The WNBA didn’t just change women’s basketball — it changed us | Opinion
As WNBA enters its 30th season, its impact extends far beyond the court
The WNBA is so much more than a basketball league. It’s become an inspirer of dreams, a source of confidence and comfort, a societal disruptor and maker of all kinds of good trouble. We knew the W would be good for women’s basketball.
As it begins its 30 th season, we had no idea how good it would be for the rest of us. “The accessibility that we have now is so incredible for young girls,” said Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot, a two-time WNBA champion entering her 16 th season. “Even when we were young, the WNBA was still around but it wasn't so much available to you.
You had to really search it out. So just having something where girls can dream to be, I think is just really special. ” Women’s sports have always had to be “more than” because nothing was given to them.
They’ve had to scratch and claw to exist while men’s sports just … are. They’ve had to fight for the acceptance and equity that comes freely to men’s sports. They’ve had to ignore insults and condescension male athletes rarely of ever hear.