2021 WNBA champion Lexie Brown ignited a wave of social media criticism after sharing her list of the league's top five guards, featuring stars like Caitlin Clark and Olivia Miles.
At a time when WNBA media is under constant scrutiny, Brown's selections also quickly drew commentary from fans online.
Appearing as an analyst, Brown was asked to name her top five guards across the league during an NBA TV segment. The former Seattle Storm player's list included Clark, her teammate Kelsey Mitchell , Miles, Paige Bueckers , and Las Vegas Aces ' three-time WNBA champion Jackie Young .
Even though Brown emphasized that her list was presented in no particular order, her selections immediately set off a storm of criticism online.
Basketball fans on X took aim at both her player picks and her television broadcasting style.
One user expressed total exhaustion with the broadcast, posting, "When is this season done….tired of hearing about this abomination."
Other viewers focused their complaints on her on-screen presence and commentary delivery.
"My god she's dry please get her off our screens," one user commented .
The online criticism did not stop at her list. Some users referenced her previous media stints and podcast appearances. "No wonder they kicked her off Gil's arena," one X account commented.
Not every comment was entirely negative, though even supportive posts contained backhanded compliments.
"I mean it's not atrocious as some of the other women basketball journalists. At least she had CC in there," one comment read.
Each guard on Brown's list is navigating a high-stakes WNBA landscape this season. Indiana 's dynamic duo of Clark and Mitchell has powered the Fever into a postseason spot. Clark is averaging 22.5 points and 8.4 assists, while Mitchell is scoring 25.0 points per game.
Meanwhile, rookie sensation Miles is delivering a record-breaking All-Star campaign with the Minnesota Lynx , and Young remains a steady, championship-tested anchor for the Las Vegas Aces.
Lastly, Bueckers has also shone individually for the Dallas Wings , scoring over 20 points and 5.9 assists per game to help them into the playoffs.
However, by favoring younger prospects, Brown left off proven superstars who define the WNBA's elite guard tier.
Brown skipped Las Vegas' Chelsea Gray , a world-class distributor, averaging 6.8 assists per game this season. The Dream's Allisha Gray , who is having a career-best scoring season, could also have been mentioned.
Ranking segments on sports television are explicitly designed to drive conversation and debate, but the reaction to Brown's segment highlights the intense scrutiny surrounding modern WNBA media coverage.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
