"That stuff was boring": Former SB champ Keyshawn Johnson speaks out on men's national championship game amid hype around women's event
The 2024 March Madness season has concluded for both men's and women's basketball. Fans witnessed South Carolina emerge victorious over Iowa in the women's final and UConn clinch the championship title against Purdue in the men's division. However, it came as a surprise to some that women's basketball gained more attention as they surpassed the popularity of the men's game.
There is no denying the fact that star players like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso have captivated audiences, arguably overshadowing the likes of Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan. This was reflected in the viewership number of the finals, with the women's matchup averaging 19 million viewers and the men's matchup averaging 14.8 million viewers.
Also Read: Zach Edey stats: How did the Purdue star perform against UConn in 2024 NCAA tournament final?
Former Super Bowl champion Keyshawn Johnson also gave his verdict on the same comparison calling the men's game "boring".
Johnson said:
"That stuff [Purdue vs UConn] was boring, Skip. That stuff we watched last night, you had to force yourself to watch it. It's like, I'm starved to death and I really don't want to eat this, but I'm gonna eat it because it's there and I gotta eat. I have to watch it."
"I had no interest," he added.
Keyshan Johnson, who played college football for the USC Trojans, underscored the popularity of the women's game, fueled by standout performances from players like Caitlin Clark, whose remarkable season saw her break men's and women's all-time NCAA records and help take women's basketball to another level.
Averaging an impressive 31.6 points per game – more than any men's college basketball player right now – she has become the all-time Division I top-scorer for both men and women. As a result, there was unprecedented attention to the women's game on Sunday.
In contrast, the men's final seemingly lacked the same level of excitement, with UConn dominating Purdue, overshadowing any potential competition. The men's final ended with a score of 75-70, whereas, the women's final ended 87-75.
Also Read: "This game is obviously being called very biased": Cowboys star Micah Parsons calls out foul disparity during first half of Iowa vs South Carolina
What's next after the season is over? Looking into NBA and WNBA drafts 2024
The 2024 NBA draft is going to be different from previous editions, as it will span two nights instead of one. This format has not been seen since the late 1980s. The first round will take place on June 26, 2024, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Whereas, the second round will take place on June 27 at ESPN's Seaport District Studio in Manhattan.
Meanwhile, the 2024 WNBA draft is set for April 15, 2024, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York. This draft can be attended by fans for the first time since 2016. The lottery selection for the WNBA draft 2024 took place in December 2023 in which the Indiana Fever, Phoenix Mercury, Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm qualified.
Also Read: 2024 WNBA Mock Draft Second Round: Predicting landing spots for Hailey Van Lith, Ayoka Lee and more