Sports
Caitlin Clark has already faced immense criticism at every turn 6 months into 2024
Caitlin Clark is at the center of the sports world as the calendar nears summertime and the heat is only getting turned up on the WNBA rookie.
The Indiana Fever sharpshooter was on the receiving end of a hard foul from Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter during Saturday’s matchup, which sparked a ton of drama and hot takes on social media and on the airwaves in the aftermath.
It has felt like since Clark was on the verge of breaking the NCAA all-time scoring record toward the end of her collegiate career at Iowa, all she has faced is negativity. The highest of highs have come with chainsaws to chop her down even before she took the floor for the Fever.
Here’s some of the tribulations Clark has faced over the last few months.
—
First ‘reality check’
Sheryl Swoopes attends the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports at Cipriani Wall Street on October 12, 2023, in New York City. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for WSF)
While Clark was lighting up the stat sheet, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes said there was no way the Iowa standout would come into the league and perform the way she has.
“So, will Caitlin Clark be a good pro? Absolutely. Will Caitlin Clark come into the WNBA and do what she’s doing right now, immediately? Absolutely not. Not going to happen,” Swoopes said in part in January.
Swoopes later praised Clark’s accomplishments. But months later, Clark joined Sabrina Ionescu as the only players in league history to reach at least 100 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists in their first 10 games as a pro.
Didn’t break the scoring record
Lynette Woodard, previous holder of the women’s basketball all-time scoring record, in attendance during a women’s college basketball game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 3, 2024, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. (Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It was as clear as day. Clark broke Kelsey Plum’s mark for most points scored in a NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball career and then surpassed Lynnette Woodward’s mark, if you include the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) which predated the NCAA. She also tallied more points than Pete Maravich.
For whatever reason, Woodard said in April that she was the one who still held the record with 3,649 points in four seasons with the Kansas Jayhawks. Clark ended up finishing with 3,951 points.
“I am the hidden figure, but no longer now,” Woodard said before the national title game. “My record was hidden from everyone for 43 years. … I don’t think my record has been broken because you can’t duplicate what you’re not duplicating. So, unless you come with a men’s basketball and a 2-point shot, you know … but just for you, so you can understand, so you can help me spread that word.”
Two days later, Woodard acknowledged Clark as the record holder after backlash.
“Reality is coming”
Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury jokes around with Chelsea Gray #12 of the Las Vegas Aces on her bench in the fourth quarter of their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Diana Taurasi, a legend in the WNBA, warned the game wasn’t going to come as easy to Clark as it did in college.
“Reality is coming,” she said on ESPN after the Hawkeyes’ tournament win over the Huskies. “You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time.
“There is going to be a transition period where you’re going to have to give yourself some grace as a rookie.”
The reality is, Clark was the WNBA Rookie of the Month in her first month as a pro. Clark’s first regular-season game garnered 2.1 million viewers. It was the most watched WNBA game on ESPN platforms ever.
Doyel drama
Gregg Doyel, IndyStar sports columnist (Robert Scheer/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK)
Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, but as soon as she met with the Indianapolis media, there was awkwardness.
Indy Star columnist Gregg Doyel made a heart with his hands before asking Clark a question. He asked whether she “liked that” and the weirdness ensued.
The strange interaction led to an apology from the columnist and the newspaper taking him off of the Fever beat for the season.
Race factor
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson speaks during the team’s media day on May 3, 2024. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Clark joined Breanna Stewart and Ionescu as the active WNBA players with signature shoe deals. The deal sparked a debate over why Clark, who didn’t play a game at that point, received the deal, with race becoming a main talking point.
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson lent her voice to the Clark discussion. She denied in April that she was jealous of Clark. But she did end up saying that race played a part in her popularity.
“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,” Wilson said at the time. “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.”
But Wilson ended up changing her tune.
“She’s learning and growing like everyone else. I feel like people don’t give her a chance,” she said. “We tell our rookies every single day, this is new. You’re coming into a whole other new world and starting over. So, these questions are only annoying because she’s young. She’s a rookie. You keep asking us these questions as if she’s a grown-ass woman that’s been in this league for years. No, she’s doing her job. We’re doing ours and at the end of the day, that’s how we grow, is when we get better and do things like that.”
“I’m just exhausted over the conversation because I know she’s exhausted. I can only imagine.”
