Complete the picture, Masai – bring in the women
The President of the Toronto Raptors is Masai Ujiri. He’s become famous for many excellent reasons beyond success on the court. One of the most important has been his championing of women throughout the organization.
Now he needs to take on another challenge in the ongoing battle for gender equality. Toronto deserves a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association [WNBA], and if there’s one person on the planet who can make it happen, it’s Masai.
The WNBA consists of 12 U.S.-based teams, which includes cities you would expect to enjoy a team (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles) and a few you might not (Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Uncasville, CT).
Some of the teams are independently operated, while at least two (Washington, Indiana, i.e., Indianapolis) are affiliated with an NBA team in the same city. Hey – I’ve got an idea! Why don’t the Raptors petition to add an WNBA team under the auspices of MLSE?
This notion is a blinding flash of the obvious, and I can’t believe it hasn’t already occurred to the folks at the foot of Bay Street. What I don’t know, but intend to discover, is under what circumstances the WNBA might expand. Failing that, is there a possibility a team might be induced to move to Toronto?
A team upping sticks from their current location to come to the Big Smoke is the more likely scenario. The NBA is not in an expansionary mood these days. The men’s league runs the show, albeit in the background, for the women’s. If the boys aren’t adding teams, neither are the girls.
- Tags: Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors, WNBA
