Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas leapt to Caitlin Clark’s defense this week after the WNBA star was attacked by conservative activist Riley Gaines.
As part of winning TIME Magazine’s Athlete of the Year, Clark gave a wide-ranging interview discussing many parts of her rise to fame, including how race has played a role in her status.
But her comments, in which she acknowledged her ‘white privilege,’ sparked controversy online with the likes of OutKick founder Clay Travis and Dave Portnoy criticizing the Indiana Fever superstar.
Gaines, who rose to fame as an All-American swimmer at Kentucky and actively has rallied against transgender athletes participating in women’s sports including competitor Lia Thomas, was also among those who took issue with Clark’s statement.
‘No one was asking for Caitlin Clark to position herself as a right-wing hero. All she needed to do was remain neutral,’ Gaines said on social media.
‘She’s a phenom who inspires countless young girls to play & achieve, so I still have great admiration for her, but she missed the mark on this one.’
Caitlin Clark was honored with TIME’s Athlete of the Year award for 2024 earlier this week
Gabby Thomas (L) hit out at Riley Gaines (R) after she criticized the WNBA superstar
The Olympian slammed Gaines after she criticized Clark for her ‘white privilege’ comments
But Thomas, who claimed three gold medals in Paris this summer, hit back at the former college swimmer.
‘Girl are you fr??? You don’t have to share your opinion on everything, just sit this one out,’ the Olympic star posted, quote-tweeting Gaines’s backlash.
Clark had addressed the issue in an interview with TIME, who named her Athlete of the Year for 2024 in response to her breakthrough year with Indiana Fever.
The 22-year-old Clark said the WNBA has ‘been built on’ black players and that ‘as a white person, there is privilege’.
Clark found herself at the center of a race storm during her first season in the WNBA amid accusations that she was the victim of jealousy and bullying.
Clark won the TIME award after boosting the WNBA’s popularity. Upon her arrival, the sharpshooter inspired a spike in the league’s viewership and attendance numbers.
Her performances warranted the following as she racked up unpresented number and broke standing records .
Before turning pro, Clark built a wide following with the Iowa Hawkeyes, where she led the team to back-to-back title games, despite losing both. She became the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft and helped the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.
Clark secured the Rookie of the Year honor while finishing fourth in MVP voting.