‘Pretty privilege’
Sunny Hostin suggests Caitlin Clark’s popularity is part of “White” and “pretty” privilege. (Screenshot/ABC/TheView)
As the season has worn on, the Clark discussion reached the desk of “The View.” Co-host Sunny Hostin argued that “White privilege” and “pretty privilege” played a role in her popularity.
“I do think that there is a thing called pretty privilege. There is a thing called White privilege. There is a thing called tall privilege, and we have to acknowledge that, and so part of it is about race, because if you think about the Brittney Griners of the world, why did she have to go to play in Russia? Because they wouldn’t pay her,” Hostin said
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said she’d become a fan of the WNBA because Clark was “so fun to watch,” adding that it had nothing to do with her skin color. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg argued that Hostin and herself have been trying to bring attention to the WNBA for years.
Chennedy Carter foul
Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter (7) is whistled for a flagrant foul for knocking Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark to the ground on June 1, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Everything came to a head on Saturday when Carter hip-checked Clark to the ground during the Sky’s 71-70 loss. The foul was later upgraded to a flagrant-1 violation.
Carter refused to take Clark questions but offered critical takes about her on social media.
“… that’s that on that cause beside three point shooting what does she bring to the table man,” Carter wrote.
Carter spoke to reporters on Monday and expressed that she has no regrets over anything that happened.
The Cleveland Browns, rumored to be willing to trade down from their No. 6 overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, did just that Thursday evening when the traded the pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cleveland traded the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to the Chiefs, in exchange for the ninth overall pick, as well as pick No. 74 in the third round and No. 148 in the fifth round.
The Browns now hold the No. 9 and No. 24 picks in the first round of the draft. They have a total of 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns watch from the sidelines during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
So the Chiefs gave up three picks in making the first trade of the first round.
BROWNS EXECS RAISE EYEBROWS WITH REACTIONS AFTER DRAFTING SHEDEUR SANDERS FOLLOWING HISTORIC SLIDE
And we know what the fan bases of both clubs were thinking prior to the selection:
Chiefs fans were thinking we know something they don’t. And then the Chiefs selected cornerback Mansoor Delane from LSU — a move no doubt forced by the club’s trade of Pro Bowl cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the offseason.
So, the Chiefs fill a major need, assuming Delane is indeed the quality corner they believe.
LSU Tigers CB Mansoor Delane celebrates a defensive stop against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in South Carolina. (Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network)
GREG OLSEN’S ADVICE FOR NFL DRAFT FIRST-ROUND PICKS ON HANDLING HIGH EXPECTATIONS
ESPN’s Mel Kiper didn’t like the pick, by the way. He had Delane as the 14th best player in the draft.
“It was a necessity,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, a former NFL defensive back, responded.
Browns fans weren’t thinking that way.
BROWNS MAKE STUNNING KENNY PICKETT TRADE TO RAIDERS AS BACKUP QUARTERBACK ROLE REMAINS WIDE OPEN
They were probably thinking something akin to “We screwed up.”
This is understandable because they’re Browns fans and this could have been the Browns Browning.
Well, the Browns, moving down three slots, gave up a shot to draft linebacker Sonny Styles of Ohio State to the Washington Commanders, receiver Jordyn Tyson to the New Orleans Saints and then the Browns got their chance with the newly acquired No. 9 pick:
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Offensive tackle Spencer Fano of Utah.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Fano is good. And he makes the Browns offensive line instantly better because he’s going to likely start at left tackle for them.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
So what will Browns fans think of this pick?
They’ll probably wonder why the Browns didn’t pick Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, who went with the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants and promised “to die for” Jaxson Dart if necessary. They’ll wonder this because Browns fans expect the worst.
UCLA women’s basketball team has added some star power as its revamped roster begins to take shape.
Former Iowa State forward Addy Brown announced Thursday she is committing to UCLA, giving the Bruins one of the top players in the portal.
Brown averaged 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 43.1% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point distance with the Cyclones last season. She played just 21 games due to injury, but she is one of the better two-way players in the nation on the transfer market.
The 6-foot-2 forward co-starred with Audi Crooks for Iowa State the past few seasons and was a part of the mass exodus from the Cyclones’ program.
The Bruins reeled in former North Carolina junior guard Elina Aarnisalo and former Texas Christian senior guard Donovyn Hunter a few weeks ago, adding two more experienced players to the depleted starting lineup after a record six UCLA players were selected in the WNBA draft.
