There’s no doubt that Caitlin Clark not being active to participate in this year’s WNBA All-Star Game tempered the energy around the weekend initially. It’s to be expected as this year’s All-Star Game emanated from Indianapolis, right where Clark’s Indiana Fever play. So, even I was concerned with what the fervor of the weekend would be. But that all changed with the first-ever iteration of “Stud Budz.” Comprised of Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, they represent two of the more eccentric “studs” in the W. They took it upon themselves to give fans an inside look at what WNBA All-Star Weekend was like for the players.

A budding concept with Stud Budz

Stud Budz livestreamed pretty much every aspect of the weekend. In a twist, this All-Star Weekend became a little less about just the happenings on the court, but about all the stuff off of it as well. From the parties to the appearances, the Stud Budz were there. The beauty in it all is that these livestreams didn’t just showcase the Stud Budz’ personalities, but the personalities of many others in the W as well.

Authenticity is the hook

In this pivotal time where these same players made a statement that weekend in respect to increased pay equity in the WNBA, they sought to show their value off the court. Whether intentionally or not, the Stud Budz did show how marketable these women can be. And in the Budz’ case, they showed how marketable you can be while being true to yourself. Not shying away from their queer lifestyle and showcasing that freedom is also a huge reason why this worked.

It was the talk of the whole weekend. Why we haven’t seen such innovation in the NBA, I can’t really answer. But I do know that these women showed everyone that they know how to have a good time. To me, this is only the beginning in terms of the WNBA showing the unique ways in which they can engage fans. We even got to see Clark let her hair down a bit, quelling the murmurs that others in the league don’t like her.

A budding future

The concept of Stud Budz was genius. I don’t believe it was born to help boost spirits because of Clark’s absence, but it did. What it has also done is allowed us to look forward to next year’s All-Star Game. What sorts of new shenanigans will ensue? That’s the beauty in being the first to do certain things.

If any other league comes up with a similar concept, they’d just be biting, and rightfully so. These ladies deserve that recognition. I also believe they’ll reap the benefits of them taking these initiatives in the WNBA’s next collective bargaining agreement. It seems like it won’t be pretty, but I’m confident that this agreement will be much improved from the last.