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Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
WNBA 2025: Who are the top 10 most followed players of the league on Instagram?
Angel Reese (Photo by) and Caitlin Clark (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NBAE/Getty) While the WNBA concentrates on its 29th season since its establishment in 1996, the players from the league have garnered significant attention from the fans within just years of their debut. Recent reports have stated how certain players have a higher following than the team they represent. One such name is Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, who boasts a higher following across social media platforms than any other player in the league. While the discussion is at it, let's have a look at the top ten most followed WNBA players on Instagram . Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese tops the list, surpasses the following count of WNBA official Instagram handle as well While the WNBA preseason ended on May 12, the regular season kicked off on May 16. And players like Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins and others are very much in the news, another aspect of the WNBA players comes to the surface as fans look for the most popular and followed players across the social media platforms. Below are the top 10 WNBA players who have the highest follower count (from lowest to highest) on Instagram. 10. Skylar Diggins Smith - 1 million Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins-Smith was named a WNBA All-Star in 2014 owing to her extraordinary performances that season. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Inayawan: Scholarships You Can Apply For (Start Now) College Scholarship | Google Search Search Now Undo In the same year, Diggins also won the WNBA Most Improved Player Award. While her professional achievements are on a high, the player stands among the top 10 most followed athletes within the NBA with a follower count of 1 million on Instagram. 9. Jewel Lloyd - 1.1 million Selected by the Seattle Storm in the 2015 WNBA draft, Jewel Lloyd currently plays as a guard for the Las Vegas Aces. The player became a part of championship victories twice, both during her tenure with the Storm in 2018 and 2020. Lloyd has been listed on the All-WNBA team several times, and while she gives her best on the court, off the court, she maintains a social media life as well, which has rendered her a total of 1.1 million on Instagram alone. 8. Kelsey Plum - 1.2 million The 2022 WNBA All-Star Game MVP and the three-time WNBA All-Star Kelsey Plum, apart from her professional journey on the court, is also the founder of the Dawg Class Basketball Camp. Point guard for the Los Angeles Sparks, Plum is widely popular amongst the fans for her skills as well as her impressive basketball career arc. Plum has a total of 1.2 million followers just on Instagram 7. Hailey Van Lith - 1.3 million The Chicago Sky point guard, Hailey Van Lith, was drafted by the Chicago Sky in 2025. The 23-year-old player, at a young age, was the Big 12 Player of the Year. While her professional career has just begun, the player has won two gold medals with the United States at the youth international level. Even though the player has to go a long way before establishing herself within the league, Hailey has already garnered a significant amount of support from her fans, as her follower count stands at 1.3 million in Instagram. 6. Cameron Brink - 1.3 million Los Angeles Sparks point guard Cameron Brink was selected as the second pick of the WNBA draft by the team. The player has previously proved her skills on the court, claiming the WBCA Defensive Player of the Year and the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup Most Valuable Player Award. The player has a total of 1.3 million followers on Instagram, making her one of the top-most followed WNBA players. 5. A'ja Wilson - 1.3 million The 28-year-old Las Vegas Aces centre player A'ja Wilson, throughout her career in basketball until now, has achieved a number of accolades, including the 2017 NCAA Most Outstanding Player and has claimed the SEC Player of the Year for three straight years. She was also declared the WNBA MVP in 2020, 2022 and 2024. Apart from her much-deserved claims on the court, the player also has an online popularity amongst her fans with a follower count of 1.3 million on Instagram alone. 4. Sabrina Ionescu - 1.4 million Widely considered as one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time, New York Liberty point guard Sabrina Ionescu is a three-time WNBA All-Star and led the Liberty to their first championship in 2024. The player makes it to the top-most followed WNBA player with a follower count of 1.4 million. 3. Paige Bueckers - 2.6 million 23-year-old Paige Bueckers made her debut in the WNBA as part of the Dallas Wings against the Minnesota Lynx. Early in her career, the player was a three-time unanimous first-team All-American in college and has the highest career scoring average in UConn history. While Bueckers' debut within the WNBA was recent, the player has the third-highest followers on Instagram 2. Caitlin Clark - 3.2 million Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark has already set records, winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2024, and made it to the All-WNBA First Team as well as WNBA All-Star Game. With the second most number of followers on Instagram, the player has helped popularise women's basketball, which is also known as the Caitlin Clark effect. 1. Angel Reese - 4.9 million Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese tops the list with 4.9 million followers on Instagram. Also known as the Bayou Barbie and Chi Barbie, the player was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the team. Reese was previously announced as the SEC Player of the Year Award winner and an All-American. Also read: Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic join NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryany with a 10+30-point game The players of the WNBA are more popular and followed by the fans than the teams themselves. In fact, the most followed player, Reese, has a higher following count than the league page of the WNBA itself, which stands at 3.3 million.
