Caitlin Clark’s polarizing presence in women’s basketball has sparked a debate that extends far beyond her individual performance, revealing deeper tensions about recognition, business growth, and the future direction of the WNBA.
The controversy surrounding her ninth-place ranking among guards by fellow players, combined with her absence from the 2024 Olympic roster, has prompted former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas to deliver a pointed critique of how the league’s established stars are handling the sport’s most marketable player.
Arenas Challenges WNBA Players’ Treatment of Clark
On “Gil’s Arena”, Arenas’ analysis connected Clark’s massive impact on league viewership with what he sees as counterproductive responses from other players.
“Players ranked Caitlin Clark, uh, the ninth best guard. Ninth. Players still in their feelings. They was picking her up full court in the All-Star game and they going to say she nine. Y’all, why y’all knocking her on the floor and s**? Why y’all doing all this s***? Do they not know, like, when she was gone, it went back to the year before she was in the league. Like, the views stop. Like, just enjoy and go on with it,” Arenas said.
“Picking her up full court in the All-Star game then they say she’s 9th”@GilsArenaShow wants WNBA players to stop hating on Caitlin Clark 😤 pic.twitter.com/hy7e30JfBm
— Underdog (@Underdog) July 4, 2025
Arenas then referenced how basketball legends Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley changed the financial landscape for NBA players, drawing parallels to Clark’s potential impact on the WNBA’s economic future.
“Think about what they was getting paid before they said, ‘Jordan, you’re the guy.’ What do you think Magic and Bird and all them making? Do you know how much Charles Barkley was making his rookie year before the TV deals that Jordan brung in? If you’re making $40,000, you know, every five months and now you’re making $80, then just play your, do your job and vote for the person who got you there.”
He continued to highlight the bigger picture: “Someone came in that everybody wants to watch, kids, everybody. Now we can see your talent. So if you’re sitting there beating it up and doing all this, all y’all become is hated. Like, have y’all not paid attention? No one is caring about anything else.
“You want to beat on it, they’re going to hate on it. You want to talk, they’re going to hate on it. Like, there comes a point where reality has to kick in. You can keep fighting the fight and you’re going to be the odd person that looks bad. That’s just how it is. I’m sorry. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Arenas’ comments come amid a stretch where Clark has missed several games for the Indiana Fever with a groin injury. Even while sidelined, the discussion around her place in the league and the way she is treated by opponents has not faded.
Clark’s Injury Absence Highlights Fever’s Unexpected Depth
The Indiana Fever officially ruled Caitlin Clark out for Saturday’s home matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks due to her lingering left groin injury. It marks her fifth straight absence and 10th game missed overall this season, including the Commissioner’s Cup Final. Clark, who has never missed a game prior to this season at the college or pro level, has been sidelined since Indiana’s June 26 loss to the Sparks.
The Fever’s response to Clark’s absence has been telling. Rather than struggling without their star player, they have managed to stay competitive, winning four of their last five games, including an 81-54 rout of the Las Vegas Aces and a 74-59 victory over the Minnesota Lynx to claim the Commissioner’s Cup.
This success without Clark has sparked debate about the team’s overall construction and whether her ball-dominant style might actually limit their ceiling.
Fever head coach Stephanie White provided an update Friday, saying Clark went through some drills but was not at full speed in practice. White added that Clark was set to be evaluated again Saturday morning.
“My goal has always been the same: I don’t want this to be something that lingers, that we come back too soon. We want to make sure that she is 100% ready to go and that we put her long-term health and wellness at the forefront.”
ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck says the Indiana Fever are more dangerous without Caitlin Clark.
Thoughts? ✨ pic.twitter.com/aj2itqAn19
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) July 4, 2025
The Fever hold a 9-8 record after their recent run, including a 5-4 mark without Clark in the lineup. Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists, and 5.0 rebounds this season. The identical records with and without their marquee player suggest a level of team balance that few expected when Clark arrived as the most hyped rookie in league history.
Clark’s absence has led to elevated play from Indiana’s backcourt. Kelsey Mitchell posted 25 points against the Aces, and the Fever defense has allowed nearly five fewer points per 100 possessions without Clark on the floor, according to ESPN’s Carolyn Peck.
“I think that Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn’t play because she’s a ball-dominant guard,” Peck said on “SportsCenter.” “The ball’s in her hands a lot, so you know what you need to try to take away. But when you look at Indiana now, they’ve got so many weapons.”
The Fever return to action on Wednesday, July 9, when they host the Golden State Valkyries. Clark’s status remains day-to-day as the team continues to prioritize her long-term health over short-term results, a decision that may prove wise given their surprising success in her absence.