Caitlin Clark’s rise to stardom has been meteoric, but with fame often comes controversy. Recently, the Iowa star used her interview with Time magazine as a platform to speak out against a troubling issue that has plagued the WNBA and Indiana fever in particular —harassment. However, she also saved one of the WNBA athletes, DiJonai Carrington, who had to take the brunt of the few Fever fans.

The controversy began during the Fever-Sun playoff series when Carrington, while attempting to steal the ball, inadvertently poked Clark in the eye, resulting in a bruise. While the incident was clearly unintentional, it sparked an overwhelming flood of hate on social media. Trolls accused Carrington of trying to injure Clark, some even going so far as to call for suspensions and revenge.

“It’s something I’m trying to navigate,” Clark said in a recent TIME interview. “I’m trying to find a balance while being a rookie.” Despite the backlash, Clark emphasized that the incident was unintentional. “It never crossed my mind that it was intentional,” she reiterated.

In the midst of the social media firestorm, Clark made a powerful statement in support of Carrington and against the harassment. She tweeted, “Just stop,” addressing those using her name to perpetuate the hate. “Because that’s not who I am.” Clark’s message was clear—she refuses to be associated with toxic behavior, and she’s calling for an end to the online harassment of fellow players.

This call to action is rooted in Clark’s belief that the WNBA must create a safer, more supportive environment for its athletes, both on the court and in the digital world.

The harassment took a disturbing turn when Carrington started receiving graphic, racist, and mis–ynistic emails followed by a fan wearing a shirt mocking Carrington’s acrylic nails, a common feature for her.

This sparked multiple comments by WNBA stars such as the Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas who mentioned the presser post their win over Indiana, “I think that in my 11-year career I never experienced the racial comments like from the Indiana Fever fan base,”.

The toxic behavior wasn’t limited to just Carrington; other players have faced similar ab-se, as the increased visibility of the WNBA has unfortunately given rise to a darker side of fandom. But seems like the reigning ROTY has more things to say.

Caitlin Clark: Leading the charge for player protection in the WNBA

Clark, who is arguably the most popular player in the league right now, is acutely aware of her responsibility to speak up. “I’m probably the most popular player in the league at the moment,” she acknowledged. “I hope we can do a better job as a league of protecting our players and putting better resources around them to make it a safer environment.”

As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity, the point guard believes the league must provide better support to its athletes, particularly in dealing with the harassment that’s now so prevalent on social media.

During her exit interview as well, the Fever No. 22 spoke up on how some Indy fans are causing havoc for other WNBA players. “It’s definitely upsetting. Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of r-cism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats. Those aren’t fans, those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league, the organization, and the WNBA.”

For Clark, this is about more than just one incident—it’s a call for broader change. “What comes with being a professional athlete is speaking on important issues,” said Sue Bird, a 4x WNBA champion, and 5x Olympic gold medalist.

“I imagine she’s going to continue to educate and get better at that as well.” Bird’s words reflect the growing recognition that athletes like Clark have a powerful voice, and it needs to be heard.

As the 2024 first-overall pick continues to navigate her WNBA career and her newfound fame, it’s clear that she is not just concerned with her own success. She is committed to fostering a safer, more respectful environment for everyone in the league.

Her message to those who perpetuate hate is simple “Just stop.” It’s time for the WNBA to put its players first and ensure that they can thrive without the fear of harassment, both online and in person.