Ryan Ruocco didn’t realize the significance of calling WNBA games over a decade ago when the opportunity arose. However, he quickly realized there was something special about it.
“It’s amazing. One of the things I realized very quickly doing it was that it was special,” Ruocco said on the latest episode of Short and to the Point. “And so when I was first asked to do it in 2013 — or it might have been December of 2012, as I mentioned on Awful Announcing, I didn’t grasp the exciting nature or the importance of the opportunity. I was already covering NBA games for the Nets at the time, so it was like, ‘Okay, should I do this?’”
Ruocco was impressed by the quality of basketball, his easy collaboration with colleagues Holly Rowe and Rebecca Lobo, and the approachability of the players.
“I fell in love with it early on in that first moment,” he said. “And although I didn’t immediately think, ‘I’m going to do this for 12 years — hopefully longer,’ I knew I loved it. You just want to continue doing something you love and I could see the potential…”
Ruocco discussed the rise of the WNBA, particularly highlighting Caitlin Clark’s impact.
“Getting to witness her completely unique dynamic stardom at the college level and seeing how it transitioned to the pros, she’s a supernova unlike any we’ve seen before and I feel fortunate to be able to document her career,” Ruocco expressed. “Her emergence came at a time when women’s basketball was ready for a breakthrough. She’s the star that was needed to elevate it…”
Clark burst onto the basketball scene in college, earning the title of national player of the year at the University of Iowa before quickly making a mark in the professional realm as the Rookie of the Year with the Indiana Fever.
She became an icon, named Time’s Athlete of the Year, securing endorsements, and capturing the attention of casual fans worldwide.
Ruocco was impressed by the combination of high-level basketball and the kindness of the athletes in the WNBA.
“This is a special community to be a part of,” he noted. “There is a sense of connection and unity among everyone involved in covering, coaching, and playing women’s basketball that sets it apart from other sports.”
