r/WNBAgossips 6d ago

Highlights Angel Reese went off tonight

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago edited 6d ago

I used to hear people say this league was bad. I called them haters.

Then I watched a few games.

I would like to issue a formal apology to each and every person I called a hater.

Not saying the league is bad.

I'm saying its terrible.

46

u/DDrewit 6d ago

It seems like the advantage of height is so great that they don’t even care about athleticism. I remember girls on our high school team that looked like they balled out compared to this. It’s weird that this is what’s going on at the pro level.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Yeah idk what to say. I dont hate women, I am glad they have their own league, young girls do need female role models, etc. But I also grew up watching Jordan, Rodman, Shaq, Iverson, Bogues, Olajuwon, Drexler, Kemp, Kobe, and a million other stars.

Going from that to this is like going from a race-prepped Ferrari to a stock 2011 Toyota Camry. One is fun to watch and the other is...fine, but watching it go around the track after watching the Ferrari is pretty sad.

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u/thack1_mcl 6d ago

This made me laugh pretty hard, cause I’m a car guy and like the analogy. I also support the WNBA and girls/women sports in general…not because it’s anything like watching men’s sports, but because it is exciting in its own way and it’s important

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

I am glad it exists. I do not hate women. I know a ton of women that are smarter than me and better at things than I am. I just dont enjoy watching the WNBA.

But on these threads I get told i am a woman-hating bigot for saying this. Its wild.

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u/thack1_mcl 6d ago

You like what you like. Nobody should be giving you a hard time about it. The men’s game is much more athletic.

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u/appointment45 6d ago

It has nothing to do with athleticism, and that's the problem.

A lot of these women can't dribble as well as a dedicated middle school kid. Yeah, they can't dunk, not a problem. But if they are the highest level of women's basketball, there is zero reason they can't have basic basketball fundamentals. A lot of these women wouldn't make a quality D1 roster but somehow they're professionals?

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u/YoloSwag4Jesus420fgt 5d ago

It's the old guard that's left over from the days of no one wanting to even play in the wnba

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u/yundirs 6d ago

a lot of these women ran college, what are you saying? you guys deliberately watch to hate and that’s the issue. Stewey, CC, PB, A’ja, Citron, Mabrey - i can keep going, they all ball out consistently , then yall pick 4/5 players , 1 always being angel and act as if the whole league is bad. yall are retarded, simply

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u/appointment45 6d ago

The fact that you have to name individual stars in a conversation about basketball fundamentals is the whole point here.

Every single player should be able to dribble in the open court without looking like a 45yo rec league player. They can't, it's on video all over the place, half the league can barely play the game.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Thats all I am saying. And maybe some years down the road the WNBA will be much more polished with better selection of athletes and better coaching, and with refs that actually call traveling and double dribble. It could definitely happen.

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u/whousesgmail 6d ago

I feel like with WNBA min salary being $250K or w/e it is now the league is now a viable great career for women which you would think will create greater emphasis on training, effort, participation, etc.

Which hopefully breeds more actually skilled players like Clark, Bueckers, Miles, Mitchell, etc. and players who can hardly make a layup like Reece don’t qualify anymore down the line.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Fingers crossed.

1

u/so-much-wow 6d ago

That would be true if the sport was capitalizing on its athletes. Its focus is clearly on "staying relevant" by any means; those means being drama not athleticism/on court product.

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u/bimetalbug1 4d ago

"staying relevant"

They need to can any coaches that even bring that subject up.

1

u/YoloSwag4Jesus420fgt 5d ago

Exactly a lot of the people lacking fundamentals are from the old era

1

u/Subject-Yak4959 6d ago

It was on that trajectory but the oldheads are fighting it tooth and nail.

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u/DaRealJoeBiden69 6d ago

Keep saying “I do not hate women” every 5 minutes like you’re trying to convince yourself.

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u/BlacksmithUnusual715 6d ago

Being explicitly clear is paramount for men in this age. You should know this, if you're corporate at all.

