ESPN's Stephen A Smith says Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve hurt WNBA with trans shirt controversy

When Stephen A. Smith finally decides to say it, chances are the rest of the country already got there first.

Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve found herself right in Smith's crosshairs after wearing a "Trans Kids Belong" T-shirt on the bench, and Stephen A. tore into her activist grandstanding.

Reeve chose to wear the shirt during her first matchup against Sophie Cunningham since the Fever guard publicly defended women-only competition.

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One side sparked outrage over the "erasure" of trans rights; the other contended that preserving parity and safety in competition matters more than inclusion.

Reeve made sure her message landed on one of the WNBA's biggest regular-season stages. But Smith wasn't buying the coincidence.

"And then you're going to come out with a T-shirt. No regard for the WNBA. No regard for the sponsors that may be put off by that. No regard for the bottom line that might be affected," Smith blasted.

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"It's just an accidental coincidence that that's the game you chose to wear that? Oh, THIS IS THE B.S.! IT'S THE SELFISHNESS! IT'S PUTTING YOURSELF BEFORE THE BETTERMENT OF THE WHOLE!"

Even Smith has reached the point where he's willing to say what everyday fans have been shouting for years: a women's basketball coach refusing to defend women's sports is flat-out absurd.

"You are Cheryl Reeve, the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. That is an irresponsible thing to do," Smith said. "You are a coach for a female basketball team. Do you not think that females are being screwed over if they have to compete against an individual born as a male? What are you talking about?"

Sophie Cunningham's stance has already inspired support rallies in WNBA cities like Minnesota and Seattle, with another planned outside the Fever's upcoming game against the New York Liberty.

Smith argued that Cunningham and other women speaking out are taking the public heat while influential coaches like Reeve use the spotlight to push the opposite message, even if it risks alienating fans and sponsors that the WNBA needs to keep growing.

"That's what Sophie Cunningham was talking about. That's what Riley Gaines is talking about. How would you, coach Cheryl Reeve, condone that?" Smith asked. "If you're a male and transitioning to female, you shouldn't be playing against the women. Nobody said you can't transition... The issue here is competing against women."

Smith urged that compassion and common sense don't have to be at odds.

"To the trans athletes out there: people are not against you, like some people may lead you to believe," Smith explained. "There are a lot of people who are empathetic and sympathetic to the challenges that you face... and want you to live your best life.

"But it can't be at the expense of young ladies born as girls, raised as girls, evolving into women ... You don't have the right to impede upon women's sports."

It might have taken ol' Stephen A. longer than most to get there, but the point remains dead-on.

If the WNBA wants to protect its booming business, it needs to stop letting activist coaches hijack the league and get back to protecting the women who built it — and the next generation they're supposed to inspire.

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