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ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike has apologized for remarks she made during the WNBA’s investigation into “racist fan behavior.” Two weeks ago, after the Fever-Sky game, the WNBA announced that they were investigating alleged hateful comments from Fever fans directed at Reese.
During an episode of her podcast, Ogwumike made pointed remarks about WNBA fans, despite not being aware of the details regarding the WNBA’s investigation.
chiney needs to issue a retraction and apology for platforming these lies pic.twitter.com/jSOrWJXR8Q
— correlation (@nosyone4) May 27, 2025
On Tuesday, the WNBA announced that they had found no evidence of “racist fan behavior” directed at Reese during the Fever-Sky game.
After the WNBA released its statement, Ogwumike released an apology video on Twitter.
“I want to address this with the same energy I did the first time, because if you really know me, I always try my absolute best to uplift the WNBA, to celebrate the amazing players, the coaches, and, of course, the fans. That is something that is at the core of everything I do,” Ogwumike began her video saying. “But if you know me, you know I’m not afraid to say I can do better. I am sorry that my message was in the heat of the moment, because when I initially spoke on the topic, it really came from a place of care. It was based on firsthand conversations with people very close to the situation who raised real concerns. And they told me what they had experienced. And I felt like it was important and it was necessary to acknowledge those allegations and also voice those experiences.”
“Now in the process, however, I totally recognize that it may have impacted fans in a way that I did not intend. I am sorry. I am also happy that the WNBA treated the matter with the utmost seriousness, followed through with the investigation. And I understand that having a platform comes with a responsibility, and I do not take that lightly. So as our league continues to grow, I am going to grow with it. And I am so committed to be better about how I share perspectives and grow alongside the game that I truly love and adore.”
I’m never afraid to say that I can do better…🖤 (my thoughts on the wnba investigation) pic.twitter.com/PaGmcwvTPE
— Chiney Ogwumike (@chiney) May 28, 2025