​Former Vice President Kamala Harris was recently seen courtside at a WNBA game, where she shared what she admires most about the league’s players. In a separate appearance, the author of “107 Days” delivered an inspiring speech to the Los Angeles Sparks roster, reminding them that their hard work on the hardwood is making a real difference. Harris’s outing follows a letter from members of Congress urging the league to address concerns about the treatment of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
Harris, who is the 49th Vice President of the United States, attended the Sparks’ Friday, July 10 game against the Chicago Sky to show support. While courtside, she spoke with an ION reporter about her passion for the WNBA and what she respects most in its athletes. “I love the W,” she said. “The level of excellence across athletic ability, ambition, discipline, and the way players model the peak of athleticism is stunning.”
After the game, Harris slipped into the Los Angeles Sparks locker room to address the team, which features standout players such as Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum, Cameron Brink, and Dearica Hamby. In a motivating address, she told the players they are making a significant impact. “I travel across the country and see how young girls, boys, and people of every gender and race watch the W and understand how inspiring it is,” she said. “Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re impacting people you may never meet, and they may never know your names or mine. But they are aware of what you’re doing, and it gives them a sense of their value and dignity and what they deserve from this world.”
Harris isn’t alone in engaging with the WNBA on a political level. According to ESPN, roughly a dozen lawmakers recently sent a letter to league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressing what they call “racially motivated” attacks against Caitlin Clark. The letter calls for a rigorous investigation into the matter and emphasizes the players’ safety and rights. It notes that if discrimination or retaliation is happening and creating a hostile work environment, it may violate federal civil rights laws. The lawmakers urged Engelbert to respond to their inquiry by July 24, detailing the league’s procedures for reviewing incidents of “physical hostility and violence” and related concerns.
Clark’s situation has drawn attention after an incident involving Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas, who received a Flagrant 2 foul and a one-game suspension following footage that appeared to show a clenched fist near Clark’s neck. The letter from the lawmakers underscores the administration’s obligation to ensure safe, fair, and respectful conditions for all players both on and off the court, and it invites interagency involvement from the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if warranted.