INDIANAPOLIS — Athletes often speak in generalities as a defense mechanism. Rather than go in-depth on a potentially controversial topic, or even address the issue at all, they provide non-answers, using cliches and pre-programmed talking points to stay at a safe distance.

A part of me would like to believe that that’s what Caitlin Clark did Thursday morning when I asked if she was bothered by fans using her name as a weapon in the culture wars dividing the country. The Indiana Fever’s star guard didn’t close the door on the subject; she refused to even open it.

“No,” she declared. “I don’t see it. I don’t see it. That’s not where my focus is. My focus is here and on basketball. That’s where it needs to be, that’s where it has been, and I’m just trying to get better on a daily basis.”

I asked #IndianaFever’s Caitlin Clark directly about her name being weaponized for racism/misogyny (as Dijonai Carrington alluded to):

“It’s disappointing. … Everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect. The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect.” pic.twitter.com/gyAWBqGG8c

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 13, 2024

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It’s not surprising that Clark would initially attempt to avoid the topic. She’s a rookie struggling to find her way on a new team in a new league, at a time when the shots that fell so consistently in college are now missing the mark with greater frequency. Instead of being the go-to closer, which contributed to her massive popularity at Iowa, she sometimes is on the bench in the waning moments because of turnover issues.

But you don’t get to hide behind basketball when you’ve been anointed the transcendent, rising tide who will lift the WNBA to greater prosperity. And you definitely don’t get to do so when people are using your name as a means of pushing racism, misogyny, homophobia and other societal ills. To whom much is given, much is required, indeed.

There is a tradition in professional sports that high-profile rookies are to be tested. Veterans go at them hard to see what they’re made of. Doesn’t matter the sport or the gender. But when Carrington fouled Clark and mocked the rookie for what she perceived to be an embellishment of the contact, much of the social media commentary was predictable. “Caitlin Clark was targeted by black players again Monday, this time in Connecticut,” one person wrote. “Suns (sic) guard DiJonai Carrington violently checked Clark then mocked her after the blatant foul. The crowd booed. If the races were reversed Carrington would’ve been ejected.”

Clark did not make the comments, but I was curious about her feelings about people using her name as a divisive tool. Her initial response Thursday morning: “It’s not something I can control, so I don’t put too much thought and time into thinking about things like that. And, to be honest, I don’t see a lot of it. Like I’ve said, basketball is my job. Everything on the outside, I can’t control that so I’m not going to spend time thinking about that. People can talk about what they want to talk about, create conversations about whatever it is, but I think for myself, I’m just here to play basketball. I’m just here to have fun. I’m trying to help our team win. … I don’t pay much mind to all of that, to be honest.”

But is she being forthright? It must be said that Clark is 22 and dealing with tremendous demands and expectations. That definitely should provide her with a level of grace. Still, her comments were troubling because they lacked awareness and empathy toward Black peers who do not have the privilege of distancing themselves from the isms they are regularly confronted with.

Carrington likened her silence to luxury. I see it as complicity.

Perhaps she didn’t want to fully address it because of the sensitivity involved? Or maybe she was following the advice of her inner circle, including advisors who might believe it’s more profitable to say nothing? It worked well for Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, though it sent the message that money was more important than morality. But the initial unwillingness to stand against hate and harassment was always going to be problematic in a league that is predominately Black, and has a sizable LGBTQ+ population.

By happenstance, her comments came on the same day the Women’s National Basketball Players Association posted a column on The Players’ Tribune that highlighted how proud its members are of their history of fighting against social injustices. “Our work has always been bigger than basketball,” it stated at one point.

That’s why it was important that Clark revisited her comments late Thursday, an hour or so before tipoff against the Atlanta Dream. She ran the danger of losing the respect of some of her peers, particularly at a time when more and more prominent White players are speaking out as allies in the fight against racism and homophobia.

It would have been conspicuous and problematic for a league that prides itself on inclusion and acceptance to have its most visible player standing silent on the sideline when legendary WNBA guard Sue Bird spoke out in a 2020 CNN piece, or UConn guard Paige Bueckers addressed it during her 2021 ESPYs acceptance speech, or former LSU guard Hailey Van Lith last March called criticism of her Black teammates racist, or with Los Angeles Sparks rookie Cameron Brink last week saying, “I will acknowledge there’s a privilege for the younger White players of the league.”

No one is asking Clark to be a social activist or to be a prominent face in the fight for respect, but it is important for her to at least denounce those who might use her name to espouse hate and division.

“It’s disappointing, it’s not acceptable …,” she said before tipoff of people using her name to push agendas. “This league is a league I grew up admiring and wanting to be a part of. Some of the women in this league were my biggest idols and role models growing up. … Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect is just a basic human thing that everybody should do. Just be a kind person and treat them how you would want to be treated.”

It may have taken her time to express those sentiments, but that should not overshadow that she ultimately got to the right place. It was a positive step for her and the league.

