Illini Commit Destiny Jackson Talks Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Impact On WNBA

Ella Walker | Sep 19, 2024

Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (left) and Angel Reese against the USA Women's National Team during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Women's sports, specifically basketball, have seen a shift in focus.

During the national championship between LSU and Iowa in 2023, nearly 16.2 million people tuned in to watch.

This is thanks to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who are two of the best to ever go through NCAA women's basketball.

Illinois five-star commit Destiny Jackson recently talked about how Clark and Reese helped shine a brighter light on women's sports.

“I feel like they just brought the game to new heights,” Jackson said in an interview with Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. “It just brought a lot of attention to the game and those two are just really good people to look up to in general."

Jackson, the commit out of Chicago, has also noticed the way the two carry themselves on the court and in the media.

"How they both carry themselves, even the media trying to put them against each other a lot, they still stay really positive,” Jackson said.

The two stars are paving the way for the WNBA and other women's sports in general. They are bringing in a new level of exposure.

“I just really love what they did to the game," Jackson continued. "Cause there have been a bunch of good women’s players but it really took just them two to make it go to a new height.” 

Clark and Reese continue to bring in the views to the sport. The Indiana Fever are averaging 17,000 fans games while the Chicago Sky are at about 9,000, both increasing significantly from previous years.

Ella Walker is a contributor to Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. She can be reached at ewalker1463@gmail.com.

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