Caitlin Clark received several honors following her first season in the WNBA. In addition to being named the league’s rookie of the year, Clark was also selected as the 2024 Time “Athlete of the Year.”
While Clark produced a strong stat line during her time at Iowa and at the WNBA level, there has been much debate about whether she also had an inherent privilege that helped her rise to stardom. During her interview with Time magazine, Clark admitted to having a particular built-in benefit.
“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a White person, there is privilege. 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. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that… I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that,” Clark said.
“The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.”
CAITLIN CLARK MAY NEVER BE PAID WHAT ‘SHE’S REALLY WORTH’ TO WNBA, AGENT SAYS
Those comments received mixed reactions within the basketball world. Last May, two-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson was asked whether race and double standards in sports played a role in Clark’s meteoric rise.