In a risky and bold move on social media, American radio host/sports analyst Clay Travis put $1 million on the line as part of a challenge to the reigning WNBA champion, the Las Vegas Aces. In a short but simple tweet, Travis proposed a matchup between the WNBA champs and a boy’s High School team of his choosing, pledging to donate all of the money to the High School team if they win the game.
“I’ll put a million dollars on the line, your WNBA champion team against a 2024 high school boy’s state champion team of my choice,” wrote Clay on X. “You guys win, you get a million bucks of my money, my team wins, you all pay me a million and I give it all to the boy’s high school team. You in? This, btw, would probably be the most-watched WNBA game of all time. The ball’s in your court. Lots of boy’s state champion teams would love to compete for this money. My million is out there. Put your money where your mouth is and prove I’m wrong and make a million in the process.”
I’ll put a million dollars on the line, your WNBA champion team against a 2024 high school boy’s state champion team of my choice. You guys win, you get a million bucks of my money, my team wins, you all pay me a million and I give it all to the boy’s high school team. You in? https://t.co/mYheqnZJLz
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 27, 2023
It’s no secret that WNBA players are not nearly on the same level as their male counterparts, but to say a High School team could beat the WNBA champs is considered disrespectful in the eyes of many athletes. So far, unsurprisingly, nobody from the WNBA has taken up Travis’ million-dollar offer.
NBA Fans Are Validating Travis’ Challenge
While the post did spark some outrage on the platform, plenty of people agree with Clay’s views on the topic. While the WNBA has been growing exponentially over the years, they still have a long way to go before they can compare themselves to the NBA product. According to some fans, any men’s team of five average players could easily handle a WNBA squad.
Dude. I could go recruit five guys from the local Y vs a WNBA All-Star team and it wouldn’t be close.
— Paul G (@PaulGonzalez10) October 27, 2023
Last year’s top High School team was in Texas, and some fans went down the roster to illustrate how outmatched the women’s team would be in the matchup.
Duncanville, Texas had the top high school team in America last year.
Roster:
PF Ron Holland – 5* and top overall recruit
SG BJ Davis-Ray – 4* top 50 recruit
SG Kayden Edwards – 4* top 75 recruit
SF KJ Lewis – 4* top 100 recruit
PF Cameron Barnes – 3* recruit
PG Aric Demings -…
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) October 27, 2023
Of course, some fans came to the defense of the WNBA. As it was noted in the comments, High School basketball has evolved a lot in recent years while the women’s game continues to get better and better with each passing season.
The WNBA team would win big against (almost) any state association HS boys team. Not against prep school powerhouses with top 100 kids. Really important distinction. I think many would be surprised at how little talent many (not all) public HS teams have in hoop these days. Prep…
— Jimmy McCauliffe (@JimmyMccauliffe) October 27, 2023
No matter which side of the aisle you stand on, the conversation of men’s basketball vs women’s basketball will only intensify over the next few years. As the WNBA continues to receive more and more support, people will not hold back from comparing it to the NBA and it remains to be seen if it can ever live up to that standard of talent.
The Future Of WNBA Basketball
Thanks to megastars like Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and legends like Sue Bird and Candace Parker, the WNBA is growing in coverage and popularity worldwide. In the final WNBA viewership numbers, the league set a 20-year high with an average of 673,000 viewers across ABC and ESPN networks. Now, more than ever before, the WNBA is deep and rich with talent and the future looks bright.
Even so, the WNBA pales in comparison to the NBA and even to most college teams. Against the best men’s teams in college and the pros, even the Aces would probably see defeat and it’s why they will almost surely not risk going to battle against a boy’s High School team. But in the next 10 years or less, that reality could change for the WNBA and it might not be too much longer before they start to change the narrative around women’s sports.
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