Mitchell Hansen
Web Editorial Associate
Twitter
WNBA President Lisa Borders made her first appearance in Minnesota this season on Saturday night when the Minnesota Lynx faced the Connecticut Sun at Xcel Energy Center.
Borders makes it a point to travel to various WNBA games throughout the season, getting out into the communities and experiencing the atmosphere of arenas and from fans of all 12 teams in the league.
On Saturday night, Borders talked prior to the game in St. Paul about the current state of the WNBA and shared her thoughts of what she sees in the 2017 Lynx team.
“This is one of our model franchises. Glen Taylor is an extraordinary owner, along with this ownership group. He sees people on a regular basis and you can tell by the way he runs his franchises, everywhere you see a Timberwolves logo you also see a Lynx logo. That’s very important,” Borders said. “When I travel the country, I’m always looking for those who believe that women can do anything that they set their minds to. Here in Minnesota, that concept is actually brought to life. The league is doing really well and we are excited to have this opportunity to watch the Lynx and Connecticut play (Saturday night).”
Since Borders entered the WNBA and became the league’s president in February of 2016, Minnesota has been one of the teams right at the top of the league. That’s something that Borders thinks is great for the WNBA.
“I never want to have a problem with excellence, I think that’s crazy. The Lynx are extraordinary, they started 13-0 last season as you know and 9-0 this season,” Borders said. “When this league started 21 years ago, there was a question about the talent of women, the caliber, the quality, the sustainability. When you see a team like the Lynx, what is the answer to that question? Everybody say amen. The women are amazing. So no, I don’t think that’s a problem for us. I don’t think it’s a burden, I think it’s a blessing.
“I think that’s called an example, setting an excellent example. I don’t think that’s bad for the league. The Lynx are raising the bar, like many of the other teams. I think that’s a good thing, it gives us all something to strive for and celebrate.”
One thing that stood out to Borders about the Lynx organization, she said, was the way the Lynx have been able to sustain success for so long. Something she thinks will continue to grow in the upcoming years.
“I am always impressed when I come to Minnesota. The Lynx are very special. The owner Glen Taylor sets the tone here and when you have a leader like that, it’s not hard to understand why they are so successful. Have I been surprised that it’s been sustained? No,” she said. “If you do things the right way, then the fruit of your labor will be born out in the results. So at the end of the day, I think it’s really helpful to have a franchise be so steady and so stable, because then we can point and say there’s a prototype.
“There’s an example of how we all can be in the league. Not just in basketball and in the (WNBA), but I would say across the sports landscape. You won’t find many folks as stable as the Lynx.”