Debates Surrounding Caitlin Clark Turn ESPN Upside Down [Video]

Over the weekend, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever faced off against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. Despite a tough win for the Fever, the game was overshadowed by a hip check Clark sustained after she started trash-talking with Chennedy Carter. The fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft hip-checked Clark, who acted a bit to sell it, but no call was made.

The First Take production team has a tough job from May to August because sports coverage is harder to engage fans during this period. Often, it’s a dead period for the most popular sports in America. So, the first forty minutes of the show revolved not around the game, but the hip check, which has casual sports fans up in arms.

Caitlin Clark’s journey in her first 11 WNBA games was the center of conversation for forty minutes straight. SAS, Shannon Sharpe, and Monica McNutt spoke in depth about Clark’s reaction and her treatment in the league. Monica eventually became visibly frustrated because these sports fans who followed Clark were trying to judge players and situations as if this isn’t typical in sports. The rookie learns, and Smith tried to mention the last few years when their show was a leader in women’s basketball coverage. Monica had to remind her friend and colleague that with the power he holds within the company, they could’ve been talking about women’s basketball three years ago. All he could respond with was a resounding, “Wow.”

Pat McAfee must’ve received the same memo about coming to Caitlin’s defense. He took the most Pat approach to the situation as he discredited the rest of the WNBA Draft class.

“I feel like the media people keeps saying ‘this rookie class, this rookie class’ nah just call it for what it is. There’s one white b*tch for the Indiana team that is a superstar.”

Following the backlash, Pat took to social media to apologize to Clark for calling her her name.

“I shouldn’t have used “white bitch” as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark. No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe,” he tweeted. “My intentions when saying it were complimentary just like the entire segment but, a lot of folks are saying that it certainly wasn’t at all. That’s 100% on me and for that I apologize… I have sent an apology to Caitlin as well. Everything else I said… still alllllll facts. #Journalism #WNBAProgrum #SheIsTheOne.”

I shouldn’t have used “white bitch” as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark. No matter the context.. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe.

My intentions when saying… pic.twitter.com/F6OHB4gvYh

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 3, 2024

SAS and Pat McAfee mean well; they just have horrible delivery. However, Pat is flat-out wrong in this situation. The top five picks in the WNBA Draft are arguably vital pieces to the future of this renaissance era that the WNBA is going through right now. One thing I love about the media availability for the ladies is that they often answer everything that’s asked.

It’s only Monday, and ESPN is coming out hot to start the week.