What's Going On With The WNBA
Sports broadcaster Cari Champion addressed the shifting media culture and fan dynamics surrounding the WNBA. Specifically, the former First Take host offered her thoughts on one of the most talked-about fanbases in the league: Caitlin Clark's avid followers.
Champion joined The Bakari Sellers Show this week and offered a candid opinion on the WNBA and its attempt to "balance" a fanbase, one she describes as "entitled and extremely nasty." Champion’s remarks focused on the tension between long-standing WNBA fandom and a newer audience, including many who entered the sport when the Indiana Fever guard arrived.
While Champion addressed a highly complex topic head-on, she also made her opinion of Clark as a player clear. She praised the 24-year-old for making the game "impactful and tangible" for people who've never really watched it, comparing it to Steph Curry's impact on basketball.
"She represents an avatar for Middle America: white people who want to see white women doing well and playing in a sport that is traditionally Black," Champion said. "She's a heterosexual white woman, she was Catholic, and all the things they think she is, they're like, 'I can relate to this, I can get behind her.' So she brings in this new fan base, and what this fan base does is bring in more business. And the WNBA has needed this business."
Champion continues by stating that the WNBA "looks the other way" when the fanbase is "wholly inappropriate to other players who are just doing their jobs" and when criticism is directed at Clark.
She also praised Clark for her efforts to step in during various conversations, noting that the Fever guard pointed to Maya Moore as a reason she wanted to play basketball when she was growing up.
"To Caitlin's credit, a few times she's tried to say, 'You don't do that, that's unfair, it's disgusting. I appreciate the women whose shoulders I stand on, [Maya Moore] was the reason why I wanted to play basketball. I watched her growing up.'...
...And so the WNBA is trying to balance this entitled fan base, this new entitled; I say they are entitled because they get so upset when you say anything about Caitlin, when you say she doesn't play defense, when you say that she needs to be better on the court in terms of her leadership," Champion said.
Champion compares the Caitlin Clark attention to LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaq
Among the many interesting points Champion made was a comparison of the magnitude of Clark's impact on the WNBA to that of a few notable current and former NBA stars. This includes LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. She points out that they've all received immense criticism for on-court reactions/moments.
"What I do know is what you're noticing is what other people are noticing, and they're naming it and labeling it because that's what you do when you have someone who is a supernova who is playing on a team who gets a lot of attention," Champion said of Clark. "And by the way, her attention is extreme either way, either extremely pro or extremely not so. It's extreme. No matter how you talk about her, it's going to be extreme. We've seen this happen with LeBron, with Kobe, with Shaq. You go down the list. These type of people who change the direction of business will always be analyzed, maybe to a fault."
Champion summed up her point by calling on the WNBA not to "coddle" players, even going beyond Clark, but stating that the league is "ignoring" her fanbase.
"If the W really wants to be taken seriously, they cannot be coddled, and I'm talking about all players," Champion continued. "And I think that they're mishandling Caitlin in a time that is so polarizing. You have a league of women, 70% Black women, and you are putting your supernova—and that's not my name for her; that is what the numbers are saying, that is what the dollars are saying, that is what her impact is saying. And you're coddling her and you're ignoring this extremely nasty base. Unhinged.
Not all of her fans -- excuse me, not all of the Indiana Fever fans -- are unhinged; I'm not putting that on everybody. But there is a concerted effort to really stop any type of critique of Caitlin; it's almost like you don't want to do it. In fact, someone you and I both know said the league feels like their hands are tied."
Champion covers the topic in a very broad sense, highlighting an area that has drawn immense criticism pointed at the WNBA, while also emphasizing how important it is for the league to address this with all players and fanbases, not just Clark.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Cari Champion calls out WNBA over Caitlin Clark's fanbase
COLLEGE PARK, GA – SEPTEMBER 17: Atlanta forward Angel Reese 5 reacts during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Connecticut Sun and the Atlanta Dream on September 17th, 2026 at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire WNBA: SEP 17 Connecticut Sun at Atlanta Dream EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260917014 ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireThe WNBA resumed on Thursday after the 2026 FIBA World Cup break, and six gold medalists from the Team USA roster took the court on the same day. As if it were a strict reminder of their elite basketball skills. All six played like they wanted to remind the world why they made the roster
Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, Paige Bueckers, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Kiki Iriafen resumed their WNBA duties and delivered after bringing home the gold medal. In a separate contest, Shay Ciezki led the 12th-seed Phoenix Mercury’s rally against the 9th-seed Portland Fire for the 15th win this season.
