Plenty of athletes are demanding that the rims used in the WNBA be lowered. The theory is that if they are lowered to a height more reflective of the athletes’ height-to-rim ratio of the NBA, it will be fairer for women who play since the average woman is shorter than the average man. One of the most notable supporters of the idea is none other than Elena Delle Donne, forward for the Chicago Sky and three-time WNBA all-star. Fans who support Delle Donne say that it makes sense. After all, the basketballs used in the WNBA are smaller in order to provide the same hand to basketball ratio, since women’s hands are smaller than men’s on average.

That said, plenty of people are against the idea, saying that it is akin to “dumbing down” the sport for women. One of the most outspoken people against it is athlete Diana Taurasi of UMMC Ekaterinberg of Russia. Voted one of the top 15 players in history, she is a former WNBA star for Phoenix Mercury. In regards to the idea of lowering the rim, Taurasi scoffed, “Might as well put us in skirts and back in the kitchen!” Yikes. Supporters of Taurasi agree, saying that they grew up playing with the same size of ball and the same rim height that the men grow up playing with and that it should not change in just the professional setting. Those against her statement, however, are saying that it’s too wide of a jump to make from lowering rims to setting back women’s rights that far.

There are certainly points to be made on both sides of the issue. The rims are 10 feet above the court, which is much higher for women than it is for men on average. Delle Donne says that if the rims are lowered, the female athletes can demonstrate their athleticism better, making more dunks and attracting more fans. She tweeted, “Lowering the rim isn’t just about ‘the dunk.’ Its about the future of the game.” Then again, some people say that if they are lowered, it may lead to a negative view of the sport, with naysayers thinking that they have to somehow make the game “easier” for women. Although that is not the case, sometimes pervasive thoughts can inflict even more damage than the actual truth.

So what do you think, Storm fans? Do you think the rims should be lowered to give women a more equal playing field, or should they stay where they are?

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