WNBA Star Brittney Griner Ignites Firestorm with Dismissive Remarks on Charlie Kirk’s Legacy..
In a bombshell moment that’s rippling far beyond the hardwood, WNBA powerhouse Brittney Griner unleashed a controversial statement during a post-game presser just 30 minutes ago, following the Atlanta Dream’s narrow 88-72 victory over the Connecticut Sun. The 34-year-old center, fresh off a dominant 17-point, 12-rebound performance that clinched the Dream’s playoff spot, veered sharply from basketball talk into the national spotlight.
“We should only focus on playing basketball and increasing salaries for WNBA players,” Griner declared, her voice steady but laced with frustration. “And commemorating Charlie Kirk’s [legacy] is unnecessary and redundant.” The words landed like a thunderclap, instantly polarizing a nation still reeling from the conservative firebrand’s tragic assassination earlier this year at a Utah university campus.
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was gunned down in a shocking act of violence that authorities are investigating as politically motivated. His death sparked widespread tributes, debates on free speech, and calls for unity amid America’s deepening divides. Griner’s offhand dismissal—delivered amid celebrations of the league’s surging popularity—has been interpreted by critics as a callous erasure of a polarizing yet influential figure.
The backlash erupted immediately. On X, formerly Twitter, #BoycottWNBA trended within minutes, with users decrying the league’s silence. “Griner’s a hero on the court, but this? Heartless,” tweeted @PatriotVoice45, amassing over 50,000 likes. Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro fired back: “WNBA players lecture on tolerance while trashing a murdered patriot. Hypocrisy at its finest.” Even moderate voices, like ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, weighed in: “BG’s entitled to her view, but in 2025? This fuels the fire we don’t need.”
The indignation isn’t confined to politics. Within the WNBA, teammates and rivals expressed unease. Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard, who dropped 15 points in the win, sidestepped questions but posted a cryptic Instagram story: “Hoops unite us. Let’s keep it there.” Phoenix Mercury fans, still salty over Griner’s 2025 free-agency defection from the team, flooded forums with memes juxtaposing her dunks against Kirk’s fiery campus speeches. One viral post read: “She dunks on defenders but fumbles on history.”
Griner’s history adds layers to the fury. The 6’9″ phenom, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2015 champion, endured her own ordeal—detained in Russia for nearly a year in 2022 before a dramatic prisoner swap. That saga drew bipartisan support, including from Kirk himself, who praised her return as a “win for America.” Yet Griner has long clashed with conservative voices, from gender rumors debunked in August<to a May bench rant against Caitlin Clark that fans labeled racist by Her latest comments echo teammate Natasha Cloud’s deleted X posts accusing Kirk of racial remarks—claims debunked as fabrications.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, facing record viewership thanks to stars like Griner and Clark, issued a terse statement: “We support free expression but urge focus on the game.” Salaries, Griner’s core plea, are a hot button—the league’s average pay hovers at $120,000, dwarfed by the NBA’s millions, despite a 2025 revenue boom from media deals.
As the Dream gear up for playoffs, Griner’s words threaten to overshadow her renaissance in Atlanta. Sponsors like Nike, which inked her to a $200K deal last offseason, are monitoring closely. Polls on X show 62% of 10,000 respondents demanding an apology. “This isn’t just sports,” one fan posted. “It’s America’s soul on the line.”
Griner, unfazed in her post-game huddle, shrugged: “I said what I meant. Ball’s in their court.” With a nation watching, the WNBA’s unity hangs by a thread.
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