Maryland Lawmaker Advocates for WNBA Team in Baltimore

U.S. Congressman Johnny Olszewski is pushing for the return of professional basketball to Maryland, specifically advocating for a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) expansion team in Baltimore.

Olszewski, who previously served as Baltimore County executive, took to social media to express his vision: "Let's put Baltimore on the next WNBA expansion list."

The WNBA has recently announced plans to expand into Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia over the next five years, raising hopes for other cities like Baltimore to join the league.

Highlighting local talent, Angel Reese, a prominent figure in the league, hails from Randallstown and played her high school basketball at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. After starting her college career at the University of Maryland, she transferred to LSU, where she clinched a national championship.

Now in her second season with the WNBA, Reese has already made a name for herself as a two-time All-Star and was the league's rebounding champion during her rookie year.

During the recent WNBA All-Star weekend, players made headlines by wearing shirts that read, "Pay us what you owe us," advocating for better compensation within the league.

Olszewski echoed this sentiment, stating that players deserve "Equal pay. Equal play. Period." He expressed solidarity with Reese and all WNBA players fighting for fair compensation.

Baltimore's CFG Bank Arena recently hosted its inaugural WNBA game on May 28, featuring a matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Washington Mystics.

Fans had initially purchased tickets to see WNBA star Caitlin Clark, who was sidelined due to a quad injury but still engaged with fans by signing autographs.

"I am disappointed not to see her play; that's why we came," one fan remarked. "But the Fever have an awesome team and an awesome bench. I will be excited to see them play as well."

Clark is expected to return to Baltimore on September 7 when the Fever face off against the Mystics again.

Historically, Baltimore had its own professional basketball team, the Bullets, which existed from 1944 until 1954. The Bullets played at the Baltimore Coliseum before folding just a few years after the Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball Association.

During their tenure, they secured the American Basketball League championship in 1946 and claimed the BAA title in 1948.