As the WNBA is quickly approaching its mid-season Olympic break, it has a lot to be happy about (and thankful for) with regards to the 2008 season so far. The season so far has played itself out to perfection, with strong competition across the league awarding the fans with a schedule full of suspense and great play nearly every day. Here are a few things so far that the W should be thrilled with:
Atlanta has finally started Dreaming.
Excuse the bad play on words, but it seemed appropriate. Atlanta, the league's new expansion team, seems to have gotten its wheels turning in the right direction. You may not immediately decide that given their current 3-19 record, but consider that they're 3-2 in their last five games. Consider also that of those five games, only one of those games (their July 5 win over Chicago) was played at home, and one of those two losses was in visiting the absolutely red hot San Antonio Silver Stars. Furthermore, two of those three victories were against teams entrenched in their respective playoff races (Indiana and Minnesota are currently each the 4th-ranked teams in the standings of the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively).
Of course it's good for Atlanta. And it's good for the Eastern Conference -- the last thing the East wants is a bottom-dweller to underscore its lack of depth relative to the West. Most of all, it's great for the league. And obviously so. If the Dream can become competitive in the next few years and drum up local support in Atlanta, it bodes very well for future prospects of WNBA expansion into more markets. The idea of eventually becoming a 16-team league has most of us W fans salivating.
The Leslie-Parker two-headed dragon isn't running away with the West in hand.
In fact, they're currently in third place in the west behind both San Antonio and Seattle. While a dominant Los Angeles team would be an easy highlight for the league's marketing department, it's actually found itself in a great situation the way events have thus far unfolded.
Candace Parker is still unbelievably marketable. She, albeit expectedly, almost immediately established herself as one of the league's elite players, and has been mentioned in her rookie season as a league MVP candidate. Of course she is also responsible for the dunk heard round the world. The Sparks are certainly not in any poor position in terms of talent, potential or marketability.
What their lack of dominance does provide the league, though, is the affirmation that the WNBA is still an exciting, competetive, team-oriented sport. That is one key aspect of the women's game that is so exciting, and such a contrast to the NBA. Furthermore, on a more short-sighted by hardly less important level, it's providing fans with some great basketball. Knowing that no singularly dominant team is going to roll its competition gives great incentive to check out nearly every game the league has to offer.
Speaking of the West...
It's one of the tightest playoff races that I've ever seen. Every single team is in competition for a spot. Four teams -- Minnesota (currently in fourth), Sacramento, Phoenix and Houston -- are all stacked in the standings within a half-game range. The Lynx and Mercury are each also winning at least 40% on the road. The first place Silver Stars only have a 5.5 game lead on the last place Comets. What does it mean? There is no easy win in the West.
The depth of the 2008 draft class hasn't disappointed
Even without the presence of injured second overall pick center Sylvia Fowles, the league's rookies have played great. Consider the draft class of the Minnesota Lynx, made up by Candice Wiggins, Nicky Anosike and Charde Houston (in that order). Wiggins is second on the team in ppg (16.9) and Anosike is third (9.1). Those two are also valuable contributors to the team, being 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in minutes played. Anosike has started every game this season, and while Wiggins hasn't started but one game, her minutes and her play reflect that she may as well have. Houston, being a third-round pick, has been a solid roleplayer for the team, with 16.1 min/game and 7.1 ppg while shooting 46.8% from the field.
Look past the league's big three and look at the contributions of those like Anosike, Shannon Bobbitt, Alexis Hornbuckle, Tamera Young and Tasha Humphrey. While the WNBA may not be able to expect a class this top heavy every year, if the draft can continue to provide this kind of depth, the league has to look forward to great play and potential growth.
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