ESPN anchor Elle Duncan faced criticism during the WNBA All-Star Game broadcast for some controversial remarks.
Her comments came during halftime as she noted the scoring from both teams, saying, “I hope there’s a bit more competition,” after highlighting Kate Clark’s impressive first-half score of 82 points. She added, “Because now, like a girl’s trip to Cancun, there’s no D.”
Analyst Chiney Ogwumike quickly responded, telling Duncan, “Elle, you’re timed out. You’re done.” The broadcast then cut to a commercial break.
Despite backlash on social media, Duncan stands by her words. On “The Dan Le Batard Show,” she defended her comments.
“I feel like that Cancun joke serves as a refresher for those unfamiliar with me or my work over the last decade,” Duncan explained.
She remarked, “I said, ‘Buddy, if you celebrate too early, it’s too early.’ Can’t imagine it being worse than that.”
“So, I thought it was silly. It was meant to be funny. Some people found it amusing; others, not so much. That’s just how it goes.”
Duncan also tackled some reactions to her remark, recalling how some questioned what message she was sending to kids.
“The funny part is people asking, ‘What am I saying to the kids?'” Duncan continued. “If you need to explain that ‘D’ refers to male anatomy, I hope you’re prepared for that conversation with a child old enough to watch basketball. My four-year-old knows what a penis is.”
“It’s just absurd. The notion that this is somehow out of bounds is truly surprising to me. I’ve been a bit taken aback,” she added.
Her comments quickly took off on social media, spurring mixed reactions.
One comment read, “Please add this to the long list of reasons why we don’t take @WNBA or @ESPN seriously,” under the video of Duncan.
Another added, referencing comedian Shane Gillis, remarked that if he had said something similar, he’d likely face serious consequences.
As the second half got underway, the action leaned more towards offense. Collier’s standout performance with 36 points helped her team secure a 151-131 victory over Clark’s squad in the All-Star Game.
