The WNBA has gained immense traction in recent years, but this season is changing the narrative. Instead of focusing solely on the game, the transgender athlete debate has taken over the league, clouding the sport.
Not only are active and former basketball players speaking out alongside fans, but so are analysts, political figures, and athletes from different professional sports. This includes ex-NFL player Ryan Clark, who recently made his stance rather clear.
Ryan Clark Will Not ‘Give Life’ to the WNBA’s Trans-Athlete Debate
The 2009 Super Bowl champion sat down with Pivot Podcast and broke his silence regarding the ongoing trans-athlete debate.
“The biggest thing to me is that the WNBA needs to take a stand and say they stand with the women who are on the court right now playing,” he said. “That, that is who they want to protect, and we should stop having conversations about a make-believe issue that the WNBA has not had in 30 years of its existence.”
Clark adamantly followed up by adding, “We should be talking about the fact that Sydney Taylor has gone from undrafted player to clutch bucket maker in the most important moments for her team. That Natasha Cloud, just three games before the incident happened, had 35 points, and she was looking for a team this offseason.”
I won’t speak the names of those irrelevant to the WNBA conversation, nor will I give life to a debate that hasn’t defined this league across 30 years of existence. There’s too much happening on the court to be distracted by noise from those looking for a moment.
I’d rather talk… pic.twitter.com/rQsnD6WIrb
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 28, 2026
The former NFL star wasn’t done there; he highlighted Caitlin Clark’s achievements, along with Angel Reese’s and Paige Bueckers’. The WNBA is filled with talent, but the lines seem to be getting blurred.
“Caitlin Clark on that very night hit eight three-pointers,” Clark stated. “This is somebody that’s in the MVP conversations, one of he faces of your league, and instead of talking about that, uplifting her and her game, you’re now dealing with nonsense and having to have conversations about that.”
“Angel Reese goes for 31 points two games ago, has 26 rebounds in the next game to break a record. You’ve been fighting all this time for those sorts of people to be recognized. Paige Bueckers goes six for six in three-pointers.”
“Dallas is now in the playoffs, a great turnaround,” he stated. “So, to me, I think we need to look at this league, and they need to look at themselves, as it’s about the women who are on the court now. It’s about the faces of the league now, and how do we amplify their voices and stop having conversations about ghosts at the moment, because there are people seeking attention because they no longer have it.”
With record-breaking performances and young talent on the rise, while WNBA legends continue to dominate, the WNBA has been swimming in a pool of controversy. Clark isn’t being unreasonable to point out the growing faults.
The league is in deep water, and it must find a way to get back to basics: playing basketball and playing it well.
