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The Indiana Fever’s latest preseason game against the Brazilian national team on Sunday witnessed something peculiar. During and after the game, players and coaches from Brazil couldn’t stop raving about Caitlin Clark. Their constant praise for the sharpshooter resulted in Jason Whitlock criticizing the WNBA, while interestingly comparing Clark to Tiger Woods.
The popular sports analyst used the moment to highlight the stark contrast between Brazil’s admiration and the WNBA’s treatment of Clark. Whitlock pointed out that despite Clark’s clear impact on the WNBA’s surge in popularity, many within the league seem to disregard or downplay her contributions. He suggested that the league could learn from the Brazilian team’s attitude.
“Why does someone from Brazil who isn't directly benefiting from what Caitlin Clark has done for the WNBA, why is he celebrating her more enthusiastically than the overwhelming majority of coaches, players in the WNBA? They're all riding Caitlin's coattails to television commercials, more money than what they're actually generating. They're being treated as superstars because of Caitlin Clark,” Whitlock argued.
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Whitlock added that he didn’t expect WNBA players to constantly praise Clark, but noted that there was a clear lack of appreciation for her contribution. He compared this with how PGA Tour players responded to Tiger Woods' arrival, by recognizing the way he brought attention and generated revenue.
“I'm not saying these guys in the WNBA should kiss Caitlin Clark's butt, but we've seen this before," Jason Whitlock said. "We saw it with Tiger Woods when he hit the PGA Tour… After some very slight initial pushback… everybody on the PGA Tour fell in line. It was like, ‘Man, look what Tiger has done for us.’ They competed against him, but they respected him. They weren’t trying to tear him down.”
Caitlin Clark and Brazil’s coach exchanged pleasantries
While it's understandable that the Brazilian players were impressed by Caitlin Clark, it was surprising to see their head coach openly showering her with high praise in the middle of the game.
“You’re an amazing player, congratulations. You’ve changed the history in basketball,” Leo Figueiro told Clark.
“I appreciate it. Thanks for coming here,” Clark responded.
Figueiro’s team had no answers for the Indiana Fever, suffering a lopsided 108-44 defeat at the hands of Stephanie White’s squad.
Kelsey Mitchell led the way with 17 points. Whereas, Clark, returning to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since her senior season at Iowa, put on a show for the home crowd. She recorded 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, knocking down a logo three-pointer to electrify the fans.
