Brianna Turner says Fever fired employee over sexual harassment
Brianna Turner said the Indiana Fever dismissed a male staffer last season, while the team said it does not discuss former employees.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Brianna Turner harassment comments put the Indiana Fever on the spot Thursday after the Las Vegas Aces forward said her former WNBA team fired a male employee last season for sexual harassment.
Turner, who played for Indiana last season before joining Las Vegas, made the claim Wednesday on X while posting in support of transgender athletes. She also said Fever players were encouraged not to talk about the dismissal, according to the Associated Press.
The Fever issued a statement Thursday that did not confirm or deny Turner’s account. The team said protecting players and staff and maintaining a professional workplace are top priorities.
“Our policy is to take concerns seriously, investigate thoroughly, and act promptly when appropriate to protect the people in our organization and ensure everyone is treated with professionalism and respect,” the Fever said in the statement. The team added that it does not comment on personnel matters involving former employees because it wants to protect trust and safety in the process.
What did Brianna Turner say about the Fever?
Turner wrote that the WNBA has had one openly transgender player and said that player “caused zero problems.” She then contrasted that with what she described as a workplace issue inside her team last season.
“Last year on my WNBA team a male staff member was fired for sexual harassment, but we were encouraged to keep quiet about it,” Turner wrote on X. “That is an issue.”
Turner did not identify the employee, describe the alleged conduct, or give additional details about the firing, according to the Associated Press.
Why did the comments surface now?
Turner’s posts came as discussion over transgender athletes in women’s sports drew comments from another Fever player, guard Sophie Cunningham, who had played with Turner in Indiana.
Cunningham was quoted in an ESPN story published this week saying she had received criticism from people who believed she was anti-trans. “I never once said that,” Cunningham said, according to ESPN.
Cunningham also said she wanted to “extend love,” while adding that she believed that love should include “truth” and honesty. She said she wanted to protect young girls in locker rooms and sports who she said should not have to compete against “biological men.”
Turner responded from a different angle, arguing in her posts that transgender participation had not been the problem she had seen in the league. Her example, she said, was the alleged sexual harassment matter involving a male Fever staff member.
Where do Turner and the Fever stand?
Turner is now with the Las Vegas Aces after spending last season with Indiana. The Fever, who are in Chicago for WNBA All-Star events this week, have not publicly addressed the specific claim beyond their workplace statement.
The team’s response leaves the central details unresolved in public: who the former employee was, what the team found, and what players were told after the firing. Turner has not provided further specifics.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.