Caitlin Clark has been the face of the WNBA ever since she entered the league, but not everyone sees her as the league’s only draw. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, a self-declared superfan of Clark, recently argued that the WNBA has plenty of stars who could be just as marketable — maybe even more — than Clark.
That take didn’t sit well with Jason Whitlock.
On his Fearless podcast this week, Whitlock said the league is still very much riding on Clark’s momentum — and no one else is truly stepping up to lead.
“This is a one-person army. Everybody’s standing behind Caitlin Clark pretending like they’re out front and they’re not,” he said.
He added that if the WNBA really had solid footing beyond Clark’s popularity, they wouldn’t be relying on symbolic gestures to show strength.
“If they thought they had really fixed this, solved this, thought they had some real momentum beyond Caitlin Clark, I don’t think they would be wearing t-shirts; they would be far more confident of their position.”
Whitlock pointed to what happened ahead of the WNBA All-Star Weekend as proof. When Clark pulled out just three days before the event, ticket prices plummeted — and viewership numbers took a major hit. To him, it was a clear reminder that Clark is still the heartbeat of the league’s visibility.
“Living Off Entitlement and Charity”: Whitlock Rips Caitlin Clark’s and WNBA’s ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ Shirts
During pregame warmups at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, both Team Clark and Team Collier came out wearing custom shirts that read: “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” The statement turned heads — and sparked plenty of conversation.
While many fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse applauded the players’ message, Whitlock wasn’t buying it. On his podcast, he gave his blunt take on the protest.
“They want to be paid what they’re owed. I think they are owed very little. They’ve been living off of entitlement and charity.”
His co-host, Steve Kim, echoed the sentiment and took it a step further:
“Once again, I’m gonna echo something I’ve said many times. I’ve never seen a league or a culture that is as unlikable as the WNBA from top to bottom.”
For both Whitlock and Kim, the real reason the league is even in the conversation right now is Clark. They argue that the league’s growth — and financial progress — hinges on her presence, not necessarily on the collective push from players for bigger paydays.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
