Caitlin Clark has received backlash from a number of people in the last weeks, particularly due to her statements in her TIME Magazine interview. However, some people still came to her defense and called out people who had negative comments her way. One of the new names on the list was conservative commentator and media personality Ben Shapiro, who blasted Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson for her comments against Clark.
Caitlin Clark—who Shapiro called the “WNBA’s only nameable star”—previously received backlash from Johnson, who downplayed her 2024 Athlete of The Year Award, and instead said that the WNBA should be given the “League of the Year” award instead. Johnson also pointed out that recognition like what Clark received that singles out certain players could only lead to hard feelings and racism within the league.
“You’re not putting the entire WNBA on the cover because not everybody can fit,” Shapiro said. “And nobody knows who any of these people are.”
https://youtu.be/gKmuqf54_Lc?t=438
“By the way, 31% apparently of the entire Washington Mystics’ ticket sales this year came in two games,” he added. “I will give you a guess which player was featured in those two games—it was Caitlin Clark.”
“Caitlin Clark is single-handedly responsible for one-third of all your ticket sales this year and you’re complaining about it. That disconnect is why people are annoyed.”
Shapiro also threw shade towards the popularity and name-recall of Johnson’s team.
“I know you didn’t know that there was a team called the Washington Mystics,” he said. “Because, hell, no one knows there’s a team called the Washington Mystics.”
Backlash Over Caitlin Clark’s “White Privilege” Statement Proved “US Race Problem”
Four-time WNBA champion and five-time Olympic Gold medalist Sue Bird gave her honest input on the amount of backlash Caitlin Clark has received, and why it is proof of a “race problem” when it comes to sports in the United States.
“Now this faction of her fanbase which we’ve discussed before that is now disgusted with her acknowledging is just showing they were never really here for basketball,” Bird said on her podcast “A Touch More.” “Which by the way just proves that there are issues with race in this country.”
More recently, Caitlin Clark also received yet another recognition, this time as Associated Press’ Female Athlete of the Year, as she “raised the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both the college ranks and the WNBA,” and for “her impact on and off the court.”
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