A number of WNBA gamers and WNBPA govt director Terri Jackson criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Tuesday for Engelbert’s feedback previous this occasion about toxicity created by means of the perceived contention between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The backlash got here then Engelbert used to be requested explicitly all over an look on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Monday how the WNBA tries to “stay ahead of” or operate when sentiments about Clark and Reese contain some “very uncharitable things about the other,” and particularly about feedback on-line that “have taken a darker turn, a more menacing turn, where race has been introduced into the conversation, where sexuality is sometimes introduced into the conversation.”
“The one thing that’s great about the league right now, we do sit at this intersection of culture and sports and fashion and music,” Engelbert responded. “Like, the WNBA players are really looked at now as kind of cultural icons. And when you have that, you have a lot of attention on you. … It is a little bit of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall, from 1979. When those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one White, one Black. And so we have that moment with these two.
“But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another.”
WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert at the toxicity that’s spawned from the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese contention. Turns out to me the WNBA media who helps to keep chastising the lovers, is working counter to what the commissioner desires. Let me know what you suppose. #WNBA #feverrising
Complete… pic.twitter.com/N67HN0n6Vn
— Ken Rapid (@kenswift) September 9, 2024
Jackson wrote in a reaction to Engelbert’s feedback the commissioner erred in now not offering a extra definitive reaction “to the very clear question regarding the racism, misogyny and harassment experienced by the players.”
Jackson stated that there used to be “absolutely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments and misogynistic attacks” gamers obtain on social media. “This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities feeling a business model,” Jackson added within the WNBPA’s remark Tuesday. “This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked.”
When discussing Clark and Reese’s fan bases, Jackson stated that “fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life.”
On Tuesday night, Engelbert clarified her feedback on CNBC in a put up on X: “To be clear, there is absolutely no place for hate or racism of any kind in the WNBA or anywhere else.”
Jackson’s remark Tuesday used to be the untouched remark from key WNBA figures about Engelbert’s remarks.
Connecticut Solar shield DiJonai Carrington shared a GIF on X expressing her displeasure and known as Engelbert’s feedback “kind of a fumble” when talking to newshounds prior to the Solar’s sport Tuesday.
“There was a silver platter to just address it,” Carrington stated. “Obviously you can’t control what people are gonna say, what people are gonna do, what people are gonna tweet out. You can’t control social media. But that has nothing to do with what you can do and using your voice and your platform to try to put a stop to it.
“Or to just say, this is not the type of behavior that we endorse as the league. And as the commissioner who has what, probably 90 percent Black people or people who identify as Black in some way shape or form in the league, I think it was kind of eye-opening because the things that we have all experienced this season have been pretty sickening.”
— dιjonaι carrιngтon♛ (@DijonaiVictoria) September 10, 2024
Las Vegas Aces middle Queen Egbo wrote on X: “It’s like….. no way she said that?¿…”
Alternative participants of the Aces additionally seemed to publicize their unhappiness on social media.
— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) September 10, 2024
Candy. Child. Jesus. pic.twitter.com/2RKjsmpojP
— Alysha Clark (@Alysha_Clark) September 10, 2024
“We want our sport to be inclusive for race, for gender, and really be a place where people can be themselves,” Pristine York Self rule ahead Breanna Stewart stated. “So we wish, obviously, Cathy would have used her platform in a different way and have made that a little bit better, just telling the fans enough is enough.”
Reese’s teammate, Chicago Sky ahead Brianna Turner, wrote on X: “I stand against all forms of discrimination, hatred, and bias, especially in reference to sports. The intersection of racism and sports should always be rejected. No platform is too big or too small to stand for the right thing. No excuses.”
The WNBA has discoverable a surge in pastime this season, with Clark and Reese collaborating within the most-watched sport in over two decades. Conversations across the two inexperienced persons have prolonged well past their on-court manufacturing this season. Politicians, athletes, media personalities or even editorial forums have weighed in on debates about both one, or each, of the first-year gamers.
Latter occasion, Reese voiced that she doesn’t consider Clark has any hatred towards her, nor does she have hatred for the Fever big name. She did, then again, recognize feeling a dearth of admire by means of some Clark supporters. “Sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it,” Reese stated on her podcast. “And I don’t believe she stands on any of that.”
Previous this season, Clark denounced her title being worn to push agendas of racism and misogyny, calling it “disappointing” and “unacceptable.”
“Everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect,” Clark stated in June. “The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect, so people should not be using my name to push those agendas.
“This league is a league I grew up admiring and wanting to be a part of. Some of the women in this league were my biggest idols and role models growing up and helped me want to achieve this moment right here that I get to play in every single night so just treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect is a basic human thing that everybody should do. Treat them how you would want to be treated. I think it’s very simple.”
Each Clark and Reese have had historical rookie seasons. Clark entered the league because the Deny. 1 pick out within the 2024 WNBA Draft. She is averaging a rookie-best 19.2 issues according to sport this season, and he or she ranks 3rd in scoring (24.7) and primary in assists (9.3) amongst all gamers because the All-Famous person fracture. Reese, the 7th pick out, led the league in rebounds according to sport (13.1) prior to struggling a wrist shock on Friday that may purpose her to omit the left-overs of the season.
The Athletic‘s Sabreena Service provider contributed to this tale.
(Photograph: Alex Slitz / Getty Photographs)
