Sue Bird Says Fans Were Racist Toward WNBA Players Before Caitlin Clark: She's 'Being Used as a Pawn'

Mar. 15, 2025

Sue Bird and Caitlin Clark.Photo:Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Sue Birdis calling out the racism permeating through the WNBA fandom — and defendingCaitlin Clarkamid ongoing discussions about fans slinging racist remarks towards the league’s Black players.

Clark, 22, has been at the center of discussions about racism in women’s basketball since her college days whenher on-court rivalry with Angel Reesebegan making headlines late in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and some fans on social media began hurling racist remarks towards Reese.

The issue has carried over into the WNBA, both as Clark and Reese’s basketball rivalry continued throughout their rookie season and as Clark has shared physical play with other WNBA players on the court — most recently during a game whenDiJonai Carringtonpoked Clark in the eye, and Clarklater elbowedCarrington in the head.

After the Connecticut Sun eliminated Clark and the Indiana Fever from the WNBA playoffs, Sun forward Alyssa Thomas and head coach Stephanie White slammed fans for sending racist messages toward their team on social media.

Caitlin Clark.Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty

Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty

But on the most recentepisodeof Bird’sA Touch Morepodcastwith her fiancée and former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team starMegan Rapinoe, the four-time WNBA champion says she believes racism has existed within the WNBA’s fan base long before Clarkentered the leagueearlier this year.

Caitlin Clark and Sue Bird.Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty

Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty

Like Thomas, WNBA players have been calling out racist and misogynistic vitriol more as the season has continued.

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Last week, Reesedrew a lineand said messages being sent to players that include “anything beyond criticism about playing the game we love is wrong.”

Sue Bird, Caitlin Clark, and Megan Rapinoe.Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty

source: people.com