Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 25
Boomer Esiason Urges Caitlin Clark to Leave WNBA After Injury and Alleged Disrespect
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 25

Boomer Esiason Urges Caitlin Clark to Leave WNBA After Injury and Alleged Disrespect

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 25

Summary

  • Boomer Esiason said Thursday that Caitlin Clark should consider leaving the WNBA for an overseas league that would give her “royal treatment” and higher pay.
  • The call followed Indiana’s latest physical game against Phoenix, after which Fever coach Stephanie White said officiating failed to protect Clark and called the treatment “absolutely unacceptable.”
  • Esiason tied the issue to what he called jealousy and a lack of respect for Clark, while also raising the possibility of alternative leagues or foreign teams that many WNBA players join in the offseason.
  • The report notes those options may not offer less physical play, and leaving the WNBA could weaken Clark’s U.S.-based endorsement value even as the league’s new labor deal lifts salaries.

Insights

Does the intense debate over Caitlin Clark's treatment ultimately help or hurt the WNBA's long-term growth?
With WNBA salaries soaring, is the argument for stars to play overseas for 'real money' now obsolete?
Does Caitlin Clark face unique disrespect, or is this the standard welcome for any superstar in a hyper-competitive league?