The WNBA is finally starting to get the recognition that they deserve. For as long as they have been in existence, the WNBA has continually been slammed and slighted in comparison to their male counterparts. However, now NBA 2K has officially decided to put some respect on the WNBA’s name.
The sports game recently announced that the new NBA 2k20, which comes out September 9th, will have avatars that reflect actual players from the WNBA. Over the years, members of the NBA such as Candace Parker have fought to get the credit and media attention that she and her fellow alliance members work so hard for.
Just last year, many members of the WNBA expressed their dissatisfaction with the 150 Million dollar contract that Lebron James signed with the NBA. This led to a lot of backlash and a deep dive into the lack of revenue that the WNBA brings in comparison to the NBA.
However, things seem to be on the rise considering that NBA 2K is including them in their popular game. The game was initially released in 1999, so they took their time deciding to input female avatars. Considering the social climate we live in now, it is more than important for women to be featured in these avenues and be proudly shown. WNBA Star Candace Parker stated that “It’s just as important for girls and boys to be able to see females as role models.”
Even though this is supposed to be an exciting moment, there were quite a few social media users who were not happy with this decision. A few spoke out against the announcement with the sentiment that ‘girls can’t hoop’ and questioning why the females were put into the game, to begin with. On a more crude side, some questioned whether the video game, which has a MyCareer mode, had a “MyKitchen” mode as well. This was clearly done in a jab at women and many joked about whether the women would have pregnancy options or stay-at-home mom roles.
Many of the comments under 2K’s blog post and Twitter consisted of the declaration that WNBA players cannot compete or even compare to the male players of the NBA. Some comments also mentioned that the female players may not be as exciting to use in the game considering that most of them are unable to dunk in real life.
Despite the critical comments, the game is still sure to be a hit. There are still plenty of avid game-players who will come to support the game. A 2K spokesperson stated “Our franchise has always been rooted in capturing the true essence of basketball–it doesn’t matter who is playing–if you love the game, you love the game. As true lovers of basketball, we take great pride in bringing the women’s game to the millions of NBA 2K fans around the globe.”
So, it’s time to let the women of our generation shine. Be on the lookout for NBA 2K20 hitting all shelves on September 9th.
