Latest news with #WNBARookieoftheYear
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nike Accused of Failing Caitlin Clark by Former Employee
Nike Accused of Failing Caitlin Clark by Former Employee originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When it comes to popularity in women's basketball, Indiana Fever second-year guard Caitlin Clark is surely on top of the list. Advertisement Her college clashes at Iowa saw her headline two of the most-watched women's college basketball games ever, with her 2024 Elite Eight win over LSU attracting as many as 16 million viewers. In the same year, she attracted 2.4 million viewers in what is dubbed to be the most-watched WNBA Draft. She has more than lived up to the hype in the WNBA, winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year award last season and being one of the front-runners for MVP this season. Although she's currently considered to be one of the faces of the league, Clark is missing something off the court that Angel Reese, her classmate, possesses. Earlier in the week, it was announced that the Chicago Sky forward is set to release a signature sneaker on June 4 with Reebok. Although Clark has an eight-year deal with Nike worth $28 million, fans have been underwhelmed with the sporting apparel giant's efforts to capitalize on Clark. Many have begun questioning why Clark doesn't already have a signature shoe, and fans aren't the only ones voicing their displeasure. Former Brand Marketing Director for Nike Basketball, Jordan Rogers, took to social media to shred his former employer's handling of Clark. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to the action Saturday.© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "You have the single biggest needle mover in all of American sports since Michael Jordan, and you have somehow convinced yourself that you need to slow-play this," said Rogers. Advertisement Rogers also questioned their efforts to market less popular NBA players more than Clark. "I am so confused as to how you would be so invested in the WNBA for several years and you've been doing great work trying to elevate and uplift that league and many of the athletes," Rogers said. "But this seems like you have convinced yourself that this needs to be an either-or conversation. And we never have an either-or conversation in the men's sports, you have like 10 signature athletes, half of them don't deserve a signature shoe." Rogers expressed that he thinks Nike is afraid of the possible backlash it'd face due to the controversy surrounding Clark in the media. However, he did point out how companies such as Gatorade, State Farm and Wilson have all done a much better job in maximizing the value of the WNBA's "unicorn" superstar. Only time will tell if Nike gets the message, but the demand is there. Related: Paul George Doesn't Hold Back on Caitlin Clark's Trash Talk This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Sun finally enter win column while injuries pile up for Fever
Marina Mabrey scored a season-high 26 points, fueling the Connecticut Sun to their first win of the season in an 85-83 victory over the Indiana Fever on Friday in Indianapolis. Mabrey made 10 of 17 shots from the floor for the Sun , who overcame squandering a late 15-point lead to hand the Fever their third straight loss and second without Caitlin Clark. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year is expected to sit out at least two more games due to a strained left quad. Connecticut's Tina Charles scored 18 points to offset 11 turnovers and Saniya Rivers collected 12 points and six assists. Olivia Nelson-Ododa collected eight points and nine rebounds for the Sun, who shot 51.7 percent from the floor. Indiana's Aliyah Boston scored 17 points while dealing with foul trouble, while Kelsey Mitchell and former Sun star DeWanna Bonner each had 13. Mitchell, however, was unable to make an off-balance 3-point attempt as time expired to end the game. Sophie Cunningham scored 10 points off the bench before sustaining an apparent ankle injury with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. She did not return. Sydney Colson, who replaced Clark in the starting lineup for the last two games, injured her left leg after getting tangled up with Sun guard Jacy Sheldon while vying for a loose ball with 1:17 remaining in the first quarter. Colson did not return to the game. Bria Hartley sank a 3-pointer and Haley Peters converted a three-point play to extend Connecticut's lead to 74-59 early in the fourth quarter before Indiana ignited a 16-0 run. Bonner drained a pair of 3-pointers before Boston converted in the paint to give the Fever a 75-74 lead with 3:16 to play. The Sun regained their composure, as Rivers sank a pair of free throws and joined Hartley on back-to-back 3-pointers before Mabrey made a long jumper to stake their team to an 84-81 lead with 1:15 to play. Mitchell made a layup with eight seconds to go, but her attempt to win the game was off target. Field Level Media
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Short-handed Fever looking for more fight vs. 0-5 Sun
The Indiana Fever will look for a better result as they deal with the absence of superstar Caitlin Clark when they host the winless Connecticut Sun on Friday in Indianapolis. With the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year sidelined due to a strained left quad, the Fever struggled to find their footing and dropped an 83-77 decision to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday. Indiana's Sophie Cunningham labeled the loss a "gut punch," while fellow guard Kelsey Mitchell continued the fight analogy. "We weren't sharp enough to be a contender for anything ," Mitchell added, per ESPN. "I think getting punched in the mouth early is humbling, because it shows where we need to be." Offseason acquisition DeWanna Bonner scored a team-high 21 points for the Fever. The six-time All-Star signed a one-year contract with Indiana after spending the previous five seasons with Connecticut. Sydney Colson scored four points in 31 minutes while starting in place of Clark, who missed a regular-season game for the first time in either her professional or collegiate career. Clark is expected to be out for at least two weeks after sustaining the injury in Indiana's 90-88 setback to the New York Liberty on Saturday. The Sun won't feel sorry for the Fever. Connecticut fell to 0-5 for the first time since the 2020 season after dropping a 109-87 decision to former UConn star Paige Bueckers and the previously winless Dallas Wings on Tuesday. "Until we understand what we're capable of doing and not capable of doing, we will play like that," Sun coach Rachid Meziane said, according to the Hartford Courant. "I've said many times that we have to play as a team, and playing as a team is both sides offensively and defensively. ... At the end of the day, we didn't put our heart on the court. We didn't make the effort to just have a chance to compete." Former WNBA MVP Tina Charles scored a season-high 27 points and Marina Mabrey added 19 in the loss against Dallas. Mabrey is questionable for Friday's game due to an ailing right quad. Field Level Media
