The WNBA has slowly but surely been trending upwards in popularity. With more and more players entering the mainstream conversation, there have been more and more eyes on the women's game. Well, any new viewers tuning into the 2023 WNBA All-Star Weekend certainly got a good taste of the action. Seattle Storm star Jewell Loyd added another record performance to an already-historic weekend by scoring the most points in an All-Star Game in league history, earning MVP honors.
After the game, Jewell Loyd shouted out her favorite player: the late Kobe Bryant. The WNBA star talked about his last moments with the NBA great and also shared Bryant's mantra that she continues to live by today. (video via ClutchPoints)
“It's special because the last time I saw Kobe [Bryant] was here [in Vegas]. And so I know that he's constantly with me and I try to live by his words, ‘Be epic and create forever.'”
Bryant was a huge advocate of advancing women's basketball, going out of his way to support WNBA stars after his retirement. His support of his late daughter Gigi's career, as well as his many interactions with women in basketball, made him well-loved amongst the community. It's really no surprise that Bryant is revered amongst the women's basketball community. In a time when the women's game was ridiculed by many, Bryant was one of the few men that gave credit and constantly praised the WNBA and it's stars.
Another one of Bryant's proteges made history during the WNBA All-Star Game. Sabrina Ionescu, the sweet-shooting star of the New York Liberty, set a WNBA record for most points scored in a three-point shootout with 37. No one, not even men in the NBA's version of the Three-Point shootout, ever reached that mark. The WNBA is finally getting the recognition they deserve from the mainstream media. Here's to hoping more of these magical moments get the limelight in the future.