Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack blasted fans for the “ridiculous” lack of support for her team and offered a somber assessment of the true state of women’s basketball: “No one cares.”
The WNBA is riding the crest of the wave thanks to the rise of superstars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who have brought record-breaking crowds to arenas across the country.
But Legette-Jack painted a grim picture of the sport below the very top level.
After her team’s home loss to UAlbany on Wednesday, the two-time coach of the year gave an impassioned speech about poor attendance in the stands.
Flanked by two of her players, Legette-Jack punched the table before complaining: ‘Nobody cares man’
“This is what I’m trying to tell our young people on this team: No one cares about our program, no one cares about women’s basketball,” she began.
Syracuse coach Felisha Legette-Jack has issued a somber assessment of the state of women’s basketball
The WNBA is riding the crest of a wave thanks to the rise of stars like Caitlin Clark
But the Syracuse women’s team was defeated by Albany on Wednesday before a sparse crowd
“It’s not anyone’s fault…but no one is dealing with it as much as we are, and that’s okay. But I try to make our kids understand that we have to be so closed in within ourselves that we don’t see that the fan base here is twelve people.
“We can’t see that people who are not on the field are not really locked up. Because it’s about our dreams. What matters is our decision to rebel about it. So this is the lesson we learned.”
Syracuse fell to 2-3 on the season after a 73-70 home loss to UAlbany (4-0). Lilly Philips hit a winning three-pointer with just three and a half seconds left on the clock.
Afterward, Legette-Jack accused her team of not meeting the visitors’ wishes on the field, claiming that Albany was “the team that decided every possession would matter as if their lives depended on it.”
But the coach also expressed her frustration at the lack of “respect” fans showed her team by showing up in such small numbers.
‘The first thing we play for is each other. We’re not going to twist it. We have to block out the noise, whatever that noise is,” she said.
“If they’re real fans, and they really love me like I think they should, then they’ll come to the game and really be a part of it, and not just send 30 people to this game. So I’m disappointed in my fan base here.
“If I’m home and this is supposed to be my home, prove it. This is ridiculous. I’m the only coach from here. And this is the respect we get here?
Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever, has become one of the biggest superstars in the sport
“My mother always said you can love someone, but if they don’t love you back, you have to love someone else.”
She added: “I’m glad I came in when I did so our players can see it. Nobody cares man. We’re crying out here… let’s have a party out here. It’s not you, it’s everyone. And that’s okay, but what’s not okay is that we don’t give 100 percent to ourselves.”
“Those are life lessons we’re talking about, man. But we have to decide that we have to withdraw and shut out the noise of all the people on the outside, lock ourselves inside and really interact with each other.
‘For us this is a perfect situation. This is what should happen to us now. And we will get better.”
On Thursday, Legette-Jack apologized for her language, but revealed that fans had promised to answer her call to support her team.
“I have a great school to coach at and I’ve definitely used language in the press room that I’m not proud of,” she said. ‘That does not suit my character, the character I have for my family, nor for my team or the people I surround myself with.
‘I would certainly like to apologize for that. I hope we understand that I appreciate my fans and friends who come. To use those definitive words like “no one” and “everyone” it becomes something that sticks around and speaks louder than it needs to.
I have to take those words back because there are 2,000 loyal fans who show up for women’s basketball.
“There are a number of people who have reached out to me from some important places in our community, who have shared with me, raised their hands and said, ‘I’m guilty, I’m not coming to the games. I have to come, you called me out and I’m on my way.” That’s why I’m glad I said it, because now we’re finding those other people.’