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Caitlin Clark delivers message to fans amid latest ‘racist’ controversy
‘Thank you to the many people who have supported me as I’ve been able to live my childhood dream.’
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark sits on the bench after a game. Instagram
There’s one thing for certain about Caitlin Clark’s rookie season in WNBA: It sure generated a lot of attention.
With Clark’s Indiana Fever eliminated from the playoffs last week, the hoops sensation took to social media to send a message to her fans Wednesday night.
“Year one,” she wrote with a green checkmark emoji. “Thank you to the many people who have supported me as I’ve been able to live my childhood dream. I’m filled with gratitude as I reflect on this past year of my life.
“See you all in year two.”
While Clark set several league, team and rookie records during her first pro season, the Fever crashed out of the WNBA playoffs in the first round after getting swept in a best-of-three series by the Connecticut Sun.
But the defeat was overshadowed by controversy – much like most of Clark’s rookie campaign.
During Game 1 of the series, Sun guard DiJonai Carrington accidentally poked Clark in the eye, leaving the rookie with a black eye. Carrington also was seen laughing with teammates later in the game.
After the contest, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan asked Carrington if the poke was intentional, which the player denied.
She also said that her giggling with teammates was not about the incident.
The questions sparked a war between Brennan and the WNBA players’ union, who called for the 66-year-old journalist to be fired.
Though Carrington answered Brennan’s questions without complaint, the WNBA players’ union responded with a scathing statement.
“To unprofessional members of the media like Christine Brennan: You are not fooling anyone,” read a statement by the WNBPA.
“That so-called interview in the name of journalism was a blatant attempt to bait a professional athlete into participating into a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic, and misogynistic vitriol on social media. You cannot hide behind your tenure.
“You have abused your privileges and do not deserve the credentials issued to you.”
USA Today released a statement saying the newspaper rejects “the notion that the interview perpetuated any narrative other than to get the players’ perspective directly.”
Even though Clark suffered a black eye, she also has dismissed the incident and said she doesn’t believe Carrington intended to hurt her.
Still, that didn’t stop fans and media from calling for a suspension.
Carrington was not suspended — she wasn’t even called for a foul on the play — two things that have fueled some fans’ belief that Clark is the victim of anti-white racism.
