‘They’re Playing Against the Messiah’: LeSean McCoy Defends Opponents Targeting Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark’s rookie season in the WNBA was nothing short of electric and volatile. While she broke statistical ground by becoming the first player in league history to average at least 15 points and 5 assists per game, she also took a fair share of hits, both on the court and on social media.

Unfortunately for Clark, this hasn’t changed in her sophomore year. Just days ago, she was poked in the eye, body-checked, and shoved to the floor in a game that saw three players ejected and tensions boil over between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun.

And this isn’t an isolated incident. From flagrant fouls to sideline scuffles, Clark has repeatedly found herself at the centre of physical and emotional flare-ups this season.

So naturally, a growing number of fans and analysts have pointed to a pattern: opposing players aren’t just playing her — they’re targeting her. While most analysts have either agreed or disagreed with this observation, former NFL star and FS1 analyst LeSean McCoy has a different theory. He believes that Clark getting targeted comes with the territory.

In his latest appearance on The Facility, the two-time Super Bowl winner offered a raw and unfiltered take on why Clark draws such attention from competitors.

“If I’m a competitor, and I’m playing against Caitlin Clark, I’m going to give you my best effort, because I know that we playing against the Messiah,” McCoy said.

“People don’t want to hear it, it’s the truth. Since Caitlin Clark has stepped up into the WNBA, the viewership is everywhere… Not just in America, everywhere,” he added.

Clark’s impact isn’t just anecdotal — it’s measurable. She currently ranks second in both scoring and assists despite missing games. When she sat out for a couple of weeks, viewership dropped by 55%. Upon her return, a whopping three million fans tuned in — numbers that are usually reserved for league finals, not regular-season matchups.

To add more depth, McCoy compared the hype around Caitlin Clark to a high-profile athlete who has struggled to live up to their billing — namely, 2024 NFL Draft No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. But Clark, he noted, has exceeded expectations.

“When you’re anticipating something to be so good, so great, and you get there and it’s not that, you might be a little pissed off,” McCoy added. “But when I watch Caitlin Clark, it’s like everybody is tuned in because we know how good she is.”

.@CutonDime25 says Caitlin Clark should have a target on her back:

“If I’m a competitor and I’m playing against Caitlin, I’m going to give her my best effort because we’re playing against the Messiah.” pic.twitter.com/pcRK925VgS

— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) June 18, 2025

For the ex-Bucs star, the animosity Caitlin Clark draws isn’t about jealousy — it’s about instinct.

“As a player, as a competitor… we don’t look at them [women] the same as we’re competitors,” he explained. “But when they get on that court, they are competitors. And we got to see it as such.” Because in his view, the Indiana Fever point guard has done something few athletes ever manage: she’s elevated the game itself.

“Since she stepped into the WNBA… everybody’s watching,” McCoy emphasized.

Call it admiration or antagonism, what’s clear is that Caitlin Clark is a gravitational force in women’s basketball. And while her play might make her a target, it also makes her essential. Safe to say, Clark is paying the price for her greatness.