In yet another example of politics colliding with sports, a prominent WNBA player is drawing heavy criticism after publicly announcing she will boycott commemorative patches honoring America’s 250th anniversary — and encouraging the rest of the league to do the same.
Las Vegas Aces forward Brianna Turner, who also serves as Treasurer of the WNBA Players Association, ignited controversy after declaring she would not wear the “America 250” patch designed to celebrate 250 years of American independence. The commemorative emblem is expected to appear during league events marking the historic milestone leading up to the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration.
But rather than viewing the anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate the country’s founding and progress, Turner chose to focus on America’s flaws — citing slavery and historical limitations on women’s rights as reasons she believes the celebration is inappropriate.
Taking to social media platform X, Turner launched into a series of posts criticizing the patriotic initiative.
“The irony of all the USA 250 stuff is that the vast majority of people in America today would not have been ‘free’ 250 years ago,” she wrote.
She later doubled down, specifically targeting the WNBA’s decision to include America 250 patches on player uniforms.
“Whoever called for the WNBA All-Star uniforms to have the USA 250 patch should have thought that through,” Turner argued, claiming that many of today’s players would not have enjoyed freedoms centuries ago.
Her criticism didn’t stop there.
Turner also suggested the league’s decision was likely driven by financial motives, while simultaneously expressing frustration over it. In another post, she made controversial remarks implying female athletes in America’s founding era would have been relegated to hard labor or childbearing roles.
Predictably, the comments sparked swift backlash from sports fans and patriotic Americans who accused Turner of overlooking how dramatically the nation has progressed — and the freedoms that allow professional athletes like herself to thrive today.
Many critics argued that while America’s history is imperfect, the country’s founding ideals ultimately created the system that abolished slavery, expanded civil rights, and opened opportunities unimaginable in much of the world.
Social media users wasted little time pushing back.
One commenter reminded Turner that the WNBA itself exists because of freedoms and opportunities made possible in modern America.
“You don’t have to hate where you live,” one user wrote, adding that professional athletes are free to criticize the country precisely because of the liberties America protects.
Others pointed out a broader historical reality: slavery existed across much of the globe 250 years ago, not exclusively in the United States. Several critics noted that America’s story is also one of reform, sacrifice, and expanding freedom — something they believe deserves recognition rather than dismissal.
Another commenter referenced the sacrifices of American service members throughout history, particularly those who fought to preserve liberty at enormous personal cost.
The controversy highlights a growing divide in professional sports, where patriotic symbols increasingly spark political debate rather than unity.
For many Americans, celebrating the country’s 250th birthday is about acknowledging not only where the nation started, but how far it has come.
Critics of Turner say refusing to recognize that progress misses the bigger picture — and risks turning an historic milestone into yet another political grievance.
As America approaches its landmark anniversary, one question remains: should the country focus solely on its past mistakes, or celebrate the freedoms and opportunities that millions continue to pursue around the world?
