Former WNBA Owner Kelly Loeffler Says Caitlin Clark Is Being Physically and Verbally Attacked

kelly loeffler caitlin clark — Credit: IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports

It’s taken a little time, but finally more and more people are starting to stick up for the beleaguered WNBA star Caitlin Clark.

This time, former Atlanta Dream owner (and U.S. Senator) Kelly Loeffler is taking up Caitlin’s cause.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue meets with freshman Senator Kelly Loefflet, (R-GA), on February 11, 2020, in Washington, D. C. She succeeds former Senator Johnny Isakson. Loeffler was sworn into office on January 6, 2020. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

Kelly Loeffler: Caitlin Clark is Being Attacked

Kelly Loeffler, who was co-owner of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, weighed in on the controversies.

First, she confirmed that what’s happening to Caitlin Clark is unique. She is being targeted. And as we all saw with the Chennedy Carter episode, what may have started out as typical rookie hazing has taken on a nasty, physical element.

The reasons are probably manifold – leading off with jealousy, and possibly things even darker. But Loeffler argues that targeting Clark is self-defeating behavior. Something akin to killing the Golden Goose that gives you all your glorious Golden Eggs.

Loeffler was responding to a report that U.S. Congressman Jim Banks of Indiana sent a letter to the WNBA’s commissioner asking what the league intends to do about the behavior towards Caitlin Clark.

Take a read:

Important questions. As a WNBA team owner for a decade, I never saw this level of hostility toward one player.

Caitlin Clark may be the best thing to happen to the league, ever. Ten games in, and her stats are better than half the veteran players. Viewership is up. They’re on… https://t.co/3xMaPwpI5J
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) June 5, 2024

Kelly Loeffler Is Right

Is there any doubt she’s right about every part of that? Let’s take a look.

The ladies now get charter flights to games. They’re seeing record-breaking attendance and viewership numbers. With all respect to the women of the WNBA, people are actually talking about the league and the players. And it’s because of Caitlin Clark.

It’s not because of Angel Reese, despite her insistence that it is. It’s because of Clark.

Most people can probably understand the surface feelings of the other players. All of a sudden, here comes a young lady who can ball with the best of them. She’s getting all the news attention. She’s breaking records, and getting massive endorsements from the likes of Nike worth tens of millions of dollars.

I get it, if you’re one of the middling players in the league. But the league itself no longer has to be middling. There’s a player who is well on her way to becoming a genuine superstar, and the rising tide is lifting all boats.

It certainly could be hard to see if you’re viewing the world through rage-colored glasses. But adults and professionals shouldn’t be shortsighted about this.

The silver lining in all this is that so far, Clark is taking everything in stride. She’s acting like a pro, and showing up and doing her job.

And she’s doing it well.