As a diehard WNBA fan and season ticket-holder, it is with great reluctance that I have come to the following painful conclusion.
I’m sick of Caitlin Clark.
As the purchaser of an Iowa jersey and consumer of all things Indiana Fever — covered their games, witnessed them as a fan, caught them on television — it is with great angst that I make the following brutal admission.
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I wish Caitlin Clark would just stop whining and play.
The logo-shooting, circus-passing, shape-shifting revelation who was once arguably the most famous basketball player in the world has become rude, entitled and, frankly, not all that fun.
In her third season in the WNBA, the once-shining superstar is acting like a spoiled brat. The league’s most popular player has become its biggest lout. Her stats are decent, but her attitude stinks.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark questions the call of a referee during a game against the Valkyries on May 22 in Indianapolis. (Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
I once openly cheered as Clark raced down the court, dribbled behind her back, skated past a helpless defender, and drained a three-pointer.
Now I cringe as she bricks the trey and immediately complains to the officials, spreading her arms, shaking her head, screaming in their face.
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She cries foul on seemingly every play in which she is bumped, or nudged, or experiences any of the contact that is completely normal in the most physical basketball league on the planet.
Misses a layup? Contorted face, loud whine.
Has a ball stolen from her? Sarcastic laugh, widespread arms, a cry of, “Oh my God!
Loses a ball out of bounds? She immediately turns to her bench to demand a challenge, twirling her arms and screaming for justice.
She’s become so oafish, earlier this week in a nationally televised game against the Atlanta Dream, she was clearly fouled by Jordin Canada on a layup, and the officials properly called the foul, and Clark immediately broke into a wild cheer.
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Read more: Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White dismiss ‘tense’ bench exchange: ‘It’s coaching … it’s not a story’
The sarcasm was so ugly, Dream coach Karl Smesko challenged the obvious foul as if he hoped it would momentarily shut her up.
Clark not only disrespects officials, she is unafraid to show up her coach Stephanie White, as witnessed by their recent viral exchange on the bench during a loss to the Portland Fire.
Clark, who made one basket during the game, had an animated discussion with White during a timeout before being yanked out of the lineup. At that point Clark left her seat to stand next to White and shake her head. There were reports that the discussion was about defense, which makes sense, because that is the weakest part of Clark’s game, opponents frequently and successfully isolating and attacking her.
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This wasn’t the first public dust-up this season between Clark and her coaches — during one game she was caught shouting back at assistant Briann January, a former WNBA defensive stalwart.
When questioned about the spat with White, Clark became defensive and essentially blamed the media.
“Two people being competitive. Two people that really want to win,” Clark told reporters. “I think a lot of those things happen all of the time, and I know there’s a camera on me, and that’s how it’s gonna be. But there’s a lot of people out there in the media or on TV that they think they know a lot of things, but they’re just blatantly wrong about a lot of things.”
Sparks guard Ta’Niya Latson chases Fever guard Caitlin Clark as she brings the ball upcourt at Crytpo.com Arena on Wednesday. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
Then, while restating her support of White, Clark leveled a shot at fans.
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“When I got hurt at the Connecticut game last year, I bawled in Steph’s arms. That’s somebody I will ride for, for the rest of my life,” Clark said. “People that just sit on their phones all day, they don’t see those moments. They don’t see the moments when we come into work. They don’t see the moments that absolutely suck, and people have your back. But they think they know everything, and in reality, they don’t have a clue.”
At the same time Clark was damaging her image, her Fever bosses came under fire for trying to protect that image by revoking the credential of veteran Fever and Pacers beat reporter Scott Agness.
The journalist’s crime? He dared to write what everyone already knew — that the Fever had instituted a “strategic management plan” to limit Clark’s games in the wake of injuries that cost her most of last season.
She is playing five fewer minutes per game this season than in her standout rookie season, she has left games to treat her back, she has been seen wearing a black back brace during games, so they’re being careful with her. Understandable. Just stop messing with your fans and give them ample notice on games Clark will miss.
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The reporter’s ban was an absurd overreaction by a team that is apparently being run by a kid. If every NBA beat writer who reported that their team utilized load management was banned, there would be no more NBA beat writers.
The WNBA wants to be celebrated as a major American sports league, yet continues to act like the media should treat it as a charity. How dare you ask a tough question! How dare you level a fair criticism!
Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts to a play during the first half of a game against the Dream at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday. (Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
It is with this skewed mindset that Caitlin Clark had taken a wonderful connection and cheapened it by acting like an entitled kid in an AAU tournament.
Even though she ranks in the top 10 in free throws attempted, the officials are never right. Even though she is publicly coddled, the media is never right. Even though she has been given control of the team, her coaches are never right. Judging from some of her body language, her teammates are also never right, and that’s a shame, because she has some great ones.
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I love the explosiveness of Kelsey Mitchell, the power of Aliyah Boston, and the fresh new force that is Raven Johnson. While Clark still wonderfully directs them around the court as the league’s assist leader, this show comes with a price.
Cross her, question her, offend her, get physical with her because that is the way to stop her … and she’ll take her case to a public that continues to embrace her against all odds.
Some readers will wonder, as some wonder about every piece of WNBA journalism, whether I would have written this same column about a man.
Please. I have. Many times. This space has been littered with criticism of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and other local legends who occasionally acted like idiots.
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It’s not too late for Clark to clean up her act and once again become the WNBA’s most marketable and popular superstar — a spot currently held by the poised and professional A’ja Wilson, who has led the Las Vegas Aces to three titles.
But until then, this former teen idol needs to grow up.
Once upon a time, I couldn’t stop watching her.
Anymore, I’ve seen enough.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
