Caitlin Clark (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark was in the crosshairs of a WNBA team owner following the Indiana Fever rookie being named TIME’s “Athlete of the Year.”

Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson doesn’t think Clark deserved such recognition, telling CNN the entire league should have been named in her stead because the likes of Angel Reese and other star players are equally responsible for the WNBA’s resurgence.

“It has taken the WNBA almost 28 years to get to the point where we are now and this year something clicked with the WNBA and it’s because of the draft of the players that came in,” Johnson claimed during a rant shown in the video below. “It’s just not Caitlin Clark. It’s Reese. We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized. And I don’t think we can pin it on just one player.

“So last night TIME Magazine with Caitlin Clark is named Athlete of the Year. Why couldn’t they have put the whole WNBA on that cover and said the WNBA is the league of the year? Because of all the talent that we have. Because when we just keep singling out one player it creates hard feelings. And so now you’re starting to hear stories of racism within the WNBA and I don’t want to hear that. We have got to operate and become stronger as a league and respect everybody that’s playing and their talents.”

The Community Notes Came To The Defense Of Caitlin Clark

It doesn’t appear that Johnson did her homework, as Clark’s impact on the WNBA as a rookie wasn’t hard to see.

The Mystics, like every other team she played, benefitted from Clark featuring in games against them.

X’s Community Notes would point that out to Johnson.

“31% of the Mystics total home attendance for the entire 2024 season came from the two games versus Caitlin Clark and the Fever,” a note read.

“What a comedian. Does she have a Netflix special?” a fan asked.

In any case, someone has to be the “Athlete of the Year.” One team owner can’t decide the entire league should be named.