HOUSTON — Friday night’s debuts had the WNBA placing most of its focus on the Indiana Fever-Dallas Wings contest, but another deserved equal billing.
The game between Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx was thrilling, showcasing the exciting new connection between Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. Their debut surely didn’t disappoint their rookie head coach, Teresa Weatherspoon.
“They came from great programs,” Weatherspoon said in her postgame interview. “They’re winners. They’re champions. They’re competitors. They compete. So, this is just a learning process for them. We’ve got leaders on this team that’s going to bring them along, and bring them along well. And that’s what matters. We play with and for each other.”
Reese was a starter in the preseason opener. The ‘Chi-Town Barbie’ played 24 minutes and contributed 13 points, nine rebounds (4 Defensive, 5 Offensive), a pair of steals, and one block as the Sky fell 92-81 to the Lynx. Also, she forced several fouls and went 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. Unfortunately, Reese had five personal fouls and two turnovers.
Angel Reese’s offensive rebound & putback.
📱: @heyheyitsalli #WNBA #SkyTown@Reese10Angel pic.twitter.com/goNS9GbYSI
— SUMMER (@SummerDC_) May 4, 2024
“She just got her feet wet,” Weatherspoon responded to a question about Reese’s foul trouble. “There’s nothing to be worried about, nothing at all. You’re talking about a freaking competitor. We’re going to be fine. We’re going to look at film. We’re going to get better. She loved every minute of this. Trust me.”
Kamilla Cardoso came off the bench and played for 13 minutes in her first outing. The center went 3 of 5 from the field, scoring six points, grabbing four rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and a steal.
Unfortunately, the WNBA had a major flub last night. Due to an omission and opportunity to cash in, fans were left searching beyond the Fever-Wings game for the Sky-Lynx showdown with Reese and Cardoso. Many were able to watch a stream on X from @heyheyitsalli’s account.
The game, which streamed up to 300K viewers at one point and now has over 1.7M views, was a missed opportunity for the league. By having it on League Pass, the WNBA could have capitalized on the potential earnings from these two new burgeoning stars and dynamic duo.
Angel Reese to Kamilla Cardoso in their WNBA preseason debuts 🔥
(via @chicagosky) pic.twitter.com/Aw7uX6V3uj
— espnW (@espnW) May 4, 2024
“The Lynx-Sky game was moved from Sat to Fri causing issues for Bally Sports who already committed to broadcasting the Twins game,” according to Rob Knox.
In what can be described as Caitlin Clark’s coming out party, the NCAA scoring champion made a significant impact. She scored 21 points, grabbed three rebounds, and had a pair of assists and steals. However, the downside was her committing five turnovers, which played a role in the Fever’s 79-76 loss to the Wings.
With the arrival of new talents like Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Caitlin Clark, the WNBA has a wealth of star power for this season. It will be up to the league’s brass to understand how to capitalize on these new arrivals instead of focusing solely on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever games.
Despite past struggles with viewership and fan engagement, the league’s diverse talent pool promises an exciting future but must learn to convert into financial windfalls.
