The WNBA Drama Unfolds… Again.
It’s another day in the wild world of WNBA hot takes, and this time ESPN’s Elle Duncan is calling out fellow journalist Christie Brennan for what some are calling an over-the-top obsession with Caitlin Clark. The controversy? Apparently, Brennan has been spending a bit too much time in the “Caitlin Clark Fan Club,” and Duncan is not here for it.
During her October 3 show, Duncan and co-host Holly Rowe took a detour into the “Caitlin Clark Black Hole” (which, let’s be real, is where most WNBA discussions seem to end up these days). They dissected Brennan’s peculiar focus on Clark, particularly after Brennan posed a spicy question to DiJonai Carrington about whether she was gunning for Clark’s injury in the Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun playoff clash. Because, you know, that’s what we all needed to hear.
Duncan didn’t hold back, calling out the questionable journalistic integrity at play. “Every time she walks into a press conference, every question’s about Caitlin, and it’s always in this ‘gotcha’ style,” Duncan said, clearly not holding her breath for Brennan to switch things up. Then came the kicker: “I’m not the one to say if her credentials should be revoked—after all, I’m not the one getting death threats over this stuff.” Yikes! Is Caitlin Clark talk really worth dodging metaphorical bullets?
Clark Fans: Psychofans or Just Super Enthusiastic?
The drama didn’t end there. Duncan dove deeper into the world of what she called “Caitlin psychofans”—those hardcore Clark stans who’ve turned the WNBA into their personal Clark-is-the-best fan fiction. “It’s bizarre,” she said. “Journalists who once had a shred of impartiality have now morphed into Clark groupies. It’s like they threw their press badges in the trash and picked up pom-poms instead.”
Shots. Fired.
Enter Shannon Sharpe – The Voice of Reason?
As if this wasn’t already enough drama to keep us entertained, Shannon Sharpe came charging into the debate like a bull in a WNBA china shop. Sharpe, who’s never been one to mince words, wasn’t having any of the Clark slander. “Caitlin Clark is box office, plain and simple,” he stated, defending the buzz surrounding her as a first-team WNBA player and Rookie of the Year. And to the haters claiming Clark’s success somehow diminishes the impact of WNBA legends, Sharpe clapped back: “Nah, y’all are just salty.”
We get it, Sharpe—Clark’s a star. But in the WNBA world, even the brightest stars cast long, complicated shadows. And if there’s anything we’ve learned from this whole saga, it’s that talking about Clark is a guaranteed way to light a media firestorm.
The Bottom Line? The WNBA Still Needs to Grow, But…
While the 2024 season cemented Caitlin Clark as a key figure in the WNBA (you know, along with the death threats and psychofans), Elle Duncan and co. are reminding us that the league needs more than one poster child to thrive. Sure, Clark’s good—really good—but that doesn’t mean everyone needs to pretend she’s the only player who’s ever touched a basketball.
As for Christie Brennan, well, maybe she needs a new hobby that doesn’t involve trying to turn every WNBA story into a Caitlin Clark exclusive. Just a thought.
But hey, at least this gives us something to talk about during the offseason.
