​Former Vice President Kamala Harris has long been a vocal advocate for the WNBA, demonstrating her support by hosting the Las Vegas Aces at the White House after they clinched the 2022 WNBA Championship. On Sunday night, she reaffirmed that support once again. Harris attended a closely watched matchup between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Chicago Sky, where she seized the opportunity to address the Sparks in their locker room postgame with words of praise and encouragement for the players and the league as a whole.
After the Sparks defeated the Sky 102-87, Harris made her way to the locker room to speak with the team. In a concise but meaningful address, she celebrated the WNBA’s growth in recent years and congratulated the players not only for their win that evening but for the broader impact they’re making on and off the court. “You are having an incredible impact. I travel across the country, and I see young girls, boys, people of every gender, background, and race who watch the W and are inspired by what you do,” Harris told the team. “So please keep doing what you’re doing. You’re affecting people you may never meet, people who may never know your name or mine, but who are keenly aware of your actions. They gain a sense of their own value and dignity from what you do and what they see you achieve in this league.” She continued, praising the players for the paths they’re charting—paths that are “extraordinary to watch” and that extend far beyond a single game’s result.
To close, Harris joined the team in a collective “together” cheer, underscoring a message of unity and shared purpose. The moment highlighted Harris’s continued alignment with the WNBA and its players, reflecting a consistent public stance of support for women’s basketball and its broader cultural significance.
By contrast, the current White House administration has not sustained the same level of visibility with the WNBA as in previous years. The Las Vegas Aces were not invited to the White House to celebrate their 2022 championship with the administration, according to a team spokesperson quoted by USA Today. This marked the second consecutive season in which the reigning WNBA champions missed an invitation to the White House, and it’s noted that President Donald Trump, who has been in office for six years, has not invited a WNBA champion to the White House during his tenure. Reportedly, the Aces explored an alternative commemorative option in Washington, D.C.—a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture—which would have offered a meaningful, schedule-friendly way to honor their championship, but logistical conflicts prevented that plan from coming to fruition.
In the broader sports context, at the same time as these WNBA developments, the New York Knicks were extended an invitation to celebrate their own NBA Championship at the White House, illustrating the different political and ceremonial dynamics surrounding major league sports franchises and symbolic national recognition in the contemporary era. Harris’s remarks about the WNBA’s impact reflect a broader conversation about visibility, representation, and the ways in which elite athletes can inspire diverse audiences across the country.
The message Harris conveyed to the Sparks underscores a consistent theme: the WNBA’s growth and its players’ influence extend beyond wins and losses, shaping conversations about opportunity, equity, and human dignity. Her remarks serve to recognize the league’s progress while reinforcing the idea that athletes’ experiences can empower the next generation to pursue their dreams with confidence. As the league continues to expand its reach and influence, supporters like Harris emphasize the important role that sports can play in promoting social value, inclusivity, and resilience across communities. The sentiment she expressed—that the players’ work contributes to a broader, meaningful narrative about worth and possibility—resonates with fans and serves as a public endorsement of the league’s ongoing mission.