Let’s take a brief look at the highlights from Thursday night that featured Reese’s historic night, Jackie Young’s offensive dominance, Bueckers leading Dallas against the LA Sparks and Ciezki leading her team’s bold rally.
Angel Reese: The history maker in Atlanta continues to climbAngel Reese was simply outstanding at the FIBA World Cup in Berlin. The bigger the stage, the better she seemed to perform. She was one of the best defensive players in the tournament. However, on Thursday, Reese reminded the league that she could be as dominant on the other side of the floor too.
The Atlanta Dream star recorded 30 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in a 103-59 win over the Connecticut Sun. The crucial win gave the Dream an edge over the Indiana Fever in the rankings and was also individually special for Reese. After winning gold in Berlin, Reese entered the court for another quest.
“I was ready to get back. Being back home, being with Atlanta, being with my team,” Reese said after the game. “I mean, I enjoy getting a gold medal at USA and enjoying my time there, but this is home…I gotta leave a taste in everybody about what the playoffs are gonna look like, so it was only right for me to come out and set the tone.”
This was Reese’s second 30-point double-double this season. She had scored 31 points with 14 rebounds in a win over the Phoenix Mercury in August. With her second such game, the 24-year-old became the youngest player to record multiple games with 30+ points and 10+ rebounds.
Reese shot 11 of 14 (78.6%) from the field, becoming the youngest player with a 30-10 game on 75%+ shooting. Moreover, while it was her 30th double-double of the season, she also tied the franchise record for most 30-10 games in a season.
Paige Bueckers leads Wings to crucial victory over SparksPaige Bueckers came off the bench in her first World Cup. But when she returned to the Wings uniform, lights converged on her in Arlington, and she didn’t disappoint.
The Wings won comfortably, 97-77, over the Sparks. However, in the first half, both teams were tied at 44 points each, and Bueckers played a crucial role in keeping her team in contention. After the game, Wings head coach Jose Fernandez was brutally honest in his assessment.
“You can tell we haven’t played in two weeks, and the officials haven’t officiated for a while either,” Fernandez told reporters. “I would have turned the TV off at halftime. I would have changed the channel. Ball was getting thrown around everywhere. There was no floor balance.”
Dallas completely took over the game in the last two quarters.
Bueckers led her team with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. It seemed like Team USA’s dust was still not off her completely as she worked hard on both ends. In total, six of the Wings players scored in double digits, including four of the starters.
Bueckers and her team have already qualified for the playoffs. With three games remaining in the regular season, the bigger question for them is surviving the first round. After a victory over the Sparks, they are now the 7th-seed, ahead of the New York Liberty at 8th, which means they won’t have to face the Minnesota Lynx in the first round.
After today’s win, their seed might become strategic. The Valkyries are the 2nd seed, which is a better matchup for Dallas than the Lynx and A’ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces if they finish sixth.
For now, the Wings get some rest. In their next game, they will host the Mercury and hope to raise their standing.
A’ja Wilson resumes her MVP case, and Aces crush StormIt was one of the usual nights when A’ja Wilson looked like the MVP she is. But it was also one of those few nights when the Las Vegas Aces looked like the best team in the world and the defending champions.
The Aces defeated the Seattle Storm on Thursday by 114-77, and Wilson and Jackie Young combined for over 56% of their team’s points. Young, who is coming fresh off the World Cup gold medal victory. She was the most consistent scorer from the US team, and upon her return, she scored a team-high 35 points. Wilson added 29 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks in 29 minutes.
Wilson is already the frontrunner in the MVP race this season, yet again. With another impressive performance, she has only extended the lead over Olivia Miles and Caitlin Clark. Wilson is now averaging 26.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.
Wilson also finally revealed the real reason she didn’t participate in the World Cup. She said that her decision wasn’t solely based on the postseason.
