Anomaly in Women’s Basketball Prompts Sue Bird to Reflect on Carrying the Baton With Olympic Honor

Are the WNBA players finally gaining their much-deserved attention? It’s been painful to think how many basketball gems went unnoticed all this time; however, the league is finally gearing up for a change. And even the former WNBA stars are here for it, with 4-time WNBA champion Sue Bird recently sharing her happiness over the opportunity to create a spark among young and aspiring players. In a recent interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the host spoke about how talented basketball players like Bird are inspiring the young generation. 

Moreover, she also fondly opened up about her 9-year-old daughter, who loves women’s basketball. Touched by the comment, Bird highlighted how she and other players played their parts in building a legacy for aspiring players. While all this attention is certainly new, the spirit is still the same.  “The 43-year-old me loves it so excited she wishes a little bit she was 21 right now, yeah, didn’t get back in there,” Bird said, speaking of the growing popularity of WNBA games.

She further added, “I think that’s how it works, right. Someone has to pay, somebody did it before me, yeah. I got that baton, I carried as far as I could, and now, it’s on the next Generation. But it is exciting, yeah, thank you. It is exciting to see what women’s college basketball is doing; all those players are going to be in the WNBA soon, so it’s just going to keep growing.”

Furthermore, she shared numerous intriguing stories from her career. The 13-time WNBA All-Star played for the Seattle Storm, marking her presence over almost two decades before retiring in 2022.  In the documentary, ‘Sue Bird: In the Clutch’, the basketball legend explained how these contributions made an impact not only for the franchise but also in the league. Bird’s career and legacy also portrayed women’s basketball as a league just as fun as men’s games. At the moment, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James also looked impressed at the buzz created in women’s basketball this season.

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LeBron James backs Sue Bird’s vision of the WNBA’s growing popularity

The WNBA’s impact has finally begun to show up in stats. Besides Sue Bird, numerous other players have inspired the new generation of WNBA stars, including powerhouse players like Chantelle Anderson, Quacy Barnes, Ashley Battle, and many more. Significantly, this growth was first noticed when the league’s ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and CBS viewership increased, elevating 21% this season.

Moreover, about 850,000 viewers tuned in to the WNBA All-Star games this year. “In the women’s game, you have the ability to build your legacy and build your rapport and brand with that fanbase, with that community,” James said in the latest episode of Mind the Game podcast with JJ Redick.

Another player who has become the face of women’s basketball, apart from seasoned athlete Sue Bird, is Caitlin Clark. As Angel Reese and others enter the WNBA draft this year, they are expected to bring in much more hype. Even this season, the women’s NCAA tournament has enjoyed more success than the men’s. This rising attention among fans hinted at a promising shift in the WNBA games. What is your take on this?

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