Cleveland Cavaliers guard Lonzo Ball and Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. shared common sense opinions on the Ball in the Family podcast about how middle schoolers would fare against WNBA players.
Ball claimed that 9th grade version of himself “would go crazy” in the league. “I was over six feet and I’m dunking. No girl in the WNBA is doing that,” he said, describing his ability to drive to the basket and finish above the rim.
“You know what’s crazy? Pat Bev said that a WNBA team could beat the bench players of an NBA team,” Porter noted. He added perspective from his own experience, saying 8th grade him could dominate. “I played my sisters, who played at Missouri, and a few WNBA players on their scout team like Sophie Cunningham,” he explained. “I was going crazy. It’s just common sense.”
Both athletes stressed respect for women’s basketball but highlighted the physical differences between developing boys and professional female athletes. Ball clarified his point, emphasizing that middle schoolers, not current NBA players, would have the advantage.
MPJ noted that these conversations persist unnecessarily. “I wish this would stop being a conversation because it should be common sense,” he said, pointing out that youth athleticism often surpasses women’s professional leagues in raw explosiveness.
