CNN’s Abby Phillip says GOP lawmakers are supporting Caitlin Clark ‘only’ because she’s White.
Several lawmakers have written to the WNBA over the handling of Caitlin Clark, but two CNN talking heads this week believe it is racially motivated.
Members of Congress wrote a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert demanding accountability and answers about Clark’s conduct on the court, including numerous errors.
Appearing on CNN’s “Table for Five,” former ESPN anchor Cari Champion said the letter was “definitely disrespectful,” saying Clark’s on-court behavior is nothing new in the WNBA.
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Abby Phillip said Caitlin Clark gets support from GOP lawmakers “only” because she’s white. (Slaven Vlasic, Juan Ocampo/Getty Images)
“This is coming from people who have never watched sports, obviously, never watched women’s basketball. They probably love Caitlin Clark more than the actual game itself, or an Indiana Fever fan. What happened to Caitlin has been happening since the beginning of the WNBA. These women play hard. They play hard. It’s a sport,” Champion said.
Champion also said it was “disrespectful” to the lawmakers to suggest that the treatment could be racist, because it “leaves a long history of women who supported this league and started this league who were Black.”
“70% of the people in this league are LGBTQIA and Black, so they’re sitting here thinking, why now, because we’ve been playing this game that we’ve been playing, do people want us to be investigated for doing what we’re supposed to do? Can you imagine going to work every day, trying to do your job, but you’re afraid you’re going to be attacked and get death threats?”
Abby Phillip chimed in, saying lawmakers supported Clark because of his race.
CONGRESSMAN EXPLAINS WHY HE SIGNED WNBA’S LETTER DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK’S TREATMENT.
“The problem with Caitlin Clark is that she is a professional. She is very good at what she does. However, the attention she gets from Republicans and the government seems special because she is White,” he said.
“That’s the only reason,” replied the Champion.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever passes the ball to 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 quality environment.”
“As Commissioner, you have a responsibility to ensure that every player competes in a safe and professional environment, on and off the court, without violence, discrimination, or retaliation,” the lawmakers wrote. “If discrimination or retaliation occurs and creates 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 may constitute a violation of federal human rights laws.”
The letter concludes by urging the league to take drastic action.
“The league has an incredible opportunity to inspire the next generation of female athletes to pursue athletics, but that opportunity is diminished if the rising stars are not adequately protected,” the letter reads. “Your fans deserve better, and so do the young girls who look to the WNBA as an example of excellence, sportsmanship, and opportunity.”
Clark recently went after the WNBA, saying it needs to do a better job of protecting its players on and off the court.
Indiana Fever players Lexie Hull (10), Caitlin Clark (22), and Damiris Dantas (12) celebrate after a 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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