The Caitlin Clark problem WNBA has to get past: Ryan Ruocco…
ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco, who’s a play-by-play commentator for each the NBA and WNBA, said that people want to really feel more snug being vital of more than just Fever celebrity Caitlin Clark to ensure that the women’s league to develop.
During Thursday’s installment of the “Girls Tripp” podcast, Ruocco explained that he believes people are afraid to analyze gamers in the WNBA who are usually not Clark and Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese.
“For this league to grow, people have to feel more comfortable being critical and it not being a personal attack or hating,” Ruocco said. “And, people have to be vital of more than just Caitlin Clark fairly frankly.
Ryan Ruocco: “People have to be critical of more than just Caitlin Clark…most of the ecosystem feels comfortable being critical about one player maybe two. Angel would be the other. Everybody else people are very afraid to say anything bad about…and that’s not real sports.” pic.twitter.com/bKIBxAjHbs— correlation (@nosyone4) August 28, 2026
“In my opinion, most of the ecosystem feels comfortable being critical about one player, maybe two. Angel [Reese] would be the other. Everybody else.. people are very afraid to say anything bad about even if it’s very small, micro thing. And that’s not real sports.”
Clark, the first total choose in the 2024 WNBA draft, and Reese, the No 7 choose in that draft, are two of the most polarizing gamers in the league.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball during the game against the Chicago Sky on August 23, 2026 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. NBAE through Getty Images
Both have been named an All-Star each yr they’ve been in the league, with Clark taking dwelling the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
Clark is at present in MVP talks.
Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream drives to the basket during a game against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NBAE through Getty Images
Reese’s 27 double-doubles lead the WNBA.
The faculty rivals carried that momentum to the league after Reese and LSU beat Clark and Iowa in the 2023 national title game.
Reese famously waved her hand in entrance of Clark’s face — the “you can’t see me” gesture — when LSU took down Iowa, 102-85 in the national championship.
Clark and Hawkeyes beat Reese and the Lady Tigers in the Elite Eight to advance to the Final Four the next yr.
The pair have been pitted against each other in the league ever since, despite each saying their relationship is a competitive one on the court docket and that nothing is private.
Clark and Reese grew to become faces of the NIL (title, picture, and likeness) period during their respective faculty careers.
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