Caitlin Clark achieved a major milestone recently by being named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year for 2024. The Indiana Fever superstar earned this honor after wrapping up an iconic career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, highlighted by a remarkable NCAA tournament run, followed by a historic rookie season in the WNBA. However, not everyone agreed with Time Magazine’s decision.
One notable dissenting voice was Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson. The billionaire entrepreneur argued that Time Magazine should have recognized the entire WNBA instead of singling out Clark.
“This year, something clicked with the WNBA, and it’s because of the draft of players 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 opinion. Among her growing list of critics is Clark’s former Iowa coach, Lisa Bluder.
In a recent interview with “Sports Seriously,” the 63-year-old former Hawkeyes coach delivered a passionate defense of Clark’s impact on women’s sports, urging others to acknowledge her contributions.
“It’s silly to me that anybody’s trying to take away from something that’s so good in our sport right now,” Bluder said. “(Clark) is a person who has helped athletics, helped women’s sports in a way that nobody has helped women’s sports, maybe since Billie Jean King.
“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 Iowa for 24 years, experienced her program’s most successful period during Clark’s time with the team. Under Bluder’s leadership, Iowa made back-to-back NCAA championship appearances in 2023 and 2024.
Having worked closely with Clark, Bluder understands how the 22-year-old’s immense popularity can benefit the entire women’s sports community. She hopes that critics like Johnson will come to appreciate this sooner rather than later.
