Lynx Coach Wears Shirt Supporting Trans Kids After Sophie Cunningham Sparks Protests

MINNEAPOLIS — A crowd of critics and supporters of Indiana defender Sophie Cunningham’s stance connected transgender information successful women’s sports gathered astir and wrong Target Center connected Sunday arsenic nan Fever faced nan Lynx successful Minnesota.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a ray bluish garment nether her overgarment that said, “Trans kids belong” arsenic she directed her squad — nan apical squad successful nan WNBA — to a 108-100 triumph complete nan Fever. There were fans successful nan stands wearing T-shirts that read, “Trans kids beryllium successful sports.”

It’s nan 3rd consecutive Fever crippled that drew a rally aft Cunningham precocious voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports successful an ESPN article published past week.

Before nan contest, Cunningham and Reeve held a speech astatine midcourt. Reeve didn’t want to stock nan nonstop quality of their talk.

Lynx defender Olivia Miles shoots complete Fever defender Sophie Cunningham Sunday successful Minneapolis.

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

“Both of america understand that we person platforms and we some talked astir wanting to, much than anything, educate,” Reeve said. “There are immoderate things that we person successful common, and possibly immoderate things you disagree on, conscionable for illustration immoderate issues. I deliberation it’s really you grip things. It was bully to beryllium successful person, for sure.”

Cunningham was booed by nan crowd connected her first touch of nan crippled and throughout.

Outside nan arena, dozens of fans gathered adjacent nan entrance. A personification utilizing a loud speaker repeated complete and over, “Protect trans women.” There were signs held up that read, “Love is truth” and “Thank you Sophie.”

Asked really she and nan squad are navigating nan extracurricular conversations, Caitlin Clark said aft nan game, “I deliberation we’re excellent.

“I deliberation it’s for leagues and governing bodies to activity pinch their athletes to find solutions,” Clark said. “Our attraction is connected basketball. That’s what we talk astir and really we tin get wins and evidently we didn’t do that tonight. So we request to find an area to amended successful that way.”

Any reaction?

“I conscionable answered,” Clark said.

Cunningham said Friday successful Portland that she wasn’t concerned astir rallies against transgender information successful women’s sports becoming a distraction for nan Fever.

“I deliberation everyone who knows maine personally, they cognize that I’m afloat of love. I’m bubbly. I emotion nan group astir me,” Cunningham said Friday. “I emotion basketball. I emotion inspiring nan adjacent procreation and doing that successful a affirmative light. And truthful that doesn’t moreover transverse my mind. Doesn’t transverse my teammates’ minds.”

Minnesota rookie sensation Olivia Miles spearheaded an businesslike discourtesy pinch 28 points and Courtney Williams added 27 points, helping nan Lynx triumph their 10th-straight crippled contempt nan contention surrounding nan contest.

People clasp signs and constituent successful defense of and opposed to trans athletes successful women’s sports earlier a Lynx-Fever crippled Sunday.

(Abbie Parr / Ap Photo/abbie Parr)

Minnesota had a 96-82 lead pinch 6:41 to play earlier nan Fever, who had scored 100 successful a grounds six-straight games, pulled wrong 100-98 pinch much than 2 1/2 minutes to go. Miles and Williams some came up pinch large baskets arsenic nan Lynx won their 10th consecutive for nan first clip since 2016.

The league’s No. 1 discourtesy decidedly made life difficult for nan league’s No. 2 defense, but nan Fever, who played successful Portland connected Friday night, couldn’t extremity nan Lynx connected nan violative end. Both teams changeable 57% pinch 11 3-pointers and went 11 of 15 from nan foul statement pinch a mixed 55 assists. The large quality was Indiana had 12 turnovers to six for Minnesota, which had an 11-5 advantage successful violative rebounds.

Napheesa Collier had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists for nan Lynx (25-6). Natasha Howard scored 13 points and Kayla McBride 10.

The Fever (19-11), who had their five-game winning streak halted, were led by Kelsey Mitchell pinch 37 points, her 5th 30-point crippled of nan play and 14th consecutive 20-point game, 2nd successful convention history down A’ja Wilson’s 15-straight successful a azygous season. Clark added 19 points and 10 assists and Aliyah Boston had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.