British ColumbiaAhead of Vancouver hosting the first WNBA regular-season game played outside the United States, a women’s basketball great was at a playground in Stanley Park on Thursday to support an initiative that she hopes will help strengthen basketball’s grassroots. Rogers Arena to host 1st regular-season WNBA game played outside of U.S.CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoAn orange WNBA three-point line has been painted on five outdoor basketball courts in Vancouver as part of an initiative that aims to bring the women’s professional game closer to communities. (Ben Nelms/CBC)Ahead of Vancouver hosting the first WNBA regular-season game played outside the United States, a women’s basketball great was at an outdoor court in Stanley Park on Thursday to support an initiative that she hopes will strengthen the sport’s grassroots. Two-time Olympic gold medallist and three-time WNBA champion Swin Cash was among those on hand at the unveiling of a WNBA three-point line painted on the Ceperley Court at Stanley Park. Cash told a group of young female basketball players who attended the event that the orange line shows that they “have a place in every playground, every park, and everywhere we want to be.” Former WNBA star Swin Cash said she is glad to see the continued growth of the women’s game. (Ben Nelms/CBC)Many outdoor courts, including those in Vancouver, feature a three-point line used in high school basketball, which has an arc of 19 feet 9 inches from the middle of the basket. The NBA three-point line, meanwhile, has an arc of 23 feet 9 inches.The WNBA line is somewhere in between, at 22 feet 1.75 inches. An outdoor court with a WNBA three-point line, which is similar to ones used by FIBA and the NCAA, is a way to bring the women’s professional game closer to communities, according to a statement from the league.In a video produced by the WNBA about the initiative, former player Epiphanny Prince explains that growing up she used to play on outdoor courts that featured either a high school three-point line or an NBA three-point line. A bright orange WNBA three-point line has also been painted on courts at Vancouver’s Hastings Community Park, Gaston Park, Kingcrest Park, and Queen Elizabeth Park.Women risingThe unveiling took place a day before the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream square off at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Friday night.The game comes at a time when Canada’s women’s professional sports landscape appears to be changing. The WNBA expansion Toronto Tempo is set to begin play in the 2026 season. After just two years, the Professional Women’s Hockey League has expanded to eight teams and stretched its footprint west with new franchises in Vancouver and Seattle. The six-team Northern Soccer League played its first matches in April. Cash said she is glad to see the continued growth of women’s basketball. “Basketball is a global sport,” she said. “The WNBA has continued to grow. We see the numbers are there, the [viewership is] there.”She said she was also glad to see girls using the court at Stanley Park. Chen Kagande, centre, says the court presents women’s sports in a ‘positive light.’ (Ben Nelms/CBC)”It’s not only about the professional level,” she said. “I think you can see that you can get to the highest level and have a career at the professional level. But … I tell young girls getting involved in sports is important for themselves and for their leadership.”Chen Kagande, a combo guard for the Britannia Bruins, a high school team, said she was happy to share the court with a WNBA legend like Cash as well as young peers who share her passion for the game.”I love any space where women’s sports are being represented in such a positive light, a space where I can see people that look like me, females being put in a position to thrive and succeed,” Kagande said.With files from Santana Dreaver and The Canadian Press
WNBA 3-point line painted on Vancouver courts gives young players something to shoot for
