Caitlin Clark was named Time magazine‘s Athlete of the Year for 2024. Clark showed off her abs in a sports bra and designer pants on the cover.
Instead of celebrating her latest achievement, her fans are outraged over her statements in the cover story.
Clark, 22, said she owes her success to her White privilege in a majority Black league.
“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege,” she said. Clark added that the WNBA should do more to elevate the Black players in the league.
“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. 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.”
Some people took issue with what Clark said.
Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly called the WNBA superstar “fake” and “sad.”
“Look at this. She’s on the knee all but apologizing for being white and getting attention. The self-flagellation. The ‘oh pls pay attention to the black players who are REALY the ones you want to celebrate.’ Condescending. Fake. Transparent. Sad,” Kelly tweeted.
Look at this. She’s on the knee all but apologizing for being white and getting attention. The self-flagellation. The “oh pls pay attention to the black players who are REALY the ones you want to celebrate.” Condescending. Fake. Transparent. Sad.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) December 10, 2024
Meanwhile, sports journalist Jason Whitlock crashed out in a series of videos on X (formerly Twitter).
“Caitlin Clark was the one thing in sports that brought me genuine joy, and they’ve destroyed her,” he cried in one video.
In another tweet, Whitlock wrote, “Woke Negroes Basketball Association Conquers Caitlin Clark. Inevitable. Send your young into leftist institutions don’t be surprised when they come home woke.”
Woke Negroes Basketball Association Conquers Caitlin Clark. Inevitable. Send your young into leftist institutions don’t be surprised when they come home woke. pic.twitter.com/nqSCRxv2JO
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) December 11, 2024
Caitlin Clark was the one thing in sports that brought me genuine joy, and they’ve destroyed her. pic.twitter.com/KwVKqc0R8V
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) December 11, 2024
