Disputes between players are a natural part of professional sports. With more and more athletes entering the podcast space and openly sharing their opinions on various issues, harmony of opinion on different matters is not a realistic expectation.
However, the WNBA has reached a point where it often feels as though bickering and throwing one another under the bus has become its most renowned norm. In fact, someone is always criticizing the likes of Sophie Cunningham for her demeanor and veteran Sydney Colson was the latest to join that list.
For veteran sports journalist and commentator Clay Travis, this is precisely why the WNBA continues to struggle to reach its full potential.
In fact, the 47-year-old believes the league's tendency to scrutinize rising stars like Cunningham highlights a larger problem: the inability to grow itself as a brand and to be taken seriously.
Speaking on an episode of her "Unsupervised Podcast," Sydney Colson criticized Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox for downplaying concerns about hostile behavior from Indiana fans, especially after five-time MVP A'ja Wilson was involved in an incident with a courtside fan during the 2026 playoffs.
The two-time WNBA champ also called out white WNBA players who present themselves as part of the league's sisterhood but, in her view, fail to speak up when their black teammates experience prejudice .
Although Sydney did not name any players directly, her comments about athletes discussing trans participation in sports appeared to invite speculation about whom she was referring to: her former Fever teammate Sophie, who initiated this bold conversation in the WNBA circle.
When discussing those comments on his show, Travis urged that it is time for the WNBA to move past its internal feuds and focus on building a stronger foundation around its biggest stars.
In his view, as hard as it is to ignore, WNBA players seem hellbent on throwing shade at "white" players such as Cunningham or Caitlin Clark because that's how they can go viral on social media and find their way into the latest discussions.
As a result, he wholeheartedly explained that businesses need to recognize their core stars and build on that foundation to expand.
Until then, it's hard for anyone to take the WNBA seriously.
"The WNBA does not know how in the world to grow its brand. One of the biggest things you have to do in business is find who your base is, and if you want to grow that business, you have to grow that base. WNBA would rather be a league that is racist, that is filled with people who dislike straight, white women like Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham," Travis said. "I think Caitlin Clark should leave and start her own league that is actually designed to appeal to masses."
Related: "I'll use me as an example" – Sophie Cunningham calls WNBA voting too political
To further explain his argument, Travis compared the WNBA to a struggling indie band that suddenly finds success but cannot handle the attention that comes with it.
"The WNBA is like a small Indie band that has made no money and had no success," Travis continued. "Suddenly had a couple of hit songs and is starting to sell out."
Safe to say, Travis' comments reflect his frustration with what he sees as a recurring pattern of WNBA players criticizing popular figures such as Cunningham and Clark.
As the WNBA continues to attract a larger audience, the biggest challenge is balancing the different perspectives of its players while maintaining the momentum that has helped expand it. And at this point, it seems the most convenient option for others to jump into the spotlight is by calling out the likes of Cunningham or Clark.
Related: A'ja Wilson just showed Caitlin Clark there are levels to this game
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
