Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks are making massive waves after winning the 2024 national championship. The title game saw an influx in viewership like no other, with several claiming this was better than the men’s version. Moreover, as esteemed NBA reporters deem Staley worthy of being an NBA/WNBA coach, the talks and comparisons remain on the increasing end. So, when Draymond Green congratulated the women’s squad on his podcast, he couldn’t help but address the discourse within the two gender segments of the game.

“That’s [the comparisons] a very interesting and dangerous thing,” Green paved the way for his remarks, followed by, “And ultimately I think that’s a recipe for disaster.” With that, he cites the NBA’s 50 years of additional history over the WNBA, highlighting the men’s leagues’ distinction in natural growth. Moreover, he claims that media outlets tend to highlight the players in women’s college ball while eyeing the coaches within the men’s segment.

With that, Green claims, “So I think it’s a very slippery slope when you start comparing those two things. Because next year there won’t be a Caitlin,” pointing at the changing star power within women’s basketball next year.

While Green commends the women’s league of its due praise, he poses major questions about its future. Draymond inquires about the league’s approach without Caitlin Clark and Paige Beuckers; all while examining their status against men’s basketball. With that, he claims, “all the traction that you’ve built now fall off because where does your marketing go?”

Luckily, head coach Dawn Staley is making headlines for leading first-year players to an undefeated title run. However, from the numbers that the finale churned up, Green’s “star-power” argument raises possible concerns.

Draymond Green’s comments about Caitlin’s impact are true

The final game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Iowa Hawkeyes crushed all-time spectatorship. According to ESPN, the title game saw 18.9 million viewers on average, marking it the most-watched women’s college basketball game of all time. Moreover, broadcasted on ABC and ESPN, the game was watched by over 24 million during its final 15 minutes. That made it the most watched basketball game; be it college, pro, men’s, or women’s.

However, the majority of that had to do with it being Cailin Clark’s last collegiate stint, who is expected to be the top pick in the 2024 WNBA drafts. Moreover, as Caitlin embarked on her NCAA’s record-holding 3951 points this season, the 2024 NCAA Women’s March Madness garnered an increase of 121% viewers from last season.

While the top-3 most watched games of the tournament remain as Iowa games, there was a 76% viewership increase in non-Iowa games too. The tournament averaged 2.2 million spectators over its 57 games; the most-watched campaign since 1996!

With that, Green’s comment urges the NCAA to render a consistent strategy for the future. Hopefully, something that builds off the attention Caitlin brought to the league.

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