Jason Whitlock has sparked another Caitlin Clark controversy—this time by claiming the Indiana Fever is preparing to move on from the biggest star in franchise history.
According to Newsweek (via Yahoo! Sports), the sports commentator set social media ablaze on Friday, June 5, when he posted that the Fever are “planning” to trade Clark to the Los Angeles Sparks. Whitlock also suggested that UCLA women's basketball coach Cori Close could eventually become the Sparks' head coach. However, no team officials, league insiders, or credible reports have indicated that Clark is available in trade discussions.
“The Indiana Fever are planning to ship Caitlin Clark to the Los Angeles Sparks,” Whitlock wrote. The statement spread quickly across social media, where reactions ranged from disbelief to cautious curiosity. Many fans pointed to Clark's impact on attendance, television ratings, merchandise sales, and the overall growth of the franchise as reasons a move would be difficult to imagine.
Earlier in the week, Clark delivered a strong performance in Indiana's win over the Atlanta Dream, helping the Fever end a two-game losing streak. Since entering the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, Clark has transformed Indiana into one of the league's marquee attractions, with sold-out arenas and unprecedented national attention following the franchise wherever it plays.
The latest comments also fit into a broader pattern in Whitlock's recent coverage of Clark and the WNBA, in which he frequently extols her virtues, even over those of other notable Black players. Over the past year, he has repeatedly inserted himself into conversations surrounding Clark's popularity, her rivalry with Angel Reese, and what he views as media efforts to diminish Clark's influence on the sport.
Whitlock recently accused Reese of becoming famous by “trolling” Clark and has frequently argued that the Indiana guard's popularity has reshaped the league's economics and public profile.
