The WNBA is already boiling over amid the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athlete eligibility, but another familiar basketball argument has suddenly entered the spotlight.
A clip from a one-year-old video of the Club Shay Shay podcast featuring Flau’jae Johnson is going viral again, and this time, fans are focusing on her comments about WNBA players competing against NBA talent.
Flau’jae Johnson’s Old Comment on the NBA vs. WNBA Debate
Johnson, who appeared as a guest on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast last year, was asked to weigh in on the long-running debate about whether a WNBA player could realistically compete against an NBA player.
Her answer was far more practical than some of the bold claims that have surfaced from the basketball world.
“Bro, I was just talking about this; I just don’t; it’s not physically possible. You know what I’m saying? Like, I could barely grab the rim; you’re over the backboard. Like, I’m not about to play you, like, but, like, no; an NBA player, like, no,” Johnson said during the podcast.
Sharpe then presented Johnson with a hypothetical scenario.
“What about if we took, let’s just say we took a top five WNBA player? So we took Stewie (Breanna Stewart), we took A’ja, we took Napheesa Collier. Who else do you wanna put in? You wanna throw (Sabrina) Ionescu in there? You wanna throw Jonquel Jones? I mean, you wanna put Caitlin Clark? Whoever.”
“And I’m gonna take, let’s just say, for the sake of argument, I take the 12th guy- not obviously KD, LeBron, Luka, them; that ain’t happening. But I’m saying we’re gonna take the 12 13th, or 14th guy. He don’t get in, but like two minutes left in the game, when they’re up by 25, when they’re down by 25. Could they beat one of you?” Sharpe said during the conversation.
Rather than immediately claiming that a WNBA star could win, Johnson explained that the answer might depend on which metrics are considered.
“It just depends on the metrics, bro. Honestly, it depends,” Johnson added.
Unsurprisingly, Johnson’s realistic assessment has sparked plenty of reactions from the WNBA world.
For the last several weeks, debates surrounding male and female basketball players have been heating up across social media.
Now, as the year-old podcast clip begins circulating again, some members of the WNBA world are pointing to Johnson’s comments as an example of someone approaching the discussion in a practical way.
“Only player with some sense,” an influencer wrote.
A’ja Wilson made headlines in December 2024 by boldly claiming that she could take on Josh Hart in a one-on-one matchup. Now, Johnson’s resurfaced remarks are being viewed as the more practical perspective.
“It can’t happen. It’s impossible. We should never talk about it again lol,” one influencer said, whereas another one commented, “An honest woman.”
One influencer also appreciated the Seattle Storm rookie’s approach for her willingness to speak practically about a complicated comparison.
“I’m glad she’s keeping it [100],” the user wrote.
As the clip continues to spread, Johnson’s comments have once again put the NBA-WNBA comparison under the microscope. Whether fans agree with her assessment or not, her measured response has clearly struck a chord with those tired of exaggerated claims.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.