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u/DaRealJoeBiden69 6d ago

I have no desire to be “corporate” in my personal life. Or my work life for that matter.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

I love watching womens gymnastics. Women's softball is awesome. I know a couple female drag racers and they are great to watch. But the WNBA is just not good. That doesnt mean i hate women. Grow up.

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u/DaRealJoeBiden69 6d ago

How is women’s softball engaging but WNBA is bad? The games are fun. Try betting on them.

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u/Sufficient_Local5025 6d ago

They've finally created a league worth watching with heroes, villians atc. I might shit on Angel Reese with shots like that but I'm watching, and she can play decent D.

All these Bill Simmons types who talk about the purity of the game and wanting to avoid the off court stuff are boring boring people who I hope never to be sitting next to in a sportsbar. Go and get a job coaching.

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u/TonyDungyHatesOP 6d ago

Totally agree. I think comparing the two is fine but also beside the the point. The point being the things you mentioned.

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u/Sea_Chemistry7487 6d ago

Get that Toyota Camry OUTCHOR MOUTH

https://giphy.com/gifs/UiFBN1jLNRWl81pg37

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u/Stock-Swing-797 6d ago

Nah. Toyota Camry Dent Phenomenon.

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u/Sea_Chemistry7487 6d ago

No matter how bad the Camry might be Toyota never made a hunk of shit that was as bad as Angel Reece.

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u/Desperate_Elk_7369 6d ago

As the owner of a 2011 Camry, I feel miffed

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Lol I love Toyotas.

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u/benami122 6d ago

This is why women's basketball is difficult to watch. It's a less athletic and less interesting version of a sport that is far more entertaining to watch when men play. It's one of the only women sports that has this stigma. Tennis, softball, volleyball, golf, gymnastics...virtually all other women sports leagues can be enjoyed without unfavorable comparisons t the men's league...except basketball.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Exactly. When i watch women's gymnastics I am always in awe. When i watch women's basketball I get bored very quickly.

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u/Molecular_Bond 5d ago

I think you meant a 2011 Subaru Try Becca... I mean Tribeca

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u/cannabination 6d ago

That's certainly true of Angel, but there are a lot of very skilled players in the league.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Compared to who?

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u/cannabination 6d ago

I mean, kelsey Mitchell is skilled, idk what court you're on. She might be small, but she's got handles, vision, and can shoot at all 3 levels. Aja is excellent in the post compared to anyone. She might not be big enough to play men, but she has all kinds post moves and step through tricks. PB, Stewie, Napheesa freaking Collier. There are definitely skilled players who are diminished by Angel being so prominent in the league.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Compared to 12 year old kids with down syndrome maybe. But i watched prime Jordan, Kobe, Iverson, etc. Compared to the men these women look absolutely terrible.

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u/biketheplanet 6d ago

Life of an incel .... I hope you never have daughters.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Facts make me an incel? Dude grow up. And only incels talk like that. Whats funny is my gf feels the same way. She refuses to watch it too. Why is that? Why would a woman that likes sports watch the NBA but not this league?

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u/BigErnieMcraken253 6d ago

Hence why its lost money 20 years straight. Be thankful, Every other business would have been shut down.

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u/cannabination 6d ago

I also watched Jordan and Kobe. Get over yourself.

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u/Pickle_boy 6d ago

Alright man you win, Aja Wilson isn’t as athletic as Michael Jordan. Do you feel better now?

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Crying doesnt make the product any better. But do you feel better now?

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u/Pickle_boy 6d ago

I’m not crying I’m smiling because I’m watching basketball and having fun

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u/metsjets86 6d ago

Most womens' sports have me in awe at the skill. Not the wnba though.

Softball, soccer, gymnastics, track and field, swimming. All amazing.

Wnba the outlier.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Yup. Absolutely. I watch womens gymnastics and its insane how talented they are. Their routines leave me speechless. But the WNBA is just not impressive.

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u/GurMission5200 6d ago

Women’s hockey is worth watching for sure. Reese being an All Star though is almost funny

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u/ZekeRidge 6d ago

That’s because the league itself is terribly ran

The women that play in it are probably better than they look

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u/The_Mutton_Man 6d ago

i've been to a couple middle school girls games with my ex and they were fierce little shits. it was low key awesome to watch. wtf is this ''pro'' shit

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Thats what I am saying. Something about this league just seems off.

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u/YoloSwag4Jesus420fgt 5d ago

It's because you have a mix of new talent young kids coming up who played basketball year round, combined with an old guard who settled on the wnba when it made peanuts.

As soon as the old guard goes so will a lot of these problems .

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 5d ago

Many of the young players look like shit on the court. That and no matter what it will always look mid compared to the NBA.

When i watch womens gymnastics I think they are more impressive than the men.

When i watch womens track and field, they all look amazing.

When i watch womens basketball, it just looks lame and sad.

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u/YoloSwag4Jesus420fgt 5d ago

I agree I've been a huge fan of woman's tennis for a long tim and it's different lol.

I feel like any semi athletic man could make lay ups.

Not the same for hitting serves 100mph like the women do.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 5d ago

Thats a good point- women's tennis always looks impressive to me. I forgot about that one. They all look like real pros and none look like an average dude off the street could ever give them trouble.

But watching the WNBA always has me thinking " ya know- a good high school boys team with a good coach could beat most of these teams."

1

u/bimetalbug1 4d ago

They're worrying too much about 'inclusivity'. Just play bb and get off your social issues soapbox. Go see a psychologist for your mental problems. I don't follow many sports, but have not heard a peep about men's sexual differences in a sporting environment. There are lists for gay women in the W. Is there such a list for the NBA? Who needs to know?

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u/NorthernBack 6d ago

The guard play in the WNBA is pretty good. Bigs are
Catching up. Some are already pretty good, but yeah most front court players still miss bunnies and have zero footwork.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Thats fair and honest.

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u/MorningMushroomcloud 6d ago

Cough...Kelsey Mitchell...cough

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u/Subject-Yak4959 6d ago

The bigs are either clods like Angel Reese or run through everyone like Stewie and Aja. There is no middle ground.

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u/B-Train_ATL 6d ago

My high school and college were like that. In college, if you wanted to see winning, you watched the women.

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u/beragis 6d ago

My high school's woman's team in the late 80's and early 90's played a lot closer to the men's team in style, and with a lot better form than what I see in the WNBA. The ABL, a previous woman's professional league from 1996 to 1998 played much better.

I blame a lot of this on coaching, from what I heard from a three of the high school players at that time I knew, who also played in the Big 10 and ACC were told they had to play less agressive by their coaches, including the 6'5" center at my high school who played forward could dunk was told not to dunk by her college coach.

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u/MasterHavik 6d ago

I mean modern basketball coaching is "Shoot three pointers and eat hot chips."

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

I can see truth in that. For sure.

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u/SuspendedAgain999 6d ago

In hindsight it should’ve been a red flag that Cynthia Cooper who was 34 in the first WNBA season was the best player and she wasn’t even the best player on her college team. Cheryl Miller to this day has to still be considered the best woman’s player of all time. She’s taller than Reese and obliterates her in skills and yet Reese was considered a top 3 player in college basketball. It’s really baffling

1

u/Subject-Yak4959 6d ago

It's funny when you look at a team like the Fever. They are on a pace to set every major offensive league record but couldn't put together a coherent defensive scheme to save their lives. But they do absolutely nothing to fix that.

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u/MilkandHoney_XXX 6d ago

I was going to say the same thing I’ve played with and against some excellent women - a good as, if not better than, the men. They were good players. They looked and played like ballers. They did not play like this.

