No matter how hard Sophie Cunningham tries to bring back focus on the WNBA and basketball, her controversial statement regarding the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports isn’t dying anytime soon. With another rally scheduled outside Chase Center, the head coaches of the Golden State Valkyries and Minnesota Lynx, Natalie Nakase and Cheryl Reeve, are now speaking out.
As protesters seemed to approach the doors of the Valkyries’ game against the Lynx on August 19, 2026, all eyes were on the head coaches who chose to address the matter.
When asked about her stance on the rallies, the Minnesota head coach didn’t hold back from showing her full support for transgender athletes and children.
“I don’t want to give them (protesters) any more oxygen than they deserve,” Reeve said in a video posted by Fox News reporter Jackson Thompson on X (formerly Twitter).
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve re-addressed the topic of trans athletes in women’s sports as a rally in support of protecting women’s sports is set to take place outside of the Chase Center before tonight’s Valkyries game.
“I have said this before, trans kids belong. And I think, as… pic.twitter.com/OHmmlS5VjV
— Jackson Thompson (@JackThompsonFOX) August 20, 2026
The Lynx coach added, “As I’ve said this before, transgender kids belong, and I think, as we’re seeing sort of politically in this country, they found a talking point that people are buying into. And the only thing I ask is that people educate themselves further on these issues and what we’re capable of doing when we work on something together, and that something is not used as simply rhetoric to marginalize a community that does not deserve marginalization.”
There have been about seven demonstrations in favor of Cunningham since her first remarks to ESPN about protecting women’s sports, including one on August 2, 2026, during the Indiana Fever game against the Lynx.
According to social media posts, about two dozen individuals, a mix of Cunningham fans and transgender women, gathered outside Target Center before the game, carrying placards and chanting. Among them was Michele Tafoya, a present-day Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate and former ESPN pundit.
For the game, Reeve donned a T-shirt reading “Trans kids belong” underneath her jacket. Lynx fans booed the Fever guard as she entered the court in the first quarter and touched the ball.
At the time, Reeve had the same stance as she does today. Before the Fever vs. Lynx matchup, she said, “We need to protect trans kids. To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports.”
In fact, Cunningham fans planned the first demonstration outside the United States when the Fever played the Toronto Tempo at Scotiabank Arena, led by Canadian powerlifter April Hutchinson.
On Wednesday, protestors formed a line outside the Valkyries-Lynx game, and some of their placards weren’t allowed inside the venue.
Following Reeve’s comments, reporters also questioned Nakase about the rally. Calling for a more compassionate approach, the Valkyries coach said that there was “too much hate speech.” She encouraged others to love one another, noting that she prefers to lead with love herself.
“In the world and in sports right now, there’s too much hate that’s going on,” Nakase said in another video posted by Thompson on X.
The Golden State coach added, “I would highly suggest people continue to lead with love. I love to lead with love. I don’t think the word love has been expressed enough. For me, I want to continue to share that and also just continue to support because I know when we, you know, pour love on each other, like we bring the best out of each other.”
Nakase doubled down on her earlier comments she made in early August 2026, when she was asked about the Cunningham rallies before the Valkyries game against the Tempo.
At the time, the Golden State coach said, “I think, just in terms of how I’m seeing it is, if I can answer, for me sports is about belonging. It’s about inclusivity. It’s about allowing everyone to be their authentic self. I’m all about women, little girls deserving to play, and that includes trans women. So I’m all about inclusivity.”
