LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The WNBA All-Star selections are out. Caitlin Clark is in. But somehow, she's still the center of a storm.
This one was sparked by the revelation that while Clark led all fans in voting, she was ranked just ninth by fellow WNBA players at her position. And here came the outcry. Dick Vitale banged the jealousy drum like he was leading a parade. Fans cried foul. Some said the league was ungrateful.
Vitale, on X, called it "PURE JEALOUSY." Social media, predictably, caught fire.
But let's just pause here.
Clark, in her second WNBA season, will be a starter in the All-Star Game. She'll even serve as a team captain thanks to her fan support. So what exactly are we arguing about?
We're arguing because the discourse around Caitlin Clark always seems to need some kind of friction. And the latest is this idea that WNBA players are "out to get her."
But slow down a minute. Should we not consider that maybe this is all OK? Maybe it's even normal. You show up, you shake the system, you sell jerseys by the crate — and some people get sore. Resentment is as old as success. Ask LeBron. Ask Serena. Ask your local homecoming queen.
Are some players irritated by the attention she receives? Probably. Are some fans overly sensitive to any perceived slight? Definitely. But resentment of highly marketed stars isn't a Clark-specific thing. It's a sports thing. Tyrese Haliburton was voted "most overrated" by his own NBA peers not too long ago — and he's one of the league's most well-liked young stars.
In this case, though, the players' votes weren't unreasonable. She's missed seven of her teams 16 games with injuries, has shot the three like it was a medicine ball (less than 30%) and is turning it over like she's getting commission (nearly six per game, a league high).
She's still learning to handle the defensive physicality of the W, and it shows. (Though, let's also acknowledge, she's getting more physical defense than many, and the league would do well to clean it up, across the board.)
Does any of that mean she shouldn't be in the All-Star Game? No. But it does mean that if players are evaluating based on production and availability, it makes sense that she wouldn't top their list.
Still, this conversation always seems to loop back to something bigger. Some see Clark as the WNBA's savior — the reason for charter flights, rising TV ratings, and sold-out crowds. There's truth in that. She's done more to elevate interest in the league than perhaps any player before her. But that doesn't mean she's owed a free pass from the people who've been grinding in the league for years.
What Caitlin Clark has done for the visibility of women's basketball is undeniable. What she's done on the court so far is promising but imperfect. Those are both true statements. And both can coexist.
So no, this isn't some deep scandal. It's a young player navigating a veteran league. It's fans defending a phenom. It's teammates voting for teammates. It's the usual stew of ego, admiration, rivalry and narrative that fuels every league.
Clark will be in the game. She'll be fine. The league will be better for her presence. But maybe her most vocal defenders could do her — and the league — a favor by easing up on the outrage.
Sometimes, a snub isn't a scandal. It's just sports.
Quick sips
• Rick Bozich says goodbye. If you missed the farewell column of Hall of Fame sportswriter Rick Bozich yesterday at WDRB.com, do yourself a favor and read it. It's been an inside joke. Neither of us got to say goodbye when we left the newspaper. We just had to say hello from a new place and move on. That wasn't a big deal for me, but Rick had been there for more than 30 years. So now he gets to put a bow on it. It's not his way, or mine, really. These stories are not about us. Heck, he didn't even share his own farewell column on social media. (Come on, man!) Anyway, read his column. He'll be missed.
• Mikel Brown is on a roll. I have to say, it's hard not to get a little more excited about Louisville basketball if you've been watching the point guard phenom in the U19 FIBA World Cup. The Cardinal signee and projected lottery pick had 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting and 4-of-6 from three, and added eight assists to two turnovers, plus two rebounds in a win over Cameroon yesterday. It was his second straight 24-point effort, and he sat out most of the third quarter with the game out of reach. I'll have a column about him later today.
The Last Drop
"It's been a marvelous run. I wouldn't change much, not even the dead fish an Indiana fan once left in my mailbox."
-- Rick Bozich
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