It’s barely been two weeks that the Caitlin Clark and All-Star voting saga drummed up a storm. In a move most fans and industry experts couldn’t help but furrow their eyebrows, the Indiana Fever star ranked ninth among guards based on player voting. While she received the most fan votes—a WNBA record with most votes at 1,293,536—alongside Napheesa Collier, clinching the right to captaincy, doesn’t look like her peers were much of a fan, drawing the ire of industry experts. Take ESPN broadcasting veteran Dick Vitale, for example.

In an extremely pointed remark on X on July 1, he wrote, “Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that ⁦ @WNBA ⁩ players voted Caitlin Clark the 9 th best guard . Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA . Charted planes – increase in salaries-sold out crowds – improved TV Ratings”. Soon enough, he doubled down with: “It is ABSURD the way that a # of players in the @WNBA have treated @CaitlinClark22 !So sad but I bet they love the CHARTER FLIGHTS -the increase in SALARIES – the CROWDS -the TV Ratings since she arrived from @IowaWBB . No doubt she is THE BEST – thing to happen to the WNBA .” And if that’s not all…

The 86-year-old also stated how players should submit a petition to the league to “put a STATUE of her in front of the WNBA office”. Well, the irony of the situation is Vitale’s own employer has now landed in hot water among fans for somewhat of the same reason. On July 13, an article dropped hot and fuming on ESPN‘s official website titled, “WNBA 2025: Ranking the 25 best players at the All-Star break”. However, what caught massive attention was how Clark was name-dropped as the ninth-best player (not guard, mind you) in the league, behind list-topping Collier, A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray, Satou Sabally, and Aliyah Boston.

“Clark is a difficult player to assess given her lack of availability due to injury,” read the very first statement/disclaimer under the Fever player’s name, before continuing how she has appeared in 12 games. “Though she is currently amid a shooting slump (13-for-41 from the field and 5-for-19 from 3 since returning from her latest injury), she has shined with her playmaking. She has 19 assists over her past two games, including the 17th 10-assist game of her career Sunday — her first with no more than two turnovers.” Not a bad explanation, isn’t it? Well…

But before we get to what fans had to say, Collier’s name at the top shouldn’t come as a shock. This season’s WNBA MVP frontrunner has been the definition of all-around excellence. She’s been nearly unstoppable, putting up averages of 23.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Meanwhile, questions still linger around the other All-Star captain’s standing.

Many have criticized ESPN for placing her so high, accusing them of “favoritism” and artificially inflating her popularity.

Some fans call out ESPN, some don’t

Caitlin Clark has become a polarizing figure in the WNBA community. While many fans view her as a generational talent and a true phenom, others believe she’s overhyped and not as polished as the attention suggests. For most critics, the issue isn’t with Clark’s actual skills; it’s with the belief that the league and media have made her their “poster girl,” using her as a cover-up for deeper issues they prefer not to address. That frustration only grew when ESPN released its midseason rankings, a move many saw as more about branding than performance.

One fan remarked, “If the people that watch the WNBA for CC stop watching then the league is back to charter planes and empty arenas. CC accounts for 50-75% of a lot of team’s game day revenue. Based on how teams play her, they all think she’s [top] 5”.

Another social media user sarcastically asked, “Stevie Wonder did this list??”

But then there was another fan who commented, “They keep trying to keep Caitlin up high, but her season has been mediocre at best. The CC/WNBA agenda is gonna backfire soon”. Statistically, Caitlin Clark presents a mixed case. She’s averaging 16.7 points per game, along with an impressive 9.0 assists, second-best overall. Her efficiency sits at 37.4 percent, but she’s struggling from deep, shooting just 28.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Defensively, she falls short with a 101.4 rating, though her offensive rating of 108.4 places her among the league’s best. So, on paper, her place in the top 10 can be questioned. But when you watch her on the court, as seen in key games against Dallas and the Liberty, it’s clear she impacts the game in ways that go beyond the box score. That’s where the debate lies. There are two arguments, one built on numbers, the other on presence. And Caitlin Clark exists right between them.

“Fever had 3 player on top 15 and still fighting for playoff spot,” wrote another user. The Indiana Fever currently stands at No. 6 in the WNBA with an 11-10 record and within the playoff spots, as 8 teams make it to the postseason. Aliyah Boston, Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell are the 3 Fever players in the top 15, and the team has been largely inconsistent this season, flirting around the .500 record. Now at .524, they are still not too far from that, as they are just 1 loss away from falling back there. The thing they have most struggled with is consistency.  

“CC being top 10 is just for vibes, and Angel has been a top 15 at worst player, but ESPN cowards,” another fan posted. The conversation around Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese always seems to revolve around comparison. Reese is in the best form of her career, putting up eight consecutive double-doubles and adding value as a playmaker. ESPN has acknowledged her impact, but like Clark, she only leads the league in one statistical category, which is rebounds in her case. Both players had rocky patches. Reese hit her stride after an early-season slump, while Clark appears to be in hers now. At the moment, Reese has the momentum, and when it comes to fan perception, momentum often outweighs memory.

“Clark third best on her team. Reflect that in the rankings,” wrote another fan. It is a point that carries some weight. Kelsey Mitchell remains the Fever’s top scorer, while Aliyah Boston dominates the boards and anchors the paint for a team lacking physicality. Both players also contribute creatively, highlighting the team’s versatility. But, as we said, while Mitchell fills up the stat sheet, Clark’s overall impact goes beyond scoring. And all these criticisms are mostly owed to her shooting slump, which honestly demands our ‘patience’. Stephanie White made the best case for it.  

“I just want her to have a little bit of patience, to give herself a little bit of grace, and to still do the other things that she does so well in the game that affect winning,” White said, via the Indianapolis Star. “Because yes, she’s an elite shooter. Yes, that’s what everybody wants to see. But she makes other winning plays, and she can control those things, and control the things that you can control, continue to work through the rhythm, the timing, the strength, the endurance, and it’s going to come.”

Also, it’s important to remember that Clark isn’t playing at 100% as she continues to recover from injury, all while carrying a massive workload. She’s constantly matched up against the toughest defenders and is always the main focus of opposing game plans. Naturally, that means she’s not getting the cleanest looks, because every team is geared up to slow her down, no matter her current form. “It’s been challenging mentally, just staying in it,” Clark had said recently. “It’s definitely challenging, and I think it’s been so challenging because I’ve never been through it before, so just giving myself grace as I continue to come back and get my feet under me.”

So, yes. Grace. That’s the word.