Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James offered his perspective on why the top players in women's college basketball garner significant popularity compared to their male peers.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer mentioned his take on the latest episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast, which was released on Wednesday, April 10.
"The number one thing is in women's sports compared to the men, we have the ability to go to the NBA right after our freshman year. In the women's game you have the ability to build your legacy and build your rapport and brand with that fan base, with that community," the 39-year-old said to co-host JJ Redick.
For the first time in history, the women's final of the 2024 NCAA Division I Tournament drew a larger TV audience than the men's.
The women's title game, featuring South Carolina and Iowa, averaged 18.7 million viewers, while the men's game between UConn and Purdue averaged 14.82 million viewers.
Caitlin Clark and WNBA stars, catalysts to women's basketball popularity
James attributed the popularity to Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark, current WNBA stars Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Candace Parker, Kelsey Plum, and retired WNBA star Chamique Holdsclaw.
"You get a woman to stay on campus, 3-4 years, I think that has a lot to do with the popularity of their sport," the 20-time NBA All-Star added.
James has previously praised Clark on social media.
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