WNBA Prioritizes Mentorship During Record-Breaking All-Star Weekend

A’ja Wilson, center, shares a touching moment with a young fan wearing her Team USA jersey during the WNBA Live fan experience in Phoenix. (Photo by Grace Hand/Cronkite News)

PHOENIX – A young boy stepped into line for a meet-and-greet with A’ja Wilson Saturday at the WNBA Live fan experience at the Phoenix Convention Center wearing the two-time WNBA champion’s Team USA jersey. He waited patiently in the AT&T activation room for his moment to take a photo with Wilson, and when it was his turn, he put his left arm around the 6-foot-3 center and smiled for the camera. He didn’t automatically leave. He understood the magnitude of an opportunity he might never get again and shouted to the Las Vegas Aces superstar, “I love you, A’ja.”

The interaction reflected the burgeoning admiration many have for the WNBA and women’s basketball as a whole. Merchandise sales at WNBA Live set a record for All-Star merchandise sales. WNBA viewership is up 183% from last season, according to PBS. Voting for the WNBA All-Star was up 600% from last year. The Footprint Center was sold out for Saturday’s game, with 16,407 fans in attendance to see Team WNBA defeat Team USA 117-109.

At a time of tremendous growth for the sport, stars like Wilson and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu are looking to humble themselves by capitalizing on the attention through mentorship initiatives for young fans. The two superstars faced off in the 2023 WNBA Finals, but off the court, they agree on investing in young fans. The two superstars are partnering with AT&T to lead Beyond the Bleachers, a mentorship-focused content series. AT&T will fly out the winner to meet their desired mentor. Ionescu understands that her role extends beyond the court.

“Of course, our job is to be the best basketball players we can be. But it’s much bigger than that and continue to inspire the next generation to come and be better than we were,” Ionescu said. “And with that, I think we have to understand the platform that we have and how we can impact and change someone’s life. And if we can do that by being a mentor, by helping and being able to open our arms and bring in the next generation, I think that’s something we have to continue to do.”

The WNBA engaged more than 5,000 young people during All-Star weekend, according to WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert. Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham and Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin engaged with Girl Scouts—Arizona Cactus-Pine Council scouts Thursday during the inaugural Changemaker Day in Phoenix to kick off All-Star Weekend. In partnership with the organization, the WNBA hosted the day to highlight WNBA Changemakers’ commitment to empowering underrepresented groups.

Dena Cunningham, the organization’s CFO, believes intimate experiences with players humanize them in the eyes of young girls.

“It’s important to mentor the girls because a lot of girls don’t get the chance to see things outside of their little sphere or environment,” she said. “And so it’s great to have opportunities to see beyond what they see in their normal day-to-day lives.

“It’s just coming here and supporting them and investing in them. It gives them a chance to see, meet and hear insights, and that makes them (WNBA athletes) real, so it’s a chance to say, ‘That’s a human being, they’re just like me.'”

Sabrina Ionescu, who leads the New York Liberty in scoring with a team-high 19.4 points per game, stresses the importance of mentorship and preparation. (Photo by Grace Hand/Cronkite News)

Part of the human experience is witnessing success and struggle. Since joining the WNBA in 2018, Wilson has won two MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards and an All-Star nomination in each of her six seasons. Her achievements, along with her struggles, form the bastion of the advice she gives to young fans.

“Never get too high on your highs, never get too low on your lows. Make sure you’re balanced in everything that you do and amazing in that space,” Wilson said when asked about a valuable lesson she’s learned from a mentor that she’d teach others. “There’s a lot of times in life where it feels like the world is falling down on us. There’s going to be times in life where you feel like you have the world at your feet and you understand that you don’t have to get so caught up in those moments and just have a sense of connection, and I think that’s so important to just live and grow in your own space and have fun with it.”

Ionescua has led Liberty to a 21-4 WNBA record, averaging a team-high 19.4 points and 6.2 assists per game. Her play shows that she welcomes the advice she’s received from her mentors, which is the same advice she would give to her mentor.

“Just trust your work,” Ionescu said. “And then your preparation. I think that’s something that you have control over — how you prepare for whatever, basketball or not, how you prepare yourself and how that helps you just stay ready. And it gives you the confidence that you need to go out there and do your best.”

Mentoring is no stranger to the WNBA and its athletes. In 1997, WNBA legend Rebecca Lobo became one of the first players to sign with the league. She believes the league has a rich history of inspiring others, but with more opportunities for women than ever before, it’s important that current athletes continue to embrace the responsibility of being a role model.

“I think that’s one of the things that players and the league itself has been exceptionally good at from the beginning,” Lobo said. “When the league first started, no one grew up watching professional basketball because it wasn’t (where it is now). So there’s always that ownership that we really have to take care of this for the next generation.

“That’s why I feel like the women in the league then and now still feel like this isn’t just about us. It’s about who comes after us.”

Lobo realizes it’s not just about inspiring girls with a WNBA dream.

“And not even (just) who’s going to be in the WNBA after us, but opportunities that hopefully young girls have that the current crop of women don’t have, and there were a lot more opportunities that weren’t there 25 years ago,” Lobo said. “Luckily, there’s a lot more for young girls and women in all areas of life now. But I do think there’s something about the women in the WNBA that they appreciate that and as a result, they do a really good job, whether it’s directly mentoring other young women and girls or just being great role models and role models on and off the court. I think it’s something that the athletes really appreciate.”

WNBA athletes are dedicated to planting seeds, but advice is meaningless without an individual goal. For Wilson, who will play for a second Olympic gold medal in Paris this summer, it’s imperative that young fans pursue their ambitions with all their heart, soul and soul.

“(If) you want to be that pro and that Olympian, go for it and don’t let anybody stop you,” she said. “I was a girl who hated the sweat, didn’t want to play basketball at all and now I’m here as an Olympian. I have the audacity to be a two-time Olympian, it’s crazy,” she said. “I just always believe in myself and approach it with a great mindset and then nobody can stop you.”