Christine Brennan has called on the WNBA to move quickly on player-safety concerns, urging an immediate investigation into messages players say they are receiving and saying the league also needs a transgender policy. Her comments came after a Defector article questioned her focus on Caitlin Clark as a measure of WNBA success, but Brennan’s response was aimed squarely at what she sees as a league-level responsibility.
The columnist said the issue should not be pushed onto the players themselves. Instead, she argued, the next commissioner needs to treat the matter as a priority and take direct action. Brennan also said Adam Silver “finally needs to engage,” describing the situation as part of his legacy too.
What Brennan says the league should do
Brennan’s clearest message was that the WNBA needs to investigate the messages Kelsey Mitchell and other players say they are receiving. She said that should be “the highest priority of the new commissioner,” adding that the league must investigate everything happening to players and then take the appropriate action.
She was even more explicit on the policy question. “Also, the W needs a transgender policy,” Brennan said. “It’s not easy but the commissioner needs to be taking this on, not leaving it to the players.”
That is the key point in Brennan’s response: she is not arguing for a vague conversation, but for a formal league response. In her view, the WNBA cannot leave major questions about safety and policy in a state of drift.
Why Brennan sees this as a league issue
Brennan said she has covered the WNBA for years and has advocated for it since the late 1990s. She pointed to that record as part of her response to criticism, saying her work and her book, On Her Game, show how long she has been engaged with the league and its broader social context.
In that same conversation, Brennan referenced the idea that the great Dr. Harry Edwards had it right about preparing for Caitlin Clark’s arrival. She also said she believes Adam Silver needs to engage, underscoring that she sees the issue as one that reaches beyond a single player, a single team or a single debate.
Two days before the latest article, Giri Nathan had emailed Brennan asking what her five-point plan would be if she were made WNBA commissioner. Brennan replied on Wednesday night after saying the email had gone to a spam folder, and later, on Friday afternoon, Samer Kalaf had a 20-minute conversation with her.
The wider argument is straightforward. Brennan is saying the league needs structure, leadership and a formal policy response. Whether the WNBA acts quickly enough will now become part of the debate around how seriously it is prepared to handle the pressures around the sport.
