Another WNBA Star Whines Because She's Not As Marketable As Caitlin Clark: '100 Percent About Race'

Stop me if you've heard this one before - A WNBA star isn't happy that Caitlin Clark is getting so much attention, and thus can only conclude it's due to racism.

Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, a two-time WNBA champion and three-time league MVP, insists her perceived lack of marketability is "100 percent about race."

We know this because she commented in a massive New York Times write-up about getting her own signature shoe from the global athletic footwear and apparel company Nike.

Got that? Not marketable. It's because she's black. By the way, here's my new $100 pair of shoes.

Wilson pulled absolutely no punches when discussing why she is not viewed as a top commercial prospect, despite having a far more fleshed-out career full of athletic accomplishments.

“It’s 100 percent about race,” she said, according to the Times. “And it’s one of those things where we can sit there and say that all the time, but there’s going to always be someone that’s like, ‘Well, no you’re just making it about race.’”

A’ja Wilson blames racism for her lack of popularity.

The most popular athletes in US history are black: Jordan, Tiger, LeBron, Ali, Kobe, Tyson, Mayweather, Serena, etc.@_ajawilson22, the reason you aren't more popular is because you are a whiny, entitled, race-obsessed brat. pic.twitter.com/anPqOL7L9t
— Bobby Burack (@burackbobby_) May 12, 2025

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark Doubles Down on Her White ‘Privilege’

What makes her comments fascinating is that the Times references controversy over Clark having had a deal with Nike made public, a deal that included her signature shoe. The media rushed to judgment when the news was announced, painting a narrative that only race could have led to a rookie white girl from Iowa getting such a deal, while the established black star had not.

Here's the thing, however. It turns out Wilson actually had already been told that Nike was going to make the Aces star's A'One line of sneakers several months before they had reached an agreement with Clark.

And she kept quiet about it, allowing the media to run wild with speculation. Clark's shoe, which has not been released yet, was an example of racism, and Wilson let that idea marinate in the public discourse.

“It was very hard for me to navigate, only because in the back of my mind I’m like, ‘Yes, I know a shoe’s coming, but I really have nothing to share,’” Wilson said. “And to constantly be in those conversations and constantly having my name dragged through the mud and having my résumé dragged through the mud is really hard.”

Meanwhile, Clark was the one having her name dragged through the mud, painted as a recipient of white privilege, all while Wilson knew the reality behind the scenes all along.

Wilson has been harassing the Indiana Fever sensation over race from day one, behavior unbefitting of someone seeking to be the face of the league. Even before Clark set foot on a WNBA court, Wilson claimed the attention given to the Iowa native was due to her being white.

“It doesn’t matter what we all do as black women, we’re still going to be swept underneath the rug,” Wilson told the Associated Press. “That’s why it boils my blood when people say it’s not about race because it is.”

Those comments were included in a TIME column naming Clark the 2024 Athlete of the Year.

Caitlin Clark is TIME's Athlete of the Year https://t.co/WtgLuIIYhb pic.twitter.com/oGDewhUPcB
— TIME (@TIME) December 10, 2024

It doesn't help that Clark feeds into the stupidity, setting off a firestorm in that same TIME column by stating she is the beneficiary of 'white privilege.'

“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege,” Clark said. “A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been black players. This league has kind of been built on them.”

She doubled down on the insanity during an appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.”

"I definitely have privilege," Clark insisted. "I’m obviously White, but I think … I’m somebody that grew up a huge fan of this league. I grew up watching this league, going to games, supporting this league. So, I know where this league comes from."

"A lot of Black women that grew up making this league what it is."

Great. Acknowledge them. Praise their accomplishments. But don't apologize for your own achievements or suggest they're somehow less because of the color of your skin. How much privilege is involved when you're the only one in the league who must explain your popularity while other players try to denigrate everything you do?

That's the opposite of privilege.

As for marketing being a racially driven practice, two of the biggest, most marketable stars in the sport's history are black—LeBron James and, of course, the GOAT, Michael Jordan.

Jordan is number one on the list of richest athletes of all time, with inflation-adjusted earnings topping $4 billion according to Sportico. Jordan’s endorsement deals have been a significant part of his financial success, with his partnership with Nike, including the Air Jordan brand, being the most lucrative. Nike never went out of their way to give John Paxson and Steve Kerr their own shoe because they were white, despite being integral pieces to Jordan's success.

Jordan's personality made him marketable. Wilson has the game. In many ways, she has the all-American background and story. She does not have the personality.

Constantly belittling another star who is actually upping Wilson's profile by drawing eyes to the WNBA is an example. The incessant whining is tiresome.

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