A’ja Wilson delivers verdict on Caitlin Clark’s ‘white privilege’ backlash as she earns TIME ‘Women of the Year’ award

WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson praised Caitlin Clark for her ‘powerful’ comments acknowledging her privilege as a white woman in the league. 

In December, Clark, who was the first overall pick in last year’s WNBA Draft, was named ‘Athlete of the Year’ by TIME Magazine after her debut season with the Indiana fever saw her smash records and bring unprecedented attention to the women’s league.

However, 22-year-old faced backlash to her interview with the magazine, in which she spoke about ‘white privilege’ that fell her way as she entered the league and drove up the interest levels.

Now Wilson, after a season that saw her claim her third MVP award and become the first WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a single season, has earned her own nod from the magazine.

In her own interview with TIME after being crowned ‘Women of the Year’ alongside friend Jordan Chiles, the 28-year-old branded Clark’s stance ‘powerful.’

‘As a Black woman in the WNBA, we have our struggles in showcasing who we really are,’ Wilson, last season’s MVP, told TIME.

WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson praised Caitlin Clark for her ‘powerful’ comments on ‘privilege’

Clark was honored with TIME’s Athlete of the Year award for 2024 in December

‘A lot of agendas get pushed on a lot of different platforms that may shadow us. You work so hard, but you still have to work 10 times harder just to be seen. So when we can have our counterparts speak up, it speaks volumes to me, because they’re in spaces where my path is never supposed to go.

‘It’s crazy that we’re talking about that in 2025, but it’s real. We see those things as Black women. We see where people stand up and speak for us.’

‘I know [Clark] got a lot of backlash from that, because obviously we live in a world where they don’t want that, and it’s exhausting,’ the Las Vegas Aces star added.

‘But imagine dealing with that and then having to go out and play every single night, having to constantly have to worry, How are they about to downgrade my resume now? What more do I have to do in order to showcase how elite and how serious I take my job?’

Wilson went on to acknowledge her own privilege with her status as a professional athlete allowing her to access spaces other women – black and white – can’t.

‘That’s why I try to speak out as much as I can, but people just see it a different way. That’s OK,’ she said.

‘I just want people to understand that when people can speak up about us as Black women in rooms that we may not be in, that means a lot. Because it’s a little piece of us in there—they can hold that door open for us to walk through. So I’m grateful.’

Clark had said that the WNBA has ‘been built on’ black players and that ‘as a white person, there is privilege‘.

Wilson was crowned  one of TIME’s ‘Women of the Year’ alongside gymnast Jordan Chiles

The 28-year-old earned MVP honors last year after hitting 1,000 points in a single season

The comments sparked controversy online with the likes of OutKick founder Clay Travis and Dave Portnoy criticizing the Indiana Fever superstar.

Jason Whitlock abandoned his support of Clark in a hysterical meltdown, claiming her comments left him in tears, while conservative activist Riley Gaines also weighed in on the debate.

Meanwhile, Washington Mystics owner Sheila Johnson went on a weird rant about Clark during an interview, claiming her TIME award should not have gone to just the league Rookie of the Year.

Clark found herself at the center of a race storm during her first season in the WNBA amid accusations that she was the victim of jealousy and bullying .

Clark won the TIME award after boosting the WNBA’s popularity. Upon her arrival, the sharpshooter inspired a spike in the league’s viewership and attendance numbers.

Her performances warranted the following as she racked up unpresented number and broke standing records .

Before turning pro, Clark built a wide following with the Iowa Hawkeyes, where she led the team to back-to-back title games, despite losing both. She became the first overall pick in the WNBA Draft and helped the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.

Clark secured the Rookie of the Year honor while finishing fourth in MVP voting.