ESPN analyst Dick Vitale has stepped up to support Indiana Fever guard Kate Linklark after she was ranked as the ninth-best All-Star guard by her peers in the WNBA. This ranking has surprised many beyond social media circles. Linklark, a captain in the All-Star Game, garnered over 1.2 million fan votes. The WNBA used a combination of fan, media, and player rankings to determine the All-Star starters, culminating in a weighted score system.
Linklark, currently in her second year, has been a topic of discussion mainly due to her ranking. Vitale’s tweet expressed disbelief at the treatment she received from fellow players in the league. Some have pointed out that one reason for this low ranking could be that Linklark has only participated in nine of the Fever’s 16 games, largely due to injuries affecting her performance this season.
Although Linklark is facing some challenges—she hit just 13 of 47 three-point attempts over the last three games—she still averages an impressive 18.2 points, 8.9 assists, and five rebounds in about 33.3 minutes per game. Meanwhile, fellow Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas, who has managed to secure a higher assist average, could be among the 12 All-Star game reserves to be named this Sunday.
Linklark has played a significant role in boosting the WNBA’s visibility after making impressive records last season. Her journey has been accompanied by a fair share of controversies that caught the attention of the sports world for days.
Despite the ongoing discussions around her ranking, Linklark will be participating in the All-Star team draft alongside Minnesota Lynx star Nafisa Collier.
