INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 14: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Dallas Wings and the against the Indiana Fever on August 14, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 14 Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon081426036
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 14: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Dallas Wings and the against the Indiana Fever on August 14, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 14 Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon081426036
In her 3-season WNBA tenure, Caitlin Clark has been pretty much synonymous with women’s basketball. But the spotlight hasn’t always been positive, and WNBA analyst Robin Lundberg explained why.
“Here's how bad WNBA media is. They made Caitlin Clark underrated,” Lundberg explained in his recent YouTube post on August 30, 2026. “With Caitlin, those micro criticisms have existed from her fans and supporters and analysts … then you have the nonsense critiques …”
Per Lundberg, being the “out-of-control good” basketball player has built an ecosystem of scrutiny around the Indiana Fever phenom. Fans and supporters often exaggerate her achievements, while analysts hurl oversized criticism at her every on-court error.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 18: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 reaches out to her team mates in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever on July 18, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: JUL 18 New York Liberty at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon071826035
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 18: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark 22 reaches out to her team mates in the second half of play during a WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever on July 18, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire WNBA: JUL 18 New York Liberty at Indiana Fever EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon071826035
All of these get “hammered over people's heads all the time,” downplaying Clark’s impact in ways where she is “not mentioned in other discussions.” As strange as this may sound, the league’s arguably most relevant name receives the most criticism, yet remains underrated.
“It's still only her that tends to get critiqued, discussed, shortchanged. Or only mentioned when she absolutely has to be,” Lundberg added to the same segment via YouTube. “When she's the one that most people are tuning in to see… So, congratulations to the collective for making Caitlyn Clark underrated.”
Moreover, Lundberg isn’t the only one to talk about the oversized criticism directed at Clark.
Another ESPN broadcaster got real about Caitlin Clark being criticized
For the player who has revolutionized the league with record-breaking audience, skyrocketing ticket sales and rising popularity of women’s basketball, it's natural to be chased with spotlights.
While Lundberg explained how this phenomenon makes Clark underrated, ESPN broadcaster Ryan Ruocco stated that the league needs to solve this issue if it plans to grow.
“For this league to grow, people have to feel comfortable being critical, and it not being a personal attack or hating,” Ruocco stated during a recent appearance on the Road Trippin’ Show. “People have to be critical of more than just Caitlin Clark.”
“Most of the ecosystem feels comfortable being critical about one player,” he added to the same segment. “That's not real sports.”
Lundberg basically touched upon where Ruocco left off. The message is clear, though: if the league wants to thrive, they'd better treat Clark as the extraordinary player she is, not just the sole food for media coverage and criticism.
Do you agree? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Deblina Roy