The rise of women’s basketball in recent years is one of the greatest stories in sport. We’re seeing greater popularity than ever, even more so than men’s college basketball. In the NCAA tournament again this year, there was more interest in the women’s side, simply because of the star players on the court.
One of them was USC Trojans freshman guard JuJu Watkins, who took college basketball by storm last year. She helped lead the Trojans to a first-place finish in the NCAA Tournament and became a sensation almost overnight.
Watkins contributed to the rise in popularity, but she was not alone. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese all brought their own spin to the game, helping make the eventual women’s title match one of the most watched in history, according to Deron Snyder of The Grio.
“South Carolina beat Iowa for the national title on Sunday – sending Caitlin Clark on her merry way – in a game that averaged 18.9 million viewers. That’s a 90% increase from the game for the 2023 title (when LSU sent Clark home) and a 289% increase from the 2022 game (when South Carolina beat UConn).”
The popularity of women’s basketball can be directly attributed to the players on the court and the skills they possess. There is more talent than ever in women’s basketball and fans are showing up to witness it. Watkins will still be in college next season and should have all eyes on her again.