“This ball’s gonna stop bouncing eventually, and I wanna at least make sure I feel good in that,” she said on Tuesday. “So, I don’t think I was thinking too much of like, ‘Oh, gotta get ready for playoffs.’ It was more so like, ‘I just don’t feel well,’ and if I can’t give myself a hundred percent, I feel like I rob not only my teammates, but that uniform, that USA uniform. So I didn’t wanna do that.”
Shay Ciezki shines as Phoenix rallied late in the game to beat PortlandShay Ciezki had 22 points off the bench, and the Phoenix Mercury rallied in the fourth quarter for a 94-91 victory over the Portland Fire on Thursday night in the teams’ first game back from the FIBA World Cup break.
Shay Ciezki, who went undrafted in the 2026 WNBA draft, was the star of the Phoenix Mercury-Portland Fire contest on Thursday. Coming off the bench, she scored a team-high 22 points as the Mercury came back from behind to win record a 94-91 win.
Portland led early in the fourth quarter, but Phoenix rallied to take control. They started pushing for more aggressive offense, tying the game at 77-77 following a 2-pointer for Alyssa Thomas. Holly Winterburn gave Mercury the first lead (79-77) of the fourth quarter, and since then, they never trailed in the game.
Portland had a chance to win or tie the game when Karlie Samuelson attempted a 3-pointer with a 90-88 score on the board. But she missed. Natasha Mack took free throws to close the game.
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Angel Reese hit the ground running with the Atlanta Dream after capturing a gold medal with the USA Women's Basketball team at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Germany.
The WNBA returned to play on Sept. 17 after a nearly three-week break for the World Cup. Atlanta blew out the Connecticut Sun 103-59 that night, capturing its 27th win of the season.
Reese made WNBA history by finishing the game with 30 points and 10 rebounds for another double-double. She is the first player in WNBA history to record 30 double-doubles in a season.
She reached 30 points on a free throw with 5:38 remaining and grabbed her 10th rebound a few seconds later, according to The Associated Press. She finished a point shy of her career high in 25 minutes.
Reese's First Season in AtlantaThe Maryland native is the youngest player in WNBA history to finish a game with 30 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 75% or better from the field, according to StatMuse. She went 11-of-14 from the field against Connecticut. Her 29th double-double, on Aug. 30 against the Minnesota Lynx, broke the WNBA single-season record.
Reese was traded to the Dream from the Chicago Sky on April 6 for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. She has been a vocal leader for the team and challenges her teammates.
After Atlanta acquired her, the team bolstered its championship odds. However, the Dream announced before Thursday's game that Brionna Jones will miss the rest of the season with a left leg injury she suffered Aug. 13.
The LSU product added to Atlanta's presence on the glass and on defense. Entering Thursday, Reese led the league in rebounds per game (12.4) and ranked third in steals per game (1.8).
Often, Reese receives criticism for playing with passion nightly, but she has elevated the team's sense of composure.
Rhyne Howard set the WNBA single-season record with her 129th 3-pointer Thursday, passing the mark Sabrina Ionescu set in 2023. Allisha Gray finished with 10 points and broke her own franchise single-season scoring record, reaching 782 points.
The playoff-bound Dream are on a two-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven games. Connecticut, which is set to become the Houston Comets, hosts Minnesota on Sunday. Atlanta hosts Chicago, Reese's former team, on Saturday.
Reebok Signature Shoe and Reese's CollabReese is a signature athlete for Reebok, and her first signature shoe, the Angel Reese 1, was released on Sept. 18, 2025. The first release sold out within minutes, Yahoo Sports reported. Since her first shoe, she has received multiple colorways, including "Charm City" and "Barbie" editions.
Coupled with her signature shoe, she has a partnership with the Reese's candy brand, which released a joint apparel collection with her in 2024. On Sept. 18, she teased an upcoming colorway honoring the historic candy brand.
This year, sneaker enthusiasts and fans can expect an Angel Reese 1 collab shoe with a brown, orange, and yellow colorway to pay tribute to the Reese's Pieces candy pack. The tongue features Reese's initials in the candy brand's font.
Once the sneaker is released in October, those who purchase it will receive special packaging with an orange shoe box.
Reese also has photos circulating from her photoshoot with the upcoming sneakers, wearing a brown leather jacket and brown pants. The sneaker collab is set to release on Oct. 20 on Reebok.com for $160.
