Lexie Brown stepped into a heated debate once again. The former WNBA champion responded to Michael Porter Jr.'s past criticism of the women's game. She used Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, a former teammate of the Serbian superstar, as her main example.
Brown argued that elite basketball does not require constant dunks. She said players can dominate without playing above the rim. The comment quickly shifted focus away from her broader point.
"You literally played with Jokic," Brown said. "Like, I wouldn't say he's not exciting, but he's a below the rim player. Like, he's not very fundamental."
WNBA player holds a ball as the WNBA logo appears on the ball (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
Brown appeared with Porter Jr. on the Curious Mike YouTube channel. She challenged the idea that athleticism equals vertical explosiveness. Strength, balance, coordination and basketball IQ also matter.
Porter Jr. previously questioned the WNBA's entertainment value. He even suggested lowering the rim for more dunks. Those remarks drew strong pushback from players and fans.
Brown tried to highlight different forms of athletic ability. She pointed to Jokic's success as proof.
Lexie Brown. Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Fans immediately zeroed in on one line. Many rejected the idea that Jokic lacks fundamentals. His footwork, passing and court vision define his game.
"Joker would be the most athletic player in the WNBA. She missing it 😂, " one said.
"It's the skill gap not the athleticism lol nobody wants to see wide open layups missed it's getting better tho," one added.
"I ain't gone say all that now but she wilding when them hoes miss 20 lay ups a game the skill gap between them and jokic is a massive gap," someone wrote.
"She don't get it.. We'll see jokic do some slow s–t then lob it up to Aaron Gordon behind the back.. WNBA not doing ts cuh," a fourth commented.
"Watching players jack up threes all game isn't exciting. Jokic is fun to watch because he has great footwork, is an elite scorer at all 3 levels and makes the highest percentage of difficult shots in the league. And then there's his no look, behind the back, thru the leg passes that are fun to watch. He plays the game the way it was meant to be played and people call it boring, " one wrote.
Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season. He shot over 56 percent from the field. He also led the NBA in rebounds and assists.
Brown has long supported the league against similar critiques. As of now, the conversation continues to highlight differences between the men's and women's games. Defining athleticism only by dunks ignores key skills. Jokic himself proves that point better than most.
The post Lexie Brown's Nikola Jokic "Boring" Comment Draws Heavy Fan Backlash [VIDEO] originally published on Total Pro Sports .
