The Evolution of the WNBA - A Look into the Past & Future
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มิ.ย. 2024
- Following the glorious undefeated run by the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team, the WNBA was launched with all the momentum in the world. An original mini-documentary covering the on-court tactics from the Houston Comets dynasty to the Diana Taurasi-led Phoenix Mercury and plenty more.
0:00 Intro
0:51 A History Lesson
5:05 Evolution
8:33 Passing the Torch
12:27 Closing It Out
Follow me on Twitter: / huntercruse14
Website: www.the60and36.com
──────────────────
𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗦:
➖ Mark Schindler: / mg_schindler
➖ Spencer Nusbaum: / spencernusbaum
➖ Matt Cohen: / mccohen5
──────────────────
Soundtrack: • Playlist
Resources (Sited): docs.google.com/document/d/1c...
──────────────────
The videos used belong to their respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over them. This project is not affiliated with the WNBA nor represents their thoughts & viewpoints.
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.”
──────────────────
The Evolution of the WNBA, WNBA Documentary, 1996 Olympic Team, Houston Comets, Sheryl Swoopes, Diana Taurasi, Kelsey Plum, Candace Parker, Corey Gaines Offense, WNBA Pick and Roll, Sabrina Ionescu, Rhyne Howard, The WNBA is So Important, WNBA Young Stars, WNBA Rookies
──────────────────
©️ Hunter Cruse (2022)
60 and 36 - กีฬา
Great work man! Enjoyed every second of it!
Thank you!
Great overview of the League! 8:33, don't forget to mention Maya Moore, who was a rock of the WNBA from 2011-2018, who stepped away unfortunately.
I did mention Maya, yes!
I haven't watched a game since she left.
I'm a big NBA fan trying to get more into WNBA and this vid was awesome thanks for making it.
I really appreciate those kind words! The league is a ton of fun - if you have any questions, thoughts, etc. lmk!
It’s actually a fun league and I feel like it’s getting more attention
Omg! Cynthia Cooper Was a Monster She was a Unbelievably Good Basketball Player ...🔥🏀
One of my top favorites!
Lol what are you smoking, all wnba players are garbage. A proper high school boys team would dumpster them
The GOAT 🐐
Sheryl Swoopes or Cynthia Cooper?
@@billblaski9523 Cynthia.. But Sheryl was good too..Cynitha & Sheryl was like Mike & Scottie
Now THIS is the type of WNBA content that I like. Fact based, highlighting the strengths of the league, and showing the talent of the past, present, and future. Outstanding job on this video.
No mention of Tameka Catchings 🤦🏿♂️
5 time defensive player of the year, the only WNBA player to lead her team in every statistical category in a season. She did it five times. No other player has ever done it once. Also league MVP and finals MVP.
wow, love how you compose this video!!!
This was amazing would love to see more thank you!
That was an amazing video! A month from starting the 2023 season, I'd like to see the torch being passed to Maya Moore, EDD, Stewie, and Aj'a, unfortunately, only the last two are ready to win it all (I know Maya is retired and the EDD's medical condition makes things hard for her and her future in the league). One last thing. I'm not sure if at the time you mention the former WNBA players becoming coaches, you showed a picture of Becky Hammon. This woman won the title in her first year, signed the most lucrative contract in the history of the league, and the doors for being a Head Coach in the NBA are still open).
See from Reddit really nice job! I am looking forward to your new video!
Amazing video my guy, keep it up!
Thank you!
Incredible Video!
Thank you!
Appreciate your technical assessment of the players. Your attitude and manner are the best! Thank you!
Man the old days were so good
Haha thanks for watching!
wnba 90s era was lit!! i dont know why but is was beautiful basketball. But now we're seeing more publicity which is. going to help with getting casual viewers to tune in
I bet there are more people like me, who never ever watched a WNBA game.
WNBA is the hottest sport rn..
Great overview!
Thank you!
