Safe to say tensions were running high ahead of Game 3 between the Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever. So much so that what was supposed to be a lighthearted moment between Caitlin Clark’s teammates Raven Johnson and Myisha Hines-Allen turned into a public apology from the Fever rookie to A’ja Wilson. As the WNBA world reacts to it, broadcaster Robin Lundberg believes it to be an unnecessary angle.
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“I don’t think Raven Johnson has anything to apologize for. She didn’t do anything wrong.” Lundberg said on his YouTube channel.
The apology in question was produced after Johnson made some comments with Hines-Allen during the pregame media session ahead of the do-or-die clash against the Aces in the first round. The two were joking around that MHA had a reputation for adding fuel to the fire on the hardwood.
“Everybody, the media, the people want to know what started that, whatever happened last game,” Johnson asked Hines-Allen during the interview.
“You know I live for chaos. It’s something I do. Okay. And you know I do that too, right? It ain’t like it was out of the ordinary. Right. You know, I’m just a rage baiter, that’s all I am,” MHA replied to Johnson’s question.
“And you do it with such a smile on your face,” Johnson added, supporting MHA’s comments.
While none of them referenced A’ja Wilson, the incident Johnson asked MHA about came late in the first quarter in Game 2 between her and the four-time MVP. With the Aces leading 15-13, Hines-Allen called a personal foul against Wilson while she was defending her.
That was not all. Following the whistle, MHA pushed Wilson from behind, cementing her “rage-baiting” comments from the interview. There was a brief exchange between Hines-Allen and Wilson, but other players intervened before the matter escalated.
And after the Aces won the series against the Fever, Hines-Allen took to Instagram stories and wrote, “Love beats hate…” This was a direct reference to A’ja Wilson’s mom holding this same sign and parading through the Michelob ULTRA Arena after her daughter’s victory.
Regardless, following this exchange and Johnson giving leverage to MHA’s rage-baiting comments, the Fever rookie took to X and apologized to her fellow South Carolina Gamecock, Wilson.
“I sincerely apologize for the comments I made during the video with MHA. What I said was wrong, and I take full responsibility for my words. I have nothing but love and respect for my big sister 4 life A’ja, and I truly wish her nothing but the best.” Johnson wrote.
For Lundberg, the broadcaster reiterated that Johnson had nothing to apologize for and hoped the rookie was not forced into making the public apology.
“And look, even if she felt compelled to apologize, I can’t stop her. I’m not saying like if that’s what she felt in her heart, fine. But I hope she wasn’t bullied into apologizing or feeling she had a responsibility to apologize because she didn’t do anything wrong.” Lundberg said.
As for the woman of the hour, Lundberg feels there is a notion that, just because A’ja Wilson is one of the best players in the world, people never stop prefacing it whenever talking about her. He then went on to criticize Wilson following her infamous altercation with an Indiana Fever fan, which was another unique Game 2 storyline involving her after the exchange with MHA.
With less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, a foul was called on Sophie Cunningham after she was trying to set a screen on Wilson. As the Aces star was walking towards the basket, a fan got up from his seat and started pointing towards Wilson.
According to witnesses, the fan was gesturing that the foul should have been on Wilson, not the Fever guard. Wilson did not take the pointing gesture kindly and stepped outside the court to confront the fan, while pointing back at him. The situation was about to escalate further if not for Wilson’s teammates stepping in.
“She wasn’t a victim in that situation. Nothing happened to A’ja Wilson. She caused it. I mean, if anything, she owes the fan an apology.” Lundberg said.
The Aces-Fever was an eventful series, to say the least, with a lot of angles going on at the same time. In the end, A’ja Wilson got the better of Caitlin Clark and co., knocking the Fever out of the playoffs in consecutive seasons. The reigning champions are once again favorites to lift the title, and the Golden State Valkyries are next in line to face them.