ESPN’s halftime coverage of Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever and Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream matchup quickly became a story of its own. What was supposed to be a breakdown of a tightly contested game instead drew criticism from analysts and WNBA observers who felt the discussion leaned heavily toward Reese while Clark’s impact received comparatively little attention.
By the following day, the criticism had reached one of the sports world’s most recognizable voices.
SportsCenter legend Linda Cohn weighed in, arguing that the WNBA and its broadcast partners should not look for ways to move past Clark, even though her popularity could help elevate the entire league.
ESPN Legend Linda Cohn Defends Caitlin Clark and Challenges WNBA and Partner Networks
The controversy centered on the second quarter, when Reese helped spark a 7-0 Atlanta run that put the Dream ahead 44-40. Monica McNutt credited the All-Star forward with shifting the momentum, despite Reese shooting 3-for-10 in the first half and missing several close-range attempts.
When Chiney Ogwumike discussed what Clark and the Fever were doing well, host Malika Andrews quickly shifted the conversation back toward Reese, calling her the “catalyst” who turned “things around” for Atlanta.
Cohn believed the coverage missed some of the bigger moments that ultimately decided the game.
She argued that Andraya Carter failed to acknowledge Reese’s missed opportunity in regulation that could have won the game for Atlanta, while also overlooking Clark’s playmaking and clutch free throws that helped Indiana escape with a 95-91 overtime victory.
For Cohn, that reflects a broader issue with how the WNBA and its television partners are promoting the league’s biggest stars.
“Acknowledging Caitlin Clark’s impact does not diminish A’ja Wilson, does not diminish Olivia Miles, does not diminish Paige Bueckers. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Caitlin Clark’s enormous popularity gives the WNBA an opportunity to make all of these women bigger stars,” Cohn said in her podcast.
“…If one player helped open that door wider than it’s ever been before, don’t resent her for it. Don’t minimize it. Don’t manufacture somebody else to replace her in the spotlight.”
Cohn then pointed to the NBA’s history as a blueprint. The league embraced Larry Bird and Magic Johnson as its premier stars, allowing their rivalry to become a central storyline while simultaneously creating more attention for players such as Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley.
The same approach continued with Michael Jordan. As the Chicago Bulls superstar’s popularity grew beyond basketball, the NBA benefited from the enormous audience he brought with him.
That is the lesson Cohn believes the WNBA should remember. The league spent years trying to convince the wider sports world to pay attention.
Now that Clark has helped generate unprecedented interest, Cohn argues that the answer should not be to reduce her presence in the spotlight.
The WNBA does not have to choose between Caitlin Clark and the rest of its stars. It can use Clark’s enormous platform to make everyone else bigger, too. For Cohn, that is not favoritism. It is simply how successful sports leagues turn one superstar’s spotlight into an entire league’s opportunity.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.