Natalie Esquire left 'disturbed' by A’ja Wilson friend’s controversial take on 4x All-Star’s rising stardom

"Napheesa Collier is black": Natalie Esquire left 'disturbed' by A’ja Wilson's friend’s controversial take on 4x All-Star’s rising stardom

Modified Jun 04, 2025 12:39 GMT

Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson are the front-runners for the WNBA MVP award after blazing starts to the season. Collier and Wilson have played against each other since their college days at UConn and South Carolina, respectively, and are now two of the league's biggest stars.

Wilson's friend, Michael McManus, recently commented on Collier's rise to stardom. His opinion left NBC Sports' Natalie Esquire uncomfortable.

In an X post on Monday, McManus suggested that Collier's spike in popularity wasn't just because of her talent on the floor.

"Ok so I have a hot take I'm willing to discuss, and yes it is slightly a homer take," McManus wrote. "BUT my point is the hype around Phee and even the push for her to be MVP (more so considered one of the very best) doesn't feel like a purely basketball take."

His post sparked a conversation with one fan who agreed with him, saying that Collier's rise to fame is a part of a larger movement by the WNBA and media to promote its white players. Collier herself is of mixed race, but that didn't stop McManus and the fan from having the conversation.

McManus brought up Collier's creation of Unrivaled alongside her husband this summer as another aspect that stands out.

"Having a white husband help create a league to give more of a platform doesn't help the case either."

This discussion caught the attention of Esquire, who said it had no place in the conversation about Collier's stardom.

"Napheesa Collier is Black. I’m so confused (and disturbed) by this discourse. There is hype around Phee b/c she is like that and has taken her game to insane new levels. I thought we wanted more players to get recognized? The reax to her rise in attention has been disappointing."

Esquire continued to support Collier, saying it won't be long before she starts racking up more awards.

Collier is a four-time All-Star and is pushing Wilson for the league's highest honor. The Aces star is trying to win her second straight MVP award and fourth overall.

McManus' friendship with Wilson and his history of controversial statements have put him in the spotlight over the last few years.

Napheesa Collier and the Lynx have their eyes set on a title

Napheesa Collier is leading the MVP race this season, just ahead of Wilson and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.

Collier has led the Lynx to a 7-0 start ahead of their matchup against the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night. Minnesota is one of two undefeated teams left in the league, along with the New York Liberty.

Collier led the Lynx past Wilson's Aces in last year's postseason, but fell just short of her first title, losing to the Liberty in the final.

About the author

Zachary Howell is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with a degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University and over a year of experience in the field.

Being introduced to the digital side of content inspired Zachary to become a writer, and his love of basketball made this an obvious transition.

His favorite team is the OKC Thunder, and Zachary started following them in 2011 when they were on the rise with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. His favorite basketball players from the past are Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. Those three came to define their eras of basketball and were dominant without beating their chests too much. Zachary is a big fan of quiet greatness and these three players are good embodiments of that.

When not writing or watching sports, Zachary enjoys reading and exercising, as well as gaming. He loves to be outside and spend time with friends and family, including his three dogs.

Know More