Former ESPN personality Sage Steele has sharply criticized the Toronto Tempo after the WNBA expansion franchise introduced a nonbinary mascot, calling the move “laughable” as debate around gender identity in women’s sports continues to intensify.
The Tempo, set to begin play as Canada’s first WNBA team, revealed two official mascots earlier this week: Dot, an Arctic hare who uses she/her pronouns, and Dez, a snapping turtle who uses she/they pronouns.
The mascot debut took place during halftime of Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Fever, whose roster included Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham has recently been part of the wider conversation after speaking publicly about “protecting young girls” in sports.
Toronto’s unveiling quickly sparked mixed reactions online and inside the basketball community, with Steele now adding her voice to the backlash through a pointed post on social media.
Writing on X, Steele mocked the description of the mascot, saying that when a team presents “a butch, non-binary Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle” with she/they pronouns and a taste for soft-shell tacos, it should expect ridicule for what she described as an overly eager attempt to showcase inclusivity.
She closed the post by tagging the Tempo and the WNBA and branding the rollout “laughable.”
Former ESPN broadcaster Sage Steele criticized the Toronto Tempo over their nonbinary mascot reveal
Toronto introduced its new mascots, including Dez, who uses she/they pronouns, during halftime of Tuesday’s game against the Indiana Fever
In their description of Dez, the Tempo wrote: ‘Dez (she/they) is a Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle from Muskoka, Ontario. Their name is inspired by decibel, a nod to their love of music and role as the more measured half of the duo.
‘Dez is calm, clever and always thinking a few steps ahead.
‘A Taurus who spins the 1s and 2s in their spare time, Dez’s secret talent is snapping – they also have a particular fondness for soft shell tacos.’
According to team officials, the duo provides a modern twist on the classic fable of the tortoise and the hare, emphasizing that ‘knowing when to change pace can be just as important as the pace itself.’
‘From the beginning, we wanted our mascots to feel distinctly Tempo – rooted in who we are as a Canadian team,’ said Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer for the Tempo.
‘Dez and Dot have completely different personalities, but they’re better together. One knows when to slow things down, the other knows when to turn the energy all the way up.’
The timing of the announcement added a layer of intrigue to the evening, coming on the same night the Tempo hosted Cunningham and the Fever at Scotiabank Arena.
Cunningham has recently been at the center of intense league-wide debate after expressing her views on biological gender participation in women’s sports during an interview with ESPN.
The franchise confirmed that Dez, a Snapping Turtle, uses she/they pronouns
The timing of the announcement added a layer of intrigue to the evening, coming on the same night the Tempo hosted Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever at Scotiabank Arena
Cunningham’s stance 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.
