For years, Elle Duncan has been one of the most recognizable voices in WNBA coverage. But as another season winds down, the veteran host is sounding the alarm: the league she loves has become a battleground of toxicity.
In a candid interview on WHYY's Sports in America podcast, Duncan didn't hold back. "Right now, the WNBA is the most toxic space to cover," she said. "And that's incredibly frustrating and sad."
Duncan, who recently left ESPN for Netflix after a long stint as a SportsCenter anchor and WNBA Countdown host, will be working the WNBA playoffs for USA Network. She's watched the league's popularity soar, but she's also seen the conversation get hijacked by controversies that have little to do with what happens on the court.
Instead of celebrating dynasties like the Las Vegas Aces' three-peat bid or the surprising rise of the Golden State Valkyries, national discourse has been dominated by hard fouls and politically charged comments. Duncan says this is a far cry from the league's earlier days, when any attention was welcomed.
"There was so much conversation early on, 'Hey this is maybe not such a bad thing, right? No such thing as bad publicity, right?'" Duncan recalled. "It's all good. Now we're like the men's sports. We've got stupid narratives and discourse and we've got false things being said. Uh-oh, we've made it! We're like the men.'"
But that optimism has soured. "I think, very quickly, that's turned into, 'Oh my goodness, everything that people revered and loved about this space is essentially being hijacked,'" she added.
Duncan is frustrated that the focus has shifted away from the game itself. "There is so much we should and could be talking about," she said. "And instead, every other day is an examination of what this foul means, and a generalization of what this league is about, and an admonishment of the women before. And it just feels like we are in a perpetual cycle that we can't break out of."
She points to the constant attacks from media personalities and the pressure on players like Caitlin Clark to address fan behavior. "Every single time there is some ammunition added onto this fire, I know at least for me personally, I put my hands in the air, just like I did on Sunday, and I go, 'Here we go again.' It's the worst timeline right now."
Despite her frustration, Duncan remains hopeful. She believes the WNBA's on-court product is thriving, with rising ratings and compelling storylines. The key, she says, is to collectively reset the narrative.
"I think, collectively, we've got to put our heads together and figure out how we right this ship," Duncan said. "Because we have an opportunity here to celebrate this monumentous moment and this movement in the WNBA, and I think we are wasting it by muddying it down with everything else that's bothering us in this country right now."
