After toxic fan behavior seemed to reach a boiling point once again, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was not only asked about it, but she finally spoke up about the racism and hate that has been directed at WNBA players this season.
Clark has rarely spoken out this season when her colleagues have been going through hell from fans who are paying more attention to the league, partly because of her.
She was asked about it on Friday and delivered a strong statement.
Caitlin Clark swiftly rebuked fans who behaved this way and called them “trolls.”
“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, (or) hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats,” Clark said. “Those aren’t fans, those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league.”
After the Connecticut Sun eliminated the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, Sun forward Alyssa Thomas told reporters, “In my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base.”
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“I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it,” Thomas said, per New York Post.
Caitlin Clark was left with a black eye in Game 1 of the series after a foul by DiJonai Carrington, and she would share on social media an email she received that called her a racist slur before the sender said they hoped someone “rapes you and cuts your head off.”
Even Clark is not safe from abuse as she was seen arguing with a fan seated in the second row. She asked for him to be kicked out.
He was briefly removed by security before being allowed to return.
Caitlin Clark Previously Condembed Bad Behavior
The topic of online abuse WNBA players have been subjected to this season has been among the dominating storylines this postseason, and it all goes back to Caitlin Clark, more notably, the fans who follow her.
Earlier this season, Fever rookie star Caitlin Clark was asked about the abuse some players were receiving, and she said there’s no place for it.
“People should not be using my name to push those agendas. It’s disappointing. It’s not acceptable,” Clark said. “… Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect, I think, it’s just a basic human thing that everybody should do.”
