With Clark and Reese gone, new crop of talented women’s basketball players ready to take over

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese helped bring women’s basketball to new heights over the past two years. While there may be a ratings dip from last season’s record high, there are plenty of talented players like Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, Deja Kelly and Hannah Hidalgo ready to continue the rise.

“I know we lost some great ones in Angel and Caitlin, but we gained so much more. We gained so much more talent, skill set and marketability,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m glad it’s happened during a time in which I can attest to it, I can share with other people who are just now tuning in.”

Watkins, a Los Angeles native, draws attention at home games at Southern California which routinely sellout and have been known to have a celebrity crowd.

“I don’t know that there’s been a young African American superstar in women’s basketball at this age be able to have this platform, and I think that’s gonna do a ton for communities both in L.A. and across the country,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I wouldn’t bet against her to be able to handle anything. At the same time, it’s our job to prep her for what might be coming and make sure she’s able to have joy and be a kid.”

USC sought out advice from Iowa on how to handle the crush of attention that is on Watkins this year. The USC sophomore said that it was special that Caitlin Clark, the first time they met, offered to help her if she ever needed advice on how to navigate being the face of women’s basketball.

“She’s great. Goes to show how good a person she is outside of basketball,” Watkins said. “To have that kind of mentorship and that relationship with her, it definitely means a lot. She’s had the biggest impact on women’s basketball and being able to see her journey is really inspiring.”

Watkins is part of a really talented sophomore class. Three of the five preseason All-Americans are sophomores — the first time that’s ever…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clark-reese-gone-crop-talented-190443924.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-30 19:04:00

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