Stephen A. Smith is known for speaking his mind, and this time he's aiming his fire at the WNBA. The ESPN star didn't hold back on his SiriusXM radio show, delivering a blunt warning to the league: it's time to wake up and face reality.
"It's important that the WNBA wakes up and acknowledges something. There's a lot of people that don't like you," Smith said. He praised analysts like Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter for trying to steer the conversation back to basketball, but he argued that fans simply aren't interested in that right now. "What she's not realizing is, people don't want to. It's not that they don't know any better. It's calculating. They don't want to! It's just that simple."
Smith's warning comes amid a season filled with off-court drama, from heated rivalries to political controversies. He claimed that people approach him in public to voice their disdain, often using the term "lesbian league." Smith dismissed that criticism, pointing out that most Americans support the LGBTQ+ community. He also called out right-wing figures for politicizing the league, specifically mentioning the Lieutenant Governor of Indiana's involvement in recent incidents. "He's trying to politicize it. Why? Because it's been politically expedient," Smith said.
While Smith's comments may sting, they echo a growing sentiment among some fans. The league has faced backlash over everything from physical play to off-court feuds, and Smith isn't the only one sounding the alarm. Earlier this year, Florida's attorney general issued a similar warning about the league's on-court conduct.
The WNBA's argument, of course, is that the negativity is a distraction from the quality of basketball. But Smith suggests that the league needs to own up to the fact that many fans are turned off by the constant drama. "We gotta stop playing games, and we gotta get down to the nitty-gritty of this all," he urged.
Smith's critique isn't just about the WNBA, though. He sees it as part of a larger trend in sports where politics and social issues overshadow the games themselves. He referenced the bold stance taken by Alex Morgan on transgender athlete policies, showing that these debates are happening across all sports.
For Smith, the solution is for the WNBA to acknowledge the problem and work to win back fans. He believes the league has a great product, but it's being buried under a mountain of controversy. "It's not that they don't know any better. It's calculating," he said, suggesting that some people are deliberately ignoring the basketball.
Whether the WNBA will heed Smith's warning remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the conversation around the league is about more than just the game. As Smith put it, "People do not like the WNBA," and that's a reality the league can't afford to ignore.
