Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark was hailed as a superstar before even stepping onto a professional court after being selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The Fever are off to a slow start at 2-9 after a blowout loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday night, but Clark’s star status continues to shine in Indiana.
But there has been some controversy surrounding Clark despite only playing in 11 games, including an incident with Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter in Saturday’s 71-70 win.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark brings the ball up the court during a game against the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 1, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Clark’s adjustment to the WNBA has been a topic of discussion on many sports talk shows, but ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” took it to another level Monday morning, when the former NFL kicker and his crew created a slideshow to explain what they think about critics who say Clark is only a superstar because she’s a white woman in the league.
“It’s unfortunate when people in the media keep saying, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class.’ No, tell it like it is. They’ve got one superstar white girl on that Indiana team,” said McAfee, who has invited Clark onto his show and attended Fever games because of his position at Indiana.
“Is it because she stayed at Iowa and carried the entire state on her shoulders? Because she took the program from zero to a multi-year success story? Because she broke every points record in NCAA history? Not only Kelsey Plum’s women’s record, but “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s records, too. And men’s records, too. Is it possible that people enjoy watching her play basketball just because of her electrifying appeal? What she stands for and how she does it? Maybe.”
Sky’s Chennedy Carter slams Caitlin Clark for refusing to answer questions about foul
“But instead we have to hear people say we like her because she’s white, that she’s popular because other rookies are doing it. That’s complete nonsense. I think the WNBA, and especially the referees, need to stop trying to gloss over her at every turn. We have a special player here and we’re lucky to have her in Indiana.”
McAfee also called Clark a “cash cow” for the WNBA, but doesn’t think the rest of the league should treat her differently when it comes to games.
“Athletes do what athletes do in any sport,” he said. “I think we’re all learning that the WNBA is old-school football. It’s old-school football.”
Pat McAfee speaks at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center ahead of Super Bowl 55 in Las Vegas on February 8, 2024. (Candice Ward/Getty Images)
McAfee was referring to Carter’s hip-check of Clark during Saturday’s game, which was later upgraded by the WNBA to a Flagrant 1 infraction rather than a regular foul. The two players had been arguing with each other prior to the incident, and Carter blatantly bumped into Clark after making a shot, causing Clark to fall to the floor.
Carter also suggested Clark had failed, slamming her on social media and saying she hadn’t contributed anything other than her three-point shooting.
Clarke has maintained his integrity when asked about the incident and has consistently maintained on the court that he doesn’t want players to be treated any differently than veterans around the league.
However, Fever GM Lin Dan was forthright in expressing his opinion on what happened over the weekend.
“There’s a difference between tough defense and unnecessary offensive action!” Dan wrote in X’s post. “This has to stop! The league needs to ‘clean up’ the bullshit! This league isn’t like that!!”
Pat McAfee began Monday’s show with a segment talking about Caitlin Clark and how the WNBA is a “cash cow” thanks to her superstardom. (Getty Images)
Clark had the worst game of his early career on Sunday at Barclays Center, making just 1 of 10 3-pointers.
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But Clark became just the second player in WNBA history to record at least 100 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists in her first 10 games, tying the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, who had 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists in a win over Chicago.
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