Caitlin Clark might not have been the best player on Team USA as the Americans took home their fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup title on Sunday, but her contribution was undeniable. While she was part of the second unit, she led her team in assists, plus/minus and ranked fifth in points per game. Head coach Kara Lawson often highlighted Clark for providing momentum to the team. So when WNBA analyst Cindy Brunson skipped Clark’s name while praising the US team players, fans didn’t take it lightly.
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On Wednesday, the former ESPN anchor appeared on the ‘Her Hoop Stats’ podcast with Helen Williams. In her final takeaway from the gold medal win by the Americans, Brunson praised Napheesa Collier and Clark’s WNBA teammate Aaliyah Boston for their contribution to the win. She particularly emphasized Angel Reese’s contribution and her not folding on the world stage.
“The contributions from Phee and Aaliyah Boston, Collier, and the efficient and effective play of Angel Reese… First time big stage, sometimes folks shrink in the light and she loved the light and she was the moth to the light,” Brunson said on the podcast.
Clark averaged most minutes up until the semifinals. Her minutes declined in the last two games as Lawson strategically put her veteran stars to close games. However, the Indiana Fever star never proved to be a liability for her team even when she wasn’t scoring because of the threat she posed to the opposing team’s defense.
“They really sat there and named half the roster like it was a roll call… then just ghosted the one filling every arena. Wild work,” a fan on X said, calling out Brunson when Brick Center shared the podcast clip.
The US team saw major contributions from all of their stars who took the court in all six games they played. All of the players that Cindy Brunson mentioned were not leaders in any of the categories. Reese and Boston both came off the bench, and Collier was part of the veteran starters that Lawson put through all six games.
“CC doesn’t need compliments; her game speaks for herself. They have to spend their energy on propping up others, to try to compare.”
The WNBA analyst has often been called out by the fans on social media for her controversial takes on the Fever stars. Most recently, after the US team won the gold medal, in her now-deleted post, she highlighted Clark’s turnovers while also downplaying her two crucial 3-pointers as shots that made up for her blunder and the second in the fourth quarter as inconsequential because the US team had already taken a significant lead.
“She also didn’t mention the MVP Stewie what she got against YT hoopers?” another fan accused Brunson.
It was a bit bewildering that the former ESPN anchor didn’t mention Team USA’s best player and the 2026 FIBA World Cup MVP. Stewart led her team in points, rebounds, and efficiency. In the last three games, the New York Liberty star led her team on both ends of the floor.
However, it should be noted that the WNBA analyst also didn’t mention Jackie Young, who was one of the best players on the team and the most consistent offensive star. She also didn’t mention Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper.
“Not mentioning her speaks volumes!” one fan said.
In the last few years, Brunson has been more controversial for her take than any analyst usually would be. While it is true that there is extra sensitivity on social media about Clark being left out of a conversation, Brunson has been especially controversial because fans have called her out on multiple occasions.
“Her comments won’t age well either. She will just look sillier and sillier,” another fan targeted her.
Brunson didn’t dismiss Clark, but didn’t mention her either, and that’s what stuck out to many basketball fans. However, she had positive feedback for the three stars that she mentioned, and they deserved that praise.