Tina Thompson was my favorite WNBA player back in the day I miss her playing
This is great work man
Great video! I hope Bueckers recovers well because I feel like the next generation of her, Rhyne Howard and Caitlin Clark can really take the WNBA to that next level
Appreciate it. Clark & Bueckers are among the most exciting prospects to enter the W over the next few drafts, same goes for Boston in 2023
@@HunterCruse14 For sure, as a UCONN fan though, seeing you mention Boston's name brought back some bad memories lol but definitely, she will be a huge force. I'm hoping South Carolina gives Zia Cooke a little more freedom next season too because I think she has Star potential, as well.
@@purely.genuine sc always giving u bad memories lmao aja and boston
Amazing ladies👏🏀 Congratulations Las Vegas Aces♥️ 2022 Championship🏆
Yes, all 50 WNBA fans agree.
No mention of yolanda Griffith smh
Great video!
Thank you!
Love this!!
I get they are a year after your cutoff, but the list feels incomplete without Napheesa and Arike.
That's good stuff. Keep going.
It's "Rupert" not "Rupurt". And maybe I'm drinking too much of the french cool aid but, though I love that you mentionned Marine (my fave), I would have add Gabby Williams in the high-end starters tier list.
She’s a bit too old (experience-wise) having played four seasons in the league. Appreciate it though!
@@HunterCruse14 I figured out that you were talking about rookies and sophomores afterwards. Sorry I'll pay better attention for the next one.
All good!
Thank you for posting some GOOD examples of playmaking... in the WNBA..
It’s kinda funny how a dude has some of the most informative comments f not the most on the wnba keep up the good work
Great video
Present of WNBA is Breanna Stewart, future is Sabrina Ionescu
None of these women can't sit at the table with Cynthia Cooper or Sheryl Miller
Miller was a monster
It's all about Cynthia Cooper, Cheryl Miller, Maya Moore, Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie
Who
So they can sit at the table with them
The best players you never heard of not giving opportunities cause of big name schools
The biggest evolution in the WNBA game, is the vastly improved guard play. The W has always had great guards at the top level, but this has been traditionally been a league dominated by forwards and centers. The guards, while still behind in elite level to the forwards, have overall progressed greatly. Their shooting is much better, and some have even flat out taken over games. The guard talent in the league right now is at an all-time high, even if none of them is as good as the great Cynthia Cooper.
The evolution of the DUAL FORWARD in the WNBA is significant
The WNBA has lasted 25 years and yet there are still basketball ( idiots) experts who are so negative in their opinions and call the WNBA a joke. They should be supporting the fact that women can play basketball too. There is a lot of great players in the WNBA .
Well said!
The WNBA has only ‘lasted’ that long because the NBA finances them. The league is a total net loss.
@@weeger3930 the NBA believes in the WNBA, do you?
It's a subsidised league that loses money every year after receiving free money from the NBA. It's only lasted for 25 years cause it's a marketing ploy from the NBA and it would be bad PR for them to drop it so they pay the price for its existence. Question is why don't other women watch and support this?
lasted 25 years? You mean have been financially supported and keep alive for 25 years they would have folded long ago if it wasn't for the NBA and they still don't appreciate that $10-12 million per year donation.
Wow it seems like there was a lot of enthusiasm for the league in the beginning, also a lot more fans in the arenas. Who ever is in charge of the wnba should stick to marketing the league better and concentrate on basketball instead of activism and social justice.
If that’s what they find to be important let them do that. If you’re uncomfortable with justice for your fellow American maybe that’s something you need to work out.
The WNBA was made to make money and entertainment. would you want your local server to hand you your goods while spewing their political takes? The WNBA is a business failure and it will continue to be catering to people who don't understand that.
The WNBA was never meant to be successful. It was meant for the US to have a women's league way tf after every other country had one. SURPRISE, its launch was successful and so it had to be sabotaged and ran into the ground by the higher ups. I'm sure the higher ups didn't like the activism either.
Yes but the league makes no profit so if they don't want to stick to progressing and marketing the league to grow fan base and actually make a profit margine than they need to either hand over the reigns to someone who will focus on that while they do the other things that they are focusing on or they aren't going to have a platform to continue doing so
@@Michael-mt6yb Given its non-existent fan base, pretty much any behaviors coming from the players should be of concern to the league.
