This season, the WNBA has been the subject of a lot of attention and controversy, fueled by excitement surrounding its rookie class, which includes stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Last week, in particular, a flagrant foul by Chicago Sky player Chennady Carter on Clark prompted an extended round of discussion. From pundits who questioned whether the players were being too hard on Clark to a federal lawmaker who claimed Clark was under attack felt they needed to weigh in. Foul, Carter, as well as his team, have been Subject to harassment.
Foul, and its scrutiny, implies that some individuals are influencing their own predecessors — and Ignorance — in the league.
As the spotlight has grown on this year’s star-studded freshman WNBA class, male pundits with no history of covering women’s basketball are offering less than nuanced commentary that leans toward antisocial and racist tropes.
The WNBA and the media have also grappled with ongoing issues surrounding the nation. Because of his record-breaking success in college, Clark — who is white — was considered by some to be the new face of the league. A framing that raises questions Equity provided how many WNBA stars are women of color who did not receive the same. A growing narrative about Clark echoes the need for protection from other players Regarding tropes of white women as victims And black women as aggressors too.
“Media leaders are not investing in coverage of women’s sports at various levels, which not only leads to a shortage of highly visible journalists … who specialize in women’s sports, but a complete lack of knowledge from this new and emerging fanbase,” said Lindsey Darwin, Syracuse University sports director. Professor of Management. “All of this lends itself to really biased interpretations of how players are performing and behaving, and the comforting thing is… [align] Player behavior and playing style along race and gender stereotypes.”
Fouls and follow-ups, briefly explained
when Media misstep And questions about what Clark’s identity means Going into this season, Carter’s foul dial in a June 1 game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever turned up the dial even higher.
In that game, Carter, who is black, scored a basket and then shoulder checked Clark During the third quarter of the game, he was knocked to the floor. Initially, Carter’s action was called a simple foul, and the league later upgraded it to something more serious, outright.
After the foul, Clark noted in an interview that it surprised him and it was “Basketball is not a game.” Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said the foul was committed “Not suitable,” And he discussed it with Carter. Carter originally declined to comment on the move after the game and in a press conference afterward stated That he had “no regrets” and that he was “going to compete and play 100 percent hard — whoever we’re playing.” Carter also posted a seemingly negative comment About Clark, in a thread reply: “Besides three point shooting what he brings to the table guys.”
As Yahoo! Sports’ WNBA writer Cassandra Negley explainsIt was clear that the foul was “not a basketball game, nor was it necessary,” and “it’s also true that in basketball, and especially in the WNBA, quite a bit of competitive physicality occurs.” Before that, the Fever-Sky game, upgraded this season after in-game review had three flagrant fouls, Negley wrote. One of those was Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, who choked out Reese in the May game, a moment that didn’t get the same amount of attention as Clark.
In the days since it occurred, however, there has been widespread backlash for the foul, which has been used to fuel a larger narrative about the wider WNBA. “Out to get Caitlin Clarke,” As a WNBA fan account puts it at X. something sports watcher asked whether Clark needs to be protected from other players, A point that, intentionally or not, also taps into racist tropes. U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) is also there described it as an “excessive attack”.,” the Chicago Tribune put it Out of court would be classified as an “assault”.A comment for that It has received widespread flack.
Other, incl scene Host Whoopi Goldberg Told people to “chase [themselves]Because they are “athletes.” And outside a hotel in Washington, DC, Sky players were accosted by a man in an incident that required security to be brought down, prompting Rees to post the reaction. “Really out of control” And that it needs to stop.
WNBA discourse taps into long-standing tropes
The reaction to the Carter-Clark foul is part of a larger conversation that has been brewing about the WNBA in relation to race.
While many sports observers have emphasized that Clark’s talent is undeniable and a huge boon to the WNBA, there are Some frustration A white woman has now become the biggest face of what was initially the Black League. Some are concerned that the achievements of other outstandingly talented players who have helped make the league what it is today are not being celebrated as well.
“I think it’s a huge thing. I think a lot of people might say it’s not about black and white, but to me it is,” Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson As previously reported by the Associated Press When asked about race factoring into Clark’s popularity. “It’s really because as a black woman you can be the top, but still it’s something that people don’t want to see.”
Since Clark entered the league, commentators have also questioned whether other players are jealous of him. Thanks to his closely watched college career, he entered the league with support and fanfare from some of his peers. As Carter points out, he also has a reputation for making strong three-point shots. This suggests to pundits that players are guarding him more closely in games and making critical comments at his expense.
“Ya’ll be silly, girls,” sports commentator and former NBA player Charles Barkley before Dr. “I hope men are despised, because we are the most insecure group in the world. You should all thank that girl for getting all the personal charters, all the money and visibility she’s brought to the WNBA.”
Barkley’s comments, as well as those of other male analysts such as pundit Pat McAfee, who described Clarke as a “white bitch” in a section intended to praise her, are a reminder of how quickly sexist statements are activated to describe women’s sports. (McAfee has since apologized.) Or, eg The Gemele Hills of the Atlantic Put this: “The newfound popularity of the WNBA has set off a barrage of comments from men who don’t know what they’re talking about.”
Other sports analysts have responded by commenting that Clark’s experiences are not unusual, and that star players, including LeBron James and Michael Jordan, are often defended most aggressively because, like him, they are prolific scorers who are seen as threats.
“That’s just Rocky hazing,” said sports commentator Chris Broussard As mentioned on Fox Sports Radio. “When you’re a hot-shot rookie — and he obviously didn’t dominate the league, but he’s putting up great numbers for a rookie — but Jordan averaged 28 points, and people were physical with him.” NBA commissioner Adam Silver Similarly, it is called “Welcome to the League moment”.
Monica McNutt, a ESPN sports analyst Dr That was probably multiple dynamics at once. “We can hold multiple truths, everyone. The idea of some players being jealous, yeah, that probably exists,” he said earlier this week. “But I think since Kaitlyn made her debut, there’s been a big, loud push that it’s Kaitlyn vs. [WNBA]” he added, insisting Clarke and the rest of the league have tried to perpetuate an “injustice” against each other.
Many of these dynamics have come to a head with the response to the Carter foul, which some have described as the latest example of Clark’s need for protection. “Basketball has rules and if the WNBA chews her up and spits her out because it’s afraid to call her a racist to protect her from racist animosity, or actually to protect her from a foul like a Carter, it would do a huge disservice to the game itself. for” The Chicago Tribune editorial board wrote.
While norm violations should be clearly addressed, such framing is problematic because it revives long-standing tropes of black women as aggressors and white women as in need of rescuing. Additionally, this broader conversation speaks to other stereotypes of black women being portrayed as jealous of white women, e.g. Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes: “The moment is being magnified as incriminating evidence that brutal black women are jealous of the league’s supposed savior and will therefore beat him up rather than show appreciation.”
It’s worth noting that Clark himself never expressed such sentiments and insisted that he’s focused on the adjustments he’ll have to make as a college player coming into the league. And Sports Illustrated’s Claire Brennan writesHis need for protection is implicitly “patriarchal” and undermines Clark’s own power as a competitor.
