The WNBA should be enjoying one of the greatest growth periods in its history. Attendance is up. Television ratings have increased. More young girls are playing basketball. More people are talking about the league than ever before.
Yet too much of the conversation has shifted away from basketball. Instead, everything seems to turn into politics, race, or social media arguments.
That’s disappointing.
Whether you love Caitlin Clark or don’t, there’s no denying what she’s done for the visibility of women’s basketball. She brought millions of new viewers to the sport, including people who had never watched a WNBA game before. That doesn’t take away from the greatness of players like A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Angel Reese, or the many stars who helped build the league before Clark arrived. It simply means she has become a major reason more people are paying attention.
What I don’t understand is the personal hatred directed toward Clark. She’s a fierce competitor. She’s confident. She talks trash.
So what? Some of the greatest athletes in history were the exact same way.
People often point to Clark’s fan base, and it’s true that some fans have made offensive or racist comments online. Those comments deserve to be condemned. But it’s also important to separate an athlete from the behavior of some people who cheer for them. I haven’t seen evidence that Caitlin Clark herself has promoted racist views. In fact, she’s spoken positively about many Black basketball legends, saying Maya Moore is her favorite women’s player ever and LeBron James is her favorite men’s player. She has also publicly supported inclusion within the WNBA.
What gets lost in all of this is the basketball.
Critics constantly focus on Clark’s turnovers while ignoring everything else she brings to the floor. Players with the ball in their hands every possession naturally commit more turnovers because they create more offense. That’s the reality of modern basketball. The same players are usually also producing the most points, assists, and opportunities for their teammates.
True basketball fans appreciate greatness in all forms. You don’t have to choose between Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, or Paige Bueckers. You can appreciate all of them.
Sports were always at their best when rivalries created excitement without making people feel like they had to hate the other side. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had fans who often rooted for one over the other, but their rivalry ultimately elevated basketball because of the respect they had for each other’s greatness.
That’s what I hope happens in the WNBA.
No, racism isn’t going to disappear overnight. Sadly, prejudice still exists in society. But basketball should be one of the places where competition brings people together instead of pushing them farther apart. The league has incredible Black stars, incredible white stars, and talented players from around the world. That’s not a weakness, that’s exactly what makes the WNBA stronger.
At the end of the day, I don’t care what a player looks like. I care whether they can play. The more we spend arguing about politics and identity instead of celebrating great basketball, the more everyone loses. As Rodney King famously asked years ago, “Can we all just get along?”
The WNBA has a chance to keep growing into something special. Let’s spend more time enjoying the game than fighting over who’s allowed to be our favorite player.