WNBA Commissioner’s Cup: How the league is making an impact on charities with in-season tournament
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The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup is about more than which team is the best.
In fact, it’s half basketball, half philanthropy.
Women’s health advocacy in Black, Brown and LGBTQ+ communities is taking center spotlight at the third edition of the league’s in-season tournament this year. The philanthropic charge is led by the Social Justice Council, a branch stemming from the Women’s National Basketball Players Association.
MORE: Format, schedule, standings and more to know about league’s tournament
Here’s what you need to know:
What are the stakes for the Commissioner’s Cup?
Each team is supporting a non-profit women’s health organization local to their city or state.
After each game in the cup competition, which pitted conference opponents against each other for a total of 60 games between May 19 and July 12, the WNBA donated $2,000 to the winning team’s organization and $500 to the losing team’s organization.
During the Final on Aug. 15, the WNBA will donate an additional $10,000 to the winning team’s organization and $5,000 to the losing team’s organization.
What is this year’s advocacy focus?
The umbrella of this year’s women’s health advocacy platform has four main pillars the Council chose to highlight, including maternal health, mental health, reproductive health and cancer prevention and awareness.
Thomas, an SJC chair member, per league release:
Women’s health is our health. Women’s health is society’s health. Off the court, so many of us are engaged with organizations doing this work. So, we know and feel that more attention, education, and resources are needed to protect all women and our rights to access healthcare and support. This season’s dedication and the subsequent activations are a step in the right direction.
August is also WNBA Breast Health Awareness Month, empowering women to proactively manage the potential risks of cancer. All teams will wear women’s health-themed warmup shirts and host a BHA game night.
Charities involved with WNBA teams for Commissioner’s Cup
| Team | Foundation | Their mission | Donation |
| Atlanta Dream | Helping Mamas | To supply mothers in need of help with essential baby items. | $14,000 |
| Chicago Sky | Sista Afya Community Care | To provide community mental wellness care centered on the experiences of Black women. | $9,500 |
| Connecticut Sun | Waterbury Bridge to Success’s #Day43 Campaign | To combat Black maternal mortality and support equitable environments for all birthing women and their babies. | $15,500 |
| Dallas Wings | Sisters Network of Dallas | To save lives and address the breast cancer survivorship crisis affecting African American women. | $14,000 |
| Indiana Fever | The Wheeler Mission Center for Women and Children | To help meet the growing demand for shelter and services for homeless women and children. | $8,000 |
| Las Vegas Aces | NAMI Southern Nevada | To improve quality of life by increasing awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental health conditions. | $18,500 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | California Women’s Law Center | To advance the potential of women and girls through litigation, policy advocacy and education. | $12,500 |
| Minnesota Lynx | African American Breast Cancer Alliance | To educate and support Black Americans in their journeys with breast cancer and survivorship. | $12,500 |
| New York Liberty | Callen-Lorde Health Center | To provide sensitive, quality health care and related services to New York’s LQBTQ+ communities. | $15,500 |
| Phoenix Mercury | Arizona Birthworkers of Color | To uplift the personal and professional development of community-based birth workers of color. | $6,500 |
| Seattle Storm | Therapy Fund Foundation | To empower people of color through mental health education and radical self-care. | $11,000 |
| Washington Mystics | MedStar Health’s DC Safe Babies Safe Moms Initiative | To improve the health and well-being of mothers and infants in Washington, D.C. | $12,500 |
In addition to the chart of local non-profits below, the league is also highlighting several national organizations doing meaningful work in the same four areas of focus.
| Pillars | Foundation | Their mission |
| Maternal | Southern Birth Justice Network | To expand Birth Justice by improving access to midwifery and doula care. |
| Maternal | Black Mamas Matter Alliance | To help Black mothers and birthing people advocate for Black maternal health, rights, and justice. |
| Mental | The Loveland Foundation | To heal communities of color through therapy support, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. |
| Mental | The Trevor Project | To provide crisis support services to LBGTQ+ young people. |
| Reproductive | LOOM | To educate and connect women through science and reproductive health stories. |
| Cancer prevention and awareness | TOUCH, Black Breast Cancer Alliance | To amplify its ‘For the Love of My Gurls’ campaign. |
| Cancer prevention and awareness | American Cancer Society | To address health equity, early cancer detection and prevention. |
Who is on the WNBPA Social Justice Council?
The council includes the Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon and Jasmine Thomas, the Aces’ Alysha Clark, the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and the Mercury’s Brianna Turner.
Clark and Stewart are both competing in this year’s championship game, as the superteams in Las Vegas and New York have earned the top conference spots for the season.
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