Former UConn superstars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier faced off in the winner-take-all game of the WNBA Finals on Oct. 20.
Peaking at 3.3 million viewers on ESPN’s broadcast, the UConn alumni generated the largest television audience of any WNBA game since the beginning of the organization, 25 years ago.
Led by 4-time NCAA Champion and 4-time Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, UConn’s own, Breanna Stewart, earned her third WNBA championship as the New York Liberty took down the Minnesota Lynx in game five of the finals, with an overtime score of 67 – 62.
To cap off a record-breaking year for the WNBA, this game averaged 2.15 million viewers on ESPN and peaked at 3.3 million viewers.
The former record for the most watched WNBA game was set and broken multiple times earlier in the season by no other than the Indiana Fever.
With rookie of the year Caitlin Clark on the roster, 2.5 million fans from around the globe tuned in to watch the superstar’s second playoff matchup against the Connecticut Sun.
But it wasn’t an Iowa Hawkeye who got the last laugh. Two former UConn Husky Women’s Basketball champions were the ones who made it to the biggest stage in professional women’s basketball.
Breanna Stewart, better known as Stewie, averaged 19.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists across the postseason this year. The 2-time MVP and 3-time gold medalist is now the first ever UConn player to win a WNBA championship with multiple teams (2018 and 2020 with the Seattle Storm, 2024 with the NY Liberty).
Despite all these accomplishments and her amazing year, she was arguably the second best UConn alumni on the court.
Former teammate dating back to the 2015-16 collegiate season, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier was looking to bring the Lynx their fifth championship in franchise history. Averaging 20.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the season, Collier put up a valiant effort in game 5 scoring 22 points along with grabbing 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.
According to Minnesota Star Tribune, after Stewart’s slow start to game five, “Collier had easily been the best player on the court…If the WNBA were to were to award a true, comprehensive MVP award, not one based solely on the regular season, Collier would have to win it.”
The Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson was the unanimous league MVP this season, but that award is given out prior to the start of the postseason.
Breanna Stewart won this award back in 2023 and ended up losing to the Aces in the Finals.
Despite the debate over who should win MVP, one thing is clear; UConn Basketball is dominating the WNBA.
The UConn Blog reported, “Of the 28 seasons in the league’s history, a Husky has come out on top in 19 of them.”
Not only did the Huskies draw attention on television, but they also helped the WNBA set another record for average attendance of a series, with 18,518 people.
The WNBA is finally getting the attention it deserves, thanks to talent from the Basketball Capital of the World.
