Joe Concha praises Sophie Cunningham: ‘WNBA is something we never talked about a couple years ago’

Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha praised Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham for standing up for women’s sports.“Sophie Cunningham, she is quickly becoming the second-most popular player in the WNBA for taking stands like this,” Concha said on Fox News’s Fox & Friends First Friday.Cunningham stirred some controversy when she discussed transgender participation in women’s sports during an ESPN profile. “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham said as part of an ESPN profile published on July 21. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” Cunningham faced criticism for her comments, some saying she’s anti-trans.Protesters both supporting and opposing Cunningham gathered for the Fever’s game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday. Two teenage girls with courtside seats brought signs to support Cunningham.“Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls,” one sign read.The teenagers alleged that Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton approached them, cursed at them, and called them “f***ing insane,” according to Fox News.Fox also reported that a journalist at the game said she saw Storm players directly thumbs-down the girls.Keaton was fined and banned from the next five Storm home games, according to ESPN.Cunningham responded on X, saying she supports the girls for standing up for what they believe in.“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY,” Cunningham said. “Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind. Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon, yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.” I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind. Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from… https://t.co/gIVWhEHi3Q— Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) July 30, 2026 “The fact that this is happening, these rallies, in blue cities, like Portland and Minneapolis, in support of Sophie Cunningham, shows what we just talked about, as far as men playing against women in sports,” Concha said. “This is an 80/20 issue, Sophie Cunningham is like a Riley Gaines in terms of being vocally against men playing against women in sports, and that’s why she’s becoming a real sensation.”TRUMP IS ‘FOLLOWING’ THE SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM BACKLASH OVER OPPOSING MEN IN WOMEN’S SPORTS“The WNBA is something we never talked about a couple years ago, is now a topic on Fox & Friends First on an almost daily basis,” Concha added.Additional rallies will take place late Friday and Sunday, ahead of games in Portland and Minneapolis, according to Fox News.