How the WNBA coming to Philly could inspire girls’ basketball players

When Kevin Slaughter heard the news that the WNBA will add a franchise in Philadelphia in 2030, the Universal Audenried Charter girls’ basketball coach immediately thought of his former player, Shayla Smith, having the opportunity to play professionally for her hometown.

“Shayla Smith will be coming out of Penn State,” said Slaughter, who’s been coaching at Audenried since 2013. “She might get [to play] for a Philly team. … I don’t care how long it’s taken to happen, I’m just happy it’s happening.”

Smith, a rising freshman at Penn State, is the city’s all-time girls’ scoring leader and was a standout in the Public League. She’s also one of the many local players who have impacted the girls’ basketball scene and are extending their careers to the college level.

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For years, girls have looked up to Philly native Dawn Staley, and current stars Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson. But now with a team coming to the city, it will change the basketball landscape even more and inspire others to play the game.

“Girls are training more, they’re pushing themselves harder,” said Mike McDonald, who’s entering his 11th season as Archbishop Wood’s head coach. “They see a future in it now.

“Having a Philadelphia team, they can go to those games. It’s going to create even more girls playing the game of basketball and seeing themselves playing in a professional manner, so that’s what’s exciting about this Philadelphia team.”

For Westtown’s Jordyn Palmer, the announcement was a “dream come true.” The Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year aspires to play in the WNBA after college.

“I’m really excited that there’s finally going to be a WNBA team coming nearby,” said Palmer, a rising junior who is ranked No. 6 nationally in the Class of 2027 by ESPN. “It would be a dream come true, playing where I grew up and where I created my legacy, and having an opportunity to play with my family right in the stands and people that look up to me.”

Archbishop Carroll’s Alexis Eberz, a rising senior who recently committed to Villanova, shares a similar sentiment, and she hopes one day to also make it in the league and possibly play for her city.

“Taking the next step after college, either going overseas, or having a chance to play in the WNBA has literally always been my dream,” Eberz said. “Hopefully it all works out, and it’d be really cool to [play for Philadelphia’s team.]”

McDonald remembers watching his mother, Mary, who was a Hall of Famer at St. Joseph’s, coach Cardinal Dougherty High School’s girls’ basketball team. He knew then how competitive the Catholic League was, and it inspired him to get involved with coaching the girls’ game.

“Coaching girls for so long, I don’t want to throw boys under the bus, but the girls are more coachable,” said McDonald, who graduated from Cardinal Dougherty in 2002. “I think they’re more passionate about the team and each other, and that’s the part that I love.”

He also enjoys the development aspect of watching a high schooler transform into a college player. However, McDonald said, there was a lack of opportunities available for those to extend their careers beyond college. That’s starting to change.

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In 2030, the WNBA will have gone from its current 13 teams to 18. Next season, the still-unnamed Portland franchise and the Toronto Tempo will play their first seasons in the league, with Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia following in 2028, 2029, and 2030, respectively.

The new teams will create more roster spots for women to play professionally and also add job opportunities across the U.S. and into Canada.

“The game is growing,” McDonald said. “I think financing and financial matters for the WNBA is a big thing, and now that’s growing with this surge, I think they’re able to do this where they can expand these teams. I’m hoping that the fans get out and continue to support the league, so that this is a success.

“Maybe someday I’ll be able to get involved with this, with the team, and there’s a lot of coaches in the area that I could see getting involved with the team.”

Slaughter and McDonald both have young daughters who came to mind when they heard the announcement.

Slaughter hopes to coach his daughter, who is heading into the fifth grade, at Audenried one day. McDonald has a 16-month-old daughter. Both are looking forward to having a local team to support and build a fandom in their households.

“Little girls can root for them, go to those games, get a feel for the big arenas, and again, having a favorite player that’s from their hometown or playing for their hometown is a big deal,” McDonald said.

“It creates that dream for little girls to see it firsthand. When you’re a kid, you go to that game, see your favorite player for Philadelphia, you get them a jersey, and now they’re in the backyard when they get home getting shots up. That’s how it starts. That’s where the passion comes from.”

Watching Philly natives Maddy Siegrist, Kahleah Copper, Lucy Olsen, and Natasha Cloud thrive in the WNBA has been influential for young girls, like Eberz and Palmer, but both believe having a local team will make the women’s game more accessible.

“It’s going to mean a lot to them,” Eberz said. “They can go to games. It could impact their lives a lot, just seeing it in real life. I mean, it’s going to be so cool.”

Added Palmer: “Hopefully it’ll let them know that they could make it big.”