For many fans, Caitlin Clark has already become the face of the WNBA. But veteran columnist Jason Whitlock believes the league and its decision-makers still refuse to fully treat her that way despite her massive impact on ratings, ticket sales, and attention.

A clip from Jason Whitlock's "Fearless" show on X featured a discussion about how Stephanie White and the Indiana Fever’s current roster, including Kelsey Mitchell, may be holding back Caitlin Clark’s leadership, while the league pushes Paige Bueckers as her rival.

"I think Caitlin Clark's attitude has been undermined and she doesn't want to be the leader of the team anymore because they [The Indiana Fever and the WNBA] have basically brainwashed her and brainwashed the team into, 'Hey, we're better if Kelsey Mitchell's the leader or if Aliyah Boston is the leader,'" Whitlock said.

"So, Caitlin Clark has been bullied into coming out of her natural personality and thinking, hey, I'm just one of five here on the court or one of 12 here on the team. And that's a monumental mistake financially. And I think over the course of time, you're going to see it's a monumental mistake in terms of on-court play," the 59-year-old columnist further added

Whitlock's comments also come after Tuesday's WNBA general manager survey, where executives answered several league-related questions ahead of the season. One of the survey questions asked GMs which player they would choose to build a new franchise around. Surprisingly, Paige Bueckers led the voting with 33%, while Caitlin Clark finished second at 20%.

Whitlock's reaction seems understandable considering CC's impact on the court. Her ball-handling, shooting ability, and transition offense have already made her one of the league’s biggest stars.

Off the court, Caitlin Clark has completely changed the business side of the Indiana Fever. Her arrival brought sold-out crowds, huge merchandise sales, and higher TV ratings. This helped the franchise’s value rise from $90 million in 2024 to around $560 million by May 2026.

But while the basketball world debates Caitlin Clark’s value, the Indiana Fever star is evolving behind the scenes.

Caitlin Clark reveals how injuries helped her grow

For most players, an injury-filled season can derail momentum. But for Caitlin Clark, a year interrupted by groin, ankle, quad, and knee issues may have quietly changed the way she sees the game, even though she spent much of it on the sidelines.

During a recent media session, when Caitlin Clark was asked what new qualities she is bringing into this season after last year's injury struggles, she said:

"I think just like more than anything, leadership and experience. Like this is my third year, and even though I wasn’t out on the court last year a lot, you still learn on the sidelines. So I think that being somebody my teammates can rely on being a great communicator."

After three seasons in the WNBA, the 24-year-old has naturally grown into a bigger leadership role for the Indiana Fever as the team's primary ball handler and playmaker. Now, that responsibility only grows alongside veterans like Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull.

Moreover, with veteran Natasha Howard gone, Caitlin Clark’s leadership role will likely grow even bigger this season after spending much of last year supporting teammates from the bench.

So, do you agree with Jason Whitlock’s comments about Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever?

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Yask Kotak