Wyc Grousbeck says a WNBA team could come to Boston

Five WNBA Teams Share Ownership with NBA Organizations

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There are five WNBA teams that share ownership with their local NBA organizations. According to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, Payton Pritchard’s growth as a player is impressive. NBA legend Kevin Garnett is concerned about the Celtics’ depth and suggests they could be following the Nuggets’ strategy with a potential Kristaps Porzingis move.

Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck reveals the possibility of Boston landing a WNBA expansion team in the future. Following the recent announcement of the Bay Area being awarded a ‘Golden State’ women’s team, Grousbeck discussed the potential for Boston to be the next city to secure a franchise. He stated, “There are ongoing discussions, but I’m not certain. I’ve heard some rumors.”

The news of the Bay Area’s team came with the revelation that further talks regarding a second expansion team are underway. Although ESPN suggests Portland is a likely candidate, no final decision has been made. Both the Bay Area team and the next expansion team are projected to start competing in 2025.

If a WNBA team is established in Boston, it could become the Celtics’ “sister team,” with Grousbeck and his team acting as the expansion franchise’s holder. Currently, five WNBA teams have shared ownership with their local NBA teams, including the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, and Minnesota Lynx.

An obstacle Grousbeck may face in acquiring ownership is the location for the WNBA team’s games. The Celtics ownership does not own the TD Garden, which could complicate matters. Grousbeck expressed his willingness to own a WNBA team, stating, “I’ve been open to it all along, except that it just doesn’t work out as well if you don’t own the building.”

Former NBA commissioner David Stern revealed that the Gaston brothers, previous owners of the Celtics, had no interest in owning a WNBA team when the league first started in the 1990s. One reason behind this lack of enthusiasm was the Celtics’ focus on their men’s team. Val Ackerman, a former NBA executive, explained, “(The Celtics) didn’t want to invest because they had too much going on on the men’s side.”

Despite this, Stern believed that a Boston-based WNBA team would be successful, stating, “Sure, absolutely … of course, it would be great.” With the Celtics’ rich history of 17 championship trophies and consistent championship contention, it is surprising that Boston has yet to establish a WNBA squad. The Connecticut Sun’s close proximity to the city could potentially ignite a New England professional women’s basketball rivalry.