Recently Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark was asked about her name being “weaponized” in conversations and narratives that have nothing to do with sports.
“It’s not something that I can control, so I don’t put too much thought and time into thinking about things like that,” Clark told reporters. “People can talk about what they want to talk about, create conversations about whatever it is. But I think for myself, I’m just here to play basketball.
“My focus is on my teammates, they’ve been amazing. I don’t think it’s impacted me making relationships on my team.
She said people can talk about what they want to talk about, and Stephen A. Smith, clearly a card-carrying member of the Democratic Party, punched his ticket to a stage appearance at the Democratic National Convention at the expense of Clark, a continued target of the media.
“She’s a white young lady and she’s been a magnet in a way that has benefitted the league in a way that others have not even though their efforts are as worthy or deserving of being celebrated if not even more celebrated,” Smith said.
“And it’s a reminder that no matter how far we believe we have advanced as a society, we have a long way to go,” he added. “Because in the end if you’re white, you’re bright, you’re right and as a result the shine comes your way in the eyes of a lot of people in America.”
Smith continued as Chiney Ogwumike looked on and nodded slightly every now and then.
“Very uncomfortable to touch on. … You have somebody who’s a presidential candidate. What is his claim to fame? Make America great again. What have people interpreted that to mean? Make America white again,” Smith explained.
“He has his supporters spanning the tens of millions. There are those on the other side…what has led to a divide.”
Then Smith suggested Clark was a “plant” by the “opposing” side.
“It’s you, the prop, that is being utilized to address a bigger point,” Smith said.
Then Smith started ranting about outskirt places in America, where they don’t want to change and Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.
“It was orchestrated and plotted and planned because bigger issues needed to be addressed but the right person came along to give us the license to address it,” Smith said.
“The fact that she is a young white lady, and the world has gravitated to her in a way they have done for no one else in the 28-year history of the WNBA. Is just further evidence of the times we … been living in.”
Caitlin Clark Responds To Being Used As Tool Of Divisiveness
The internet exploded and it got back to Clark pretty quickly. She responded when asked directly about people using her name to promote agendas.
This entire Clark circus has gotten out of control. They won’t just let her ball. It’s a monster you can’t even say she wanted, or maybe she did when she accepted that $28M Nike deal.
Make what you will of Stephen A. Smith’s rant. Like he said, there’s people on one side that will agree with him and then there are those who nearly vomit at the thought of him speaking on TV.
Either way, Smith’s claim that some force of nature is using Clark as a divisive tool to address larger issues in a race or political war is suspicious.
It’s truly become a soap opera and it’s pretty sad that Caitlin Clark has to be asked questions of this nature when she’s trying to play basketball.
CC Has Been Balling Since March and Dealing With Exploding Brand
Clark looks tired and at times very frustrated. But it’s less what’s happening on the court and more of the drama going on around her. She’s been hooping since March and played 39 college games.
Then she had to kick off the pomp and circumstances surrounding the draft and the oversaturation of Clark coverage that she in no way sought out.
She was simply the greatest scorer in women’s NCAA hoops history, and she was white with a ponytail and from Iowa, dominating a predominantly Black sport. It gets no more middle America legend than that, so naturally she captivated a larger audience.
Naturally, the Larry Bird comparisons developed. Her college battles with Angel Reese transcended basketball and elevated Clark to a new dimension.
Then came the WNBA draft and an increased media rush. In between that circus, WNBA veterans started getting at her and warning her about what lies ahead.
The season has been rough. Her team has lost 60 percent of its games. She’s had her moments, and with so many pulling for and rooting against her, it’s amazing she has performed as well as she has.
She’s an American idol off the court, but not yet a superstar on it. Her shooting percentages leave a lot to be desired, but if you assess how she’s handling herself in the midst of this historical phenomenon, sh*it could be much worse.
How Long Can Clark Deal With The Noise?
You do have to ask yourself how long she can withstand all of the divisiveness, the dissections, questions and overall chaos, while trying to achieve her best on the court.
A’ja Wilson is a level of great that Clark would love to get to, but she will need laser focus to do it and the current atmosphere is in no way conducive.
The Aces star recently became the first player in WNBA history to score at least 25 points in eight consecutive games.
Moreover, Wilson extended her streak of most consecutive games of 20 points or more to 16 by dropping 32 points in a close win over the Phoenix Mercury. She now has 11 career games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, which is tied for fourth-most in WNBA history.
Wilson was also highly touted but never had to deal with the madness Clark has had to endure. Clark wants to be a basketball god. Anybody that good is a hoops nerd, not a movie star. At least not at first. Society wants her to be a celebrity idol.