Dallas (25-16) defeated Los Angeles (15-26), 97-77, Thursday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Former Tennessee women's basketball player Rae Burrell started and played 24 minutes for the Sparks. She totaled 12 points, four assists and one rebound. Burrell converted 5-of-14 field goal attempts, 1-of-4 three-point attempts and 1-of-1 free throw attempts.
Nneka Ogwumike recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Los Angeles, while Dearica Hamby finished with 14 points and four rebounds for the Sparks.
Dallas' Paige Bueckers led all scorers with 19 points. She also recorded six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Bueckers converted 8-of-13 field goal attempts, 1-of-5 three-point attempts and 2-of-2 free throw attempts.
The Wings outrebounded Los Angeles, 46-27, and forced 14 turnovers by the Sparks.
Thursday's WNBA game was the first for Los Angeles since returning from the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup break. The Sparks last played on Aug. 30.
The Sparks will next play Portland on Sept. 20. Tipoff between Los Angeles and the Fire is slated for 7 p.m. EDT at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Rae Burrell starts in Los Angeles' WNBA return
Sophie Cunningham is disappointed but "not surprised."
During a Thursday, Sept. 17, episode of Cunningham's podcast show "No Hesitation," the WNBA player gave her "take" on Sydney Sweeney's latest ad campaign for sports trading app Novig following a flurry of "text messages, DMs and comments."
Sweeney, who faced backlash for her American Eagle jeans ad, has once again come under fire for the imagery and messaging tied to yet another advertisement, this time for Novig.
From artistic gymnast Gracie Kramer to runner Mary McCarthy, various athletes have condemned the ad, in which the "Euphoria" actress appears mostly nude, sans various pieces of sporting equipment, including two footballs and a basketball hoop, used to cover her body.
"I have so many takes, but like it's just, first of all like, does she even gamble on sports? It's just so unauthentic. You know what I mean?" Cunningham said. "Like, am I surprised of how she represented the brand? No. That's what she's made her whole career off."
"And hey, don't get me wrong, like I like her. Like, she, everyone knows she is beautiful. She is hot. She clearly has my chest ... And so like, I really like her. And you know what, she sticks to her guns, and she does her thing and she's her, so like props to her," Cunningham added.
The Indiana Fever guard, however, admitted that she herself does "not really" like that ad in particular, telling fellow co-host Drew Hanlen that she's "not surprised" because that's what Sweeney is "known for."
"But why are girls mad? That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad? It is a gambling ad. Men, sports, pretty much naked women – like of course that's going to draw attention," Cunningham said. "Again, do I agree with it? Uh, morally, I think it's kind of weird but like to each their own. Go do your thing, sis."
Sophie Cunningham says ad was not 'coming for' women in sportDespite the negative chatter surrounding the ad, Cunningham has found a silver lining: "... I'm really loving seeing all these girls who are powerful, strong, showing young girls what it looks like to actually be an athlete."
"I don't think the ad was coming for women in sport, but ... I think it has been so cool to see girls who, you know what, they're muscly, their thighs touch, they have broad shoulders, they might be taller than the average girl and probably the average boy, but you know what, I think that's what, that's what it is. Like, you gotta embrace your power," Cunningham said.
While Cunningham can understand why, at first glance, Sweeney's ad could be considered an offensive portrayal of female athletes, it has "nothing to do with us."
"... It (Sweeney's ad) could kind of deflate women because it's like we've worked so hard to get a little bit of respect around here, but then when you really think about it, it's like 'Screw it, let that girl go do her thing.' We can still, this has nothing to do with us," Cunningham concluded.
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sophie Cunningham says Sydney Sweeney's sports ad is 'unauthentic'
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesWNBA fans are having a field day after Angel Reese’s praise for FIBA officiating raised eyebrows.
Angel Reese has been walking a tightrope with the league office after picking up seven technical fouls this season, coming dangerously close to an automatic suspension before an eighth tech was mercifully rescinded on appeal.
But her constant clashes with whistle-happy refs are just a symptom of a much bigger headache.
The overwhelming feeling across the WNBA right now is pure frustration with the officiating. Players, coaches, and fans are fed up with the lack of consistency, where hard contact is ignored on one end and ticky-tack fouls get called on the other. It’s an ongoing debate that keeps boiling over week after week.
