Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain didn’t just make waves; he created a tidal shift on social media this week when he rocked a Caitlin Clark hoodie on his way to Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers. In case you missed it, Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever sensation and WNBA Rookie of the Year, has been amassing fans across every sport. But McCain’s tribute turned into a social media battlefield, leaving fans split and ready to choose sides like it was a Game 7 showdown.
One fan bluntly wrote, “Yet you never see a player wearing an Angel Reese shirt… hmmmm,” which quickly opened the floodgates of hot takes. Another chimed in with, “The culture is going to hate on him since it isn’t Angel Reese lol.” And perhaps the most side-splitting take of all: “He more feminine than her,” with a healthy dose of eye-roll emojis for emphasis.
Amid all the controversy, though, a chunk of fans couldn’t get enough of McCain’s fanboy energy. “Love to see Jared McCain supporting Caitlin Clark! It’s great to see athletes backing each other like this,” gushed one supporter. Others, however, seem ready to put him on a social media timeout, saying, “If I never see anything else from Jared McCain again, it wouldn’t be soon enough.” Yikes.
So, why the Clark over Reese debate? It’s worth mentioning that Clark’s rookie season in the WNBA was nothing short of legendary. Breaking record after record, she helped lead the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016 and had the league buzzing. But the Clark-Reese rivalry is still in the air, with fans either backing Clark’s sharpshooting or Reese’s legendary swagger.
Even Shaquille O’Neal waded into the debate recently, spilling some tea on Angel Reese’s podcast, Unapologetically Angel. Shaq confessed to being a former “Caitlin Clark hater” while in support of Reese, sharing that he had no choice but to respect Clark after her stellar performance in the Final Four. “Like if I say ten times you not going to hit the shot and you hit the shot, that means you the truth,” Shaq admitted, fully converted to Team Clark.
Jared McCain may have thought his Caitlin Clark hoodie was just a cool tribute, but it’s clear he’s stepped into an ongoing fan war. The battle of the rising stars is officially on, and fans are ready to take sides with plenty of popcorn in hand.