The WNBA exploded in popularity this season thanks in large part to rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. But USWNT legend Megan Rapinoe thinks the league has a problem as a result of the newfound popularity.
During the latest episode of her “A Touch More” podcast, Megan Rapinoe expressed her displeasure at the racism and other problems that the league faced this season, placing heavy blame on commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
“Racism is never okay, sexism is never okay whether online or in real life, misogyny, homophobia, all the things are never okay and this is where I feel the [WNBA] players have been failed the most,” Rapinoe said on the podcast according to OutKick.
“I feel like they have been greatly failed by the league and Cathy [Engelbert] the commissioner this year. This isn’t new, this has been coming.”
Rapinoe seems to think that Engelbert did not do enough to protect the players and the league from racism.
“You had bonafide superstars in Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark in what should have been an unbelievably exciting time where everyone can just celebrate the explosion of women’s basketball into a whole new stratosphere. We all saw this, we all experienced,” Rapinoe said, referring to racism.
“The WNBA and league office, and Cathy’s role specifically, is basically to protect and shepherd the league both from a business perspective, from a player welfare perspective, from a health and safety perspective, and from a growth and investment perspective,” Rapinoe continued. “And this is where I feel like she failed. We have space for mistakes being made, but we did see this coming. It needed to be plainly stated that this is who we are and this is what the WNBA is.”
Clearly, Rapinoe is not happy with the league’s leadership.
[OutKick]
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