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Laramee Minor
Staff Writer With the NCAA Women’s College Basketball season coming to an end, the WNBA draft and regular season begins. The WNBA, Women’s National Basketball League, had its 29th annual draft on April 15, 2024. Fans anxiously awaited to see which players would be drafted to which teams. Athletes such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Kamilla Cordoso were among some of the top players projected to be drafted in the professional league. Throughout the 2022-2023 NCAA Women’s College Basketball regular season, there were several players that started to stand out. Caitlin Clark began to gain fame during her senior season at the University of Iowa. She quickly became known for her ability to shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. Whether Clark was at half court or right under the basket, she could put the ball through the net. She additionally became known for her impeccable passing skills. Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes to the NCAA Women’s College Basketball Championship where they faced the Louisiana State Tigers. Similar to Iowa State University, Louisiana State University had a victorious season that year. With a win to loss record of 34-2, the Tigers, led by Angel Reese, went on to win the National Championship against the University of Iowa. Reese is most known for her remarkable rebounding skills and averaging over eighteen points a game. However, in order for the Tigers to reach greatness, they had to beat the University of South Carolina, whose star player is Kamilla Cardoso. Standing at six foot seven, Cardoso, most known for her ability to run down the entire floor to shut down any offensive player, became a force to be reckoned with. Cardoso also led her team to an undefeated season and a championship during the 2023-2024 season. On the day of the WNBA draft in 2024, fans all over the country awaited on the edge of their seats. It was no surprise when Clark was selected as the first overall draft pick. Clark was the most anticipated player of the whole draft and picked up by the Indiana Fever. Kamilla Cordoso was not far behind as she was selected by the Chicago Sky as the third overall pick. As the draft went on, a multitude of the nation’s greatest players were selected including Angel Reese, who was later picked up by the Chicago Sky as the seventh overall pick. The day after the draft it was announced that Caitlin Clark and other top draft picks would only be paid $76,535 for their rookie years. Clark’s four year contract will only be worth $338,056. It shocked many as Clark was the most anticipated draft pick of the last several seasons in women’s basketball. Compared to the contract of the number one overall draft pick in the NBA, Clark will make millions less. The contract Clark will sign will not only be worth less compared to the number one draft pick in the NBA, but it is significantly less than the average rookie contract. The average NBA rookie contract is worth $953,000 per year which is notably higher than what Clark will even be able to make in four years. Essentially, one male NBA benchwarmer will have the opportunity to make more than Clark’s entire professional team. This left many new fans to basketball in disbelief and had them questioning when things will change and when will women professional athletes finally receive the recognition and pay they deserve.
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Lia Hendrix
Staff Writer As the weather improves, spring sports are beginning. Baseball, one of the main spring sports, started in late February. Bonneville High School (BHS) has three baseball teams: Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshman. A few players on varsity and JV commented on their experience from being on the team. Joseph Waters, a freshman on the varsity team, commented on how the team feels like “a brother hood.” He went on to speak on how even though the team has to work really hard and stay focused, they still find time to laugh together and have fun. Other players on the teams such as Jadon Cervantes and Dalton Higley mentioned that they like how everyone gets along and encourages each other to improve. Cervantes remarked “My favorite part about my team is how we inspire each other to get better everyday.” Being on the baseball team takes a ton of work and dedication. Varsity usually practices everyday after school from 3:00-5:30 p.m. However, their schedule sometimes changes due to when they have games. The High School season has around twenty games. However, depending on how well they do in districts, they could have more. Waters spoke about how baseball “is [his] main focus… All year round.” The players need to put in a great amount y6of effort and time to reach their goals. Many of the players have different reasons for joining the team. Cervantes remarked that he was inspired to play baseball after he went to a game where Mike Trout, a Los Angeles Angels Center Fielder, was playing, and saw Trout hit a home run. After watching the home run, Cervantes stated he was inspired to eventually become as talented as Mike Trout. Waters and Higley both had a different reason, they both started playing baseball because of their dad. Waters announced his dad “introduced [him] to the game, and ever since [he] was young, [he] just really loved playing it.” Now the players continue to play baseball because they have found something they love to do. Waters remarked that he turns to baseball as a “refuge,” something that he can turn to when he needs to relax. No matter the reason for joining the team, each athlete must be ready to put in the effort to help the team progress during the season. At Bonneville, the baseball players are committed student athletes who are willing to put in the work to reach their goals. The team works well together and inspires one another to become the best they can be. |
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May 2024
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