Caitlin Clark speaks out against those who direct racist, misogynistic comments toward WNBA players

Clark’s comments appear to have been fueled by a tweet by Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington

Amid a rise in both positive and negative discourse surrounding the WNBA, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark addressed recent comments regarding her name being used for racism and misogyny.

The remarks may have been prompted from a Thursday afternoon post by Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, who responded to Clark’s previous comments that she is strictly focused on basketball.

Dawg. How one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts. We all see the sh*t. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury.

— dιjonaι carrιngтon♛ (@DijonaiVictoria) June 13, 2024

Later on, following the Fever’s practice, she responded to the recent backlash.

“It’s disappointing. I think everyone in our world deserves the same amount of respect,” Clark said. “The women around our league deserve the same amount of respect. People should not be using my name to push those agendas.”

She added that respecting her and fellow players is “a basic human thing that everybody should do.”

“Some of the women in this league were my biggest idols and role models growing up, helping me want to achieve this moment right here that I get to play in every single night,” Clark said. “Just be a kind person and treat them how you would want to be treated. I think that’s very simple.”

The top overall pick in this season’s WNBA Draft, Clark has been in the headlines long before she debuted for Indiana. Her recent play and the news that she was left off of the Team USA Olympic roster have only added to the growing conversations about her and the league, be it from her fans or her critics.

Meanwhile, this weekend, Clark’s Fever will face the Chicago Sky and fellow rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cordoso, the players who topped Clark’s Iowa squad in the last two NCAA championships. The game, which will be played in Indiana, Sunday, June 16, at 12 p.m. ET, will be televised by CBS.