Women’s Basketball Fans- Learning About the Game

Now that I have more time, I really enjoy listening to podcasts my walks. I have stumbled onto one that I really like- The Hers Hoops Stats Podcast. It is all about college and pro women’s basketball. Each episode is about 30 minutes, but their conversation is VERY enlightening for fans of women’s basketball. 

This past week, here are some tidbits that I picked up:

1- The WNBA is packing in all the games before the Olympics, and because the college players are just coming off their season. As a result, all the players but especially the rookies are being guided by nutritionists on each team. The emphasis is on calories and vegetables. 

2- They said for a 22 year old, how impressive Caitlin Clark has been throughout college and now pro season in her interviews. Politicians can’t go that long with out saying something they have to walk back. They feel Clark’s consistent message has been: A- Always starts out with team, B- Follows by talking about coaches, C- Finishes by talking about importance of growing the game.

3- There take on the physicalness of the WNBA was that nothing needs to be done in regards to physicalness in the post or in players going to the basket. But they felt the WNBA needs do like the NBA has done, clean up “freedom of motion” on the perimeter. On the pro level, fans need to be entertained and better offense is entertainment.

4- The “decel move,” popularized by Dincic. More players on all levels are learning that faster is not always better, in situations slowing down is production as a change of pace. 

5- One of the people on the podcast did “color” for Fever TV. She described that in the past it was awkward when players were shooting ft’s. As announcer it was almost like with golf that you needed to whisper because they as they shot it was so quiet everyone in the arena heard you talking. This year, no problem. She can talk as loud as she wants during ft’s because the noice level is up so much. 

I think this podcast is something basketball fans in general will enjoy, and women’s fans will really enjoy. Now it is focused on WNBA but during winter months on college basketball.