Sophie Cunningham’s stance against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports has sparked one of the WNBA’s most polarizing debates in recent memory. The Indiana Fever guard has drawn sharp criticism from some corners while earning vocal support from politicians, media personalities, and fans who share her views.
As the controversy continues to spill outside basketball, an old comment from U.S. President Donald Trump has resurfaced, adding another layer to the ongoing discussion.
Donald Trump’s Viral LeBron James-WNBA Comment Reemerges Amid Sophie Cunningham-Trans Athlete Controversy
During an interview with ESPN last month, Cunningham rejected the “MAGA Barbie” label and insisted her position had nothing to do with politics.
“I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” Cunningham said.
A few days later, the eight-year WNBA veteran doubled down, calling her position “common sense” and saying she would not back away from her “beliefs” and “morals” despite the backlash.
As the debate intensified, a remark Trump made in 2022 began circulating widely on social media once again.
“I’ll tell you what, I’d be the greatest women’s basketball coach in history ’cause I don’t like LeBron James, I like Michael Jordan much better,” Trump said during a talk at the America First Policy Institute.
“But I’d go up to LeBron James; it doesn’t matter, I’d say, ‘LeBron, did you ever have any desire to be a woman? Because what I’d love you to do is star on my team that I’m building up. I will have the greatest team in history. They’ll never lose. Nobody will come within 70 points of this team.”
Donald Trump says if he coached in the WNBA, he’d ask LeBron if he has “any desire to be a woman” 😭 pic.twitter.com/M74QJlw28L
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) August 5, 2026
The point Trump made mirrors one of the central arguments raised by Cunningham’s supporters. According to them, biologically male athletes possess physical advantages that undeniably create an uneven playing field in women’s sports.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made a similar case last month while defending Cunningham’s comments. Smith argued that she was “1,000% correct” and suggested that creating a separate competitive league for transgender athletes would be a better solution than allowing them to compete against biological women.
Trump’s James example was designed to illustrate the same concern. The hypothetical of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and four-time champion competing in the WNBA underscores what Cunningham and her supporters have been stressing.
Although Cunningham has repeatedly rejected being portrayed as a political figure or a MAGA supporter, her position closely aligns with the argument Trump and other public figures have made about preserving women’s sports for biological females.
Whether the debate is framed around politics, science, or competitive fairness, one thing has become increasingly clear: Cunningham’s comments have ignited a national conversation that now extends far beyond the WNBA, with no sign of fading anytime soon.
