Joe Rogan is facing criticism after using a derogatory term for WNBA players while discussing the league’s physical style of play on a July 2026 episode of his podcast.
On Thursday, July 2, 2026, Rogan and comedian Tony Hinchcliffe discussed recent WNBA storylines, including Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and the ongoing attention surrounding Caitlin Clark.
“Have you caught up with the WNBA? Who’s the girl that’s pointing at everybody?” Hinchcliffe asked. Rogan said he had been following the league loosely, but one aspect had stood out to him.
“I noticed in this league the fouls are insane,” Rogan said. “These b*tches throw each other to the ground.” He then alleged that players “will literally try to poke each other in the eyes,” calling the level of contact “crazy.”
Hinchcliffe said the physicality had been “wild,” and Rogan continued by criticising what he saw as missed travelling calls, arguing that players “take five steps without dribbling and nobody calls them on it.”
Elsewhere in the discussion, Rogan widened his criticism to basketball in general, saying officiating has become too inconsistent, particularly around travels and double dribbles.
“I always thought if you took a step, you had to bounce the ball,” he said. “That’s how it should be.” Rogan added that tighter rule enforcement would make the sport “exciting” again and contrasted today’s officiating with the eras of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing.
“I wish I loved the NBA like I did when I was a kid,” Rogan admitted, as he reflected on how much more physical he believes the game used to be.
The comments landed against a backdrop of renewed debate over WNBA officiating, especially after a June 24 game between the Fever and Phoenix Mercury sparked another wave of controversy involving Clark. Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas was later suspended for one game after the league reviewed contact to Clark’s throat, and the incident added to an already heated conversation about how much contact is being allowed around the league’s biggest star.
Cunningham has also become one of the main voices backing Clark, saying recently that other players are “definitely targeting” her and that the league and its referees “do nothing to protect her.” Clark’s treatment on court has become a central talking point this season, with fans and analysts split between those who see it as ordinary hard-nosed basketball and those who believe the officiating has crossed a line.
Beyond the WNBA, the broader issue of inconsistent officiating has been a recurring theme in basketball coverage this summer, with critics arguing that the league should better balance physical play with player safety. Supporters of the league, meanwhile, say WNBA games have always been more physical than many casual viewers realize, and that the current debate is being amplified by the attention surrounding Clark.
Clips of Rogan’s remarks have since circulated widely online, drawing backlash over the language he used, while also prompting separate debate about his criticism of officiating standards.