Remember last year’s WNBA Draft?
Remember last year’s WNBA Draft class that included the likes of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson and Kamilla Cardoso among others.
The way there are documentaries made about the 2003 NBA Draft class that included LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh among others, there will be future docs about the WNBA’s 2024 rendition.
One could also see that last year’s draft – the first held in front of fans since 2016 when Breanna Stewart was drafted first out of UConn – was promoted to the max. The WNBA was promoting its big night – the way it was supposed to be promoted.
Fast forward to 2025 – new draft class…and new venue. Last year’s draft was held in the shadow of the New York Liberty’s home court of Barclays Center at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This year, the scene shifted to Manhattan’s West Side at The Shed at Hudson Yards.
It felt as if the promotion of the draft was flat especially when compared to all of the pomp and circumstance that went into last season. And this is with a generational talent in Paige Bueckers at the top of the draft board.
Last year’s draft obviously was promoted better by the W – but even the 2020 draft was promoted better by the WNBA when Sabrina Ionescu was at the top of that draft class. And that draft was staged virtually due to the pandemic.
We will be fair and say the way the W is hyping up drafts is certainly better than the dark days of when there was almost no media coverage of the league. But the WNBA should be continuing to raise the bar – especially considering that, per ESPN, this draft was the second-most watched draft in history.
Just think about the names that were invited to the draft. Bueckers is obviously the biggest of the big names on the marquee – she sells herself. But what about a Kiki Iriafen? What about a Hailey Van Lith? What about a Te-Hina Paopao (who opted to have a draft party back in her hometown of Oceanside, California instead)? These young stars in the making are entering the WNBA with massive fanbases. Their stories deserve to be told and embraced.
The WNBA also needs to get it right for future drafts because of the names that will in said future drafts. Look at Flau’Jae Johnson – with the way she seamlessly bridges the gap between sports and music she will be a marketing gold mine for the W when she enters the league. The WNBA needs to (all puns intended) roll out the orange carpet for next year’s draft class simply because of the cultural significance of a Big 4.
Then – there is JuJu Watkins – the biggest thing women’s basketball has had since Clark. In fact, Clark mentored Watkins on how to handle the pressure of carrying the torch for the collegiate game.
Even though she suffered an unfortunate ACL injury during the tournament, Watkins’ comeback story is sure to be one for the ages. Also – she is almost universally beloved. Remember the outpouring of support and flowers she received on social media after the injury?
Anyone who hates Watkins more than likely hates themselves. Again Cathy Engelbert…roll out the orange carpet both literally *and* figuratively.
It has been widely talked about how one of Engelbert’s main accomplishments as the W’s first-ever commissioner was bulking up the marketing side of the WNBA. Where was it in regards to this draft?
Last year proved that the WNBA can get the hype machine going for the draft when it wants to. There is no excuse for the league to dial back now only because No. 22 is part of the league now.
Bueckers has been billed as a generational talent ever since she was playing at Hopkins High School in Minnesota. Not to mention she did something Clark did not do – she finished the story.
No. 5 won a national championship in her senior season and stormed through this past season’s defending champs in Dawn Staley’s South Carolina to do it. Clark had two chances to claim a natty – once against LSU and once against South Carolina – and came up short both times.
One of the notable undrafted players from the draft was Deja Kelly whose career spanned North Carolina and Oregon. We see that Kelly has a career in broadcasting if her pro hoops endeavors hit a snag. At this point, the WNBA probably needs to add Kelly to its marketing department if it is going to airball promotion of the draft the way it seems this year.
The bottom line is that the WNBA needs to treat its marquee events like the marquee events they are – and last year’s draft proved it can be done. There are three main events on the W’s calendar every single year – the draft, All-Star and the Finals. We see how the WNBA has grown All-Star from simply a standalone game to an entire weekend of events.
The Finals are expanding to a best-of-7 (at last) beginning this year. Only one infinity stone remains – and that is the draft.
And with names that sell themselves like Johnson and Watkins coming down the pike, this should be a layup for the WNBA. No more blowing bunnies like what has been done in the past.
Make your layups. Actually – dunk them and celebrate jubilantly afterwards.
