Athletic's "20 for 20" Examines Future of WCBB, from NCAA & AD's to Coaches & Players

[Dillon77]

And the players that are mentioned aren't necessarily there for their playing ability: Paige Bueckers (NIL) and JuJu Watkins (choosing to attend USC).
Coaches mentioned: Niele Ivey and Dawn Staley, the latter for what she has done and for what she will do (fill the void when Geno and Tara retire).
And, lastly, the AD's mentioned are brought up for that very reason.

Here are a few of the people mentioned and a link to the overall article.

2/3. David Benedict, UConn AD, and Bernard Muir, Stanford AD​

For decades, the East and West coasts have had their established women’s basketball powers, built and sustained by Geno Auriemma and Tara VanDerveer. But the game’s two winningest coaches have fewer games ahead of them than behind, and when they retire, it’ll mark an unprecedented time in the sport for most modern fans — after all, what is women’s college basketball without Tara, 69, and Geno, 68? The responsibility to hire replacements for these two giants will fall on Benedict and Muir. These are the kinds of decisions that could both define their careers and the sport for years to come.

4. Paige Bueckers, UConn guard​

In many ways, Bueckers already has changed the next 20 years of women’s college basketball by being the ultra-successful guinea pig of NIL. Even with missing as many games as she has over the last two seasons, she’s still racking in endorsement deals and her celebrity extends far beyond women’s college hoops. Decades from now, when the impacts of NIL are known and better understood, Bueckers will be a patient zero of sorts — one several athletes in the coming years will attempt to emulate.

13. Niele Ivey, Notre Dame coach​

Twenty years ago, VanDerveer and Auriemma were leading programs that had won a few national titles and been regulars in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. Notre Dame isn’t completely unlike those programs, and while Ivey hasn’t been the sole architect of Notre Dame in the way VanDerveer and Auriemma have been at Stanford and UConn, Ivey has the potential to lead this storied program into the next iteration of its legacy. At 45 and at the helm of one of the most recognizable brands in women’s college hoops, she has an opportunity to influence the game and build the sport in the next two decades.

17. Dawn Staley, South Carolina coach​

It took Staley four seasons to turn South Carolina from a dud of a program into the class of the SEC, and another five seasons to become the national champs. At 52, she’s no longer a young up-and-comer on the women’s basketball scene, but in a seemingly short amount of time, she has already built up a program that rivals the dynasties built at Connecticut and Stanford. With impending retirements from Auriemma and VanDerveer, Staley and South Carolina feel like the next big giant in the sport that can persist over the next decade (at least). While her impact on the court has been felt, and will be felt for many years to come, her impact off the court has changed the game, too. Between using her voice to hold those in power, both in sport and social justice, to account, as well as her public fight for equal pay at South Carolina and her desire to pave a way for every Black head coach in the game, Staley has become a mentor for many in the game.

Women’s college basketball 20 for 20: Paige Bueckers, Niele Ivey and a big-time donor

Women's basketball has grown exponentially the last 20 years. Who are the 20 people most likely to impact the sport in the next two decades?

theathletic.com

 

[JellyBean]

Great article! Women's basketball is definitely growing and will continue to get better at all levels, middle school, high school, college, and the WNBA as well as overseas. It is going to be really interesting to see what the WNBA does over the next few years with expansion. With so much talent in the women's game, no way can you allow players like Ahley Joens, Caitlin Clark, Maddy Siegrist, Beyonce Bea, Angel Reese, Aaliyah Boston, or Mackenzie Holmes to just sit on a WNBA bench only getting 6-10 minutes a game. Allowing their talent to waste on a WNBA team that only plays six players. No way.

Glad that JuJu Watkins is staying at USC. Do I think that it is a growing trend that high caliber players are going to stay in their home states and play for that home team? Nope. Will the UConn's or Stanford's of the world keep getting highly ranked players? More than likely. But like it is now, a lot of programs, home or the super power programs, are going to miss out on some players because of a host of reasons; too many players, too many players at that position, bad fit, coaching, style of play...But it is good to see players, like JuJu looking to create their own legacy. Build up a program.

