NFT- How do you feel about Caitlin Clark not on Team USA Olympic roster?

[DaveBrown74]

Her popularity has nothing to do with her being white. It's that she's good in a way that is not just unusual but in fact transcendent. Watching Britney Griener back in some 6'3" player, elevate four inches off the ground, and bank in an ugly looking eight footer is like watching paint dry. Watching Clark knock down off balance 28 footers and make ridiculous no-look passes all game is great stuff.

[bamagiantfan]

Her popularity has nothing to do with her being white. It's that she's good in a way that is not just unusual but in fact transcendent. Watching Britney Griener back in some 6'3" player, elevate four inches off the ground, and bank in an ugly looking eight footer is like watching paint dry. Watching Clark knock down off balance 28 footers and make ridiculous no-look passes all game is great stuff.

I agree, when she is on, SHE is the show. Unfortunately that has been rare at this level so far but she is so early in her career and has a game that can allow her to play a long time in this league. The team around her has not been as efficient around the basket or at knocking down threes as the team she played on in Iowa. I think as they play together more they will get better in those areas. I agree she is a transcendent player and as such, a learning curve for her teammates as everyone learns to play with her unusual vision and skill set should be expected.   

[LennG]

Her popularity has nothing to do with her being white. It's that she's good in a way that is not just unusual but in fact transcendent. Watching Britney Griener back in some 6'3" player, elevate four inches off the ground, and bank in an ugly looking eight footer is like watching paint dry. Watching Clark knock down off balance 28 footers and make ridiculous no-look passes all game is great stuff.

We will agree to disagree on this one.

[DaveBrown74]

We will agree to disagree on this one.

Fair enough, and I always respect your opinions Lenn, but keep in mind it's not like she's the first good white female basketball player. There have been others. Sue Bird is considered an elite, all time great. Four time WNBA champion, 13 time all star, 5 time all-WNBA first team, 5 time Olympic gold medalist. And yet most American sports fans have no idea who she is.

Clark is just on another level when it comes to her talent.

[Jclayton92]

Fair enough, and I always respect your opinions Lenn, but keep in mind it's not like she's the first good white female basketball player. There have been others. Sue Bird is considered an elite, all time great. Four time WNBA champion, 13 time all star, 5 time all-WNBA first team, 5 time Olympic gold medalist. And yet most American sports fans have no idea who she is.

Clark is just on another level when it comes to her talent.

I agree 100%, if it had to do with just being white then it would have happened to Sabrina Ionescu (White) 2 years ago. Generational Shooting player that broke all time records, elevated that Oregon ducks team to a national elite program single handedly, and went #1 overall to the NY Liberty. I mean she had everything Clark has including the 3, plus she's super marketable etc. Clark basically said she modeled herself after Ionescu but yeah same kind talent.

[Philosophers]

Her popularity has nothing to do with her being white. It's that she's good in a way that is not just unusual but in fact transcendent. Watching Britney Griener back in some 6'3" player, elevate four inches off the ground, and bank in an ugly looking eight footer is like watching paint dry. Watching Clark knock down off balance 28 footers and make ridiculous no-look passes all game is great stuff.

Your statement would be true if the increase in fans watching the WNBA were from all demographics (black, white, old, young, wealthy, poor) such as what Tiger Woods did in golf 25+ years ago however that is not the case because I think the additional fans watching are white rural/suburban fans.  I dont think more black people are watching her, therefore it is about race, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.  Is it bad that Japanese fans are tuning into Ohtani in MLB?  Fans feel a connection to fans of similar ethnic background.

The WNBA may have a problem connecting with a white audience.  They need to figure that out however there may be some racial prejudice at work as well.

[DaveBrown74]

I dont think more black people are watching her

How do you know this exactly? Do they do demographic breakdowns with rating analysis and ticket sales? If so I'd be interested to look at it myself.

[MightyGiants]

Imagine accomplishing all this and then having people say your popularity is because you are white.