If the league existed in order to further claims of injustice that have proven to be a turn-off to Americans in general - and sports fans in particular - that would be another matter.
As is usually the case, it's less a matter of taking positions and more of taking stances that are actually informed while doing it at the appropriate time and place.
Second-string-turned-former-NFL-quarterback Colin Kaepernick got to experience the result of not doing things in a thoughtful manner. I can't say he learned his lesson, but he "found out."
Found your work today. Digging it. Be prepared for an influx of more subscribers now that more people are tuning into the WNBA
Thank you!
I really enjoyed the video simply for the fact im so old i grew up with Rebecca Lobo and Lisa Leslie 😂😂
My all time favorites were Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Maya Moore, Candace Parker, and Lisa Leslie. I have no favorites now.
We know they are your favorite because they are black truth is they are not that great......
Naylssa Smith my favourite player.
Kahleah Copper, Chicago Sky, 28 years young. I would choose her as a 2 all day.
NaLSSA Smith lived in my subdivision, she would play point guard against men and do well, score alot and pass well
🔥🔥
I use to watch the wnba when it 1st got started. It was really good basketball
R.I.P. Margo Dydek [']
I watched the earlier WBA, the Becky Hammon era and they were good but nowadays, it got worst!
You mean Comrade Hammon? :D
Caitlyn Clark (2024), Azzi Fudd (2025) amd a healthy Paige Bueckers (2024 or 2025)
Caitlyn Clark she a baller I don’t knw Azzi but Paige I don’t think so cus she got injured
@@hemnartima5228 Paige can shoot but she needs mussel and a toughness that it takes for the physically. Even if fully recovered doesn't mean she will make the league. Lots of great shooters are cut all the time.
The ABL was fire in the mid 90s.
I've been watching👀 this game from the beginning, even though they are more talented, it is not as Fun as it used 2B! 4Ever "The Houston Comets" !!!
0:27 say whaaaaaa
WNnba has been doing EVERYTHING it can to keep White Faces at the top Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Lauren Jackson, Ellena Delle Donne, now Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescue and Paige Bueckers
Stfu with this race bs you acting like aja isnt the face of the league along with her teammates plum gray and rivial brianna stewart
White women and black males sell the most sports tickets and merchandise. It is what it is. At the same time the white players are that good. The best player in the league right now is white (Breanna Stewart)
@@sp123 not true aja is better than brianna
@@markelscott100she’s not better
The quality of gameplay between the two generations of WNBA players are worlds apart. Today, WHINING seems to be the name of the game -- and not only in the WNBA.
Agree 💯
Taurasi shouldn’t be anywhere near this list. Ask her can she spell defense?????????????
Why no: Jackie young, Kelsey Plum, ARIKE OGUNBOWALE🤦🏾♂️ I could keep going
I watched a lot of WNBA the first few years when they real good Women players like Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes, Thompson, Leslie, Lauren Jackson and others , who focused on basketball, married men, and respected this country.
Today's WNBA is Woke NBA, too focus on social justice, disrespecting the National Anthem, Anti American, women hooking up with women, not really focused on improving their game, and year by year putting out a profit losing business thats a welfare league dependent on the NBA. Today's WNBA sucks and need to be revamped.
Bro, that’s Rebecca Lobo not Don Staley
Dawn Staley 🤦🏽♀️
Yeah. I noticed that she was in the vid and pic, but misidentified in the pic and generally not really mentioned even though she and Leslie seemed to be the faces ESPN was putting on the league.
Maya Moore the goat to me 🤷🏾♂️ she had no flaws
You’re buggin if you think any era of women’s basketball could beat the 1999 squad. #youhadtobethere
Me quedo con cintia cooper y sheryl shup las mejores
Yeah they're talking about you're girl from Iowa now!!!
😎 Cynthia Cooper was the best ever, stop overlooking her so much !!!
