Caitlin Clark finds support from Fever exec after billionaire Mystics owner’s discrediting remarks

Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox slams Sheila Johnson's take on Caitlin Clark becoming Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year.

Caitlin Clark finds support from Fever exec after billionaire Mystics owner’s discrediting remarks

Sheila Johnson's comments on Caitlin Clark becoming Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year has brought about raging debates

The majority of the basketball loving population credits Caitlin Clark for transforming the WNBA and women’s sports in general. However, not everyone, such as Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson think that way about the Indiana Fever superstar.

The billionaire started a storm when she stated that Caitlin Clark alone is not responsible on her own for the sudden surge in interest in the league. She believed Time Magazine should feature the entire WNBA on its cover.

YouTube video

Her argument was that it was the collective efforts of everyone who helped the league reach new heights. Some analysts such as Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless have in return attacked Johnson for her comments.

FS Video

Their comments were echoed by Matt Barnes who suggested Sheila Johnson was making mindless comments and invariably trying to demean what the WNBA has done so far. But no one associated with the Indiana Fever said anything until now.

I think Caitlin Clark deserves that award. What Caitlin Clark did, because so many eyeballs were on her. She is a huge multiplier effect of that. The identity and how much brand recognition these players now have in college, absolutely helped the WNBA. But we’ve never seen anything like Caitlin Clark,

Amber Cox on In Case you missed it with Khristina Williams

As COO and GM of the Indiana Fever, Amber Cox saw the rise the WNBA achieved firsthand. She mentioned that there was no doubt that the likes of Angel Reese and Cameron Brink also had a hand in that rise. But one cannot take away from the fact that Clark was the primary source of that rise.

RELATED
Caitlin Clark has become ‘vessel’ for homophobia and racism, claims Jemele Hill
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark and Jemele Hill

Caitlin Clark’s former head coach chimes in

The Indiana Fever GM was not the only one who was asked about Sheila Johnson’s comments. Caitlin Clark’s former Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Lisa Bluder was on USA Today Sports’ Sports Seriously show. When asked for a response to Johnson’s comments, Bluder said.

It’s silly to me that anybody’s trying to take away from something that’s so good in your sport right now. When Caitlin’s light shines on her, it shines on all of us. And I think everybody else needs to embrace that a little bit better.

Lisa Bluder to Sports Seriously

The 63-year-old former coach believes Sheila Johnson’s comments were not helping the situation. There is more than enough evidence of her former player’s role in driving the WNBA and women’s basketball in popularity.

RELATED
Busting conspiracy theories: Why is Caitlin Clark a Chiefs fan despite having no links with Kansas City?
WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark is a die-hard fan of the Kansas City Chiefs

In undermining her role, Johnson is just making it harder for the WNBA Rookie of the Year to do what she does best. That is to continue playing elite basketball and drawing in hordes of fans. If the league has to continue growing, Bluder wants everyone to embrace what Clark is doing.