Breanna Stewart Says WNBA Inclusivity Is A ‘Big Thing’ After Sophie Cunningham Trans Comment
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has broken her silence over the WNBA controversy sparked by Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham‘s comments about trans athletes in women’s sports. The league has been the subject of recent debates on whether transgender women should be allowed to participate in sports.
In an interview with the New York Post, Stewart addressed Cunningham’s comments. It seemed like both women have different opinions regarding the matter.
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” Stewart said. “This league is incredibly inclusive, in what we continue to fight for and stand up against. So we don’t want to take that platform away.”
Stewart continued, “We just want to make sure that everyone is still educated and knows that the things that brought this league together – between the fight and the grit and the camaraderie – we can’t let that take us apart by outside hate.”
She Believes In Not Turning Anyone ‘Away’ As It’s ‘Not Right’
3Stewart emphasized that the “inclusivity” is the “big thing” for her.
“I don’t want to turn anyone away at the door because that’s not right either. But I know for a fact that people have a safe space here when they come to these games, and that’s something that… is really precious, and you have to hold on to and make sure that doesn’t change,” she explained.
Stewart also mentioned the competing rallies over the issue outside the Liberty vs. Fever game, highlighting WNBA’s platform to stir discussion rather than to ignite hate.
“Knowing that rallies are happening on both sides shows the platform that the W has, and the stunts for attention are just continuing to try and ride the wave that we have,” she said.
- Breanna Stewart is one of the most accomplished basketball players in history, and she co-founded Unrivaled, the innovative 3-on-3 women’s basketball league with Napheesa Collier.
- In 2023, they started the winter league, which consisted of 30 of the top women’s players competing in three-on-three and one-on-one games.
- Earlier this year, Unrivaled had a sold-out night, which became a defining moment in women’s basketball.
- Stewart and Collier’s Unrivaled joined forces with TOGETHXR, co-founded by world champion athletes Sue Bird, Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and sports media veteran Jessica Robertson.
- In January 2026, the Innovators of the Year award was presented to Collier and Stewart.
- Stewart is so popular that she gets birthday wishes from fans, and she responds.
Sophie Cunningham Stands By What She Said
3In an ESPN article published in July, Cunningham said she wants “protect young girls in the locker room,” where “they shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” This ignited a firestorm that put the WNBA on center stage of a contentious political debate.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said says later. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”
However, despite her comments regarding keeping trans athletes out of the WNBA, Cunningham claims that her political views are “very much in the middle.”
“I’m very much in the middle,” she said. “I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert Speaks Up About The Issue
Cathy Engelbert, WNBA’s commissioner, spoke up about the trans athlete issue. As reported by The Guardian, she denounced people who are trying to “sow divisiveness” as the league grapples with a debate over transgender athletes.
Engelbert made the comments on Thursday before the Indiana Fever’s loss to the Dallas Wings at the American Airlines Center in the Victory Park neighborhood of downtown Dallas. Demonstrators showed up outside, as they have at other venues since Cunningham’s stance on barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports.
“People are trying to use the league to sow divisiveness,” Engelbert said. “We’re being the center of political football for people who have never watched the WNBA, never have written about the WNBA or reported on the WNBA.”
Her statement echoed NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s recent use of “political football” to describe the debate that has engulfed the WNBA.
As per the collective bargaining agreement of the league, “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” However, it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Earlier this month, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, who are former NBA players, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women. A memo was sent by Engelbert this month to team presidents and general managers saying the league would accepting transgender women in women’s basketball.
“There’s always going to be haters out there and we denounce it,” she stated. “But that’s what happens when you have made it as a legitimate sports media and entertainment product.”