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WNBA star Caitlin Clark is a showstopper in Baltimore, even without playing
Caitlin Clark wanted to document this night like everyone else. About 90 minutes before tipoff between the Washington Mystics and her Indiana Fever at Baltimore's CFG Bank Arena, the 2024 No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick emerged from the tunnel meeting a quiet gym. This was the first time she'd been sidelined for a regular-season game in her professional career. Clark wore a Nike windbreaker and matching Air Maxes with a digital camera tied around her wrist. Advertisement She snapped flicks of her teammates warming up and snuck up on coaches to capture this Wednesday in Baltimore. That's how most others in the gym felt, too — even if the luminary sharpshooter never put on a uniform. It was announced last month that a pair of Mystics-Fever games were being moved from the 4,200-seat CareFirst Arena to CFG Bank Arena, which seats 14,000. Wednesday was the first, with the Mystics winning 83-77 in front of an announced crowd of 11,183. Sept. 7 in the same gym will be the rematch. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was, and will again be, the main draw. Folks who bought tickets the day they went on sale shelled out hundreds of dollars per seat. By game day, two days after the Fever that announced Clark's quadriceps injury would hold her out for at least two weeks, StubHub offered seats for less than $10. Even without the game's headliner, there were still Fever fans — and more specifically, Clark fans — braving the misty May weather. Advertisement 'I knew she was gonna come on the trip. She's not the type to sit at home,' said Melissa Kramer, a 30-year-old from New Jersey waiting patiently at the front of the line more than two hours before tipoff. 'And she knows that people spend time and money to see her in general, just to be in the environment with her. I knew she was coming and I knew it wouldn't be a problem.' Clark set down her own camera and made her way off the hardwood and into the stands, flanked by what could've been mistaken for a documentary crew. A gym that looked bleak moments earlier suddenly felt smushed. Fans of all ages rushed to the front row for a peak at one of the faces of the WNBA. Clark grabbed a Sharpie and started stretching her fingers, well aware of what she was about to get herself into. She signed shirts, jerseys and posters for 12 minutes. She posed for many pictures. One little girl reached her hand through the railing and probably won't be washing that marker off anytime soon. Someone had a copy of Clark posing for the cover of Time Magazine's December 2024 issue. Another fan held up a sign sending Clark 'healing vibes,' acknowledging that it was still the best birthday present of her young life. A basketball court is 94 feet long. Clark signed autographs well beyond both baselines, her John Hancock filling up the length of the gym for fans draped over the railing behind the benches. Advertisement Mystics vs. Fever in WNBA game at CFG Bank Arena | PHOTOS Why so generous with her time? Fever coach Steph White didn't want to speak for her star player, 'but Caitlin was that little girl that watched this league,' she said. 'And when you are that little girl who eventually gets to live out her dreams, you want to empower the next generation of players. You want to give that hope to the next little girl that's in the stands to accomplish their goals and their dreams.' Mystics veteran Brittney Sykes shared in that sentiment: 'Just being able to bring this game here is so much more than basketball. Now we've been able to show the little girls that are closer to Baltimore that, 'OK, you have a possibility to go to the league.' We would love for them to come all the way to DC, but that's the whole point of us trying to expand.' Advertisement Among those dreamers lucky enough to reach out toward their hero was a quartet of travel basketball teammates whose parents drove them down from Pennsylvania. Ten-year-olds Cece Geesey and Harper White, 9-year-old Daphne Fuhr and 7-year-old Paige Fuhrman met the hooper who is to them, what Taylor Swift is to millennials, or Michael Jordan to basketball fans of the 1990s. The girls pooled their allowance together for these tickets. One made a sign explaining how allowance is $15, the going rate for cotton candy is $10, and tickets to see No. 22 on the bench are 'Pricey' with a frown. There were no frowned faces after meeting Clark, even if just for a moment. 'It was the best!' one shouted. 'So cool,' another chimed in. They all spun around to show proof of signature, having followed Clark's rocket-ship ascension the past few years. Even with Clark sidelined, these elementary school pals were lined up before the gym doors opened. Kramer was too. She's been a fan since watching Clark, then an Iowa freshman, bury a half-court shot against Ohio State. 'I thought, 'I don't know how this can't be real,'' Kramer said. She's seen Clark play six times. She got a picture with her hero in the middle of that lengthy queue. Advertisement There were Mystics fans who made the short drive for this game, too. There might have been more had this not been on weeknight (the rematch is a Sunday afternoon). But the Baltimore gym flooded with Clark supporters, wearing Fever gear. Or Iowa gear. Or both. None more on the nose than the red Fever T-shirts that read, 'Every game is a home game.' Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@ 410-332-6200 and
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark injury update: When Will Indiana Fever WNBA star return from quad injury?
