In a saga that’s growing more heated than a fourth-quarter buzzer-beater, Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty’s standout star, stepped into the stormy discourse surrounding WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark’s fandom and their… let’s call it “enthusiasm.” And by enthusiasm, we mean the ugly, divisive kind that keeps popping up every time Clark’s name is mentioned.
You know, Caitlin Clark—the shooting phenom who’s been lighting it up since her Iowa days, now tearing up the court for the Indiana Fever. Her legions of fans followed her into the WNBA, but unfortunately, not all of them brought just their passion for basketball. Apparently, some folks have been carrying a little extra baggage—racism, to be specific. You know, as one does.
Let’s backtrack. This whole situation began when LSU’s Angel Reese—another baller who’s no stranger to the spotlight—publicly called out Clark’s fanbase. Reese, who was the target of ugly, racist remarks during her rookie season, pointed fingers at certain Clark supporters, suggesting they weren’t just hyped about three-pointers, but instead, using their “support” of Clark as a platform for hurling racist insults at Reese and other players.
Clark herself, to her credit, quickly denounced these actions, making it clear that if you’re here for racism, you’re not really here for her. But, predictably, the discourse didn’t end there.
Enter Jonquel Jones. On a recent episode of “The Pivot” podcast, Jones decided it was time to, well, pivot this conversation back to reality. She didn’t hold back, suggesting that certain Clark fans latched onto her for all the wrong reasons. According to Jones, these fans weren’t looking for a basketball hero—they were looking for someone to represent their backwards, archaic views.
“I think a lot of the Caitlin Clark fans, I think they wanted to latch onto Caitlin and use her as this fuel to be the way that they wanted to be. They want her to be the representation of their racism,” Jones said, not sugarcoating a single word. Translation: these folks didn’t care about Clark’s crossover—they were just looking for a mascot for their own ignorance.
But before you go thinking Jones is out here trashing Clark or her team, she made sure to clarify that she’s not blaming Indiana Fever fans for the nonsense. “I don’t think it’s the Fever fans,” she explained. “It’s the people that wanted Caitlin to be a certain type of way and then realized—’Oh wait, she’s actually not racist.’ Now they have to backtrack, like, ‘Oops, we’re stuck with the wrong hero.’”
That’s right. In a plot twist none of these keyboard warriors saw coming, Clark turned out to be, well, not racist. And now, as Jones sarcastically pointed out, they’re left scrambling for a new figurehead to carry their hateful torch.
While the Clark-Reese drama might have made the headlines, it’s just one part of a broader, uglier issue within the WNBA. This past season, multiple players—including Connecticut Sun’s DiJonai Carrington and Liberty’s Breanna Stewart—have had to deal with disgusting, racially charged hate. Carrington even shared an email where she was called a racial slur and, for good measure, threatened with violence. Classy.
And while Jonquel Jones says she’s been fortunate enough to avoid similar experiences, she’s crystal clear on one point: “No player should have to deal with that,” she stated on the podcast. “It’s crazy that they had to deal with that. And I hope the WNBA gets it in order.”
Crazy, indeed. And while Clark’s vocal condemnation of the racism swirling around her name should have settled things, it seems like the 2025 season might bring more drama. Hopefully, it’ll be the kind that stays on the court—where the three-pointers and defensive plays matter more than the toxic noise from the stands.
As for Clark’s misguided “fans”? Let’s just hope they take their “representation” elsewhere—or better yet, not show up at all.
