So thankful BG is finally safely home.
The News
Cathy Engelbert reined in the WNBA’s position on expansion this past week, frustrating some fans while feeding a litany of social media accounts that now get even more bites at the “Where should the WNBA expand to?” apple.
The update of course fueled talk about what it cost to bring in the league’s most recent expansion team, the Atlanta Dream, who joined the W starting in the 2008 season. Reporting at the time from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (and again a couple years later at the time of his desire to sale) indicated the cost to original owner Ron Terwilliger was $10 million total, with an up-front cost of $1 million, another $1 million over the course of the first four years, and the remaining balance in installments from then on out, based on the “team’s financial performance.”
Since then, the maximum player salary has more than doubled, and seemingly the WNBA’s value has grown too. It’s probably not a coincidence that Cathy’s new expansion target of 2025 happens to coincide with what would be the beginning of a new media rights deal for the women’s NCAA Tournament and the end of the WNBA’s current deal with ESPN, so it would be expected that the league already established a new media rights deal well before that point.
The AP Poll
- South Carolina stayed at No. 1 in the AP Poll this week, marking their 26th consecutive week there, tied for 5th-longest all-time, matching the Texas Longhorns’ run at the top across nearly all of 1985 and 1986.
- This week St. John’s joined the Top 25 for the first time since 2015, making them the 34th team to be ranked at least once this season. With still one more poll left in 2022, only three seasons have seen more programs ranked before January.
- 2012-13: 36
- 2016-17: 36
- 2001-02: 35
- 1991-92: 34
- 2008-09: 34
- 2009-10: 34
- 2022-23: 34
The Timeline
There’s no way to overstate what Ari Chambers brings to and out of the basketball world:
[THREAD] We headed to South Bend, Indiana to honor Skylar Diggins-Smith – the hometown hero and @WNBA star she is. Here are some touching moments from that day. First, the welcome to South Bend, in the court she grew up in and the center her family runs. So special. [1/4] pic.twitter.com/YsAudppGpS
— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) December 15, 2022
[THREAD] Sat down with the @wnba M’VP @_ajawilson22. “I know it was hard. I know it was those long, long nights of how we’re paying to push her thru private school.” Get your tissues ready, y’all. A’ja, you deserve the world and you ARE your grandmother’s wildest dreams. [1/4] pic.twitter.com/REZG24dRoE
— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) December 16, 2022
Ben Pickman is doing incredible stuff with his overseas work:
“My first dream is to play on the national team. And then (the) woman NBA.”
— Ben Pickman (@benpickman) December 15, 2022
14-year-old Ecrin Mart may have set a Kids World Record in blindfolded dribbling, but her 🏀 aspirations are far greater than mastering a single trick.
📽️ ecrinmart21 on IG https://t.co/5GqbQz1raA https://t.co/U6KVWppyna pic.twitter.com/dFUFFQr0vf
How about Drexel’s Keishana Washington?
Flex on us then Keishana!! 🤧🥶@DrexelWBB pic.twitter.com/FKEVXXZJRP
— highlightHER (@HighlightHER) December 19, 2022
4️⃣2️⃣@autumnjohnsontv caught up with the nation’s No. 1 scorer Keishana Washington to get the DL on what makes her such a powerhouse #NCAAWBB x @DrexelWBB pic.twitter.com/Q1MsmvxAIM
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) December 19, 2022
And One
It was 30 years ago today Amy Lundquist set the NCAAW (all divisions) record with 15 blocked shots in a game while playing for Loyola Marymount. During the 1994 offseason she transferred to DePaul to be closer to home (Wisconsin) and play for Doug Bruno and alongside some future pros including Latasha Byears, Mfon Udoka, and Kim Williams.
Her 15 blocked shots stood as the single-game record until 2005, when Sandora Irvin notched 16 as part of a record-setting triple-double while playing at TCU.
