By admin 
As Sophie Cunningham gets involved in another WNBA controversy, NFL player-turned-sports analyst Ryan Clark, who was fired by ESPN last month, wants the WNBA and the league’s media to stay away from her “divisive gossip” and instead focus on the good things happening in the league.
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According to Clark, after Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier criticized WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s tenure, the league has experienced a “messaging” issue that has continued this season and has led to the biggest controversies hurting the league today.
“We’re seeing players who don’t average 10 points a game, and every day that’s who’s on your networks, on your TVs, answering questions and starting back-and-forths about things that aren’t basketball. What should be being talked about in this league is the Minnesota Lynx and Olivia Miles, who’s come in as a rookie and taken over the league, and Napheesa Collier is back, Kayla McBride hits 10 3’s over the weekend. Talk about that,” Clark explained.
The WNBA has a messaging problem-and it starts at the top.
After 30 years of fighting for respect and legitimacy, the league is finally on the cusp of its breakthrough. Yet the lack of professionalism at the highest level has trickled down.
Now, divisive gossip from a 9-point… pic.twitter.com/mDNreC2giv
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 11, 2026
The WNBA should push the right things
Clark also mentioned the Golden State Valkyries, with Gabby Williams, who has the second-best record in the league in only their second year in the “W.” Clark also mentioned A’ja Wilson still dominating the league four MVP awards later, and Chelsey Gray still amazing while the Aces are the reigning champs.
Ryan even talked about the Indiana Fever, with Kelsey Mitchell dropping 30 a night while working to earn her PhD and Caitlin Clark, whom he said can be one of the faces of the league or still needs to get better at basketball, but matters a lot to the WNBA.
“To me, it’s about pushing the right things, not only if you’re the executives but the players as well. Talking about the right things, making sure that the right things are in the forefront of people’s minds,” he added.
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Clark also issued a strong statement against Freedom and White
Aside from giving his take on the Sophie-DiJonai Carrington incident, Clark also gave his two cents on the two former NBA first-round picks who announced they are entering the 2027 WNBA Draft by identifying as female.
“If we are men, and as former athletes, and we understand how hard it is to get respect in the game, don’t make a mockery of what these women are going through. Don’t make jokes about things you’ll never understand. Stay out of it. If you don’t have some input, either right or wrong, whether it’s impactful or helpful, then let them people be. Because dudes who can no longer play, who want to make jokes about something that is incredibly serious, are absolute clowns.”
In his tweet accompanying the video, Clark also urged the media to do the same – redirect the conversation to basketball and stop giving mileage to people who are only destroying the league.
However, him referring to Sophie’s original transgender comments as “divisive gossip from a 9-point scorer” only inflames the issue even more. Because it wasn’t gossip, it was merely an answer to a question from one of his former colleagues at ESPN, who asked her about a 2022 issue. Also, Clark praised Gabby Williams, who said she was willing to play with or against transgender players in the WNBA. Isn’t that gossip, too?
Related: “Cunningham fouls an opponent, she’s an enforcer…Carrington does the same, she’s a danger” – Ex-NBA player says the Sophie Cunningham/DiJonai Carrington situation is proof of white privilege
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This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 12:06 AM.