USA Today reporter Christine Brennan is facing significant backlash from the WNBA Players Association after a controversial question she posed regarding Caitlin Clark.
During Sunday’s Game 1 of the WNBA first-round playoff series between the Connecticut Sun and the Indiana Fever, Sun player DiJonai Carrington made headlines when she inadvertently poked Clark in the eye.
The incident occurred during a heated matchup, leaving Clark with a visible black eye. However, on Tuesday, Brennan asked Carrington in a post-game interview if the eye poke had been intentional, stirring up controversy.
The WNBA Players Association responded swiftly, releasing a strongly worded statement on Friday condemning Brennan’s question. The association accused the veteran journalist of attempting to perpetuate harmful stereotypes, calling her actions a deliberate effort to fuel a “racist, homophobic, and misogynistic” narrative.
“That so-called interview in the name of journalism was a blatant attempt to bait a professional athlete into participating in a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic, and misogynistic vitriol on social media,” the WNBPA’s statement read, further adding, “You cannot hide behind your tenure.”
Both Clark and Carrington have denied any ill will in connection to the incident, emphasizing that the contact was accidental. Clark, despite receiving a black eye from the play, showed no animosity toward Carrington, and both players made it clear there was no malicious intent.
On the court, the Connecticut Sun dominated, winning Game 1 decisively with a score of 93-69. They followed up their performance with another victory in Game 2 on Wednesday, eliminating Clark and the Indiana Fever from the WNBA playoffs.
The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the ethics of sports journalism and the responsibility reporters have in shaping narratives, particularly in women’s sports, where players often face additional scrutiny based on race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Brennan has yet to issue a public response, but the WNBPA’s statement has intensified the debate, sparking conversations about the fine line between journalistic inquiry and harmful storytelling.
