Even NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal previously shared a controversial stance that the WNBA should lower the rim. NBA champion Michael Porter Jr. did the same in February 2024 on The Pivot Podcast when he discussed ways to make the WNBA more popular. Among his suggestions was lowering the rims to create more dunks and explosive plays.
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He also compared the league’s popularity to professional ping pong, which drew plenty of criticism. WNBA veteran Lexie Brown was one of the many who criticized the NBA star’s comments. Fast forward to 2026, the two did an interview together on the Curious Mike podcast, where Porter straightaway apologized.
“I want to start this interview out actually by just kind of in my own way apologizing for the way that I have come off not only to you, but I feel like I rubbed even other WNBA players the wrong way,” he said on Curious Mike. “I have my opinions, and when people ask me questions, I do speak my mind, but I’m not always mindful of like how that can come off.
“And I feel like for you guys, when you saw my comments or whatever, y’all might have taken it the wrong way. In real life, I’m overly supportive of women.”
Porter continued, “My mom was one of the best basketball players. When people ask, ‘Who in your family like really started the basketball thing?’ It was my mom. My sisters played. So, I just wanted to start this off by saying that.”
Brown accepted the apology. However, back then, she wasn’t happy with his comments.
Back then, Brown had commented, “He doesn’t dunk. He wants us to dunk, you dunk. Like, what are we talking about?” Brown said. “You don’t have to watch us play, that’s fine. But for you to just sit there and just constantly s— on our product and our craft and everything without really being tuned in, it’s just not right.”
Now, the one-time WNBA champion also acknowledged that the original clip did not tell the entire story. She even questioned the Pivot Podcast for not stopping MPJ and broadcasting the narrative that looks down on the WNBA.
In fact, in a now-deleted comment, four-time MVP A’ja Wilson tweeted, “I need to see the whole interview before I spazz 😂😂 cause ain’t no way he said we the equivalent to ping pong playerssssss.”
That wasn’t the only time Michael Porter Jr. made controversial comments about the WNBA. Last year, he said a McDonald’s All-American boys team could beat the WNBA All-Star team or the U.S. women’s Olympic team.
He later addressed the comments during his first press conference with the Nets, once again reiterating that he is the “biggest fan of the WNBA.”