Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha torched the WNBA for not taking advantage of the fame that “golden goose” Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham bring to the league.
“Three years ago, we weren’t talking about the WNBA on a number one show like this,” Concha said on Fox News’s Hannity Thursday.
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The reaction comes after comments were made by Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell during the team’s end-of-season press conference on Saturday.
Mitchell said she and her teammates get a lot of flak for being on the same team as Clark.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal responded to Mitchell’s comments.
“My advice is to take advantage of all the eyes that are… on one person and you’re next to that person, take advantage of them,” O’Neal told OutKick in a recent interview.
“I wish [Mitchell] well, but my advice if you’re playing next to somebody that has eyes that can bring you extra income, make sure you always stay next to that person,” he added.
Clark has dominated the WNBA with her shooting range, bringing extra visibility and fans to the sport.
Meanwhile, Cunningham, now in her eighth WNBA season, stirred controversy when she discussed transgender participation in women’s sports during a July 21 ESPN profile.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham said in the ESPN profile. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Some criticized Cunningham for her comments, but her remarks also garnered support for women’s sports.
Protesters both supporting and opposing Cunningham gathered for the Fever’s game against the Seattle Storm on July 28. Two teenage girls with courtside seats brought signs to support Cunningham.
“Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls,” the sign read.
Concha said players are trying to “beat the holy crap” out of Clark and Cunningham on the court, hoping that “maybe they go into retirement early.”
“Now, it dominates the conversation, primarily because they don’t understand who the golden goose is, and that’s Caitlin Clark, and she’s Batman, and Robin is Sophie Cunningham,” Concha.
Concha argued players need to see the value Clark and Cunningham bring to the Fever and the WNBA overall.
“Kelsey Mitchell absolutely should be embracing the fact that she’s getting all this attention because no one was paying attention before,” Concha said.
