Kate Laurensen is a veteran reporter. She started out covering entertainment news for the local city paper before moving up to the City desk. She studied journalism at San Francisco City College for the Arts.
October 2 , 2026
WASHINGTON — Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., sought to explain questions that arose after his exchange with former special counsel Jack Smith during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, saying he had been unfamiliar with the history and popularity of women’s basketball.
In an interview with Fox News, Schmitt was quoted as saying, “I’d never heard of women playing basketball. I certainly didn’t know there was a women’s league. I’m sure I’m not the only one.”
The comments quickly became a subject of discussion on social media, with critics questioning how a sitting senator could be unfamiliar with women’s professional basketball. Supporters said the remarks appeared intended to describe a lack of personal familiarity rather than make a broader statement about the sport.
Women’s basketball has a long-established history in the United States, including professional leagues and major collegiate and international competitions. The WNBA, founded in 1996, is the country’s highest-profile professional women’s basketball league.
In the Fox interview, Schmitt said his comments were not intended to diminish women athletes or their accomplishments. He characterized them instead as an acknowledgment of a personal blind spot.
The episode also prompted renewed discussion about the visibility of women’s sports and the extent to which major sporting events receive coverage across television, newspapers and digital media.
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