The WNBA sparked a split reaction among fans after posting a birthday message for Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Cunningham turned 30 on Sunday, the same day the Fever edged the Atlanta Dream 95-91 in a dramatic overtime matchup.
The Indiana standout has drawn heightened attention in recent weeks after entering the debate over transgender athletes in the WNBA.
The issue has stirred controversy around the league, particularly after Cunningham said she wanted to “protect young girls” from “biological men.”
Amid the uproar, and after the WNBA stated there were no problems with its eligibility rules, the league still marked Cunningham’s birthday with a post on Sunday.
“Join us in wishing a Happy Birthday to 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Champion, Sophie Cunningham,” the WNBA’s official X account wrote.
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham celebrated her 30th birthday on Sunday
The post quickly drew criticism from some fans, with several accusing the league of using Cunningham’s name and the surrounding controversy to drive engagement.
‘You won’t protect her against hate, but you’ll capitalize on her birthday. @WNBA is disgusting,’ one fan responded to the post.
Another questioned: ‘Oh now you like her when she can get you clicks?’
‘The balls of the @WNBA for wishing her a happy birthday when they have attacked her and set her up for failure,’ a third wrote.
‘This post just lets you know that the WNBA is just milking this controversy for attention,’ claimed a fourth.
Meanwhile, others took issue with the league sending well wishes to Cunningham as they seemingly opposed her stance on the issue.
‘Not a chance. She’s a bigot,’ one social media user bluntly replied.
‘Yeah I’m done with the WNBA. Shameful organization,’ added another.
The WNBA wished Cunningham a happy birthday on the league’s official X account
The WNBA has been engulfed by controversy after Cunningham’s comments on the participation of trans athletes in women’s sports
Cunningham’s stance has sparked uproar around the league, drawing both criticism and support alike. Two former NBA stars, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft in an apparent protest.
Freedom, who played in the NBA for 11 seasons and stands at 6ft 10in, announced his plans to declare for the WNBA Draft earlier this month amid the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athlete involvement in sports.
The former hoops star, who allegedly sent a provocative letter to WNBA commissioner, has sparked widespread criticism with his divisive decision.
Meanwhile, since his statement of intent, another former NBA star, White, has followed suit, also declaring for the WNBA Draft.
The 35-year-old, who only played three games in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings, told Fox News Digital that he is now transgender and wants to join the likes of Clark and Cunningham on the court next season.
White later doubled down by posting a picture of himself wearing a wig on social media.
WNBA general managers and presidents met on Wednesday as part of an anti-hate task force to discuss the subject of athlete eligibility amid the transgender debate.
Despite the uproar, the powers-that-be determined that there were no issues with its eligibility criteria, suggesting that no changes would be made.
WNBA chiefs, including commissioner Cathy Engelbert, met on Wednesday to discuss the subject of transgender athletes in the league
Ex-NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom has vowed to officially declare for the WNBA Draft in 2027
Royce White trolled his critics by posing in a wig and celebrating his ‘feminine era’
The league announced following the meeting that it had ruled that there were ‘no immediate eligibility matters affecting’ the WNBA at this time.
WNBA chiefs also took the chance to address the recent storm surrounding the league, hitting out at ‘bad-faith efforts’ to ‘marginalize others.’
‘Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online,’ a spokesman for the league said in a statement, via The New York Post.
‘We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league.
‘There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.’
Currently, the league’s collective bargaining agreement states that ‘only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,’ but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth.
Some WNBA players and coaches have come out in support of transgender athletes, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.
‘We need to protect trans kids,’ Reeve said on August 1. ‘To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports.’