The WNBA and the draft eligibility idea. That one is going to be very interesting.

 

[visitingcock]

Great article! Women's basketball is definitely growing and will continue to get better at all levels, middle school, high school, college, and the WNBA as well as overseas. It is going to be really interesting to see what the WNBA does over the next few years with expansion. With so much talent in the women's game, no way can you allow players like Ahley Joens, Caitlin Clark, Maddy Siegrist, Beyonce Bea, Angel Reese, Aaliyah Boston, or Mackenzie Holmes to just sit on a WNBA bench only getting 6-10 minutes a game. Allowing their talent to waste on a WNBA team that only plays six players. No way.

Glad that JuJu Watkins is staying at USC. Do I think that it is a growing trend that high caliber players are going to stay in their home states and play for that home team? Nope. Will the UConn's or Stanford's of the world keep getting highly ranked players? More than likely. But like it is now, a lot of programs, home or the super power programs, are going to miss out on some players because of a host of reasons; too many players, too many players at that position, bad fit, coaching, style of play...But it is good to see players, like JuJu looking to create their own legacy. Build up a program.

The WNBA and the draft eligibility idea. That one is going to be very interesting.

Gamecock here to blow Dawn's horn a bit more (Shocking. Right? )

She has had a profound impact on girls basketball in the state of South Carolina and perhaps neighboring North Carolina which is loaded with high school talent this year. It is, in part, due to her success at the collegiate level, but she also works the state and shows interest in the state of wbb at the middle and high school level. Teams are welcomed to visit for game and the games are cheap, if not free, for girls to attend.

It looks to be paying off. We currently have Ashlynn Watkins and Talaysia Cooper on the team. Fulwiley will join in the Fall. Hopefully, Joyce Edwards will join her fellow Sandlappers along with a next-door North Carolinian or two. No, not every girl in the Carolinas has the talent to play for Dawn, but the dream at a young age can lead to opportunities and scholarships to other schools and she encourages girls to reach for those opportunities.

 

[Bone Dog]

Interesting there’s no mention of Muffet in the ND bit.

 

[Big12wbbFan]

Great article! Women's basketball is definitely growing and will continue to get better at all levels, middle school, high school, college, and the WNBA as well as overseas. It is going to be really interesting to see what the WNBA does over the next few years with expansion. With so much talent in the women's game, no way can you allow players like Ahley Joens, Caitlin Clark, Maddy Siegrist, Beyonce Bea, Angel Reese, Aaliyah Boston, or Mackenzie Holmes to just sit on a WNBA bench only getting 6-10 minutes a game. Allowing their talent to waste on a WNBA team that only plays six players. No way.

Glad that JuJu Watkins is staying at USC. Do I think that it is a growing trend that high caliber players are going to stay in their home states and play for that home team? Nope. Will the UConn's or Stanford's of the world keep getting highly ranked players? More than likely. But like it is now, a lot of programs, home or the super power programs, are going to miss out on some players because of a host of reasons; too many players, too many players at that position, bad fit, coaching, style of play...But it is good to see players, like JuJu looking to create their own legacy. Build up a program.

The WNBA and the draft eligibility idea. That one is going to be very interesting.

Also when HOF coaches Tara and Geno retire, UCONN and Stanford programs are going to regress for a period of time and not get caliber of recruits they currently get. There is always some period of regression when HOF coach leaves a program. We are seeing it at Baylor and still seeing it at Tennessee.

 

[triaddukefan]

Hopefully Coach Lawson can rise up and influence WCBB (as long as it is in Durham)

Gamecock here to blow Dawn's horn a bit more (Shocking. Right? )

She has had a profound impact on girls basketball in the state of South Carolina and perhaps neighboring North Carolina which is loaded with high school talent this year. It is, in part, due to her success at the collegiate level, but she also works the state and shows interest in the state of wbb at the middle and high school level. Teams are welcomed to visit for game and the games are cheap, if not free, for girls to attend.

