Former ESPNer Jemele Hill downplayed Caitlin Clark’s effect on the growth in popularity of women’s basketball, while also railing against the media for not affording the same coverage to black players.
While acknowledging that Clark is “stoking overall curiosity,” Hill told uproxx.com that the star Iowa guard is riding the waves of an overall increase in attention.
All eyes are on Caitlin Clark at the Final Four.Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
“If you look at WNBA ratings or women’s college basketball ratings, they have been exploding for at least the last seven to (10) years — or I would even say five to seven if you want a shorter window. And so, it’s been proven that people really enjoy the sport. They enjoy the stars in the sport, but they enjoy the sport itself. And I’m not completely convinced that the media understands the difference.”
Hill then said the media does a “terrible job” covering women’s sports, and when it does, it will “overload in one direction,” referring to covering white players such as Clark or UConn star Paige Bueckers, compared to how former South Carolina star and current Aces forward, A’ja Wilson, is handled.
“(Wilson)’s probably the best player in the world right now,” Hill said. “And I’m not trying to act like she gets no coverage, but the coverage that sometimes non-white women get, or specifically Black women get, is not even close. It’s two-to-one.
“I mean, Aliyah Boston was the best player in college just a couple of years ago. And she did not get even a tenth of this media coverage that Caitlin Clark did. Now, some people would say, ‘Oh, it’s her game.’ But I don’t think it was that. She’s tremendous on television, and I’m thinking, What a missed opportunity for the national media to really elevate who she was as a person.
“Caitlin Clark seems to be a great personality, but it is not like Caitlin Clark is walking around saying crazy stuff. They’re just covering her excellence, and that’s good enough. Whereas it feels like for Black athletes to get the same amount of coverage or even fair coverage, there has to be something extra [beyond basketball].”
Jemele Hill attends the BET+ “Diarra From Detroit” Los Angeles Premiere at Citizen News Hollywood on March 20, 2024 in Los Angeles.Getty Images for BET+
Hill did compliment Clark, saying she believes her play will translate to the WNBA and could help the growth of the league.
Clark’s last game, an Elite Eight triumph Monday night over reigning champion LSU, set a women’s basketball viewership record, drawing in 12.3 million viewers, and received the most bets ever for a women’s sporting event.
Iowa and Clark face Bueckers and UConn on Friday in the Final Four, with the winner facing the victor of undefeated South Carolina vs. NC State in Sunday’s national championship.
Caitlin Clark signs a shoe following the Elite Eight.Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
“To me, Caitlin Clark was always Steph Curry. It was always him,” Hill said. “And even if you consider LeBron (James) to be the greatest player of this generation, which would be accurate, the biggest effect on basketball at every level was Steph Curry. I feel like Caitlin Clark’s going to continue that because even the reason she plays, the way she plays, is because of Steph Curry.
“I can only imagine the number of little girls and young female athletes who are trying to copy everything she’s doing, and I think that’s a great thing for the sport.’”
News
The entertainment world has been thrown into a frenzy following the surprise revelation that Blue Ivy Carter, daughter of music icons Beyoncé and Jay-Z, has claimed that Rihanna is her biological mother, not Beyoncé.
Blue Ivy reveals Rihanna is her biological mother – Beyoncé is not her mother, Jay-Z admits it all The rumors began swirling after a series of social media posts claimed that Blue Ivy had made the revelation during a private…
Beyoncé admits she didn’t want Blue Ivy on stage with her in honest interview about kids and Jay Z
Beyoncé admits she didn’t want Blue Ivy on stage with her in honest interview about kids and Jay Z Beyoncé has given a rare interview opening up on family life as a busy mum of three and her early relationship…
Russell Wilson Demands NFL to Feature Ciara in Super Bowl Half-Time Show as Kendrick Lamar Headlines 2025 Performance
Riyadh Season festivities are on, and the organizers of the festival have left no stone unturned when it came to arranging the top-tier talent to perform. So, it was no surprise when we found out that Russell Wilson’s wife and RnB…
Beyoncé continues to dominate the charts with her latest album, Renaissance, which has now surpassed 1 billion streams worldwide! Fans are buzzing about her upcoming tour dates and stunning fashion statements. Queen Bey reigns supreme!
Are you ready for Beyoncé’s Europe Tour 2024? After her incredible run with the Renaissance World Tour, the Queen Bey is back, gearing up to bring her magic to Europe once again. With her reputation for jaw-dropping live performances,…
Super Bowl champion and quarterback Travis Kelce moved to a $6 million mansion in Leawood in search of privacy after fans swarmed his former residence
To avoid the constant attention at his old home, Travis Kelce chose a 17,000-square-foot detached mansion in Leawood. The property features a luxurious Beverly Hills-style pool and sits on 3.5 acres of private land. Outside, there are tennis and baseball…
BOSS BABY DJ Khalid’s son Asahd is the most successful two-year-old influencer on Earth with two million Instagram followers, a Footlocker collection and producer credits on a Beyonce and Jay-Z single
Two-year-old Asahd has been named as executive producer on his dad DJ Khaled’s latest album ‘Father of Asahd’ HE counts Nicki Minaj and Rihanna as among his friends, wears a £100k diamond watch and designer trainers and drives a custom-built…
End of content
No more pages to load