CHICAGO, IL — Legendary WNBA point guard Sue Bird, never one to tiptoe around an issue, is putting everyone on notice: racism, sexism, and homophobia in women’s sports didn’t just stroll into the WNBA with Caitlin Clark. It’s been here all along. And now that it’s suddenly trending, Bird’s got a few words about the frenzy.
In a new episode of A Touch More, co-hosted by her equally outspoken partner Megan Rapinoe, Bird laid it all out like a playbook: “The things that have held back women’s sports are racism, sexism, and homophobia amongst other things. But that is the starting point, and that is the lens with which you have to look through a lot of these things.” Oh, and about Clark? She’s the newest face, but not the origin story.
“Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year. This is not a new thing,” Bird explained. She thinks Clark, the Indiana Fever rookie and human highlights reel, is getting used as a “pawn” in a much older game. “Caitlin didn’t bring racism to the WNBA,” she continued. “This has been happening. And that, I think, is what’s been such a shock for all of us—that other people are surprised. We’ve been trying to tell you.” Well, yeah, but apparently no one was listening until they saw Clark in a Fever jersey.
Bird, however, wasn’t about to pull a blanket over the heads of all Fever fans or Clark’s growing fanbase. “It has to go because it’s not the Fever fans, it’s not Caitlin fans,” Bird clarified, showing her veteran finesse with words. “That is a large group of people. Let’s stick with the Fever for a second. That is a large group of people.” Translation: don’t come for the whole squad just because some fans are out here using Clark’s star power to peddle hate and division.
And let’s be real, social media is feeding the flames. Suddenly, the WNBA, a league that’s long been overlooked or misjudged, is front and center in the culture wars. More people are tuning in, more seats are filled, and—surprise!—the discourse has gotten darker, more menacing, and more clickbait-worthy. But what did you expect when bad-faith actors saw an opportunity to latch onto Clark and women’s basketball?
Even WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert found herself tangled in the backlash. In a September interview on CNBC, when asked about the toxic tone swirling around the league, Engelbert didn’t exactly dunk on the racism. Instead, she made the ever-so-safe comment that rivalries are good for business. That went over about as well as a missed layup. Terri Jackson, executive director for the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), wasn’t having it. The union promptly fired off a statement expressing disappointment in Engelbert’s response, with Jackson practically asking, “Where’s the fire?”.
Realizing she’d probably fumbled the play, Engelbert issued a follow-up, telling players she “missed the mark.” A classic “my bad” moment, if there ever was one. Then, as any good commissioner should, she reassured everyone the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments. The league, she added, is keeping tabs on any threat-related activity and will work with teams, arenas, and law enforcement to keep things in check.
But the message from Bird is clear: this problem isn’t new. It’s just louder now. If you’ve been sleeping on the WNBA, consider this your wake-up call. And maybe, just maybe, start listening to the voices who’ve been saying it all along.
In the meantime, while the rest of the world debates who’s pushing what agenda, Bird will be sipping her tea, watching from the sidelines, because she’s been here, done that, and she’s not surprised at all.
