ESPN host Stephen A. Smith addressed the political controversy engulfing the WNBA, arguing that while "the right" bears some responsibility for stoking the row, the league itself was ultimately to blame for allowing the situation to develop. His comments come amid mounting criticism of the WNBA following forward DiJonai Carrington's social media post citing "White privilege" after she was ejected for a flagrant foul on Sophie Cunningham, a remark the league has so far declined to publicly address.

Smith's argument acknowledged that conservative commentators have seized on the episode to accuse the WNBA of prioritising political and racial narratives over basketball, but he maintained that the league's own silence and inconsistent handling of such incidents had "left the door open" for that criticism. The controversy has drawn reaction from figures including former NFL player Boomer Esiason and broadcaster Dan Dakich, and has been cited by some commentators as part of a wider pattern of the WNBA facing scrutiny over how it manages politically charged moments involving its players.