Great vid I disagree with you comparing Sabrina Ionescu too Tausauri she's nothing like her she can't dribble as good not a better scorer or could take over games like she did. I'll trade her for Chennedy Carter right now whose going to be a scoring machine
Chennedy carter couldn't do shit with sparks Sabrina gonna have the liberty in the playoffs for yrs to come
Bruh how’d this shit get on my recommended wtf
If this is their future....wow they are in trouble!!
Thanks for watching!
Has the wnba evolved? Shouldn't it be getting better if it's evolving?
Evolving doesn’t mean better, just changed
They should play a 9th grade boys team to put their skills into perspective.
But not a good one, or an all-star team. They'd smoke the women as long as the height advantage is removed.
Iliana Rupurt???? Come on dude.....
Only recent female hooper I care at all about is Candace parker
The talent in the WNBA is regressing. Cynthia Cooper, Swoopes would average ppg in todays WNBA.
Stop it. 😂😂😂 the girls now is 100x more athletic and would be able to keep up with them. It’s easy when you’re so ahead, now they’re the same athletic as the end of bench players. They would still be great but not dominant as you think.
Regressing. .... Holy shit how can they get any worse. I have a team of 5 blind beavers. Should they play against each other. Maybe the girls might have a chance against 5 boys from the make a wish foundation. You know ... After they got their wish and are praying for death.
@@magesean "5 blind beavers"? Did the Minnesota Lynx change its name?
Always a Debbie downer..yeesh!
Agreed
And still losing money like crazy
Any boys high school team could beat these LBN's by double digits.......
What is lbn?
The older wnba teams are much better. What happened?
Wokeness
😎 Co😂oper was better than Swoops and Lisa Leslie and the rest, she started the "FIRE" in the wnba. Cooper crashed the party and became the queen give her her crown, the wnba trophy should be called the Cynthia Cooper award.
Mike Dantoni is the most overrated coach ever literally his claim to fame is coaching an overstacked Phx Suns team lead by Amere Stoudmire and Steve Nash with other contributors like Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, Quetin Richardson, Leonardo Barbosa etc...
C'mon, they lose money every year, are completely subsidized by the NBA and have pathetic attendance numbers. This league should not exist.
Roughly 10,000 people were in attendance for the Aces-Storm yesterday & similarly 9,000 in Sky-Sun, get with the times and look into the facts before making outlandish claims.
Bro that’s just a couple games and I bet you they giving out a bunch of free tickets to fill up that stadium
@@Richard-ks5fg tickets started at $10 for the finals. But I knew a few people that ended up getting free tickets. Chris Paul himself bought 500 tickets to help fill the seats as well as the usual employees trying to fill up the arena late
@@HunterCruse14 get with what times? regardless of that many people attending those games they still need millions from the NBA to survive because not enough people go to their games, that is a sad fact. They would not exist without the NBA. The American basketball league folded because it could not survive financially, they would still be going if the NBA gave them millions every year.
@@jinov191the NBA was about to fail before the Showtime Lakers saved the league. No one wanted to watch the NBA , Baseball was the king of US sports until the Magic -Bird rivalry literally saved the league
I first dunked a basketball in the 10th grade when i was 5'10". Celebrating a dunk from a woman who is probably at least 6'8"+ is beyond laughable lol
Yes, but you probably didn't have the weight of oppression and profound unattractiveness weighing you down when you went up for the dunk.
Never thought that I'd watch a video of a "evolution" of a failing business.
They're actually doing better year over year lately
Fail. Take away NBA money they fold in 24hrs. They go to Europe to play in off season maybe they should just go convince them how much they think there worth see how that works out.
The LNBA
Liked the video... but if 75% of something is "x" and 25% is "other" then it's not the most diverse... it's kinda weird that you said that. over-all though, the video was great.
What do you mean by that first part
@@HunterCruse14 When you say most diverse and then say it's 75% black, it makes it sound like you think diversity just means not white or not men. Black only Colleges tend to have around 75% of it's students as black and those colleges were built to be non-diverse ... Nothing wrong with that but I'm just pointing out that "the most diverse" would look more like:
35% Black
25% White
30% Hispanic
10% Asian
The most Diverse sport is Soccer.
