Elle Duncan Criticizes WNBA's 'Toxic Culture War'

WNBA commentator and reporter Elle Duncan has characterized the atmosphere surrounding the league as "toxic as hell," attributing it to what she calls a "disgusting culture war." Duncan, a host for USA Network's WNBA coverage, stated that the league has become an arena for "opportunists" targeting Black and queer women.

Speaking at Front Office Sports' Tuned In Summit, Duncan noted that the WNBA has become a target for online abuse, particularly against its Black players. She suggested that these attacks are amplified because Black women in the league are perceived as "low-hanging fruit" and lack adequate protection.

"It feels like open season to dunk on Black women because we do not have protection. Because no one cares. Because we are low-hanging fruit," Duncan said on Tuesday. "Because it is very easy to dunk on us since we are, I would say, outside of transgender people, the most marginalized of the marginalized groups."

Duncan also observed that those engaging in these attacks often elevate a single player whom they "see in their own image," alluding to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Since Clark's entry into the league in 2024, multiple WNBA players have reported experiencing racism, particularly after on-court incidents with the guard.

One such instance involved Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas, who faced threats and racial abuse from anonymous fans after an on-court collision with Clark. Duncan stated that this phenomenon allows critics to "lift this one person up, and you get to, ultimately, reduce everybody else that isn't her to nothing."

Duncan shared her personal experience of being labeled a "DEI hire" due to her race, highlighting the persistent cycle of frustration and lack of progress in addressing these issues. "It's frustrating to talk about because I know this is going to get clipped. This is going to be me saying goodbye to my mentions for the next couple of days," Duncan said. "But it's going to be me lamenting that being a Black woman is so hard, and someone's going to tweet at me that I work at Netflix and I'm fine and I don't have any struggles in my life. And it's just this constant cycle where we're getting nowhere and no one is listening to anybody."

With the WNBA season concluding and commissioner Cathy Engelbert expected to depart, Duncan emphasized the need for the league's next commissioner to address this toxic culture. "The goal of the next commissioner should be twofold. The first thing is figuring out how we work on this divisiveness, how we wrestle the narrative back," Duncan stated.

She added that the second priority should be improving the connection between players and owners, noting that some past commissioners have been perceived as favoring either players or teams, but not necessarily both.