Napheesa Collier won the WNBA MVP last season and was the captain of the All-Star Team that opposed Team Clark in Indianapolis. Her name isn’t mentioned as often as other stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson, but she’s a very prominent voice in the league. She is one of the founders of Unrivaled League, along with NY Liberty legend Breanna Stewart and she quietly goes about her business as a leading voice in these current CBA negotiations.
Napheesa Collier Says Fans Hatred Online Is Getting Worse
Of course there’s no magic switch that can shut social media off or stop people from offering opinions, no matter how offensive. Especially when those opinions are feeding engagement and making you money.
Offensive comments from fans, cyber bullying and even stalking of players has become a bigger issue as the popularity of the league explodes, media focuses on the league and the faces of the growing league become more familiar to the casual sports fan. The WNBA has even put new AI technology in place to try and control the negative energy brought by fans on social media towards WNBA players. Last season, with Reese and Clark bringing their college “rivalry” into the league and both performing at All-star levels, the social media moshpit was going crazy and split along every line you can imagine from regional to racial, as both players became symbols of a larger issue in our country. The venom spit on social media was something the league had never endured, and it was mentioned many times by multiple players.
In a recent appearance on a podcast with WNBA legend Sue Bird and her wife, soccer legend Megan Rapinoe, Collier spoke out about the hatred around the league.
“You know what is kind of surprising and disappointing honestly,” said the WNBA’s leading scorer at 23.8 points per game. “It is getting so toxic in our league with a lot of the fans going back and forth. Basketball and sports are supposed to be so unifying, and it is so toxic like every game there’s hatred out there towards other players and not just Angel and Caitlin. It’s with everyone and people are just so nasty there. We’re playing a game, and you hate things about players. That has been really surprising. I feel like we are trending in a really bad spot with that.”
WNBA Players Still Focused On Wrong Message
I agree that fans can step over the line. But WHO is saying bad things to Collier? I haven’t seen it, and she seems like one of the nicest and sweetest people in the world. Fans don’t usually attack humble leaders. Besides that, how long are WNBA players going to keep mentioning how offended they are by strangers on social media saying things to get a reaction or a like or attention.
The entire WNBA culture is not toxic. I have the WNBA League Pass, and I watch every game. (Yes, I do get ridiculed for such by the average sports fan). The fans are positive, they enjoy the game, participate in the festivities and root loudly and proudly for their teams. Everyone has on the jerseys and other accessories that represent their teams. I always get a sense that a WNBA atmosphere is a very fan-friendly, kid-friendly, warm atmosphere.
Now, the players on the court might get a little nasty in the heat of battle, but the fans at the arena are chill. That would be the most direct threat to the players. If the fans were saying things they say at NBA games or soccer games or NFL games. You don’t hear that in the WNBA arenas.
We Can’t Legislate People’s Opinions Online: Waste Of Energy & Time
As far as people saying nasty things online, I will say, join the crowd. It means that you have arrived as a sports league when the casual fans and sports troublemakers target your players and your sport.
WNBA players still haven’t come to an understanding about their newfound celebrity. Now that all eyes are on you, create an atmosphere that’s not confrontational. Embrace the fans, speak with the fans, but in a normal manner. It doesn’t have to be turnt up or a passive-aggressive exchange. Or even more complaining about how the women of the league are treated online.
WNBA Has A Chance To Make Strides With New CBA, Fan Attention
The WNBA has a chance to really dig in, flip the narrative and get some business done during these collective bargaining negotiations. Now is NOT the time to play victim, or express disappointment in the fans that have helped your game grow exponentially over the past few seasons.
As my mother told me when I was 6 and being picked on by some older kids from up the block. Not physically, just verbally. She said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”
We all want everything that everyone says to us to be something positive, encouraging and flattering. If only that was the real world. Social media is a public platform where you have the right to respond to someone or not respond, even block them from seeing your posts. An easy solution would be to get off social media, but nobody’s actually going to do that right?
They will tell you that the money they make, and their brand depends on being on social media. Sounds like a conundrum that will never be solved to me. We can’t legislate emotions or opinions. We couldn’t prior to the world seeing everything everybody thought on social media and that shouldn’t be a mission for the WNBA.
Candace Parker Says WNBA Players Missed Major Opportunity With Shabby 2025 All-Star Game
Candace Parker criticized the way the stars approached the recent All-star Game. She felt the players failed to understand the moment. They didn’t lock in on providing the best product on the court that they can offer every time the spotlight is on them.
They miserably failed in understanding this simple business fact, and you can see that Parker, a fine businesswoman in her own right who helped build the WNBA and sustain it for years despite millions in monetary losses, didn’t appreciate how they disrespected not only the All-Star game but their opportunity to prove why they should be paid what they are allegedly owed.
The WNBA has to find a common fight and go for it. It used to be social justice, women’s empowerment and being role models. Now it seems the league does a lot of self-aggrandizing and complaining about its fan base and the way they are treated.
Meanwhile, wanting those same people to appreciate them and support them in their battle for a larger cut of the WNBA pie.
