Sports talker Jason Whitlock made a lot of people mad with his words about Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White, her ties to ESPN reporter Lisa Salters, and how the team is dealing with new star Caitlin Clark.
On his show Fearless, and in many posts on X, Whitlock said the Fever can’t make Clark a huge star because of what he sees as a “lesbian culture” in the WNBA. He even said they need a “male heterosexual coach” to help Clark grow and get known.
They’re so captured by the lesbian culture within the WNBA that they’re afraid to build the right kind of team and atmosphere around Caitlin Clark. They need a male heterosexual coach. My preference would be Mark Jackson
Critics over Stephanie White’s coaching decisions
Whitlock did not just focus on genre issues. He hit at Whites choices in games like her call to bench top player Natasha Howard in a tight moment of a game they lost 89-87 against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Howard was doing great, with 21 points from 11 tries, but got switched out for Lexie Hull, a choice Whitlock found odd given the games importance.
“Why did Howard sit out the last play?” Whitlock wrote. “8 of 11 shots made.“
Later, White said the switch was tactical, and she meant to give player Aliyah Boston more room to try and tie the game.
Clark’s role and mentality
Whitlock also targeted Caitlin Clark, saying that even though she is a top talent, she is “emotional like any other woman” and in need of a “safe” and “supportive” space. He hinted that the current team vibe does not help her, and that they worry more about internal issues than using Clarks full skill.
She wants to feel like she is in a safe space and a cocoon of support. Give her what she wants as it will be worth it
Avalanche of criticism against Whitlock
Many users slammed Whitlock’s comments as sexist and homofobic, saying coaching should be about skill, not personal life. Stephanie White, once WNBA Coach of the Year, got the Fever job after they were in the playoffs with Christie Sides. Fans say her personal life with Lisa Salters has never affected her job.
The fuss also brought back talks about the weight on Caitlin Clark, who is now a key face in the WNBA despite new challenges and injuries. She keeps pulling in viewers and is vital for the leagues growth.
While Whitlocks remarks caused a stir, they also show the clash between old-style sports talk and the changing world of pro women’s sports. Whether the Fevers current leaders are right for Clark is a fair thing to ask, but many feel Whitlocks way of putting it tells us more about his own views than the teams path. And we could not agree more. What Pedro says about Paul, says more about Pedro than Paul.
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