Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has been in the headlines quite a bit over the last few days through no fault of her own.
Clark, who hasn’t played a game since July 15 because of a groin injury that ended her season, was dragged into the spotlight because of derogatory remarks made about her by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
During her end-of-season media availability, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier made it known to reporters that Engelbert told her Clark “should be grateful” she makes $16 million through her endorsements because she wouldn’t make anything without the WNBA’s platform.
Clark was asked about Engelbert’s comments during her own end-of-season press conference on Thursday, to which she gave a telling response.
More Basketball: WNBA Commissioner ‘Likely’ Out After Napheesa Collier, Caitlin Clark Remarks
“I have great respect for Phee…she made a lot of valid points,” Clark told reporters. “Phee said it all. … This is straight-up the most important moment in this league’s history.”
If Clark really wanted to stick it to Engelbert, she could.
The upstart 3-on-3 Unrivaled basketball league has been after Clark to join for quite some time, and after reports of the “Lionel Messi-like” offer the league threw her way, she could likely ask for whatever she wanted to join in Year 2 and she’d get it.
Multiple reports indicated that Unrivaled offered to make Clark the highest-paid player in the league with a reported salary in excess of $1 million last year—more than 12 times her $78,000 WNBA salary—which she turned down.
More Basketball: WNBA Commissioner Breaks Silence on Napheesa Collier-Caitlin Clark Controversy
And while the league likely would’ve pursued her just as aggressively this offseason, it was reported by Front Office Sports on Thursday that Clark will turn it down a second time.
“Caitlin Clark will not play in Unrivaled this winter, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Front Office Sports,” FOS’ Annie Costabile, Dennis Young and Margaret Fleming wrote.
Clark shares an agent with Collier, who’s one of Unrivaled’s co-founders. And while her mind appears to be made up, it’s also possible she could have a change of heart before the league kicks off its eight-week schedule in mid-January.
