According to Engelbert, the league went from a one-person marketing department to a staff of more than 20 people. These changes all went into effect before Clark and Reese were drafted. Advertisement In 2024, the vision that Engelbert had conceived years ago was at last being fully realized. The league could lean into household names and really nurture its rivalries. Not only were Clark, Reese and a star-filled rookie class coming into the league, but the WNBA also was going to get games between the Liberty and Aces that had real stakes. New York and Las Vegas could advance the storytelling and transform the marquee matchup into a full-fledged rivalry. The fan bases had bought in. And after losing the championship to the Aces on their home court, the Liberty had revenge at top of mind. While on the court, it's Stewart and Wilson who most resemble Bird and Johnson, especially since the Fever haven't made it back to a WNBA Finals yet, and the Sky are simply looking to make the postseason, the Clark–Reese dynamic recalls some of the racial tensions that took hold during the peak of the Bird–Johnson rivalry. Both in the early 1980s and now in the 2020s, racial tensions are high in the United States. Bird played for the Boston Celtics, an organization located in a city that a few years prior endured a desegregation crisis in its public schools. Clark plays for the Indiana Fever in Bird's home state. Johnson played in Los Angeles, and Reese plays in Chicago, two major cities in blue states. Caitlin Clark 2024 WNBA stats G PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 40 19.2 5.7 8.4 .417 .906 Angel Reese 2024 WNBA stats G PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 34 13.6 13.1 1.9 .391 .736 Clark and Reese were treated much differently by some media outlets, however. Television pundits didn't react when veteran Alyssa Thomas threw Reese to the ground, but if a player was physical with Clark, that was another story. Advertisement 'The reason why that doesn't spark as much conversation isn't just that [Clark] is a bigger star than [Thomas], it's because it's a Black-on-Black incident, and you don't have that dynamic that people can comment on, and also exaggerate and make the entire story sometimes,' sports commentator Bob Costas said on CNN. This same favoritism and desire to protect and praise a player by some media also was present during Bird's day. This white savior-type energy that accompanied Bird has also followed Clark. And just like Bird had the utmost respect for Black players, so does Clark. Growing up, her favorite player was Moore. But fans on the internet (something that didn't exist in Bird's day) often used Clark's name to harass others last season. Tensions rose during the Fever's 2024 first-round playoff series against the Connecticut Sun. When former Sun guard DiJonai Carrington accidentally poked Clark in the eye, a media member asked if it was intentional, fueling online vitriol in Clark's name. Some Clark fans also have harassed Reese. On her podcast 'Unapologetically Angel,' Reese explained that fans have sent her death threats, followed her around and made nude deepfakes that they've sent to her family members. Advertisement Later that year, Clark went on the record with Time magazine to publicly address the bad-faith actors that have jumped to her side. 'Just stop,' Clark said. 'Because that's not who I am.' Engelbert's vision came with growing pains, which she failed to address properly during a CNBC interview last fall. 'There's no more apathy. Everybody cares,' she said in response to a question about tamping down online harassment. 'It is a little of that Larry Bird–Magic Johnson moment if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one white, one Black. And so we have that moment with these two.' Engelbert received a ton of flak for those comments, including from the league's players' union. 'This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model. This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked,' the statement read. While Engelbert apologized privately to players and then publicly addressed her comment during a press conference at the WNBA Finals, it remains to be seen how the league is going to handle on this issue moving forward. Advertisement With the dominant play of Stewart's Liberty and Wilson's Aces and the attention that Clark and Reese attract, the WNBA is in its Bird–Magic era — or better yet, its golden age. The league unveiled a rivalry-centric schedule of games for 2025. On the first Saturday of the regular season, the Aces will take on the Liberty in Brooklyn, where New York will be presented with its championship rings, and hours later, Reese's Sky will pay in Indiana against Clark's Fever. This is an era in the WNBA when, at last, the league is marketing its household names properly and making sure to promote games of consequence. Beginning on May 17, we will see that strategy continue to unfold. Athlon's 2025 WNBA team previews: Aces | Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mercury | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings Advertisement Related: Athlon Sports 2025 WNBA Preview Magazine Available Now Related: Caitlin Clark Is Rested, Ready to Be Her Best After Offseason Recharge
