Connecticut Sun coach Stephanie White was an All-American and national champion for the Purdue Boilermakers in the 1990s and a WNBA star into the 2000s.
But, she said, the popularity and level of recognition for today’s top women’s basketball players, such as No. 1 WNBA draft pick Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, has skyrocketed since her playing days.
“It’s nuts. It’s night and day,” White said. “I’ve been involved in this league for a long time. Just seeing the difference in the crowds that come before and stay after to get autographs, to the crowds that are flooding hotel lobbies. You see it that way on the men’s side. … That’s the way it’s been trending [on the women’s side].”
And with growth comes new challenges.
“As an organization, we often talk about player safety and having security. We remind our players that if we have somebody available for security, utilize them,” White said. “I’m thankful for the growth of our sport, but we also need to stay ahead of the curve in terms of protecting our players.”
The league…
