Clark won the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year

Caitlin Clark

Toxic fan behavior in the WNBA has reached a breaking point, prompting Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark to speak out.

Although Clark has remained relatively silent throughout the season while other players faced racist and hateful attacks, she recently delivered a strong statement condemning the behavior.

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Much of the increased attention to the league has come from Clark‘s growing fan base, making her response all the more significant.

During a Friday press conference, Clark rebuked fans engaging in hateful behavior, labeling them “trolls.”

“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments, and threats. Those aren’t fans; those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league,” Clark declared.

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Clark‘s comments come at a time when numerous WNBA players have been targeted with online threats and racist remarks, including during recent playoff games.

Toxic behavior is in the spotlight of late

The issue of fan toxicity has been a major topic this season, especially after the Connecticut Sun eliminated the Indiana Fever. Following the game, Sun forward Alyssa Thomas shared her own shocking experiences.

“In my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base,” Thomas explained.

Thomas also spoke out about the increase in hateful messages on social media.

Her experience echoes what many WNBA players have faced this season, vile personal attacks and threats, both in person and online.

Clark herself became a target during the playoff series. In Game 1, a foul by DiJonai Carrington left Clark with a black eye, but the physical injury wasn’t the only assault she faced.

After the game, she revealed she had received an email containing racist slurs and violent threats.

On the court, she even confronted a fan in the second row, who was briefly removed by security before being allowed to return.

This isn’t the first time Clark has addressed fan abuse. Earlier in the season, she expressed frustration with the way her popularity had been weaponized to justify hateful behavior.

“People should not be using my name to push those agendas. It’s disappointing. It’s not acceptable,” Clark emphasized.

“Treating every single woman in this league with the same amount of respect, I think, it’s just a basic human thing that everybody should do.”