The debate about whether Caitlin Clark is the face of the WNBA is getting heated with every passing day. The conversation began when ESPN analyst Lisa Lelie claimed that A’ja Wilson was the face of the league. Fans and some pundits contradicted the statement and claimed that considering the Indiana Fever’s popularity, she would easily be considered the face over any other player. And now, former NBA players have also joined the talks.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earlier expressed his stance on the debate and said that labeling Clark as the face of the WNBA would be an “insult to a lot of great players.” He also compared that to what Michael Jordan and LeBron James have given to the sport. However, Dave Portnoy did not agree with the Hall of Famer center and argued that she never asked for that tag, even though she made the league what it is today. He wrote:
“But she is by far the most popular player in the league by every metric possible. Was it disrespectful to past tennis players when Serena and Venus instantly became faces of women’s tennis or Tiger with golf? The market dictates who the face of the league is and it’s clearly Caitlin. This argument makes zero sense and is just steeped in jealousy and stupidity”
Responding to Portnoy’s dig at Abdul-Jabbar, another former player from the same era, Eddie Johnson, also backed the former LA Lakers superstar’s take:
“Jealousy? No one is jealous and Serena and Venus won first bro. Thats what kept them on top. Caitlin has to win. MJ was not the face of NBA until he won titles. Yes he was popular but that does not make u the face.”
Johnson’s take will surely add another layer to the debate. Winning championships has no shortcut and is considered the ultimate measure of greatness in any sports league. Clark is still in the third season of her career and can enjoy a lot of success ahead, but she still has to prove it.
Caitlin Clark’s tussles with officials continue amid another struggling performance
The Fever lost, 75-88, to the Valkyries, amid another dismal shooting night for Caitlin Clark, who shot 4-14 from the field and 1-8 from deep. Though all starters suffered in terms of efficiency, the guard’s frustration was evident in her actions.
Clark was seen fighting with the officials early in the game when she wasn’t given a foul while the Valkyries earned the whistle at the other end. She also seemed to be limping after that play.
Clark has also come under scrutiny for flopping fouls that feature almost no contact on various occasions. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has also suffered criticism for not speaking openly about Clark and her growing woes on and off the court.
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