Caitlin Clark completed her debut season in the WNBA with a relatively quiet first-round playoff defeat, but as expected, her story wouldn’t be complete without a touch of controversy.
The playoff series pitted Clark against one of the best defenders in the WNBA, DiJonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun, who used her physicality to disrupt Clark throughout the games. The clash turned viral when Carrington made contact with Clark’s face during a shot attempt in Game 1.
This incident prompted USA Today columnist Christine Brennan, who has been closely following Clark and is writing a book about her, to question Carrington about the hit. Despite Carrington’s denial of intent, Brennan persisted in asking about the incident and whether Carrington was seen laughing about it with a teammate afterwards.
In response to this, the WNBA players’ association issued a statement condemning Brennan and requesting the league to revoke her credentials for the remainder of the playoffs.
In an interview with TIME after being named Athlete of the Year, Clark shared her perspective on the situation, stating, “Never once did that cross my mind that it was intentional. I’ve experienced being poked in the eye many times while playing basketball. It’s part of the game.”
Reporter Sean Gregory noted that Clark supported the WNBPA’s reaction and stood in solidarity with Carrington.
Clark expressed discomfort with the line of questioning directed at Carrington, stating, “That whole line of questioning she received was not appropriate, and I did not appreciate it.”
TIME’s profile sheds light on Clark’s approach to media attention since gaining prominence at Iowa. While she speaks before and after games, she generally keeps a low profile. Despite major interviews with select media outlets, Clark has refrained from taking strong public stances on social issues.
As Clark’s fame continues to grow, she will face scrutiny over her actions and statements. However, her transparency in the TIME interview offers a glimpse into how she handles the media attention surrounding her rookie season in the WNBA.
Regarding Brennan, she defended her methods in an interview with Awful Announcing. It remains to be seen if Clark will engage with Brennan for her upcoming book release in July, following their previous clash over questioning style.
[TIME Magazine]
