Shaquille O'Neal, the Hall of Fame center, recently weighed in on the contrast between the NBA and the WNBA, pointing to the scarcity of dunking as a factor in the women's league’s lower viewership numbers.
The Dunk Divide
He noted that the NBA’s reputation for athleticism and explosive play, built around frequent dunks, draws fans who crave that visual payoff, whereas the WNBA’s style emphasizes skill, strategy and individual flair.
O'Neal’s comparison to a high‑school game underscores how the limited number of dunks — only eight players in WNBA history have ever performed the feat — creates a perception gap, even as stars like Brittney Griner, who has dunked 27 times and holds the NCAA record with 18, showcase rare feats.
Yet the league is experiencing a renaissance: record attendance, surging TV ratings and a wave of new fans tuning in to watch rising talents such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, whose personalities and on‑court charisma are reshaping the narrative.
The conversation often brings together legends from across the basketball world, from Michael Jordan and Vince Carter to Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant, who each recognize the growing impact of the WNBA. Rather than trying to mirror the NBA, the league is leaning into its strengths, celebrating its unique brand of basketball and the diverse stories of players including Jonquel Jones, Awak Kuier, Sylvia Fowles, Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Michelle Snow and Liz Cambage, all of whom are helping the sport grow on its own terms.