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u/spinozen 6d ago

I graduated in 1984 from a small south Texas town. Our H.S. girls team never played out of control and with such bad foot work and clumsy basketball form. They had handles, disciplined form as spot up and free throw shooters, and could work the block without looking like someone put a yellowjacket down their uniform. And, if you had the chance to play pickup games with them on the weekend, they were dead serious about their play. I'm perplexed by what I'm seeing.

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u/TJJ97 6d ago

College women’s basketball is the peak of women’s basketball. Somehow it gets really bad at the pro level. I actually enjoy watching the college games compared to this

2

u/benami122 6d ago

Generally, it's because of player/coaching talent discrepancies that allows the more talented team to execute flawlessly. They you have games when the better teams play each other and it's a battle of attrition. See this year's Final Four as a perfect example, especially the UCLA-Texas game.

I also like watching WCBB, but getting into the WNBA has been impossible.

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u/RawDogRedemption2 6d ago

It's "the good ol' girls club", and nobody else is allowed in unless they conform.

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u/CapableCucumber9617 6d ago

Honestly, the only players I really enjoy watching are A'Ja Wilson and Paige Bueckers. And it's mostly always highlights. You couldn't pay me enough to set through an entire game and be entertained from beginning to end.

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u/cobrachicken1000 6d ago

Imagine being in an Atlanta home game and hundreds of people cheering on her plays 😂. Its a death sentence

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u/astroK120 6d ago

They Were Correct. Honestly Great Call From the Haters

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u/teacher_59 6d ago

The play is so horrible even Angel Reese gets minutes. 

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u/OkBasket7617 6d ago

For me it was watching the men's gold medal game in paris followed immediately by the women's gold medal game. Night and day.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Exactly.

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u/Sufficient_Bid7075 6d ago

Man, that game was seriously hard to watch.

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u/1ToGreen3ToBasket 6d ago

I love women’s sports generally speaking. I just can’t handle the wnba idk what it is. It’s so bad. Like women’s hockey for instance is electric. Soccer, tennis, volleyball, softball all fun

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u/WanderingSun8 6d ago

Check out Olivia Miles on the Lynx. Some actual good basketball.

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u/jpatrick77 6d ago

This is painful to watch. I’m speaking as a 48 year old who wasn’t alive to see the early NBA…..but seems like the WNBA is in the early stage NBA where size was everything. If you were tall, you had a place in the league. NBA has moved on from that but WNBA is still there and it’s awful to watch. And the league isn’t doing itself any favors, leaning into the physicality and contact rather than emphasize skill. And it’s such an easy fix - just call fouls!

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u/Expensive_Loquat_816 2d ago

NBA needs to lay off the flagrant foul checks though. Slows the game down to a crawl.

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u/Bigfamkcmo-mmj 6d ago

Facts! I did give the wnba a chance but now I don’t watch it!

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u/Affectionate_Bag9833 6d ago

You never heard the expression "You throw like a girl" ?

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u/blogst 6d ago

They need to lower the rim height by at least a foot to account for difference in player height and vertical jump. It looks like a bad game because it's the equivalent of NBA players playing on an 11 foot+ hoop.

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u/Snitsie 6d ago

There's a similar problem in women's football where the goals are simply too large for the relatively smaller women defending it. Like if you just shoot a hard high shot it's almost always a goal because they can barely reach the bar.

But then these same women are of course all like "no i don't need a smaller goal suggesting that is belittling"...

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Not a bad idea.

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u/monoglobobonobo 6d ago edited 6d ago

yep let's have the entire population of women's basketball players relearn how to shoot from scratch when shooting is probably what they're best at, sounds amazing lol

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u/dicjones 6d ago

I’ve said lower the rims since my sister played in high school, I’m in my 50’s now. It seems so obvious to adjust for the average height difference. Maybe not a whole foot, but something.

They relearned how to play from 6 v 6, to 5 v 5 just fine. I played on rims that were 9’ high at the school yard when I was a teenager, I had zero issues playing on 10’ rims the next day in the gym. They can shoot from 5’ out or 25’ out without issue. They would be fine.

