In a shocking turn of events that no one expected, Jemele Hill believes she has discovered racism.
In a recent interview with Uproxx, Hill spoke about the accomplishments of Caitlin Clark, the greatest player in women’s college basketball. While Hill acknowledges Clark’s talent on the floor, she believes the Hawkeye star receives more coverage because he is white.
“Everything about this sport has been trending upward for years now. It didn’t just start with Caitlin Clark,” Hill said. Said.
“Study I cited in a recent article in The Atlantic [found that] when comparing [the coverage] For example, players like (Paige) Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu, Kaitlyn Clark, to A’ja Wilson, who has dominated basketball at every level. She’s probably the best player in the world at the moment. I’m not trying to act like she doesn’t deserve coverage, but the coverage that non-white women, especially black women, don’t get is anywhere near that. It’s 2 to 1. ”
Iowa Hawkeyes jersey number 22 reacts during the fourth quarter of a game against the Colorado Buffaloes in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena on March 24, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. Caitlin Clark. (Arika Jenner/Getty Images)
Hill then brought up the example of Aliyah Boston, a black women’s basketball player who played at South Carolina.
“I mean, Aliyah Boston was the best player in college just a few years ago. And she didn’t get one-tenth of the media coverage that Caitlin Clark did. Now, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s it. Some might say, “It’s her game.” But I don’t think that was the case. She’s such a great presence on television, and I think what a missed opportunity the national media missed to truly elevate who she is as a person. Caitlin Clark seems like a great personality, but it’s not like Caitlin Clark walks around saying crazy things. They just cover her excellence and that’s enough. While it feels like Black athletes deserve equal or even fair coverage, there has to be something special. ”
Jemele Hill speaks at the 2019 ESSENCE Festival Presented By Coca-Cola at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 5, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images, ESSENCE)
It’s unclear how much of an upward trend women’s college basketball was in before Caitlin Clark burst onto the national stage. What is clear is that Clark’s success is not without bitterness.
“Women’s basketball needs a black future face,” Lindsey Schnell wrote in USA Today earlier this month.
