This year’s Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft on April 14th stood for something more than athleticism; it became an extremely important moment to start a conversation about holding athletes accountable for their actions in professional sports.
24-year-old Sedona Prince, a 6’7” center position from TCU (previously played at the University of Oregon), went undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft. This may not seem like big news to people who are unaware of the allegations surrounding Prince, but for survivors of abuse, this is a huge win. The decision was made based on several allegations of abuse from Prince’s former partners, dating back as far as 2019. At least four women have spoken out about Prince’s domestic violence, sexual assault, and emotional manipulation. Prince has denied all claims of abuse since the first ones came to light and has not been formally charged with any crimes.
Despite her arguably outstanding final college season, in which she averaged 9.4 rebounds, 17.2 points, and 3.1 blocks per game, she was not selected for any WNBA team. Sources like Sports Illustrated noted concerns over the allegations to be a key reason she was not selected, alongside worries about her injury history and age. This was particularly notable due to Prince’s large online presence. After posting a viral video in 2021, calling out the NCAA for inequalities between men’s and women’s weight rooms during March Madness, Prince became an “advocate” for equality within women’s sports. She quickly gained a large following on social media, now standing at 2.5 million followers on TikTok, becoming a leader for the LGBTQ+ community and young athletes. Her viral video can be seen here: it’s 2021 and we are still fighting for bits and pieces of equality. #… | NCAA Basketball | TikTok
To many of her fans, the allegations came as a shock, as they did not align with the charismatic persona she showcased online. It shows that social media presence does not always represent someone’s true character or outside behaviors, nor does a fan base/number of followers protect someone from accountability.
For survivors of abuse, this is an extremely important moment. There has been a long history of professional sports ignoring violent allegations, especially when it has to do with athletes who perform well. Male athletes typically return to their multi-million dollar contracts after a brief suspension or weak apology. Without true legal action, there’s a hesitation to act.
Not only does this action speak for survivors of abuse, but it also speaks to those in LGBTQ+ relationships, where abuse is often overlooked due to stereotyping. Abuse does not discriminate based on gender or sexuality, and the WNBA is drawing awareness to this (by quite literally announcing Prince’s allegations on live television), acknowledging abuse in all forms.
But one thing should be made clear: this standard should not end here. All professional athletes need to be held to the same level of accountability. Leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB have gone too long without addressing the tolerance of abuse within athletes while continuing to hand them millions of dollars. Skill should not outweigh virtue. It’s time to change the game and hold athletes accountable.