Stephen A. Smith calls for WNBA to confront political narratives

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Aug 10, 2026, 7:30 PM

Last updated Aug 10, 2026

Stephen A. Smith calls for WNBA to confront political narratives
Summary

Stephen A. Smith urged the WNBA to take a stand against the politicization of the league by Republicans during his SiriusXM Radio show on August 10, 2026. He criticized the league for allowing political narratives to gain traction, especially surrounding recent comments by Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham on transgender athletes. Smith highlighted the potential misuse of incidents, like a hard foul by Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington, for political purposes. He emphasized the importance of the league addressing these issues proactively rather than reacting to political attacks. Smith also pointed to the responsibility of the WNBA office to manage its public narrative effectively.

Source Links
By the Numbers
  • Stephen A. Smith made his comments on SiriusXM Radio on August 10, 2026.
  • He criticized the WNBA for leaving room for political narratives.
  • Smith referenced recent controversies involving Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham.
  • He highlighted the potential for political exploitation of on-court incidents.
  • The WNBA has not actively engaged in discussions on transgender athletes.
Latest Updates
  • 7:30 PMYahoo SportsStephen A. Smith urges WNBA to ‘take a stand’ against Republicans politicizing league: ‘Stop whining’
What they're saying
"

As the WNBA watches the right continue to hijack narratives around the sport for political gain, Stephen A. Smith is urging the league to take a stand. Last month, Smith posed the irrational question of, “What if an NBA player decided to transition to playing in the WNBA?” To be clear, there has never been…

Related Teams & Leagues

Sources

External links

Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.

Related Stories

Last 14 days