Breanna Stewart Would Speak Out Against 'Certain Fan Base' Amid WNBA Controversy
Many prominent members of the women's basketball community have spoken out about the influx of hate that the WNBA has experienced this year, which appears to have arrived in tandem with the massive jump in interest and attention that Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has brought to the league.
Whether it was Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, Phoenix Mercury standout Brittney Griner, Connecticut Sun star forward Alyssa Thomas, and even Clark herself, the WNBA's biggest names are all denouncing hateful fan behavior that has become increasingly prevalent in their sport.
What's more, many players (such as Reese and Thomas) are singling out the Indiana Fever's/Caitlin Clark's fan base specifically when speaking.
The most recent person to add her own opinion was New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart. When the 2023 WNBA MVP was asked if she believes players should speak out more about inappropriate comments made by a "certain fan base" (which the reporter presumably meant as the Fever/Clark fans), Stewart sent a clear message.
"I guess to each his own. But if it was me, I would," Stewart responded, per the @NYLibertyFanTV X account. "And that's really kind of the position that I would want to be in. Because I want my fans to be inclusive of all, and to understand and to realize how hard all of these women are working on the court.
"And no matter what, whether it's me and A'ja going against each other, or whoever the case may be, there's a tremendous amount of respect there. And that needs to follow suit with our fans," Stewart concluded.
After today’s practice, I asked Stewie and Sab if they believe players should speak out more about inappropriate comments made online or by fans at games.
— NYLFTV (@NYLibertyFanTV) September 27, 2024
Should players speak up when their names are being used to push hurtful agendas? #WNBA pic.twitter.com/IZeIQWHYMF
It's unknown whether Stewart heard Clark's comments from earlier today.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.