Caitlin Clark’s recent comment on ‘white privilege’ isn’t the only controversial subject the Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year has tackled since winning the annual award.
Asked about the public support she’s received from LeBron James, Clark told Time she considers the Los Angeles Lakers star to be the best baller of ever.
‘He’s the greatest basketball player of all time so I think that’s pretty cool,’ Clark said.
James has been outspoken in his support of Clark, declaring on social media that her critics are simply ‘haters.’
His status among the greatest NBA players of all time remains one of the more contentious issues in American sports. Yes, James has scored more points than any player in NBA history, but the four-time MVP has received the league’s highest honor fewer times than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five) and Bill Russell (five).
Furthermore, James’ four NBA titles are also fewer than Abdul-Jabbar (five), Jordan (six) and, of course, the 11-time champion, Russell.
Caitlin Clark has been named TIME Athlete of the Year after her record-breaking WNBA season
James has been outspoken in his support of Clark, declaring that her critics are simply haters
While many in the James camp refer to his versatility, durability, and ability, Clark didn’t offer any such arguments. Instead, the Indiana Fever phenom mentioned that opinion in passing when asked about the positive statements James has made about her dating back to her days at Iowa.
‘LeBron never messaged me directly, but it’s been cool to, like, just see his support of myself and the [WNBA] overall,’ she told Time. ‘You can tell he really watches and turns it on and, yeah, he’s been a kind of big fan of myself from college and now in the W.’
Clark was also asked about any good and bad habits she has.
While she admits to biting her nails too much, she also boasted about her healthy sleep regiment.
‘A good habit I have is sleeping,’ she said. ‘I love sleeping. Um, maybe, I sleep too much but when I don’t sleep you can tell how much that affects your life and I think, as an athlete, sleep is the most important thing for you.’
Clark has become one of the biggest stars in women’s sports but, after winning the award, she said the WNBA has ‘been built on’ black players and that ‘as a white person, there is privilege’.
Her comments ignited uproar among conservatives, notably from commentator and podcaster Megyn Kelly who bemoaned Clark’s ‘self-flagellation’.
‘She’s on the knee all but apologizing for being white and getting attention. The self-flagellation,’ Kelly, an outspoken Roman Catholic, wrote on social media.
‘The ”oh pls pay attention to the black players who are REALY the ones you want to celebrate.” Condescending. Fake. Transparent. Sad.’
Kelly has long made race a central subject of her various shows over the years, once insisting Jesus of Nazareth was ‘white’ only to later admit his race is ‘far from settled.’
James (seen sitting between Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook) is a long-time WNBA fan. In this shot from 2019, he and his fellow All-Stars watch Kelsey Plum (right) and the Aces
Clark found herself at the center of a race storm during her first season in the WNBA amid accusations that she was the victim of jealousy and bullying .
In one moment that captured the attention across the nation, the Fever star was shoved to the ground by Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter, who became the subject of significant vitriol of social media.
Some figures, meanwhile, have also claimed that black players are not given the recognition they deserve.
‘It doesn’t matter how hard I work,’ said A’ja Wilson, of the Las Vegas Aces, in May.
‘It doesn’t matter what we all do as black women, we’re still going to be swept underneath the rug.’
Clark said this week that ‘the more we can elevate black women that’s going to be a beautiful thing’.
‘I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege,’ she stressed.
‘A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been black players. This league has kind of been built on them.’
