Billie Jean King praises Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese for growing women’s basketball

Women’s basketball has experienced amazing growth in recent years, especially over the past year with the arrival of new talented players such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and more. Tennis legend Billie Jean King, a famous advocate for equality in sports, has praised the young players, as well as the college star JuJu Watkins.

“Caitlin Clark, I mean come on. We all saw Caitlin,” King said, according to CBS Sports. “I think Reese is amazing. Angel Reese, I’ve met her. JuJu Watkins, she’s great,” she added, while also praising Dawn Staley, coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team.

“I love Dawn Staley, the coach. She’s got a new contract making the most money, which I love because that means everybody else has a chance to make more,” she explained. King famously starred in a singles match against Bobby Riggs, known as the Battle of the Sexes, in the 1970s, at the height of female tennis players’ fight for fair compensation.

“These athletes are not just players; they are role models for future generations,” King explained, while giving advice to the young stars. “I always ask a person, ‘What do you want? Not what the world wants, not what your parents want. What do you want?’”

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been rivals since college (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s success in the WNBA

Clark’s performance earned her the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award, as well as being named Time’s Athlete of the Year. Beyond individual accolades, Clark’s presence significantly boosted the league’s visibility; total TV viewership increased by 300%, with 45% of total broadcast value attributed to Fever games, according to a study from Dr. Ryan Brewer, who estimated the impact of the star.

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Meanwhile, while Reese had to end her season early due to a wrist injury, the Chicago Sky star hasn’t slowed down when it comes to getting commercial deals. She recently became the first female athlete to have a McDonald’s meal special.

Billie Jean King is a pioneer of equality

Billie Jean King played a pivotal role in advancing both tennis and gender equality in sports through concrete actions. In 1973, she spearheaded the formation of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), unifying female players to fight for equal prize money. That same year, she successfully lobbied for the U.S. Open to become the first Grand Slam to offer equal payouts to men and women.