The WNBA is investigating allegations of hateful, racial comments made by a fan at the combative season opener between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever on Saturday in Indianapolis.
“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society,” the league said in a statement Sunday. “We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.”
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association also addressed the reports of “hateful comments” in a statement Sunday, saying, “Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport.”
“Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all,” the WNBPA added.
The statements did not indicate who was the target of the remarks, but the Indianapolis Star and other outlets reported that Sky forward Angel Reese was the target of the comments.
Some social media users alleged that the ABC/ESPN broadcast of the game picked up the incident in question. One video showed a male fan — wearing a red replica Caitlin Clark jersey with matching shorts — sitting courtside and making high-pitched noises while Reese shot a free throw with 4:38 left in the third quarter.
The man then stood and yelled in Reese’s direction after she missed the free throw.
Reese was at the line — and Indiana’s sellout crowd was particularly charged up — because Clark had been tagged with a flagrant foul when she raked her arm across Reese’s right arm while breaking up a potential Reese layup.
Reese landed hard on the floor, but rose quickly and strode in Clark’s direction, incensed. While Clark turned her back to Reese and walked away, Fever teammate Aliyah Boston stepped in to slow Reese and they exchanged words that led to a technical foul for both players.
It wasn’t the first time Clark and Reese have competed fiercely on the court. Their rivalry dates back to their college days, when Reese played for NCAA champion LSU and Clark starred for Iowa. LSU beat the Hawkeyes 102-85 in the 2023 title game in a tense atmosphere.
On Thursday, the day before this WNBA season began, the league unveiled its “No Space for Hate” campaign. The policy aims, among other things, to protect the WNBA community from hate speech and harassment.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert included these words as part of her statement:
“We want our arenas, and our social platforms filled with energy and fandom — not hate and vitriol. That means turning our values into action: strengthening digital and physical security, expanding access to mental health resources, and unifying our message across the league. It’s our responsibility to protect what makes this sport so special and ensure we continue to inspire the next generation of women’s basketball fans.”
–Field Level Media
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