For the past two years, Caitlin Clark has been the center of attention in WNBA games because of her two national championship runs that concluded her record-breaking undergraduate career.
But whether she likes it or not, as she gets ready to play in the WNBA regular-season game, conversations regarding her race and her adjustment to the professional ranks have come up multiple times.
Although Caitlin Clark hasn’t said anything to inflame tensions between the white and black players, five-time WNBA All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and two-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson believes that Clark’s race has had a big impact on how she has been portrayed and advertised.
When questioned about the role that race played in Clark’s popularity, she told The Associated Press:
“I think it’s a huge thing. I think a lot of people may say it’s not about black and white, but to me, it is.”
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Wilson added that when it comes to marketing chances, certain black women are at a disadvantage.
“Even when black women succeed on the basketball floor, they are still frequently overlooked. It’s true that you can be exceptionally good at what you do as a black woman, but perhaps that’s something that others find offensive. No matter how hard I try, they won’t find it marketable. No matter what actions we take as black women, we will all still be disregarded. Because of this, I find it infuriating when people claim that race is not a factor,” Wilson remarked.
For practically the whole of the league’s existence, the WNBA has struggled to draw a sizable amount of attention and fans. However, the upcoming rookie class, led by players like Clark and Angel Reese, is expected to turn around the league’s situation.
Some have questioned if the WNBA was more concerned with advancing Clark than with taking advantage of the fantastic chance to improve the league as a whole.
Clark was questioned about whether the “race element” had ever occurred to her during her ascent to the top of women’s basketball during an Indiana Fever press conference.
Clark stated, “Yeah, I think there are opportunities for every single player in women’s basketball. I think the more opportunities we can give across the board, that’s what’s going to elevate women’s basketball. It doesn’t need to be one or two players. I think that even goes back to college,” Clark said on Tuesday before going up against the Connecticut Sun. She ended up with 20 points and three assists in the 71-92 loss.
“The parity in women’s basketball is what’s making more people want to come and watch it. I think the more we can spread the love, show people, show their talents, and show their teams, that’s just going to continue to elevate it. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
Just one day after Wilson, a power forward for the Las Vegas Aces, told The Associated Press that her “blood boils” when people refuse to believe that race is a factor in marketability.
They have been a long list of talented white WNBA players before 21-year-old Clark, including Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart.
However, the former Iowa point guard’s fame has become much more noticeable than that of the two former Seattle Storm stars, maybe as a result of her modest approach to the game and her college accomplishments with the Hawkeyes.