Chiney Ogwumike apologizes for racism claims after WNBA finds no evidence of fan misconduct

On May 28, 2025, the WNBA announced that it found no evidence to support claims of racist harassment allegedly directed at Chicago Sky star Angel Reese during a May 17 game against the Indiana Fever. The league stated:“Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated it.”The statement came after allegations emerged that Reese, who is Black, had been the target of racially charged remarks from Indiana fans following a flagrant foul by Caitlin Clark. The game had ended in a 93-58 victory for the Fever.“The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct,” the league added.Following the allegations, ESPN analyst and former WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike weighed in during an appearance on Get Up alongside Monica McNutt. Referring to the alleged racial abuse, Ogwumike said:“If you’re truly a basketball fan, you would understand and agree that we have no space in our game for those types of comments… not putting more gasoline on the fire in a circumstance where we’re here to appreciate the beautiful basketball. That’s all Caitlin and Angel want you to do. Why not just continue on that?” (as reported by Awful Announcing).Ogwumike’s comments drew backlash from some Indiana Fever fans, who felt unfairly implicated.In response to the WNBA’s findings, Ogwumike issued a 90-second video statement on X (formerly Twitter) on May 27. She expressed regret and acknowledged her responsibility:“Hey everybody, I’m sure you’ve seen the WNBA statement on the investigation and I want to address this with the same energy I did the first time… if you really know me, I always try my absolute best to uplift the WNBA… But if you know me, you know I’m not afraid to say I can do better.”She added:“I am sorry that my message was in the heat of the moment, cause when I initially spoke on the topic, it really came from a place of care. It was based on first-hand conversations with people very close to the situation who raised real concerns… I totally recognize that it may have impacted fans in a way that I did not intend, and I’m sorry.”“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,” she said. “I am so committed to be better in how I share perspectives and grow alongside the game I truly love and adore.”The apology did little to temper all criticism. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who attended the game, condemned both the WNBA's handling and ESPN’s coverage:“The ‘investigation’ was bulls—-. Both [the Fever] and WNBA gave [credibility] to a very obvious troll,” Portnoy posted on X. “ESPN ran with it. Caitlin Clark had to defend her fans for no reason. You made something outta nothing. Indiana Fever fans deserve better.”Meanwhile, Ogwumike emphasized she was grateful the league took the allegations seriously and hoped to move forward:“I am also happy that the WNBA treated the matter with the utmost seriousness and followed through with the investigation.”