How the 2020 recruiting class took women's basketball mainstream

Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Caitlin Clark and Kamilla Cardoso were all top-five recruits in a class that few could have predicted would transform the entire women's basketball landscape. Even Hailey Van Lith, another top-10 standout, has made her own undeniable mark. At the time, these athletes were viewed as highly talented prospects, but what they became was something far greater: culture-shifting icons.

Each of these players deserves their flowers. All have reached NCAA championship games, and several—Bueckers, Reese, Brink and Cardoso—now wear national title rings. But their legacy extends far beyond the hardwood and into the culture of sport itself.

MORE: WNBA vets spill the truth about last year's hostile rookie treatment

This class didn’t just win games—they changed the conversation. Across social media platforms, the top five alone have amassed tens of millions of followers and generated billions of views. They've dominated highlight reels, trended worldwide and helped redefine what marketability looks like in women’s college sports. Thanks to the timing of NIL (name, image and likeness) legislation and the explosion of platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the 2020 class became the blueprint for the modern athlete: skilled, savvy and deeply connected to their audience.

We owe a debt to the legends before them, players like Maya Moore, Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi who helped lay the groundwork. But it’s the 2020 class that brought women’s basketball to the digital forefront and made it a consistent presence in national media cycles. Caitlin Clark’s logo threes, Bueckers' handles, Reese’s double-doubles, Brink’s dominance in the paint, Cardoso’s rim protection—each of these talents has redefined what’s possible at the college level.

MORE: Caitlin Clark’s shocking transformation has everyone talking

The results speak for themselves. In 2023, the NCAA women’s championship game between Iowa and LSU pulled in a 12.6 million viewer peak. The 2024 tournament saw even bigger numbers, a 24 million viewer peak—the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history.

This class didn’t just break records, they shattered expectations.

Now, they're all bringing their game—and their massive fan bases—to the WNBA, and the sport is only continuing to grow.

MORE: Flau’jae Johnson chose LSU after Kim Mulkey offered her something no other school did

When we picture the current landscape of women’s basketball, their names are the ones we think of first. They’ve inspired a new generation of hoopers and proved that women’s sports can command prime-time attention, massive audiences and cultural relevance.

Will we ever see another class as influential as 2020? Maybe. But they’ll be standing on the shoulders of these giants.