Joe Rogan calls women's basketball players derogatory name in bizarre rant on how violent they foul in games

Joe Rogan has found himself at the centre of a backlash after using a derogatory term to describe WNBA players during a discussion about the physicality of the women's league on his podcast.

The comedian and UFC commentator was chatting with fellow comedian Tony Hinchcliffe when the conversation turned to the ongoing drama in the WNBA, specifically surrounding Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and her clashes involving Caitlin Clark.

"Have you caught up with the WNBA? Who's the girl that's pointing at everybody?" Hinchcliffe asked, to which Rogan replied he'd been keeping a loose eye on the league but had noticed one thing in particular.

"I noticed in this league the fouls are insane," Rogan said. "These b*tches throw each other to the ground." He went on to claim players "will literally try to poke each other in the eyes," branding the on-court aggression "crazy."

Hinchcliffe agreed the physicality had been "wild," with Rogan doubling down and turning his attention to alleged travelling violations, claiming players "take five steps without dribbling and nobody calls them on it."

Joe Rogan was talking with Tony Hinchcliffe in the latest installment of the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast when he made the comments (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

What did Joe Rogan say about WNBA players?

During the wider conversation, Rogan expanded on his gripes with modern basketball more broadly, arguing that officiating across the sport has become inconsistent when it comes to calling travels and double dribbles.

"I always thought if you took a step, you had to bounce the ball," he said. "That's how it should be." He argued that stricter enforcement would make the game "exciting" again, comparing the current state of officiating unfavourably to the eras of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing.

"I wish I loved the NBA like I did when I was a kid," Rogan admitted, reflecting on how physical the game used to be compared to now.

Sophie Cunningham has become one of the most talked-about names in the WNBA this season, largely due to her willingness to physically defend her Indiana Fever teammate Caitlin Clark(Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Who are Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark?

Sophie Cunningham has become one of the most talked-about names in the WNBA this season, largely due to her willingness to physically defend her Indiana Fever teammate Caitlin Clark, who has faced repeated hard fouls since entering the league.

Clark, widely credited with driving a huge surge in WNBA viewership and attendance since being drafted, has been at the centre of several high-profile flashpoints this season, with pundits and fans divided over whether the physicality directed at her has crossed a line.

Cunningham has previously been vocal about stepping in to protect Clark on the court, which has only added to the ongoing storylines swirling around the pair.

Rogan's comments have since been clipped and shared widely on social media, with many criticising the language he used to describe the players, while others have weighed in on his separate point about officiating.

UNILAD have approached Joe Rogan for comment