May 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) laughs before the game against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
WNBA: Preseason-Indiana Fever at Dallas Wings
(Las Vegas, NV) – How much of Caitlin Clark’s celebrity and transcendent popularity is as a result of her race?
Most people would say it’s a result of her dominance on the college basketball court. But not everyone. Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson – a champion in both college and the pro ranks – says race plays an outsized role in Clark’s rise.
“I think it’s a huge thing. I think a lot of people may say it’s not about Black and white, but to me, it is. … It really is because you can be top notch at what you are as a Black woman, but yet maybe that’s something that people don’t want to see.”
Wilson was most specifically talking about Clark’s endorsement deals – rather than her popularity as a whole.
“They don’t see it as marketable, so it doesn’t matter how hard I work. It doesn’t matter what we all do as Black women, we’re still going to be swept underneath the rug. That’s why it boils my blood when people say it’s not about race because it is.”
It’s not the first time that race has been at the center of debates surrounding Clark. And for sure basketball in general has seen race enter the conversation when it comes to certain players. During “Linsanity,” when Jeremy Lin became the hottest thing going in New York over a decade ago, many Asian-American fans said it was important to them.
In the late 70s/early 80s the college rivalry between the white Larry Bird and black Magic Johnson brought the league to new heights. Clark has been routinely featured in high profile matchups that saw her Iowa Hawkeyes go up against the LSU Lady Tigers – and their since-drafted star Angel Reese.
Given Reese is black, some of that old-school let’s-tie-everything to race type stuff has percolated once more. Clark doesn’t see it that way though. “I would say me and Angel have always been great competitors… I think Angel would say the same, like it’s not just us in women’s basketball. That’s not the only competitive thing about where our game is at, and that’s what makes it so good. We need multiple people to be really good.”
Clark is already making headlines both on and off the court, clearly. This weekend the Connecticut Sun announced their home opener will be sell-out, with Clark and her new team the Indiana Fever set to be in town. It’s the first time they’ll begin their season with a sellout crowd since 2003.
