The conversation surrounding Caitlin Clark has taken another turn. Just days after the Indiana Fever star publicly defended Alyssa Thomas against online harassment, sports commentator Jason Whitlock questioned why it took Clark more than a week to weigh in, arguing that her message lost impact because of the delay.
"I'm rooting for Caitlin. Her story is fun to watch," Whitlock said on X (formerly Twitter). "However, she took nine days to comment on a situation involving her. Nine days is a lot of prep time."
Whitlock's comments came after Clark addressed reporters for the first time since Thomas was suspended one game after making contact with Clark's throat during Indiana's June 24 loss to the Phoenix Mercury. The WNBA later upgraded the play to a Flagrant 2, fined Thomas $1,000, and suspended her after officials initially missed the contact.
Clark condemned the online abuse while making clear she agreed with the league's ruling on the play itself.
"As I've stood here and said before, the harassment, the hate, none of that is OK," Clark said. "That goes for the opposing team we play. That goes for my teammates. That goes for my coaches. There should never be a question of character."
She also acknowledged that the foul deserved additional discipline, saying, "I don't really think it was up for debate."
Whitlock, however, argued Clark's focus should have been narrower.
"Her message was the refs missed a call, and the media discussed her in a way she didn't like," he said. "Control what you can control. She can't control the refs or the media."
Clark also pushed back on the way the controversy has dominated WNBA coverage. While acknowledging the incident deserved attention, she argued the story had grown so large that it overshadowed everything else happening around the league.
"It's really interesting to me, because I turn the TV on on Sunday, and that game was on Wednesday, and that's all people are still talking about," Clark said. "I feel like that's just a real disservice to our league."
She pointed to Indiana's recent performances as an example, saying, "I also felt bad for my teammates. They played on Friday, and they dominated; they played really well, but nobody wanted to talk about that. They just wanted to talk about everything else... It's all of our jobs to refocus the narratives a lot of the time."
The debate has snowballed since the June 24 game. Fever coach Stephanie White blasted officials over what she called "cheap shots" against Clark, teammate Sophie Cunningham claimed opponents are "definitely targeting" the All-Star guard, and a former Philadelphia 76ers team physician warned the throat contact carried the potential for serious medical consequences.
The WNBA ultimately disciplined Thomas while also condemning the online abuse directed toward her after the suspension.
