You just cannot keep Caitlin Clark out of the discussion when it comes to the WNBA. Labelled as the ‘Face of the WNBA,’ Clark’s statement has had a detrimental impact on the league. With her impeccable performances and star power, the league has burst into prominence since last year. With legends like Cal Ripken Jr. complimenting Clark, her fame quotient is slowly transcending the basketball boundaries. Unfortunately, this season has come as a bitter disappointment. And with the Fever star out of the league, Etan Thomas has come up with a reality check.
The 2024 rookie star was supposed to exceed her performance from last year. Sadly enough, Clark’s groin injury limited her gametime to only 13 games. And while her injury has drawn significant criticism, Thomas has a shocking reason detailing the cause.
Etan Thomas Terms Caitlin Clark Fans ‘Toxic’
Thomas, Michael Jordan’s former teammate, emptied his mind on paper. Reflecting on the Fever star’s situation, Thomas empathized with Clark for her season-ending injury. However, in his article for The Guardian, Thomas stated that the 23-year-old’s fans do not care about her health. He also claimed that rather than looking at Clark as a basketball athlete, her fans perceive her as a symbol—a symbol to spread hatred on social media.
“The mob (Caitlin Clark’s fans) that has turned her into a political totem does not care about her health or her wishes. “To her most toxic followers, she is not a player but a symbol: the ‘great white hope,’ the damsel under attack from jealous Black opponents. With her sidelined, those narratives lose their fuel,” Thomas wrote.
To her most toxic followers #CaitlinClark is not a player but a symbol: the “great white hope”, the white damsel under attack from jealous Black opponents. With her sidelined, those narratives lose their fuel and that’s why they’re mad https://t.co/ILPz8LaBBK pic.twitter.com/xkSztoALgH
— Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) September 8, 2025
He also stated how the Fever star has asked on numerous occasions not to use her to promote white-supremacy or racism. Surely, such bold words might soon cause a swarm of reactions online. Meanwhile, despite missing out on the season, Clark tried to cheer Fever up with a heartfelt message. And owing to her heroics on the court, Clark earned praise from Natalie Nakase.
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Natalie Nakase Praises Caitlin Clark Despite Her Injury-Ridden Season
Clark just had 13 games before her groin injury got the better of her. However, despite her prolonged absence, her previous deeds were enough to draw her significant respect from opposing coaches. The Golden State Valkyries faced the Indiana Fever recently. And Natalie Nakase’s girls triumphed with a scoreline of 75-63. But despite the Fever falling short, Nakase was full of praise for their frontline star.
“Obviously, without Caitlin, the scoring onus is put on everyone else a little bit more because she can shoot obviously from the logo. She has increased her game on so many levels, and obviously her passing has always been there,” Nakase said in the pre-game interview.
Thankfully, Stephanie White and her team have finally managed to cope with Clark’s absence to some extent. Playing without many of their first-team players, the Fever clinched the playoff spot with a depleted side. And now, the team will surely look to honor Clark by coming up with some more surprises.