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WNBA Owner Complains About Caitlin Clark Landing On TIME Magazine Cover

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Dec 13, 2024 3:11 PM ET

Earlier this week, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was named TIME's Athlete of the Year. It's an incredible honor for the No. 1 pick from this year's WNBA Draft.

While most fans celebrated Clark's latest achievement, Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson decided to go on CNN to complain about it. She believes TIME made a mistake by singling out Clark. Not only does she find that unhealthy, she thinks it's unfair to the other players who worked hard to improve the WNBA's product.

"We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized. And I don't think we can pin it on just one player. I want to be very diplomatic about this," Johnson said. "It's just the structure of the way media plays out race. I'm going to be very honest. I feel really bad because I've seen so many players of color that are equally as talented and they never got the recognition they should have. And I think that right now it is time for that to happen.

"Why couldn't they have put the whole WNBA on that cover and said the WNBA is the league of the year? Because of all the talent that we have. Because when we just keep singling out one player it creates hard feelings. And so now you're starting to hear stories of racism within the WNBA and I don't want to hear that. We have got to operate and become stronger as a league and respect everybody that's playing and their talents."

“Caitlin Clark was named [Time Magazine] Athlete of the year. Why couldn’t they have put the whole WNBA on that cover and said ‘The WNBA is the league of the year’?”

Mystics owner Sheila Johnson pic.twitter.com/OzNFbBZ5pa
— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) December 13, 2024

For what it's worth, Clark shined the spotlight on her peers in her interview with TIME.

"A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them," Clark told TIME. "The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing."

At this point, there's nothing Clark can say or do that'll please everyone.

If she praises her WNBA peers, a certain group will get mad. And if she takes any credit, the same people she tried to lift up will verbally attack her.

Luckily for Clark, she's used to dealing with criticism. She said this week she just tunes it all out.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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