Not since Tiger Woods has one person had such a significant impact on a game, a sport, a nation. Caitlin Clark has taken women’s basketball to the next level. The NCAA Women’s basketball tournament had huge ratings and actually out-drew the men’s tournament in overall ratings. Last month Caitlin was drafted into the WNBA where it has been reported that she will earn 73,000 dollars to play for the Indiana Fever. That is an embarrassingly paltry sum compared to what the first overall pick in the NBA draft will be paid. However, she also signed a twenty million dollar deal with Nike, appeared on Saturday Night Live, and starred in numerous national television commercials. Caitlin is set for life. And because of her, the WNBA has new life.
By now you are wondering what does this story about a young woman from Iowa who now plays in Indiana have to do with Arlington? Good question. Time for a good answer. The Dallas Wings are one of the best kept secrets in Arlington. They are the other professional team that calls Arlington home. On May 3rd the Wings will welcome Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever to College Park Center. You have a chance to see Clark in person right here in Arlington. If you are reading this on a date past May 3rd, fear not. That game is a Preseason game but the Fever will be back twice during the regular season. Mark July 17th and September 1st on the calendar.
On the subject of the Wings, did you know that they made the playoffs last year and finished second in the Western Conference? All of that under a first year head coach. Latricia Trammell is now in her second season at the helm. This Oklahoma native has a proven track record. She made a name for herself by guiding Oklahoma City University to back-to-back NAIA National Championships. After a couple of assistant coaching gigs in the WNBA in San Antonio and Los Angeles, she earned a shot to bring the Wings to the next level.
The Wings had two picks in the first round of last month’s WNBA draft. With those selections they took one player from Dublin and one from France. It is not as international as it sounds. Their first pick was fifth overall. Jacy Sheldon is from Dublin, Ohio. With the ninth overall selection was Carla Leite, a five foot eleven inch guard from France.
As for Sheldon, she is an All-American who played collegiately at Ohio State University. She spent five years in Columbus and in this past season she ranked in the top ten in five categories in the Big Ten. She was third in scoring at 17.8 points per game and fourth in steals at 1.9 per contest. That last stat will be most appreciated by her new coach who made her name as a defensive specialist in her two previous WNBA stops.
Leite plays for Tarbes Gespe Bigorre in the Ligue Femminine de Basketball the LFB. With their second round pick the Wings took Ashley Owusu from Penn State. Owusu is a six foot guard who can fill it up. Last year she averaged eighteen points per game during the regular season while earning second team All-Big Ten honors at Penn State.
The WNBA will have more eyes than ever on it this season. If that is only because people want to see Caitlin Clark play then so be it. Because as you watch the game you will realize these women can play! There is action, there are rivalries, there is drama.
When Tiger burst onto the scene in the mid-90’s he helped elevate golf from a slow boring sport watched by old men to one that was exciting, dynamic and captivating. Even today when Tiger plays in a tournament the ratings increase significantly. With higher ratings came higher paydays for the players all of whom appreciate what Tiger did for the game.
Will Caitlin have a similar effect? It has worked at the college level where there are many universities whose women’s programs out-draw the men.
Here in Arlington we have a front row seat to the new beginning. We have a WNBA franchise. Let the games begin.
Sports columnist John Rhadigan is an anchor for the Bally Sports Southwest television network.
