Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts voiced strong disapproval Saturday regarding what he described as the "wrong stuff" dominating the WNBA narrative, while also defending Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White against criticism. Tibbetts stated that the league and its players spend too much time discussing issues unrelated to basketball, expressing disappointment with outside forces contributing to division.
"It really pisses me off. It's disappointing," Tibbetts said during his media session. "This is a great league. We've got great players. There's great stories, great rookies, great teams. We just spend so much time talking about the wrong stuff. I don't know why that happens in our league. It's disappointing. I don't know who can help change the narrative. Is it the coaches? Is it the players? Is it the media? There's outside sources that are trying to create division, and at times it's not a lot of fun."
Tibbetts specifically addressed the backlash directed at White following a hard foul on Phoenix Mercury player Sophie Cunningham. Tibbetts argued that White has faced undue scrutiny, stating, "We make it about basketball, but some of the things that Steph has to go through, that's wrong." He added, "There's no other coach in any professional sport that has to go through the stuff that she does, and I think of her a lot. It's not fair. It's not fair. She's hired to coach basketball. They got a great team and they're just dealing with stuff that doesn't really matter. So that still pisses me off."
White has faced criticism for her response to a foul by DiJonai Carrington on Cunningham, with some deeming her reaction too passive. Cunningham had previously spoken out about the importance of protecting women's sports in relation to transgender athletes. Reports indicate White suggested Carrington had no ill intent and characterized the foul as routine.
Tibbetts suggested that external agitators are responsible for detracting from the league's momentum. He asserted that the WNBA appears more inclined to protect its own establishment than to support players expressing their views on sensitive topics, such as the definition of women's sports. He concluded that unless coaches like White are willing to actively defend their players, Tibbetts' complaints about the league's narrative will persist.