The WNBA is experiencing what is called a transformational episode with Caitlin Clark right at the center point. Clark and all her experiences, since she arrived in the W, have been put under a microscope and deeply scrutinized to every nook and corner. As a result, this has put a lot of pressure on the 22-year-old rookie, who is just trying to be normal and play her game. Shedding light on the same, Dallas Wings forward, Satou Sabally drew parallels between Caitlin Clark’s hardships and Mohammad Ali.

In a recent episode of the Podcast P with Paul George, Satou Sabally engaged in an enlightening conversation revolving around Caitlin Clark and the pressure she is being put under as she plays her rookie season as the face of the W. “I think it’s really hard to put that much pressure on a young woman to be a spokesperson for things that the United States and really globally and historically we have struggled with as an entire society. To make her the spokesperson for that is a lot.”

Despite her stellar track record in college, as a WNBA rookie, Clark is just getting to know her stance in the unpredictable and super-competitive league. Sabally spoke about how certain societal stereotypes have both worked in favor and against Clark. However, what became the crux of Sabally’s conversation was the moment she spoke about how Mohammad Ali’s power resulted in jail time.

“There’s a reason why people tell athletes not to speak up politically because there’s so much power in a collective and so much power and the knowledge that we also have… It’s always been like that, like if you go back to Muhammad Ali, like there’s a reason why he had to endure you know jail time.”

In 1967, the legendary boxer was sentenced to 5 years in prison for his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War. Moreover, he was fined $10, 000 in an attempt to break his anti-war resistance. His powerful words for his refusal to join the war echoed throughout the country. While Clark is nowhere near that kind of a situation, Sabally is seemingly trying to state that Clark being outspoken could have backfired on her.

Satou Sabally is proud of Caitlin Clark

Hence, Sabally’s resort to an athlete’s collective power fits right into place, as they can influence almost everything by simply voicing their opinion in front of people. Furthermore, while making the remarkable comparison between the two, Sabally pressed upon the fact that not everyone wants to see an athlete fail or else they cannot prove their own greatness to the world.

She said, “I do think she’s doing a great job and I would just tell her like, ‘I’m proud of you, keep doing your thing and try to blend out the noise.’ Everyone has some type of different noise around them and it looks different for everyone and she’s just now like all eyes on her and what I hope for her is that she still knows that there’s a community of women around her that want her to succeed.” Conclusively, Caitlin Clark is making huge waves in the sports realm, as she navigates through her path in the WNBA.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.