If the WNBA is Public Enemy No. 1, then Bring the Noise ladies
Tempers flare during a WNBA game between the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty on May 29, 2024.
PHOTO: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
By W.G. RAMIREZ
"These honey drippers are still frontin' on us. Show 'em that we can do this, 'cause we always knew this. Haha, yeah, boy!"
The words of Public Enemy have always hit hard, especially the rap group’s 1987 hit “Bring the Noise.”
Described on the group’s Wikipedia page as a single that “… retorts to unspecified critics, and arguments for rap as a legitimate musical genre on par with rock,” the song brings to mind the WNBA and its never-ending fight for legitimacy as a bonafide major league sport.
We’re 2-1/2 weeks into the season, and there are plenty of narratives in and around the WNBA.
Some are pretty damn good, others are extremely bad.
Haters gon’ hate, as they say.
But it hasn't taken long for WNBA’s veterans and coaches to defend their sisterhood, taking offense to storylines being created at every turn, the most popular ones surrounding Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.
"The rhetoric around this league right now is extremely hateful." veteran point guard Natasha Cloud told WGRamirez.com during a postgame Zoom session Wednesday night. "Y'all want us to hate each other so bad, and that's the furthest thing from the fucking truth."
After all, what's good for the 'brotherhood' in the NBA should be good for the 'sisterhood' in the WNBA, right?
Cause these sisters “ride limos, too,” Public Enemy’s song also points out.
But rather than embrace the competitiveness between 140 (as of Thursday’s WNBA roster count) of the greatest women's basketball players in the world, they seem to be getting called out for it.
Whether it's Clark or fellow rookie Angel Reese discussing the physicality they've endured over the first few weeks, or Cloud and other veterans reminding everyone of the dues they've paid to get to this point, the league itself can't seem to catch a break.
"We love our sisters," Cloud added. "This is a sisterhood, everyone that's a part of this league. But to expect us to not go out and be dawgs every single night when we step across those lines, and (leave) that friendship. Like, Stewie (Breanna Stewart) is one of the best players in the entire world. I love going up against her, and you're gonna have to go through me. But off the court, I appreciate her for who she is."
That's from one great to another, moments after Cloud's Phoenix Mercury lost to Stewart's New York Liberty, 81-78, on the road.
MVP candidates Napheesa Collier (l.) and A’ja Wilson battle during a WNBA game in Minnesota on May 29, 2024. Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces defeated the Lynx, 80-66.
PHOTO: David Sherman/Minnesota Lynx
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, it was one MVP candidate giving flowers to another.
"It's been crazy watching Phee and I's game really kind of grow all the way back to college, and it's been pretty cool just to see (it) grow and mature in the league," Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson said about Minnesota star Napheesa Collier. "It's always fun competing against her because she's very unique. She has a unique style to her game. It's always a great dog fight. ... I love playing against Phee. She's really kind of crushing it for her team."
Again, from one great to another, moments after Wilson's Aces beat the Lynx, 80-66, in Minnesota.
Wilson, who became the first player in WNBA history to record five consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound games when she finished with 29 and 15 Wednesday night, said she loves the competition and has come to appreciate having a target on her back game after game.
"That's a part of the game, that's what makes the game fun to me, to my teammates as well," Wilson said. "This league has been good. This target has been on our backs - my back - since I stepped foot in the league.
"So, I love it. I embrace it. I have fun with it, and I bring my teammates along. We all want to have fun. This is our job. This is our livelihood. Like, this is entertainment. We're going there playing our behinds off. So, when it comes to being competitive, when it comes to wanting to be the best, legendary Hall of Famer, yeah, that target gets bigger, but that's when you shine the brightest."
BRING THE NOISE
Not everyone is necessarily angry with narratives being created early on in the season, as Collier believes a little animosity in the fans' eyes can be great for the WNBA.
"You need people talking shit about the league, you need people talking good about the league,” Collier said. “You need people creating villains in their heads, creating rivalries, creating the narrative. Everyone wants everyone to do well when you're not playing them, and then it becomes really competitive when you're playing against them. I'm honestly not mad at the narrative."
Collier said nobody is intentionally trying to hurt anyone, but it's going to be competitive, and it will get physical - whether you're a newcomer, an MVP candidate in her prime, or a 20-year veteran just hoping to stay healthy.
