Earlier this week, basketball prodigy Caitlin Clark found herself entangled in a stalking scandal that shook the WNBA community. While fans rallied to support the Indiana Fever guard, one familiar voice decided to take a detour into controversy—former ESPN analyst Jemele Hill. Her now-deleted Twitter post sparked a firestorm, leaving Clark’s fans fuming and the internet ablaze.
Hill, never one to shy away from a hot take, shared a lengthy post lamenting the racial slurs and harassment faced by WNBA players in the league’s history. She referenced Clark’s teammate, Aliyah Boston, who once deleted her social media accounts due to online harassment. Hill’s attempt to contextualize Clark’s ordeal, however, didn’t sit well with her audience. Many felt her comments lacked empathy and missed the mark entirely.
One irate fan tweeted, “@jemelehill is a racist ranter and divider. If she were smart, she’d get Clark on a podcast and discuss the attacks she’s faced as a generational white player in the league. Hill is delusional.” The critiques didn’t stop there. Social media lit up with accusations of divisiveness and poor timing, with fans demanding accountability.
But if you thought Hill’s retreat to the delete button would douse the flames, think again. Critics slammed her decision to erase the tweet rather than issuing an apology or clarifying her intent. “Deleting the tweet instead of acknowledging the mistake is CRAZY,” one fan declared. Another chimed in, “She can delete it, but it lives on. An apology? Too much to ask, I guess.”
Hill vs. Clark: The Long-Running Feud
This isn’t the first time Hill has found herself in the anti-Clark spotlight. Since Clark burst onto the WNBA scene, Hill has frequently critiqued the rising star. Last October, she dismissed claims that WNBA playoff ratings would tank without Clark, pointing to record numbers during a rematch between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty.
“And yet I keep seeing irresponsible headlines claiming the WNBA playoffs are down because of no Caitlin Clark,” Hill wrote. “Would the ratings be higher if she were in it? Of course. But guess what? A Finals would rate higher if it were LeBron vs. Steph. Or if big-market teams were in the mix. So what?”
Fans Rally Behind Clark
While Hill doubled down on her stance, Clark’s supporters have been vocal in their defense. Many highlighted the double standards in Hill’s commentary and argued that her remarks perpetuated unnecessary divisions in a league striving for unity.
For now, Clark remains focused on her game, brushing off the drama like a veteran All-Star. Hill, however, might want to reconsider her Twitter strategy—because while tweets may vanish, the internet’s memory is eternal. And if there’s one thing sports fans love more than a buzzer-beater, it’s a good old-fashioned social media spat.