Caitlin Clark achieved a major milestone recently when she was named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year for 2024. The Indiana Fever star earned the honor after concluding a legendary college basketball career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, highlighted by a memorable NCAA tournament run, followed by a record-breaking rookie season in the WNBA.
However, not everyone supported Time Magazine’s decision. Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson voiced her opinion, suggesting that the entire WNBA should have been featured instead of singling out Clark.
“This year, something clicked with the WNBA, and it’s because of the draft class that came in,” Johnson told CNN. “It’s not just Caitlin Clark; it’s (Angel) Reese as well. We have so much talent out there.”
Johnson, recognized as
America’s first Black woman billionaire, has faced significant backlash for her remarks. Among her critics is Lisa Bluder, Clark’s former Iowa coach.
In a recent interview with Sports Seriously, the 63-year-old retired coach defended Clark’s impact on women’s sports.
“It’s silly to me that anybody’s trying to take away from something that’s so good in your sport right now,” Bluder said. “(Clark) is a person that’s really helped athletics, helped women’s sports in a way that nobody has helped women’s sports, maybe since Billie Jean King.
“H So let’s get on the bandwagon and help make her life a little bit easier because she is helping all of us… When Caitlin’s light shines on her, it shines on all of us. And I think everybody else needs to embrace that a little bit better.”
Bluder, who retired in 2024 after coaching the Hawkeyes from 2000 to 2024, experienced her most successful seasons during Clark’s time with the team, leading Iowa to back-to-back NCAA championship games in 2023 and 2024.
Having worked closely with Clark, Bluder understands how the 22-year-old star’s popularity can elevate the entire sport. This is the realization she hopes people like Johnson will come to appreciate sooner rather than later.
