Since the women’s basketball collegiate season is officially over, many basketball fans are anticipating the best WNBA draft to ever be televised. When players become seniors, they have to make an important decision: entering the professional league (WNBA) draft or staying an additional year for another degree. And while the WNBA is still growing in popularity, this year is the most productive year to grow its viewership because of big-time players such as Clark, Brink, and Reese.

In this year’s March Madness, the women’s side has sold more tickets than ever before. Arenas were sold out and ticket prices increased drastically. The growth of women’s college basketball has been huge, not just for the NCAA, but also professional leagues as well. With this season being the most watched season yet, many of the top teams star senior players, meaning their fan bases will most likely be following them to the WNBA. 

This would be beneficial for the league and the growth of female sports advertising for individual players. Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Kamilla Cardoso, and Jacy Sheldon are the top five picks and are predicted to be the first five drafted. All five and their teams participated in the March Madness tournament (where they were ranked highly), consistently selling out arenas and being watched on national television.

Angel Reese, former 2023 National Champion, recently declared her commitment to the WNBA 2024 Draft. Her fanbase waited for her announcement earlier in the season, hoping for a bittersweet goodbye. Selfishly, fans hoped Reese would choose to stay another year in hopes for another championship ring. But they also understand the importance for her to move on and create a name for herself at the professional level while they wish her the best. 

She tells Vogue, “I’ve done everything I wanted to in college.” After all, she has won a national championship, received SEC (Southeastern Conference) Player of the Year, and has been named an All-American. After LSU’s loss in the final four against Iowa, Reese takes that last final step of her college career and is excited to move forward to bring her skills to the next level. “My ultimate goal is to be a pro — and to be one of the greatest basketball players to ever play. I feel like I’m ready,” she claims. 

When asked about why she chose this decision over staying at LSU for an additional year, she explains, “I want to start at the bottom again.” She feels that she has done all that she can do during her two years at LSU, and wants another challenge. Reese explains, “I want to be a rookie again and build myself back up. I want to be knocked down and learn and grow at the next level.” 

Playing in the WNBA will introduce a whole elevated game for players like Reese. In college, players are accustomed to a certain pace, defense, experience, etc. In the WNBA, the competitors are taller, bigger, stronger, and more experienced than these upcoming rookies. Reese embraces this challenge and chooses not to shy away from the opportunity.

Another college superstar who announced for the draft much earlier was Caitlin Clark, known as “the GOAT of womens’ college basketball”. She quickly became a fan favorite during her junior year, many looking up to her to pave the way for female sports. Although Clark had another year of eligibility, meaning she could play another year in college, she eventually made the tough decision to go pro. “I think there’s pros and cons to both sides, and that’s what made the decision so difficult,” Clark said. For example, she knows how important going professional is for the next generation of girl players. It could change the game for the better: a bigger female sports fanbase, thousands of merchandise sales, and a generation of inspired young players.

However, she knows she will miss her Iowa team and the attention college brought to her career. After experiencing loads of pressure she had to carry during her collegiate career, she knows it is time to take this big step, not only for herself, but for the world of women’s basketball. With her attracting many fans across the world, more people want to see Clark take this step to watch her compete at the next level. “It was almost a win-win, but at the same time, a lose-lose, because I was giving up something,” she reflects.

Furthermore, Caitlin Clark was the first pick in the draft, locking in her spot with the Indiana Fever. Ever since Clark declared for the draft, the Fever have booked to play at arenas much bigger than they ever have before because they know fans are willing to sell out tickets if it means they get to watch Clark play. As her fame grows, many are becoming aware of how big and important female sports are, and that these athletes deserve equally as much credit than anyone else. With that being said, WNBA is anticipated to be the “next big thing”.