Caitlin Clark’s life in the WNBA has gotten off to a rough start. The Indiana Fever star seemingly has a target on her back and has been subjected to superstar-level defense and rough treatment from the league’s veterans. In a recent outing against the Chicago Sky, the rookie was on the receiving end of cheap shots from Chennedy Carter and Angel Resse, which sparked massive outrage on social media. Clark’s treatment has soured the fans’ view of the league and former basketball star turned social media influencer Rachel DeMita is incensed.
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She posted a rant on social media calling out WNBA players for targeting the Fever guard, saying,
“At this point, the WNBA is getting downright embarrassing. Not only for the league but women as a whole. You’re not gonna gaslight me into thinking that the media is the one who created this narrative that a lot of players don’t like Caitlin Clark. At this point, it is clear as day. We’ve seen so many example of hard fouls, dirty play, and teams celebrating when she gets chucked to the floor. We’ve also not heard from any of the other star players and veteran in WNBA. Why aren’t they speaking out about some of this?”
DeMita added that despite what the WNBA players felt, Clark was the reason for the league receiving unprecedented attention. She compared the rookie’s impact on the league to four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and 15-time Major winner Tiger Woods on their sport. She said,
“Simone Biles is the reason a lot of people watch gymnastics as there’s undoubtedly other great women on that team, but most of the fans come to watch gymnastics for Simone Biles. Just like in golf years back, Tiger Woods was the reason that sport gained the popularity that it did.”
us women need to do better pic.twitter.com/7WKh4mU4mh
— Rachel A DeMita (@RADeMita) June 3, 2024
DeMita is spot on. The WNBA had been craving a game-changer to enter the league and bring eyeballs to the product. Clark has managed to do that, but the rookie hazing she’s endured and the comments from veterans have cultivated a negative perception of the league and its players. Fans have incessantly complained that the hard fouls on Clark are a sign of jealousy.
It’s not just basketball influencers, but social media personalities from other walks of life have also commented on the treatment that Clark has been receiving. King Bach – a comedian who posts videos on Instagram, and Paige Spiranac – a golf influencer and model; have both been vocal about the kinds of fouls and cheap shots that CC has been subjected to since her debut.
As DeMita aptly pointed out, the action on the court and the players’ performances have become secondary. The media are amplifying the narrative that the veterans envy the attention Clark is receiving, and to make matters worse, the veterans have done little to prove them wrong. The WNBA is finally getting the attention it deserves but for the wrong reasons and the players need to introspect why that’s the case.
