Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham caused quite the stir with comments she made about WNBA expansion.
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Dan Skipper has taken to social media to respond to viral comments made by the WNBA star.
Detroit has been awarded an expansion team for the 2029 season. Toronto and Portland will be getting one in 2026, while Cleveland was awarded a team beginning in 2028 and Philadelphia in 2030. All told, the WNBA will be up to 18 teams by 2030.
Speaking to reporters, Cunningham sparked controversy and upset many by questioning whether players would be excited to play in cities like Detroit.
"You want to listen to your players, too. Like where do they want to play?" she expresssed. "Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans? I think Miami would have been a great one. Nashville is an amazing city. Kansas City, amazing opportunity. There’s a huge arena downtown that nobody is using."
Later, she added, "But man, I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or (Cleveland)."
Skipper, who has become a fan favorite due to his grittiness and resilience playing for the Lions, took to social media to note Cunningham may not ever play for the yet to be named WNBA team.
"You ever been there? Pretty good place to play, well not for you now," Skipper shared.
Red Wings and Tigers owner Chris Ilitch indicated that bringing a WNBA team to Detroit is a huge win for the region.
“Momentum and interest surrounding women’s sports has never been stronger, and we’re proud to host a WNBA team at Little Caesars Arena,” Ilitch said in a statement. “Bringing a WNBA team to Detroit is a huge win for the city and fans across the region. This team will join an incredibly diverse lineup of sports and entertainment offered at Little Caesars Arena, and we look forward to the lively atmosphere it will create for our venue and the community.”
You ever been there? Pretty good place to play, well not for you now. https://t.co/YJEKazHkJE
— Dan Skipper (@DanSkipper70) July 1, 2025