WNBA’s Grave Mistake Breaks the Internet as Caitlin Clark Misses Out on Top Spot on Assists List

“Snub city. Didn’t even use Clark!?” Ever since Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the WNBA, the league’s social media moves have faced repeated scrutiny, especially from her passionate fanbase. Earlier this season, right before the playoffs, fans were stunned when the WNBA posted a graphic showcasing players from every qualifying team — with Indiana Fever’s Clark noticeably absent. While that remained a subjective design choice, a new oversight has sparked more frustration. Fans don’t seem all in on the changed outcome either.

Earlier this week, the WNBA announced “Assist Week” on social media, rolling out what they called the top 10 assists of the season. Fans watched as the league revealed each highlight one by one, all the way up to the No. 2 spot. The stage was set for the grand finale — the No. 1 assist of the season. But when it finally went live, something wasn’t quite right. Shortly after posting, the WNBA had to put it down and update with a new No.1 assist.

So, WNBA’s social media team made a blunder in their Assist Week countdown as the highly anticipated No. 1 play, which was meant to feature the top assist from the 2024 season, turned out to be from 2023 instead! In a tweet that has since been deleted, the WNBA crowned a behind-the-back dish from Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray to A’ja Wilson during a game against the Indiana Fever.

While WNBA quickly deleted the tweet, the damage was done. Fans were already in an uproar, pointing out the blunder and calling out the league’s social media team for the oversight. The outrage wasn’t just about the mistake itself, but also about Caitlin Clark being left off the top spot in the rankings.

WNBA oversight and Caitlin Clark snub erupts fan outrage

Upon closer inspection, the WNBA’s earlier post showcasing Chelsea Gray’s behind-the-back pass as the No. 1 assist was actually from a game played in June 2023. In that matchup, the Las Vegas Aces dominated the Indiana Fever with a convincing 101-88 victory. Late in the fourth quarter, with just three minutes left and the game comfortably in the Aces’ hands, Gray made the slick pass to A’ja Wilson for an easy two-point shot.

It didn’t take long for fans, who closely follow the league and its visuals, to catch the mistake. From the distinctive jersey designs to the graphics in the clip, it was clear that the pass wasn’t from the current season. Fans quickly took to social media, calling out the WNBA’s social media team for the blunder. One fan, who even shared the clip, expressed frustration, labeling the mistake as a sign of the league’s incompetence and blasting it as “made-up sh-t.”

“the incompetence of the official  @WNBA account continues. now they name a Chelsea Gray assist from *checks notes* 2023 as the best assist of the 2024 season. lmfao cant make this shit up.”

This slip-up turned out to be an obvious major embarrassment, especially given that the WNBA’s social media team is staffed with professionals specifically tasked with enhancing the league’s online image. Yet, somehow, they missed this glaring detail—or, as some speculated, perhaps there was an unclear intention behind it. Another fan chimed in, humorously suggesting the mix-up must’ve sparked some serious internal debate.

“their social media team must be fighting among themselves right now. this is hilarious. i am very glad they did this list. it exposes everything about them. it would be easy to fire them now”

The mistake was especially frustrating for fans, given that the WNBA had been hyping up the 2024 Assist Week Countdown, only to feature a play from 2023. One fan expressing their frustration by taking a bold yet simple step.

“I muted and unfollowed them. They don’t deserve engagement.”

The league quickly took down the mistaken post and replaced it with another top assist—another behind-the-back pass from Chelsea Gray, this time correctly from the 2024 season against the Fever. However, by then, fans were already voicing their frustration, disappointed that Caitlin Clark’s assists hadn’t earned the top spot. While Clark did make two appearances in the countdown, both were in lower-ranked spots.

One fan even suggested that the league’s error felt intentional, as if they were deliberately downplaying Clark to spotlight other players instead.

“They’re so desperate to big her up at the expense of Caitlin”

One pointed out that if any assist deserved the No. 1 position this season, it had to be Caitlin Clark’s jaw-dropping play during the All-Star game against Team USA. In that July matchup, Clark delivered a slick, no-look pass that even caught Jonquel Jones off guard, leaving her so impressed she turned to give Clark an appreciative clap, visibly in awe of the young star’s finesse.

“The assist of the year should have been the one in the all star game that had JJ whipping around in disbelief”

Ultimately, the WNBA’s blunders only translated to fueling fan frustration. The WNBA team, however, ensured a shoutout post to the 22-year-old for all the assist records she has broken this year. “The Indiana Fever floor general, Caitlin Clark made wonders happen with the ball in her hands,” the post read with a compilation of her best passes. The audience, though, doesn’t seem satisfied.