More than a week after Alyssa Thomas’s fist-to-throat foul against her, Caitlin Clark finally came out to address the wave of controversy, abuse, and threats that had emerged in the aftermath. Just as many voices had been calling for her to speak, she did exactly that. However, for Former ESPN Anchor Cari Champion, that address simply did not cut it.

Speaking on Tuesday’s episode of her Flagrant and Funny podcast, co-hosted with Jemele Hill, Champion made clear she found Clark’s response insufficient, for two major reasons. First, she believes Clark took far too long to address the situation. And when she finally did, Champion felt she insinuated that the story had gone on longer than it deserved to. And that’s a framing that did not sit well with her at all. 

“Her whole point was that she was surprised that it lasted in the news cycle for so long,” Champion said. “And for her to act like it wasn’t going to be in the news cycle was just disappointing to me. It was a complete lack of awareness. Because Caitlin, you are aware of the fact that you are an avatar for a group of people who want to spread hate.”

Beyond the timing, Champion also took issue with the tone and substance of what Caitlin Clark actually said. She felt that it lacked the specificity and genuine emotion the moment called for. 

“She did address it. I did like what she had to say,” Champion said. “I just wish it was more specific, much more like, not on my watch. Maybe a little more heartfelt.”

That said, it is worth noting the context of what Clark had been dealing with leading up to that address. The back injury she sustained in the game where the Thomas foul occurred had kept her sidelined ever since. And as WNBA analyst Rosalina Lee suggested, there may have been a significant mental and emotional toll running alongside the physical one. As she also said in her address, she does have emotions too.

Also, Clark actually devoted a meaningful portion of her media availability to the issue. And yet, she still did not reach the level of specificity that Champion appeared to require.

Perhaps a direct mention of Alyssa Thomas by name, or a more explicit reference to the Phoenix Mercury, was what Champion wanted. But even at that, it is hard to escape the feeling that no matter what address Clark had delivered, some level of criticism was always going to follow.

Former ESPN Anchor Slams WNBA Leadership, Says Alyssa Thomas Controversy Is “Beyond Caitlin Clark”

While Cari Champion did find an issue with Caitlin Clark’s address of the Alyssa Thomas situation, she is equally clear that the responsibility for handling the wave of abuse and threats that followed was never Clark’s burden to carry in the first place. In Champion’s view, that responsibility sits squarely with WNBA leadership, and by her assessment, they failed it entirely.

“I honestly am disappointed with WNBA leadership,” Champion said. “I think that this is beyond Caitlin Clark. Cathy Engelbert is running around picking up the phone, calling people to tell them they’re All-Stars.” 

The imagery Champion painted was direct and deliberate. A commissioner visibly preoccupied with the celebratory business of All-Star announcements while one of the most serious and sensitive situations of the WNBA season was spiraling without meaningful leadership intervention.

For Champion, the priorities were simply wrong. Instead of treating the mounting threats and abuse directed at Alyssa Thomas and her Phoenix Mercury teammates as a matter of urgent institutional concern, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert appeared focused elsewhere. And even when a statement eventually did come, prompted in large part by Thomas herself publicly calling out the commissioner’s silence, Champion considered it too little, too late, and insufficiently forceful for the gravity of the moment it was responding to.