Indiana
Caitlin Clark's fame accused of being earned through 'race and sexuality' by ex-ESPN host
Caitlin Clark, who dominated the NCAA throughout the last year as she broke all-time shooting records held for decades before being selected as the overall first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, has been told her fame is to do with her “race and sexuality” by an ex-ESPN host.
Jemele Hill, who worked for the network between 2006-2018, suggested that the Indiana Fever star hasn’t totally earned her own status as the face of the WNBA, despite her dominant college run resulting in sold-out arenas as people clamoured to watch her star for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Caitlin Clark tense moment with teammate after showing up late to press conference
Hill believes that it’s to do with the 22-year-old being both white and straight as the WNBA possesses a reported 70% total of black players and around 33% LBGTQ+ members, yet it’s Clark who has become synonymous with the league.
“We would all be very naive if we didn’t say race and her sexuality played a role in her popularity,” Jemele Hill told the LA Times. “While so many people are happy for Caitlin‘s success – including the players; this has had such an enormous impact on the game.
“There is a part of it that is a little problematic because of what it says about the worth and the marketability of the players who are already there.”
Clark‘s success manifesting in the form of a contract with Nike worth an astonishing $28m as she helps breathe life into women’s basketball is also problematic, believing it is overlooking black women.
“There’s plenty of room to highlight and celebrate Caitlin Clark‘s popularity,” Hill added. “While also discussing ways in which to not erase black women from a league that they have built and continue to build.”
Clark’s in the middle of a racism storm
Hill is far from the first person to talk about how Clark is a model marketing tool for the WNBA to appeal to a wide audience from the American and western world population, as she builds upon comments made by A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces.
Wilson could feel aggrieved by the popularity around Clark as the 27-year-old, who was selected as the first pick of 2018, has managed to become a two-time champion with the Aces, a Finals MVP and two-time WNBA MVP but she doesn’t enjoy the same amount of fame as Clark does.
“I think it’s a huge thing. I think a lot of people may say it’s not about black and white, but to me, it is,” Wilson said to media. “It really is because you can be top-notch at what you are as a black woman, but yet maybe that’s something that people don’t want to see.
“They don’t see it as marketable, so it doesn’t matter how hard I work. It doesn’t matter what we all do as black women, we’re still going to be swept underneath the rug. That’s why it boils my blood when people say it’s not about race because it is.”
Fernando Mendoza did not attend Indiana University’s visit to the White House commemorating the Hoosiers’ college football national championship on Monday. The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback said earlier this month that he would not attend if it interfered with any activities with his new team.
“I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here,” Mendoza said following a rookie minicamp practice. “I got to prove myself. I can’t miss practice. I don’t know anything official. I don’t have the calendar, but I just wouldn’t. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look, and I want to try to best serve my teammates. And I don’t know if that’d be accomplishing that goal.”
According to the team’s official offseason schedule, the Raiders did not have any formal practices or workouts on Monday. The team’s next organized activity is May 18, its first OTA workout.
“Fernando couldn’t be here today because, as I said, he’s now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders,” President Donald Trump said in his address. “Let’s see how good of a team they have, and I think he’s gonna do great. He’s a winner.”
Mendoza wasn’t the only absence. Center Pat Coogan and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds were among the other Hoosiers not in attendance for the event due to NFL obligations. Indiana had a program-record eight players selected in April’s NFL Draft.
Trump highlighted Mendoza’s accomplishments and contributions to the school’s first football national title. He celebrated Mendoza as Indiana’s inaugural Heisman Trophy winner and praised his fourth-quarter touchdown run in the championship game against Miami.
“He’s gonna be a good one,” Trump said.
Indiana was well-represented by returning members of the team. Charlie Becker, one of Mendoza’s go-to receivers during the College Football Playoffs, and Jamari Sharpe, whose late interception secured the title-game victory, both spoke on behalf of the school, as did head coach Curt Cignetti.
Mendoza is one of four members of the national champion Hoosiers who joined the Raiders this offseason. Running back Roman Hemby and wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. signed as undrafted free agents in the days following the draft. Wide receiver Jonathan Brady earned a contract after impressing as a tryout player during rookie minicamp.
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating a triple shooting that took place on Muncie’s south side Sunday evening that left a woman dead and two men injured.
According to police, at approximately 5:27 p.m., Muncie Police Officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of South Walnut Street in reference to reports of several people being shot.
Officers arrived and located three gunshot victims: A 23-year-old female who died from “multiple wounds,” a 39-year-old male who is hospitalized in stable condition, and a 40-year-old male who was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital in critical condition.
Police say a suspect is in custody, a 21-year-old man.
Police did not provide any additional information.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Muncie Police Detective Division at 765-747-4867 or dispatch at 765-747-4838.
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Sports Seriously
The Indiana Pacers lost 63 games this season for a chance at a franchise-changing lottery pick. On Sunday, May 10, they lost that chance, too.
All Pacers president Kevin Pritchard could do was apologize for taking the risk.
Indiana’s pick landed at No. 5 in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, one spot outside the top four protections attached to a midseason trade. The selection now belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers .
Shortly after the results were announced, Pritchard took social media and apologized.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” Pritchard wrote. “I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck.”
The Pacers entered the lottery with a 52.1% chance of securing a top-four pick after finishing 19-63, the second-worst record in the NBA. It wasn’t enough.
Indiana sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick to Los Angeles in the midseason deal for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown, along with the conditional 2026 first-rounder. The pick was theirs to keep only if it landed in the top four.
Zubac appeared in just five games for Indiana after the trade because of a fractured rib.
“This team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year,” Pritchard wrote. “We have always been resillient.”
Pritchard will have to be resilient if he looks at the replies to his statement. About half of the Pacers fans’ comments were not happy, and fans of other teams called him out for “tanking.”
There were also a large number of fans who were supportive of Pritchard taking that risk.
Tyrese Haliburton is expected to return next season after tearing his Achilles in last year’s NBA Finals. The Pacers will have him Pascal Siakam and a roster they think is built to compete. They just won’t have that first-round pick to add to it.
The 2026 NBA Draft begins June 23 in Brooklyn.
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