Filling in Caitlin Clark’s shoes is like stepping onto the Avengers’ jet and being told, “You’re Captain America now.” You either crumble… or you show up like Aari McDonald. She’s got that rare combo of grace under pressure and absolute fire on the floor. Imagine someone getting their name mispronounced the whole interview. Still, smiling through it, dropping the correction with a smile and going forward to average 9.9 pts, 4.5 assists. And don’t sleep on the clutch gene. Her career average is 84.3% from the line, and a perfect 100% in three of the last five. Oh, and while you are reading this, it’s pronounced “AIR-e.” Like the breeze, she leaves defenders (and a certain latest critic) in.

Now, about that critic. It all started when American columnist Jason Whitlock decided to fire off an unsolicited jab at Aari McDonald’s hair. Most likely, he confused her for Kahleah Copper, whose wig once fell off during a Mercury vs. Mystics game. But even that doesn’t justify the tweet he made: “Any female WNBA fans give me an opinion on Aari McDonald’s wig? Looks crazy to me. But I’m no expert.” Whatever you or I are thinking while reading this dissection of the appearance of a woman, Aari was thinking the same. The best part is that she said it out loud. And oh, she educated him in the process.

As per an Instagram post two days ago, there was no wig. The post came from @ski_thehairstylist’s account, where you could see Aari posing, showing off her newly done hair. As the caption said, it was some “Stitch braids + sew in. Hair (3 18 inch),” for any of you looking for details. That made Aari’s response even sharper as she maintained her signature calm. She said, “LOL I usually don’t respond to foolishness like this, but I couldn’t help myself this time. You’re very lame for commenting on a woman’s appearance and for your information it’s not a wig. Don’t make me get @stephenasmith 🤣. Stay blessed 😊”

Turns out the threat of invoking Stephen A. Smith works. Because within eight minutes of her post, the man folded. “I’m sorry, Aari. I sincerely apologize. Great victory.” Spoiler: Aari McDonald wasn’t even reading it by then. She was probably off celebrating that “great victory” with the rest of the Fever. Because, yes, it was a big one. Their fifth straight win, tying the franchise’s longest streak in a decade. And that little Stephen A. reference was not random either. Aari name-dropped him not just because he defends women like Caitlin Clark on air, but because he’s long had beef with her would-be critic: Jason Whitlock.

Stephen A. Smith once went on air and said of Jason Whitlock, “He’s a no good individual. Probably the worst individual I’ve ever had the displeasure of being associated with in any capacity.” That explanation came after Smith called him a “fat b——”. It was probably because Jason Whitlock tore into Smith’s memoir, claiming, “Virtually everything in this man’s memoir is suspect. EVERYTHING.” He doubled down with “How can you be a ‘journalist’ and be this comfortable with lying?” He claimed all of it proudly aired on his show Fearless with Jason Whitlock. Oh, and just to pad his résumé of slander, Whitlock once called Stephen A. a “planted liar” by ESPN. Yes, the same network that once fired him.

While exiting the organization, he said that he was the “thorn in ESPN’s side.” Because it was “the world’s most powerful institution in sports and it needed to be questioned by someone with stature and credibility”. But Aari isn’t the only one Whitlock has criticized.

Not Just Aari McDonald

Whitlock has been using his platform to start fights with pretty much every woman in the WNBA. Take his latest rant about the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts players wore during the All-Star Game shootaround. Jason Whitlock, now 58 and working at Blaze Media (the network co-founded by Glenn Beck), didn’t hold back. He called the players “dumb, desperate, and delusional.” He even trashed the game as “the worst All-Star Game in history,” and dismissed the WNBA as a “charity welfare league.” And of course, he dragged Caitlin Clark into it. Apparently, wearing a T-shirt is enough to set off his podcast rants.

Funny to think that Whitlock went viral last year for claiming that the WNBA survives off the NBA’s generosity. But when players actually push for pay equity, they are being desperate? “This is a sign of how desperate they are,” he raged. “This is a sign of how delusional they are. This is a sign of how dumb they are.” That’s not even analysis. He even compared the performance at the All-Star event a “doo doo sandwich.” Yes, he really said that.

Meanwhile, the players were trying to start a real conversation… one based on facts, not emotions. The WNBA is breaking records in attendance, jersey sales, and media coverage. If that doesn’t justify asking for better pay, what does?