While this WNBA season will be unlike any season we have ever seen for the most unfortunate of reasons, the league based on a few pictures shared by some social media accounts appears to be prepared to take to what will be a very aesthetically pleasing court (or courts).
𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄. 🤩#RISE pic.twitter.com/aZXWwnm0dJ
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) July 12, 2020
“I love this game!”
That’s a wrap on day 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/NkkQOIk5n3
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 13, 2020
Wrong way, B 😂 pic.twitter.com/kZF3KXxZEH
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) July 14, 2020
Looks like @FeldEnt in Palmetto is a #WNBA game court per those vids/pics coming from the Wings…did a Google maps search and…. pic.twitter.com/AQocbarh03
— 𝗔𝗸𝗶𝗲𝗺 𝗕. 𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗺 👨🏾💻🎙🖥🎥📰📺 (@AkiemBailum) July 12, 2020
And when that season begins on July 25, it will tip off with a contest that is sure to draw its fair share of eyes – particularly in the northwestern United States.
🙌 Storm Basketball is 𝘽𝘼𝘾𝙆! 🙌
The 2020 Storm basketball season presented by @Symetra tips off July 25th vs @nyliberty on @espn.#StrongerThanEver pic.twitter.com/DX0idbCOST
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) July 13, 2020
12 Days Until Tip-Off! 🙌
Go to https://t.co/0wk4D1OluJ for more details. #LIBERTYLOUD🗽 pic.twitter.com/UER7kbma9U
— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 13, 2020
Exactly – the first contest on the WNBA’s 2020 Wubble ledger will be filled with so many storylines it could fill all of Bradenton and Palmetto. The return of Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart. Sabrina Ionescu’s WNBA debut. The first game for Walt Hopkins as a head coach. Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty on July 25 on ESPN.
Also on that same day – Los Angeles Sparks vs. Phoenix Mercury on ABC in what will be the debut of Skylar Diggins-Smith donning Merc colors. Also – Marianne Stanley’s coaching debut with her new team will be against her old team that she was a longtime assistant for – Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics.
The following day’s games should be just as notable. Connecticut Sun/Minnesota Lynx, Dallas Wings/Atlanta Dream and …
We just couldn’t resist 😏😂
This was pretty much everyone’s reaction to @dearicamarie’s shot right?
(h/t miatomeo) pic.twitter.com/0ewXnc1Kmt
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) December 30, 2019
Chicago Sky/Las Vegas Aces.
The season will also be a notable one because additional attention and emphasis will be placed on the Black Lives Matter movement. Throughout the season, players will wear warm-up shirts saying Black Lives Matter on the front and Say Her Name on the back. The message of Black Lives Matter will also be displayed on courts.
In addition to the full schedule which is on the WNBA’s website – much attention will be given to the national television schedule. ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, CBS Sports Network and CBS will air 64 games. A year after finishing with a 10-24 record, the Liberty are the TV leaders in the Wubble clubhouse with 16 games.
Hmmm….we wonder why?
🚨@sabrina_i20‘s @WNBA debut will air on ESPN July 25 🚨
TV schedule info: https://t.co/9KJZ8PgQfo pic.twitter.com/J4AO043NzI
— ESPN (@espn) July 13, 2020
Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas and Seattle each will be featured 13 times on national television with Phoenix garnering 11 national television appearances and Connecticut getting 10. Chicago will be seen from coast to coast nine different times while Minnesota and defending champion Washington with eight appearances. Atlanta gets seven.
Notably – there is one of the WNBA’s games that will get air on CBS … as in … CBS CBS as opposed to CBS Sports Network. It features the Liberty and Aces on Aug. 29 at 4 p.m.
Hmmm…we wonder why?
Just your typical Monday with @_ajawilson22 😆💃 pic.twitter.com/237RQDtFS0
— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) July 14, 2020
Gimme the shimmy @sabrina_i20 🤩 pic.twitter.com/H6ZnnAai1B
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 13, 2020
The website with the schedule hints that there will be two courts with references to “WNBA Court 1” and “WNBA Court 2.”
On Tuesday July 28, the Mystics and Sun will face off in a rematch of what was a classic 2019 WNBA Finals. The following day, CBS Sports Network will air a couple of notable matchups – the first being when rookies and youngsters have the spotlight on themselves with the Liberty and Wings get together at Court 2. After that contest, Angel McCoughtry will face her old team – the Dream at 10 p.m. at Court 1.
The following day – ESPN will air a matchup of the last two WNBA champions when Seattle meets up with Washington at 6 p.m. On Aug. 8, ABC will showcase a game that could be a WNBA Finals preview with the Mercury and Seattle Storm. On Aug. 9, Seimone Augustus will don Sparks colors against her former team when Los Angeles takes the court to take on Minnesota (ESPN2).
On Aug. 26 on CBS Sports Network, DeWanna Bonner will take to the court with her new team – Connecticut – vs. her old team – Phoenix.