Career highlights and awards
2× AP Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
2× Honda Sports Award (2023, 2024)
2x James E. Sullivan Award (2023, 2024)
2× John R. Wooden Award (2023, 2024)
2× Naismith College Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
2× USBWA National Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
2× Wade Trophy (2023, 2024)
3× Unanimous First-team All-American (2022–2024)
4× First-team All-American – USBWA (2021–2024)
3× First-team All-American – AP (2022–2024)
4× WBCA Coaches' All-American (2021–2024)
Second-team All-American – AP (2021)
3× Nancy Lieberman Award (2022–2024)
3× Dawn Staley Award (2021–2023)
USBWA National Co-Freshman of the Year (2021)
WBCA Co-Freshman of the Year (2021)
Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year (2023)
4× First-team All-Big Ten (2021–2024)
3× Big Ten Player of the Year (2022–2024)
Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2021)
3× Big Ten tournament MOP (2022–2024)
3× NCAA season scoring leader (2021, 2022, 2024)
3× NCAA season assists leader (2022–2024)
NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader
3x First-team Academic All-America (2022–2024)
2× Women's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year (2023, 2024)
Division I Academic All-American of the Year (2023)
No. 22 retired by Iowa Hawkeyes
McDonald's All-American (2020)
Iowa Miss Basketball (2020)
FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2021)

[Philosophers]

Imagine accomplishing all this and then having people say your popularity is because you are white.

Career highlights and awards
2× AP Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
2× Honda Sports Award (2023, 2024)
2x James E. Sullivan Award (2023, 2024)
2× John R. Wooden Award (2023, 2024)
2× Naismith College Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
2× USBWA National Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
2× Wade Trophy (2023, 2024)
3× Unanimous First-team All-American (2022–2024)
4× First-team All-American – USBWA (2021–2024)
3× First-team All-American – AP (2022–2024)
4× WBCA Coaches' All-American (2021–2024)
Second-team All-American – AP (2021)
3× Nancy Lieberman Award (2022–2024)
3× Dawn Staley Award (2021–2023)
USBWA National Co-Freshman of the Year (2021)
WBCA Co-Freshman of the Year (2021)
Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year (2023)
4× First-team All-Big Ten (2021–2024)
3× Big Ten Player of the Year (2022–2024)
Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2021)
3× Big Ten tournament MOP (2022–2024)
3× NCAA season scoring leader (2021, 2022, 2024)
3× NCAA season assists leader (2022–2024)
NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader
3x First-team Academic All-America (2022–2024)
2× Women's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year (2023, 2024)
Division I Academic All-American of the Year (2023)
No. 22 retired by Iowa Hawkeyes
McDonald's All-American (2020)
Iowa Miss Basketball (2020)
FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2021)

Candace Parker's awards including PRO.

3× WNBA champion (2016, 2021, 2023)
WNBA Finals MVP (2016)
2× WNBA MVP (2008, 2013)
7× WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013)
7× All-WNBA First Team (2008, 2012–2014, 2017, 2020, 2022)
3× All-WNBA Second Team (2009, 2015, 2018)
2× WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012)
WNBA Rookie of the Year (2008)
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2008)
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
WNBA assists leader (2015)
3× WNBA rebounding leader (2008, 2009, 2020)
2× WNBA blocks leader (2009, 2012)
3× WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009, 2020)
WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016)
WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021)
5× Russian National League champion (2011–2015)
4× Russian Cup winner (2011–2014)
EuroLeague champion (2013)
2× NCAA champion (2007, 2008)
2× NCAA Tournament MOP (2007, 2008)
2× AP Female Athlete of the Year (2008, 2021)
2× USBWA Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
Naismith College Player of the Year (2008)
2× John R. Wooden Award (2007, 2008)
Wade Trophy (2007)
2× Honda Sports Award for basketball (2007, 2008)
Honda-Broderick Cup (2008)
Gatorade National Player of the Year (2004)

How come TV viewership is not up with what she accomplished?

How come ESPN and other major TV networks did not make Parker's early season hard fouls on her headline news or when she got snubbed for the U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team?

[MightyGiants]

Joe, is it really a good comparison to compare the accomplishments of a 22-year-old woman's college career (she is just coming into the WNBA) against the college and professional accomplishments of a 38-year-old woman?  If anything, when you consider they seem pretty similar in volume; it speaks to just how special Catlin Clark is.

Candace Parker's awards including PRO.

