In the tangled, messy world of sports and social issues, WNBA legend Sue Bird is here to set the record straight. Recently, on an episode of A Touch More with her co-host and longtime partner, Megan Rapinoe, Bird didn’t mince words about Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever’s rising star, and the social storm swirling around her. And yes, folks—she’s got some real truths to serve, right off the court.
Bird, the retired point guard and 13-time All-Star, has seen a thing or two in her career. So when she hears people suggesting Clark somehow introduced racism into the WNBA, she’s not having it. In Bird’s words, “Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year.” Yep, you read that right: Clark is not the WNBA’s racial debutante—she’s just the unfortunate pawn in a larger game that’s been brewing since the league’s start in 1997.
Bird was clear in her dissection of the internet drama too. No, it’s not Fever fans, not even Clark’s fans, causing the chaos. The real problem? That small, yet loud minority out there stirring the pot for their own entertainment. “What we’re talking about is the faction…that is pushing racist agendas and creating divisiveness online,” Bird explained, probably with the same level-headed cool that made her a master on the court.
Bird’s insight goes beyond just commentary on Clark or the Fever fanbase. She addressed the broader cultural baggage that has always been attached to women’s sports. She listed off the usual suspects—sexism, homophobia, and of course, racism. It’s the triple threat of cultural issues that, apparently, some folks still haven’t gotten tired of.
This is no news flash for Bird and her fellow WNBA players, who’ve been waving this red flag for decades. The difference now? The WNBA’s fanbase is expanding. Sure, Clark’s arrival has given the sport an extra boost, but it’s also given trolls on the sidelines even more ammo.
And then there’s WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who had her moment on CNBC’s Power Lunch. When asked about the “darker” tone in the WNBA discourse, Engelbert gave a surprisingly diplomatic response. She suggested that rivalries could help grow the game, which was… well, let’s say it didn’t exactly land as intended. Terri Jackson, Executive Director of the WNBA Players’ Association, was quick to criticize the commissioner’s response, highlighting the union’s disappointment over her missed opportunity to condemn the racist undertones in no uncertain terms.
Engelbert has since sent a letter to players owning up to her “miss” and followed up with a statement on Sept. 25, announcing that the WNBA “will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments.” But for some players and fans, her response might feel like a classic case of “too little, too late.”
In the end, this whole saga raises the question: When will women’s sports, and especially the WNBA, get the respect it deserves—minus the racist, sexist, and homophobic baggage? As Bird might say, it’s time to play the game, not the politics. And as for Caitlin Clark, she’s here to ball, not be anybody’s pawn.