As the discourse surrounding Indiana Fever rookie and women’s basketball phenom Caitlin Clark grows louder, some of the discussion has taken an uglier turn toward racism and misogyny directed at the rest of the WNBA.
On Thursday, Clark refuted that language and said he doesn’t want his name used in that context.
“Everyone in our world deserves the same respect. The women in our league deserve the same respect,” Clark he said in response to a question from James Boyd of The Athletic. “People should not use my name to push those agendas.”
I asked #IndianaFeverCaitlin Clark directly on using her name as a weapon for racism/misogyny (as Dijonai Carrington alluded to):
“It’s disappointing. …Everyone in our world deserves the same respect. “The women in our league deserve the same respect.” pic.twitter.com/gyAWBqGG8c
-James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 13, 2024
Clark’s response came later an answer to a question posed by The Athletic’s Jim Trotter earlier Thursday, in which Clark said the use of his name as a weapon is out of his control.
“I’m just here to play basketball,” Clark said.
#IndianaFeverCaitlin Clark on using her name as a weapon in non-sports topics:
“It’s not something I can control. … And to be honest, I don’t see much of that.”
“People can talk about whatever they want to talk about. … I’m just here to play basketball.”
Questions for @JimTrotter_NFL pic.twitter.com/VhGC7cIgLf
-James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 13, 2024
The response, which some perceived as dismissive of the widespread intolerance in the conversation, drew criticism, including from Connecticut Sun staffer Dijonai Carrington, who aware about the answer in X.
“It’s crazy that one doesn’t mind having their name used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and the intersectionalities of them all,” Carrington wrote. “We all have a platform. We all have a voice and everyone has weight. Silence is a luxury.”
Dog. How one can’t be bothered that his name is used to justify racism, intolerance, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and the intersectionalities of all of them is crazy. We all see shit. We all have a platform. We all have a voice and everyone has weight. Silence is a luxury.
— dιjonaι carrιngтon♛ (@DijonaiVictoria) June 13, 2024
Boyd asked Clark the more specific question, related to racism and misogyny, shortly after Carrington’s post. There, the former Iowa guard was clearer.
“I think treating every woman in this league with the same respect is a basic human thing that everyone should do,” Clark said. “I think it’s very simple.”
Clark has had to deal with a lot of noise since joining the WNBA in April, most recently for being excluded from Team USA’s Olympic roster, a perceived slight by many of her fans. Clark herself said that she considers being left off the team “something to work through.”
On Thursday night, Clark and the Fever won their fourth game of the season with a 91–84 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Clark scored seven points on 3-of-11 shooting, adding four rebounds and six assists. Aliyah Boston led Indiana with 27 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Kelsey Mitchell’s 24 points.
