Caitlin Clark Criticizes Debate Over CT Sun Star’s Eye Poke

Caitlin Clark on Tuesday was named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year, and she reflected on her eventful pro debut.

Clark became a massive star in college basketball and took that stardom to the Indiana Fever and WNBA. The 22-year-old was an instant hit on and off the court bringing in huge crowds and massive ratings. However, her popularity also meant a microscope on every play.

One such incident occurred in Game 1 of the first round of the WNBA playoffs against the Connecticut Sun. DiJonai Carrington poked Clark in the eye while trying to deflect a pass. The players moved on from the on-court incident but questionable inquiries from USA Today’s Christine Brennan sparked a heated debate on social media. Carrington revealed racist and sexist messages sent to her, and after the Sun’s sweep over the Fever, Alyssa Thomas admitted she hadn’t experienced racist comments as she received from Indiana fans.

Clark tried to play down the controversy, but the outrage was still something that annoyed her.

“Never once did that cross my mind, that it was on purpose,” Clark told Time Magazine’s Sean Gregory. “I’ve been poked in the eye many times playing basketball. It happens. … If that would have happened in the NBA, do you think people would have showed up the next day and been like, ‘Hey, Tyrese Haliburton, did you poke Steph Curry in the eye on purpose?’ … That whole line of questioning that (Carrington) got was not appropriate, and I did not like that.”

Clark admitted she stays off social media during the season so she wasn’t fully aware of the backlash of the eye poke. The Fever star urged the league to do better to protect the players, and she offered a message to those using her to spread negative agendas.

“Just stop,” Clark said. “Because that’s not who I am.”