September 19, 2024
Locked On Women’s Basketball: WNBA regular season concludes, plus playoffs preview
By The Next
Connecticut Sun broadcaster Brendan Glasheen and host Gigi Speer reflect on a season full of historic moments
On today’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, host Gigi Speer is joined by Connecticut Sun play-by-play broadcaster Brendan Glasheen to reflect on the conclusion of the 2024 WNBA regular season and preview the upcoming playoffs.
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They started by discussing the final set of regular season games, including the Connecticut Sun’s match up against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, which ended with a dagger game-winning three from Lynx guard Bridget Carleton. Glasheen explained how he delivers that moment as a broadcaster and what it takes to make that moment shine for home and opposing team fans:
“The job for me, no matter where we are, whether we’re local on NBC Sports Boston, if we have a simulcast on an Amazon Prime or an NBA TV or a CBS Sports Network, whatever it may be, [is] we have to deliver to do right by the league,” Glasheen said. “And then maybe someday, when there’s 30 teams and … you have a boatload of fans tuning into just your network, then maybe you can lean more into the homerisms, and you can be more disappointed when a big shot like Carlton’s goes in.”
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“But knowing that when fans watch … the game on League Pass, they’re getting our feed, to me, there’s a responsibility to do right by the sport,” he continued. “And I’ve always been kind of wired that way anyway, like if someone makes a play, give proper due and rise up to that moment for that particular play. … In my head I’m like, I want to tip my cap, as opposed to what? Not deliver energy and be in a whiny mood? Or not give it proper due and pick apart why they didn’t guard it? Well, I just don’t think that does right by a great moment by a really great team like Minnesota”
Then they talked about another regular season highlight, A’ja Wilson‘s 1000th point of the season, which marked a historic single-season record for the WNBA. Glasheen, who was sideline covering the game, broke down how the broadcast handled such a singular moment:
“You can see folks in the stands starting to get up, they’re getting their phones out, and the pop in the crowd is starting,” Glasheen said. “And before the play develops, Jackie Young gets it to A’ja at the high post, I’m thinking, … I didn’t script out a call or anything, but the minute she goes up, and if the ball goes in, call the play, and then shut up and stop talking, because this place is going to absolutely lose its mind. … No matter what sport you’re doing as a commentator, whether you’re a sideline color play by play, you’re like, there’s nothing I can say right now that is better than this.”
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“The MVP chants start, Connecticut’s got the ball,” Glasheen continued. “Ty Harris hits a three. And then I could sense, okay … they have players at the scores table ready to come into the game, the game’s out of hand, so they’re probably going to pull A’ja and take her out of the game. So I could feel that coming. Harris drills the three, boom timeout [from] Becky Hammon, and then the sideline, led by Chelsea Gray, swarms her. And I think I said something to the effect of, ‘the sideline floods the MVP favorite, the first 1000-point scorer in WNBA history is A’ja Wilson,’ and then boom, layout, and let the pictures, let the atmosphere take over. … I almost choked up on the air, because you could tell how much that mattered to Asia, that embrace with her teammates … that moment meant a lot to her and the kind of year she’s had. … she’s only 28 years old. She still has so much left in the tank.”
Tune in to hear more about the many spectacular moments Glasheen helped bring to life over the regular season and listen to Speer and Glasheen preview the upcoming WNBA playoffs. Make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball, basketball history and much more!
