*Emmanuel Acho is drawing attention for a blunt take on Caitlin Clark’s place in the WNBA’s future.
On his “Speakeasy” podcast, Acho argued that Clark’s impact has reached its limit. Although he credited the Indiana Fever guard with helping expand the league’s audience, Acho said the conversation around her now overshadows the product on the court.
“The W, at this junction in time, would be better off without Caitlin Clark because she is a bigger distraction than she is an additive,” the former NFL player said.
Acho framed Clark as a player who helped open the door for wider interest in the WNBA. In his view, that attention has already exposed fans to the league’s broader talent pool.
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“Caitlin got the necessary eyes there, but now that the eyes are there, we don’t necessarily need her anymore,” he said.
He also connected Clark’s arrival to several major changes across the league, including charter travel, a new collective bargaining agreement, and larger player contracts.
“Caitlin Clark has gotten the WNBA players past the proverbial Red Sea. Chartered planes, new CBA, new max contracts. With all due respect, if Caitlin disappeared from the W, she wouldn’t be missed,” Acho said.
Clark’s entrance into the league in 2024 coincided with a dramatic surge in attention for the WNBA. Games drew larger crowds, broadcasts reached new highs and merchandise demand grew sharply. The league also landed a media-rights deal reportedly valued at more than $3 billion.
For critics of Acho’s argument, those gains make it difficult to separate the league’s current momentum from Clark’s presence.
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