The recent viral video and photo shared by WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu depicting the gross inequality between men's and women's basketball players in this year's NCAA tournament bubble has led to a public outcry for gender reform in the NCAA for all student athletes. Ever the controversial figure, former NBA star Nick Young left a comment on the matter that was, shall we say, less than flattering for the women in his life.
Women's basketball has long been a rallying point for female athletes seeking equality in pay and treatment to match their male counterparts, and while the debate rages on in the professional leagues, this apparent Title IX violation by the NCAA is bringing the outcry for reform to a fever pitch.
For what it's worth, Young claims that he was hacked and did not leave the remark himself. Whatever the case may be, his comment is coming off the heels of an outpouring of support for female athletes, particularly basketball players, from some of the NBA's biggest stars, most notably Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.
So, if his words are meant to be taken seriously and women's basketball players are the JV team, his statement should be analyzed in full. To wit: these are five “JV” players that would smoke Nick Young on the court:
Diana Taurasi
Taurasi came into the WNBA fresh off of nabbing three straight NCAA Championships with the University of Connecticut Huskies in 2004. The WNBA's version of LeBron James, Taurasi's career has spanned over 17 years, and is projected to continue for at least a couple more after re-signing with the Phoenix Mercury for two years.
A to-date lifer with the Mercury, Taurasi is one of the most decorated players in women's basketball history. She is a three-time WNBA champion, a five-time scoring champion, a four-time Olympic Gold Medalist, the 2004 Rookie of the Year, nine-time WNBA All-Star, ten-time All-WNBA team member, and the leading scorer in WNBA history. Taurasi has also played for a number of European teams simultaneously with the WNBA throughout her career.
For reference: Taurasi has only failed to average 15 points per game twice in her career. Young has breached the 15 PPG mark twice in his.
Sabrina Ionescu
The person of the hour during this particular saga in women's sports, Ionescu is only one year into her WNBA career. Before going down to an ankle sprain back in August, Ionescu was averaging 18 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 4 APG as a rookie (Young's averages his rookie year were 7.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.8 APG).
Prior to becoming the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Ionescu was a human battering ram at Oregon. Over her four years with the Ducks, Ionescu became the NCAA all-time leader in triple-doubles, in both men's and women's formats, with 26.
The next closest total is held by BYU's Kyle Collinsworth (12), who had a six year collegiate career. Ionescu also became the Pac-12 Conference's all-time assist leader, and is the only NCAA Division I player to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds over a career, in both men's and women's formats.
Candace Parker
You knew this name was coming.
Parker is one of the WNBA's biggest athletic freaks since Lisa Leslie, and she is showing no signs of slowing down, posting higher averages in both rebounds and assists than she did in her 2013 MVP campaign. In fact, to most casual basketball fans, she is mostly known either for her recent simultaneous career as an analyst, or for being the second WNBA player ever to dunk in a regular season game.
Parker, are two-time league MVP, is notable for being the WNBA's first simultaneous MVP and Rookie of the Year (2008). She has six All-WNBA nods and five All-Star nods to her name, and received a second-team All-WNBA nod after missing time for maternity leave.
That's right, after giving birth, Candace Parker made enough of an impact on the league to earn a spot on the All-WNBA team. And she still has plenty left in the tank. That's further proof that she'd probably run circles around Nick Young.
Breanna Stewart
Breanna Stewart first made her mark on the national consciousness as the heir apparent to Taurasi's UConn throne: Stewart led the Huskies to four straight national championships, and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player all four times.
Do the math, and Stewart was the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and NCAA Champion all four years of her college career. Good lord.
Stewart would later win the 2016 ROY Award, and was named league MVP in 2018. She and the Seattle Storm are now two-time league champions, and are this year's defending champs after comfortably winning the 2020 summer bubble.
Stewart leads this group of five Nick Young stoppers with a PER of 25.3, and is probably the most well-rounded player on this list. Time will tell if Ionescu will inherit that crown.
Brittney Griner
(Yes, this was our only picture.)
Every list of great players needs a solid player at the five, and this one is no exception.
The towering Brittney Griner (6'8) joins Taurasi as the inside to the latter's outside punch on the Phoenix Mercury. Griner is a force around the rim, and is the only player, in men's or women's formats, to record at least 2,000 points and 500 blocks over the course of their NCAA career. This dominance has continued in the WNBA, where Griner is the league's most assured 20/10 threat.
This past season, Griner regressed a bit in the scoring and rebounding columns, but averaged a career high in assists, and was Phoenix's most consistent player, including Taurasi.
Unsurprisingly, Griner is also the WNBA record holder in dunks recorded in a single game, with two to her name.
Now, granted, Nick Young is more likely athletically gifted than most of this list. He is taller than any one of these players except for Griner, and most likely outweighs them all. However, if there is anything to be learned about the game of basketball, it is that height and athleticism don't really matter if the skills are there. Tell Steph Curry that Nick Young is better than him off of athletic gifts alone.
So before Nick Young looks before he leaps again, let this be a lesson to him to consider his words more carefully.
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