ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 16: Angel Reese 5 of Atlanta and Sophie Cunningham 8 of Indiana in the lane during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream on August 16th, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 16 Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260816089 ©IMAGO/Icon Sportswire Ojus Verma Sun, October 25, 2026 at 12:42 PM UTC · 5 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Atlanta TV commentator just made it clear he would take Sophie Cunningham over Angel Reese. Cunningham is not playing in the Finals. Reese is, and she is the hometown star chasing a championship with the Dream. Yet the blunt declaration has sparked backlash from fans, and the question now is whether the commentator's preference holds up under the scrutiny it just invited.
During a segment of Fox 5 Atlanta's The Georgia Gang , panelist Phil Kent made his preference known while discussing the growing popularity of women's basketball.
"Go, Sophie Cunningham. That's my girl, not Angel Reese," Kent said in a clip shared on X by @SammyF99 .
His fellow panelists pushed back, reminding Kent that Angel Reese was Atlanta's hometown star and that the city should be rooting for her. The conversation also turned to Reese's Defensive Player of the Year award, which Kent questioned before conceding that she was "a good defense player."
A TV analyst's controversial take on the Dream's Finals roster has ignited debate across the WNBA community. Stay informed on the biggest storylines shaping women's basketball with our daily newsletter.
This exchange quickly drew reactions from fans who questioned Kent's preference for the Fever guard. Within hours, the video had accumulated over 350,000 views and at least a thousand reposts.
"'Go Sophie Cunningham' these people are not real 😭😭," one fan wrote.
Another questioned the motivation behind his support.
"His support for Cunningham has nothing to do with her talent or basketball," the comment read.
Cunningham's name has become intertwined with some of the WNBA's most divisive debates this season. In July, the Fever guard drew widespread attention for speaking out against transgender women competing in women's sports, saying she wanted to protect young girls.
Although she made those comments off the court, she became part of a broader debate surrounding gender and inclusion in women's sports.
She was also caught up in a heated exchange involving Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington in August. After Carrington was ejected for a flagrant foul on Cunningham, she posted a controversial post on social media. Carrington later explained that her criticism concerned what she viewed as inconsistencies in officiating across the league.
Against that backdrop, some fans viewed Kent's preference for Cunningham over Atlanta's own star as more than a routine basketball opinion.
"It's never been about bball. The racist gotta go 🥴🤷🏽♀️," one fan wrote.
Based on the comment and Cunningham's pull, some even wondered whether the person had consumed any of the sport.
"That man's never watched a minute of the WNBA. He's just eating up the racist propaganda," the user's take read.
Kent's background added another layer to the reaction. He is the CEO and publisher of Insider Advantage Georgia and serves as executive director of the American Immigration Control Foundation, an organization that has faced criticism over its stance on immigration. And Kent did not even explain why he preferred Cunningham over Reese during the televised exchange.
"Pure ignorance, I'm glad it's televised," another fan wrote.
While Kent's comments have fueled debate off the court, Reese has a much bigger objective in front of her: leading Atlanta to the first WNBA championship in franchise history. The Dream last reached the WNBA Finals in 2013, following back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011. However, Atlanta failed to win a single game in any of those three Finals runs.
The Dream and the Golden State Valkyries have split the first four games of the Finals, leaving the series tied 2-2. Golden State claimed a 67-62 win in Game 4 , limiting Reese after she made a major impact in Games 2 and 3. Atlanta will need its star forward to respond as the series enters its decisive stretch.
The Finals now shift to Chase Center for Game 5, with the best-of-seven series effectively becoming a best-of-three. Two more wins will decide the champion, leaving little room for error on either side.
With a historic title within reach, Reese and the Dream have an opportunity to make their mark on Atlanta basketball. The attention surrounding Kent's comments may have added another layer to the conversation, but Atlanta's focus remains on finishing the job on the court.
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Source: Sports
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