*The WNBA is experiencing something it has long deserved: unprecedented attention. Attendance is rising. Television ratings are climbing. Corporate sponsorships continue to grow. New fans are discovering a league that has produced Hall of Fame-caliber talent for nearly three decades.
Yet success has exposed another reality. It has also amplified old conversations about race, gender, respect, media narratives, and who receives credit for building institutions.
Recently, Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson expressed frustration over the online racism directed toward WNBA players, saying, “It’s getting to a point now where enough is enough.” Her comments echoed concerns that many players have voiced as the league’s popularity has increased. The WNBA has acknowledged the issue, investigated reports of online abuse, and announced initiatives intended to combat hate directed at its athletes.
Wilson’s comments should not be dismissed as simply another social media moment.
They deserve thoughtful consideration.
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At nearly the same time, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar entered another heated debate by questioning the increasingly common claim that Caitlin Clark is already “the face of the WNBA.” Abdul-Jabbar argued that describing Clark that way overlooks the accomplishments of veteran stars such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, and Alyssa Thomas—players whose excellence helped elevate the league long before Clark arrived.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar knows something about greatness.
A six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, six-time NBA champion, nineteen-time All-Star, the league’s former all-time leading scorer, Olympic gold medalist, and one of basketball’s most accomplished figures, his perspective deserves consideration even when people disagree with it.
Some critics, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, characterized Abdul-Jabbar’s comments as jealousy. I see it differently.
This debate is not really about Caitlin Clark.
It is about history.
Clark has been phenomenal.
She has become one of the league’s biggest attractions, increased television audiences, broken assist records, and brought millions of new fans to women’s basketball. None of that should be minimized.
Neither should the work of the women who built the league before her.
Every successful movement has pioneers.
Michael Jordan elevated the NBA, but he stood on a foundation built by Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson.
Likewise, Caitlin Clark’s emergence comes after decades of contributions from Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Maya Moore, Candace Parker, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and many others.
History is cumulative.
Rarely does one athlete build an institution alone.
Another important issue deserves attention: officiating.
Throughout this season, conversations surrounding Clark have frequently centered on hard fouls, inconsistent officiating, and player safety. Those discussions should not become personal attacks against officials, but they should prompt thoughtful questions about whether the league’s continued growth requires greater investment in full-time officiating, expanded training, and additional accountability. As revenues increase, expectations naturally rise for everyone involved—including referees.
As a social historian, I also recognize that sports have never existed in isolation from American society.
Race, economics, media attention, and gender have long influenced which athletes receive endorsements, television exposure, and public recognition. Those realities deserve honest discussion without reducing individual players to symbols of larger cultural debates.
Clark did not create those dynamics.
Neither did A’ja Wilson.
Both deserve to compete without becoming targets of online hate or being forced to carry broader political arguments on their shoulders.
The Apostle Paul reminds us:
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
— Philippians 2:3 (ESV)
Likewise, Proverbs teaches:
“To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.”
— Proverbs 18:13 (NIV)
Perhaps both verses offer wisdom for today’s sports conversations.
Listening matters.
Perspective matters.
Respect matters.
The WNBA does not have to choose between celebrating Caitlin Clark and honoring A’ja Wilson.
It does not have to diminish Breanna Stewart to applaud Napheesa Collier.
It does not have to rewrite history to embrace the future.
The league’s continued growth depends not on dividing generations of players but on recognizing that today’s popularity rests upon yesterday’s sacrifice.
Caitlin Clark may become the defining player of her generation.
Time will determine that.
But Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s larger point remains worthy of discussion: before we crown the newest star as the face of a league, we should remember the women whose excellence built the stage upon which she now performs.
That is not jealousy.
That is historical perspective.
Suggested Reading
- ESPN: WNBA coverage and A’ja Wilson’s comments on online abuse — https://www.espn.com/wnba/
- Newsweek: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar weighs in on the Caitlin Clark debate — https://www.newsweek.com/
- The Sporting News: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the “face of the WNBA” discussion — https://www.sportingnews.com/
Edmond W. Davis is a social historian, media strategist, professor, and documentary host. Davis is the founder of the National HBCU Black Wall Street Career Fest. This native of Philadelphia, PA, his wife, and his son currently live in the Little Rock, Arkansas, area. Davis is committed to cultural empowerment and educational equity through storytelling and civic engagement. In 2026, Davis was a grand marshal at the 38th Annual African American History Month Celebration Parade, the largest in the U.S. during Black History Month.
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