Caitlin Clark addresses accusations of racism following WNBA statement: 'Those aren't fans. Those are trolls'

WNBA rookie phenom Caitlin Clark has finished her archetypal pro play and has already near an undeniable interaction connected the league. In conscionable 1 year, Clark has been credited with drafting countless caller followers to assistance the league interruption attendance and TV ratings records. 

However, Clark does not o.k. of each the league's caller followers. 

During the Indiana Fever's exit interviews Friday aft the team's season-ending playoff nonaccomplishment to the Connecticut Sun, Clark was asked astir a connection released by the WNBA that condemned "racist, derogatory oregon threatening comments" directed astatine players, coaches and different figures successful the league. 

The connection came aft Sun guardant Alyssa Thomas accused Fever fans of racism.

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Clark denounced anyone pursuing the WNBA who makes prejudicial comments toward players.

"Those aren't fans. Those are trolls," Clark said. 

"Nobody successful our league should beryllium facing immoderate benignant of racism, disrespectful oregon hurtful comments and threats."

Connecticut Sun prima Alyssa Thomas pointed straight astatine Indiana Fever fans aft the team’s triumph successful its playoff matchup, portion her teammate, DiJonai Carrington, revealed connected Instagram an email she had received filled with radical slurs.

"We've been nonrecreational passim the full full thing, but I've ne'er been called the things that I've been calling connected societal media, and there's nary spot for it," Thomas said. "Basketball is headed successful a large direction, but no, we don't privation fans that are going to degrade america and telephone america radical names. " 

Race and racism person go predominant talking points relating to Clark's beingness and the attraction it has brought to women's hoops implicit the past fewer years. 

Clark has been connected the receiving extremity of racially charged comments from fans and prognosticators since her ascent to stardom. 

ESPN's Pat McAfee referred to Clark arsenic a "white b----" during an occurrence of his nationally televised amusement June 3 and aboriginal apologized. In May, "The View" big Sunny Hostins said during an occurrence of that amusement that Clark's popularity was due, successful part, to "white privilege." 

INSIDE CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE'S IMPACT ON MEN'S BASKETBALL

Caitlin Clark (22) of the Indiana Fever drives to the handbasket during Game 2 of the archetypal circular of the playoffs against the Connecticut Sun Sept. 25, 2024, astatine the Mohegan Sun Arena successful Uncasville, Conn.  (Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, respective opposing players, including longtime assemblage and pro rival Angel Reese, person claimed to beryllium connected the receiving extremity of racist attacks from Clark's fans. 

Reese has accused Clark's fans straight of being racist and attacking her online successful an occurrence of her podcast Sept. 5. 

"I deliberation it's truly conscionable the fans, her fans, the Iowa fans, present the Indiana fans, that are truly just, they thrust for her, and I respect that, respectfully. But sometimes it's precise disrespectful. I deliberation there's a batch of racism erstwhile it comes to it," Reese said. 

Reese has claimed she has been the unfortunate of wide online harassment, and it archetypal ramped up erstwhile she and her assemblage team, LSU, defeated Clark and Iowa successful the 2023 NCAA women's hoops title game. When LSU held a large pb successful the last minutes of that game, Reese pointed to her ringing digit successful a now-infamous photograph that angered immoderate of Clark's fans. On her podcast, Reese said that infinitesimal "changed my beingness forever."

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Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark (22) reacts during the archetypal fractional against the Connecticut Sun during Game 2 of the archetypal circular of the 2024 WNBA playoffs astatine Mohegan Sun Arena successful Uncasville, Conn., Sept. 25, 2024. (Paul Rutherford/Imagn Images)

Barstool Sports laminitis Dave Portnoy reposted a video of the clip, with the caption "Classless portion of s---," connected X. It's a station that had 79.5 cardinal views connected X astatine the clip of publication. Portnoy past levied akin attacks astatine Reese passim the 2024 tournament. 

When Reese and LSU mislaid successful that year's Final Four to Clark and Iowa, Reese cried astatine the property podium astir the threats she had received implicit the past year. Reese's teammate, Hailey Van Lith, blamed racism for the attraction of Reese astatine that aforesaid property conference. 

"A batch of the radical that are making those comments are being racist towards my teammates," Van Lith said.

Sun subordinate DiJonai Carrington, who poked Clark successful the oculus with her fingernail during Connecticut's Game 1 triumph implicit the Fever Sunday, antecedently criticized Clark for not doing much to telephone retired racism among her ain fans successful an X station successful June. 

"Dawg. How 1 tin not beryllium bothered by their sanction being utilized to warrant racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them each is nuts," Carrington wrote. "We each spot the [s---]. We each person a platform. We each person a dependable & they each clasp weight. Silence is simply a luxury."

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