Amid NCAA weight room backlash, a voice missing

During a normal first weekend of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the average college hoops fan would have hardly been made aware that the women’s tournament was on the verge of tipping off. That changed this week only due to the NCAA’s embarrassing display of how much it prioritizes the $800 million men’s event, which spilled onto social media feeds from the women’s event in San Antonio, writes J. Brady McCollough of the L.A. Times.

Thankfully, you probably saw the public relations carnage, but to review: While the men had a weight room setup in Indianapolis that would have satisfied the NBA bubble, the women were rewarded for playing through pandemic protocols all season with the equivalent of a Courtyard Marriott gym, with one set of dumbbells and yoga mats.

It wasn’t just the weight training disparity — the gift bags and food options were highlighted, too — but that’s what triggered the women’s basketball world to lose the Zen that comes with a lifetime of being made to feel grateful for anything it gets.

With pain percolating along the San Antonio River Walk, amid all of the vitriol aimed at the ill-fitting suits inhabiting NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close couldn’t help but feel the absence of a crucial voice.

“It made me miss Kobe Bryant,” Close said. “He’s such a pioneer for speaking up on behalf of our women’s game . ... I hope NBA athletes, we need our male counterparts that know what we do to come alongside and be like Kobe and say, ‘I’m going to help with this. I’m going to move for people to know about this, for people to invest in this, my time, my voice, my platform and even my resources.’ ”

Bryant was a proud “Girl Dad” to four daughters, including Gianna, who died with him tragically at 13. She was a budding basketball star, and her father was by her side every step of the way, but he was invested in the future of women’s hoops as a whole.

One of Bryant’s proteges, Sabrina Ionescu, the former Oregon star now with the New York Liberty, was one of the first big names to call out the NCAA for its error.

“WTF is this?!?” Ionescu tweeted. Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving also voiced their displeasure, among others from the NBA.

“I’m thankful for some of the people that spoke out,” Close said, “but I hope more will follow Kobe’s example.”

Trivia question

Bryant was selected to the NBA All-Defensive first team nine times. What three players does he share that record with?

Trivia answer

Michael Jordan, Gary Payton Garnett. and

Kevin