fans outraged over 'racist' photoshoot by wnba's phoenix mercury
'there is not a situation on this earth where a white woman should be sitting on a black woman like a piece of furniture'
2 minute read
we apologize, but this video has failed to load.
try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
the heat is certainly rising on the phoenix mercury. the wnba team is taking heat online, sparking outrage after posting snaps from a photoshoot that fans are calling racially insensitive, at best.
while the league is in its off-season, the mercury held a photoshoot with three players to help bolster attention after the 2025 schedule was released earlier this week.
the questionable photoshoot involved guards kahleah copper, sophie cunningham and natasha cloud dressed in matching black roll-neck sweaters, light-blue jeans and white socks pictured in some bizarre poses.
but one in particular has people on social media up in arms – and it’s the one the team chose to feature most prominently.
in the questionable picture, cunningham, who is white, is shown sitting on top of copper as her african american teammate lays on the floor with her feet up. cunningham also has her hand placed on the head of cloud, who also is black, as she kneels beside her.
“there is not a situation on this earth where a white woman should be sitting on a black woman like a piece of furniture,” one user said on x.
“this gotta be the most unintentionally racist s*** i’ve seen this year,” another wrote.
“y’all really looked at this first pose and said ‘yep! we got the shot!’ no one saw the horrible optics?” a user on instagram commented.
advertisement
many on social media were upset that the team was using cunningham in marketing material due to her alleged political backing of u.s. president-elect donald trump.
“quit shoving maga barbie in our face,” one instagram user commented.
“phoenix mercury keeps trying to post sophie and make us like her…… her own teammates don’t even like her,” another wrote.
on x, a user posted a since-deleted tiktok clip from cloud saying her and cunningham were no longer friends due to cunningham’s political affiliation.
“you can’t tell someone you love them and then vote against them, period,” cloud said.
the team also shared more snaps later on instagram, with the lead image featuring the players making a heart together with their arms.
the daily mail reportedly reached out for comment to the phoenix mercury, but the team did not immediately respond.
share story