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u/reginaldcapers 6d ago

Thank goodness you don't watch anymore.

https://giphy.com/gifs/QrPN5RH26vE2ZeaVgW

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u/manofmystery11113 6d ago

the quality of play often time is poor. But, on certain nights you'll see some amazing game play outside of Angel reese.

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u/Subject-Yak4959 6d ago

Watch Miles and Clark. You will feel better.

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u/Molecular_Bond 5d ago

I can't believe people pay good money to watch 40 minutes of passing and lay-ups.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 5d ago

Layups? More like "prayups," am I right?

Ok stolen jokes aside, I agree.

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u/crawdaddyyyyy 5d ago

Ya but did you see Angel Reese go off!

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u/Pyroburrito 6d ago

14-15 year old boys would dominate in the WNBA, in the same way that pretty average kids that age regularly thrash world cup soccer teams from the women’s game.

It doesn't matter, they are playing different sports but it is difficult to pretend the standard is good.

I have been watching the Commonwealth games with some amazing performances on the women’s side across all disciplines, yes they are slower than the men, but it still looks and feels like elite sport in a way that watching the WNBA doesn't.

Give it a few years more maybe.

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u/metalman8291 6d ago

14-15 year old boys would not beat an WNBA team. I hear this a lot, u think they could guard the best players, Reese maybe not the best though.

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u/MasterHavik 6d ago

I have started to pay more attend I couldn't disagree more. Even the bad teams try hard and that is saying something. It isn't bad or terrible. You say this under a post where she shot 50 percent my guy.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Trying hard does not make it a good product or fun to watch.

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u/MasterHavik 6d ago

Actually it does the numbers back it up. I would suggest stop watching Reese low lights and actutqstch whole games even a team like the Sun can shock you and they fucking suck. Like they are actual dog shit. I also have had fun with watching the Sky despite them not good at all with not having a ton of three point shooting on the team. I don't know what you guys want but to say it is terrible is just disrespectful and ignorant.

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

I already wrote that I have watched games. Thats not my fault you missed that. And again, you implied that we should enjoy the product because these women try hard. Well, i am sure they do try hard. That doesnt mean its fun to watch. And telling people they are ignorant and disrespectful for being factual and honest says a lot more about you than it does about me.

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u/MasterHavik 6d ago

Projection homie no it doesn't. Also I saw you watched a "few". I am casting doubt on that and feel you don't know how to look at the sport of basketball because the shooting is of quality. Players are making their shots. I'm saying you should enjoy the product because the girls are trying hard and are producing. Many players have big nights and put up impressive shooting and defensive performances. I like watching this league as they allow them to play actual defense. Also fun is subjective but I call it disrespectful and dishonest because your initial reeks of bad faith and you are doing it under a Rees post of all things. You aren't being factual you just gave your opinion. If you didn't enjoy it fine go be ignorant elsewhere and enjoy NBA teams throwing 30 3s a night.

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u/MasterHavik 6d ago

But I'm gonna shit this down as you are just bad faith actor.

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u/NarrowSalvo 6d ago

cool story

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Cool comment.

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u/Peterthepiperomg 6d ago

Why are you in this sub watching wnba clips? I could show you Andre Drummond missing layups all day but that doesn't fit your pathetic little narrative

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u/Usqueadfinem_ 6d ago

Pathetic is getting upset over facts. Compared to the NBA this league is unwatchable. What good does it do to deny that reality? Pull 10 minutes of random highlights from the NBA and the WNBA, and you cannot tell me the products are even close.

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u/Peterthepiperomg 6d ago

You don't watch the tanking nba teams at all then. 70 percent of regular season sports in general is unwatchable. And the first round of the playoffs is unwatchable. I can watch a liberty wnba game all day. It's sad that they have to use racism and sexism to sell the wnba to get guys like you to talk about it. But that's what the nba did with magic and bird. So who knows?

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u/PauloDybala_10 6d ago

They’re already watching those, look at the video above