WNBA, NBA Respond to Gilbert Arenas' Comments on Female Basketball Players

The WNBA and NBA released a joint statement Wednesday criticizing former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas, calling his recent statements on women's basketball "repugnant."    

The statement comes a day after Arenas posted an Instagram video (warning: contains NSFW content) of scantily clad women playing basketball, indicating that's what "America was hoping for" with the WNBA: 

"

NOW this is what america was hoping for when they announced the #WNBA back in 1996... not a bunch of chicks running around looking like,cast members from#orangeisthenewblack...dont get me wrong,they have few #cutiepies but theres a whole alotta #beanpies running around.

"

Reigning WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne also released a statement criticizing Arenas' take:   

Obviously, anyone with a pulse and a shred of human decency sides with Delle Donne, the WNBA, NBA and any other woman—or person for that matter—who was offended by Arenas' comments. The sentiments shared by Arenas and those who agree with him are a vile combination of sexist and uneducated.

That there are people who think this way in 2015 should be baffling, but this isn't a unique or unprecedented case. In fact, Arenas himself posted (again, NSFW) a similarly sexist screed defending himself Wednesday featuring scantily clad female football players. Good on anyone who calls Arenas and his ilk out for their nonsense.

Treatment of women within professional sports has come a long way, but people like Arenas show we’ve still got farther to go.  

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.