Yolanda Laney, godmother of Philly hoops, wants the city’s new WNBA team to invest in local girls’ basketball

Ten years ago, Yolanda Laney’s daughter, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, made her WNBA debut.

Now, her hometown, Philadelphia, is finally getting a WNBA franchise of its own. It’s set to begin play in 2030, nearly 50 years after Laney led Cheyney State to the first NCAA women’s basketball championship game.

Laney, who had a city street named in her honor last year, has been one of the stewards of local girls’ basketball. She coached and developed a generation of young players, including Dawn Staley and, of course, Laney-Hamilton, through the Developmental Basketball League, AAU programs, and clinics at the Mallory Recreation Center (now known as the Daniel E. Rumph Rec Center).

She hopes the new organization takes the time to invest in girls’ basketball locally, where she said the talent and interest have not kept up with the rest of the country, even as the WNBA grows.

“I’ve seen a drop in the level of competition when I would go and watch AAU events in Philadelphia and surrounding areas where girls’ basketball has been concerned,” Laney said. “The Public League basketball competition is not what it was when I was playing or when my daughter was playing. I hope that with the bringing of the WNBA team here, that more girls are going to take interest.”

Laney, who said she’d love to get involved with the new franchise when it’s established, suggested the team host clinics with its future players and events for local girls’ basketball teams to help generate interest before the franchise plays its first game.

Even with the team five years away, there’s room for a larger campaign to build up a fan base and a youth player base to ensure success right out of the gate. Laney also pointed to the recent success of her daughter’s New York Liberty in engaging its local fans. It has led to explosive growth in attendance and could be a model for Philly’s franchise.

Laney isn’t alone in her assessment of the state of girls’ basketball in the city. Eric Worley also noticed a gap in local opportunities for girls’ basketball, which led him to cofound Philadelphia Youth Basketball and the Philly Triple Threat AAU team to give his daughters a competitive squad for which to play. The WNBA team can help fill that void, but the city is most in need of programs for younger age groups to help develop girls’ fundamentals.

In some WNBA cities, the league supports Jr. WNBA leagues for girls looking to get involved in the sport. There are no Jr. WNBA leagues in the Philadelphia area, and Worley hopes the new Philly franchise could help fill that gap with its increased resources.

“I do think there is a void for younger kids and a need for more developmental leagues and things of that nature to improve the skill level of our girls, so that as they begin to matriculate through the different levels of basketball, they are equipped with the skills to be successful,” Worley said.

The Sixers, whose ownership group also owns the city’s new WNBA franchise, are involved with a number of youth basketball organizations through charitable initiatives, including Shoot Basketballs, Not People.

Founder Garry Mills said he has noticed that fewer girls in the area are interested in playing basketball. Many girls’ basketball players involved with Shoot Basketballs, Not People have never been to a WNBA game, Mills said. Having a WNBA team in the area, instead of hours away, can help change that and start developing new fans.

And like Laney and Worley, Mills believes that giving more girls more opportunities to play in the meantime is the best way to make sure the city is ready in 2030.

“We would love to partner with the Jr. WNBA to have a meeting of the minds to see how we can collaborate and see how we can encourage more girls in this market to play basketball in the next five years,” Mills said. “Let’s not do it last-minute once the team gets here. Let’s start building the momentum now.”