The WNBA’s bold new chapter is set to unfold in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), following the league’s recent green light to grow to 18 teams by 2030. After welcoming the Toronto and Portland franchises in 2026, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert lauded the “unprecedented demand for women’s basketball,” emphasizing that the league’s footprint will soon span coast to coast.
But Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham previously expressed some doubt regarding the WNBA’s expansion to Cleveland and Detroit, questioning if players would even want to play there. Just a day later, Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell clapped back at the Fever star with a succinct reply.
Donovan Mitchell Fires Back at Sophie Cunningham’s WNBA Expansion Doubt
Amid the celebratory buzz, the six-time NBA All‑Star guard Mitchell couldn’t resist throwing a little shade of his own. In response to Cunningham’s skeptical remarks, Mitchell tweeted, “Cleveland in the summertime 🔥🔥.”
Cleveland in the summertime 🔥🔥 https://t.co/0SxAeH56XV
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) July 1, 2025
The four‑word mic drop landed with a splash and captured Mitchell’s unwavering pride in the city he’s called home since 2022.
The fireworks began on July 1 (ET) when Cunningham voiced her reservations about the chosen expansion sites during a Commissioners’ Cup media availability. “You want to listen to your players, too. Where do they want to play? Where are they gonna get excited to play? Man, I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland],” she said.
The Fever star even suggested that Miami, Nashville or Kansas City “would have been a great one” instead. Her off‑the‑cuff delivery, coupled with an apparent slip of the tongue referencing Cincinnati rather than Cleveland, swiftly ignited a backlash among fans and civic leaders alike.
Cleveland and Detroit Respond Strongly to Cunningham’s Statement
Detroit’s official X account ((@CityofDetroit) was first to answer the call. Pointing to the former Shock franchise’s storied history, the city reminded the Fever star that Detroit notched top‑five attendance for five consecutive seasons. It ranked No. 1 for three straight years and set a single‑game WNBA attendance record of 22,076 at the 2003 Finals.
“More than 775,000 people were excited to come to Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft,” the post read, “Detroit is a sports town. We’re sure we’ll see the same excitement for the WNBA returning.”
The last time we were home to a WNBA team (Detroit Shock) we ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals.
Additionally more than… https://t.co/ePZhzQE1f3
— City of Detroit (@CityofDetroit) July 1, 2025
Not to be outdone, Cleveland weighed in with a playful jab of its own. This time, invoking Cunningham’s own WNBA All‑Star teammate, Caitlin Clark. The City of Cleveland’s X post quipped, “Sophie, your teammate doesn’t seem to think Cleveland is too bad! … any player who comes here will feel that legendary passion Cleveland sports fans show our teams!”
The X account (@CityofCleveland) accompanied the message with Clark’s glowing take on her recent visit, in which she marveled at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and celebrated the prospect of playing in LeBron James’s old stomping grounds.
For Mitchell, the back‑and‑forth was an opportunity to flex both his wit and his loyalty to Cleveland. It also served as a reminder that sometimes the loudest statements come in the briefest packages.
