Women’s college basketball star Hannah Hidalgo finally broke her silence about her controversial repost of Candace Owens commentary on Saturday. Her public address comes just five days after Notre Dame teammate Olivia Miles entered the transfer portal with a cryptic shot at her former teammate.
Will it be enough to repair the relationship?! I don’t think so.
Hidalgo, a five-star women’s college basketball prospect in the recruiting Class of 2023, committed to play at Notre Dame over offers from Michigan, Stanford, Duke and Ohio State, among others. It was a huge get for the program. She has averaged more than 22 points and five rebounds per game in each of the last two seasons. The Fighting Irish reached the Elite Eight in both years.
A large part of Hidalgo’s decision to play in South Bend was based in religion. The two-time All-American is very open about her Christian faith and said before that it deepened during the pandemic.
However, her religious views got her into some trouble in July 2024. Hidalgo reposted a clip to her Instagram story from a conversation between Don Lemon, who is openly gay, and Candace Owens. Owens told Lemon that she believes it is a “sin” to be involved in a homosexual relationship and does not “believe marriage can be between two men.”
A large number of women’s college basketball players identify as homosexual, including some of Hidalgo’s teammates. It did not sit well with them. Former Notre Dame head coach Muffett McGraw even went so far as to say that it was “insulting to her teammates, to everybody in the game of basketball. I was really disappointed that it came out that way. I was happy that she deleted it, but the damage I think was done before she deleted it.”
Hannah Hidalgo never addressed the controversy.
Now fast forward to last week. Olivia Miles, who averaged 15 points per game for the Fighting Irish last season, made a monumental decision to forgo the WNBA Draft and enter the transfer portal. A few of her teammates also decided to leave the program. It was something of a mass exodus, if you will. (No pun intended.)
There was a lot of speculation that the players left because of Hidalgo and the Candace Owens repost. Miles essentially confirmed it.
She reposted a TikTok video that said: “Treating people right is better than posting Bible verses you don’t even practice.” Her own caption read: “Can’t treat people bad then hide behind religion.” The message was loud and clear.
Hidalgo finally broke her silence on the drama in a letter to The Players’ Tribune on Saturday.
Until recently, basketball was this outlet. But when you’re 19 years old and trying to figure your life out, and you start to get buzz on social media – when you suddenly have a platform – it can be really overwhelming.
It’s a learning process. Among other things, you have to be intentional about what you post. Which goes double if it’s somebody else you’re amplifying – as opposed to something that comes from your heart, that reflects your character and authentic self.
You know the post I’m talking about.
— Hannah Hidalgo
The 20-year-old was hurt by what happened because others were hurt by her actions.
Now, feeling misinterpreted is one thing. I’ve always been very private, and learning how to navigate the media in public as a young person is just plain hard. But realizing that I had this new responsibility and that I’d let people down, given the wrong impression, maybe even hurt people I care about – that got me spiraling.
— Hannah Hidalgo
She wants to be clear that she is not homophobic and referred to the repost as a mistake.
I grew a lot from the conversations I had coming off that mistake, especially with friends I was afraid I’d hurt. Instead, I was relieved to feel embraced and safe. I am not homophobic — I love all people, and believe we all deserve to exist authentically, but I understand now how that narrative developed. I should have been more public about how much I value everyone’s humanity and how what makes us unique as individuals can be what powers a great team.
— Hannah Hidalgo
Hannah Hidalgo then went on to say that the people with whom she surrounds herself at Notre Dame are her extended family. They taught her a lot about life over these last nine months.
This letter helps to set the record straight. It might not be enough to get Miles and the other players who left to come back, but it will help with the optics moving forward. Hidalgo took responsibility. She says she has learned a difficult lesson.