The WNBA is facing criticism from right-wing activist Riley Gaines, who believes that the league is actively causing its own downfall.
Gaines shared her opinion after the WNBA announced that one of the teams competing in the All-Star Game will partner with a charity that aims to provide sports opportunities for girls and LGBTQ+ youth.
Riley Gaines Bashes WNBA for Supporting LGBTQ+ Charity
The WNBA has announced the two charities that teams competing in the 2026 All-Star Game will be playing for. “Team Spoon” will support Girls in the Game, an organization that partners with local schools, parks, and community centers to provide girls with opportunities in sports and health programs.
Meanwhile, “Team Coop” will be playing for Angels Athletics, which aims to encourage young girls to participate in sports.
Gaines hit out at the WNBA for partnering with a charity that supports LGBTQ+ youth. She shared a post that cited the charity’s website, which states that the charity welcomes “LGBTQ+ youth and gender-expansive participants regardless of gender identity or expression.”
“In the least surprising news of the day, the WNBA continues to be a parody of a professional sports league committed to its own self-implosion,” Gaines wrote.
In the least surprising news of the day, the WNBA continues to be a parody of a professional sports league committed to it’s own self-implosion https://t.co/N4BgB5D5Fx
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) July 21, 2026
The criticism from Gaines stems from the organization welcoming and encouraging LGBTQ+ youth to participate in its programs. The WNBA has been engulfed in controversy all year long, and this latest storm of criticism comes on the eve of one of the league’s biggest events of the year.
Meanwhile, the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game will mark the league’s 30th anniversary. The event will take place on Saturday, July 25. Teams will compete for a $100,000.
The winning team of the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game will receive $70,000, which will be awarded to the organization it supports. The team that loses the WNBA All-Star Game will donate $30,000 to the organization it supports.
The team names are based on the general managers of the two teams – Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon. The 2026 WNBA All-Star Draft took place last week, and the two rosters were announced.
“Team Spoon” will be led by Caitlin Clark, with the Indiana Fever superstar joined by A’ja Wilson, Olivia Miles, and Aliyah Boston. “Team Coop” also has a star-studded roster featuring Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Mitchell, Angel Reese, and Natasha Howard.
A WNBA 3-Point Contest and WNBA Shooting Stars will be the other headline events during the 2026 WNBA All-Star weekend.
