WNBA Coach Defends Caitlin Clark, Decries Race Narrative

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon has come to the defense of rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, urging the media to dismiss any suggestion that WNBA veterans harbor resentment towards the young player due to her race.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon has implored the media to abandon any notion that WNBA veterans dislike Caitlin Clark due to her race. "We love Caitlin Clark," Hammon declared. "I think she's amazing. I watch every time I possibly could. Our league loves her."

Hammon's comments come amid a recent dialogue surrounding the media's perceived obsession with Clark's popularity, with some suggesting that it may be rooted in racial bias. However, Hammon emphatically rejected this narrative, emphasizing that Clark's popularity stems from her exceptional talent and accomplishments.

"Even the Black and White thing — knock it off. It's not there. It's not there. So shut down the noise, and Black and White, what is she, 22? She's a 22-year-old woman with a lot of pressure. She's not perfect. She's a rookie in this league. Back off," Hammon asserted.

Hammon's remarks were directed at a suggestion that A'ja Wilson, her own star player, had implied that race played a role in Clark's popularity. Wilson had previously stated that race was a "huge thing" in Clark's popularity, prompting Hammon to clarify her position.

"It's construed as some of our minority Black and brown women are hating on her because she's white, and that is not the case. Let's take Caitlin out of the picture. What I think is upsetting… It's not about Caitlin. Give her her flowers. She's done stuff that no man or woman, Black or White, has ever done in college basketball. Give that woman her flowers," Hammon explained.

Hammon's comments resonated with the sentiments expressed earlier this month by Wilson, who pointed out that Black women in the WNBA often face a lack of recognition despite their exceptional abilities.

"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 had said. "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."

Despite the ongoing discussions about race and recognition in the WNBA, Clark herself has remained unfazed by the ongoing narratives.

"To be honest, I'm not really on social media. I don't read that," Clark said. "This is my job. My job is to compete and play basketball every single day. I think the more attention we can get on every team around this league, that's only going to help me get better and better. "My job is just to continue to show up and help this team get better. We're fighting for our first win. That's my main focus."

Clark's recent clutch performance against the Los Angeles Sparks, where she hit several key three-pointers down the stretch, earned her and the Fever their first victory of the season.