Dallas Wings coach Jose Fernandez used the closing minutes of his postgame press conference on Wednesday night to offer a message of support and solidarity to reporter Grant Afseth, who covered the Wings beat for Dallas Hoops Journal.
Earlier in the week, Afseth shared a threatening and insulting message he received on social media in response to his coverage of the team. He has since moved off the beat at least for the time being — on Wednesday, Afseth said on social media that he was “currently reporting on the Wings in person.”
After the Wings won against the Toronto Tempo on Wednesday night, Fernandez shared his dismay with the situation.
“Since even before I got here in Texas, there was a certain gentleman who really took a lot of pride in covering this team,” Fernandez said. “A very talented reporter. Passionate, talented, prepared. And it’s really sad that he’s not in this room like he should be. Because what he went through, nobody who covers any sports team should go through. It’s really disappointing.”
Fernandez noted that he has been on the receiving end of similarly aggressive comments, but has layers of staff between him and social media and team security to assure his safety.
“If that’s happening to coaches in this league, just imagine what’s happening to players. It’s just very, very disappointing.”
Fernandez closed his comments with some more kind words for Afseth.
“Grant was at every road game. He was always in here. No bias at all. Did his research. So I wanted to share that, because he will be missed. And hopefully with y’all’s support and with our support, we can get him back in here doing what he loves to do, because he really cares about the Dallas Wings, and nobody should go what he went through.”
Jose Fernandez closes his press conference with a statement in support of @DALHoopsJournal’s Grant Afseth, who recently stepped away from the heat after receiving harassment for his coverage.
“Nobody should go through what he went through.” pic.twitter.com/lOqi8GIa2b
— Drake (@DrakeKeeler) August 13, 2026
The conversation surrounding the entirety of the WNBA has become more heated than one might expect, between hot-button issues being raised in the context of the league and players being positioned as pawns for different political ideologies.
ESPN’s Andraya Carter put it succinctly while discussing the outrage that was aimed at Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White after Sophie Cunningham was on the receiving end of a hard foul from DiJonai Carrington of the Chicago Sky:
“Are you calling for Steph White’s job because of who she is as a coach? Or are you calling for her job because you watched one clip and you’re piling on and you’re fueled by hatred and you’re finding a space to exercise something that’s not related to basketball at all?”
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