WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert slammed the “haters” trying to “sow divisiveness” around the league, making her stance crystal clear Thursday. Speaking alongside Dallas Wings CEO Greg Bibb, ahead of Dallas’ 91-85 win over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, Engelbert dropped a truth bomb: “We’re being the center of political football for people who have never watched the WNBA.”
Sophie Cunningham’s Comments Blew This Thing Open
This whole situation really blew up last month after comments from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. In an ESPN profile, she said she wants to “protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” Cunningham didn’t back down, either. Before the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun on July 22, she doubled down, saying, “I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense.”
She continued, “I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.” Cunningham clarified that she doesn’t “dislike anyone” and believes there’s “room to love everyone,” adding, “I’m also there to love biological women, and I think that there are rights that need to be protected. And, like I said, I’m gonna stand true to that. I’ll never falter in my beliefs in that. But I have never once stated that I hated the trans community.”
The WNBA Is Calling Out the “Bad-Faith” Actors
So, where does the league stand? Engelbert’s message was sharp: “There’s always going to be haters out there, and we denounce it. But that’s what happens when you have made it as a legitimate sports media and entertainment product.” She made it clear the WNBA is not going to be used for political games by people who don’t even follow the sport.
Interestingly, the WNBA has never had a transgender player, and it doesn’t even have a public policy on transgender participation right now. The collective bargaining agreement just says, “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” But the noise around the league is getting real, especially with former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White “declaring” for the 2027 WNBA Draft, claiming they identify as women.
The league isn’t just sitting back, though. Earlier this month, they put together a task force to discuss the issue. They issued a statement, too, saying they will “approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league.” They also said, “There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”
It’s clear the WNBA is stepping up to lead this conversation and defend its space against those trying to use it for other agendas. Commissioner Engelbert just put everyone on notice. This isn’t just about a policy; it’s about protecting the league’s integrity and its players from becoming a “political football” for people who have never even bothered to watch a game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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