Stephen A. Smith delivered a scathing on-air takedown of Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve after she wore a 'Trans Kids Belong' T-shirt on the sideline during her team's game against Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
Smith devoted a 14-minute monologue to the shirt on his YouTube talk show. 'She was seen wearing a 'Trans Kid Belong' t-shirt. I'm going to repeat that. A 'Trans Kid Belong' t-shirt on Sunday during the game following the remarks from Sophie Cunningham,' he said.
Cunningham has been at the center of a bitter trans debate in recent weeks after telling ESPN that young girls 'shouldn't have to go against biological men' when playing sports. Reeve and Cunningham were seen having an amicable conversation before Sunday's game, prior to the Lynx coach later emerging in the pro-trans shirt.
Smith says debate is 'pro-girls', not anti-trans
Smith argued the controversy was being mischaracterized. 'And the thing that shocks me is, like, this is not a conversation about being anti-anything. This is a conversation about being pro-girls,' he said.
'Ladies and gentlemen, at some point in time, there has to be the return of common sense. This is not about preaching hate. Nobody is supporting that,' he continued. 'This is not about looking at people who are trans and hating on them or wanting denied this them denied their civil rights and civil liberties.'
Smith addresses Reeve directly
Turning his attention to Reeve by name, Smith questioned her judgment as the head coach of a women's team. 'You are Cheryl Reeve. The head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. That is an irresponsible thing to do,' he said. 'You are a coach for a female basketball team. Do you not think that the females are being screwed over if they have to compete against an individual born as a male? What are you talking about?!'
He went on to frame the issue as being specifically about competition rather than transgender rights broadly. 'Nobody said you can't transition from male to female. The issue here is competing against the women! That's what Sophie Cunningham is talking about,' Smith said. 'How are you, Cheryl Reeve, coming out in that t-shirt. No regard for the WNBA. No regard for the sponsors that may be put off by that. How is that okay?!'
Cunningham was booed on Sunday in Minneapolis, where she also took an elbow to the face during the game.
Smith did not hold back in his closing assessment of Reeve's decision to wear the shirt. 'This is bulls***. It's selfishness. It's putting yourself before the betterment of the whole [league],' he said.
Reeve explains her stance
Prior to tip-off, Cunningham and Reeve were seen having a serious discussion, which the Lynx coach addressed after Minnesota's win. 'I think it's great,' Reeve said of the talk. 'I think both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to, more than anything, educate. There are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues. I think it's how you handle things. It was nice to be in person, for sure.'
Reeve stopped short of detailing the full conversation but had spoken before the game about her position on transgender athletes in women's sports. 'I come from a space of inclusion,' said Reeve, who also serves as the Team USA coach. 'The narrative that I think is problematic is to suggest that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports. This is what's bothersome. There is a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue.'
Protests outside the arena
The tension on the sidelines carried over to the streets outside Target Center, where demonstrations turned chaotic ahead of tip-off in Minneapolis.
