Context and the Caitlin Clark Effect

A meaningful Greek proverb states: “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit”

Young or old, male or female, a lot of trees have been planted on and in basketball gyms across the nation. When I think of the growth and development of basketball—a sport born in America—many a tall tree paved the way and laid the foundation for the incredible success and popularity of the game today. 

The irony of "shade" is not lost on me here. In fact, I'm not trying to throw any against the magnificent Caitlin Clark. I'm a fan...and it's not because she shares but the jersey number and surname of my favorite male athlete: Will Clark. I'm grateful for the exposure and attention she has brought to the game. I'm willing to defend her too. Not on the court but in the other court—the one of sports debate. 

Clark is one of the greatest shooters of all time and has the record to prove it. When you successfully make that many buckets, one need not be super selfless. However, Clark led The Big 10 in assists in 2023-2024. Solid. She is an outstanding passer and has remarkable vision on the court. She has already been named a "generational player." We shall see, but one thing is certain: Caitlin Clark is a household name. She has been the subject of Q&A, discussion and debate. And Yahoo Sports' Cassandra Negley wants to know: Is the league ready for the "Caitlin Clark Effect"?

Negley speaks to this question with much more than color commentary. Whether or not the market is bullish, the WNBA's stock is trending upward. Her numbers speak to that and Clark is to blame. She states,

The WNBA's 28th season is poised to be its biggest yet: bigger crowds, bigger TV audiences, bigger commercial aspirations, bigger stakes. 

There are going to be growing pains that we're already seeing play out. "The growth is happening so fast. It's so accelerated," Lynx head coach and president of basketball operations Cheryl Reeve said.

Merchandise offerings and availability are often a problem. And the overall experience of watching or attending games will be at the forefront for everyone.

The Mystics and Dream each play in venues with limited capacity. Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C., seats about 4,200. The Mystics already moved their June game against the Fever to Capital One Arena (more than 20,300), where it could set a WNBA attendance record. Atlanta's Gateway Arena at College Park holds 3,500.

Clark has a personal security detail in Indiana as she did in Iowa, and general manager Lin Dunn said the franchise committed to keeping everyone in their traveling party safe.

Connecticut Sun head coach Stefanie White said the crowds waiting for players at hotel lobbies and near the team bus have grown to the point where hotels are sectioning off areas of the lobby for safety.

"It's not just one or two stopping to get an autograph or a picture," White said. "It's hordes of people."

Developing story... The league is adding chartered flights for all teams this season, but the rollout has been bumpy. The Fever and Lynx flew private for their openers tonight, while other teams had to take buses or fly commercial.

What to watch... The WNBA's most-watched game took place 27 years ago and drew 5.04 million viewers. Some believe Clark's debut tonight in Connecticut could break that record.

All in all, The league's metrics in attendance, viewership and engagement have been on the incline for the last few years, but the "Caitlin Clark Effect" will push it all into overdrive.

I don't want to undermine what is happening. The shade in which today's player sit is wonderful. I simply want to send the poignant reminder of what is true far beyond basketball or the development of any women's program: We must not forget those who planted those trees. They include, in no particular order: Pat Summit, Cheryl Miller, ‌Sheryl Swoopes, Maya Moore, Becky Hammond (first female coach in the NBA), Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Cynthia Cooper, Tamika Catchings, Muffet McGraw, Ruth Riley, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Tara VanDerveer, Kim Mulkey and the list goes on. It will continue to do so. Let us put their names on those benches in the shade and share their stories. 

Are we ready for the Caitlin Clark Effect? Think of it as an iceberg. This is just the tip of a meaningful force—buoyed by others who stand proud and stand tall. Tomorrow's players will fill their shoes and it's exciting to think of what the game will look like for them. In the meantime, it's worth mentioning that two-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson is getting her own signature Nike shoe. She joins Sabrina Ionescu (Nike) and Breanna Stewart (Puma) as the only active WNBA players with signature deals.

The women in today's game stand on the shoulders of giants. Thanks for planting.

Photo Credits
Yahoo Sports
WNBA Greats

Pope Francis' Culture of Encounter with the NBA

Pope Francis' Twitter handle— @Pontifex—is Latin for "bridge builder." As evidenced in a recent meeting with five NBA players, the Holy Father continues to exemplify what this name implies. Professional basketball captures the attention of millions of Americans—young and old, religious, spiritual and nowhere in between! His invitation is but another example of the “culture of encounter,” which I find to be a great model for spiritual leadership. That being said, I also wish the audience included five WNBA players. Here's more. 

