Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James doubled down on his Caitlin Clark belief on why the women’s college basketball game has surpassed the men’s scene in terms of popularity.
In the latest episode of his Mind the Game podcast with JJ Redick, James repeated his “icons” theory when it comes to the women’s game.
LeBron James’ Stance on Caitlin Clark, Women’s College Basketball
For those who missed it, James previously shared his theory that the women’s college basketball game is thriving because of the “icons” of the games. The Lakers star meant the stars that were able to establish themselves and build a strong following after years of playing for their respective programs.
Unlike the men’s basketball players who can jump to the NBA after just one year of college–leading to the popularity of the one-and-done prospects–female players don’t have the same privilege’s because of the WNBA’s rule that “requires domestic draft entrants to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and to have no remaining college eligibility or to renounce any future college eligibility.”
As a result, players like Clark were able to really focus on build on with their current teams instead of quickly moving on to the pro level.
James expressed his belief that ability to build their legacies with a program has helped the women’s college basketball game tremendously.
“The number one thing is in women’s sports compared to the men, we have the ability to go to the NBA right after our freshman year. In the women’s game, you have the ability to build your legacy and build your rapport and brand with that fanbase, with that community,” James explained.
“Caitlin Clark, I mean back in the day when it was like Diana Taurasi, and Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw, you know, Candace Parker. You know you’re watching these girls, they’re doing it, Kelsey Plum at Washington. You’re watching these girls year after year after year continue to grow.”
It’s definitely hard to argue with LeBron’s theory here. After all, there’s merit to what he just said. Had Clark and the other popular women’s college players had the ability to quickly go pro, the quick rise of the game wouldn’t have been possible.
At the end of the day, being able to really build something with their respective programs has also given the women’s game a huge boost when it comes to promoting the games and developing a more loyal fanbase.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Make History
That loyal fanbase that LeBron James mentioned was evident in the Iowa Hawkeyes vs. South Carolina Gamecocks women’s title game last Sunday. Caitlin Clark’s attempt to win the title–despite failing to do so–generated an average of 18.7 million viewers, with viewership peaking at 24 milliom.
In comparison, the UConn Huskies vs. Purdue Boilermakers men’s NCAA championship generated only 14.8 million viewers. That’s also great, but the fact of the matter is it pales in comparison to the women’s numbers.
Not to mention that it marks the first time that a women’s national championship game had more viewers than the men’s game.
Hopefully, with more women’s college stars rising, the popularity of the game will keep improving as well.
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