Jason Whitlock has spent most of the 2026 WNBA season criticizing Angel Reese and defending Caitlin Clark. Now, he switched sides.
The podcast host was asked by a follower whether Clark’s emotional reactions on the court are the result of being treated differently from other athletes in the sport. The follower’s argument was sympathetic: that any player subjected to the level of scrutiny Clark faces would eventually reach a breaking point.
Jason Whitlock Blasts Caitlin Clark’s Behavior
Whitlock was not buying it. His response drew a straight line from Clark’s current behavior all the way back to her days before she ever set foot on a college campus.
“This would make sense if she hadn’t exhibited the exact same behavior at Iowa, her rookie year, her second year, and now her third year. Remember when she flopped to the ground in college when kids rushed the court? I called that out in real time. The belligerent behavior during the NCAA Tourney and her dad screamed at her from the stands.
This would make sense if she hadn’t exhibited the exact same behavior at Iowa, her rookie year, her second year, and now her third year. Remember when she flopped to the ground in college when kids rushed the court? I called that out in real time. The belligerent behavior during… https://t.co/J1VEX5kTtv
— Jason Whitlock (@jasonwhitlock) June 14, 2026
“I called that out. Her behavior has shown no improvement. Informed people in Iowa say it’s been going on since high school and junior high. You can justify it all you want, same as Karmelo’s parents.”
Whitlock then expanded his point, arguing that the emotional challenges Clark faces do not make her unique in a league full of players who have had to overcome the adversity of their own.
“But all of these women have a story to tell about dealing with unfair treatment. You think it’s easy being a 6-foot-3 woman in high school? You think it’s easy being a 6-foot-3, masculine woman in high school or a tall, masculine girl in junior high? I don’t like Angel Reese. But, so far this year, she’s shown more maturity growth than Caitlin Clark.”
“It’s a fact. Caitlin is not a leader. She’s spoiled. Fun to watch drain threes and pass the ball. But her inability to control her emotions creates problems,” Whitlock concluded.
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Whitlock has built a reputation as one of Clark’s most vocal defenders in the media, repeatedly calling her the biggest star in American sports and hammering the WNBA for what he sees as a failure to fully capitalize on her popularity.
Clark is averaging 20.3 points, 7.8 assists, and 4.6 rebounds through 12 games of the 2026 season, numbers that place her among the most productive players in the league. She is also second in assists averaged per game, only behind Alyssa Thomas.
The on-court production has never been the issue. What Whitlock is pointing to is a pattern of behavior that has followed Clark from junior high through three professional seasons, one that he believes reflects something fundamental in her character rather than a response to external pressure.
