As a coach I love sports. I especially love basketball. While I didn’t play in high school and played other sports, it was my favorite.
My mother passed away at an early age. After her death, I came home one day from school to find my dad putting up a basketball goal. I didn’t know what he was doing but I shot balls through a little hoop for hours that day. He introduced me to basketball.
Shortly after that, we began watching basketball and while I was sitting on his lap, he showed me a young man called David Thompson. He told me he was the greatest basketball player he had ever seen. I fell in love with the sport.
I watched N.C. State and ran around the house in glee when they beat UCLA and Marquette for the 1974 NCAA Championships. I began to watch the NBA. I loved the Celtics. Havlicek, Silas, Scott, and Cowens won NBA Championships in ‘74 and ‘76. Thompson went on to play for the Denver Nuggets. My love for the sport had expanded.
Now to what I want to address: I love the WNBA.
I love basketball. These women can play. Yes, play. Many news outlets are more focused on political issues but I just want to watch a game. I’m going to address what is right about the WNBA and not on opinions of people who have never seen A’ja Wilson do a layup.
The WNBA is on their 30th year anniversary. The early league thrived with the likes of Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson. Attendance was around 11,000 up till the early 2000’s. Games were great. Attendance was happening and great basketball was enjoyed by everyone. Not for a lack of talent. but for many reasons attendance and interest fell. The league floundered to 2020-2021, when COVID-19 hit and attendance hit an all-time low at around 2,600 attending a contest.
The NBA went through similar struggles. The 1979 introduced two people named Ervin Johnson and Larry Bird to a struggling NBA. They played in an NCAA final against each other and took their talents to the pros. The rest is history.
In 2023, two young ladies played in the woman’s NCAA finals: Angel Reece from LSU and Caitlyn Clark out of Iowa State. They moved up to the WNBA. The WNBA should be happy about two great athletes bringing food to their table. I think they are.
But while some look for things that have nothing to do with basketball, I look at basketball. If you like sports, fundamentals, and just plain good basketball, this is who and what you should be looking for.
A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces in 2026 has averaged 26 points, 8.6 rebounds, and is an 85 percent free throw shooter. She is a GOAT! Jordan, Jabbar, James, Kobe – that is her level. The best generational player of this time but possibly the greatest female basketball player of all time. Four-time WNBA Champion and four-time WNBA MVP. I don’t know what to say after that. I will add one note: She was named after the Steely Dan Song “Aja” (and I love Steely Dan).
Angle Reece of the Atlanta Dream in 2026 averages 16.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists a game. I have watched this young lady since entering the league and her improvement is astounding. Her shot selection is better and she is producing more assists as she is able to read the double-team and kick it out to the open teammate.
Note: She catches a hard time for missing inside shots, but she gets her own rebounds, or “Mebounds.” She practices going to get her own rebounds. It is one of her workout drills. This is the “Bill Russell Drill.” Russell would throw the ball against the backboard and go get the ball looking to pass it to Bob Cousy for the Boston Celtics to run the fast break. Russell is the greatest winner in the NBA history. I love Mebounds. Give me 16+ points and 12 rebounds from a player every game and I’m probably a happy coach with your effort.
Caitlyn Clark of Indiana averages 21.5 points, eight assists, and 34.9 percent from three-point arc this year. This young lady is a shooter. She shoots from everywhere. She makes it from everywhere. She recently put up 45 points and 10 assists against the Seattle Storm.
She is the subject of a lot of fouls and contact. She is getting the “Jordan Rules” treatment. In the late 1980’s Detroit would force Michael Jordan to his weak spots on the floor and foul hard in the places he scored most. That’s not being mean. That is playing basketball to win.
Breanna Stewart of the NY Liberty averages 21.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, is a two-time WNBA MVP and three-time WNBA Champion this year. A great all-around player, she will go down as one of the best WNBA players in history. Note: She has her own shoe line, the Puma Stewies. You’ve got to be good to have a shoe.
Paige Bueckers of the 2026 Dallas Wings has 20.3 points, 5.9 assists and shoots 38.6 from the three-point arc. Bueckers was the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year and the first-round draft pick. Note: just my opinion, but she is a better player then Caitlyn Clark. No hate on Miss Clark as the Caitlyn can flat out play ball. Bueckers does it better.
Other reasons just from 2026 you should watch and love WNBA Basketball:
Allyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury, 15 points, seven rebounds
Kamilla Cordosa, Chicago Sky, 14 points, 8.6 rebounds
Jessica Sheppard, Dallas Wings, 14.7 points, 11.8 rebounds
Kahlead Cooper, Phoenix Mercury, 21.2 points
Ailiyah Boston, Indiana Fever, 16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds
Forget the politics, and enjoy some quality basketball.
