Boston is mounting an aggressive campaign to join the WNBA expansion wave, with former NBA guard Michael Carter-Williams at the forefront of ownership efforts. The league plans to add its 16th team by 2028, creating a high-stakes competition among cities vying for women’s basketball’s biggest stage.
Carter-Williams’ Boston Women’s Basketball Partners group confirmed to AP they’ve secured practice facilities and a proposed home at TD Garden.
We’re ready to host tomorrow if needed,he stated, emphasizing readiness for either relocation or expansion opportunities. Boston’s case builds on last year’s sold-out Connecticut Sun game at the Celtics’ arena and this summer’s Caitlin Clark-Indiana Fever showcase.
With January’s expansion deadline passed, Carter-Williams acknowledges acquiring an existing franchise like the Sun remains their swiftest path. However, the Mohegan Tribe shows no sign of selling Connecticut’s team. This forces Boston to compete against established bids from:
- Cleveland (Dan Gilbert-led group)
- Nashville (Tennessee Summitt proposal)
- Houston (Tilman Fertitta-backed revival)
The WNBA’s rapid growth – adding Golden State (2024), Toronto, and Portland (2026) – fuels this expansion frenzy. League sources confirm no formal vote has occurred on the 16th team, despite cities like Philadelphia and Detroit entering the race with NBA ownership ties.
Boston’s TD Garden events demonstrate market potential, but Carter-Williams stresses preparation over speculation:
We’ll keep building partnerships until the league sees we’re inevitable.As celebrity investors like Patrick Mahomes and Kevin Durant back rival bids, Boston’s homegrown strategy focuses on aligning with the Celtics’ infrastructure and New England’s robust college basketball scene.
With the WNBA targeting 2028 for its next franchise, this 18-month window becomes critical for Boston to convert demonstrated fan interest into a concrete proposal. Whether through relocation or late-expansion exception, Carter-Williams’ group aims to make women’s basketball in Boston more than a seasonal attraction.