@@dickracy6212
The WNBA this week was awarded A+ grades for its racial and gender hiring practices, according to a scale designed by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, or TIDES.
2021 marks the 17th consecutive year the WNBA has earned A’s for race and gender.
The only men’s league teams whose grades came close to the WNBA were the NBA and MLS, which both received A’s for racial hiring practices, but B’s and C’s for gender hiring practices.
- that’s via thehill [dot] com
@@HunterCruse14 Setting aside that you actually used The Hill as though it's a legit news source, you don't make a single point by citing a league winning a sweepstakes award for diversity in a conversation about lack of diversity. What matters is the rubric, and when it comes to diversity, I wouldn't be surprised if this particular grad isn't HEAVILY weighted toward leagues that hire the most non-white, non-male, non-straight people in its employ. And when it comes to that, the WNBA can run circles around other men's leagues- that have to also turn a profit so that leagues like the WNBA can even exist.
But you do have an opportunity to change our minds and convince us that this was a legit grading system. Lay out the methodology that this grade was based on and we'll see what's up.
I'd rather watch paint dry then watch the wnba 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Cause you're a loser
Sorry I couldn’t make it through this video. Not even half way. See you next time.
What do you think could be improved on? Open to feedback!
@@HunterCruse14 It's not to do with your channel or the presentation. It's the topic. I tried to get into the WNBA but it's impossible for me.
@@1-hitter802 Oh okay, I appreciate you for giving the league a shot (most people don’t & just make assumptions off nothing)!
With the current league and its size...It is stagnating by drafting players then they do not make the team.... most bench players are not that good the teams have to up grade with younger players... with the league's current popularity they should expand... to many players are not making teams that should and to capitalize on this.... San Fran, Denver, Philadelphia?, Orlando,.... Here are 4 cities that have liberal populations that could have teams..... Sorry conservatives you could not handle the teams.......
I’d disagree - teams are a bit too good, as you say, it’s common for teams to draft players that don’t have a roster spot in the league.
Being a little more tethered to market realities, I doubt conservatives would shed a tear about not being allowed to invest in an enterprise that has never turned a profit. It's already subsidized, which makes it a more perfect fit for more "liberal" cities.
But I think you do touch upon something about the league, and women's sports in general. The mere fact that Sue Bird can play for 21 seasons - or, in tennis, that Serena Williams can be among the top female players in her sport - speaks volumes about how thin the talent is in women's sports.
Bird was great to watch in college and she was a very good player in her early pro career. But she never had the sort of next-level skill set that should have garnered two decades in the game. Even if it was not evolving, there should have been a slightly better, faster, younger version of her to depose her after at most a decade.
Il like the old WNBA. Just the work and making the best of their skills and coaching. Nowadays, I don't watch the WNBA. What for they do not present anything new or exciting and they talk too much, anyway .
Just shut this blooper bs down😂😂😂
lol
WNBA is a joke, I tried watching a game but these players are BAD, Missing dunks, open shoots, And i cant tell you how many air balls. You get a better gane from middle school kids..... WNBA is a JOKE
Boring
Cancel this stupid league already
No one needs to cancel them, they will die in the wild if the NBA just quit paying them alimony.
Someone needs to cancel your account 😂😂
@@jinov191 Exactly. Like elsewhere. You don't have to fire him. Just don't renew his contract.
LNBA Lesbian National Basketball Association.
Who cares!!!! Any high school boys team would beat these broads..
I'm rather confused, why did you comment and watch this video if you hate the wnba so much. 🙄
This is what inferior dudes say
@@glt918 Kurt like to act tough around woman but be submissive around men he fears
Homie got the smol penor
@@roxjaw2895 😆
A look into losers and the money losing league.
Maybe the WNBA will get better when trans-men start playing. LMAO!
This video was exciting at the beginning than it started to get boring 🥱😴