Capital Region was a port for Storm stars
“Excuse me, I’m speaking.”
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris inspired both women and Etsy T-shirts when she uttered those words at the vice presidential debate last week.
I have to admit I was nervous before the debate as Harris continued to make history as the first Black woman and Asian-american on a major presidential ticket. It was similar to the anxiety I’ve experienced rooting for the USA Women’s National Soccer Team during a World Cup or standing on the first tee at a state golf tournament.
“Excuse me, I’m speaking ” could be the theme of the WNBA’S COVID -19 season, which wrapped up Tuesday when the Seattle Storm rode the play of a trio of superstars — Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd — to capture the championship over the Las Vegas Aces.
WNBA players in 2020 spoke up and
spoke loudly — on and off the court.
WNBA women united to talk openly about social injustice. Players endured 12 weeks in the bubble in Bradenton, Fla., without a single positive case of COVID -19. And despite social justice issues and political pressures, the caliber of play rose above the fray. Buzzer to buzzer, it was an amazing and important season.
Here are my five outtakes from WNBA 2020, with some Capital Region memories mixed in:
A Sue Bird’s longevity. After an amazing career at the University of Connecticut, Bird spoke and signed autographs at Times Union Center in 2003 as part of Siena’s Women Assisting Youth program. I brought my daughter and some of her friends to the event, sandwiched between Siena women’s and men’s basketball games. It was just after Bird’s rookie season with the Seattle Storm, where she won ALL-WNBA honors. It’s hard to believe that 17 years later she’s still at point guard for the Storm, setting a playoff assists record (16) and earning her fourth WNBA title. She turns 40 on Oct. 16. What an amazing career.
A Breanna Stewart’s dominance. In 2015, when the Uconn star was headed to Albany for the NCAA Women’s Regional, Times Union sportswriter Pete Dougherty profiled the 6-foot-2 junior. The Capital Region was a common gateway to many of her titles, Dougherty wrote. Stewart played high school ball for Cicero-north Syracuse and earned state and federation titles at Hudson Valley Community College and Times Union Center, respectively. She even attended a basketball camp at Siena College the summer before she entered eighth grade. She eventually became arguably the greatest player in Uconn history, winning four NCAA championships with the Huskies along with four NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards. As a pro, she already has two WNBA championships and two WNBA Finals MVP awards.
Jewell Loyd and Kobe Bryant. Bryant nicknamed Loyd the “Gold Mamba." After winning the championship, Loyd was emotional in her post-game interview: “This is for Kobe, Gigi, the Bryant family and for Breonna Taylor." From the Loyd family cheering section in social media, to her own collection of gear at goldmamba.shop, to her amazing playoff performances (dropping 28, 25, 20 and 19 points) the Seattle Storm guard and former Notre Dame star captured the hearts of women’s basketball fans.
The Justice Movement. From displaying Breonna Taylor’s name on the back of jerseys to Black Lives Matter warmup shirts, the WNBA and players’ union joined forces to create the Justice Movement. “Say Her Name,” a campaign started in 2014 by the African American Policy Forum, adorned the back of the warmup shirts, and “Black Lives Matter” was prominently displayed on courts during games. The league and players’ dedication to social justice is just beginning.
The Orange Hoodie. The hoodies sold out quickly when the season started in June as NBA players in their own bubble and the media joined in wearing the gear. You can purchase them online now, however, and wear them proudly to support the league. I bought two: one for myself and one for a lifelong friend who was my basketball teammate in high school. Can’t wait to wear my hoodie proudly in person once again at girls’ and women’s hoop games.