UCLA also signed Arkansas sophomore guard Bonnie Deas earlier this month. She is likely to start at point guard for the Bruins and is one of the best rebounding guards in the nation.
Along with returner Timea Gardiner, the Bruins are starting to form somewhat of a core to defend their national championship. Gardiner was a starter during UCLA’s 2024-25 Final Four run, but missed all of this past season with injury and has one season of eligibility left.
A lineup with Deas and Aarnisalo in the backcourt, Hunter at the three and Gardiner or Brown at the four and adding another big or Sienna Betts at the five would be a competitive lineup in the Big Ten.
Before going to TCU, Hunter played two seasons at Oregon State where she earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honorable mention and All-Pac-12 Freshman team honors. This past season with a Horned Frogs team that went to the Sweet 16, she was third in scoring with 10.2 points per game and averaged 3.2 rebounds per contest. She also shot 45.7% from the field and was 33.7% from beyond the arc.
Aarnisalo played her freshman year in Westwood after she originally committed to UCLA in 2025. Due to injuries from point guard Kiki Rice at the start of the 2024-25 season, she was forced into action early her freshman season and finished the year averaging 5.1 points per game.
The Helsinki, Finland, native averaged 10.2 points per game for the Tar Heels as a sophomore last season while shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.3% from the arc. The Bruins will desperately need to replace the three-point production lost with the departure of Rice, Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker.
UCLA coach Cori Close said she wanted to sign five players from the portal. She probably needs one more guard and a little more forward depth coming off the bench following the departures of Gabriela Jaquez and Angela Dugalic.
Lena Bilic and Amanda Muse are returners coming off the bench who got a little bit of playing time in the tournament and should have much larger roles, but they are still relatively unproven in late-game situations. They will get a chance to develop as backups with some more Power Four experienced starters now in the fold.
Trump says there’s ‘no time frame’ to secure Iran deal
Republican Minnesota Senate candidate Tom Weiler joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Iranian conflict continues and react to Gov. Tim Walz’s, D-Minn., criticism of the president.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Saudi Arabia was among the countries seeing missiles fly into their airspace as a conflict broke out in the Middle East between the U.S. and Iran.
The prospect of Iran targeting its Middle Eastern neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates put some sporting events on hold and questioned others. Formula 1 races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were canceled and rumors swirled around whether future WWE events could be held in the kingdom.
Roman Reigns celebrates his win during WWE’s Royal Rumble at Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 31, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
As the Trump administration brokered a ceasefire with Iran, WWE announced on Thursday that its Night of Champions premium live event will be held in Riyadh on June 27.
“We are proud to welcome Night of Champions back to Riyadh and look forward to delivering another unforgettable night of WWE action for fans in the Kingdom and around the world,” General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh said in a news release.
PRO WRESTLING STARS CHRIS SABIN, ALEX SHELLEY TALK POSSIBILITY OF WWE USING TNA’S GIMMICK MATCHES
Sami Zayn makes his entrance during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
The release touted that WrestleMania 43 will still be held in Riyadh in 2027. It will be the first time that WrestleMania is held outside the U.S.
WWE president Nick Khan was adamant before WrestleMania 42 that the event will still take place in Saudi Arabia despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We’re doing WrestleMania next year in Saudi,” he said at a Sports Business Journal event, via The Sporting Tribune. “First time ever, WrestleMania will be outside the United States or Canada. And we’ve had a big, fruitful partnership with them.”
John Cena wrestles CM Punk during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He added that those complaining about WrestleMania being held in Saudi Arabia were a “vocal minority.”
-
Finance2 minutes agoRising gas prices put more financial pressure on Latino households, study says
-
Fitness8 minutes ago
Jane Fonda was in her 40s when she changed the way we exercise
-
Movie Reviews20 minutes agoMovie Review: The Mortuary Assistant – HorrorFuel.com: Reviews, Ratings and Where to Watch the Best Horror Movies & TV Shows
-
World32 minutes ago
Meta slashes 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, as Microsoft offers buyouts
-
News38 minutes agoTrump Says Israel and Lebanon Agree to Extend Cease-Fire by Three Weeks
-
Politics44 minutes agoTrump Reposts Anti-Immigrant Tirade Calling China and India ‘Hellhole’ Places
-
Business50 minutes agoNike to Cut 1,400 Jobs as Part of Its Turnaround Plan
-
Science56 minutes agoNew Gene Therapy Enables Children With a Rare Form of Deafness to Hear