According to The New York Times, "In June, Pope Francis said he had watched the social unrest enveloping the United States with 'great concern.' In his October encyclical, titled “Brothers All,” a reflection on fraternity and social friendship, the pope wrote that “a readiness to discard others finds expression in vicious attitudes that we thought long past, such as racism, which retreats underground only to keep re-emerging. Instances of racism continue to shame us, for they show that our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive as we think.” And in November, he extended an invitation to the NBA players' union to learn more about their efforts toward addressing social justice and economic inequality. Pope Francis spoke to the power of sport both on and off the court. They met for a half hour in Rome on the Monday of Thanksgiving week—November 22, 2020.

Pope Francis has preached, taught and written about the “culture of encounter” time and again. In short the "culture of encounter" means that I have something good to give to another person, and the other has something good to give me. Those gifts are simple—our presence, our smile, a willingness to listen, ask questions, and affirm one's talents, efforts and ministry are but a few examples of what we can give and receive. 

The five male players — Marco Belinelli, Sterling Brown, Jonathan Isaac, Kyle Korver and Anthony Tolliver — were joined in the delegation by NBA players' union executive director Michele Roberts and two other union executives, Sherrie Deans and Matteo Zuretti. The group "presented the pope with a commemorative basketball, a union-produced book highlighting efforts players have taken and an Orlando Magic jersey." 

Listening to what they brought prompted me to consider what I might give the Holy Father. And what would I receive? I have thought about a message I might like to share with the pope. I can only imagine what he might want to say to me....about Sports and Spirituality, teaching theology, hosting a podcast or writing a blog.

I love the word "encounter." To me, it implies invitation and openness. There is an element of surprise and wonder when this type of connection occurs. And yet, I have rarely had a meaningful encounter with another person that was totally sufficient. Quite often, I wish I had shared a certain story or asked a follow up question. I can't help but revisit something I said...or didn't say. I have often hoped that one encounter will lead to another!

As meaningful as this encounter is and was, I do wish the invitation had been extended to the WNBA as well. (I also think it's fair to wonder why he didn't wear a mask, nor did the players at an indoor event—NB: all were tested on site). I would like to know why Pope Francis and/or his staff didn't think of including these female athletes as well for they have long been doing what the NBA is lauded for doing. 

In Just a Reminder: The WNBA Has Been Leading the Social-Justice Charge For Years, Maggie Ryan writes

The NBA's voice is urgently needed in this fight, but with all due respect, it's the WNBA that has been at this for a long time. As early as 2017, as President Trump was castigating NFL players for kneeling during the anthem, entire WNBA teams were taking a knee or even walking off the court while "The Star-Spangled Banner" played. The year before, three teams were fined for wearing Black Lives Matter shirts, then fought those fines until they were dropped, raising public awareness in the process.

WNBA teams have hosted town halls on race and spoke with civil rights leaders like the late Rep. John Lewis. And all of that was before this season, which the league dedicated to racial justice and the #SayHerName movement following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police. Some players even opted to sit out the season altogether to further this work. And let's not forget that, according to WNBA Players' Association (WNBAPA) President Nneka Ogwumike, WNBA players stand to lose more financially, relative their NBA counterparts, by skipping these games.

The WNBA was one of, if not the first, league to show this kind of collective, meaningful action for racial justice, and these players have paved the way for the movement we're seeing today in men's pro sports. All of these voices are needed in this fight, but credit where credit is due: WNBA players have been leaders for years. As WNBA All-Star and WNBAPA Vice President Chiney Ogwumike has said, "it's in our DNA."

The WNBA is certainly a group that is building bridges. And, I'm pleased to report they aren't going unnoticed on or off the court. In fact, their post-season ratings were up by 14%. This is an impressive stat when sports fans realize the viewing of the NBA, NHL and MLB post-season games were down, significantly. 

I don't want that point to overshadow the greater good that this encounter brought for the players, their fans and the Church.  For some people, it might. I have wondered if some would like the Holy Father to step down from his leadership position for not wearing a mask in an indoor setting. I do want to know—if we are to build bridges...if we are to promote a culture of encounter, how much must we "get right?" Thoughts? 