Axios
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Meet the Maker: Nate Baranowski
Meet the South Bend artist chosen to create a mural of one of Indy's most beloved hoops icons on one of the city's most popular streets. Why it matters: Nate Baranowski's 24-foot piece will debut this summer in time to welcome scores of fans to the Circle City for the sellout 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in July. What he's saying:"Tamika Catchings is a magnetic personality and an amazing force for good to those around her and in her community," Baranowski said in a statement. "She is not just a legendary basketball player, but also an entrepreneur, activist, broadcaster, volunteer, mentor and motivational speaker. I wanted my design to reflect this high-energy force surrounding her." Zoom in: Baranowski was one of 98 artists who responded to an international call from the Indy Arts Council and WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee. Baranowski — a University of Illinois grad with a degree in fine arts and a passion for street painting — has experience with large chalk murals, painted murals, acrylic on canvas and various forms of digital painting. He was the only Indiana creator to make the final four. The inspo: The selection committee said Baranowski best captured Catchings' bright personality, basketball legacy and impact on Indy.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Caitlin Clark makes Diana Taurasi ‘eat her words' as she ties WNBA record in just 42 games
Caitlin Clark tied the WNBA record for most 20-point, 10-assist games (10), matching Vandersloot in just 42 games. Image composite: File(AP) Caitlin Clark has been rewriting WNBA history books since the moment she stepped onto the court, and her latest outing against the Atlanta Dream was no exception. While her Indiana Fever narrowly lost 91–90 in one of the most thrilling games of the 2025 season, Clark's individual performance was nothing short of extraordinary. The 23-year-old point guard dropped 27 points, dished out 11 assists, and grabbed five rebounds, adding yet another historic milestone to her rookie resume. With that performance, Clark tied Chicago Sky veteran Courtney Vandersloot for the most 20-point, 10-assist games in WNBA history, with 10. The shocking part? Vandersloot needed 430 career games to reach that mark. Clark has done it in just 42. The moment holds even more weight in the context of what unfolded less than a month ago. The warning that made headlines In April 2024, just after Caitlin Clark led Iowa past UConn in the NCAA Final Four, WNBA icon Diana Taurasi offered a now-infamous warning during an interview with ESPN's Scott Van Pelt. 'Look SVP, reality is coming,' Taurasi said. 'You know, there is levels to this thing. And that's just life, we've all been through it. You see it on the NBA side, and you're going to see it on this side. You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you're going to come with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025년 가장 멋진 RPG 게임을 지금 정복하세요 레이드 섀도우 레전드 설치하기 Undo Taurasi continued: 'Not saying it's not gonna translate. Because when you are great at what you do, it's just gonna get better. But there is gonna be a transition period where you're gonna need to give yourself some grace as a rookie. It might take a little bit longer for some people.' At the time, her comments drew strong reactions , many seeing them as a cautionary reality check, while others took them as skepticism or even shade. Clark's rookie season silences doubts Any concerns about Clark's transition to the pros were short-lived. In her debut WNBA season with the Indiana Fever, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. She earned a spot in the WNBA All-Star Game, led the Fever to the playoffs after they finished last the previous year, and made the All-WNBA First Team. She also won Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in MVP voting. Clark broke Diana Taurasi's single-season assist record with 337 assists and rewrote multiple pages of the record books that once belonged to her idol. Over the course of her rookie campaign, she recorded six 25-point, 10-assist games, the most in WNBA history. The next closest? Sabrina Ionescu with five, followed by Taurasi with three. She also became the all-time WNBA leader in most 25-5-5 games in a single season, surpassing both Taurasi and Ionescu during a late-season game against Phoenix. That night, she also broke Taurasi's record for most three-pointers in a season, hitting an astonishing 122 threes. That same stat line puts Clark ahead of Taurasi in other elite categories. Despite being the league's all-time leading scorer with 10,646 points, Taurasi only tallied nine games with at least 20 points and five assists across her 565-game career. 'Surpassing a legend like Taurasi in multiple categories this early in your career isn't just rare, it's generational,' one analyst said after Clark's latest milestone. Surpassing her childhood hero so early, and so definitively, only adds to the significance of Taurasi's recent on-air acknowledgment. Taurasi acknowledges Fast forward to April 2025. During the NCAA National Championship broadcast of the 'Bird & Taurasi Show' , hosted by Taurasi and fellow legend Sue Bird, Caitlin Clark made a guest appearance. After Clark congratulated Taurasi on her recent retirement from professional basketball, Taurasi turned the conversation back to her own comments from a year ago. 'Thank you. Unfortunately, reality is coming to me now,' Taurasi told Clark. In that single line, Taurasi publicly acknowledged that her prediction didn't quite hold, and did so with humor and humility. From tension to respect Taurasi, who retired as one of the greatest to ever play the game, with three WNBA titles, an MVP, and 11 All-Star appearances, had once seemed skeptical of Clark's immediate impact. Now, that skepticism has turned into respect. While their earlier interactions fueled controversy and headlines, their exchange on the show felt more like a symbolic passing of the torch, a GOAT recognizing the rise of a potential successor. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Here's a WNBA tip: Put every Caitlin Clark game on national television
