The WNBA: Empowering Women And Advocating For Mental Health Care

Since the WNBA began almost 30 years ago, the league has made significant contributions to the empowerment of women in sports. The WNBA has also raised awareness of social justice issues and the mental health needs of athletes on and off the court. Here, we’ll look at the WNBA, the league’s expansion, and its contributions to mental health advocacy. 

A brief history of the WNBA 

In 1997, the WNBA began with eight teams: 

• The Los Angeles Sparks
• The Sacramento Monarchs
• The Utah Starzz
• The Phoenix Mercury
• The Charlotte Sting
• The Houston Comets
• The Cleveland Rockers
• The New York Liberty

The first WNBA game was played between The New York Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks. The first championship was won by the Houston Comets, which featured star athletes Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper. Since then, numerous other gifted athletes have elevated the WNBA to international acclaim and contributed to the empowerment of women in professional sports. 

The WNBA expansion draft

On December 6, the Valkyries selected 11 players from various existing teams:

• Maria Conde (Chicago Sky)
• Iliana Rupert (Atlanta Dream)
• Veronica Burton (Connecticut Sun)
• Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever)
• Carla Leite (Dallas Wings)
• Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces)
• Cecilia Zandalasini (Minnesota Lynx)
• Stephanie Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks)
• Kayla Thornton (New York Liberty)
• Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics)
• Monique Billings (Phoenix Mercury)

What WNBA professionals have done to advocate for mental health

Many WNBA professionals have advocated for the importance of mental health care for athletes. One example is Chamique Holdsclaw, who has spoken openly about mental health challenges to encourage students and athletes to seek help if they need it. In November 2024, Chamique spoke on this topic to students at State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego. The former number-one draft pick opened up about her and her family’s mental health challenges. She also encouraged athletes and others to take advantage of mental health services offered by universities to get the support they need. 

How a WNBA or NBA head coach can advocate for mental health

One famous example of a basketball coach who advocated for mental health care is the late Pat Summit. Summit worked at the University of Tennessee, where she had a long legacy of coaching some of the best players in the country. Years ago, when Chamique Holdsclaw was experiencing mental health challenges, a friend encouraged her to visit Summit. Holdsclaw traveled from Atlanta to Knoxville, where Summit listened compassionately and encouraged Holdsclaw to get professional help. This proved to be a pivotal moment for Holdsclaw in her personal mental health journey. 

WNBA players giving back

Years after that visit, Holdsclaw decided to speak openly about her challenges to other players. She received permission to do a talk tour of the country and speak to each of the 12 WNBA teams. She discussed her personal mental health journey with players like Liz Cambage. Cambage has since openly discussed her own mental health challenges, including in an article titled “DNP-Mental Health” in the Players Tribune. The piece helped open up the conversation about the need for mental health resources for WNBA players. 

Mental health care for basketball players and other athletes

Athletes often experience exceptional pressure to maintain top performance while keeping up with other life responsibilities. College athletes typically have to worry about staying on top of their coursework to remain eligible to compete in sports. Professional athletes often have to keep up with general life responsibilities, including paying their bills and taking care of their families. Also, many WNBA players may work during the off season to care for their families. These sources of pressure may contribute to the mental health conditions that athletes and non-athletes alike can experience, such as anxiety and depression. 

Online therapy for basketball players, athletes, and others

Some athletes may not feel comfortable using mental health services provided by their team. One report published by the NCAA stated that when students were “…asked if they would feel comfortable seeking support from a mental health provider on campus, less than half of women's sports and men's sports participants answered that they would agree or strongly agree with that statement (48% and 46%, respectively).”

While the WNBA and other leagues have been working on reducing stigma surrounding mental health, some athletes may still prefer to speak with an external mental health professional. In these cases, online therapy may be a viable alternative. Online therapy allows individuals to participate in therapy from home or anywhere they have an internet connection. This may be especially helpful for athletes, who often travel during the season. Online therapy also allows clients to reach out to their therapist at any time via in-app messaging, and their therapist will respond once they are available. This feature may be valuable during times of high stress, such as before or after important games. 

What does research say about online therapy?

For example, one study published in 2017 suggests that online CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) may be effective in treating:

• Depression
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Adjustment disorder
  

Many other studies have revealed similar results.