3× WNBA champion (2016, 2021, 2023)
WNBA Finals MVP (2016)
2× WNBA MVP (2008, 2013)
7× WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013)
7× All-WNBA First Team (2008, 2012–2014, 2017, 2020, 2022)
3× All-WNBA Second Team (2009, 2015, 2018)
2× WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012)
WNBA Rookie of the Year (2008)
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2008)
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
WNBA assists leader (2015)
3× WNBA rebounding leader (2008, 2009, 2020)
2× WNBA blocks leader (2009, 2012)
3× WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009, 2020)
WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016)
WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021)
5× Russian National League champion (2011–2015)
4× Russian Cup winner (2011–2014)
EuroLeague champion (2013)
2× NCAA champion (2007, 2008)
2× NCAA Tournament MOP (2007, 2008)
2× AP Female Athlete of the Year (2008, 2021)
2× USBWA Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
Naismith College Player of the Year (2008)
2× John R. Wooden Award (2007, 2008)
Wade Trophy (2007)
2× Honda Sports Award for basketball (2007, 2008)
Honda-Broderick Cup (2008)
Gatorade National Player of the Year (2004)

How come TV viewership is not up with what she accomplished?

[bamagiantfan]

I think you can compare them though, since Parker was also the top pick in the draft and was named to the Olympic team as a rookie. She was also however, the best player in the WNBA from day 1. Clark is not.

[Philosophers]

Joe, is it really a good comparison to compare the accomplishments of a 22-year-old woman's college career (she is just coming into the WNBA) against the college and professional accomplishments of a 38-year-old woman?  If anything, when you consider they seem pretty similar in volume; it speaks to just how special Catlin Clark is.

I think it's a great comparison Rich.  As Bama noted in a separate post, Parker's accomplishments in college were also incredible and unlike Clark, Parker dominated immediately in the WNBA yet it did not result in a giant boost in WNBA attendance/media news.

I mean just within the past 30 minutes of this post, Angel Reese was called for a flagrant foul against Clark was nothing flagrant about it (bad call) and it is all over ESPN and other sports sites.  Black female basketball stars with proven greatness in the WNBA are not getting the same attention. 

[DaveBrown74]

I think it's a great comparison Rich.  As Bama noted in a separate post, Parker's accomplishments in college were also incredible and unlike Clark, Parker dominated immediately in the WNBA yet it did not result in a giant boost in WNBA attendance/media news.

I mean just within the past 30 minutes of this post, Angel Reese was called for a flagrant foul against Clark was nothing flagrant about it (bad call) and it is all over ESPN and other sports sites.  Black female basketball stars with proven greatness in the WNBA are not getting the same attention. 

I strongly disagree that the play you're referencing was not a flagrant foul. Reese takes a full windup and violently clocks Clark right in the head/neck area. It is clear as day on the replays that she is not making a play on the ball. It's a full windup shot to the head. There is nothing not flagrant about it. I'm astonished that anyone objective could disagree with that. See play (and replays) below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEzfJ1eEvC4

[Philosophers]

I strongly disagree that the play you're referencing was not a flagrant foul. Reese takes a full windup and violently clocks Clark right in the head/neck area. It is clear as day on the replays that she is not making a play on the ball. It's a full windup shot to the head. There is nothing not flagrant about it. I'm astonished that anyone objective could disagree with that. See play (and replays) below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEzfJ1eEvC4

Yes I agree. Initially, I saw her fall but did not see the hit to the head.  She was not winding up to hit Clark but to block the ball from the side and missed and hit her in the head.  Still, everything happening to Clark is frontpage news on media outlets vs top shelf players like Parker who did not get this attention.

[PSUBeirut]

Even the GOAT Jordan had to pay these kinds of dues when he was young.  Detroit nearly killed him.  He got better, more determined, got intentionally BIGGER so he could take the pounding, and shoved it every one of their faces in due time.  We shall see if Caitlin has it in her to persevere through this. 

I'll also add that I think her being white and straight and from Iowa OBVIOUSLY has something to do with her popularity.  That's straight up part of being a human- people will become fans more easily when they can see themselves in them.  Hell it goes back to Elvis, even.  So, yeah, there's a lot more "mainstream" white people following the WNBA now because they more easily identify with her *AND* she's got the potential to back it up.

What I find so interesting is that Clark really can't give it back to these girls yet or else she'll be crucified.  ie, if she were to start talking trash (like she's been known to do in college) she would get absolutely destroyed in the current media around the WNBA.  But my guess is in due time when she's paid some dues her jaws will start flapping again.