The thought of seeing Caitlin Clark lead a rival league or go to Europe is fascinating. But the rookie has been such an important name for the WNBA since her debut. In fact, all thanks to Clark, six WNBA networks set ratings records this season:

• ESPN: Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky, 2.3 million
• CBS: Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever, 2.25 million
• ABC: Seattle Storm-Indiana Fever, 2.2 million
• ESPN2: Indiana Fever-Connecticut Sun, 2.1 million
• Ion: Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky, 1.6 million
• NBA TV: Las Vegas Aces-Indiana Fever, 678K

At the same time, people have noted that the Indiana Fever player isn’t treated well. 17% of the league’s flagrant fouls have been committed against Caitlin Clark and she has had to handle a lot of physicality. Think about how DiJonai Carrington’s unintentional foul left Clark with a noticeable black eye. Could this be the reason rumors are rampant that she is on her way out of the WNBA?

Several social media posts and videos on YouTube suggest this. For instance, Hoop Sports Updates on YouTube posted a video titled, “2 minutes ago : WNBA Throws a Fit After Caitlin Clark SHOCKINGLY Leaves the League!”

At this stage, any claims of her leaving the WNBA are mere speculation. There are no official reports or confirmations from WNBA insiders regarding her WNBA exit. Her Instagram bio still mentions Indiana Fever and do you know what her last post was?

“Year one — thank you to the many people who have supported me as I’ve been able to live my childhood dream. I’m filled with gratitude as I reflect on this past year of my life. See you all in year two,” she wrote.

In fact, earlier this week, she shared that though it was tough being in the limelight all year, she was grateful for the opportunities she got. “I feel very thankful. I wouldn’t change anything for the world. I feel very thankful for the relationships I’ve built, the opportunities that I’ve had, the way people have supported me, and whether it was at Iowa or whether it’s now in the WNBA.”

That being said, the WNBA does have issues that it needs to work on; Especially since Clark has brought a lot of attention to the league.

If not moving to Europe, can Caitlin Clark lead a rival league to the WNBA in America?

Renowned sports columnist Jason Whitlock stirred up quite a conversation by suggesting that Caitlin Clark take the lead in creating a league to rival the WNBA. His proposal highlights a pressing issue: WNBA salaries pale in comparison to the multi-million dollar contracts enjoyed by NBA stars. As a result, many female players find themselves seeking opportunities in other leagues, often in Europe, to supplement their income.

He mentioned, “Half the WNBA right now is overseas, playing in some foreign league because they don’t make enough money during the WNBA season.”

Whitlock criticized WNBA management and argued for the creation of a new league to give players better financial opportunities. He suggested, “They’re already playing in rival leagues, why not start a rival league? You can have a rival league that operates during the summer or you can have a rival league that starts now. Right here in America.”

This season, rookies Nika Muhl and Kamilla Cardoso are making waves overseas, with Muhl taking her talents to the Turkish league and Cardoso heading to China. Cardoso isn’t flying solo, either; she’ll be joined by her Chicago teammate Chennedy Carter, who will suit up for the Wuhan franchise in the Chinese league.

This points to a common trend: players often head overseas in search of better pay. However, that hasn’t been Clark’s path—at least not yet. While it’s unclear if Jason Whitlock’s suggestions will resonate with her and inspire her to lead a new rival league to the WNBA, one thing is clear: Clark is branching out and trying her hand at golf. For fans, the only humorous concern should be to see if Clark is as good at golf as she is at basketball.

While the idea of Clark switching sports is interesting, the likelihood of that happening is again almost null. Her passion for basketball has been a constant since childhood, and she is more than prepared to take the reins for the Indiana Fever in the upcoming season. Right now, she is just relishing her downtime, spending time with her Fever teammates, and it’s enough to reassure fans that she isn’t going anywhere.