How a new generation of stars is helping reshape women’s basketball
The WNBA’s rapid rise has brought a new generation of stars into the spotlight, but how much credit should they really get for the league’s growing popularity? Sophie Cunningham has a clear opinion on the impact of players such as Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.
From social media influence to packed arenas and record audiences, their arrival comes during a major moment for women’s basketball. Here’s a closer look at the players and trends shaping the league’s next chapter.
Reese built a major college following
Reese became a national star during LSU’s 2023 championship run, helping the Tigers win the NCAA title. Her matchup with Iowa star Caitlin Clark in the championship game became one of the most closely watched and discussed moments in women’s college basketball.
Reese entered the WNBA in 2024 after Chicago selected her with the No. 7 overall pick. She became a two-time WNBA All-Star during her first two seasons with the Sky.
Bueckers arrived after a decorated college career
Bueckers played four seasons at UConn and helped the Huskies win the 2025 national championship. She entered the WNBA as the first overall pick in the 2025 draft, selected by the Dallas Wings.
Bueckers then won 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year honors. She averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds while starting all 36 of her games for Dallas.
Social media changed player visibility
Cunningham said Reese, Bueckers and Brink belong to a generation shaped by social media. That environment lets athletes reach fans directly and maintain visibility beyond televised games and traditional coverage.
Reese and Bueckers entered the professional league with established online audiences. Their digital reach gives college fans another way to follow players after they move into the WNBA.
The WNBA was already growing before 2026
The WNBA recorded major gains in 2024, including a record 54 million unique viewers across national networks. The league also reported its highest total attendance in 22 years.
The growth reflected momentum across women’s basketball and involved multiple players, teams, and markets rather than a single star or season.
2025 produced another attendance milestone
The WNBA reached 3.15 million total attendees during the 2025 regular season, according to league figures. That represented a 34% increase from 2024 and featured 179 sellouts across the season.
The league also reported reaching over 73 million unique viewers by the mid-point of the season. Those figures marked another year of increased audience interest as the WNBA continued expanding its reach.
Bueckers delivered immediate production
Bueckers made an immediate impact during her rookie season with Dallas, averaging 19.2 points and 5.4 assists per game while leading all rookies in both scoring and assists.
She also scored 44 points in a game during her rookie season, tying the WNBA rookie scoring record. Bueckers finished the year as the 2025 Rookie of the Year.
Reese continued producing in 2026
Reese began her 2026 season with Atlanta after Chicago traded her to the Dream for two first-round picks. Through Aug. 30, she was averaging 16.1 points and 12.4 rebounds per game for Atlanta.
Her 2026 production added another strong professional chapter after two All-Star appearances with Chicago. The Dream acquired her while she remained one of the league’s most productive rebounders.
Bueckers helped draw a record crowd
Bueckers was part of a major attendance milestone during the 2026 season. On July 10, she scored 34 points for Dallas against Toronto in front of 20,996 fans at Montreal’s Bell Center.
The crowd became the largest for a WNBA regular-season game. It surpassed the previous regular-season record of 20,711, set in Washington in 2024.
The 2026 season kept breaking audience records
The WNBA’s audience gains continued into 2026, with several nationally televised games producing unusually large audiences. A July Fever-Aces matchup averaged 2.64 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, becoming the season’s most-watched game at that point.
In August, a Fever-Sky game averaged 3.31 million viewers. Reuters reported that it was the most-watched regular-season WNBA game since the league’s inaugural 1997 season.
Interesting fact: The WNBA began play in 1997 with just eight teams. The league has since grown into a 16-team competition, with additional expansion teams already planned for the coming years.
Young stars are part of a wider pipeline
Reese and Bueckers are part of a larger group of young players entering the league with established college profiles. Cunningham also named Cameron Brink when discussing the generation that helped bring college basketball fans into the WNBA.
The league’s current growth therefore includes several players, teams and markets. Expansion has added new franchises while established teams continue drawing large audiences and crowds.
Cunningham sees opportunity in the growth
Cunningham’s comments focused on using the league’s expanding attention rather than treating new stars as competition. She said the younger players brought collegiate fans into the WNBA and described the moment as an opportunity for current players.
Her remarks came as the league was adding audiences, commercial activity, and new teams. The 2025 season saw WNBAStore.com transactions increase 60% year over year, while expansion continued changing the league’s footprint.
The internet is also talking about Sophie Cunningham reaching 4.1 million followers as Clark sits near 4 million.
Reese and Bueckers fit the growth story
Cunningham’s comments connect Reese and Bueckers to a broader shift in how women’s basketball reaches fans. Both players arrived from highly visible college careers and quickly became established WNBA contributors.
League data shows growth in viewership, attendance, and digital engagement across multiple seasons. Their individual profiles are part of that larger trend, rather than the sole explanation for the WNBA’s expanding audience.
In other news, WNBA faces renewed debate over race and player treatment after Sophie Cunningham incident.
Do you think Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers deserve credit for the WNBA’s growth? Like this post and comment with your take!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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