Angel Reese praises FIBA officiating after Atlanta Dream winAngel Reese made WNBA history in Atlanta’s blowout win over Connecticut, becoming the fastest player ever to drop 30 points and 10 rebounds in a single game.
However, it wasn’t just her performance that drew attention, as Reese praised the officiating of FIBA officials during the World Cup in her Atlanta Dream postgame interview.
She said: “That was my first experience in this environment where we could really play physical. We’re so much more free. I love these FIBA refs. They were incredible oh my god, it was crazy.”
As you can imagine, supporters went crazy online, suggesting that the WNBA and officials won’t take too kindly to her comments.
One fan suggested a backlash from the WNBA referees: “They’re gonna give her that 8th T again.”
“They’re calling a foul on her first thing on Saturday.” Another fan said.
Another pointed towards her next game: “She bout to be in foul trouble in the first half of her next game.”
“They bout run them pockets.” This supporter even suggested a potential fine.
The feeling was mutual: “Oh yeah, they’re giving her a tech in the first 5 mins of the game Saturday.”
The Atlanta Dream return home to State Farm Arena to host the Chicago Sky on Saturday, September 19 at 7:00 PM ET.
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Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesAngel Reese silenced her critics with a historic display for the Atlanta Dream against the Connecticut Sun.
Angel Reese put on an absolute masterclass in the Atlanta Dream’s 103-59 blowout over Connecticut, dropping 30 points on an ultra-efficient 11-of-14 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds in just 25 minutes.
The historic display came right on the heels of WNBA legend Tina Thompson arguing Reese belongs in the MVP conversation for her winning “dirty work” and game-altering physical impact.
Critics love to pick apart her raw shooting mechanics and rim efficiency, but Reese completely silenced the noise by knocking down shots from all over the floor.
Angel Reese had the fewest minutes played in a 30/10 gameIn six games off the bench for Team USA, Angel Reese averaged 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 59.1% to secure gold.
Things got even better for Angel Reese on her return for the Atlanta Dream, as she happened to have the fewest minutes played in a 30/10 game in WNBA history.
It was the 78.6% from the field, while knocking down her only three-point attempt and going 7-of-9 from the free-throw line that really stood out.
Reese controlled the glass with 10 total rebounds, three offensive and seven defensive, to complete the double-double. She also dished out three assists, swatted two blocks, committed just one turnover and two personal fouls, and recorded an impressive 83.5% shooting percentage alongside a +31 plus-minus.
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Angel Reese shared a spectacular fan tribute with the latest colorway of her signature Reebok shoes.
In June 2024, Reese surprised her fan base with a tweet that confirmed long-standing speculation about what the group was called. "Reese’s pieces where yall at?????", the WNBA star said, sending her supporters into a delightful frenzy. Now, more than two years later, Reese is paying tribute to her fans with a special surprise.
On Friday, Reese and Reebok revealed a special colorway of her Angel Reese 1 designed with fans in mind. The shoes, appropriately called 'REESE’S,' come in a brown, yellow and orange palette with miniature pops of color on the outside of the shoe that lean into the fan base name. The three-time All-Star dropped the shoes alongside the launch of a new candy variety.
“Seeing the Reebok Angel Reese 1 come to life is such a full-circle moment for me. I love how the iconic Reese's orange, yellow and brown come to life on my signature shoe in a way that feels bold, playful and true to my style, both on and off the court," Reese said. "Launching it alongside REESE’S PIECES with Chocolate Cookie makes it even more special, especially because my fans have always called themselves the REESE’S PIECES. I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it!”
The ‘REESE’S’ colorway of the Angel Reese 1 goes on sale Oct. 20th.
Reese, who is fresh off winning gold with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup, is having a huge year. She also released a Barbie doll that debuted in July amid a career season with the Atlanta Dream.
The forward, selected out of LSU with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Chicago Sky, is averaging a double-double for the third consecutive season. Reese is putting up a career-high 16.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals through 41 games.
She leads the league in total rebounds, offensive rebounds (5.1 per game) and double-doubles (30). Reese is also third in steals per game and well within reach of becoming the WNBA's first player to grab 500 rebounds in a single season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese drops perfect fan tribute with candy-inspired Reebok shoes