But the images of young girls and boys — begging for autographs, crying when they meet players — have been the most evocative. (Yes, even more so than the tiara Ms. Reese brought to her final game.) For decades, women’s professional sports have been a cultural afterthought, with vast differences in pay and player treatment, relative to men’s teams, justified by middling interest (though passionate) among the public. That could change.
This moment feels akin to that of the 1990s Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, or when soccer star Brandi Chastain won the World Cup for Team USA and ripped off her shirt.
And it has been a long time coming. Many of the coaches of Elite 8 teams had to beg friends to attend their games, which they played in rotting facilities that men’s teams had long abandoned. Title IX, a 1972 federal law, mandated more equality between men’s and women’s college sports. The early 2000s saw players — such as Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird — who generated many TV viewers in college with their faster game and then went on to elevate the WNBA’s stature. Now, women’s basketball is reaching new heights.
There’s already buzz about next year’s college season, with the return of players such as Ms. Watkins and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson. Meanwhile, the WNBA is about to welcome the once-in-a-generation talents of Ms. Clark and Ms. Reese, who could start selling out professional stadiums next year, too.
Whoever wins the championship title Sunday night in Cleveland will cap an epic season with a trophy and ring. But every women’s college basketball player in the tournament this year has been part of something greater than March Madness. They gave kids coming something to — literally — aim for.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
