The Minnesota Lynx secured their spot in the WNBA Finals on Tuesday night, defeating the Connecticut Sun in a hard-fought Game 5. Lynx star Napheesa Collier delivered a standout performance with 27 points and 11 rebounds, helping her team clinch the series. However, the post-game buzz wasn’t just about the on-court action—it was also about a controversial tweet from Nike’s official social media account that quickly sparked backlash.
In an effort to celebrate one of its top athletes, Napheesa Collier, Nike tweeted: “Phee and the Lynx making the Sun go down quicker than the end of daylight savings time.” While the tweet was meant to highlight Collier’s stellar performance and the Lynx’s victory, it didn’t sit well with WNBA fans, particularly because Nike also endorses two Connecticut Sun players.
Collier, who was named the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, certainly deserved the praise for her pivotal role in the series. However, many WNBA fans felt that Nike’s message was in poor taste, especially considering the lack of attention given to the Sun’s Nike-endorsed players throughout the series.
“You have two Connecticut Sun starters signed to the Nike WNBA roster,” one fan pointed out in response. “Both of whom you’ve neglected to post about all series… And one of whom you completely left out of your WNBA promo video. You could’ve kept this one in the drafts, babe.”
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Other fans echoed the sentiment, criticizing Nike for being biased in their coverage. “We have brands on our side who will stand against us,” another person tweeted, expressing disappointment in the brand.
A third fan asked, “Why didn’t y’all tweet anything positive about the Sun and the Nike athletes on the team when the Sun won Game 4?”
The post was seen by some as a misstep in balancing support for all of Nike’s WNBA athletes. While the company praised Collier’s outstanding game, fans were quick to notice the absence of similar recognition for the Connecticut Sun’s players who are also on Nike’s roster, especially after their Game 4 victory extended the series.
One fan commented sarcastically, “Dang, that’s wild that they would tweet this about someone’s favorite team… not me, though,” highlighting how personal these moments can feel to diehard WNBA supporters.
Nike’s approach to the WNBA Finals will likely be more balanced, especially with New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu—a marquee player for the brand who has her own signature shoe—set to compete. As the Finals begin, fans will be watching closely to see how Nike handles the promotion of its athletes moving forward, especially given the backlash from this incident.
The WNBA Finals will tip off on Thursday night, with Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Fans are hoping for not only an exciting series on the court but also more inclusive and thoughtful representation from brands like Nike.
