Women's Basketball

WNBA commissioner scoffs at hatred and racism against Caitlin Clark

Jun 30, 2024 7:10 PM

The debate about whether Caitlin Clark’s peers are jealous of her is ongoing.

As the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, Clark has attracted record viewership and attendance. However, she has faced tough fouls and injuries, including a ruptured eardrum.

Additionally, she has been targeted with several slights, both publicly and on social media, since her WNBA debut. These discussions include whether race affects her popularity and other players celebrating her struggles.

When asked by “The TODAY Show” if Clark is being targeted by other players, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert suggested it might seem that way due to the intense focus on Clark.

“The fans we’ve had for a long time know how we have the best, biggest, most physical, best players in the world,” Engelbert said. “What people don’t realize [is] in college, there’s over 200 NCAA Division I women’s college programs.

“There’s 12 WNBA teams; so you take the talent, and it’s centralized with the best, the biggest, most physical, and, really, the best players in the world. So, I think there’s always an adjustment for all rookies. I think our rookie class this year is doing outstanding, including Caitlin. She was the rookie of the month for May.

“There is a spotlight. No league is ever about one player. You see players, there’s injuries, other things that happen. We’re marketing around all of our players, but I think Caitlin’s lifting everybody.”