Caitlin Clark has taken much of the limelight since she entered the WNBA due to the high expectations around her. But recently, the Indiana Fever rookie has been all over the news for the controversy that followed the team’s latest win over the Chicago Sky.
With Clark taking a hip-check from Sky guard Chennedy Carter, the basketball community has been involved in a days-long debate on whether Clark is being targeted by other players. On Friday, the 22-year-old addressed all the conversations involving her name in the past week.
“My focus is basketball,” Clark said, via Bleacher Report. “Sometimes it stinks how much the conversation is outside of basketball and not the product on the floor and the amazing players that are on the floor and how good they are for their teams and how great this season has been for women’s basketball.”
Even though it was a challenging week for Clark, with Angel Reese calling out Caitlin while Pat McAfee had to apologize for a poor choice of words for her, the Iowa product wants to keep things basketball-related.
“I wish we could all play basketball and it is what it is, but like I said, the conversations are gonna happen, it’s good for women’s basketball at the same time, but I think it’s hard for people to remember like, I just love playing basketball,” she said. “This is my job, this is what I’m here for. I’m not here for all the other stuff. That’s not what my teammates are here for, either, and that goes for the rest of the teams in the league as well.”
Adam Silver weighs in on Caitlin Clark’s situation in WNBA
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also joined the Clark conversation. While he did not get into the recent controversies, Silver did share his thoughts on the physicality with the WNBA newcomer.
“It’s nothing new in basketball that there’s sort of ‘welcome to the league’ moments especially for heralded rookies, but of course I want to see Caitlin [Clark] treated fairly and appropriately in the league,” Adam Silver said, via Alder Almo of Heavy.com.
The WNBA’s popularity has been on the rise in the last few years, and the arrival of a generational talent like Clark has only increased the league’s audience. The 22-year-old may be learning her way into the pro level the hard way, but Silver believes she’ll be fine.
“It seems like she can take care of herself, she’s a tough player. I think it maybe lost on some people who are new to basketball in terms of a little bit of the controversy in the WNBA, what an incredible talent she is. . .I look forward to watching her ongoing development in the league.”