The Indiana Fever announced some bad news on Monday, as Caitlin Clark will be out for at least two weeks with a strained left quadriceps muscle. The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year has gotten off to a good start to her second season, averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers in 34.9 minutes. Given her impact as a scorer and playmaker, Clark's absence will leave a significant hole in the Fever's offensive attack. How will Indiana compensate for the absence of its offensive focal point? How long will Clark be on the sidelines? Let's take a quick look at the situation in Indiana, with the Commissioner's Cup on the horizon. WNBA: Dallas Wings-Media Day WNBA Player News Advertisement Check out Rotoworld's newly-launched WNBA Player News section, the best place to keep up to date with transactions, injuries, and game results around the W this season! How did Caitlin Clark get injured? The exact timing of Clark's injury is unknown. She dealt with a left leg injury during the preseason, sitting out Indiana's May 3 opener against the Washington Mystics. However, that was the first of two games in as many days for the Fever, who face Brazil's national team in Iowa City the following day. Clark was on the floor for her "homecoming," playing 19 minutes and finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, one blocked shot and four three-pointers in the blowout victory. Clark also played 23 minutes in Indiana's preseason finale against the Atlanta Dream on May 10. Fever coach Stephanie White said during her availability on May 27 that this injury is not related to the leg issue that Clark dealt with during the preseason. Clark played 38 minutes in Indiana's two-point loss to the Liberty on May 24 and would then undergo an MRI on her quad. The strain would be discovered then, sidelining the point guard for at least two weeks. When will Caitlin Clark return from injury? The two-week timeline means she will miss at least four games, starting with Indiana's road contest against the Mystics on May 28. Also falling within that timeframe are games against Connecticut (May 30), Washington (June 3) and Chicago (June 7). It should be noted that this is only until the Fever re-evaluates Clark's injury, so the potential remains for her to miss more time, depending on what the doctors see. Who will be asked to fill the void in Caitlin Clark's absence? Fever head coach Stephanie White said on Tuesday that veteran Sydney Colson will move into the starting lineup. Signed as a free agent this offseason, Colson has championship experience, having won titles with the Las Vegas Aces during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, her playing time was limited, with her most recent average being 8.0 minutes per game during the 2024 campaign. Colson filled a similar role to begin this season, averaging eight minutes per game in three appearances. Her playing time clearly will increase with Clark sidelined. Advertisement Another name to know is that of Sophie Cunningham, who was acquired from the Phoenix Mercury in February as part of a trade that involved a staggering 10 teams. Having missed Indiana's first two games with an ankle sprain suffered during the preseason, Cunningham has averaged 7.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 three-pointers in 20.0 minutes. Kelsey Mitchell, a starter who earned All-Star honors last season, stands to be of even greater importance to the Fever with Clark out, especially with Colson not being much of a scorer. Also, Lexie Hull has gotten off to a good start, averaging 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 three-pointers through Indiana's first four games. The Fever offense will look different with Clark out of the lineup, but they have enough talent to compensate for her absence, especially with the moves made during the offseason. UPDATED 2025 WNBA MVP ODDS (from DraftKings Sportsbook) Napheesa Collier: -170 Caitlin Clark: +240 A'ja Wilson: +700 Kelsey Plum: +6000 Breanna Stewart: +6000
