Caitlin Clark, New Generation Praised by WNBA Icon Tina Charles for Rising Popularity

The impact the younger stars of the WNBA are having on the league is undeniable in the eyes of legendary center Tina Charles.

"The energy that we're getting, the reception, the eyes that we're getting on us, it's amazing," the Atlanta Dream star said to TMZ Sports. "It's just because of that new generation that's coming in. They've just taken the baton from '97 and just bringing us forward. Just very thankful for their skill, just how they're handling themselves and the media. It's just bringing us along."

Thanks to the efforts of Charles and her contemporaries, the WNBA has been on an upward trajectory for multiple seasons. Attendance and viewership both increased league-wide in 2023. This spring, the two-time reigning champion Las Vegas Aces became the first team to sell out its allotment of season tickets.

The arrival of the 2024 rookie class, however, is supercharging the trend.

The Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark is a box-office star unlike any women's basketball has seen in a long time, and the early indications are that the following she built in college is carrying over to the WNBA. The Chicago Sky's Angel Reese and Los Angeles Sparks' Cameron Brink also became household names in a way that's benefiting the league.

By crediting Clark, Reese, Brink and their first-year peers, you risk overlooking the players who came before them. The WNBA didn't sprout up overnight and a lot of work went into getting it to this point.

But there's no question these rookies can take the W to new heights.