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WOMEN + SPORTS
How Caitlin Clark Became The Great White Hope of the WNBA
Some are using the rookie player as a proxy for whiteness
It’s no secret that White people often center themselves in American society. Even in a sport like professional basketball, where the vast majority of players are Black, they find a way to elevate their heroes as if they are inherently superior. We can see this phenomenon in the way sports commentators and fans have elevated Caitlin Clark, an Indiana Fever guard, as the “great white hope” of the WNBA. While it’s unclear whether Clark consents to her name being used in this way, with pundits constantly using her accomplishments to snub her Black counterparts, pressure is mounting for her to break her silence on the topic of race or become a proxy for racists to latch onto. While it’s refreshing to see women’s sports receive increased attention, it’s disappointing to see so much anti-blackness and misogynoir in the discourse surrounding Clark’s entrance to the court.
Clark first garnered national attention in her athletic rivalry in college while playing for Iowa, challenging Angel Reese, an LSU forward. During the 2023 NCAA National Championship Game between LSU and Iowa, Angel Reese taunted Clark with the “you can’t see me” gesture and pointed at her ring finger to celebrate her impending championship victory. The sports world, often dominated by the voices of White men, seemed to hate seeing Clark lose that round. So, for the next year, they trailed her every move, and when she beat Reese and LSU in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA tournament, they were overjoyed, not just to see Clark win in a rematch but to see Reese lose. As a result, celebrating Clark’s rookie accomplishments has been weaponized as an attack on other players, many of whom are her Black teammates and competitors.
Think I’m over-exaggerating about Caitlin Clark becoming the “great white hope?” Let’s look at a few examples. Ryan Brentner wrote in The Olaf Messenger, “No one player has single-handedly done more for the sport of Women’s Basketball than Caitlin Clark.” Some sports commentators argue that Clark is the greatest of all time, a GOAT, despite her never winning a championship in college or professionally. That is not to say she doesn’t have a bright future…
