The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is currently navigating a period of intense scrutiny, largely fueled by the release of Christine Brennan’s new book, On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports. The book, described as an electrifying portrait of the sports phenomenon, has sent shockwaves through the league’s executive ranks. It has rapidly climbed to become a New York Times bestseller and a number one bestseller on Amazon, indicating significant public interest in its revelations. This is far from a typical sports biography; Brennan’s work delves into the league’s alleged “frantic” attempts to downplay years of what she portrays as mismanagement, culminating in the tumultuous arrival of Caitlin Clark. The fallout from these revelations is expected to be substantial, as questions are now swirling about how the WNBA will respond to the book’s claims and to Brennan herself. The current situation is arguably one of the most significant challenges the league has faced since its inception.

However, the true story begins with the significance of this book and its author. Christine Brennan is a veteran journalist who has been a pioneering voice in women’s sports for decades. Her extensive background lends considerable weight to the shocking revelations she makes about the WNBA’s handling of the “Caitlin Clark effect.” The book’s immediate success underscores a clear public desire for a narrative that goes beyond curated highlights. Fans, it seems, are eager for an unfiltered look at the realities within the league. This book is not being consumed for feel-good anecdotes; readers are drawn to the promise of understanding what truly transpired during Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise in the WNBA, and Brennan appears to deliver on that promise.

The WNBA’s Strategic Blunders: Denial and Lack of Preparation

So where did the league go wrong? According to Brennan, her research points to a significant level of denial within the WNBA’s leadership. In one revealing anecdote, Brennan recounts a conversation with a high-ranking league official the day after Clark declared for the draft. When asked if they were prepared for the “tidal wave” of attention, the official reportedly compared Clark’s impact to that of Maya Moore’s debut. While Moore is undeniably a basketball legend, this comparison was seen by many as a gross underestimation of the national fervor surrounding Clark, which extended far beyond the traditional basketball fan base. This response, as detailed by Brennan, suggests that the league’s decision-makers initially viewed Clark’s arrival as just another notable event, rather than the revolutionary moment it has proven to be. This alleged miscalculation appears to have been their first major misstep.

The league’s unpreparedness was palpable during Clark’s first preseason game. Fans were lined up for hours, creating an atmosphere more akin to an NBA playoff game. The infrastructure was reportedly overwhelmed with inadequate parking, merchandise, and staffing to handle the massive crowds. This was seen by some as a missed opportunity to capitalize on a once-in-a-generation surge in interest. The challenges were not confined to the corporate level; inside the league, tensions were reportedly brewing. Many players felt that they had “toiled in relative obscurity with low TV ratings and low attendance, and most people didn’t care.” And now, “along comes one person, obviously a magical person, who’s chucking it from the parking lot and it’s going in, and whose passes are the greatest passes, an otherworldly talent.” They were looking at that and saying, “Why is this happening now and why didn’t it happen earlier?”

Instead of a unified embrace of its new superstar—reminiscent of the NBA’s support for Michael Jordan or the PGA’s for Tiger Woods—the WNBA’s reception of Clark was, according to Brennan, far more complex. Clark quickly became a lightning rod for controversy, enduring a high number of hard fouls and facing criticism from some players and league observers.

Caitlin Clark: The Game-Changer and Complex Dynamics

Caitlin Clark has changed the game, both in college and in the WNBA. We know she broke all those records in college, but what was it about Caitlin that has just garnered so much attention and changed things the way that she has? She’s not just a basketball player; she’s also an entertainer, and that’s what takes her to a different realm, very much like Tiger Woods. When you see those logo threes, you know she’s shooting from the “parking lot” and it’s going in—that’s where people who don’t necessarily pay attention to or love basketball are intrigued. Or those passes, those no-look, full-court dimes—that’s where people like grandmothers who wouldn’t care about this are now rearranging their evenings to watch Caitlin Clark games. She’s truly a “high-wire act,” and that’s the difference between her and all the other basketball players.

Brennan’s book also suggests that even reporters felt pressure to tread lightly when asking about the animosity Clark sometimes faced. This raises the question: what made her arrival so divisive? The book explores a league culture that at times seemed to view Clark’s immense popularity as a source of tension rather than a universal benefit. This internal conflict had significant financial repercussions. There’s so much negative attention to Caitlin Clark being white. For the longest time, this was seen and still is as a majority Black league, and it is 74% Black. So, “all of us understand the issues that can come up in that situation.”

Brennan’s book highlights the staggering economic impact of Clark’s presence, citing an analysis by Dr. Ryan Brewer, a finance professor at Indiana University Columbus. Brewer’s research suggests Clark was responsible for 26.5% of all WNBA economic activity in her rookie year, with a potential impact of nearly $1 billion. Despite this, the league was criticized for failing to fully capitalize on sponsorship opportunities and merchandise sales and for not strategically planning her appearances to maximize visibility. Unfortunately, and this is a lot of what Christine Brennan brings up in her book, there have been so many mishandlings within the WNBA, and those things are still spilling over into this season of the WNBA.

Brennan’s interviews paint a picture of a league divided. The unprecedented attention on Clark was reportedly met with a mix of awe and apprehension from some officials and players. Racial and generational dynamics also came into play, as the league grappled with a massive new audience drawn in by Clark. Some commentary has pointed to the complexities of a white superstar ascending in a predominantly Black league and the media’s role in shaping narratives around race and rivalry.

Clark is routinely “folded, stapled, and mutilated” on the court. She is 6 feet tall, and while not a “toothpick,” she’s certainly not bulky. And when she’s driving in the lane, she endures a lot of contact. While a lot of this happens naturally in basketball—there are fouls—some of it went beyond. Rather than proactively addressing this cultural shift, league leadership was accused of taking a passive approach. Brennan’s reporting alludes to a need for better preparation for all players to navigate the new reality of heightened media scrutiny and fan interest. In an excerpt from her book, Brennan reveals that a WNBA official told her that “most of our players have zero idea what real media exposure is.”

The Consequences and Future of the WNBA

The WNBA’s internal struggles did not go unnoticed by the global audience that Clark attracted. Instead of showcasing a league at the pinnacle of professionalism, the narrative was often dominated by public disputes, public relations challenges, and marketing missteps. The controversy surrounding Brennan’s own interactions with players, which led to a scathing statement from the WNBA Players Association accusing her of “attempting to bait a professional athlete into participating into a narrative that is false and designed to fuel racist, homophobic, and misogynistic vitriol,” further fueled the perception of a league in turmoil.

Brennan’s book, therefore, serves not just as a tell-all but as a cautionary tale. The league is now at a crossroads, facing questions about its ability to learn from its past and fully embrace the opportunities presented by its newfound popularity. Brennan’s work has ignited a new level of discourse around the WNBA, one that is unafraid to critically examine the league’s shortcomings. The central question that emerges is whether the WNBA can overcome its internal divisions, celebrate its stars, and adapt to the new landscape. The Caitlin Clark era could have been the league’s greatest triumph; instead, it has become a complex and at times contentious chapter in its history. The future of the league may well depend on its ability to navigate the challenges and fully embrace the revolution that has already begun.