Souhan: WNBA benefits when teams like Lynx and Liberty have a rivalry

WNBA players are displaying a united front as they negotiate a potentially groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement.

They spent All-Star weekend socializing on StudBudz, the phenomenon hosted by Lynx players Courtney Williams and Natisha Heideman, which featured some of the league’s supposedly edgy players laughing it up with each other.

Lynx star Napheesa Collier and Liberty star Breanna Stewart are former UConn stars and friends who founded the Unrivaled basketball league and are vice presidents of the players association.

Last week, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve argued that those who highlight supposed rifts between players are wrongheaded.

So is this the Summer of Love for WNBA players?

Let’s hope not.

Hatred might be wrong, but intense competitive dislike is the underpinning of sporting intrigue and success.

What happened in New York last fall was a travesty, and it might have been the best thing that ever happened to the WNBA.

The Lynx lost the deciding game of the Finals to the Liberty largely because of poor officiating, and then league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert showed up for the celebration wearing a dress featuring the New York City skyline.

This wasn’t a conspiracy to steal the title from the Lynx, but Engelbert and the overmatched referees made it look like one.

If you cared only about the league and not about the Lynx, you could view these as positive developments.

The league probably benefited from having a champion in its most lucrative market, and the league will probably benefit from creating a rivalry where none existed before.

If they didn’t have enough reason to be envious of the Liberty and angry about their circumstances, last week New York signed the best available free agent in the world, Emma Meesseman, whom the Lynx coveted.

Wednesday night, the Lynx will play New York at Target Center, with championships and Meesseman on everyone’s minds.

The Lynx have been the best team in the WNBA since the middle of last season. Meesseman, who is still not with the Liberty because of visa issues, could tilt the balance of power in New York’s direction.

Minnesotans should react to the Liberty the way Twins fans used to react to the Yankees.

As in the Twins-Yankees rivalry of the 2000s, the New York team has more star power and has won a title more recently.

As in the Twins-Yankees rivalry, Minnesotans could be forgiven if their flyover-country lack of self-esteem causes all kinds of negative emotions.

Minnesotans should also recognize that, if they truly care about major-sports championships, they should be watching the Lynx, who have a better chance of winning it all than any other local team.

Before the Liberty signed Meesseman, the Lynx were the clear favorites to win the title. Meesseman, whenever she joins New York, creates a sizable hurdle.

The Lynx have one superstar (Collier) and two occasional all-stars (Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams.)

The Liberty now have two superstars (Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu) and two former WNBA finals MVPs (Jonquel Jones and Meesseman). Stewart is likely to miss Wednesday’s game, and maybe more, because of a leg injury, however.

The Lynx counter with Alanna Smith and Collier. Collier can no longer be referred to as underrated. Smith can.

Smith might be the quintessential Lynx player over the last two seasons. She’s a far better rim protector than everyone other than Reeve might have thought. She can shoot the three, is an excellent passer and plays beautifully off of her teammates.

Now Smith, who left the game on Sunday with an ankle injury, will be asked to match up with Jones, Stewart and eventually Meesseman.