Breanna Stewart voices disappointment at WNBA Commissioner's Clark-Reese rivalry comment: "Enough is enough"

Reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart was very disappointed after being asked about what league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said about the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry. Engelbert is catching a lot of flak for bringing out race after discussing the toxicity of both fanbases.

Speaking to reporters after the New York Liberty's win over the Dallas Wings, Stewart was asked about Engelbert's remarks. "Stewie" acknowledged that fans brought the race factor as a part of the rivalry but that it's something that should never be used to further the league.

"There's no place for that in our sport. I think that's really what it is. We want our sport to be inclusive for race, for gender, and really be a place where people can be themselves.

"So we wish, obviously, Cathy would have used her platform in a different way and have made that a little bit better, just telling the fans enough is enough," Stewart said.

Breanna Stewart added that it's great to have a rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese on the court. However, it shouldn't spill off the court, especially involving fans online. The league is still growing, and the rivalry will be one of the things to attract new fans.

Stewart also pointed out that there's no place for racism or a race divide in the league.

"Become a fan of our sport, and for the new ones, lock in on everybody. But don't be disrespectful, because as a league, we stick together, and there's no place for that," Stewart said.

More players, as well as the WNBPA, have expressed their disappointment with how WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the toxicity of the Clark and Reese fanbases online.

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What did WNBA Commissioner say about the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry?

What did WNBA Commissioner say about the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry?

On CNBC's "Power Launch" this past Tuesday, Cathy Engelbert was asked about how some fans behave on social media. There have been some hostile fans online taking their anger out on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese by saying some nasty things.

Engelbert praised Clark and Reese for what they are bringing to the WNBA, comparing them with the legendary rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. She should have stopped there and addressed the question but used race as a point of discussion, he added.

"There's no more apathy. Everybody cares. It is a little of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one white, one Black. And so we have that moment with these two.

"But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That's what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don't want everybody being nice to one another," Engelbert said.

Engelbert released a statement to address her comments on Tuesday although fans were not happy that it took her around 12 hours to respond.