Marvel Studios teamed up with the WNBA in a stunning commercial for Captain Marvel. Also in this edition of Hoops happen: a recap of NBA All-Star events, commentary on a player’s All-Star snub, Naismith finalists, a general news roundup, a special message, bonus All-Star coverage and much more on the world of women’s hoops!
The women of the WNBA battled it out in the international spotlight during the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina.
From Hall of Famer Dawn Staley and future Hall of Famer Sue Bird as Celebrity Game coaches Friday – with A’ja Wilson and Stefanie Dolson competing – to Wilson and Candace Parker as Slam Dunk competition judges On Saturday, the best of the best were out in force and at home among the best in the basketball universe.
But the real excitement came during halftime of the NBA All-Star Game when Marvel Studios debuted its “What Makes a Hero” spot ahead of the March release of Captain Marvelwith Brie Larson.
Featuring Larson as Captain Marvel, the commercial also features “a group of W players like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and A’ja Wilson who prove that courage, power and strength can make a hero and inspire girls around the world to be heroes too,” reads a WNBA press release.
And Christy Hedgpeth, COO of the WNBA, said:
Women like Captain Marvel and our WNBA players define and inspire our own version of the superhero in their daily lives through their strength, speed and power. Whether through basketball or striving to be the best they can be in the community, our players are inspiring examples of everyday heroes.
Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8, International Women’s Day.
The 2019 WNBA season begins May 24.
NBA All-Star Recap
celebrity game
The home team coached by Dawn Staley beat Sue Bird’s away team, 82-80. Comedian Famous Los was the home team’s top scorer, with 22 points, while A’ja Wilson finished with 11.
Saturday night
- Skills Challenge: Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics beat a group of seven other participants.
- Three-point competition: With a score of 26Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets eclipsed hometown hero Stephen Curry for the NBA Three-Point Contest trophy.
- Slam Dunk Contest: Hamidou Diallo of the Oklahoma City Thunder won it diving on a standing Shaquille O’Neal and suspended from the edge by an elbow.
All-Star Game
Team LeBron (James) emerged with a 178-164 victory against Team Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Antetokounmpo brand a game-high 38 points in the loss, while Kevin Durant – who scored 31 points for the winning team – walked away with the MVP trophy.
All-Star snobbery
An NBA All-Star year in which Marvel Studios collaborated with the WNBA to release a superb Captain Marvel The All-Star Game halftime commercial provided a great opportunity for broadcasters to highlight the on-court accomplishments of WNBA players. But they were far behind snub Allie Quigley cover: Winner of the WNBA All-Star Three-Point Contest two years in a row (2017, 2018) and setting a new record for the contest.
With a score of 29 last July, Quigley has the highest score in the WNBA Or NBA History.
Allie Quigley
Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
When the WNBPA calls on society to “bet on women,” it means: listen to women and include women in the coverage to which they rightfully belong. Everything else is a default status quo in favor of men that erodes social progress – decision after decision, erasing women from their rightful place in history.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists
A five-time WNBA All-Star (1999-2003) and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998) who played for the New York Liberty, Thérèse Cuillère Weather I can now add Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Finalist to his illustrious basketball resume which also includes collegiate and international achievements.
Thérèse Cuillère Weather
NBAE via Getty Images
Among the 13 finalists, the two other women finalists are Leta Andrews and Barbara Stevens. Click here to read the full list of finalists.
Elsewhere in the world of women’s basketball
A’ja Wilson finally meets Blake Griffin
Griffin sent Wilson a congratulatory message on her WNBA draft night in 2018, and the two have since remained public admirers of each other’s play on social media platforms. Their paths eventually crossed outside of cyberspace, where they met and exchanged jerseys during NBA All-Star Weekend.
The NBA clings even tighter to the status quo
NBA and FIBA team up bring a league to the African continent and it appears that former President Barack Obama is involved in this endeavor. Growth and expansion are always reasons to celebrate, so – congratulations, Africa!
But…what about the WNBA?
As recently as last year’s WNBA Finals, then-WNBA President Lisa Borders said revenues were not where they should be to support higher player compensation or plane travel for teams. Yet the NBA found a way to pay fairly large sums to unproven high school athletes up front, with The G-League “picks contracts.” And now the NBA has magically found the revenue to launch a whole new league on a faraway continent.
So if the NBA can start paying “select contracts” to kids who have yet to play a game – and create a new league in Africa – players should expect the league to support changes radicals in favor of parity during the collective bargaining process. .
RIGHT?
Also:
Special mention :
Arielle Chambers at High Post Hoops covered the 2019 NBA All-Star Game in a way that no one else did: She asked NBA players about the WNBA and WNBA only. It’s great to see so many media outlets using players’ responses to Chambers’ questions in their coverage. But perhaps these same media could learn from his example and Also give Chambers the hat tip she deserves?
Bonus Coverage:
More NBA All-Star Weekend coverage thanks to the WNBA!
We all have something to fight for. Something that calls us to lead. The question is, How are you going to achieve this? –Captain Marvel
