Just weeks after being drafted, former college basketball stars Angel Reese and Camila Cardoso made their long-awaited WNBA debuts.
Reese, Cardoso, and the rest of their Chicago Sky teammates headed to Minnesota for a preseason game against the Lynx. However, fans who expected to watch the contest through the WNBA’s app were disappointed to learn that the platform was unable to broadcast the game.
The league’s app incorrectly listed the game as available for viewing, causing confusion. The WNBA later revealed that only Caitlin Clark’s debut game with the Indiana Fever was broadcast.
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Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky before a game against the Minnesota Lynx on May 3, 2024 at Target Center in Minneapolis. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
However, social media users came to the rescue and started an impromptu live stream.
“Why not stream your games here??” @heyheyitsalli asked on X (formerly Twitter). “There are no guarantees about the quality, but you can try it.”
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Livestream viewership varied, but Saturday’s video had about 434,000 total views. User X previously posted a screenshot showing that the live viewer count for the stream reached his 173,381.
Chicago Sky player Angel Reese shoots a free throw during a game against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center in Minneapolis on May 3, 2024. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Immediately after the Lynx’s 92-81 win over the Sky, Minnesota coach Sheryl Reeve joked that social media users who streamed the game should receive some financial compensation for their efforts.
“Anyone who sees this should send $3 to that person. We don’t even know who it is,” Reeve said. “I think what I’m trying to say is that growth is happening very quickly. It’s accelerating very quickly. And I’ve said this within my own organization as well. That means the business is no longer functional.”.
“You’re going to be left behind, and this is an example of that.”
Camila Cardoso of the Chicago Sky arrives at the arena before the game against the Minnesota Lynx on May 3, 2024 in Minneapolis. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Reeve also acknowledged that it makes sense for Clark’s preseason debut to be a priority. She suggested that the excitement around Clark and other players has a trickle-down effect that ultimately benefits the “overall excitement” across the league.
“People want to see that, but they also want to see that it’s not just about Caitlin,” Reeve said. “This is in no way Caitlin’s fault. It’s more a recognition that there’s general excitement about the WNBA in a way we’ve never seen before. So this is definitely a movement. We must take advantage of this to ensure that.” ”
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Reese finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes. Cardoso had six points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said she was pleased with the rookies’ debuts.
“This is a learning process for all of us…and we’re going through that process the right way,” she said. “We’ve had our leaders lead and lead them. Give them confidence. That’s what’s important. So we’re in a great position and they’re in a great position. is.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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