Nothing but Net

The Women’s National Basketball Association, or WNBA, ended its season on October 20. It was a close championship game between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty won its first-ever league title.

CHAMPIONSHIP WIN The New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones celebrates with team mascot Ellie the Elephant on October 20.

The league set records, too. The WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 24 years. Games had their best attendance in 22 seasons. And merchandise × merchandise items for sale, such as T-shirts and hats (noun) sales were up.

After a successful year, the league is expanding. It’s inspiring young athletes around the country.

Investing in Hoops

Cathy Engelbert is league commissioner. She says the WNBA’s rise is due to careful investment. There’s “a lot of capital × capital money or other assets (noun) flowing in,” Engelbert told TIME’s Sean Gregory. “Our owners are investing in practice facilities and player experience.”

PROMISING START The Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark drives past a defender. Clark was also chosen for the All-Star Team this year.

Powerful players have been attracting new audiences. Rookie × rookie a person who is just starting out in a profession (noun) stars have drawn in viewers. One of these stars is Caitlin Clark. She plays for the Indiana Fever. Another, Angel Reese, plays for the Chicago Sky.

MVP ALERT A’ja Wilson reaches for a pass on October 1. This year, Wilson became the first WNBA player to hit 1,000 points in a season.

Veteran players are showing off their skills, as well. A’ja Wilson is one. She plays for the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson set two league records this year. She earned 1,021 points and 451 rebounds during the regular season.

What’s next for the WNBA? A new team will begin play in San Francisco next year. That team is the Golden State Valkyries. And two more new teams will begin play in 2026. One will play in Toronto, Canada. The other will play in Portland, Oregon.

Next Generation

Caela Ellis is a high school girls’ basketball coach. She works at Cranbrook Upper School. It’s in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Ellis says the new attention to the WNBA is great for her players. “From a role-model perspective, WNBA players are really inspiring,” Ellis told TIME for Kids.

FROM WNBA TO TEAM USA The 2024 U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team shows off its gold at the Paris Olympics.

Plus, “it’s not just about what they do on the court,” Ellis says. She likes that WNBA players start businesses and give back to their communities. Now, Ellis says, her players have “a different ceiling when it comes to their dreams.”