Well before the current controversy—or, controversies maybe—surrounding WNBA rookie star Caitlin Clark, the league had been making progress in attracting audience and standing on its own two feet. In the early stages of the WNBA, after all, it was owned and operated by the NBA.
Still, the two leagues maintain close ties, and commissioner Adam Silver takes a keen interest in the success of the WNBA. That’s why, when he was asked about the state of the WNBA and the recent tumult around Clark, who had been given a hard and almost uncalled-for foul from Chicago’s Chennedy Carter early this week, Silver was ready with a message.
That’s life as a hyped-up hoops star, he essentially said. Get used to it.
“Obviously it’s nothing new in basketball that there’s sort of ‘welcome to the league’ moments, especially for heralded rookies, but of course I want to see Caitlin Clark treated fairly and appropriately in the league,” Silver told reporters on Thursday.
“I would say it seems like she can take care of herself. She’s a tough player. I think it may be lost on some people that are new to basketball, in terms of a little bit of controversy in the WNBA, what an incredible talent she is: two Final Fours, leading scorer in the history of college basketball. I look forward to watching her ongoing development in the league.”
