Sue Bird: Caitlin Clark Didn’t Bring Racism to WNBA; Fever Star Being Used as a Pawn

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVOctober 3, 2024

Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

WNBA legend Sue Bird doesn’t believe the vitriol being leveled at the league’s stars is a new phenomenon.

“The things that have held back women’s sports are racism, sexism and homophobia amongst other things,” Bird said on the newest episode of A Touch More with co-host Megan Rapinoe. “But that is the starting point, and that is the lens with which you have to look through a lot of these things.”

The retired point guard went on to add that Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has become an avatar for an issue that existed when she arrived in the league.

“Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year. This is not a new thing,” Bird said. “In that way, I do think Caitlin’s being used as a pawn. Caitlin didn’t bring racism to the WNBA. This has been happening. And that I think is what’s been such a shock for all of us, that other people are surprised. We’ve been trying to tell you.”

The 13-time All-Star wanted to steer clear of applying blanket judgments to fans of the Fever and/or Clark and those who have just started following the WNBA. She said that kind of mentality “has to go.”

“It has to go because it’s not the Fever fans, it’s not Caitlin fans,” Bird said. “That is a large group of people. Let’s stick with the Fever for a second. That is a large group of people. And what we’re talking about, as we get into the meat of this, we’re talking about the faction of that group that is pushing racist agendas and is pushing hate and creating divisiveness online, acting as fans, acting as Fever fans, acting as Caitlin fans.”

To Bird’s point, societal factors have affected the WNBA ever since its launch in 1997.

ESPN’s Michael Voepel wrote how for years players felt uncomfortable publicly coming out about their sexuality. Katie Barnes of ESPN spoke to a researcher in 2022 who said Black players received less media coverage than their white peers and that the gap was even more stark with Black players perceived to be “masculine.”

The difference now is that more people are attending and watching WNBA games than ever before, thanks in part to Clark’s arrival. The trend was happening before she entered the league but has spiked across her first season.

With that, the WNBA has firmly entered the culture wars with bad-faith actors using Clark and women’s basketball to drive their own engagement.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert opened herself up to criticism during a September interview on CNBC’s Power Lunch when asked about the “darker” and “more menacing” tone in the discourse. Engelbert failed to outright condemn the racism and said rivalries can help bring more attention to the WNBA.

Terri Jackson, executive director for the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, made it clear the players’ union was disappointed with Engelbert’s response:

WNBPA @TheWNBPAA Statement from the Executive Director pic.twitter.com/CDRAgnwa5y

Engelbert subsequently said in a letter to players that she “missed the mark” in the interview, per Voepel.

The WNBA issued a statement on Sept. 25 to say it “will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league.” The league also said its security “is actively monitoring threat-related activity and will work directly with teams and arenas to take appropriate measures, to include involving law enforcement, as necessary.