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Las Vegas Aces 2025 WNBA Season Preview
[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 WNBA Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.] The Las Vegas Aces' three-peat bid fell short with a 3-1 series loss to the New York Liberty in the WNBA semifinals a year ago. However, there were warning signs much earlier than that, as the Aces dropped two of their first six games and three of five in the Commissioner's Cup. By June 15, they had matched their loss total for all of 2023 and were slipping in the standings. Advertisement The Aces finished fourth in the league, which would be far less disappointing without the achievements of the two previous years. A'ja Wilson, however, only got better, leading the league in points, rebounds, blocks and a host of other categories. The three-time MVP posted career highs in nearly every column while playing 34.4 minutes per game. After the Aces reportedly could not reach an extension with Kelsey Plum, they traded the veteran guard in a three-team deal with the Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks that netted Jewell Loyd in return. Loyd will likely take Plum's spot in the starting rotation and, at 5-foot-11, will add a little height to the guard position. Similar to last year, Las Vegas will likely continue with a four-woman rotation for the final three spots on the court in Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kiah Stokes and Megan Gustafson or newcomer Tiffany Mitchell. Gustafson averaged just 10.7 minutes per game but was one of the first players off the bench, appearing in 38 of the team's regular-season games thanks to a smaller frontcourt pool. More WNBA team previews: Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mercury | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings Advertisement It will be interesting to see how the style of play might change with two new coaches on the sideline after first assistant Natalie Nakase and assistant coach Tyler Marsh both landed their first head-coaching gigs. Nakase will lead the expansion Golden State Valkyries, and Marsh will helm the Chicago Sky. Las Vegas Aces star A'ja White / NBAE via Getty Images Frontcourt Wilson has quickly developed into one of the most dominant players in the league, partially because she is so difficult to scout. She scores with ease, both over defenders and off the dribble. She is efficient, too, shooting 51.8% from the field and averaging 26.9 points per game. Maintaining a high shooting percentage is obviously easier if you stay closer to the basket, but she isn't afraid to step out a few feet for a jumper, either. Advertisement On defense, she is quick to block shots or beat you to the boards to limit opportunities down low. Simply put, she plays like a three-time MVP. Head coach Becky Hammon's system is clearly centered around Wilson, with the rest of the team focused on feeding the ball inside. Acknowledging that consistent scoring was an issue last season, the Aces will need to find another big-time contributor down low, as there is a steep statistical drop-off before you reach the rest of the bigs. This is where Stokes or Gustafson could make a difference with another year of familiarity in the system. Kierstan Bell could also earn some minutes down low if she can prove herself in camp. One of the Aces' other weaknesses last season was the lack of depth on defense. That deficiency was reflected in the stats, as the team ranked sixth in points allowed (80.9) after leading the WNBA in 2023. It showed up in a particularly painful way in the WNBA semifinals, where they gave up a combined 86 paint points to the Liberty in Games 1 and 2. Though still hampered by a right foot injury sustained in the 2023 postseason, Stokes was the team's second-best defender statistically, ranking second on the team in both rebounds and blocks. Her 33 blocks last season actually earned her a spot alongside Wilson in the league's top 15. If she can get back to full health, she is in position to provide some valuable strength and size to the Aces' post play. Advertisement Aside from Stokes, look for Gustafson to earn more significant minutes if she can knock down a few more of her shot attempts per game and make a good impression in her early appearances. Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces gestures after hitting a 3-pointer against the Seattle Storm in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Sept. 24, 2024, in Las Gray, Young and Loyd will likely be the Aces' starting guard trio, but Dana Evans and Mitchell are also intriguing additions to the roster. Both have starting experience — Mitchell more recently — and add some much-needed depth in case of injury. The importance of depth was apparent at the start of last season with a 12-game absence from Gray, who had sustained a foot injury in the 2023 WNBA Finals. She returned to the starting lineup but averaged just 26 minutes in the regular season — a career low since becoming a consistent starter. Advertisement Without her, the Aces typically turned to a slightly larger lineup with Plum and Young at the guard positions. They also tried Tiffany Hayes and Kate Martin for a few games. The Aces enter 2025 without three of those four, two of whom were among the team's top four in scoring. They also lose fan favorite Sydney Colson, who came off the bench in 30 games and started one for Las Vegas last year. Luckily, Loyd should be easy to slot in Plum's place, having the added benefit of familiarity with most of the other starters from her time with USA Basketball suiting up with Wilson, Young and Gray. If those four can fall into a quick rhythm, Loyd should be able to add essential scoring support, especially beyond the arc. She made a career-high 115 treys in 2023 for Seattle, which would surpass the 110 made by Plum for the Aces last season. Six-time WNBA All-Star Jewell Loyd joins the Aces after 10 seasons with the Seattle Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Final Analysis The Aces seem poised for another deep run, with championship experience at all five positions. The big question will be whether they can find the right mix of backups to keep a consistent level of play throughout the season, especially if another starter misses significant time. Advertisement After experiencing the highs of back-to-back titles, the Aces should come in with some extra fire after an unexpected 'down year.' There were too many games in which they looked frustrated and a little lost, surrendering 85-plus points in nine of their 13 regular-season losses. Plus, Hammon really doesn't seem like a coach who would baby her team in the offseason. Beyond the Arc Perfect Harmoni: With their final pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Aces selected Harmoni Turner of Harvard, who has her own unique connection to head coach Becky Hammon. Turner led the Ivy League with 22.5 points and 2.8 steals as a senior and was named the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. A'ja's Accolades: After winning her third WNBA MVP award, Aces center A'ja Wilson was included in Time magazine's annual 'Women of the Year' issue. Among her other accomplishments, Time cited her Olympic gold medal with Team USA, her record-setting season and the upcoming launch of her signature shoe, the Nike A'One, set for release in May in a 'Pink Aura' colorway. It has already been spotted on the Miami Heat sidelines worn by players like Bam Adebayo. The A'One will be part of an apparel collection featuring her 'star' logo. Wilson also had her No. 22 jersey retired at South Carolina in February. Advertisement Front Office Changes: The Las Vegas Aces are set to enter the 2025 season without a general manager in place after cutting ties with Natalie Williams in October. They were still able to benefit from one of the offseason's biggest trades, so maybe there's no rush for the franchise, which is still subject to a league investigation regarding bonus payments from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Draft Recap 2. Aaliyah Nye, G/F, 6-0, Alabama 3. Harmoni Turner, G, 5-10, Harvard Analysis: Without a first-round pick, the Las Vegas Aces were primarily looking to add some interesting options off the bench. Aaliyiah Nye of Alabama seems to fit that bill as a versatile 3-4 who shoots at a 42% clip beyond the arc. At 6-foot-0, Nye probably slots in best as a shooting guard, but unfortunately, that is a deep position on this depth chart. Turner, the 2024-25 Ivy League Player of the Year, posted an eye-catching stat line her senior year: averages of 22.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game. It will be interesting to see how she adjusts to the league and playing a smaller role on this star-studded squad, but her quick hands and ability to score may help Turner impress in training camp. Advertisement More WNBA team previews: Dream | Fever | Liberty | Lynx | Mercury | Mystics | Sky | Sparks | Storm | Sun | Valkyries | Wings Related: Athlon Sports 2025 WNBA Preview Magazine Available Now Related: Caitlin Clark Is Rested, Ready to Be Her Best After Offseason Recharge
