Caitlin Clark, White privilege and me

I have been following the rise of WNBA star Caitlin Clark since her Iowa University days. I am a hoops man myself and I’ve seen so many flashes in the pan, but I knew there was something different, something solid about Clark from the get-go. In her eyes and in the hustle of her game, I could see that she had that determinism, that no-quit factor that the greats have.

 There are others with more talent but not that killer instinct. She has both and that’s what makes her so dynamic to watch — her basketball charisma is undeniable. That is why I was disappointed to hear her tell Time magazine after winning the "Athlete of the Year" that she benefits from White privilege.

The magazine quotes Clark saying: "I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege."

She continued "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…The more we can appreciate that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important."

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There is no doubt that Clark is sincere here. I think one key difference between the way I think and the way she thinks is generational. I have faced more than my share of racism, but I never allowed it to play a role in my identity, in my development. When someone called me a name, that was all them and nothing of me. I took this same attitude to the basketball court where it was win or get off.

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That is why I have issues with Clark saying the league was built on Black players. No, it was built on players and their talents. There are those of us that would argue that people didn’t show up for Sheryl Swoops or Lisa Leslie because they were Black, or because the league was too Black. My counter to this, as a man sitting in Chicago, the land of Michael Jordan, is then why do so many Americans and people around the world embrace Black culture? Why are Black athletes embraced around the world?

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I’m not saying this to be harsh but to acknowledge two realities: 1) Blackness is not an obstacle to fame and 2) it is one of the hardest things in the world to create a commodity that stands out and has an enormous fan base.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) rushes up the court Friday, July 12, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Whether she realizes it or not, Clark has stigmatized her fellow Black athletes as inferior with her comments. She now wants to help "elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing." 

No, stigmatization is not a beautiful thing. It is the year 2024. When are we going to stop letting the Black victimization — White savior symbiosis define us? Did music superstars James Brown or Aretha Franklin — people who suffered true oppression — get saved by whiteness? No, they took their own fate into their hands and found a way.

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All of this race talk began largely with the media and pundits. Many of them said a variation of what Jemele Hill said "We would all be very naive if we didn’t say race and her sexuality played a role in her popularity." She added: "It’s not jealousy. It’s just the fact that in our society, black women are often erased from the picture."

Nobody is erasing Black women. In fact, it was Blacks in the WNBA who decided to give Clark more than a rough welcome. All that did was create more controversy and more eyeballs.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark smiles as she looks to the team bench after making a pass to the basket that lead to a score in the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Dallas Wings Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.  (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

We’ve been through all this before. I remember a reporter asking Red Auerbach, the legendary Celtics owner, if Larry Bird was the new "great white hope." Auerbach looked at his cigar and then said, "No, great hope." 

Bird himself had to deal with these questions his entire career. Most people my age remember when Isaiah Thomas said that if Bird were Black "he would just be another good guy." I remember the way Bird handled it with great character — he refused to take the bait and rode above it all.

Larry Bird #33 of the Boston Celtics looking to pass while being defended by Robert Reid #50 of the Houston Rockets during an NBA basketball game circa 1981 at The Summit in Houston, Texas. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

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That is the discipline that we’re missing from our hyper-racialized society. Clark has picked her path. It is an unfortunate one that will only lead to more racial strife, for it is a beast that never stops feasting.

By the way, it seems that Thomas has learned his lesson. After an amazing game by Clark, he said, "Let it be known that only a special few in our game's history can score while assisting teammates." 

Now, that’s how you elevate people.

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