My Prayer: God and gracious God. Let us continue to build bridges with one another—near and far. Help us to promote and engage in a culture of encounter. There is so much good to give...and receive.

Photo Credits

Check for Understanding Part Two: Three Things Great Athletes Have In Common

Teaching might be my day job, but that doesn't mean a good piece of pedagogy ought to go to waste! In my last post, I offered a tip for parents as educators: Checking for Understanding. In today's topic, I'm going to run a theory by you. Test it out and have fun with it. The goal is two-fold. One: check for understanding the argument that I am going to make and two: discuss. Do you agree? Why or why not? 

That's right: What we are checking for understanding is a theory—a personal belief, a truth that I have found in reading and writing about professional athletes. I think this is especially true among female basketball players. You might think that is a very specific group, but for the point of your discussion, I encourage you to test it out on other sports/among all athletes. 

The April 2016 issue of High School Today, the magazine of NFHS: National Federation of State High School Associations (for Athletics) ran a profile of University of Virginia's women's basketball coach, Tina Thompson. The article "It all started here" reports

Before she became the WNBA all-time leading scorer, and before she was the first draft pick in the history of the WNBA, and even before she starred at Inglewood (California) Morningside High School, Tina Thompson got her start in basketball on the playground of West Los Angeles. 

Thompson would join her brother, TJ, and his friends at Robertson Park for pick up games. At Morningside, Thompson played basketball alongside fellow WNBA star Lisa Leslie, and also played volleyball. During her high school career, she scored more than 1500 points and collected more than 1000 rebounds. 

Thompson and Lesley teamed up again at Southern California, where they lead the Trojans to three NCAA tournament appearances. Thompson graduated in 1997 with a degree in sociology and a minor in psychology. 

In the initial WNBA draft, Thompson was drafted first by the Houston Comets. In Houston, Thompson led the Comets to four consecutive WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000. When she retired in 2013, Thompson was the WNBA's all-time leading scorer was 7488 points. Thompson was also a member of the 2004 and 2008 gold-medal-winning US Olympic teams. 

In 2015 Thompson was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Texas.

A few important post-scripts include: In 2018, she was named head coach of the University of Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team. She has been surpassed by Diana Taurasi as the all-time scoring leader, ranking an impressive number two and it should be noted she adds another chapter to the heroics of The Women of Troy!

Reading Thompson's brief profile was both inspiring and nearly formulaic. Seems to me that great athletes, those men and women who play in college and professionally more often than not share three things in common.

1. They grow up playing sports in an unstructured environment. The importance of free play is not to be underestimated. When kids play with other kids, in public places or on their own, over time they develop not only the skills that are necessary to succeed, but they find their own—those that are you unique to them.

In today's world, adults have orchestrated and over-organized sports so much that I wonder how fun it is for kids. I raise questions about 10 year olds traveling for club competition. It's sad that we need to remind the adults in the room to "let kids be kids." What they might not know is that is inhibits their ability to improvise, figure out the rules on their own, grow into their own understanding of the game and of competition.

2. Sibling Support. It's uncanny to me how many have a sibling, (in particular for women in basketball a brother) who they would join in pick-up games or unstructured practice. Tina Thompson, Cheryl Miller, Arike Ogunbawale, Ruth Riley and Sabrina Ionescu each credit their brothers (older and younger) as their favorite teammate. In tennis, I have wondered if you have Serena without Venus (and vice versa). In this instance, sibling rivalry is a good thing. As Cheryl Miller said about her brother Reggie "iron sharpens iron." He admits she's the best player in their family.

With female basketball players, games against or with their brother usually--not always—means they were competing against a player who has more muscle mass and weight. This can be a benefit when participating in all female competition (again, this is not ALWAYS the case but in general this is true of men vs. women. For example, most female tennis players on the tour hire a male hitting partner to help them get fitter, hitting harder, faster and stronger).

3. Great athletes play other sports. I would love to see Thompson on the volleyball court! Undoubtedly, the skills that volleyball demands—blocking, hang time, jumping and digging —must pay dividends inside the paint. 

My dad's take on this point is that professional athletes are great athletes—period. I agree and I also think that one can sharpen the saw physically and mentally by engaging in other sports. Not only does an athlete engage in different ways of competing (pace, time, mental focus) but they are exposed to other coaches—their style, philosophy and demands. Jack Swarbrick, Athletic Director at Notre Dame admitted his preference for recruiting two sport athletes. Why? "We find these men and women are usually stronger in one sport than another. They learn different roles on the team given those two paradigms." In an increased world of specialization, the case for the two-sport athlete remains viable and worth considering.

