Each league hopes for someone who would be able to make the difference in ratings and ticket sales through individual effort. However, the WNBA is lucky enough to have such a player in Caitlin Clark, while all conversations about her turn into debates rather than being related to the game.

The latest incident happened when Alyssa Thomas, a forward with the Phoenix Mercury, got into contact with Caitlin Clark during a game between Phoenix and the Indiana Fever. Thomas was suspended for one game because of this action. DeMita, a WNBA analyst and podcast host, wasn’t holding back her frustration at how Caitlin has been treated.

"I just can't believe that we've gotten to this point where it's just okay to be so blatantly disrespectful to a player who literally elevated the entire league," she said on her podcast. "I think it's so unfair. I think it's so cruel. We wouldn't do this to any other players. We don't do this to any other player."

The anger shown by DeMita is based on facts that cannot be disputed. The presence of Clark in the league has helped the team to sign the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, while a game played by the Fever against the Toronto Tempo was watched by about one million people on the USA Network.

However, Emmanuel Acho, former NFL linebacker, had a very different opinion. On his Speakeasy show, he made it clear that the NFL might run much more efficiently without all the deference to Clark.

"Unless we can take off our gloves for Caitlin Clark and stop trying to act like she's a messiah, the WNBA could and would be better off without Caitlin Clark," Acho said, suggesting the coddling narrative has overshadowed other players.

Robert Griffin III took the debate further by noting that the race talk post-Thomas overshadowed the real achievements.

Marina Mabrey set the record for the most points in one game by scoring 53, Olivia Miles became the quickest player to score 300 points and dish out 100 assists, and Angel Reese was the quickest ever to score 1,000 rebounds. These achievements, according to critics, deserved more coverage.

Despite all the distractions off the floor, Clark’s numbers on the court speak for themselves this year.

Caitlin Clark's Production Keeps the Fever Afloat

Clark is having a career year with averages of 21.2 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game. She is shooting 43.0 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from three-point range, making Indiana’s backcourt one of the hardest in the league to contain.

While a slight injury to her back kept her out for a while, it didn’t affect her ball-handling abilities.

Under the leadership of coach Stephanie White, the Fever are flourishing. At 11-8, they are third in the Eastern Conference. They are excelling through their pace; the Fever rank first in the league in scoring (93.9 points per game), as well as first in pace.

However, this isn’t a one-woman show either. Kelsey Mitchell is carrying the burden of the scoring load, averaging 21.6 points per game. Aliyah Boston is the pillar inside, scoring an average of 17.0 points and grabbing 8.6 rebounds.

Clark, Mitchell, and Boston combine to give Indiana a lineup designed not just for winning regular-season games, but for postseason success as well.

Will Clark and the Fever be able to capitalize on their regular-season success and take the next step in the playoffs?

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Written by

Utsav Gupta

Edited by

Utsav Gupta