Where Was All of the Energy to Cover the WNBA at ESPN?' -- Linda Cohn's Former Colleague Calls Out Her Newfound Interest in the W, Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the WNBA helped drive a major spike in attention, but criticism is also intensifying as the league navigates controversy across sports media. After Linda Cohn retired from ESPN’s “SportsCenter” after 34 years in June 2026, former colleague Cindy Brunson challenged her increased focus on women’s basketball, questioning why Cohn didn’t use her ESPN influence to amplify the WNBA during Clark’s early buildup. Brunson pointed to a video involving Clark and an earlier error crediting Olivia Miles with a single-season rookie assist record. ESPN’s former colleague Ryan Glasspiegel defended ESPN, saying no network had offered women’s hoops comparable live windows over decades. Clark is averaging 22.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists on 45.6% shooting, ranking third in scoring.