Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever . PHOTO:

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has spoken out against the online commenters using her name to spew racism and misogyny aimed at other WNBA players.

Before tipoff in the Fever’s 91-84 win over the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, June 13, a reporter from The Athletic asked Clark, 22, for her response to the hateful remarks made in her name.

“Yeah, I think it’s disappointing,” Clark said. “I think everybody in our world deserves the same amount of respect. The women in our league deserve the same amount of respect.”

The No. 1 overall draft pick continued, “People should not be using my name to push those agendas. It’s disappointing, it’s not acceptable.”

Clark explained that she “grew up admiring and wanting to be a part of” the WNBA and that “some of the women in this league” were her “biggest idols” growing up.

“Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect, I think, is just a basic human thing that everybody should do,” Clark said. “Just be a kind person and treat them how you would want to be treated. I think that’s very simple.”

Earlier in the day, the WNBA star was asked a similar question but lightly skirted around the topic by saying she keeps her focus on basketball rather than outside noise.

“I don’t put too much thought and time into thinking about things like that, and to be honest, I don’t see a lot of it,” Clark said. “Basketball is my job. Everything on the outside, I can’t control that, so I’m not going to spend time thinking about that.”

Caitlin Clark.

Clark’s initial response to the topic seemingly fell flat with Connecticut Sun guard Dijonai Carrington, who took to X (formerly known as Twitter) with a pointed response.

“Dawg. How one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts,” Carrington, 26, wrote in her post.

“We all see the s—. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury.”

Since she was drafted into the WNBA, Clark’s popularity has brought with it positive and negative discourse around her impact on women’s basketball.

Clark’s introduction to the league sparked debate over a handful of topics, including accusations that other players are committing harder fouls on her, and players like Angel Reese saying the growth isn’t because of just “one player” amid narratives that Clark is the sole reason for the WNBA’s exponential success this season. The online discourse stormed up again earlier this week when the Fever rookie was left off of the Olympic roster.

Clark, though, said she understood the decision.

“Honestly, no disappointment,” Clark said. “I think it just gives you something to work for. It’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation. You remember that, and hopefully in four years when four years comes back around, I can be there.”

Clay Travis Argues Caitlin Clark Is Being Given the Cold Shoulder in the WNBA, Labeling It a “Black Lesbian League”

Clay Travis and Caitlin Clark (Photos via FOX News and Getty Images)

OutKick’s Clay Travis has made claims of WNBA players being mostly lesbian, attributing the hate he believes Caitlin Clark gets to sexuality.

ravis was a guest on FOX News this week, where he discussed the league’s treatment of Caitlin Clark, asserting that she is being discriminated against because she’s heterosexual.

The former Iowa star is being put through a test of fire in her first season and has endured some very rough treatment, having taken a number of hard fouls and cheap shots from her fellow WNBA players over the span of her first few games.

While many reckon there’s a race bias where Clark and the league are concerned, Travis doesn’t believe that’s all there is to it.

“It’s not just race though, it’s also sexuality,” he said. “Caitlin Clark is a white heterosexual woman in a Black lesbian league and they resent and are jealous of all of the attention and the shoe deal that she got. And instead of recognizing the truth, which is great athletes who people care about coming into your league really do get everybody more money.”

Travis went on to state that well over half of the women in the WNBA are lesbian.

“70% lesbian,” he declared. “And I think her having a boyfriend, who by the way said there needs to be an enforcer, creates two different identity politics universes that she doesn’t fit in in this league. They don’t like her cause she’s white and they don’t like her cause she’s straight. And as a result, the league is coming undone around her even though she’s bringing in new fans.”

Clay Travis Is Not The Only One Who Has Referred To The WNBA As A Lesbian League This Week

Travis is not alone in his claims of the WNBA being mostly lesbians. Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett claimed WNBA players are part of a “big lesbian league” while speaking on the ‘It Is What It Is’ podcast this Tuesday.

“The WNBA is a big Lesbian league, right, and no matter how you cut it, no matter how you slice it, everyone isn’t open to seeing masculine and aggressive women play basketball,” he said before host Mase cut him off and made it clear that Clarett’s views did not reflect that of the show.