Caitlin Clark hasn’t performed a WNBA sport since July 15 and hasn’t spoken to the media since earlier than then. And but, she discovered herself thrust into the highlight this week by way of no fault of her personal.
On Tuesday, whereas studying a press release throughout her exit interview, Lynx ahead Napheesa Collier revealed alleged feedback from league commissioner Cathy Engelbert about Caitlin Clark. The feedback included Engelbert saying Clark ought to “be grateful” for the WNBA giving her a platform to earn sponsorship offers and that, with out the league, “she wouldn’t be making something.”
Clark spoke to the media on Thursday at her personal exit interview through which she stated she had not heard of Engelbert’s feedback about her earlier than Collier’s assertion and that Engelbert had not spoken to her since Collier’s press convention. She additionally provided help for Collier and expressed a necessity for nice management heading into this offseason.
“Initially, I’ve nice respect for Phee and I feel she made plenty of very legitimate factors,” Clark stated. “I feel what folks want to grasp is we want nice management at the moment throughout all ranges. That is, straight up, an important second on this league’s historical past. This league has been round for 25-plus years and this can be a second we’ve got to capitalize on. That’s, truthfully, what I’d say. Phee stated all of it with what she stated. I feel the factors she made have been very legitimate.”
The league and the gamers’ union are in a standoff that appears destined for a lockout this winter. Tensions between the 2 sides have been already excessive even earlier than Collier’s press convention the place she slammed the league’s management and, particularly, Engelbert.
Collier’s press convention felt like a turning level in negotiations between the 2 sides, and never in a great way. Reviews started surfacing on Tuesday evening that Engelbert would step down after the brand new CBA is signed, exhibiting simply how dangerous issues have gotten.
When requested what she desires to see from the league’s management shifting ahead, Clark was very particular in regards to the want for a greater relationship with the gamers.
“It’s all about relationships and that’s the reality and I do know that’s actually onerous to say in skilled sports activities,” Clark stated. “However whether or not it’s a relationship along with your entrance workplace, whether or not it’s a relationship with the commissioner of the league, whether or not it’s a relationship along with your teammates, that’s an important factor in management.
“Everyone in skilled sports activities comes from totally different walks of life. You will have to have the ability to know why they’re who they’re. I feel that’s tremendous essential.”
Contemplating the place issues seem to face between the gamers and Engelbert, the connection looks like it might hardly be worse. It’s a tricky realization to come back to when contemplating the magnitude of the second the league is dealing with with these CBA negotiations, a degree Clark later reiterated.
“Like I stated, we’re within the greatest second in WNBA historical past,” Clark stated. “There’s no denying that. Everyone is aware of that and everyone that’s in a spot in energy has a real duty, and even myself. We’ve got a duty to ensure this sport is in an excellent place going ahead with the CBA and caring for our gamers and constructing this league to ensure it’s in an excellent spot for a few years to come back.”
