Have you wondered how WNBA would players answer certain questions when assured of anonymity? Athleticism The WNBA team set to work to answer that question, speaking with nearly two-thirds of the league’s players (including representatives from all 12 teams) to take the pulse on a wide range of topics.
What some of these one-on-one conversations revealed might surprise you. We learned how much we missed Diana Taurasi this year (or was she?), how confident players are in the direction of the WNBA as CBA negotiations are underway, and why California , Florida and Canada are the top choices for possible league expansion. And that’s just a snapshot.
Not all players answered every question, especially on the more controversial topics, so those who did had a greater impact on the results. That said, we received enough participation from coast to coast to give you an in-depth and transparent view of life in the WNBA.
1. Who is the best player of all time?
Best result: Diana Taurasi, Mercury (34.8% of votes)
Finalists: Cynthia Cooper (10.9%), Lisa Leslie (6.5%), Sheryl Swoopes (6.5%)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Tamika Catchings, Tina Thompson, Sue Bird, Candace Parker, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Maya Moore, Becky Hammon, Swin Cash, Elena Delle Donne, Lauren Jackson
In their own words:
“But there are so many great players that I don’t even know about. This is a difficult question.
“Kobe. Period.”
2. Who is the best dressed in the game?
Best result: Tamera Young, Ace (23.1%)
Finalist: Erica Wheeler (7.7%)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Crystal Langhorne, Liz Cambage, Isabelle Harrison, Diamond DeShields, Courtney Williams, Kalani Brown, Essence Carson, Lexie Brown, Monique Billings, Kayla McBride, Riquna Williams, Chloe Jackson, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Danielle Robinson
In their own words:
“A team other than us…Chicago.” There are some flying people on this team.
“I don’t know, but Sue (Bird) has been killing the game lately with her sideline outfits.”
3. If you are creating a list from scratch, who do you choose first?
Best result: Diana Taurasi, Mercury (14.5%)
Finalists: Elena Delle Donne, Breanna Stewart (13.2% each)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Nneka Ogwumike, Courtney Vandersloot, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, A’ja Wilson, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Candace Parker, Arike Ogunbowale, Napheesa Collier
In their own words:
“Basically everyone who gets hurt!” »
About Nneka Ogwumike:
“I always respected the athlete that she was, but (also) the leader that she is and the competitor. I admire her game and I think she will bring a lot to a team simply because of the type of person and leader she is.
On Chelsea Gray:
“The way she can go out and pass the ball. I would love to play with her one day.
4. Who is the most overrated player?
Best result: Candace Parker, Sparks (20.5%)
Finalists: Kelsey Plum (12.8%), Nurse Kia (10.3%)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Liz Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Arike Ogunbowale
In their own words:
“I mean, there’s plenty. I don’t know, there are a lot.
“I’ll go with myself. I’m not going to tell anyone else.
“(Laughs) I think everyone in this league is pretty good.”
“I wouldn’t say there’s anyone who gets too much love and doesn’t deserve it.”
“No. It’s too negative.
“Bruh.”
5. Who is the most underrated player?
Best results: Dearica Hamby, As; Cheyenne Parker, Sky; Courtney Williams, Sun; Chelsea Gray, Sparks; Emma Meesseman, Mystics; Leilani Mitchell, Mercury (6.2% each)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Natasha Howard, Danielle Robinson, Riquna Williams, Tiffany Hayes, Courtney Vandersloot, Allisha Gray, Sami Whitcomb, Erica Wheeler, Jasmine Thomas, Kristi Toliver, Ariel Atkins, Tiffany Mitchell
In their own words:
“I don’t want to say names, but…Cheyenne Parker.”
“There’s too much.”
6. Which player talks trash the most?
Best result: Diana Taurasi, Mercury (34.7%)
Finalist: Liz Cambage (15.3%)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Alex Bentley, Brittney Griner, Seimone Augustus, Odyssey Sims, Courtney Williams, Alyssa Thomas, Candace Parker, Shavonte Zellous, Renee Montgomery, Betnijah Laney
In their own words:
On Diana Taurasi:
“Please, no one comes near.”
About Liz Cambage:
“Not for me, though. I like it.”
On others:
“Who needs to keep quiet is Odyssey Sims.”
“It must be someone from Dallas.” It must be someone from Dallas.
“I don’t really hear anyone talking. I just know some people play bad. Not too many words.
