What A’ja Wilson has done is unprecedented – in so many ways. She is being accused of being the reason Caitlin Clark has been attacked throughout the WNBA’s 2024 season. The “positive, fun” image Wilson has built up has just taken a huge hit, and fans are starting to see cracks in the story.
For months, Wilson has been keeping a low profile, pretending not to care, while her fans have been attacking Caitlin Clark over the controversy surrounding her Nike sneaker deal.
But now the truth is out, and it’s ironic. During her shoe launch, Wilson revealed that she had a shoe deal with Nike two years ago. That means, while the public was clamoring for Caitlin to be favored by Nike, Wilson stayed silent, knowing full well that she had a shoe waiting to be released.
She didn’t just stay silent – she contributed to this story. Wilson could have easily posted a simple status like, “Don’t worry, my shoes are coming soon,” and the controversy would have died down. But she didn’t. She let Clark take the brunt of the criticism, allowing her fans to continue to push the narrative in Caitlin’s favor.
The truth is now clear: Nike never disrespected Wilson, but Wilson used the situation to gain sympathy. And now that it’s all out, those who once fiercely defended Wilson have gone silent.
But this isn’t just about a shoe. It’s about how Caitlin Clark has been treated since she entered the WNBA. Instead of being welcomed, she’s been hated. Why? Because she’s attracted millions of new fans? Because she’s made the league more relevant than ever? Because Nike saw potential in her and decided to bet on her future? Caitlin Clark doesn’t take anyone’s place, she doesn’t take the back door, she earns everything with her talent and hard work.
And while Clark was attacked both on and off the field, Wilson could have spoken out to calm the situation down – but she chose to stay silent. Imagine if the situation were reversed, if Clark’s fans attacked Wilson, the media would have been in an uproar, ESPN would have reported it daily, and social media would have been flooded with condemnation. But because the victim was Caitlin, all was silence.
Nike wasn’t left out either. They launched a campaign promoting female athletes during the Super Bowl, but then removed Clark from a major commercial shortly after. They liked the money she brought in, but didn’t want to put her at the center of the story. And when they were criticized, they quickly edited the ad as if no one noticed.
Caitlin Clark is the most watched female athlete in America, the one who has taken the WNBA to new heights, and yet she is still being marginalized by the very people who should be protecting and celebrating her.
But the damage is not on Caitlin – she is strong enough to handle it all. It is on the WNBA. A league that wants to grow cannot treat its biggest star like a problem. Petty actions, fake controversies only make the WNBA look small and unprofessional.
Caitlin Clark is still here, still setting records, still bringing fans to the court. And no matter how she is treated, she will continue to do so. The WNBA can choose to embrace change, or be left behind.
While Wilson celebrates her shoes, she should probably keep an eye on the Indiana Fever – the team her fans have been relentlessly criticizing. Because the Fever are becoming a force to be reckoned with, and Clark isn’t just aiming for a pair of shoes or an MVP award—she’s aiming for a championship. And when that day comes, there will be no doubt about Caitlin Clark’s place in WNBA history.
