Controversial podcast host Jason Whitlock has accused black WNBA players of being racist towards Caitlin Clark and slammed networks like ESPN for not talking about it.

The No. 1 overall pick and rookie sensation has been subject to rough treatment on numerous occasions during her first season as a pro, with some accusing her opponents of being jealous of her remarkable impact on women’s basketball.

The latest incident arrived on Sunday when Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith took a cheap shot at Clark after she inspired the Indiana Fever to a 92-75 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Diggins-Smith, an Olympic gold medalist and six-time WNBA all-star, was caught needlessly bumping into Clark at the end of Sunday’s game.

Clark was hyping up the Fever fans after the buzzer when Diggins-Smith appeared to speed up her walk to purposely crash into her opponent.

As it relates to Caitlin Clark, I’ve seen people talk about the racial animus being directed at her all over independent media and social platforms. I have yet to see it be discussed on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/3CSmNav4q1

— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) August 20, 2024

Jason Whitlock has accused black WNBA players of being racist towards Caitlin Clark

Clark has been subject to rough treatment on numerous occasions during her first season

Unfazed, Clark kept walking and celebrating with the victorious home fans but Whitlock insists it was another example of racist behavior by the WNBA’s black players.

He said: ‘One of the biggest stories in sports the last year and a half, and the person to be that should be “Sportsperson of the Year” is Caitlin Clark.

‘What cannot be discussed is the level of racial animus that is being directed at her. If you’re in independent media, if you’re Twitter you can talk about it all the time, but I have yet to see it discussed on ESPN. Like, “holy cow, these hatin’-a** Shaniqua’s”, this is racism.

‘They played the Seattle Storm and Noelle Quinn is the Storm’s head coach. Noelle Quinn got into a heated argument with Christie Sides, the head coach of the Indiana Fever at the end of the game.

‘They got their doors blown off by Caitlin Clark and the Fever and at the end of it, Noelle Quinn starts yelling, screaming, and preaching at Christie Sides. What it was about was at the end of the game, Caitlin Clark, they’re up big, there’s a timeout, she’s down at the end of the court where the Seattle Storm bench is and she’s clapping and motioning to the crowd to keep pumping up the noise.

Skylar Diggins-Smith has been slammed by fans online for taking a cheap shot at Clark

‘Skylar Diggins intentionally bumps into Caitlin Clark and carries her into the Storm huddle and sideline area. You can see at the very end of the clip, Noelle Quinn gets triggered.

‘She gets triggered because she thinks Clark is showing up the Seattle Storm team, but if she had not been bumped into by Skylar Diggins, she would have been nowhere near the Storm bench.

‘To me, it’s just another example of these black women – they got this animosity.

‘It’s not all of them but it’s enough of them that seem to be so bothered by the success of Caitlin Clark that they lose their composure, they lose their self-control, they just get triggered by her success, and it’s like no one is talking about it.’

Clark also experienced some hostility earlier in the season from Chicago Sky opponent Chennedy Carter, who went out of her way to bodycheck her to the ground.

Clark’s college rival Angel Reese was also seen cheering on the play from the bench.

Clark scored 23 points and nine assists to help the Fever beat the Seattle Storm 92-75.

With 232 assists so far this season, Clark broke the previous WNBA rookie record of 224 by Ticha Penicheiro in 1998.

Whitlock claimed Clark is the second-best player in the WNBA behind A’Ja Wilson

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft has scored at least 20 points in five of her last six games. She is averaging 23.7 points on 47 per cent shooting from the field, and 11.7 assists over that span.

Whitlock claimed Clark is the second-best player in the WNBA behind A’Ja Wilson and could be a contender to win the MVP award.

‘If you eliminate the first ten games and just evaluate what Clark’s done the last 18 games, she’s the second-best player in the league, and has a case for MVP of the league if you just evaluate the last 18-19 games.

‘She probably won’t get it next year, but she’ll probably be the best player in the league next year and should be the MVP. Her teammates have jumped on board with her because winning is infectious. They understand a rising tide lifts all boats.

‘But there is this angry group – Noelle Quinn, Jewell Lloyd won’t talk about her. Even Skylar Diggins, who I like, took that little shove at her. They’re just enraged, jealous, and petty, and – I’m just sorry – it’s racist and it’s bigoted.

‘If this were happening to a Black player by a bunch of White players, this would be leading Sportscenter every night and every ESPN talk show.

‘People called me crazy when I said “she won’t be facing death threats like Jackie Robinson”, but this might be more difficult than Jackie Robinson.’