WATCH: Pat McAfee goes nuclear on Caitlin Clark criticism, his choice of words to describe the WNBA superstar overshadow the message

There’s no denying that Caitlin Clark has been THE REASON for the evolution of women’s basketball and the WNBA after she was select No. 1 overall in the 2024 draft by the Indiana Fever.

Pat McAfee, who spent his entire NFL career playing for the Indianapolis Colts before retiring and becoming a member of the media while still residing and hosting “The Pat McAfee Show” from Indianapolis has been heavily involved in the Caitlin Clark conversation dating back to March Madness.

Yesterday, he used his platform to address the on-going discussion about Caitlin Clark, among other players in the WNBA, and the media.

McAfee opened his show by discussing in-game rivalries before pivoting into the “evolution of success and popularity in the WNBA” – thanks to a rookie class of players that include Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, and of course the biggest name of them all, Caitlin Clark.

Pat McAfee’s epic Caitlin Clark rant

Monday's Pat McAfee Show opened with a Caitlin Clark PowerPoint:

"I would like the media people that continue to say, 'This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class'. Nah, just call it for what it is — there's one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar." pic.twitter.com/psGNQXts5O

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2024

“I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘this rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class,’ nah, just call it for what it is,” he said. “There’s one white bitch for the Indiana team who is a superstar, and is it because she stayed in Iowa and put an entire state on her back and took a program from nothing to a multiple-year success story? Is it because she would go on to break the entire points records in the history of the NCAA? Not just the women’s record by Kelsey Plum, but also ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich’s dude’s record as well. Is there a chance that people just enjoy watching her play basketball because of how electrifying she is, what she did, what she stood for, how she went about going what she went for? Maybe.

“But instead, we have to hear people say that we all like her because she’s white and she’s only popular because the rest of the rookie class is doing what they’re doing. Well, that’s a bunch of bulls—t and we think that WNBA — most specifically, their refs — need to stop trying to screw her over at every single turn. What you have is somebody special and we’re lucky she’s here in Indiana.” [Pat McAfee]

Listen, obviously calling Caitlin Clark a “white bitch” was the wrong choice of words here from Pat McAfee. That’s something that everyone can agree with regardless of what side of the conversation you’re on when discussing Caitlin Clark, the WNBA, or women in general.

It’s unfortunate that McAfee chose those words when making his point because what he was saying is actually the correct message.

I’m not giving Caitlin Clark all of the credit for the emergence of the WNBA but I wouldn’t blame anyone who did. She has been the lightning rod that has taken the WNBA from an irrelevant subsidiary of the NBA to a legitimate professional sports league that’s packing arenas and making national headlines on a nightly basis.

Caitlin Clark is a true pioneer of the women’s basketball, WNBA movement. There’s no denying that and I think it’s important that the discourse surrounding her and the rest of the league is looked at from both angels, with the “takes” being made criticized or praised solely based on the game of basketball.

Hear me out.

Let’s look at the play from Chennedy Carter the other night where she took a “cheap shot” on Caitlin Clark. While the play was in fact a cheap shot, I really don’t think the outcry on social media was warranted.

On sight, this is just professional sports and fierce competition, right? You want to bump an opposing player and knock them to the floor in a basketball game? By all means – go ahead and make it happen. We see it constantly in the NBA and keep the game and conversation around it moving through the headlines.

The cheap shots on Caitlin Clark are an embarrassment for the WNBA. This player should be suspended.

Clark is the only reason I’m even watching a WNBA game right now. What a joke. pic.twitter.com/iUagyHYgLK

— Jake Asman (@JakeAsman) June 1, 2024

Again, if this happened in men’s basketball, it would be praised. We see it in football, baseball, and hockey all of the time and people watch the clip, share it, and move onto the next thing that happens in the game.

For Caitlin Clark and the WNBA? It becomes political discourse in a conversation that somehow transforms into one about race and women playing basketball.

Who the hell wants to talk about all that when trying to enjoy a basketball game?

Literally nobody, and the comments made following the game by Chennedy Carter and her teammate Angel Reese definitely don’t help the conversation.

Following the game, instead of just acknowledging that it’s basketball and competitive nature, Chennedy Carter takes the stand and ignites an even bigger fire, taking the conversation even further away from the game of basketball, by making comments like the ones below.

Chennedy Carter on the sequence with Caitlin Clark in the 3rd quarter: “I ain’t answering no Caitlin Clark questions.”

Full clip: pic.twitter.com/4bRnyXgPjV

— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) June 1, 2024

It’s just stupid and really, it shows the lack of experience that the WNBA has in dealing with being in the national sports conversation.

I for one, hope we can get past all of the bullshit surrounding Caitlin Clark and the rest of these talented basketball players and just enjoy the game.

Just hoop. The headlines and attention will follow. It’s really that easy.

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