People Miss the Mark About Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark has arrived here in Indianapolis and brought tons of attention.  Undoubtedly, most of this attention she receives  – especially on social media – comes when she is roughly fouled and mistreated by other players in the pros.

Every time, after every incident, her fans in Indianapolis and around the country demand she start a new league.  They decry the WNBA officiating for not calling games fairly.

They have a point.  Clark has taken a beating.  The hits on her body are often malicious.  And quite frankly, there is at least some validity to the line of thinking that the league harbors resentment toward her because she is white and heterosexual in a league filled to the brim with, and largely supported by, political progressives.

And the WNBA officiating does need an overhaul.

But what these fans don’t realize is that’s unlikely to happen for one simple reason: profits.

Before Clark arrived on the scene, the WNBA hadn’t made a profit in many, many years.  Tickets to WNBA games were cheaper than a sandwich and shake at Arby’s.

Then Clark was drafted by the Fever, and everything changed.  Ever since, the league has garnered millions of dollars in profits as they watch her drain 3s from almost halfcourt. Fieldhouses and stadiums are packed, all to watch her play.  Teams aren’t flying commercial anymore.  The league is also growing, with several expansion franchises on the horizon.  I read this week that one financial expert says Clark is worth a billion dollars.

The more people talk about Clark, the more attention the WNBA receives.

And more attention equals more profits.

To a professional league that hasn’t made much money, more Caitlin Clark – good or bad – is very good news.

That’s ultimately why the WNBA will do her no favors.

But that’s why her teammates need to fight on her behalf.

Enter Sophie Cunningham.

When Clark was beaten to a pulp in her rookie year, her teammates never bothered to defend her.  They’d help her off the floor after every foul, no matter how hard it was, but they never seemed to muster the courage to push and shove back.

We see these scuffles during NFL games.   When a player is hit late or punched or shoved unnecessarily, that player’s teammates will cause a scuffle because they have their teammates’ backs.

Cunningham finally had enough two weeks ago in a game against the Connecticut Sun.  In the closing minute, she grabbed Jacy Sheldon (who poked Clark in the eye after a play) by the hair and neck, and knuckle-dragged her to the floor.  It sparked a scuffle.

The message was clear: we are done with how you’re treating the league’s most valuable commodity.

It has been my contention for a long time that Clark would not be picked on so routinely if her teammates didn’t let her opponents get away with it.  Cunningham finally had the guts to say enough’s enough.

“I think the refs had a lot to do with that,” she said. “It was a build up for a couple years now of them just not protecting the star player of the WNBA. So, at the end of the day, I’m going to protect my teammates. That’s what I do. I’m a team player.”

More football players – across all levels – should learn from her example.