LeBron James had a great 25-point, 7-rebound, and 9-assist near triple-double, per NBA.com, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 125-120 win over the Washington Wizards, but, it was his postgame comments about women’s college basketball that have really caught fans’ attention. While talking to the reporters, James explained how women’s college basketball has several iconic players such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, among others, and also lauded them for playing the game the right way.
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With women’s college basketball receiving significantly more popularity than men’s college basketball, LeBron James was initially asked to speak about the reason behind the same. While mentioning that there was not much difference between the men’s and the women’s games today, King James revealed how the women’s had far more “icons” at the moment, shedding light on Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, and Cameron Brink.
“What stands out the way they play? I guess that means they play the right way. I don’t think there’s much difference between the men or the women game when it comes to college basketball. The popularity that comes in, is the icons they have in the women’s game. You look at Angel Reese, you look at JuJu, you look at Caitlin Clark, you look at Paige, you look at the young girl that’s at Iowa State – the freshman, you look at (Cameron) Brink at Stanford,” James explained.
Cameron Brink took a moment to talk winning DPOY & her friend Caitlin Clark winning the Naismith: pic.twitter.com/ytKdPKRTxA
— Blake Hornstein (@BlakeHornTV) April 3, 2024
The 6ft 9” forward went on to explain that the women, because they aren’t allowed to declare for the WNBA draft till they’re 21, have a greater shot at building their legacy at the program that they play for. Hence, James used Clark as an example to disclose that the players become the reason behind the program’s popularity.
“Because they are not allowed to go to the NBA… You able to build a real iconic legacy at a program and that’s what we all love about it. That’s what we all love and we love the girls’ game because of that moment… That’s what makes the Final Four and the Elite Eight so great. Iowa was a great team but Caitlin Clark is the reason we tuned it… Players, depending on who they are, will drive the attention when it comes to viewership,” James said.
Finally, the four-time MVP lauded the women for playing the “right way” before explaining how their star power outweighs the men’s college basketball.
“The girls, they always play the game the right way. Passing and cutting, sharing the ball, they definitely get on the floor for loose balls, things of that nature… The star power that we have in the women’s game outweighs some of the men too,” the Lakers leader said.
LeBron James discusses the Lakers’ win over the Wizards, the overall road trip and women’s college basketball. pic.twitter.com/YXqHUdX83e
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 4, 2024
The 39-year-old isn’t inaccurate when claiming that women’s college basketball has been significantly more popular than the men’s competition. In fact, the Elite Eight contest between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers also received more views than the NBA Finals.
With Caitlin Clark and co. now set to face off against the Paige Buecker-led UConn in the Final Four, another viewership milestone may just be fated to break.
