Indiana Fever Star Caitlin Clark has become one of the most polarizing figures in sports since she was drafted by the WNBA, through no fault of her own.
His name has been brought up in cultural discussions, from race to sympathy and jealousy in the wnba.
Several WNBA players appear to have gone out of their way to attack Clark, on and off the court.
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Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark watches the Lynx at Target Center on July 14, 2024, in Minneapolis. (David Berding/Getty Images)
Clark was flagrantly fouled on a blindside check by Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter, while a Connecticut Sun staffer said it was “Seat Belt Season” when Clark played against them.
Basketball coach Chris Brickley, who has trained with rookie Sky star Angel Reese, told Fox News Digital that Clark is in a helpless situation, which makes people hate her “for sure.”
But it goes both ways.
“Anybody who is truly good or great will be hated by people, but people will also love them. That’s just the way life works,” Brickley said.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on July 12, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Los Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson made headlines just before the start of the WNBA season when she said Clark’s white status was a “huge factor” in her popularity.
But earlier this month, Wilson said the “energy” in the WNBA has shifted from gossip and headlines to appreciation of the game.
“It’s a good atmosphere, it’s a good feeling. People just come out to see the product on the field. There was a little bit of buzz at first, but then it started to die down because people started to realize that we’re really good at what we do, that we’re elite at what we do. I like the energy now,” Wilson said after facing Clark’s Indiana Fever. The two shared a hug after that game.
“People see good games, and that’s what it’s all about. We come out here, we work hard, we play basketball at a really high level, and people believe in it, they trust in it and they invest in it. And that’s the energy we’re feeling right now,” Wilson continued.
Last month, the WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert She shut down the idea that she was targeted, saying that it appears to be the case because of her attention and the fact that her treatment on the field is similar to everyone else’s.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky watch during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 16, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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The young prodigy received the most votes for this weekend’s All-Star Game, being the only player to receive more than 700,000 votes. She beat Wilson by nearly 90,000 votes.
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