Alright, let’s talk about this WNBA thing, you know, the women’s basketball. I heard folks chattin’ about it, so I figured I’d tell ya what I know, or what I heard anyways.
So, it all started way back when, not sure exactly when, but they say some big shots over at the NBA, that’s the men’s basketball, they got together and decided, “Hey, let’s let the gals play too!” Yep, that’s right, the NBA bosses gave the thumbs up. They said, “Let’s make a league for the women.” I reckon that was a pretty big deal back then, must’ve been around… well, they say it was like 50 years after the men started their thing, so do the math, I ain’t got the brain for it no more.
Now, there was this lady, Val Ack-something, she was the real brains behind it all. She didn’t just wake up one day and say, “Let’s do this!” No sir, she’d been thinkin’ about it for a long time, plannin’ and schemin’, I guess. She had a vision, they say, for a women’s league. Good for her, I say! Someone had to get the ball rollin’, right?
- So, the NBA folks, they gave their okay in 1996, on April 24th to be exact, if you believe them calendars.
- Then, not too long after, in 1997, the WNBA, that’s what they call it, it started up.
- They had eight teams at first. Places like Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, you know, big cities.
And wouldn’t you know it, those gals playing basketball at the Olympics in Atlanta, they won gold that summer! Perfect timin’, right? Everyone was all excited about women’s basketball, and bam! The WNBA was there. Smart thinkin’, if you ask me.
They started playin’ in the summer, May to September, they say. Each team plays a whole bunch of games, like 44 they told me. Then the best teams, eight of ’em, they go into the playoffs, and fight it out to be the champions. Kinda like how we used to have those corn huskin’ contests back in the day, only with basketballs and less corn.
Now, this WNBA, it’s been goin’ on for a good while now, the longest-runnin’ women’s sports league in the whole wide world, they say. That’s somethin’, ain’t it? And they got some real talented gals playin’, makin’ history and breakin’ records all the time.
I heard about this young gal, Clark, they call her. Just a rookie, brand new to the league, and she’s already doin’ amazing things. Got somethin’ called a “triple-double,” whatever that is, and set a record for assists, passin’ the ball to her teammates, I guess. Nineteen assists in one game! That’s a lot of passin’, I tell ya. These young’uns, they got some energy.
So that’s the WNBA in a nutshell, as far as I can tell ya. It started with some folks at the NBA, a lady with a vision, and a bunch of talented women who wanted to play ball. And now they’re still goin’ strong, entertainin’ folks and makin’ history. Good for them, I say. It’s always good to see folks doin’ what they love, even if it’s just runnin’ around and throwin’ a ball.
The WNBA season is somethin’ to look forward to every year now, and it seems like it’s only gettin’ bigger and better. Them gals are tough, they’re skilled, and they’re showin’ the world what women can do. And that’s somethin’ worth cheerin’ for, even if you’re just an old lady like me who doesn’t know a slam dunk from a chicken coop.
And that’s about all I know ’bout the WNBA. It’s a women’s basketball thing, started by the NBA fellas and a smart lady, and it’s been goin’ on for a long time. They play in the summer, got lots of teams, and some real talented players. Hope that clears things up for ya. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got some chores to do.
Tags: WNBA, Women’s Basketball, NBA, History, Val Ackerman, 1996, 1997, Olympics, Atlanta, Clark, Rookie, Triple-double, Assists record, League, Teams, Playoffs, Championship
