ESPN’s SportsCenter X account deleted a graphic it labeled the “Icons” of sports after being called out for having a large number of little-known WNBA players included in the image while leaving out some critical current top athletes.
The graphic, meant to advertise ESPN’s new streaming service, consisted of dozens of portraits of various athletes along with the caption “All the icons. All the moments. All of ESPN. All in one place.”
But, as Outkick’s Bobby Burak noted, the graphic was very heavy on WNBA players, with at least eleven women’s pro basketball players represented. On the other hand, there are only 10 NFL players, and a mere five college football players.
“Given that the majority of subscribers are expected to sign up to stream Monday Night Football and college football, the decision to prioritize female basketball players is quite strange,” Burack wrote.
Perhaps worse, the top pro golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, is not in the graphic at all.
“Apparently, fresh off two major wins in 2025, Scheffler has more to prove to ESPN to edge out the 12th most famous player in the WNBA,” Burack snidely commented.
The graphic also didn’t have a single starting pro baseball pitcher included.
ESPN very quickly deleted the cartoon-styled portrait graphic without any comment.
But the deletion didn’t come fast enough before many saw it and agreed with Burak that way too many WNBA players were graded as “icons” above so many other worthy athletes.
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