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Women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark has been making headlines this week and for all the wrong reasons.

On Tuesday, Time magazine revealed it had named the Indiana Fever guard as its 2024 “Athlete of the Year” for her breakout rookie season in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). While the lengthy article highlights Clark’s record-setting performances in the pros and college, it’s the rookie’s comments on racial politics that are raising eyebrows.

Since entering the WNBA, Clark has endured vitriolic attacks from identity politics-obsessed leftists, who have been quick to attribute her popularity to her race (white) and sexuality (heterosexual). She’s also been on the receiving end of brutal fouls and hits from fellow WNBA players, some of whom are apparently jealous of her success and the attention she’s drawn to the league.

To her credit, Clark has risen above such childish antics and powered ahead with a focus on being the best player she can be — that is, until now.

Speaking with Time, the Indiana Fever guard caved to the leftist mob, denouncing her so-called “white privilege” and claiming the WNBA was “built” by the black players who came before her.

“I want to say I’ve earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege,” Clark said. “A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important.”

“I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing,” she added.

But Clark didn’t stop there. The WNBA player doubled down on espousing “social justice warrior” tropes during an interview at a Time dinner in New York City on Wednesday.

Clark was asked by NBC Sports host Maria Taylor about the criticisms she’s received about her Time comments from figures like conservative commentator Megyn Kelly, who slammed Clark on X for getting “on the knee all but apologizing for being white and getting attention.” While reiterating that she believes she “earned every single thing that’s happened to [her] over the course of [her] career,” Clark quickly followed up by espousing her racial awareness and declaring her “truth.”

“I know what this league was about … it’s only been around 25-plus years, and so I know there has been so many amazing black women that have been in this league — and continuing to uplift them is very important and that’s something I’m very aware of,” Clark said. “I try to just be real and authentic and share my truth and I think that’s very easy for me” [emphasis added].

A Gross Miscalculation

It’s important to note a few key points about Clark’s decision to bow before the leftist mob.

First, it was sadly predictable. It’s difficult for any person — let alone a 22-year-old rookie in a league like the WNBA — to withstand the constant, horrific attacks like those lobbed against her. To do so requires a spine of steel and strong religious and moral convictions rarely seen among many public figures.

Secondly, Clark doesn’t have to apologize for her success. She’s an incredibly gifted player who single-handedly pushed women’s basketball into the national conversation about sports. As the WNBA’s still-terrible ratings have shown, viewers are largely tuning in to watch her — not the jealous, self-aggrandizing players who hate her.

But what Clark fails to realize in denouncing her “white privilege” is that the people she’s trying to appease will never embrace her. No amount of groveling or begging for mercy is going to satiate the mob that views her with utter disdain.

Since gaining notoriety, it’s been mainly conservatives who have defended her against the wave of hostility she’s faced from fellow WNBA players and sports media hacktivists. By indulging leftists’ racialist nonsense, however, Clark is alienating the very people who have stuck by her through it all. As indicated by Megyn Kelly’s aforementioned tweet, it’s a betrayal many of her biggest defenders won’t take kindly to.

Whether by her own idea or at the advice of her peers, Clark made a gross miscalculation in giving the mob exactly what it was looking for. She doesn’t deserve the leftist hate thrown her way. But she shouldn’t expect conservatives to come rushing to her rescue next time it does, either.

Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood