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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark isn’t the first white person to achieve fame in a predominantly Black space—ask musicians Elvis Presley and Eminem, for instance.
However, Clark’s world-conquering WNBA notoriety comes at a particularly fraught moment for race in America, as a pronounced backlash to Black visibility in the wake of George Floyd’s 2020 murder drags into its sixth year. In a new interview with longtime late-night host David Letterman released Tuesday, Clark—as she has previously and repeatedly—paid tribute to her Black forebears.
“I definitely have privilege,” Clark said. “I’m obviously white, but I think I’m somebody who grew up a huge fan of this league. I grew up watching this league, going to games, supporting this league. So I know where this league comes from—a lot of Black women that grew up making this league what it is.”
Clark’s superstar status made her a lightning rod for public discussion her rookie year, which she handled with uncommon grace—deflecting attempts from extremist elements to make her into a modern Great White Hope.
Still, as long as racism persists around her, Clark appears likely to have to answer questions about it—even as her contemporaries seem to have her back.
“That’s kind of the shoulders that we stand on. So I think that was something I’m very aware of, and something I’m very thankful for. And they deserve all the credit, and the more we can give credit to them, the better,” Clark said. “I’m very aware of that, and I know that, and I think there is responsibility in acknowledging that.”
