Watching a WNBA game today is power and promise in action: the power of its foundational legacy and the promise of the next generation. Talent and thrilling competition have always been in the league; now the world knows it. The momentum of the past several years – parents taking their daughters and sons to WNBA games, kids lining up to get player autographs, NBA players and Hollywood stars wearing the league’s orange hoodie – has led to this 28th season’s sold-out arenas, record-breaking viewership, and unprecedented merchandise sales. A well-deserved reflection on the grit and determination of the hundreds of women athletes who have steadily built the league from its tipoff on June 21, 1997, on.
But this 2024 season is special. The next-level buzz happening around the women’s game is due in large part to one of the most star-studded and stacked rookie classes in the league’s recent history. The 2024 WNBA Draft class not only brought their talent to the league, they also came with social media influence and marketing clout – which helps further grow WNBA coverage, viewership, and followers. This group is changing the game. For their collective impact building on the foundation and propelling the game to new heights, the WNBA rookie class of 2024 is receiving the Women’s Sports Foundation’s first ever Next Gen Award.
This rookie class was drafted into a WNBA that looks far different than it did when the formation of the league was first announced in April of 1996. That inaugural 1997 season, and many seasons that followed, came before the proliferation of smartphones, social media platforms and NIL deals. These powerful tools have helped players build their own brands and become recognizable household names – which in turn has helped the league reach a formidable $1 billion valuation, making it the first women’s sports league valued in the billions. No small feat, it has taken investment over time at all levels of the sports ecosystem to achieve.
Watching the WNBA 2024 rookie class fiercely compete on the court and influence culture off the court, is witnessing the impact of Title IX play out in live action. This landmark law has led to increased opportunities for girls and women – in basketball and beyond – and as a result, we have progressively seen more players with remarkable talent vying for the 144 roster spots throughout the league’s 12 teams. Title IX’s 37 words changed the trajectory of women’s sports that this season’s rookies have benefited from throughout their lives.
History in sport is both past and present; a collection of firsts on which foundations are built, records are made and in time surpassed by the next generation. Over its almost three-decade history, players of the WNBA have helped their teams win back-to-back league championships, led Team USA to winning gold in a record eight straight Olympics, and showed the world how a league dedicates an entire season to social justice. All of this and more helped grow the game and pave the path for the generation that followed.
Today, we see rookies such as Angel Reese set a new WNBA record for the most consecutive double-doubles (15), Caitlin Clark compiled the most points, assists and 3-point field goals ever made by a rookie in WNBA history, Rickea Jackson scoring over 400 points, and more. A fitting return on the pre-Draft excitement that saw massive lines wrapped around the Barclays Center and a record 2.45M viewers tune in, broadcast partners commit to increasing the number of nationally-televised games, and for the first time in league history, three teams sold out their season ticket plans well ahead of May’s season tipoff.
It’s clear that the future of women’s basketball is bright. And in this moment, it is important to give a “shout out’ to all the women that built this sport and League, those that came before its formation, and those that have been building it for the last 28 years. And now, here’s to the Next Gen who will boldly carry the torch forward.