Cris Collinsworth delivered a mountain of sports television truthfulness a couple of years ago during an appearance on 'The Dan Patrick Show.' The show's host asked the NBC Sunday Night Football analyst an insightful question about the relationship between networks airing Dallas Cowboys games and the Cowboys' actual performance. 'If NBC has their choice, we would do 17 Cowboys games,' Collinsworth admitted. 'I'm not kidding. It doesn't even matter what their record is. They could be 4-6, we would take them. It's insanity, but it's true. They draw the ratings.' Advertisement The WNBA also has its own viewership unicorn, except it's a singular player versus a team. The league's viewers cannot get enough of Caitlin Clark. Here are the facts: The WNBA had 22 regular-season games last year that averaged more than 1 million viewers — the first time since 2008 that a WNBA game topped 1 million viewers. If you add in the WNBA All-Star Game and the WNBA Draft, that makes 24 WNBA events that topped 1 million viewers during the 2024 calendar year. Clark was part 21 of those 24 windows, per Sports Media Watch. And last year, six different WNBA television partners set viewership records for their highest WNBA game. All six involved the Fever. On to 2025. The WNBA's first nationally televised exhibition game, which featured Clark returning to Iowa as a member of the Fever against Brazil's national team on May 4, averaged 1.3 million viewers on ESPN. Only two of ESPN's 57 NBA preseason games since 2010 have drawn a higher audience, according to Flora Kelly, ESPN's vice president of research. Both games featured LeBron James, including a 2017 preseason game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls (1.4 million viewers) and a 2018 preseason game between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers (2 million viewers). Advertisement Look, it's OK to acknowledge it. The WNBA has transcendent basketball players such as reigning MVP A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart of the defending champion New York Liberty. But when it comes to public interest, one star rises above all, and she wears No. 22 for the Indiana Fever. Her coach, Stephanie White, called the interest in Clark 'Taylor Swift 2.0.' The league seems to have recognized this and should make no apologies for it. The Fever are featured on national television in 41 of their 44 regular-season games, the most for a single team in WNBA history. Five Fever games will air on ABC, five on ESPN, eight on ION, six on Prime Video, three on the CBS Network, four on CBS Sports Network and 10 on NBA TV. But I would go further. I would flex the three remaining games not currently scheduled for national television (June 10 versus the Atlanta Dream, July 5 against the Los Angeles Sparks, and July 30 against the Phoenix Mercury) into national television dates. Every network should be interested. A WNBA spokesperson confirmed to that no restrictions would prevent non-nationally televised games from becoming nationally televised. If the Fever stay healthy, the roster suggests they will be one of the top teams in the league. (I'm going to be bold and predict they win 12 of their first 14 games.) The Fever are +300 (3-to-1) odds to win the WNBA title on BetMGM, behind just the Liberty and Aces. Clark is the preseason betting favorite to win the league's MVP at +195 (which, as a straight bet, means a win would be $19.50 on a $10 wager). Advertisement Clark helps the league bring in casual fans, which is how sports leagues grow. The more people see the Fever, the higher the league's viewership average. The higher the viewership averages, the more power the players possess in collective bargaining. It helps everyone. The Aces will appear on 33 national broadcasts, and the Liberty will have 32. The league should do everything in its power to nationalize as many games as possible with teams of interest. If other franchises complain, whatever. Think the NFL cares if the Jaguars complain that the Cowboys and Chiefs get more primetime games? Of course not. Which teams will open the 2025 NFL season? The Eagles and Cowboys (who were 7-10 last year) will play on Sept. 4 on NBC and Peacock. Tim Corrigan, ESPN's senior vice president of sports production, said from a network perspective, any flex games picked up would come from a combination of a network's programming department and the league coming together. But fundamentally, ESPN would certainly be interested in adding any games of interest. 'The flex scheduling we did on the NBA this year, I believe, was the most we'd ever done,' Corrigan said. 'I would hope that we would be equally ambitious with the WNBA because that's what people want to see. You want to be where the story is, right?' Advertisement The players are also well aware when they are in a showcase slot. 'As a competitor, you know that you're on national TV, but it shouldn't change where you play,' said Sparks guard Kelsey Plum. 