The WNBA’s All-Star voting returns are in and the Indiana Fever have swept the early results. But not everyone is cheering. Caitlin Clark, the Fever’s rookie sensation and arguably the most polarizing figure in the league right now, is leading the voting by a mile.
Alongside her, teammates Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and even Lexie Hull have landed spots in the top 10. But with growing fan power has come growing criticism and now even A’ja Wilson‘s circle is weighing in with some pointed commentary.
Michael McManus, a friend of Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, took to X on Thursday to fire off a sharp metaphor after the voting results were posted.
“WNBA fan voting shaping up like the 2024 election, league went from being liberal to MAGA in a very short time, jk jk jk jk,” McManus wrote.
Fans question logic of top vote-getters
Among the names drawing side-eyes is Lexie Hull. Though a solid player and contributor for Indiana, Hull‘s season stats (9.1 points per game) aren’t typically All-Star-worthy. But she benefits from proximity to Clark, who has brought a tidal wave of attention and new fans to the Fever and the league as a whole. Critics argue that Hull‘s spot is more about the Caitlin Clark Effect than actual performance.
Aliyah Boston also finds herself ranked higher than A’ja Wilson in fan votes, despite Wilson having a statistically superior season. Boston is averaging 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, solid numbers-but they pale compared to Wilson’s 20.8 points and 10.1 boards, not to mention her clear MVP-level impact for the Las Vegas Aces.
To many, it’s a sign that the All-Star vote is becoming more of a popularity contest than a celebration of on-court excellence. And while fan voting has always had a subjective component, the tension between legacy stars and media darlings has reached a new peak this season.
A’ja Wilson has not commented publicly on the All-Star voting itself, but she has previously hinted at discomfort with the way narratives around the WNBA are being shaped in the Caitlin Clark era.
As the top player on the two-time defending champions, Wilson has long stood at the center of the league’s elite, but Clark‘s arrival has caused a seismic shift in media and fan focus.
Read the full article here
