Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been turning heads ever since she made a name for herself in college basketball with the Iowa Hawkeyes. But with great fame comes great scrutiny, and Clark has been quite the lightning rod for criticism as well.
Clark remains divisive as ever, but for South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley, the discourse surrounding the Fever star is simply distracting from all the good she brings to the table.
Caitlin Clark and the WNBA Are at a Tipping Point That They Can Overcome, Says Dawn Staley
Clark has become a household name in the sporting world, as she brings so much excitement with the way she plays the game. The Fever star plays with freedom and impacts winning at the highest level. Fans have fallen in love with her game, one made deep three-pointer and one stylish assist at a time.
However, the 24-year-old also attracts so much attention that the WNBA is experiencing its highest viewership in the league’s 30-year history. And with this huge influx of fans comes a diverse, even polarizing, set of opinions that Staley believes would further grow the WNBA as they learn to move past these issues.
“All the big pieces and all the things that are happening from a racial standpoint, from an officiating standpoint are great. They’re great because the NBA went through it – the NBA went through all of it. So this is just badges of honor. Will we get through it? We will get through it,” Staley said, via the Associated Press.
“It’s an incredible product that we’re missing out on because we got distractions every time. There’s something great happening, there are always distractions placed in your life, but you got to be able to handle them,” she added.
Clark’s demeanor on the court has turned a considerable portion of the WNBA’s fanbase sour towards her. Some believe that the Fever star tends to act entitled with the way she complains when things don’t go her way.
But Clark has become the superstar she is by virtue of being her passionate self. And there are no indications that she even wants to change who she is anytime soon.
Vitriol simply comes with the territory of being great, and it’s what the WNBA does to help Clark navigate the polarizing discourse surrounding her name that will either make or break this league moving forward.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.