'I think that it's definitely fun to be in those big games, especially prime time ABC or CBS. The Sunday games are always super fun. Like that 3 o'clock tip, no shoot around, just get up, eat some breakfast and go play. Those are really fun.' Some additional broadcast notes heading into the WNBA season opening on Friday: • The league has 13 regular-season games airing on ABC, the most ever on that network. ABC will broadcast Saturday's opening-weekend doubleheader, featuring the Aces-Liberty (and the ring ceremony) at 1 p.m. ET and the Sky-Fever at 3 p.m. ET. I think the Sky-Fever will set a new viewership record for the most-watched WNBA regular season game on ABC. The record is less than a year old (2.23 million for the Storm at Fever on Aug. 18). Advertisement • I'm interested to see the viewership for the first primetime WNBA regular-season games on broadcast television. CBS will air the Sky against the Fever on June 7 and August 9 in primetime. CBS Sports' overall coverage features 20 total games. • ESPN added a second 'WNBA Countdown' studio show for game coverage. Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter will front 'Countdown' for ABC broadcasts, and the ESPN edition (based in Los Angeles) features Malika Andrews, Monica McNutt and Carolyn Peck, as well as Ogwumike and Carter. Christine Williamson will also host for ESPN. The company has a WNBA Hoop Streams social and digital pregame show. 'We're coming into this year from such a good space from where we were last year, given all the interest,' said Corrigan. 'The draft from a month ago was the second-highest rated draft that we've had. The sport is ascending, as we all know. We are taking a broader, bigger approach, with more resources, both in the studio and in the game. We've never had more resources on the WNBA.' • Amazon Prime Video will exclusively stream the WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship game in addition to 20 other games. NBA TV has a 40-game WNBA schedule. WNBA League Pass will stream over 200 live, out-of-market games for the 2025 season. Advertisement • A viewership number to keep in mind: 2.15 million viewers. That was the Game 5 WNBA Finals viewership for the Liberty's win over the Lynx in an overtime thriller. It was the most-viewed WNBA Finals game in 25 years and peaked with 3.3 million viewers. The four-game WNBA Finals in 2023 between the Aces and Liberty averaged 728,000 viewers. • Signature matchups: The Liberty and Aces will play three times (May 17, July 8 and Aug. 13), with all of those games airing on ABC or ESPN. The Lynx play the Liberty four times in a rematch of last year's finals. Those games will air on ESPN (8 p.m. ET on July 30), ABC (12:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 10), CBS Network (2 p.m. ET on Aug. 16) and NBA TV (7 p.m. ET on Aug. 19). • Will ESPN add a women's basketball-specific daily studio show during the WNBA season? Corrigan said: 'It's a really fair question, especially now, where the sport is. Here's a great thing for us: As the WNBA extends out to L.A. with our studio show, we have our daily 'NBA Today' show out there, and we are going to be able to put WNBA in that show a lot as we follow big stories. We have an hour every day to dive into what matters in professional basketball, so you'll see the WNBA represented more on 'NBA Today' because they are in season, and there's going to be great storylines that we can follow. When people come in to play the Sparks, we're hoping to get WNBA players to come visit the set and be on the 'NBA Today' set.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Advertisement Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA, Sports Business, Opinion 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 WNBA key dates: Commissioner's Cup, Finals, All-Star Game and more
2025 WNBA key dates: Commissioner's Cup, Finals, All-Star Game and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia What will the new WNBA season bring? The 2024 season bolstered the league in more ways than one. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink highlighted a stacked rookie class. Advertisement Star veterans like A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart did their thing, with 'Stewie' helping the New York Liberty earn the franchise's first ever championship. The 2025 season should be even more intriguing. Paige Bueckers leads the draft class with the Dallas Wings looking to bounce back into postseason contention. The Indiana Fever also made several key roster changes to support Clark in pursuit of a title, with the Los Angeles Sparks and Las Vegas Aces shaking up their star cores. So, when are the WNBA Finals and more? Here are the key dates to know for the 2025 WNBA campaign: When does the 2025 WNBA season start? The 2025 regular season begins on Friday, May 16. When is the 2025 Commissioner's Cup? The 2025 Commissioner's Cup, the league's in-season tournament, will run from Sunday, June 1, until Tuesday, June 17. When is the 2025 Commissioner's Cup Championship? The 2025 Commissioner's Cup title game is set for Tuesday, July 1. When is the 2025 WNBA All-Star break? The league will go on its All-Star break from Thursday, July 17, until Monday, July 21. When is the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game? The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be played on Saturday, July 19. When does the 2025 WNBA regular season end? The 2025 regular season concludes on Thursday, Sept. 11. When do the 2025 WNBA playoffs start? The 2025 playoffs will begin on Sunday, Sept. 14. When are the 2025 WNBA Finals? There is no set timeframe for the 2025 WNBA Finals just yet, but the last possible game will be held on Friday, Oct. 17.
