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See the full story · 2 sourcesCredit: The Stephen A. Smith Show
Stephen A. Smith took issue with Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve’s comments on transgender athletes, accusing her of being “irresponsible” after she called for a more inclusive approach to one of the most polarizing debates in sports.
In a July 21 ESPN profile , Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham commented on her desire to protect “young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” leading to small groups of supporters against transgender participation in women’s sport appearing outside of the arenas before Indiana’s games. Ahead of Sunday’s demonstration in Minneapolis, Reeve provided a thoughtful, nuanced take on the subject, which has become a hot-button issue in the aftermath of Cunningham’s comments.
“I think the commissioner and the league have a responsibility to ensure that any topic that could be problematic for players- what they perceive to be unsafe or threatened in any way or discriminated against- I think that’s something that’s fair for our leadership,” Reeve said. “And I’m quite sure that they have eyes on and ears on to make sure that it’s a safe space for everyone. And that’s what makes our league beautiful.
“I come from a space of inclusion. And the narrative that I think that is problematic is to suggest that, number one, that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women’s sports. And I think this is what’s bothersome is that there’s a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue.”
Reeve went on to emphasize how critical it is to protect all children’s right to compete, while acknowledging that a solution that is both fair and inclusive should be sought out that doesn’t compromise anyone’s opportunities to compete at the highest levels of sport.
Cheryl Reeve speaking on the trans rally that is planned prior to the Indiana Fever game Sunday and her views around trans athletes and Women’s sports
Full video below: I don’t feel it’s right to clip or cut out snippets for quotes, so if you have time, give it a listen. pic.twitter.com/56NAo30aPq
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) August 1, 2026
“We have some issues,” she said. “Number one, we need to protect trans kids. Every kid— to me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports regardless of gender diversity, transgender. Every kid has the right to access.
“Now, what gets nuanced is, you know, when you’re beyond puberty, when you’re in Olympic sport, when… we have scholarships at stake and that sort of thing. That’s where I say that common-sense people get together, and you find common ground to find a way to be inclusive.”
During Sunday’s ESPN on ABC broadcast of the Fever-Lynx game, for which Reeve wore a “Trans Kid Belong” shirt, color commentator Rebecca Lobo encouraged viewers to find and listen to the coach’s “incredibly thoughtful” comments. However, one of Lobo’s colleagues at the Worldwide Leader, Stephen A. Smith, did not think very highly of Reeve’s stance.
“She was seen wearing a ‘Trans Kid Belong’ t-shirt. I’m going to repeat that. A ‘Trans Kid Belong’ t-shirt on Sunday during the game following the remarks from Sophie Cunningham,” Smith said in a 14-minute monologue on The Stephen A. Smith Show.
“And the thing that shocks me is, like, this is not a conversation about being anti-anything. This is a conversation about being pro-girls. Ladies and gentlemen, at some point in time, there has to be the return of common sense. This is not about preaching hate. Nobody is supporting that. This is not about looking at people who are trans and hating on them or wanting them denied their civil rights and civil liberties.”
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Smith went on to address Reeve directly.
“You are Cheryl Reeve. The head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. That is an irresponsible thing to do. You are a coach for a female basketball team. Do you not think that the females are being screwed over if they have to compete against an individual born as a male? What are you talking about?!
“You trying to tell me that a college player, for the men’s, should transition to a woman and be allowed to play in the WNBA or on a collegiate level to a women’s college program? What the hell are you talking about! Nobody said you can’t transition from male to female. The issue here is competing against the women! That’s what Sophie Cunningham is talking about.
“How are you, Cheryl Reeve, coming out in that t-shirt? No regard for the WNBA. No regard for the sponsors that may be put off by that. How is that okay?!”
Smith also questioned how Reeve’s stance might be received by the league and its sponsors, but his response did not address another key part of her remarks. Reeve noted that she had urged WNBA leadership years ago to develop a proactive approach to the issue, arguing that the league should work toward a solution that is both fair and inclusive rather than waiting to react once the debate reached its doorstep.
“Years ago, I encouraged the WNBA leadership: what’s our stance?” she said. “What are we going to do when this occurs? Are we going to be ready? Are we going to be reactionary? And so I think it would make sense for our league to be leaders in this space.”
The post Stephen A. Smith calls out Cheryl Reeve’s ‘irresponsible’ stance on transgender athletes appeared first on Awful Announcing .
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