The gender wars and Caitlin Clark wars rage on as fodder for podcasts trying to get some eyeballs and build on controversy.
Gilbert Arenas has been very controversial with his takes on CC and the WNBA and how she should be treated by other players.
He went as far as to say at the beginning of the season, that WNBA should let Clark dominate them intentionally so that she can continue to blow up the league, bring chartered flights and unprecedented ratings for the league.
Of course, that didn’t sit well with the ultra-competitive women who comprise the league and scrape and scrap for everything they get.
Recently, in an episode of “Who Did Gilbert Arenas Offend This Week” on his ‘No Chill Gil’ podcast, WNBA legend Angel McCoughtry struck back after getting caught up in Arenas’ nonsense on social media.
McCoughtry, a five-time WNBA All-Star, is trying to get back in the WNBA after suffering several injuries, and she put it into the atmosphere that she wants to come back to protect young players on a championship team.
Angel McCoughtry As Caitlin Clark’s Enforcer?
That sounds like an enforcer role.
“I would love to play on a team that can contest for a championship or be a vet to help the young ones … like Caitlin Clark,” McCoughtry told TMZ Sports last week. She needs that vet around her arm just pushing her through the season.”
Many Clark fans were hyped that CC has a veteran in her corner. Gilbert Arenas may have taken it a step too far, forcing McCoughtry to respond to his statements and insinuation that she was jocking Clark to get back in the league.
Initially, Gil praised McCoughtry’s comments and the fans.
“Brilliant move,” Arenas said on “No Chill Gil.” “Someone gets it. Angel you get it. Someone’s thinking. No matter what we say, no matter what’s going on, someone is going to get paid from protecting her [Clark] as a teammate. It’s just a fact.”
NBA Had Enforcers To Protect Superstars
Gilbert gave examples referencing how Udonis Haslem was Dwyane Wade’s enforcer and Michael Jordan had Charles Oakley early on in his career. Arenas claimed that anyone who acts as the top WNBA rookie’s enforcer becomes her ride-along. They get to ride the wave of the accomplishments of the superstar they are protecting and keep a job.
Arenas hyped McCoughtry’s abilities as a defender and her physical composition. The 2009 WNBA ROTY is a two-time scoring champion, steals leader and clutch performer. As often happens on social media, the responses to his commentary took on a life of it’s own.
McCoughtry was accused of trying to stay relevant with her comments. A clout chase of sorts.
She posted a video on X with the caption, “Gilbert don’t play !!! @GilsArenaShow” and began with, “This message is for Gilbert Arenas.”
Arenas also botched McCoughtry’s name on his podcast, referring to her as McCartney.
“This message is for Gilbert Arenas. First of all, my name is Angel McCoughtry, not Angel McCartney. Second, if you heard what I said instead of having selective hearing you would have heard that I mentioned three incidences. Jackie Young’s incident. Angel Reese’s incident and also Caitlin Clark’s incident,” McCoughtry said.
“And what I said was as a vet I’m going to take up for my teammate. It doesn’t matter who it is. Real vets, they do take up for their teammates. They don’t have to bring guns to the locker room,” taking a shot at a very notorious incident, where Arenas as a member of the Washington Wizards brought a gun into the locker room to intimidate a teammate who owed him a gambling debt.
“So don’t try to make it look like I’m trying to make a comeback to the league to just protect one player. People who know my story know I’ve been injured twice, I have gone through a lot, and I’ve been trying to make a comeback to the league since three years ago to retire the way I want and finish out winning,” she continued.
“That has been my goal. So don’t do that time Gilbert that’s not what we do. Next time call me.”
McCoughtry wanted to be known that she wasn’t just referring to Clark, even though that’s how Gil and everyone else interpreted it.
While Arenas only referred to Clark, in the larger interview McCoughtry spoke in defense of Jackie Young and Angel Reese too, which went ignored. All anyone hears is Caitlin Clark and then they transform into fight mode.
NBA Vets Criticize Caitlin Clark’s Teammates
Arenas, many NBA veterans, even Magic Johnson criticized Indiana Fever player for not protecting Clark, after the rookie had several incidents, including being pushed to the ground by Chennedy Carter.
While McCoughtry also advocates teammates sticking up for teammates in the heat of the battle, she also made sure to clarify in response to Arenas’ show, that she expects all veterans to step up for the rookies no matter who they are. That’s the culture in the WNBA. It’s a sisterhood and a family concept for each team.
Not just Clark, as Arenas tried to make it seem. The way it was presented was as if McCoughtry was trying to get brownie points from Clark by offering her services as an enforcer.
McCoughtry is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time WNBA All-Star and has had many great moments in the league. She’s also tough and understands winning at the pro level. She has been trying to get back in the league for one last run and despite the controversy this caused, the Indiana Fever might want to give the veteran a call.
Especially if she’s willing to throw hands for CC. That role alone would make her more popular than she’s ever been since coming out of Louisville and having a very productive WNBA career.