The ESPN personality got himself into hot water with his comments on Clark.
ESPN host Pat McAfee publicly apologized after calling WNBA star Caitlin Clark a “white b****” on Monday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show. McAfee said he intended to compliment Clark for standing out from the rest of the WNBA’s rookie class, but his comments were taken the wrong way.
“I shouldn’t have used ‘white b****’ as a descriptor of Caitlin Clark,” McAfee posted to social media after the show aired. “No matter the context .. even if we’re talking about race being a reason for some of the stuff happening.. I have way too much respect for her and women to put that into the universe.
McAfee continued: “My intentions when saying it were complimentary just like the entire segment but, a lot of folks are saying that it certainly wasn’t at all. That’s 100% on me and for that I apologize… I have sent an apology to Caitlin as well. Everything else I said… still alllllll facts.”
“I would like the media people that continue to say, ‘This rookie class, this rookie class, this rookie class.’ Nah, just call it for what it is: there’s one white b**** for the Indiana team who is a superstar,” McAfee said.
Clark had another controversy erupt earlier this week after her highly-publicized matchup with Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese. Clark and Reese met for the first time when Iowa and LSU faced off in the NCAA National Championship Game two years ago.
That matchup sparked a heated rivalry both players downplayed publicly, but seems to always bubble up after the pair play on the court.
Chicago forward Chennedy Carter shoulder-checked Clark to the ground during Indiana’s 71-70 win, ultimately resulting in a Flagrant 1 foul.
Reporters asked Carter and Reese about their physical play against Clark after the game. Reese said she has no problem being the “bad guy” and that the WNBA is bigger than Clark.
“It all started from the national championship game, and I’ve been dealing with this for two years now,” Reese said, via WGN9 News.
“I understand that negative things have probably been said about me. But, honestly, look at where women’s basketball is. People are talking about women’s basketball. People are pulling up to games. We’ve got celebrities are coming to games.
I’ll take the bad guy role. I know I’ll go down in history. The reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person. I want y’all to realize that.”
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Clark leads all WNBA rookies in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game on 35.7% shooting from the field and 29.7% shooting from the 3-point line.
She’s contributed all over the court but has struggled with turnovers at times during her first 11 games in the league, averaging 6.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 5.3 turnovers per game.
