Discussions on social media about race and fan interactions have overshadowed WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark’s performance on the court during her first month in the league.
Despite this, Clark maintains her focus on the game. Addressing the issue during a shootaround before the Indiana Fever’s match against the Washington Mystics, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan asked Clark about her awareness and thoughts on the social media chatter.
Clark responded, “I’m not on social media, so I don’t see a lot of it. But you would be surprised. I still have my TV on in my house and I’m watching sports, and you’re still aware of it, and you still see it. But other than that, my focus is basketball. Sometimes it stinks how much the conversation is outside of basketball and not the product on the floor and the amazing players that are on the floor and how good they are for their teams. And how great this season has been for women’s basketball. Going from college basketball and now the WNBA, some of the crowds are unprecedented and had never been seen before. The viewership’s amazing. But yeah, I mean, I try to block it out.”
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Clark’s response, summarized as “I’m focusing on basketball,” received mixed reactions online.
While some supported her approach to keep her attention on the game, others criticized her for not directly addressing certain negative aspects associated with her fan base.
A critic voiced their discontent on Twitter: “white women are gonna white women. this is a terribly ignorant response to it all. and the Sky can’t just quiet it out of their locker room when her fans are stalking and harassing them outside of basketball.”
The debate over Clark’s race and its influence on her reception and media coverage has persisted for several weeks. Although some observers feel she should engage more with these issues, Clark prefers to concentrate solely on her sport, feeling no obligation to address the matters beyond the court.
