03-17-2025, 01:30 PM
I'd encourage everyone to actually listen to Cam's statement on her podcast in order to get the full context: https://youtu.be/RmoYc45cfqQ?si=BBI0FZ3jk0nBwzW1&t=193
This doesn't sound to me like she is opposed to the use of male practice players in general. As others pointed out, they have long been used effectively and appreciated heartily by the Stanford program. And I recall reading in another article that as part of Cam's training with Susan King Borchardt, she also played/trained with and learned from Curtis, which gave her an edge when going up against other bigs. In the podcast, Cam also mentions the Sparks' use of male practice players from USC and does not seem to have a problem with it.
Her comments are directed specifically at the response (via social media comments) to the Sparks' open call for men to try out to become practice players. It sounds like many of the commenters are guys who think this sounds like a great opportunity to get up close and personal with players they find attractive, and for whom the perk of trying out wouldn't be so much to play ball as it would be to get inappropriately physical. Cam's comment is that the team should "vet" who is allowed to try out before she is expected to, say, box out a guy who might welcome the contact a little too much. I think it's totally fair for her to expect that the team ensure practice players behave professionally—and to conduct tryouts with that in mind.
It's frustrating that media coverage seems to either mistakenly or deliberately miss the nuance here.
This doesn't sound to me like she is opposed to the use of male practice players in general. As others pointed out, they have long been used effectively and appreciated heartily by the Stanford program. And I recall reading in another article that as part of Cam's training with Susan King Borchardt, she also played/trained with and learned from Curtis, which gave her an edge when going up against other bigs. In the podcast, Cam also mentions the Sparks' use of male practice players from USC and does not seem to have a problem with it.
Her comments are directed specifically at the response (via social media comments) to the Sparks' open call for men to try out to become practice players. It sounds like many of the commenters are guys who think this sounds like a great opportunity to get up close and personal with players they find attractive, and for whom the perk of trying out wouldn't be so much to play ball as it would be to get inappropriately physical. Cam's comment is that the team should "vet" who is allowed to try out before she is expected to, say, box out a guy who might welcome the contact a little too much. I think it's totally fair for her to expect that the team ensure practice players behave professionally—and to conduct tryouts with that in mind.
It's frustrating that media coverage seems to either mistakenly or deliberately miss the nuance here.