Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has spoken out about Phoenix Mercury’s Sophie Cunningham, who recently came under fire for her stance on transgender athletes. Critics have labeled her “MAGA Barbie,” revealing the polarized responses within the WNBA community.

When former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White asked to join the WNBA, their request was quickly dismissed as a “stupid publicity stunt.” But the friction it caused over trans athletes has fueled public attention and boosted the league’s ratings.