Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark responded to the latest controversy involving her and Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter.
Speaking with reporters on Friday, Clark ended any potential future beef with Carter, who blindsided the No. 1 pick to the court roughly a week ago. She balked at the idea that an apology was necessary, saying there were “no grudges.”
“It’s just not where my focus is,” Clark said. “That’s not what I think about on a day-to-day basis. I think about my team, ways I can get better.”
Clark was honest and forthright in her opinion of the situation, seemingly saying it was much ado about nothing and everyone needed to move on. Furthermore, she doused the flames even more by praising Carter’s play on the court.
“She’s having a tremendous season — In my eyes, probably in first place for Sixth Player of the Year,” Clark said. “She’s been great off the bench for them. She had 25 here last night and really helped them win the game.”
The hype Clark has received from college to the pros is unprecedented. Predictably, that’s led to a harmful discourse on both ends of the aisle.
Clark has been a target during her time in the WNBA. Some have downplayed this, and there are questions about her teammate’s role in all of this. But it’s still in the league’s hands to address a situation that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver admitted went deeper than basketball.
So far, the league has been mostly silent, which has resulted in players like Carter having to deal with unruly encounters with fans. It seems that, for now, Clark and others will have to steer the discussion where it should be.
“Sometimes it stinks how much the conversation is outside of basketball and not the product on the floor and the amazing players – how good they are and how great this season has been for women’s basketball,” Clark told Christine Brennan of USA Today.