Liz Cambage (Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
7. What is the biggest problem facing the league right now?
Best result: Salaries (45%)
Finalist: Marketing/exhibition (22.5%)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Travel, arbitration, respect, attendance, resources/conditions, collective agreement
In their own words:
On salaries:
“I feel like they’re kind of ignoring it.”
“The fact that we don’t get the same percentage of our income.”
On marketing:
“It’s not like, ‘Oh, we want $100 million contracts.’ We understand for now that this is not the case. We’re just asking for more equality in marketing and advertising and to see the game grow from there.
“Lack of exposure, due to sexism which is a societal problem. I think the WNBA is really niche. It’s not commercialized enough. You must consult our schedule, you cannot purchase merchandise. You can find stuff for the Hawks, the Bears, the White Sox, the Cubs, not a single one. Chicago Sky shirt.”
“Make people realize how stupid we are.”
On arbitration:
“Just consistency. If you want to be bad, always be bad. If you want to be good, always be good. We’re all human, but the consistency of the officiating this year is, phew. All I can say.
“It really takes away our talent and they look after their favorite players. We are talking about equality with this league and the way it is refereed does not show it at all.
“I know a lot of people say they pay, but I’m tired of these (commercial) thefts.”
In the presence:
“Bring people to the stands, attract fans. Getting them to not only stay, but also go to a damn game. Because of my experience, people usually come back after attending a game, because they enjoy it.
8. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the least, 5 the most), is the league doing enough to address the major issues?
Average response: 2.4
Median: 2.5
Mode: 2
In their own words:
“They try.”
“I think some cities are doing a good job, but others aren’t.”
“They try to take steps to improve some problems, but not all. »
“I know Terri (Jackson, WNBPA executive director) works very hard.”
“I know the WNBPA is doing everything they can to continue to push the league to do more. I still think the league can do more.
“They don’t take care of it. They keep saying we’re losing money, but they won’t show us where the money is going. They won’t show us how much money we are losing.
“Not good enough because it doesn’t go up!” They continue to discuss salaries abroad, but there it is not a problem, and here it is. They’re definitely not doing well. It’s not fast enough.
“The players take care of it, but the league doesn’t.”
9. Is the WNBA ready for expansion?
Yes: 75%
No: 21%
Don’t know: 4%
In their own words:
“We were ready.”
“Not until every team thrives.”
“For the fans, yes. Economic model, no.
“Not with the way we travel.”
“He’s ready for expansion because so many good players don’t make a team that should.”
“I feel like half the teams have their shit together, but the other half don’t. So these teams need to get their act together before the league grows.
New WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said one of her biggest goals is to get more young fans in the seats, like those fans in Chicago in June. (Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
10. If so, which city would you like to see form a team?
Best result: Miami (20.8%)
Finalists: Bay Area (18.8%), Toronto (13.5%)
Also receiving multiple votes (in descending order): Charlotte, Portland, Tennessee, Oakland, Carolina, Houston, Boston, Milwaukee, Orlando, New Jersey
In their own words:
“Any great college town for women.”
“We need a team (from the South), because, like Atlanta, it’s the only team with an eight-state radius between the other teams.”
“If I had to choose two, I would say Golden State or Portland. Just because they have such great fan bases in terms of basketball that I think it would easily carry over to the WNBA.
“I think if we had more teams, then you could have more players, you could have a bigger fan base. It’s a problem at the moment for the players, we don’t have enough space or enough staff.
In Oakland:
“I grew up watching the A’s, the Warriors, the Raiders, and now they’re all leaving. It would be nice to have a WNBA team.
In Houston:
“I always thought it was really unfortunate that a team that won four consecutive championships disbanded.”
11. If salaries were higher, would you still play overseas in the offseason?
Yes: 21%
No: 63%
It depends: 16%
In their own words:
“They need to be much higher. Where they are now, just a little bit higher makes no difference to what we produce overseas. It has to be high enough – four, five, six times higher than it is now. Then I will think about it.
“I am a single mother. I have to do both.
“That’s the only reason I’m going abroad.” I can’t wait for salaries to be higher so I can stay here.
“More than $350,000 would allow me to stay at home. »
“Me, personally, yes. Because they won’t match my salary abroad.
“Surely not. Quote me on that. Surely not.”
(Top image: Philippa Malloch, photos courtesy of Getty Images)
