Caitlin Clark she's been a lightning rod in contention, often through no fault of her own, since entering the WNBA. But in his third season, the talk around him has reached Indiana Fever levels.
With every call – or no call – around him scrutinized and every comment about him thrown to fit any narrative number, the former NFL player. Emmanuel Acho believes the WNBA might be better off without its biggest star.
“IW, in this meeting over time, will be better without Caitlin Clark because she is a bigger distraction than an addition,” said Acho, 35, on Sunday, June 28 episode of his “Speakeasy” podcast.
It's a bold statement from Acho, considering Clark, 24, is the most popular player in the league and his popularity has helped accelerate the league's growth from steady to meteoric rise since the Fever drafted him in 2024.
“Caitlin Clark has earned the WNBA more than it needs to,” Acho continued. “Now, people are watching. Now, we're seeing that there's a talent at W that's actually much bigger than Caitlin Clark.”
Acho continued to credit Clark with helping grow the league — even incorrectly inviting her on a charter flight — but said the WNBA “doesn't need her anymore.”
“Caitlin got the necessary eyes there, but now that the eyes are there,” he said. “With all due respect, if Caitlin had disappeared from W, she wouldn't have been missed.”
Acho's comments came days later Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury was suspended for one game for making contact with Clark's throat while vying for a loose ball during a game on Wednesday, June 24. The incident sparked intense debate about the severity of Thomas' actions, their intent and broader discussions about the WNBA's executive.
The WNBA had been slowly growing in popularity before Caitlin Clark entered the league, but since her debut in 2024 with the Indiana Fever, that growth has gone into overdrive. Clark's fierce team is in the middle of the WNBA, and one of the legends of women's basketball had a message for them. “Me […]
Fever Coach Stephanie White defended his star during a press conference after the game where he lashed out at the game officials.
“We have a generational talent and a WNBA star with two cheap shots that went undrafted,” she said. “And I repeat, it is absolutely unacceptable.”
Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts He was fired, called for an investigation and suspension of the unit, and in direct response to White's comments.
“One thing, [Thomas] it's not cheap,” he told reporters on Saturday, June 27. “I respect Steph White; I got to know him through USA basketball. I respect her as a coach and a person, and I understand that she is sticking up for Caitlin in this situation. But to say we had two cheap shots in that game to me is ridiculous.”
