Aces forward Brianna Turner strongly disagreed with the potential idea of WNBA players wearing a “USA 250” patch on their uniforms in the 2026 All-Star Game in Chicago on July 26.
“Whoever called for the WNBA all-star uniforms to have the USA 250 patch should have thought that through, considering no WNBA players would have been free 250 years ago,” Turner posted on social media. “The majority wouldn’t even have had their freedom 100 years ago.”
Her reaction comes after a January announcement that multiple North American sports leagues would partner with the sports merchandise company Fanatics to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday this year with a commemorative jersey patch.
Leagues such as the NFL and the NBA chose to participate in the partnership, with the Patriots and Seahawks both wearing the patch in Super Bowl LX, and the Spurs and Knicks also wearing the patch as part of the 2026 NBA Finals.
“Yesss, I know this was probably a financial decision at the end of the day, but still. We are some of the most elite female athletes. 250 years ago, we would have been breeders or in the fields working all day,” Turner said an additional post. “Be so serious rn.”
Turner is also treasurer of the WNBA Players Association.
Some of the leagues that were not a part of the original joint announcement with the White House and Fanatics were the NWSL and the PGA Tour. The nonprofit organization “America250” was created by Congress to lead a celebration of the country’s founding in 1776.
The WNBA said in a statement: “Like other major sports leagues, we are exploring how best to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary. Nothing has been finalized at this time.”
There was a report late last week from the news outlet Sportico that the WNBA had decided to have its biggest stars wear the patch that provoked Turner’s comments but ultimately it was never made official by the league.
