Caitlin Clark’s gravitational pull as the WNBA’s face is undeniable, breaking television viewership records, driving up merchandise sales, and drawing in more and more audiences to the arenas every time she steps onto the hardwood.
Despite her on-court brilliance and off-court influence, the three-time All-Star continues to find herself caught in the W’s cultural wars and puzzling snubs across the sports landscape.
Martina Navratilova Calls Out NCAA For Omitting Caitlin Clark In Celebratory Video
The official NCAA DI Women’s Basketball social media account recently shared a promotional video celebrating former collegiate stars setting WNBA records. While the post highlighted elite playmaking and honored collegiate greatness, it ultimately sparked widespread outrage for omitting the 2024 #1 overall pick, Caitlin Clark.
“Former NCAA stars setting records in the W,” read the video. “A’ja Wilson joins Diana Taurasi as the only players in WNBA history with 100 career 25+ point games. Paige Bueckers is the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,400 points and 400 assists.”
It further added, “Olivia Miles is second for the most assists by a rookie in WNBA history. Angel Reese holds the records for the most rebounds in a single game (26) and the most rebounds in a season (452).”
Reacting to Clark’s snub, former professional tennis player Martina Navratilova stepped forward to voice her utter disbelief in a seven-word social media post.
“How stupid is this??? Yup- this stupid,” posted Navratilova.
How stupid is this???
Yup- this stupid https://t.co/vGe0qNOnSS— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) August 27, 2026
Former ESPN analyst Linda Cohn also echoed the same frustration, writing, “You got to be kidding me. You don’t have to ignore and exclude the game’s biggest star, Caitlin Clark, in order to praise others? Why can’t you do both!?!?!?”
The decision to leave out the Indiana Fever guard feeds into the larger “Anyone but Clark” narrative that took the league by storm after fans repeatedly noticed how the 24-year-old was left out of important lists.
Clark holds the rookie assist record with 337, set in 2024, whereas Miles has registered 228 assists in 37 games this season.
With only five regular-season games left for the Minnesota Lynx (31-8), Miles would need to average 22 assists per game to tie this milestone.
The exclusion feels egregious given Clark’s production. This season, the three-time All-Star has averaged 22.1 points, 8.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 45.0% from the floor and 36.8% from three across 35 games.
In Sunday’s matchup against the Chicago Sky, the Fever cornerstone dropped 37 points with eight three-pointers in a 113-90 victory.
The contest averaged 3.31 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, peaking at 3.82 million, making it the third-most-watched regular-season game in WNBA history and the highest since 1997.
The August 20 matchup against the Dallas Wings drew a record 1.07 million viewers on Prime Video, setting a new high for the largest WNBA audience on the platform.
While the attempt to minimize the biggest name in the basketball world simply defies logic, fans continue to tune in to watch the generational talent, showcasing that no amount of oversight will dim her impact.
