Photo Courtesy of John Mac- Wikimedia Commons
While the WNBA and NBA offer great potential for cross-sport unity, there is a growing expectation for genuine, action-backed solidarity in modern sports culture.
As the popularity of women’s sports continues to rise, it has become more apparent which men’s teams actually support their counterparts. Recent events with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have constituted the clearest example of this.
The Atlanta Dream have earned themselves a spot in the WNBA finals, and fans were ecstatic. It only seemed normal that the Atlanta Hawks would post a celebratory message for the WNBA team that also resides in their city. However, their post was less than satisfactory. In the post uploaded to the official Atlanta Hawks Instagram page, the congratulatory poster featured two Atlanta Hawks players and three Atlanta Dream players. The problem with this is the inclusion of the male athletes who had nothing to do with the Dream’s playoff success.
The Atlanta Hawks have not made the NBA playoff finals since 1961. Since then, they have made the playoffs numerous times, but have failed to make it past the conference finals. Since their creation in 2008, the Atlanta Dream has made the WNBA playoff finals four separate times. Many fans feel as though the Hawks are inserting themselves where they are not needed; let the women’s team flourish in their own success and congratulate them on their accomplishments alone.
The Golden State Valkyries and Golden State Warriors are a perfect example of both teams supporting each other while giving each team their own spotlight. Leading up to a recent preseason game, the Warriors all warmed up in various Golden State Valkyries jerseys to support the team on their finals debut. At the first game of the finals, multiple Warriors players were in attendance, as well as head coach Steve Kerr—all repping Valkyries attire. Stephen Curry has also been very vocal about his support for the female team all season long, and seeing how both teams support each other has been spectacular.
Two teams sharing a city should look like this. There should be a place for each team to support the other for their individual accomplishments, not include themselves as a part of the accomplishment. Furthermore, support without action means nothing. Simply hitting “post” on Instagram for a congratulatory message does not say much when there are star players like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, and LeBron James frequently attending WNBA games and supporting their favorite players.
One thing that has been so special to watch has been the relationships between NBA and WNBA players. WNBA star Paige Bueckers has been said to have a skill set reminiscent of Kyrie Irving, and when watching the tape, it is clear that their playing styles are very similar. During Bueckers’ rookie season, Irving went to a few Dallas Wings games, and watching his reaction to Bueckers’ game was exciting to see. They have also spent time together training in the offseason, and this type of bond between players in the WNBA and NBA—especially those who play in the same city—is incredibly special to see.
By having the men’s and women’s teams support each other, it also gives the city something to look forward to. Merging the fanbases into a joint fanbase benefits both teams, while also benefiting the prosperity of the city. In 2026, it should not be difficult for men’s teams to publicly and vocally show support for their female counterparts, especially when so many of the best male athletes in the world find it incredibly easy to do.