The last time I broached this subject, I began with something dubbed the “Bubba/Smollett Paradox.”
It’s a simple paradox, as oxymoronic as that sounds, and it goes something like this: How is it that, despite all manner of histrionic claims from the left that racism is rampant, systemic, and out of control in America, so many major racism claims turn out to be false alarms?
At best, they can typically be chalked up to a misunderstanding. At worst, they often feel like very deliberate hoaxes.
And, man, does this WNBA debacle smell like the latter.
To wit, on May 17, the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark humbled the Chicago Sky and Angel Reese to the tune of a 93-58 beatdown.
Eternal basketball foes Clark and Reese had very different games, with the Fever star putting in a triple-double, while the Sky forward struggled mightily — again — from the field.
There was also a hard foul that Clark delivered that incensed Reese:
Caitlin Clark received a flagrant foul on this play.
Aliyah Boston and Angel Reese received offsetting technical fouls. pic.twitter.com/jzQYEW92TW
— ESPN (@espn) May 17, 2025
Should the WNBA apologize to Indiana Fever fans?
That foul, which was eventually upgraded to a flagrant (as someone who watched those “Jordan Rules,” don’t even get me started on how soft that is), capped off an otherwise lopsided chapter in the rivalry between Clark and Reese.
Or, it should have capped it all off.
Despite the rather straightforward nature of everything that happened in that May 17 tilt, the league and its leftist mouthpieces, like ESPN, manufactured a racism controversy, seemingly out of thin air.
Here is the ambiguous statement and allegation — seemingly throwing Indiana fans under the bus in the process — from the league shortly after the Fever-Sky game:
The following has been released by the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/LgSImP1x3Y
— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) May 18, 2025
“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter,” the league said in a statement.
And, yeah, sure, that sounds swell and noble and stuff. But it should go without saying how wildly unfair it was to the Fever and their fan base to basically cast such a wide aspersion based on such little information.
It doesn’t take much effort to find all sorts of allegations that Fever fans were a rabid pack of racists across social media based on that league statement.
Rampant speculation is nobody’s — not even the league’s — friend in this sort of situation. Especially when swathes of skeptics thought that the league may have been making all of this up because the lucrative “rivalry” between Clark and Reese is getting a little too one-sided to call it that.
Boy, those skeptics are going to have a field day now.
The following has been released by the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/rFlKQAHmzQ
— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) May 27, 2025
“We have investigated the report of racist fan behavior in the vicinity of the court during the May 17, 2025, Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever game,” the league said, via statement.
“Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team, and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated it.
“The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct.”
Not included in the statement was a sorely needed apology to the Fever’s fans, who were apparently dragged through the mud based on an unsourced, unfounded, and now untrue allegation.
Shouldn’t the league have spoken to those “relevant fans, team and arena staff” and other evidence before announcing the very serious claim that Indiana fans were being racist? At the very least, it shouldn’t have been nine full days between a vague initial statement and the conclusion.
And look, yes, there’s an inclination to believe that this debacle might be more of the “misunderstanding” variety of the “Bubba/Smollett Paradox.” After all, mistakes happen.
But the vilely leftist WNBA hasn’t exactly earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to any matter involving social justice.
(The WNBA’s owner, the NBA, isn’t much better in this regard.)
Two quick, last points to make:
- This writer can’t stress enough how much Indiana fans are owed an apology.
- This sort of performative social justice nonsense is exactly why this league has stared down irrelevancy for so long, and will continue to struggle for traction despite being hand-gifted Clark, one of the most marketable sports stars we’ve ever seen.
If, and yes, it’s a big “if,” the WNBA ever decides for some introspection as to why the league struggles to grow at the pace college women’s basketball seems to be, they won’t need to look any further than this whole disaster.
It’s the perfect, sad crystallization of so much of what’s wrong with leftism’s infection of sports.
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