The trans-athlete debate has become a big talking point in the WNBA since Sophie Cunningham’s comments about the issue last month.
Many expected Caitlin Clark to share her thoughts on the matter, but the Indiana Fever star chose not to take sides. That decision has now earned praise from commentator Clay Travis.
Clay Travis Defends Caitlin Clark Amid Trans-Athlete Debate
Travis argued that Clark appears to be focused on basketball and does not want to be dragged into political arguments surrounding the WNBA.
“Caitlin Clark’s getting criticized because she didn’t want to talk about it. And let me defend her here for a minute. I think Caitlin Clark has actually been consistent,” Travis said in comments shared by OutKick on Sunday.
The OutKick founder went on to criticize the WNBA for failing to make its stance on the issue clear.
“The WNBA is at fault here because the WNBA sets the league rules. They should come out and say, ‘We’re not going to have men’s and women’s sports. The WNBA only allows biological females to be able to compete. That would end all the coaches being asked questions,” Travis said.
Travis even pointed to how Clark has so far chosen not to talk about political issues.
“It’s Michael Jordan saying Republicans buy sneakers too. Caitlin Clark is a luminescent star. And she wants Democrats to like her and buy her shoes, and she wants Republicans to like her and buy her shoes,” Travis added.
Moreover, Travis pointed out that Clark appears to be following the same approach as sporting legends like Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant by keeping the focus on her sport rather than getting drawn into political issues.
“She’s actually trying to follow Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant. The era that we all grew up in, nobody looked to an athlete to tell us how we should vote or what we should think about a political issue,” he added.
After the Fever’s game against the Las Vegas Aces on August 6, Clark was asked about how she decided when to speak about political issues. Her response was simple.
“I think first and foremost, you speak when you feel like you want to speak. I try to just show up and be myself every single day,” Clark said.
Moreover, this was not the first time Clark was asked to comment on the transgender athlete discussion.
After Indiana’s game against the Minnesota Lynx, she was asked about her position on the controversy surrounding Cunningham’s comments.
“It’s not really a discussion we have in our locker room. It’s for leagues and governing bodies to work with their athletes to find solutions, but my focus is on basketball,” Clark said.
Clark’s numbers also show where much of her attention has been this season. She is averaging 21.6 points, 8.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game and has also helped the Fever build a 20-12 record.
For Clark, the answer so far seems clear. She would rather let her basketball do the talking.