"It's fun to watch, and it makes it fun for viewers too if you think this is a rivalry game, or if players are going head-to-head," Collier added. "So, I like that there's commentary around the game.
"Again, when you're not playing each other we all support each other. You want people to do well because that's what's good for the game. You don't want everyone to suck because no one's going to watch. You have great people every night going head-to-head and so I think that's what's gonna grow the game so I'm happy to see the discourse around it."
This year is certainly much different than last season after the first few weeks.
In 2023, only five teams were above .500 in the season's opening month with only three teams having played five games by the end of May.
Entering Thursday, seven teams have records above .500, and seven of the 12 teams have played six or seven games.
Only one team is undefeated - the Connecticut Sun - as parity appears to be in place, while the physicality appears to be off the charts.
Meanwhile, veterans on new rosters, such as Cloud, have revitalized past powerhouses, while the youth movement is creating a buzz and igniting the decibel levels of the outside noise.
"I would say, in the past few years there have been teams that you just say, 'Okay, automatic win,'" Aces center Kiah Stokes said. "This year, not so much. Even the worst teams still have very, very talented players that can go off for 30 or 40 every night. So, I think it shows how this league is growing, it's getting better. And then also, I think, just shows how much we need to do, we can't get comfortable. Yes, we won the last two years, but what we did, what worked those two years - not going to work now. Teams are getting better."
BE GREAT LADIES
Aces coach Becky Hammon said the early contention isn't surprising, as there is plenty of star power among the 140 active players and in her words, "has been brewing for a while."
"Women's basketball has been at this boiling point - building, building, building," Hammon said. "Our arena was sold out long before Caitlin was coming into the league. So, I think women's basketball has just been building. Now she's a part of the tipping point, right? She's coming in at this time where it was ready to tip over, and her presence has tipped some things over, but there's been a lot of good work going on behind the scenes to get us to this point, by a lot of other people."
A lot of good work, including the newly implemented chartering of private flights this season, which Cloud was quick to point out during her rant in regards to Stewart.
"I appreciate her for everything that she's done, and y'all don't talk enough about how she's been fighting for these charter flights for the last three years for us," Cloud said.
Let's not get it twisted, however, neither Hammon nor Cloud were knocking Clark.
They, along with plenty of others, have simply pointed out the efforts of their colleagues around the league and the fight for exposure, recognition and respect for many years - both on and off the court.
Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud (l.) reacts to a call in her favor, while New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton appears to disagree during a game on May 29, 2024.
PHOTO: Brandon Todd/New York Liberty
It's just that the outside noise knows about social media clicks, the ones Clark has helped drive, and people have suddenly become accustomed to taking narratives and twisting them as if they're wringing out a sopping towel that was attempting to purify itself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.
But there's nothing dirty about the league, be it trash-talking, fouls, comments, the style of play, or whatever.
This is the WNBA baby, and with it comes a brand-new fanbase that's followed Clark, Reese, Sparks rookie Cameron Brink, Aces rookie Kate Martin, and a gang of others from their college careers to the dub. And the powerful women who helped lay the foundation aren't about to let anyone muddy those waters.
They're not going to coddle any of the rookies, either. They’re just going to protect their hardwood sorority first and foremost.
"I always say I'm standing on the shoulders of the women that came before me," Cloud said. "I'm continuing to make it better. The rest of the (140) is making it better. Those rookies that came in, they came into a league that was already working their asses off to make it better, and the attention that they're bringing, it's a brilliant thing to bring that together as a combination.
"Everyone has a job in this league, every (140) of us. And our goal is to leave this thing better than what we found it, and that is our goal. So, I'm hoping that the rhetoric with our new fans, this is all love. This is love. This is grit. This is an amazing league that has a lot of beautiful ass women of all different shapes, colors, religions, sizes, sexual preferences, orientation, all those things. So let it be fucking great. We don't need to hate each other. We can go at each other on the court, but off the court, all that rhetoric that y'all talking about - that's some bullshit. And until you hear one of us say it, shut up or invest. Shut up and watch. We love it. Come here. We enjoy that you're here. But man, let us be great."
And, bring the noise!
