Women's Fastbreak On SI

Fever GM Emphasizes Caitlin Clark's Undeniable Impact Amid Mystics Owner's Comments

Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox discussed her take on Mystics owner Sheila Johnson's controversial comments regarding Caitlin Clark.

Grant Young

Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Perhaps the biggest discussion point of this WNBA offseason has been Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson's take about believing Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark should not have been placed on the Time magazine cover alone (after Clark won Time Athlete of the Year) when speaking with CNN Sports on December 13.

Countless people within the women's basketball community have called out Johnson for these tone-deaf remarks. And the most recent person to offer their opinion about it is Indiana Fever GM Amber Cox, who was interviewed on a December 20 episode of "In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williams".

"How do you respond to [Johnson's] comments, and do you think the [Time] award should have been given to the entire WNBA rather than Caitlin Clark individually?" Williams asked Cox.

"I think Caitlin Clark deserves that award," Cox said. "Through the years... There have been incredible players... Sports to me is generational. We've been at this not very long. Less than 30 years, comparatively, when you're talking about other leagues.

"What Caitlin Clark did, because so many eyeballs were on her, she's a huge multiplier effect of [the league's current growth]," Cox continued. "Because she has so many fans... people are moving games because so many people wanted to see her play..."

Cox then mentioned the impact of players like Angel Reese and Cameron Brink along with Clark before adding, "The identity and how much brand recognition these players now have in college absolutely helped the WNBA.

"But we've never seen anything like Caitlin Clark."

Cox is certainly correct about that last sentiment.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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