This WNBA Legend Just HUMILIATED Caitlin Clark’s Haters — On National TV

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In a season already brimming with drama, record-breaking performances, and heated debates, a moment of clarity came this week from one of the WNBA’s most respected voices.

Candace Parker, a three-time league champion and two-time MVP, appeared on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith and delivered what many Caitlin Clark fans have been waiting for all year: a powerful, reasoned defense of the league’s newest superstar—and a reality check for the WNBA’s old guard.

As the WNBA rides an unprecedented wave of popularity, much of it thanks to Clark’s arrival, the league has also found itself mired in controversy. Jealousy, bitterness, and double standards have become constant talking points, both on social media and in mainstream coverage. Parker’s appearance on First Take cut through the noise, offering a perspective that resonated far beyond the basketball court.

There’s no denying the numbers. Since joining the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark has transformed the WNBA’s profile almost overnight. Last season saw a historic spike in TV ratings, ticket sales, and merchandise—metrics that point to one undeniable fact: Clark moves the needle like no one before her. Preseason games drew 1.3 million viewers, and the season opener against the Chicago Sky averaged 2.7 million viewers—the most watched WNBA regular season game in a quarter-century. A recent matchup against the New York Liberty peaked at 3.3 million viewers.

But when Clark went down with an injury, the impact was immediate. Ticket prices for Fever games without her dropped by 300%. While Indiana’s home crowd still showed up, the rest of the league’s numbers lagged. As one commentator put it, “The WNBA is one serious Caitlin Clark injury away from losing all its momentum.”

Despite Clark’s contributions, the league’s response to the negativity surrounding her has been underwhelming. Instead of celebrating her impact, league officials and some media members have, at times, seemed reluctant to give her credit. The commissioner, Kathy Engelbert, even authored a piece in the Harvard Business Review that credited everyone from coaches to marketing teams for the WNBA’s success—barely mentioning Clark by name.

Meanwhile, Clark and her fans have faced a barrage of criticism, rumors, and even threats. Social media has been awash with conspiracy theories and hateful comments, with little response from the league. “We’ve gone way, way, way out of bounds,” one analyst noted, highlighting the disconnect between the league’s stated values of inclusion and its actual silence in the face of real hate.

Enter Candace Parker. On First Take, Parker addressed the elephant in the room: the jealousy and resentment brewing among some WNBA veterans and insiders over Clark’s meteoric rise. When asked if she felt resentful about the attention Clark receives, Parker was unequivocal:

“My job was to leave the game better than I came into it. You think Cheryl Miller is resentful that I had a league to play in? No. She’s being the mentor that she is, supporting and loving, sitting courtside cheering on Juju Watkins. And I’m doing the same for Caitlin Clark and all the women in the WNBA.”

Parker’s answer was both gracious and pointed. She challenged the narrative that Clark’s success should be a source of envy, urging her peers to take pride in the platform they helped build. “It’s not about being jealous of who’s next,” Parker said. “It’s about getting the game to a place where it’s ready for the next star. You don’t have to downplay Caitlin. Instead, be proud that you built the platform and then support her—because it’s good for everyone.”

Parker also addressed the toxic discourse that has sometimes overshadowed the game itself, especially the race-based talking points that have crept into the conversation. “Let’s keep it about basketball,” she insisted. “When we do that, we’re able to really grow the game and what it represents.”

Her comments echoed those of Lisa Leslie, another WNBA legend, who recently called out the jealousy directed at Clark and praised her for respecting the game’s pioneers. “She’s not the player who’s like, ‘It’s all about her.’ She gives love and homage to those who came before her,” Leslie said.

The stakes could not be higher. The WNBA is experiencing its greatest moment of growth, but it risks squandering that momentum if it cannot unite behind its stars. As Parker and others have emphasized, Clark’s popularity doesn’t just benefit herself—it lifts the entire league. More eyes on Clark means more eyes on her teammates, her opponents, and the WNBA as a whole.

Yet, as Parker pointed out, this kind of cultural shift takes time. The “Caitlin Clark effect” is already spreading, with the Indiana Fever drawing strong TV numbers even in Clark’s absence. If the league can harness this moment—by celebrating new fans, protecting its stars, and focusing on basketball—it could lay the foundation for sustained success.

The question now is whether the WNBA will seize this opportunity. Will it embrace the new era, or will old resentments and internal divisions hold it back? As Parker’s words reverberate across the sports world, fans and players alike are hoping the league gets the message.

“Leave the game better than you found it,” Parker said—a simple, powerful mantra that could define the WNBA’s future. For now, the spotlight remains on Caitlin Clark, but the path forward belongs to everyone willing to lift the game higher