Megan Rapinoe Publicly 'Demands' Change To The WNBA

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Megan Rapinoe Publicly 'Demands' Change To The WNBA

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Holleran | Last updated Aug 30, 2026 5:16 PM ET

Megan Rapinoe is publicly demanding a change to the WNBA.

The U.S. women’s national team star, who retired back in 2023, is a close follower of women’s basketball. Her former partner, Sue Bird, is one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all-time. Rapinoe has been in attendance at several prominent WNBA games over the years.

Rapinoe is fed up with what she’s seeing from the WNBA today, though. She’s sick of the constant debates, scrutiny, criticism and more from people who don’t really care about women’s basketball – or women’s sports in general.

The U.S. soccer legend is demanding that WNBA players are “left alone” so they can play well, get paid a lot of money and thrive.

“They want a mechanism to continue tearing down women period and women’s sports,” she said on her podcast. “I hate that this is true and I desperately want for us to get to a place where women athletes can just be left alone and be great and be paid well. People can come and watch and just be respected. But that is clearly not where we are.

“The rise in women’s sports and the rise of the popularity in all these sports leagues, particularly the W, has come hand-in-hand with the rise of this hate and discrimination. It’s why it’s important for us as women athletes to continue to speak out about these issues and continue to do it together to show a united and collective fight.”

Rapinoe calls out Enes Kanter, too

Rapinoe had a problem with Enes Kanter attending a WNBA game and getting ejected.

She accused him of “grifting.”

“He later, in continuing the absolute grift that was this whole thing, gave some quotes to OutKick Sports and FOX News — no surprise there,” Rapinoe added. “Saying that he was just out there to protect women. Well, oh my God, thank you so much because that’s what we were asking for.

“In fairness, you did warn us about men forcing their way into WNBA spaces. Lo and behold…Oh, you weren’t talking about yourself? OK. People who are ‘trying to protect women.’ First of all, from who? From who? It’s yourself. It’s a big mirror.

“Y’all are the same people who were, like, (expletive) on the league and its athletes from before, saying it was bad business and no one cared. You’re the same people who were banning people from playing soccer in the 1950s. You’re the same type of people. Oh, but now they care about it a lot, don’t they?

“Because they’re seeing the success and the power the league has, and they’re seeing how popular it is and seeing how everybody loves it and how lit of a space it is. So, now they really care. So, they are going to try and continue coming after the W and other women’s sports leagues and its athletes after seeing all the power they have.”

Rapinoe is demanding that fans leave WNBA players alone.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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