Sports fans keep learning new things about the WNBA as it rises in popularity, and last week a social media post from the Los Angeles Sparks went viral calling for men to try out for the team’s practice squad. This is common practice across the league, but those who saw it for the first time jumped straight to sexual comments about the team’s star players, including second-year forward Cameron Brink.
Rather than getting paid to play basketball or be in a professional facility, fans celebrated the chance to get physical with the athletes.
So on her podcast Straight To Cam this week, Brink admonished the squirrelly fans and offered a solution: only hire gay men as practice players if the straight men can’t handle themselves professionally.
“All of the comments are just completely out of pocket,” Brink said. “I’m really icked out by the potential new practice players.”
While Brink was laughing through her response, she didn’t appear to be kidding.
“I’m like, first of all, we need to heavily vet these men. Preferably, they’re gay,” she added. “Who are we trusting coming into this gym?”
Beyond the viral post and ensuing jokes, the attention around the Sparks’ call for practice players is another reality check for the WNBA and its teams. Similar to last year when the celebrity status of top players made it difficult to continue traveling on commercial flights, it may be time to end the use of everyday male practice players in facilities.
As Brink noted, it’s easy enough to call on a local college or rec league team. And once rosters and coaching staffs are expanded (likely in the league’s next collective bargaining agreement), ideally teams won’t need that help anymore.
In the meantime, Cameron Brink is preparing for the worst.
“I’m not boxing out anyone,” she said.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.