Jemele Hill Fires Back at Sophie Cunningham’s Detroit Diss Amid WNBA Expansion Talk

Noted leftist former ESPN host Jemele Hill has remained conspicuously silent on the subject of disgraced former UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas, but has found the time to voice dissent against Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s diss on her hometown.

It was announced on Tuesday that the WNBA had selected three cities for expansion: Detroit, Philadelphia, and Cleveland.

Hill, a Detroit native, called the return of the Detroit Shock “incredibly meaningful.”

“It is just so incredibly meaningful that Detroit is getting its WNBA team back,” she wrote. “This is not only continuing the momentum of Detroit’s overall resurgence, but it will allow the Shock to take its rightful place and continue a proud tradition. The Shock is the most disrespected dynasty in WNBA history (yeah, I said it). This is absolutely HUGE.”

Fever guard and noted Caitlin Clark defender Sophie Cunningham had a decidedly different take.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Cunningham seemed unimpressed by the announcement.

“I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland],” she opined.

“Sis, you play in Indiana,” Hill wrote on X. “No disrespect.”

The Detroit Shock had a relatively brief but very successful run when they entered the league as an expansion franchise in 1998.

“Backed by Pistons ownership and coached from 2002–09 by Bad Boy legend Bill Laimbeer, the Shock captured three titles in six seasons (2003, 2006, 2008),” Awful Announcing reports.

While Detroit, in particular, and Michigan, in general, are widely regarded as places that appreciate good basketball, so is Indiana. A point raised by one X user who responded to Hill.

“And [Cunningham is] unfortunately too young to know Detroit was ranked top 5 in attendance when we had the Shock, and won three titles in 6 years,” Hill wrote. “I’m fully aware of Indiana’s basketball pedigree, but she took a silly shot at Detroit for no reason, when she should be embracing league expansion because of what it means for players.”

The WNBA plans to expand to 18 teams by 2030, with franchises in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia joining previously announced teams in Portland and Toronto, which will begin play in 2026. The Golden State Valkyries started their inaugural season in 2025.