Sophie Cunningham STANDS UP For Women Amidst WNBA Attacks | Don’t @ Me w/Dan Dakich
Sophie Cunningham drops unfiltered thoughts defending women’s athletics, setting off a massive media firestorm. From ESPN’s hot takes to the WNBA media’s fierce reaction, Dan breaks down why Cunningham is quickly becoming the most talked-about face in the league—and why she is completely embracing the backlash. Plus, Caitlin Clark makes waves by declining the 3-Point Contest at WNBA All-Star Weekend.
Jemele Hill came after OutKick over our scoop on ESPN host Ryan Clark’s departure.
Tomi Lahren answered with a blowtorch.
On Thursday, Lahren appeared on both “Tomi Lahren Is Fearless” and “America Reports.” Across the two appearances, she addressed two of the week’s biggest sports stories: Jemele Hill’s outrage over OutKick’s reporting and Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham doubling down Wednesday on her support for protecting women’s sports from trans athletes after the WNBA media predictably lost (her) mind.
WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS WNBA STAR SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM AFTER SHE SPEAKS OUT IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTING WOMEN’S SPORTS
Jemele Hill speaks on stage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards Hosts Hollywood House Symposium at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 19, 2025. (Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
Lahren started with Cunningham, praising the Fever guard for refusing to retreat from what she called a matter of common sense:
“Good for her because she did two things that are very important in this conversation. First, she said what should be common sense: women’s sports should be for women and girls’ sports should be for girls. … But perhaps even more impressive is that she didn’t back down. She didn’t retract her statement when the woke mob came for her. … To my knowledge, she’s the only active female professional athlete willing to take the political and social risk to say something that should be so common sense.”
Indiana Fever superstars Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark are arguably the two most popular players in the WNBA. (NBAE via Getty Images)
Sophie Cunningham announces a round during a lightweight fight at UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on July 11, 2026. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Jemele Hill criticized OutKick after we broke the news of ESPN’s latest layoffs before the network publicly announced them. Journalism, we’re told, had finally gone too far.
EXCLUSIVE: ESPN TO PART WAYS WITH CAM NEWTON AS PART OF TALENT LAYOFFS THAT ALSO INCLUDED RYAN CLARK
Hill called for OutKick’s demise and said she’d need to be rushed to the hospital from laughter alone.
So, Lahren unloaded on Jemele.
WATCH:
“Jemele is so pissed that OutKick got the scoop on ESPN’s talent lineup changes.
Well, sorry Jemele, some people break the news, OutKick, and some people break down because of the news. That’d be you.
It’s worth noting Jemele used to be an ESPN personality herself, but her race-baiting bullsh*t was even too much for them to stomach.
Jemele seems to have a real disdain for white people, but clearly doesn’t have the same aversion to blond hair.
She’s right about one thing, though.
OutKick is where woke goes to die. And unlike Jemele and much of the sports media, we cover sports and culture, the right way.”
OutKick founder Clay Travis summed up Tomi’s response: “off the top rope!”
Even Stephen A. Smith has taken positions on women’s sports that would’ve been unthinkable at ESPN just a few years ago.
Hill is still defending a media playbook her former industry keeps throwing away.
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Meanwhile, Cunningham isn’t backing down. Neither is OutKick.
Tomi Lahren hosts “Tomi Lahren Is Fearless” on OutKick.com — where she delivers her signature unapologetic takes on the biggest stories in culture, sports, and politics, plus interviews with influential voices from entertainment, social media, and more.
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