{"id":994887,"date":"2026-08-11T18:55:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T18:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/994887\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T18:55:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T18:55:31","slug":"stephen-a-smith-blames-the-right-for-wnba-firestorm-says-league-left-the-door-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/994887\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen A. Smith blames \u2018the right\u2019 for WNBA firestorm, says league \u2018left the door open\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith<\/a> tried to pin some of the political turmoil surrounding the WNBA on “the right,” but his argument ultimately circled back to the league’s own failures.<\/p>\n

Even as Smith accused conservatives of politicizing controversy, he argued that the WNBA created the opening by failing to establish clear rules and leadership, namely around the transgender issue increasingly confronting the league.<\/p>\n

\"Stephen <\/p>\n

Stephen A. Smith attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 6, 2025. (Allen Berezovsky\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\"Indiana <\/p>\n

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) questions a referees call during a game against the Golden State Valkyries on July 15, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Brian Spurlock\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

On his eponymous YouTube show Monday, Smith put the responsibility on the league office, arguing that its lack of clear guidelines has allowed disputes over biological males competing in women’s sports to consume the conversation.<\/p>\n

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“You\u2019ve got to have rules and regulations,” Smith said. “You\u2019ve got to have law. You\u2019ve got to have order. You can\u2019t have this.”<\/p>\n

Smith then turned his attention to the right, accusing conservatives of maneuvering through the controversy for political advantage<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That includes former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, who have declared themselves eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft<\/a> in an effort to challenge the league’s gender-eligibility rules.<\/p>\n

Smith’s larger point: The WNBA left the door open for its political opponents to walk right through it.<\/p>\n

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“Sure, the right is maneuvering its way through the terrain and politicizing this issue,” Smith said. “It doesn\u2019t negate the fact that the WNBA left the door open for it to happen. They have dropped the ball. I\u2019m talking about the league office. I\u2019m not talking about players.”<\/p>\n

Smith blamed the right for exploiting the controversy while simultaneously arguing that the WNBA made itself vulnerable to that exploitation.<\/p>\n

“And now it\u2019s gotten to the point where everything about them is going to be politicized<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Smith brought up Indiana Fever<\/a> guard Sophie Cunningham<\/a>, who has drawn attention for speaking out on women’s sports and has taken plenty of heat for views that don’t exactly mesh with the WNBA establishment.<\/p>\n

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Smith pointed to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier<\/a> and questioned whether the Republican official would show the same interest if an athlete expressed liberal views. Smith also made clear that he agrees with Cunningham’s position on protecting female athletics.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ve got the Florida attorney general. Clearly, it\u2019s politicized. I wonder if he would have said that if it was somebody other than Sophie Cunningham, who obviously has made a name for herself speaking up about the issues that she has spoken about as it pertains to protecting girls in competitive sports, which, by the way, I support her position on,” Smith said.<\/p>\n

\"DiJonai <\/p>\n

DiJonai Carrington of the Chicago Sky fouls Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever during the first half Aug. 8, 2026, at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“If that had been a liberal, or somebody with a liberal-thinking mind in terms of that particular issue, who spouted stuff opposite of what Sophie Cunningham would have said, would the Florida attorney general, James Uthmeier, have taken that position then? I don\u2019t think so, but I don\u2019t know.”<\/p>\n

But Smith’s attempt to blame the right for politicizing the controversy also served his broader criticism of the WNBA.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“But the time has come for folks to stop whining about how stuff is being politicized and do something about it so it can\u2019t be politicized,” Smith said. “Do something or suck it up! Do something or suck it up. You don\u2019t have a choice other than those two.”<\/p>\n

Smith closed with a warning: As long as the WNBA keeps serving up perceived double standards, critics will keep feasting on them.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ve got to take a stand at some point, because folks are coming,” Smith said. “Because it\u2019s an opportunity to point out flagrant hypocrisies, and they\u2019re not going to pass it up, no matter what folks say.”<\/p>\n

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com<\/a> \/ Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela<\/a><\/p>\n

Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.\u00a0<\/p>\n