It looks to be paying off. We currently have Ashlynn Watkins and Talaysia Cooper on the team. Fulwiley will join in the Fall. Hopefully, Joyce Edwards will join her fellow Sandlappers along with a next-door North Carolinian or two. No, not every girl in the Carolinas has the talent to play for Dawn, but the dream at a young age can lead to opportunities and scholarships to other schools and she encourages girls to reach for those opportunities.

Please keep your grubby talon's out of NC... unless its to snatch someone from Chapel Hill.

 

[nickp91]

the next 20 years of the game holds

 

[visitingcock]

the next 20 years of the game holds

Explain please.

 

[Dillon77]

Interesting there’s no mention of Muffet in the ND bit.

Right, Ii's a pretty awkwardly written stretch or words not to mention the person that was the major impetus behind the ND program. Having written that, the article is about looking forward.

 

[JellyBean]

Gamecock here to blow Dawn's horn a bit more (Shocking. Right? )

She has had a profound impact on girls basketball in the state of South Carolina and perhaps neighboring North Carolina which is loaded with high school talent this year. It is, in part, due to her success at the collegiate level, but she also works the state and shows interest in the state of wbb at the middle and high school level. Teams are welcomed to visit for game and the games are cheap, if not free, for girls to attend.

It looks to be paying off. We currently have Ashlynn Watkins and Talaysia Cooper on the team. Fulwiley will join in the Fall. Hopefully, Joyce Edwards will join her fellow Sandlappers along with a next-door North Carolinian or two. No, not every girl in the Carolinas has the talent to play for Dawn, but the dream at a young age can lead to opportunities and scholarships to other schools and she encourages girls to reach for those opportunities.

That is fantastic! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story. It is great to see coaches like Coach Staley continuing the growth of the women's basketball.

 

[visitingcock]

That is fantastic! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story. It is great to see coaches like Coach Staley continuing the growth of the women's basketball.

It also helps that Jolette Law is a native South Carolinian and is very involved in grassroots wbb in the state. She had close ties to South Carolina high schools throughout her playing and coaching career, and that has only strengthen since Dawn brought her back home. A few of Dawn's former players are high school coaches and I expect that number to grow.

Indeed, I hope some of Dawn's visible players follow her lead by capping great playing careers with coaching. Yes, A'ja stays in touch with SC high school bb.

 

[JellyBean]

Also when HOF coaches Tara and Geno retire, UCONN and Stanford programs are going to regress for a period of time and not get caliber of recruits they currently get. There is always some period of regression when HOF coach leaves a program. We are seeing it at Baylor and still seeing it at Tennessee.

True. There will be some drop off or slippage for some programs when a HOF type coach retires. But I don't think a lot of programs fall off that much. Who knows what is going to happen once Coach Auriemma or VanDerveer step away from their programs. I still think that those programs will get those caliber recruits.

 

[visitingcock]

True. There will be some drop off or slippage for some programs when a HOF type coach retires. But I don't think a lot of programs fall off that much. Who knows what is going to happen once Coach Auriemma or VanDerveer step away from their programs. I still think that those programs will get those caliber recruits.

I cant think of one that did NOT fall off except maybe ULaLa way back.

Tennessee fell when Pat retired..
Notre Dame fell when Muffet retired. Though technically the big fall was her last year.
NC State fell when Kay Yow moved on.
Rutger fell before Vivian Stringer retired.
Texas A&M fell when Gary Blair retired.

In other sports with a longer happen, like football, powerhouse usually fall for at least some period after a legendary coach retires. Ohio State might be a modern exception.

I note you did qualify your statement with "that much." Notre Dame might be considered as not "that much."

 

[SCGamecock]

Yeah, Notre Dame definitely fell off for a few years after McGraw retired but is definitely trending up again. And that is attributable to making the right hire at the right time and staying consistent within their brand. The recruits that Ivey is going after now are the exact kind of recruits that McGraw likely would've pursued had she still been at ND... that's a good sign of a program respecting their identity and allowing it to lead. It'll be important for UConn and Stanford to do the same.

I think Tennessee tried to do the same with Warlick, but she wasn't the right coach I don't think (IMO, she didn't have a solid coaching identify). I'll allow some LV fans to come in and offer their own opinions.