NEW YORK — The year that just concluded gave women’s basketball fans some fun events they’ve never seen before.
The Liberty, the WNBA’s last remaining original franchise, ended a 27-year drought and won the elusive title. It was the first basketball title in New York City since the Knicks won the NBA championship in 1973.
Before the basketball world witnessed the Liberty demolish the Minnesota Lynx in five thrilling games, the league experienced tremendous growth simultaneously with the addition of young stars such as Kaitlyn Clark, Angel Reese, and Rickia Jackson.
And we had our first ever competition during the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. It was an NBA vs. WNBA 3-point shootout between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu.
It’s been an eventful year that will likely yield even more exciting innovations heading into 2025.
Here are some stories you can look forward to in the new year:
Can Liberty be repeated?
“It’s not over yet. But you’ll be grateful for this moment.”
That’s what Breanna Stewart said after marching through the Canyon of Heroes last October. And she’s looking for more.
As of late December, the Liberty are favorites to repeat as WNBA champions in 2025, according to Fanduel Sportsbook.
Even if the Liberty is favored by sportsbooks, the team will need to find a replacement (whether on the market or not) for versatile reserve Kayla Thornton, who the Golden State Valkyrie selected in December’s expansion draft. Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot and Kennedy Burke are all free agents as well. But Stewart will certainly remain in New York, either through a direct extension or a key pick. This is a rule that allows WNBA teams to retain the rights of free agent players throughout free agency.
The 2023 MVP became a focal point last offseason before signing a one-year contract.
With 6-4 superstars remaining, coach Sandy Brondello will begin the season with a core comprised of key championship contributors such as Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Ionescu, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Leonie Fiebich.
That’s enough for another final.
Will this unrivaled success continue on the court?
For the past few years, American fans have been frustrated by the lack of women’s professional basketball games on national television during the WNBA offseason. Athletes Unlimited, scheduled to return to Nashville, Tennessee in February 2025, launched in 2020 and is available through streaming apps.
But Unrivaled, a new six-team, 3v3 league led by Stewart and Napheesa Collier, launches in Miami this January. All games are broadcast on TNT or TruTV.
News from the league has been positive since the announcement. All 36 players have shares in the league and are guaranteed at least six-figure salaries. Some players on the Unrivaled, like Indiana’s Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull and Connecticut’s DiJonai Carrington, have WNBA salaries that will pay them no more than $80,000 in 2024.
Most recently, the new league closed an investment round totaling $35 million. South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and USC sophomore superstar JuJu Watkins were among the recent investors.
Will this success off the court translate to the hardwood?
With future Hall of Famers and current All-Stars set to perform, albeit in street format, there is an opportunity to fill a national void in what feels like a stagnant period following the conclusion of the WNBA season.
The startup’s successful launch could continue the rapid growth and engagement of women’s basketball while keeping some stars close to home during the offseason.
A potential win-win for all parties.
What will the page do?
The Dallas Wings would be willing to select UConn star Paige Bueckers with the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. But will the star guard stay in school past his final year of college eligibility or enter the draft?
That’s the same position Fever star Caitlin Clark is at Iowa at the end of the 2023-2024 college season. She waited until the final stretch of the season and finally announced her decision on February 29th.
If Bueckers decides to wait that long, it will be several weeks before the Wings know whether the franchise should turn to another prospect. Bueckers, who is averaging 20.6 points on 58.4% shooting from the field (a career high), must declare no later than 10 days before the draft. If UConn makes the NCAA Tournament (which it likely will), Bueckers will have 24 hours after the final game to make his decision.
