A “Slap in the Face” to Their Biggest Star? Fans of Caitlin Clark are left in disbelief and rage after the WNBA gives a rival player a top award, sparking a heated debate about whether the league is intentionally disrespecting its most valuable asset in an unprecedented move. Click the link to see details.
CAITLIN Clark fans are raging over a WNBA rival receiving different treatment for earning a top award.
Fans of the two-time WNBA All-Star were furious on social media over a league award announcement.
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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark smiles while holding her 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year awardCredit: Getty
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Clark and guard Sophie Cunningham question a call during the first half of a game in JulyCredit: AP
On Tuesday, the WNBA announced that Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers won Rookie of the Year.
The Indiana Fever star Clark received the honor in 2024 and got a call from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert, which she answered on speaker during her team’s practice.
However, Bueckers got a more showy arrangement for learning she was this year’s No. 1 rookie.
Engelbert was waiting for her at the end of the viral “Spirit Tunnel” during Bueckers’ appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
Hudson’s workers greeted Bueckers with a personalized a cappella song in a hallway.
At the end of Bueckers’ Tunnel, Engelbert was there to present the trophy to the 23-year-old.
The viral clip of the sequence caused fans of Clark to take issue with Engelbert’s decision, which could be perceived as a diss to the two-year player.
“Cathy didn’t even FaceTime Caitlin last year.. just a team call on speaker wow,” one wrote.
WNBA commish Cathy Englebert with two vastly different ways to announce the ROY winner,” another commented.
“Yeah. This isn’t ok. Last year this idea of not giving Caitlin too much shine was insane and highly disappointing. This is not a knock on Paige,” a third said.
Clark was a near-unanimous ROY winner, claiming 66 of the 67 votes for the award.
Bueckers, meanwhile, got 65 of 67 votes as Washington Mystics star Sonia Citron received the other two this year.
The UConn product is the fourth straight No. 1 overall selection in the WNBA to win Rookie of the Year.
Clark has had a tough sophomore season as she dealt with numerous injuries.
Her last injury, a groin issue that she suffered in July, caused her to miss the rest of the WNBA campaign.
Clark has had to watch her team on the sidelines as they’re currently in the playoffs.
After losing Game 1, the Fever claimed Tuesday’s playoff win over the Atlanta Dream.
It was the franchise’s first postseason win in over a decade.
The winner of Game 3 will advance to take on the winner of the Las Vegas-Seattle series in the semifinals.
