When watching Paige Bueckers play as a freshman at the University of Connecticut, knowing that top high school prospect Azzi Fudd would be joining her and Aaliyah Edwards in the fall, thoughts about the future of the WNBA popped into everyone’s heads.
Musings about the 2024 draft class and how stacked it would be flooded timelines after Bueckers and Caitlin Clark battled it out. Even after the 2019 draft, a class headlined by Jackie Young, Arike Ogunbowale, Katie Lou Samuelson and 2019 Rookie of the Year Napheesa Collier -- to name just a few -- the conversation turned to the “future” of the league’s landscape.
Whenever young stars make a splash in the NCAA or in their rookie year, thinking about where they’ll be in five years is always an interesting conversation point – mostly interesting because, in five years, the league could be without many who are playing their best basketball this season.
Of course, Diana Taurasi is the first person many think of when hearing something along those lines. Taurasi said herself that this year would probably be her last Olympics and retiring from the league wouldn’t be too far behind – her partner and former Phoenix Mercury forward Penny Taylor, who is only a year older than Taurasi, did so five years ago.
Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) talks with Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird (10) during the second half of a WNBA basketball playoff game. (Matt York/AP)
Taurasi became the first player in WNBA history to hit the 9000-point mark on June 27 against the Los Angeles Sparks, her first game in five weeks after a chest injury, and put up 25 points -- with 11 of her points coming in the third quarter of the 88-79 win.
“I hope I’ve learned some things over the years by playing for so long, I think you do have to listen to your body,” said Taurasi. “As long as I can help the team on the court, I might not always be 100 per cent but if you can help your team by just being on the court, I’m willing to do that, I’m not too worried about how I look individually.”
Sue Bird is making history, too, and playing some of her best basketball at age 40, something not a lot will be able to say in their careers. Bird made history as a 12-time WNBA All-Star, breaking the record previously held by Tamika Catchings with 11.
Bird also has many other records under her belt as she leads the league in career assists with 2985 and had a historic playoff performance of 10 assists in one half as well as 16 in one game during the 2020 WNBA Finals.
There’s always going to be a focus on Taurasi and Bird, and their resumes support exactly why, but they are far from the only talent in the league who are only improving their game with age.
Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner reacts after a shot during the first half of Game 5 of a WNBA basketball semifinal round playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)
DeWanna Bonner, who was a member of the Phoenix Mercury for 10 seasons before joining the Connecticut Sun for the 2020 season, has had one of the biggest impacts for the team to prove why they are continually a playoff caliber team – and was named Conference Player of the Week along with Sylvia Fowles for the week six of the season thanks to her efforts.
Bonner averaged 24 points, and 10 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game during her monster Week 6, and during the season Bonner has only netted less than 10 points twice, but still is constantly a threat on the defensive boards for Connecticut regardless of her scoring – citing always playing for her team first and herself second.
To add to that, if anyone is having a banner year, it’s Sylvia Fowles. The Minnesota Lynx were already a roster that had depth at every position – general manager and coach Cheryl Reeve won Coach of the Year in 2020 for a reason – but when Fowles was injured in the bubble and played just seven games, her absence was notable.
Her 2021 comeback campaign is poetry in motion, averaging a double-double of 17.2 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. Fowles also became the first-ever player to record 30 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, four steals and four blocks in a game. But, even after 14 seasons in the league, Fowles’ goal is always straightforward: focus on every individual game.
“For me personally, I don’t think about the numbers, I really don’t get into all the analytical stuff of it, I just go out there and try to play to the best of my ability and what’s given to me that night or what are my opportunities,” said Fowles.
Candace Parker will headline a WNBA All-Star team that will face the U.S. Olympic squad in Las Vegas on July 14. (Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via AP)
Tina Charles has also been having a comeback year after sitting out in 2020, and her first season with the Washington Mystics in her 11th season overall is shaping up to be her best career year yet in terms of scoring -- including her best-ever points per game average of 25.5 as well as shooting a career-best 37.3 per cent from the three-point line.
“She was doing it for the first few games, putting up huge numbers, rebounds, and we were saying to ourselves we can’t always rely on Tina, she’s not gonna be able to keep doing this, but every time we look at the stats sheet, she’s doing it again and again,” said Washington Mystics guard Leilani Mitchell.
“She’s just like a machine, hasn’t stopped, hasn’t slowed down, she’s obviously a huge reason as to why we’ve still been able to get wins.”
After spending 13 seasons in Los Angeles, Candace Parker is still making waves in the 10 games she’s suited up for in her first year in Chicago despite spending a month out due to an ankle injury, and Angel McCoughtry was a key player in Bill Laimbeer’s system in her first season in Las Vegas last year after 10 seasons in Atlanta, but injured her ACL and is missing the 2021 season - they're two of just many more league vets who don't go unnoticed on the court.
Although there is a lot of young talent currently playing in the WNBA, as well as a lot to look forward to as the league continues to grow, these veterans aren’t just contributing leadership and bench minutes – they are some of the best players in the game night after night.
The sustained success these players have found in the league and continue to play at elite levels even after coming back from injuries, having children and other time off from play as they get older, they stay as living proof that age really is just a number.