Do you understand my argument? Is it possible that all three commonalities are not necessary? Is anything missing? Discuss. Report back!

Photo Credits
Millers
Arike
Ionescu

But One Chapter in the Narrative of Sports: Thank you Serena Williams

Days after Serena Williams lost the French Open, a sportswriter raised an unfortunate question: Will Williams ever win another Grand Slam title? As many tennis fans know, Serena, who had already completed the Serena Slam (winning the Grand Slam in a non-calendar year) was going for history as she sought the 2015 US Open title. This victory would not only give her the distinction of becoming the fourth woman in the history of the sport to win a Grand Slam, it would be her 22nd—tying her with Steffi Graf for the most major wins in the modern game. She lost in the semis. 

In 2016, Serena went on to appear in the Finals of the Australian and the French Open, she lost in both. When I read that probing question, I put my magazine down with disgust. It's one that's not uncommon in sports. Golf fans are reading it on a regular basis this year as Jordan Spieth has yet to win a Major in 2016. And rather than answer the question, I thought instead about a larger one: What are the narratives that characterize professional sports today? I invite you to answer this question. Please share your response. For today, here is but one thought, among hundreds.

So...it looks like we have an answer to that question.

Default Language
Lying on the floor while stretching at the conclusion of a group exercise class at my gym, I looked up to read, actually read what the banners hanging from the ceiling had to say. They listed different championship titles that various teams within the club won and what year they did so. It was obvious to me that certain eras created a dynasty. But there was something on one banner that wasn't on all of the others; an interesting descriptor. It said "Women's Championship." I quickly realized that the default language in sports speaks of men and their accomplishments. You might make the argument that the club was originally for men only, so the history of the narrative stems from what was, rather than what it is today.

For example,  SportsCenter reported this morning that the US Women's Open champion in golf is Brittany Lang. When Dustin Johnson won the same title, sports media does note him as the "Men's Open championship," It could. My question is, Should it?

The same is true in professional basketball. The NBA is the National Basketball Association of male athletes. Though David Stern could have changed the name to the MNBA when the WNBA was created in 1996, he did not. Were a woman the commissioner, I'm not sure she would either. Norms in society are hard to change, but it doesn't mean they're not worth examining, considering, and questioning For example, I wonder: What are the implications of a language that suggests that athletes are male and when they are not—then and only then—do we let it be known otherwise?!

I'm okay with making distinctions. I have a favorite female athlete and I have a favorite male athlete. Evidence provided: here. You should say to me that Andy Murray was crowned the men's champion and Serena Williams is the women's champion of Wimbledon (although in this case, their names help me figure that one out. Not always true!). Though some would prefer to do away with these descriptors, they point to a truth. There are divisions by gender for a reason (which I'm not really interested in qualifying here. I'll leave that to some physiologist). In some arenas these divisions might not be necessary, but in others they are needed. For example, if Serena were to play on the men's tour, as much as I would want her to win, she wouldn't have the 22 titles that she does today. Men hit harder, their serve is faster and they play longer. Serena's serve is pretty close though! 

Michelle Wie comes to mind as a female athlete who attempted to play on the American men's tour, but did not make the cut. She is however the second woman to have made it on the Asian men's tour; Se Ri Pak of South Korea is the first. Unfortunately, Wie finished the year with disappointing performances on both the men's and the woman's tour. 

This too was not met without controversy. Female golf legend Annika Sorenstam criticized Wie for her decision to compete on the PGA tour. If you let the narrative of sports rest with those words, you would miss her larger claim. Wie wasn't even winning on the women's tour. Were she looking for the next level of competition, playing against men might make sense. Sorenstam was holding the claim at the LPGA has tremendous competition already. Why miss out on it? 

Without a doubt, Serena Williams has elevated the sport of tennis. And I say that with all due respect for the boys and girls, men and women, seniors, paraplegics and any fan of this great game. I love her for hundreds of reasons I have written about on this blog and as mentioned in this outstanding piece "The Singular Serena." She contributes much more than a singular chapter to the narrative of tennis and to that of all of sports. Today, I thank her for her contributions past and those to come....especially #23!

Photo Credits
Serena
B Lang
M Wie