Why this woman is a fan of basketball, but not the WNBA

I have played basketball my entire life and dreamed of playing in the WNBA. I did anything and everything to accomplish my goal -- everything except watch the WNBA.

I was the first person to show up at practice and I was the last person to leave the gym. Basketball was my life. I was so obsessed with the sport that my parents would punish any perceived bad behavior by forbidding me from going to the gym.

During this period, I watched every Lakers game and studied Kobe's dunks and leaping skills, but I never tried to learn the moves and skills of the women with whom I actually dreamed of playing.

I returned to my alma mater, Palisades High, and discovered that I am not alone. Of the 12 girls hoping to make the basketball team this fall with whom I spoke, only one says that she regularly watches the WNBA. The majority say they regularly watch the NBA.

I wish that I had more interest in the WNBA. The players have doubtlessly overcome gender prejudices and a lot of adversity to achieve their status. They are examples of discipline and focus and are advancing the cause of gender equality while simultaneously destroying gender norms.

Unfortunately, I watch basketball to be entertained. I do not watch it to support a cause. And, quite frankly, men's basketball is far more entertaining than women's basketball. Simply stated: Men jump higher, run faster, and hit harder than women.

The celebration and media hype that ensued after Candace Parker's first dunk in the WNBA emphasizes the difference between men's and women's basketball. Could you imagine if each player in the NBA received that kind of attention after a dunk debut? It would be comical. Dunking is practically as much of a requisite for playing in the NBA as dribbling is for the WNBA.

I am not trying to understate the significance of Parker's feat. Her dunk was historic because she is a woman. But, why would basketball fans want to watch the WNBA where something generic is considered historic?

Not everyone feels the way I do. One Palisades varsity basketball hopeful, Dominique Scott, finds the WNBA more exciting than the NBA because she can better relate to women's moves and tactics. She thinks that the showboating and dunking of the NBA detracts from the purity of the sport.