(Photo: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt has been as dominant as any defender on the football field since he made his NFL debut back in 2017.

Watt has been a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro selection. He won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, when he recorded 22.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss.

However, there is one thing that still needles him as he is set to turn 30 later this year – the lack of playoff success. Watt has played in three playoff games with the Steelers – in 2017, 2020 and 2021, but has not been able to find himself in a deep run with the team.

“For me, it is all about no playoff wins,” Watt said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “I am trying to do anything I can do. We have so much turnover year to year and so many new guys that it is trying to learn as much as possible coming from guys from other organizations that have done it and won championships since being in the league.

“I am going to do whatever is possible to win. It is about not taking any day for granted, and when it comes down to executing and working, putting everything aside and getting it done.”

Linebacker T.J. Watt, #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers, celebrates a sack against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 6, 2024 in Baltimore. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

BENGALS WR TEE HIGGINS REPORTEDLY SIGNS $21.8M FRANCHISE TAG

Watt did not map out how much longer he has left in the NFL but noted that he does not “have forever to play.”

“I have always approached the game as right now, and I have never taken it for granted, and that hasn’t changed at all.”

Watt finished the 2023 season with an NFL-leading 19 sacks. He was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting as well. He missed the team’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning, #6, gets sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, #90, during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 26, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. (Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Pittsburgh was sixth in points allowed and 21st in yards allowed last season.

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Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese called it “a basketball play.”

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark said, “It’s just part of basketball.”

Fever coach Christie Sides said: “The right call was made in that moment.”

Former USC and NFL quarterback Matt Leinart posted on X: “Angel Reese should be suspended. Period.”

Um, yeah, more on his take in a bit. All of the comments above were regarding a play during Indiana’s 91-83 win over Chicago on Sunday in which Reese whacked Clark hard in the head while attempting to block a shot.

Clark was driving to the basket late in the third quarter when Reese came up from behind and took an overhand swing with her right arm. Reese appeared to have her eyes on the ball while making the move, but her arm came down hard on Clark’s face. Clark fell to the ground, and her teammates immediately rushed to help her up.

Reese was initially called for a common foul, but after review the call was changed to a flagrant-1 violation. Asked after the game if she thought it was the appropriate call, Reese said: “It was a basketball play. I can’t control the refs. They affected the game obviously a lot tonight.”

A reporter pointed out that it did look like Reese was attempting to block the ball on the play.

“I mean, I’m always going for the ball,” said Reese, who finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

During her postgame news conference, Clark was asked what she was thinking after the foul.

“What’s going through my mind? It’s, ‘I’m gonna make these two free throws.’ That’s all I’m thinking about,” said Clark, who finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. “It’s just part of basketball. It is what it is, you know, she’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block. It happens.”

When Chicago and Indiana played earlier this month, Sky guard Chennedy Carter knocked Clark to the ground away from the ball, a play that was called as a common foul during the game but upgraded to a flagrant-1 violation by the league the next day.

Sides told reporters after Sunday’s game she appreciated that it didn’t take a day for a foul on Clark to be upgraded this time.

“The right call was made in that moment. Flagrant 1, two free throws and the ball,” Sides said. “Just make the right call in those moments, and we can move forward. But when we don’t make the right call in those moments, that’s when there’s a problem and they made the right call tonight.”

Clark and Reese have been linked as rivals ever since Reese and Louisiana State defeated Clark and Iowa in the 2023 NCAA championship game. That rivalry seems to have intensified in the WNBA. Reese has been outspoken against the notion that the WNBA’s surge in popularity can be attributed to just one player (a.k.a., Clark).

During the first Fever-Sky matchup, Reese appeared to give Clark an elbow while boxing out. Clark fell to the floor on that play but was called out by some fans for exaggerating the impact of the hit. Reese was also seen enthusiastically reacting to Carter’s foul on Clark.

After Sunday’s game, Reese implied that Clark is still receiving special treatment.

“I think we went up really strong a lot of times and we didn’t get a lot of calls,” Reese said of herself and her teammates. “And going back and looking at the film, I’ve seen a lot of calls that weren’t made. I guess some people got a special whistle.”

One person who didn’t see it that way was Leinart. On X, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner said Reese’s hard foul was “not good for the game.”

Leinart was largely roasted for his take on social media, as folks lumped the Fox Sports football analyst among the many new WNBA viewers who are primarily Clark fans rather than fans of the sport.

Judging from her comments after the game, Clark would have disagreed with Leinart as well.

“I think it’s just the emotion and the passion that we play with,” Clark said in response to a question about why people seem drawn to her rivalry with Reese. “I think people love to see that. And I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports, and it should be. I think that’s what makes it fun.

“We’re competitors. That’s the way the game should be. It’s going to get a little feisty. It’s gonna get physical. But at the end of the day, both teams are just trying to win.”