Prove the naysayers wrong. Watch the WNBA Finals without Caitlin Clark

Good Morning!

I’m writing this on Friday afternoon, still charged after watching one of the best athletic contests I’ve seen in a while.

I must apologize, first, to my hometown Kansas City Royals, whose season ended after falling to the New York Yankees 3-1 in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. I was with the Royals in spirit, but not in viewership, as I gave full attention to Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.

And what a game it was.

After facing an 18-point deficit in the first half, the Minnesota Lynx rallied to beat the top-seed New York Liberty 95-93. It had all the makings of an instant classic, including a four-point play by the Lynx’s Courtney Williams at the close of regulation to push the game to overtime. Later, as the final seconds of the extra set ticked off, the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart had a final look at the basket but was unable to connect.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, even if you haven’t paid much attention to the WNBA this year, you probably know the league is experience an historic season. Ticket sales, merch sales, and TV ratings have exploded. And what may have been catalyzed by Caitlin Clark has since spread around the W, boosting the bottom lines — and fan support — of all teams.

When Clark’s Indiana Fever were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun, hordes of self-professed Clark fans pledged to not watch the remainder of the season, now that their favorite player is back at home.

Much of the discourse around Clark’s impact this season has been around her ability to improve the material conditions of other WNBA players, including many veterans who had only ever known sub-six-figure salaries and commercial flights before Clark’s 2024 debut. And while most of the women have voiced their gratitude for the increased viewership that can, hopefully, lead to their increased bank accounts, there has been justifiable hesitance to lay all improvements at Clark’s feet.

If the WNBA lives by Clark, it must die by her as well, including when her team makes an early playoff exit.

But there is an opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong — be they Clark fans or league trolls or some combination of the two. By supporting the Finals between the Lynx and the Liberty, there’s an opportunity to illustrate the parity in the league’s growth, and to demonstrate unwavering support for all the league’s players.

So be sure to watch Game 2 on Sunday, and Game 3 on Wednesday, and any subsequent, necessary games thereafter. And if for no other reason, watch them because the women are just flat-out hooping right now.

What else should you read this weekend?

• Last month, Fred Gray, 93-year-old Civil Rights Attorney and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, spoke to a crowd in Columbia, Tennessee. For the Tennessean, former columnist Dwight Lewis wrote about Gray’s appearance , and his command “[t]o all those here tonight and all those interested in human and civil rights, and maintaining a democratic form of government, [to] go to the polls in November and vote like you have never voted before.”
• Taurus McClain, a Native Nashvillian and long-time activist in Nashville’s Bordeaux neighborhood, wrote about his concerns with the transit referendum — specifically, its failure to meet the needs of North Nashville’s Black residents.
• Finally, David Plazas, the Tennessean’s Director of Opinion and Engagement wrote about the history of the Black Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices Live events. And if you weren’t able to attend the BTV Live at Meharry last month, you can find the video in the David’s story.

As always, it’s a pleasure to be in your inbox, and if we haven’t yet connected, I’d love to hear from you!

Until next week…

Andrea Williams is an opinion columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background covering country music, sports, race and society. Email her at adwilliams@tennessean.com or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite .

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Prove the naysayers wrong. Watch the WNBA Finals without Caitlin Clark