Number Three "III"

[LouS]

Why was the WNBA President and each player fist bumping and holding up three fingers???

 

[RowdyFan]

I thought the 3 fingers stood in for the letter W, put you got me on the fist bump. We were at the draft and we were asking those around us, but no one had a clue.

 

[Woof 101]

Why was the WNBA President and each player fist bumping and holding up three fingers???

I can only offer a guess or two as I only watched early. First and foremost the three fingers represented the fact that the first three players drafted were all from the same school .
Another take I would have is the league is celebrating the start of their 3rd decade of existence. It was well noted early that the league has two decades now in the books. That's my best shot and of course a three pointer.

 

[Kaizen]

I can only offer a guess or two as I only watched early. First and foremost the three fingers represented the fact that the first three players drafted were all from the same school .
Another take I would have is the league is celebrating the start of their 3rd decade of existence. It was well noted early that the league has two decades now in the books. That's my best shot and of course a three pointer.

You are right. I think it means 3 for 3 in the first 3 picks.

 

[UC10NN]

We have an answer.
The inside story of why the WNBA draft picks did the same fist bump at the draft

"W"

 

[HistoryHusky]

We have an answer.
The inside story of why the WNBA draft picks did the same fist bump at the draft

"W"

“So we’re giving each other a pound and then showing three fingers. This is actually a W,” Borders explained later, with her fingers in the air in a W shape. “It’s for the WNBA and in sign language this is actually a W. So W for women and W for the WNBA.”

I thought that it was interesting that Borders acknowledged that the three fingers represented the letter 'W' in sign language considering that I primarily use sign language. Interestingly enough, we have a different sign for number 3.


In American Sign Language, the first sign represents the letter 'W' while the second one number '3'

 

[HuskyNan]

Wnba

 

[LouS]

We have an answer.
The inside story of why the WNBA draft picks did the same fist bump at the draft

"W"

Bingo, great tool to get attention, I like the new Prez, cool lady.....

 

[topogigio]

Glad that mystery is solved, I was wondering what the heck they were trying to convey with the fist bump and sign. Someone should have let the viewers know, because it looked pretty lame!

 

[Plebe]

Bingo, great tool to get attention, I like the new Prez, cool lady.....

And she has an outstanding speaking voice. It sounded like God announcing the draft selections.

 

[katymarie82]

As a native user of American Sign Language, I along with many of you guys were mysified with the hand signals. Their hand signals do not look like what a normal signer would sign "W". Usually there are space in between fingers but at the draft the fingers were closed together. Inappropriate hand/finger location does make a difference in actually signing or mocking the deaf community-although I can see that WNBA may have had good intention, it does have some element of mockery. Basically, they should have consulted with native signer to ensure appropriate handshape is used in such a public setting.

 

[StarMan]

As a native user of American Sign Language, I along with many of you guys were mysified with the hand signals. Their hand signals do not look like what a normal signer would sign "W". Usually there are space in between fingers but at the draft the fingers were closed together. Inappropriate hand/finger location does make a difference in actually signing or mocking the deaf community-although I can see that WNBA may have had good intention, it does have some element of mockery. Basically, they should have consulted with native signer to ensure appropriate handshape is used in such a public setting.

I agree. I've never been to an area of the U.S. where "W" is signed like that as part of a regional "accent". As someone who's translated a fair share of college classes (sciences put a test to your fingerspelling), hand/finger/motion conformation is important to enunciation. (I know what you’re thinking, “He’s probably one of those people who insists that the tip of the thumb touch the underside of the middle finger for the letters “K” and “P”. To that my only response is, “Absolutely!!!”)

Having said that though, nothing will make you feel more out of touch than to watch kids in conversation at speed, with many implied signs, and where the slang used leaves you wondering, “What the heck does that mean?” My impulse is to give WNBA the benefit of the doubt toward the usage of bad slang, but really who ever signs “W” that way?

 

[Huskie78]

When I first saw this with Stewie, Mo, and Morgan I thought they were holding up 4 fingers to signify the 4peat.
Then I thought, why is the WNBA president doing it with them?
Payed closer attention when it kept happening.

 

[hoopsdiva]

I think the draftees were told to put up 3 fingers to make the letter W, but not necessarily told (or did not remember) which ones. I do not claim any expertise in ASL, and I haven't gone back to look at each draftee, but I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of them sign the number 9 - three fingers, but three different fingers, and it makes a world of difference. Still, if you have no knowledge of ASL, you can't be expected to know that. Likewise, there are words in English (and just about every other language) that non- native speakers confuse on a regular basis, often to the disdain or amusement of the native speakers.