Numerous lawmakers wrote a letter to the WNBA over the treatment of Caitlin Clark, but two talking heads on CNN this week believe it’s racially motivated.
Members of Congress wrote a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert demanding accountability and answers regarding Clark’s treatment on the court, which has included numerous hard fouls.
In an appearance on CNN’s “Table for Five,” former ESPN broadcaster Cari Champion said the letter is “really, really disrespectful,” claiming Clark’s treatment on the court is nothing new in the WNBA.
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Abby Phillip said Caitlin Clark gets backing from GOP lawmakers “exclusively” because she is white. (Slaven Vlasic, Juan Ocampo/Getty Images)
“This is from people who one haven’t watched sports, obviously, have never watched women’s basketball. They’re probably more so a fan of Caitlin Clark than the actual sport itself, or a fan of the Indiana Fever. What has been happening to Caitlin has been happening since the inception of the WNBA. These women play tough. They play hard. It’s sports,” Champion said.
Champion also said it was “disrespectful” of the lawmakers to say the treatment was potentially racially motivated, because it “leaves out a long history of women who supported this league and started this league who were Black.”
“70% of the people in the league are LGBTQIA and Black, and so they literally are sitting here thinking, well, why now, because we’ve been playing the game that we’ve been playing, are people demanding that we be investigated for doing what we’re supposed to do? Can you imagine going to work every single day, trying to do your job, but fear that you’re going to be attacked and get death threats?”
Abby Phillip chimed in, saying that the lawmakers only backed Clark because of her race.
CONGRESSMAN EXPLAINS WHY HE SIGNED LETTER TO WNBA DEMANDING ANSWERS ON CAITLIN CLARK’S TREATMENT
“The problem with Caitlin Clark is that she is a superstar. She’s great at what she does. However, the attention that she’s getting from Republicans and from government seems to be exclusively because she is White,” she said.
“That’s the only reason,” Champion replied.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever passes the ball against Dearica Hamby #5 of the Los Angeles Sparks during the second quarter of the game at Crypto.com Arena on July 8, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
The letter said “the face of your league” is subject to “repeated acts of unnecessary physical hostility and violence,” and Engelbert has a responsibility to ensure every player competes “in a safe and professional environment.”
“As Commissioner, you have an obligation to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, both on and off the court, free from violence, discrimination, or retaliation,” the lawmakers wrote. “If discrimination or retaliation is occurring and creating a hostile work environment, we support any appropriate investigation by the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If true, such conduct could constitute violations of federal civil rights laws.”
The letter concluded by urging the league to take stronger action.
“The league has an extraordinary opportunity to inspire the next generation of female athletes to pursue athletics, but that opportunity is undermined when its brightest stars are not adequately protected,” the letter reads. “Your fans deserve better, and so do the young girls who look to the WNBA as a model for excellence, sportsmanship, and opportunity.”
Clark recently went after the WNBA, saying it needs to do a better job of protecting its players both on and off the court.
Indiana Fever players Lexie Hull (10), Caitlin Clark (22), and Damiris Dantas (12) celebrate after the game against the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 9, 2026. (Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
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OutKick’s Amber Harding contributed to this report.
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