Sue Bird Calls Out Racism Towards Black WNBA Players, Says Caitlin Clark Is 'Being Used as a Pawn'

Sue Bird believes racism in the WNBA has existed long before Caitlin Clark entered the league.

Bird shared her thoughts about the unfair treatment of Black players in the league with Megan Rapinoe on their podcast A Touch More.

"Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year," the four-time WNBA champion said at the 30:30 mark. "This is not a new thing. In that way, I think Caitlin is being used as a pawn. Caitlin didn't bring racism to the WNBA. This has been happening. And that, I think, has been a shock for all of us. That other people are surprised by this. We've been trying to tell you."

Bird said she's saddened by the fact that the conversations about the WNBA are more focused on Clark and how she's treated by Black players throughout the league and not on the actual basketball being played.

Bird asserts there has never been a point where someone has played dirty or targeted Clark out of jealousy or pettiness.

The issues surrounding the WNBA came to a head after Christine Brennan of USA Today asked Connecticut Sun guard Dijonai Carrington if there was intentionality when she "swatted at" Clark and left her with a black eye.

"I don't even know why I would intend to hit anybody in the eye. That doesn't even make sense to me," Carrington said. "I didn't know I hit her, actually. I was trying to make a play on the ball and I guess I followed through and I hit her, so obviously it's never intentional. That's not even the type of player I am."

Brennan followed that by questioning if Carrington and Marina Mabrey were laughing later in the same game about what she did to Clark. "I can't laugh about something I didn't know happened," she responded.

WNBA Players’ Association executive director Terri Jackson released a statement, accusing Brennan of "a blatant attempt to bait a professional athlete into participating in a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic and misogynistic vitriol on social media."

Jackson also said Brennan "abused your credentials and do not deserve the credentials issued to you."

USA Today issued a statement in support of Brennan who was "only trying to get the player's perspective."