It has never been thought of as must-see TV to watch a lunchtime game between two failing WNBA clubs. On Sunday, the Indiana Fever (4-10) game against the Chicago Sky (4-8) in Indianapolis is now appointment watching due to the presence of highly anticipated rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Clark’s Fever defeated Reese’s Sky 71-70 in their most recent match, which reportedly attracted 1.5 million spectators on June 1. And with the ongoing fallout from Sky guard Chennedy Carter’s contentious hip check foul on Clark two weeks ago, that attendance figure might be far smaller on Sunday.
The uncalled for collision infuriated the former Iowa Hawkeyes star’s supporters, who interpreted it as evidence of an anti-Clark prejudice in the league. Many of the media members who spent the next few days berating Carter objected to Clark’s critics’ theatrical outrage.
Carter doesn’t need to apologize to Clark, even though she didn’t enjoy the foul (‘that’s just not a basketball play,’ she said after). She is also not interested in debating the assertions made by pundits that Clark is being singled out for attention just because he is not homosexual or black.
On Thursday Though Clark acknowledged that it was “disappointing” to see her name associated with the propagation of racist and sexist ideas, she claimed she makes an effort to avoid these kinds of discussions.
On Thursday, Clark stated, “Everyone in our world deserves the same amount of respect.” “Women in our division should be treated with the same dignity.”
It is not appropriate for others to use my name in such ways. That is disheartening. It’s not permitted.
Clark has turned off the distractions to concentrate on her basketball, which has gotten much more difficult at the professional level, as she always does. Honestly, after a month of play in the WNBA, Reese’s rookie season looks a lot better than that of her former collegiate adversary.
Reese was among the league leaders in thefts (1.8 per game) and rebounds (10 per game) as of Sunday, and he was scoring a healthy 12.2 points a night.
Let alone the season, Clark’s rookie campaign has been outstanding. In terms of scoring at 15.6 points per game and assists per night, the former Iowa standout was ranked 17th as of Friday.
Clark’s renowned long-range shooting, however, has suffered as a result of the Fever; less than one-third of her shots have come from a distance.
To make matters worse, she has been playing a very poor defense.
Perhaps the worst of it all happened on Monday when Clark was playing for the Fever and they were outscored by 22 points. After a savage 89-72 defeat to the Connecticut Sun, coach Christie Sides was ultimately forced to substitute Clark.
Sides remarked of her players following the game, “You can’t, at this level, coach effort.” I thought all we were asking was for them to keep up their intense play.
In light of Clark’s inconsistent first campaign, many have found it challenging to reconcile the media attention and endorsement deals.
The WNBA’s recent success is due to more than just Reese, a rookie who many have portrayed as the antagonist to Clark’s protagonist.
“I will always assume the role of the antagonist and stand up for my teammates,” Reese declared, acknowledging that she has been singled out for criticism over everything from her physical attributes to her attractiveness. Twenty years from now, I’ll be like, “There’s more to why women’s basketball is being watched than just one person.” I want you everyone to understand that it’s because of me as well.
Reese, often referred to as “Bayou Barbie” on social media, is undoubtedly correct on the WNBA’s rising influence.
There was a 17 percent rise in attendance from the previous season, and almost half of the WNBA games this season have sold out, up 156% from 2023. In the meantime, memberships to the WNBA’s streaming service have increased by 335 percent, and retail sales are up 756 percent on the league website.
The “other” WNBA rookie’s rightful place in the standings is up for discussion.
Jason Whitlock, a conservative podcaster, is among those who believe Clark should get all the credit.
This past month, Whitlock said to his podcast listeners, “No one is tuning in to watch Angel Reese.” “It simply isn’t occurring.”
Still, it’s not that simple to demonstrate Whitlock’s thesis.
Sure, among the most watched games in women’s basketball history are Iowa’s April Elite Eight victory over LSU and the Hawkeyes’ 2023 NCAA championship loss to the Tigers.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to draw a comparison between Clark and Reese because they both participated in those tournament games. Also, it’s difficult to determine whether Clark alone is to blame for the record viewership the WNBA achieved at its April draft, in which Reese was selected by the Sky with the seventh overall pick.
While it won’t necessarily end this argument, Sunday’s game can help redirect the discussion back to basketball instead of controversy.
Nothing could be more significant than that, as Clark leads the Fever and Sky on a two-game winning streak while they both attempt to make a run at the WNBA playoffs.
Be the first to comment