Last week Time magazine named Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark its “Athlete of the Year.” The choice, although probably the correct one, has been dissected by many. Clark’s comments during an interview with Time where she lauded the WNBA’s past and present Black players for their contributions to the league.
One person who doesn’t agree with Time’s choice is Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson who went on a bit of a rant during an interview with CNN.
Johnson the ex-wife of former BET founder Robert Johnson has never been one to hold her tongue, and she didn’t in this instance either. Johnson, who purchased the team from longtime Washington Wizards and Capitals owner Abe Pollin in 2005 doesn’t believe that all the attention Clark is receiving is fair or good for the league.
Johnson Says Spread The Love
In her remarks Johnson mentioned that Clark’s arrival has shifted the spotlight away from other talented players (Black).
“We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized, and I don’t think we can just pin it on one player,” Johnson said.
“Well, I want to be very diplomatic about this,” Johnson said. “It’s just the structure of the way media plays out race. I’m gonna be very honest. I feel very bad because I’ve seen so many players of color that are equally as talented, and they never got the recognition they should have. Right now, it is time for that to happen.”
“Why couldn’t they have put the whole WNBA on the cover and said, ‘The WNBA is the League of the Year,’ because of all the talent that we have,” Johnson said.
Johnson, like many others, isn’t ready to call Clark the savior of a league that hasn’t turned a profit in it’s now 28-year history. While Clark’s first season did lead to increased visibility, exposure and fan attendance the league still failed to make a profit and even lost somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 million.
Caitlin Clark Did The Right Thing
Despite the criticism Clark has received for acknowledging the league’s Black players it was the correct move.
Some fans took it as an opportunity to accuse WNBA of being racist against white people.
“Black racism at its finest. If it wasn’t for people like Shelia Johnson race wouldn’t even be a topic in the league but people like her push the narrative on the daily,” said one frustrated white fan.
Former Fox News correspondent Megyn Kelly, who never comes in peace, took a shot at Clark by calling her “fake” and “sad” for the comments. But, Kelly isn’t the one who has to play with the players that Clark credited, while it may look like a waving of the proverbial white flag, it was Clark saying to her peers let’s advance the league together.
Clark’s approach is you’re never gonna make everyone happy, so in essence do what you do and keep it moving.
Expect an MVP caliber season from the NapTown sharpshooter in 2025.
