Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas has been appreciative of the WNBA for some time now. An avid follower of the league, the 63-year-old seems to feel that it is partially his responsibility that the greats of the women’s game get their due respect. And so, he recently, announced his vehement support, for Diana Taurasi, and how she deserves to be respected just as much as her NBA counterparts for her achievements.
Thomas highlighted that at age 42, Taurasi continues to be one of the better players in the WNBA. He then said that despite this, she doesn’t get the same respect that an NBA star would if they did the same thing, and how this needs to change immediately. On X (Formerly Twitter) he posted,
“Let it be known [WNBA] how [Diana Taurasi] AT AGE 42 is playing [The Phoenix Mercury] should be discussed and celebrated more, like her male [NBA counterparts] #Respect”
Let it be known @wnba how @DianaTaurasi
AT AGE 42 is playing @PhoenixMercury should be discussed and celebrated more, like her male @nba counterparts #Respect— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas)
June 19, 2024
Isiah Thomas is beyond accurate in his statement. After all, Vince Carter and LeBron James are wildly celebrated for their longevity. But Diana Taurasi is yet to be celebrated the same way. Admittedly, it is high time that this changes. After all, just like her fellow Hall Of Famers from the NBA, she has been far from unsuccessful.
Having played 20 seasons in the WNBA so far, Taurasi has racked up an incredible 10 All-Star selections, a Most Valuable Player award, and even three championships. That is not the kind of greatness that comes every day.
To his credit, Thomas has been attempting to bring that kind of attention to the league for years now. Fortunately for him, it seems Caitlin Clark has made his job a lot easier, something he spoke about very recently.
Isiah Thomas on the viewership Caitlin Clark brings
The fanfare around Caitlin Clark has brought quite a few eyes to the WNBA, something that has been a bit lacking since the league’s very inception. Speaking on the topic, Thomas admitted he was incredibly appreciative of the attention Clark has brought to the league. As per Fan Nation, he said,
“I actually, love the attention that Caitlin has brought to the WNBA… I love the attention that women’s basketball is getting. But for too long the media hasn’t really shined a light on the WNBA, athletically and competitively… Now, since Caitlin has arrived and she had a great college career and she was fantastic to watch, you’re curious you want to see it go on.”
Of course, there is an infamous narrative floating around that most WNBA players dislike the attention Clark is getting from the media. Nevertheless, the league is all the better for it. And due to her, perhaps there will come a day when the WNBA is just as big as the NBA.
