Even though the lion’s share of attention within women’s basketball has been split between the early portions of the college season and the WNBA’s collective bargaining negotiations with the WNBPA, the women’s basketball realm is typically a busy one all-around.
We vividly remember the days when the debate over dunking and rim-lowering was so much of the rage within WNBA circles. This has not been the case recently given one of the young faces of the current W is a three-point specialist in Caitlin Clark.
This topic was brought up during a recent appearance by three-time WNBA champion and four-time league MVP A’ja Wilson on the Hot Ones podcast.
While she acknowledged that “dunking is cool” and that she has “seen dunking a lot,” she also lamented that…
…Maybe it’s just not a part of our game. And I really wish people could understand that…
–A’ja Wilson, Hot Ones podcast
…I wish they could really cherish the other things we bring to the game, that maybe just is kind of flashy as dunking.
–A’ja Wilson, Hot Ones podcast
The conversation on lowering WNBA rims does rear its ugly head from time to time. What has to be understood about those who lament that WNBA rims should be lower to allow for more dunks is those same individuals likely were not watching anyway.
Also – who says that WNBA rims need to be lowered so more of the women could dunk? We have seen Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and Brittney Griner throw down dunks. Even in the collegiate ranks, we have seen Ashlyn Watkins do the same thing.
Wilson understands that those who peddle this idea that the women’s game is less than the men’s game because of lack of dunks are merely being sexist. Even if rims were lowered, they would likely use that to smear the women’s game as well. One cannot win with a crowd so devoid of an identity that their entire identity is based around hating strong women – such as the strong women of the W.
The irony is that many a coach will say that the women’s game embraces fundamentals that are not always so present in the men’s game nowadays. In the men’s game, even down to the high school and AAU levels, everyone wants that chase down block or that slam that will go viral on TikTok and Instagram. In the women’s game, fundamentals are embraced – such as passing, pure team basketball and…wait for it…defense.
But the misogyny that surrounds women’s basketball is not only peddled by those who seek to skewer it for high rims. It manifested itself throughout the season when individuals fixed their lips and fingers to say getting double-doubles are easy – only because Angel Reese was getting them.
It also manifests itself when someone, somewhere has the you-know-whats to lament that a boys high school or travel team could defeat a group of WNBA All-Stars.
On a scale of 1-10, even saying such a thing is about a 50 on the misogyny scale. The Venn Diagram of folks who do say this and individuals who still are not over being rejected in high school is a perfect circle.
Sarah Ashlee Barker of the Los Angeles Sparks decided to do something about it. She was part of a one-on-one game for 4 Fun Guys who apparently brought along of these social media provocateurs for this content.
The one-on-one was all Barker, all the time as she won 11-2. She even remarked about having teammates that were better than her.
Barker, who has added television analyst to her growing resume, is correct. Imagine how a Kelsey Plum, Rickea Jackson, Azurá Stevens or Cameron Brink would have embarrassed that guy. That keyboard tough guy would not have been able to get a shot up against Brink as prolific a shot-blocker as she is. A one-on-one with her may not go the way many of these testosteroned-up dudes would…prefer it to go.
At the very least we now have a visual representation thanks to Barker and the 4 Fun Guys on what would happen to any of these Staten Island rec league MVPs that even think they stood a chance against a WNBA player.
WNBA players are the most elite women’s hoopers on the planet. We know this even if it is not everyday we see windmill dunks – or beer leaguers from the ‘burbs getting dusted.
