Jason Whitlock is adding fuel to the simmering racial tensions in the WNBA by equating white superstar Caitlin Clark to an African-American slave.
âCaitlin Clark is âKunta Clark,ââ the sports podcaster said, likening the WNBAâs Rookie of the Year to the enslaved protagonist of Alex Haleyâs 1976 bestseller, Roots. âSheâs the actual slave that everybody else is exploiting for their benefit.â
Whitlockâs comparison followed a series of attacks on African-American players, whom he painted as âangry Black feminists.â
He specifically called out Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese and Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas, both of whom have been vocal about the racist comments directed at players by fans.
âAngel Reese is included at the top of that list, and now Alyssa Thomas is like âlet me get my piece,ââ Whitlock said.
Jason Whitlock says Caitlin Clark is a âslaveâ who black WNBA players are âexploitingâ
Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark has called for racist fan abuse in the WNBA to stop
Whitlock also accused the Sunâs Dijonai Carrington of intentionally poking Clark in the eye during a recent game â something the Indiana Fever guard has rejected.
âCaitlin Clark got poked in the eye and injured, black eye, you can still see the black eye,â Whitlock said Friday, as quoted by Fox Sports Radio 790.
Following the most successful regular season in league history, the ongoing WNBA postseason is at risk of being overshadowed by controversy. While many Clark supporters have accused the league of conspiring against its biggest star, a number of players have voiced frustrations about racist fan abuse, much of which appears to come from Clark supporters.