WNBA LUNACY: Cathy Engelbert and the league can’t define what the ‘W’ in WNBA stands for | Don’t @Dan Dakich and me
Recently, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham took a bold stance in support of women’s sports, coinciding with former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White entering the 2027 WNBA Draft. This prompted the WNBA’s official task committee to meet and discuss the very definition of being a woman. However, they were unable to reach a consensus. Instead, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s league pointed fingers at external “hatred and vitriol” and opted to arrange another meeting. In the latest episode of Don’t @ Me, Dan Dakich highlights the absurdity of the WNBA’s ongoing struggles.
The WNBA and its supporters seem locked in a battle to outdo the most outrageous antics in sports history. Despite all efforts, the league has seen a surge in popularity lately, largely thanks to Caitlin Clark. She has drawn considerable attention, elevating ratings and attendance to levels where players now enjoy better salaries and travel arrangements. Yet, it’s worth noting that Clark is not universally liked within the league or among other fans.
In recent weeks, the WNBA’s tendency for self-sabotage has resurfaced, now focused on a heightened backlash against Sophie Cunningham.
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So, what did Cunningham do to provoke such hostility? She publicly expressed her support for excluding male athletes from women’s sports—a stance that resonates with a significant majority of Americans, although seems to be at odds with the values held by the WNBA’s players, coaches, and officials. Meanwhile, the league has been mired in ongoing discussions about defining the term “woman.”
For her “offense,” Cunningham faced boos, protests, and criticism from colleagues, while opposing coaches donned T-shirts targeting her. In an event that seemed rather shocking, her own coach publicly defended Di’Jonai Carrington after a foul left Cunningham injured.
Now, to further illustrate the peculiar climate surrounding WNBA fandom, Cunningham’s name has reportedly been banned from the WNBA subreddit. Yes, really.
A Reddit user attempted to share a post about Cunningham on the r/WNBA subreddit, only to discover that her name—and several related terms—had been blocked. When the user reached out to a moderator for clarification, they were informed that this was an intentional decision and further inquiries could lead to additional restrictions.
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Some might wonder, why is there a ban on discussing a player from the league? One moderator explained it was to prevent trolls and non-supportive fans from disrupting the subreddit. However, other users countered that it seemed illogical to silence posts about a player who has genuine fans.
When pressed further, the moderator instructed the user to explore other subreddits if they wished to discuss Cunningham freely. This led to questions about how barring conversations about WNBA athletes on the r/WNBA subreddit was even reasonable.
The response aimed to shut down any further dialogue, asserting that the decision had been made and warned of potential bans for non-compliance.
Ah yes, that’s the WNBA fandom we all know and “love.”
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This whole situation really exemplifies the issues within the league. It seems almost hilariously out of touch with reality, showing little interest in fostering players that fans care about. Although the new fans drawn in by Clark and those who admire Cunningham have helped to elevate the league’s profile, the WNBA’s response has been to undermine its own potential for growth. Rather than embracing and celebrating this moment to boost the league’s popularity long-term, they’re more focused on creating obstacles. It’s just emblematic of the WNBA’s typical approach.
