A new wave of bandwagon fans forced their way into the WNBA chat last season – and many of these fans began a discourse of questioning the marketability of Black WNBA players.
This completely ignores the reality that the vast majority of WNBA players are Black. Meaning that if anyone is going to be marketed, it has to be Black players.
Never mind what Sheryl Swoopes did back in her heyday with the Air Swoopes. Never mind the marketing opportunities that Lisa Leslie was securing in her heyday. Never mind that when Skylar Diggins-Smith was transitioning from Notre Dame to the W that she was, not only a basketball phenomenon, but a cultural one as well.
But this new wave of – mostly white – bandwagon WNBA fans (many of whom can only name one player if asked to name 15 players sans Google) have actually called into the question the marketability of Black WNBA players.
If A’ja Wilson – the face of the WNBA – is unmarketable, then why did Wilson return to Paris for its Fashion Week festivities? Wilson has become very familiar with France’s flagship city – after all, it was the same city where she added an Olympic gold medal to her future Hall of Fame resume.
Wilson spoke to Vogue Magazine about her experience.
Paris holds a special place in my heart. I was here a few months ago and won an Olympic gold medal in this city, so returning brings back wonderful memories. And now experiencing fashion week adds another exciting layer.
–A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (Vogue Magazine)
It’s an incredible opportunity to witness the creative visions of designers come to life through their clothing and runway presentations.
–A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas (Vogue Magazine)
As if the opportunities she already has received through Nike (signature A’One sneaker coming), Ruffles and State Farm were not enough. Oh – she is also a New York Times-bestselling author and has her own candle business.
While Big A is continuing to secure bags, the same applies to Little A as well.
Many fast food chains – including McDonald’s – have made celebrity meals a thing. The golden arches have collaborated with well-known musicians such as Saweetie, Travis Scott and J. Balvin. Cardi B and Offset also had a McDonald’s meal when they were a happy couple.
In February – on time for Black History Month – McDonald’s is debuting the Angel Reese Special in a true collaboration between a Chicago-based conglomerate and one of Chicago’s favorite daughters. She sat down with Ari Chambers at Andscape and shared her thoughts.
McDonald’s just hits home for me because it’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember, whether it is grabbing a McChicken after games growing up or knowing how deep their connection is to hoops culture. Plus, being a McDonald’s All-American alum, it just felt like it was meant to be.
–Angel Reese, Chicago Sky (Andscape)
When McDonald’s approached me about this partnership, it was an easy yes. They see me for who I am – strong, confident and unapologetically myself.
–Angel Reese, Chicago Sky (Andscape)
Say what one wants about the quality of the McDonald’s menu or that it continuously gives money to anti-Black causes while heavily marketing to the Black community, when WNBA players are securing opportunities like this it is a massive win.
And we will address those issues in future articles, but the point is this. For a major international conglomerate such as McDonald’s to understand the star power of a Reese or Paris Fashion Week (which is in the same stratosphere as New York’s and London’s fashion weeks in the fashion realm) to understand the star power of a Wilson shows that Black women are marketable.
Maybe they are not marketable in their lily-white silos they choose to remain themselves in, but in the real world, marketability is not determined by the amount of melanin in the skin.
A huge reason as to why many of these bandwagoners have been wishing that Caitlin Clark leaves the WNBA is because of how uncomfortable many of them are with seeing Clark play against – and alongside – her Black and LGBTQIA+ peers. They are frustrated at the fact that in order to watch Clark play, they are also going to have to see the Black Girl Magic of Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner and others in full effect as well.
Oh…one more reminder about Clark…
I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege.
–Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (Time Magazine)
A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.
–Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (Time Magazine)
