Geno Auriemma Believes WNBA Has Been ‘Hijacked’ By Outside Noise

The WNBA is currently experiencing what can be described as the worst mess it has faced since the league first started operating. Its eligibility criteria and the support of its players and coaches toward some sections of society have not been well received.

Many might blame Sophie Cunningham for starting this discourse. But the Indiana Fever saying she wants to protect women’s sports from men posing as women was not why this situation became so embarrassing.

It took a turn for the worse when some players and coaches started supporting the inclusion of trans women in the league. That public display seemingly enraged those supporting Cunningham’s stance, and it boiled over.

When Seattle Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton confronted two teenage girls supporting the Indiana Fever star’s stance and forced them to take down their signs, it became worse.

The WNBA reacted instantly and banned her for five home games. But those supporting Cunningham’s stance were not happy. Soon, two former NBA players declared their interest in joining the 2027 WNBA draft, which threw the discourse into overdrive.

People have hijacked it, and it’s become whatever station you watch, whatever point of view you want to take, you’re going to have an opinion on what’s going on in the WNBA… The kind of attention that is being thrown at the WNBA — no, that’s not the kind of attention that you want for women’s sports.

Geno Auriemma said on CNBC Sport

The feisty, fiery UConn women’s basketball coach believes the league has allowed itself to become a mockery, since anyone can say anything about it. Instead of focusing on the game, these narratives have taken precedence.

Geno Auriemma believes Cathy Engelbert has to take charge of this situation

In this interview with CNBC Sport, the host asked Geno Auriemma whether the WNBA’s commissioner should take charge and change the discourse before it becomes a serious problem.

What you can do is you can constantly reiterate to the players and to all the stakeholders, how do we want to be perceived? How do we want to come across? We all want to be honest, we all want to be authentic… There’s got to be a way to get your message across that’s different. And maybe that is something that the commissioner can do.

Auriemma replied

The winningest coach in college women’s basketball made it clear that Cathy Engelbert might not be fully responsible for how players express their views. After all, Sophie Cunningham willingly gave her views without any link to the league.

At the same time, she still has to get everyone associated with the league to come to a common ground on how they should represent themselves and what they want to talk about. Only then can this situation calm down.

Geno Auriemma warns WNBA that it should stick to basketball

After talking about what the WNBA needs to focus on, that being its high-level basketball, Geno Auriemma went on to give the league and its players a subtle warning.

Nobody’s coming to watch another protest movement. Nobody’s coming to watch another political statement. They’re not. They’re coming to watch a basketball game.

Auriemma said

The 72-year-old added that this entire discourse surrounding trans athletes joining women’s professional sports is still a ‘hypothetical,’ as it has not happened.

So taking a stand on a situation that hasn’t happened is difficult for anyone. He believes everyone has the right to express what they believe. But this entire eligibility discourse has moved the WNBA away from the game. Unless they get back to that, this situation will not change.

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