“League went from being liberal to MAGA”: A’ja Wilson’s friend drops political metaphor after Caitlin Clark & Fever sweep WNBA All-Star fan voting

A’ja Wilson’s friend, Michael McManus, has dropped a political metaphor in reaction to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever sweeping the WNBA All-Star voting. The first voting returns for this year’s All-Star game were released on Thursday.

The Fever dominated the rankings with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull all in the top 10. McManus reacted to the list on X, claiming that Indiana's rise in polling is an indication that the WNBA has gone MAGA.

“WNBA fan voting shaping up like the 2024 election, league went from being liberal to MAGA in a very short time, jk jk jk jk.”

McManus’s comments seem to be a dig at the growing number of Indiana Fever fans who specifically support the team because of Caitlin Clark.

The All-Star voting has raised some concerns as well, with many claiming that Lexie Hull is in the top 10 because of her association with Clark. Hull's 9.1 points per game this season are not exactly All-Star numbers.

Aliyah Boston being ranked higher than A’ja Wilson also raised red flags for many across social media. Boston is averaging 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds this season. In comparison, Wilson is averaging 20.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.

McManus has previously claimed that Caitlin Clark's 'whiteness' is used to dismiss black women

Michael McManus previously brought up Clark's skin color in one of his many controversial comments on X. On June 12, McManus claimed that Clark's 'whiteness' is used by her fans to dismiss the talent of black women:

"As a white woman, black men and other fans are still using her whiteness to refute and dismiss other talented black women in the league, specifically Kiki.”

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder