Even before I had daughters involved in it, I could appreciate this brand of basketball on its own merits. Honest.
At its highest and finest levels, the women's game appeals to purists of the sport. It's fundamental. It's below the rim. It's teamwork. It's passing. It's disciplined. It's footwork. It's accuracy. It's slow enough to digest.
John Wooden has said that when he wanted to watch basketball in its most pure form he'd walk over to the women's gym at UCLA and watch its ladies practice.
This isn't a knock on the men's game or a gender analysis. The men's game is entertaining. For me, though, professional and collegiate basketball are victims of highlight overexposure so much so that the acrobatic dunks and 3-point bombs are routine and 12-foot jumpers seem like a lost art.
But the men still play in front of packed houses while television cameras can't help but to shoot a sea of empty seats as a backdrop for many women's games, even during NCAA Tournament regionals.
So along comes the much-anticipated arrival of Brittney Griner in Waco as Baylor's 6-8 duchess of dunk to generate buzz for the Lady Bears and women's basketball in general. Where she's involved, the game moves above the rim.
The slam is a true weapon in Griner's arsenal, not some ceremonial act like we might see in the WNBA All-Star Game where space is cleared and the traveling violation is overlooked. Her cache of dunks was legend before she stepped foot on the Baylor campus, thanks to thousands of internet hits. Last Tuesday she jammed one home in just her fifth college game against Jacksonville State, making her only the seventh college female to dunk in a game. She should break former Tennessee great Candace Parker's career record of seven, maybe this season.
In time, hopefully, the perception of Griner will evolve beyond just being recognized as the girl who can dunk. The dunk is a novel part of her game, but she's no novelty act. She has the complete package that figures to mature with age. She has quickness and fluidity of movement, not just for her size, but any size, especially wearing a size-18½ shoe. She has a feathery touch on her jumper and her height allows her to see over the triple-team defense she draws and hit the open cutter to the basket. She is no robot taking up space in the lane.
The ideal scenario for Baylor had Griner being groomed as a freshman alongside center Danielle Wilson, who blossomed into a star for the Lady Bears as a sophomore and junior. But Wilson's late-season knee injury and subsequent departure placed more of the burden to produce sooner on Griner's shoulders. She's apparently up to the task.
twaits@temple-telegram.com
