Megyn Kelly slams Caitlin Clark over comments about white privilege

Caitlin Clark has always shined, and the woman with the vast world of women’s basketball on her shoulders has never shied away from it. Not from the attention, not from the scrutiny, not from her deep belief that she too is walking on the shoulders of giants.

And she always attracted trouble for that.

In interviews for her Time Magazine Athlete of the Year cover story, Clark spoke at length about the racism behind her rise to fame in a sport and league historically dominated by black women.

And Megyn Kelly was disgusted.

“Look at this,” the media personality wrote in a post to X on Tuesday. “(Clark) is down and almost apologizing for being white and drawing attention. The self-flagellation. The “Oh (please) pay attention to the black players who are REALLY the ones you want to celebrate.” Condescending. Fake. Transparent. Sad.”

Clark said in her interview to Time: “I want to say I deserve everything, but as a white person there is privilege. A lot of the players in the league who were really good were black players. This league is kind of built on them.

“The more we value that, highlight it, talk about it and then continue to have brands and companies invest in the players that have made this league so incredible, I think the more important it is. “I have to keep trying to change that.

“The more we can promote black women,” Clark concluded, “that will be a beautiful thing.”

In numerous media appearances, Clark has cited the Black players who developed the game: Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Dawn Staley and Maya Moore.

Her legacy cannot be disputed, but her influence pales in comparison to Clark’s.

The narrative that women’s basketball is “having a moment” is as pervasive as the setting of records. Record on the pitch. In television ratings. At the box office. In sponsorship income. In merchandising sales. The list goes on.

And as this narrative has grown, so has the racist narrative. The theme has – and always will – play a large role in Clark’s story.

The moment this narrative blossomed into the cultural consciousness came as time expired on the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball title game.

Angel Reese of the soon-to-be national champion LSU Tigers pointed to her knuckle, showing Clark the spot where her championship ring would sit, and also made a “you can’t see me” gesture.

The taunt changed Reese’s life. Clark’s too.

The alleged rivalry between Reese and Clark has since been a constant theme throughout the sport’s booming growth.

“I don’t understand that at all,” Clark said. “We’re not best friends by any means, but we treat each other very respectfully. Yes, we had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when did she protect me?”