Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve hold contrasting views on transgender athletes in women’s sports. Yet, that difference of opinion has not prevented the two from engaging with mutual respect, and that’s what reporters saw during a pre-game conversation between the two.
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Ahead of their Sunday faceoff, cameras captured the two sharing what appeared to be an amicable conversation. When beat reporter Andrew Dukowitz asked Reeve what the conversation was about after the game, she revealed what they talked about.
“I think it’s great. I think both of us understand that we have platforms, and we both talked about more than anything wanting to educate, and there’s some things we have in common and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues. I think it’s how you handle things, and so it was nice to be in person for sure,” the Minnesota Lynx head coach told Dukowitz.
During the game, Reeve wore a light blue “Trans Kids Belong” T-shirt expressing her stance on inclusion. Her wardrobe choice earned the approval of ESPN broadcasters who expressed their thoughts on air.
“Well, we see Cheryl Reeve wearing a shirt today in support of trans kids… in the aftermath of Sophie Cunningham’s recent comments. We actually saw Cheryl and Sophie speaking at center court pregame, and yesterday Cheryl Reeve spent a lot of time talking at length with the media about this topic. I would encourage anyone to go and listen to Cheryl Reeve’s comments. Incredibly thoughtful.”
The broadcasters referred to Reeve’s interview with reporters ahead of the game where she said she didn’t agree with how the discussion was being framed. In fact, Reeve revealed that she had urged the WNBA to clarify their stance on the broader issues years ago.
“I’ve encouraged the WNBA leadership years ago. ‘What’s our stance? Are we gonna be ready?’ It would make sense for our league to be leaders in this,” the Lynx HC told reporters.
The issue first came into focus after Cunningham said in a recent ESPN interview that it was “common sense” to bar transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. She later doubled down on those remarks ahead of Indiana’s 123-88 win over the Connecticut Sun during the final week of July.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”
The comments divided the WNBA community, quickly becoming one of the biggest off-court debates of the season. Since then, every Fever road game has generated headlines beyond basketball.
The Seattle Storm game was followed by co-owner Celeste Keaton being suspended and fined by the WNBA after an exchange with two teenage girls wearing shirts depicting XX and XY chromosomes.
The Portland Fire game saw head coach Alex Sarama emphasize the “inclusivity” and “respect” that define the city ahead of tip-off.
“I think as this great league grows, it attracts fans from all walks of life,” he said as per IX Sports. “But when I think about Portland and what it means to live here, it’s inclusivity, it’s respect, and that’s why I’m so proud to be here. So, I just think that’s what’s most important tonight and for our fans. I want them to come and be comfortable and be safe like normal.”
A similar sentiment was echoed by Cheryl Reeve ahead of the Fever-Lynx game, as she insisted that people shouldn’t feel like their “safe space is being threatened.”
Much like the previous two games, demonstrators gathered outside Target Center before tip-off. Pro-Cunningham supporters carried “Thank You Sophie” signs, while those who disagreed staged a counter-rally.
Throughout the controversy, Cunningham has maintained that her comments were never rooted in hatred toward the transgender community. “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,'” she said in the same ESPN interview. “I think that I am here to extend love… I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
While Cunningham described those attending the rallies as “bold” and “courageous,” she also reiterated that she had no direct association with the organizers. Yet the hostile reception followed her into a third straight road game.
Inside the arena, Cunningham was again met with boos from sections of the crowd, continuing a pattern seen in Seattle and Portland.
However, unlike the previous games where the Fever guard responded to the crowd by scoring threes and helping her team win, the league leaders snapped the momentum they built after winning five consecutive games.
They lost to the Lynx 108-100, and Cunningham scored 3 points on 1-for-8 shooting in 23 minutes. Whether the hostile atmosphere contributed to her subdued performance is impossible to say definitively. But the combination of the boos and the result made for a difficult night.
It is not clear how long the rallies, the counter-demonstrations, and the broader controversy will continue to follow this Fever team on the road. But hopefully, at some point, the conversation finds a way to settle.