Liz Cambage finds herself in the middle of a controversy once again. The former WNBA center recently sat with Taylor Rooks for an interview to discuss her time away from basketball. In July 2022, Cambage walked out of the locker room after a loss to her former team, the Las Vegas Aces and reportedly told her Los Angeles Sparks teammates “I can’t do this anymore. Best of luck to you guys.”
Another issue that hung over over the Sparks during the 2022 season included allegations of Cambage calling members of the Nigerian women’s basketball team “monkeys” and telling them to go back to their third-world country. Cambage’s mother is Australian and her father is Nigerian.
“I don’t really lean toward racially-backed insults,” Cambage told Rooks. “That’s not how I go. I’m very pro-Black. I did not say these things to these girls.”
Rooks then asked Cambage why she was being accused of saying such things to the national team.
“The truth looks a lot worse for other organizations involved than using me as a scapegoat,” Cambage said. “Why does Nigeria want me to leave Australia and represent them?”
When Rooks followed up and asked Cambage about joining the Nigerian national team, she re-confirmed it.
“We’re filing for me to leave the Australian team so I can represent Nigeria,” Cambage said. “I’ve been in cahoots. I’ve been talking with them since all of this happened. This is what I mean. People don’t know the truth.”
Promise Amukamara of the Nigerian national team called Cambage’s answer false and doubled down on the claim she called them monkeys and told them to go back to their country. She also pointed out that the coach Cambage said she was speaking with to join Nigeria is no longer with the program.
Promise Amukamara who plays for Nigeria speaks after the Liz Cambage interview: #WNBA pic.twitter.com/dAWhPgTsWE
— Women’s Hoopz (@WBBWorldWide) August 7, 2023
Then, the footage came out. Subria Whitaker posted the entire scrimmage on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Full tape was actually leaked yesterday. More context for the one going around now. https://t.co/NPCbjjZAvs pic.twitter.com/0peU8P50Vw
— Chief Game Grower (@SubriaWhitaker) August 8, 2023
In the footage, Cambage elbowed a player before both teams had to be separated and the center said she isn’t with that “dirty s—.” A few minutes later, she slapped a player in the face. The player had their hands in the face for a few moments before charging and punching Cambage.
“Weak as s—!” Cambage repeated after getting hit before a teammate came over to calm her down. “…Y’all got us playing in the f—ing ghetto!”
Cambage released a statement after the footage leaked. The statement implied the ghetto comment was in reference to playing in the COVID bubble Australia’s national team set up before the 2021 Olympics. She also continued to deny the allegations of calling the Nigerian players monkeys and telling them to go back to their country.
She also clarified she never said she officially joined the Nigerian team. She said she had an interest in joining and thought she was taking the right steps to do so.
“I kindly urge the media and fans to fact-check before publishing and to avoid spreading unverified claims,” Cambage’s statement read. “I also send well wishes to all my former teammates. Looking forward to seeing you all on the court.”
— Elizabeth Cambage (@ecambage) August 9, 2023
