Ex-ESPN star rips into WNBA team’s ‘laughable’ nonbinary mascot amid league’s ongoing trans athlete saga

Ex-ESPN star Sage Steele pulled no punches as she ripped into the Toronto Tempo’s ‘laughable’ nonbinary mascot amid the league’s ongoing trans athlete drama.

Earlier this week, the Tempo, who are playing in their inaugural season as Canada’s first WNBA team, unveiled two new figures to represent the club: Dot, an Arctic Hare that uses she/her pronouns, and Dez, a Snapping Turtle that uses she/they pronouns.

Toronto unveiled the new mascots at half-time of their game against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, where Sophie Cunningham, who has been embroiled in the drama since advocating for ‘protecting young girls’ in sport, was playing for the visiting side.

The Tempo’s mascot reveal divided opinion on the night and now former ESPN star Steele has spoken out on the matter in a scathing social media post. 

Taking to X, Steele wrote: ‘When your mascot is a ‘butch, non-binary Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle who uses she/they pronouns and has a fondness for soft shell tacos’ … you deserve to be laughed at…simply for your desperate attempt to prove how inclusive you are.

‘Laughable @TempoBasketball @WNBA’, she added.

In their description of Dez, the Tempo wrote: ‘Dez (she/they) is a Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle from Muskoka, Ontario. Their name is inspired by decibel, a nod to their love of music and role as the more measured half of the duo. 

‘Dez is calm, clever and always thinking a few steps ahead.

‘A Taurus who spins the 1s and 2s in their spare time, Dez’s secret talent is snapping – they also have a particular fondness for soft shell tacos.’

According to team officials, the duo provides a modern twist on the classic fable of the tortoise and the hare, emphasizing that ‘knowing when to change pace can be just as important as the pace itself.’

‘From the beginning, we wanted our mascots to feel distinctly Tempo – rooted in who we are as a Canadian team,’ said Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer for the Tempo. 

‘Dez and Dot have completely different personalities, but they’re better together. One knows when to slow things down, the other knows when to turn the energy all the way up.’

The timing of the announcement added a layer of intrigue to the evening, coming on the same night the Tempo hosted Cunningham and the Fever at Scotiabank Arena.

Cunningham has recently been at the center of intense league-wide debate after expressing her views on biological gender participation in women’s sports during an interview with ESPN.

Cunningham’s stance sparked uproar around the league, drawing both criticism and support alike. Two former NBA stars, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft in an apparent protest.

Freedom, who played in the NBA for 11 seasons and stands at 6ft 10in, announced his plans to declare for the WNBA Draft earlier this month amid the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athlete involvement in sports.

The former hoops star, who allegedly sent a provocative letter to WNBA commissioner, has sparked widespread criticism with his divisive decision. 

Meanwhile, since his statement of intent, another former NBA star, White, has followed suit, also declaring for the WNBA Draft.