Caitlin Clark, the recent No. 1 WNBA draft pick for the Indiana Fever, made headlines recently not only for her transition to the WNBA but also for her firm stance against unsolicited negative commentary on social media. In a recent incident, Clark blocked former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown on X, formerly Twitter, after he posted offensive remarks about her during her WNBA draft night.
The situation unfolded when Brown criticized Clark during her introductory press conference as a new member of the Fever. His comments, which he repeated in multiple posts, were not well received by the public or by Clark herself. According to TMZ Sports, via Brian Jones of On3, Brown revealed that Clark had blocked him on the platform, following his inappropriate remarks.
This block comes at a time when Clark is celebrating what she has called a dream come true. She was just selected first overall by the Fever and has discussed her unexpected rise in the world of women’s basketball. Clark expressed that while she always had high aspirations, the scale of her success had surpassed her initial dreams. She emphasized her commitment to supporting and growing women's basketball from a young age.
“I feel like I always had super big goals, and dreams, and aspirations,” Clark said. “But at the same time this is a place women’s basketball has really never been before. So it’s like no, I never really imagined it on this magnitude, but also I’ve always been a supporter of women’s basketball. It’s always been something I’ve loved ever since a young age.”
Social media comes to Caitlin Clark's defense
Social media users quickly came to Clark's defense following Brown's comments, criticizing him for his continued negative presence online. One user pointed out that Brown's actions on social media were damaging to his own reputation, noting, “He’s his own worst enemy.”
Clark has previously spoken about her approach to handling public scrutiny and negativity. Earlier this month, she told reporters that being in the spotlight inevitably attracts a range of opinions, and she chooses to focus only on those from her close circle and teammates.
“When you’re in the spotlight like this there’s gonna be a million different opinions on you. And for as many people that are going to love you, there’s going to be people that don’t like you,” she said. “That’s the case with every professional athlete, men or women, playing at the highest stage. And I think what I’ve been able to do over the course of my career is just focus on the opinions of the people inside our locker room. That’s what I really care about. The people that I love to death. The people that have had my back every single second of my career.”
On the court, Clark finished her 2023-24 season at Iowa with impressive statistics, averaging 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game. Her transition to the WNBA is highly anticipated, not only because of her skills but also due to her recent endorsement deals, including an eight-figure contract with Nike which includes a signature shoe.
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