If a WNBA player dunks, hits a double-double, or a triple-double in the middle of a game, it’s no longer met with scrutiny or shock. Such feats are now being celebrated by all and sundry. The recent dunk by an NCAA star just proved the perception game just right.

Crediting A’ja Wilson for most of WNBA’s growth, the Gamecocks coach has now joined a long list of stars hailing the desired shift in the women’s league.

Dawn Staley bringing in the normalcy

This past Monday, the South Carolina Gamecocks went face-to-face with the Kentucky Wildcats. During the first quarter forward Ashlyn Watkins made a significant dunk against Kentucky. In the postgame interview, the Gamecocks’ head coach Dawn Staley put things in perspective as she talk about Ashlyn Watkins and other players in the women’s basketball making dunks.

Dawn said, “I mean everything we do should be celebrated just like a sport, just like a sport, like we celebrate dunks in the men’s game, we celebrate three-pointers in the men’s game, we celebrate assists. It’s all a part of the game and it should be.”

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She pressed upon how dunking is a normal move in women’s basketball as well saying, “I mean dunking isn’t an anomaly, it’s we dunk, you know, we dunk in our game, um, I mean, Ash’s got two in her career, I believe and probably an attempt, um, so it’s part of our game. Can it grow our game? I don’t think it’s anything new. So it’s a part of our game which is normalizing it.”

This season, Watkins has been averaging 9.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist per game, shooting with a field goal percentage of 55.6%. Remarkably, she does have a quite impressive history in dunks. Notably, she started showcasing her dunking skills early in high school, which included the 202 playoffs. Making things historic with her recent dunk, Watkins became the first woman to dunk during a basketball game at Colonial Life Arena.

More so, this dunk tied Ashlyn with former Tennessee and WNBA star Michelle Snow and former Stanford forward Fran Belibi for the second-most dunks by a woman in NCAA history. Watkins’ first collegiate dunk came around during an 85-31 winning matchup against Clemson. In addition, Watkins won the Powerade JamFest dunk contest in March 2022.

Since its emergence, women’s basketball has been subjected to criticism, including the notion that female players can’t make a dunk. However, with changing times and demographics, things are looking up for these players, especially with the presence of players like A’ja Wilson in the WNBA, who is also a South Carolina alumni.

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Let’s see how A’ja Wilson has helped grow women’s basketball.

A’ja Wilson’s impact

Making significant contributions to the growth of the Women’s National Basketball Association, the Aces star A’ja Wilson has showcased exceptional performance and influence on the court. A’ja has achieved numerous accolades including 2 WNBA championships, 2 WNBA MVPs, 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards, and the 2023 WNBA Finals MVP.

Her performance has exponentially increased the visibility and popularity of the WNBA. The Aces coach Becky Hammon too praises her as one of the greatest players in the WNBA history. With her abilities as a leader, A’ja pushes her teammates to do better and better.

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Although she has carved her path, A’ja is often compared to Hall of Famers like Sheryl Swoopes, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore. This indicates the impact of her strong presence in women’s basketball, setting many examples for future players.