Caitlin Clark may be a rookie in the WNBA, but she’s already making waves—and not just on the court. Apparently, being one of the most exciting basketball players to hit the league in years isn’t enough for her. Nope, Clark has a bone to pick with the WNBA’s schedule. And it’s not because she needs more time for recovery or family; it’s because the league messes with her precious golf time. Yes, you read that right.
During a Nike event with none other than Sue Bird, Clark, the newly crowned Rookie of the Year, had some serious complaints. With a smile (because let’s be real, it’s Caitlin Clark), she aired her frustrations about the WNBA’s summer schedule. “The only downside of the WNBA is that it’s during the summer. That’s when you golf,” she lamented. Clearly, dropping dimes and hitting threes isn’t enough for Clark, whose golf swing has taken a hit now that she’s busy being a professional basketball superstar. Can we get a violins emoji for her golf clubs?
Clark’s rookie season ended when her Indiana Fever squad was bounced from the playoffs by the Connecticut Sun, but while the Fever are done, Clark’s competitive spirit is not. She’s been busy sharpening her golf game and gearing up for The Annika, a major LPGA pro-am tournament in November. “I love golf so much that I plan on becoming a pro,” she joked. It’s almost as if she’s already tired of dropping buckets in front of millions and wants to add “golf prodigy” to her already ridiculous resume.
But Caitlin’s love affair with golf isn’t just a personal anecdote—it’s become a real complaint, voiced at a time when the WNBA really needs to keep its golden goose happy. With a looming collective bargaining agreement renegotiation, and a potential player lockout hanging in the air, Clark is flexing her stardom and clapping back at the WNBA for not giving her more flexibility… for golf. You can almost hear the league execs scrambling to figure out how to add “golf breaks” to player contracts.
And to make things even more interesting, Caitlin Clark isn’t just the WNBA’s most bankable star—she’s also got options. Serious ones. A new league called “Unrivaled,” led by basketball superstars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is ready to throw a very aggressive offer her way. The idea? Lure Clark to their 3-on-3 league. Less basketball, more rest. More rest, more golf. Win-win for everyone involved—especially Clark’s golf handicap.
Meanwhile, as the WNBA finds itself riding a high, setting records in viewership and attendance (thanks in no small part to Clark), they’re also facing a wave of demands. The players want more revenue, more perks, and, in Clark’s case, more golf. But who can blame them? Players like A’ja Wilson are out here playing Olympic basketball and then hopping on a plane to play WNBA games. Wilson and fellow stars like Stewart have voiced their displeasure with the grueling schedules, with Wilson hilariously noting, “It’s crazy to see players fresh off the plane. So yeah, I don’t mind asking for that,” because who needs sleep when you’re a walking bucket, right?
As the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association prepare for their battle over the CBA, they might want to keep their top stars, like Clark, happy. Otherwise, they may lose her to the greens—and I’m not talking about money, though she should definitely be making way more than her current $75K salary. Collier, speaking on Clark’s impact, said it best: “She’s making these teams so much money, they’re having to move venues just for her games. She should be one of the top-paid players in the world.”
It’s all fun and games until the WNBA has to adjust its entire schedule because Caitlin Clark needs to work on her short game. But hey, if they don’t, Unrivaled might just hand her a 9-iron and a contract.
So, while Caitlin Clark keeps lighting up the WNBA, she’s also keeping an eye on the golf course and her next paycheck. One thing’s for sure: Whether it’s on the court, the green, or in the boardroom, Caitlin Clark is always going to have the last word—and maybe, just maybe, the last laugh.
