After often remaining silent about her name being used in cultural disputes, Caitlin Clark has spoken up.
The WNBA phenom was named Time’s Athlete of the Year after putting women’s basketball and women’s sports on the map.
After she entered the league, there were several comments made about her being White.
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Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever talks to the media during an introductory press conference April 17, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson said Clark being White was a “huge thing” when it came to Clark’s popularity. Angel Reese even said there had been “a lot of racism” from Iowa and Indiana Fever fans. Connecticut Sun player DiJonai Carrington, who poked Clark in the eye during a Connecticut playoff win over the Fever, previously criticized Clark for not doing more to call out racism.
In her discussion with Time, Clark seemed to agree with Wilson to an extent.
“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a White person, there is privilege,” Clark told Time. “A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them.
“The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.”
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts during a first-round WNBA playoff game against the Connecticut Sun Sept. 25, 2024, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
In June, Clark said she was unbothered by people using her name to push narratives.
“It’s not something I can control. I don’t put too much thought and time into thinking about things like that. To be honest, I don’t see a lot of it,” Clark said at the time.
“Like I’ve said, basketball’s my job. Everything on the outside, I can’t control that. So, I’m not going to spend time thinking about that. People can talk about what they want to talk about, create conversations about whatever it is, but I think, for myself, I’m just here to play basketball. I’m here to have fun. I’m here to help my team win. We’ve won three games, feel like we’ve been in a position to win a few more than that. My focus is on helping us do that. I don’t pay much mind to all of that, to be honest.”
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever celebrates during a game Aug. 16, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Michael Hickey/NBAE via Getty Images)
Clark said in September racist fans are “trolls.”
“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, disrespectful or hurtful comments and threats,” she said at the time.
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Clark was named the league’s Rookie of the Year and helped the league draw historic attendance and viewership.
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