Caitlin Clark Fans Drag Cam Newton Over JuJu Watkins Superiority Stance
Former Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton has been an outspoken advocate for the WNBA in recent months, even asserting that he believes women's basketball will surpass baseball in global popularity in the future.
However, Newton has found himself in hot water among Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark's fanbase over recent comments he made during a March 21 episode of the 4th and 1 with Cam Newton podcast.
"JuJu [Watkins] is a better athlete than Caitlin Clark," Newton said. A bit later on, he added, "JuJu is a bigger baller than Caitlin Clark. I said it. And it has nothing to do with Black and the White. But the statistics say what everybody needs to be knowing.
"That ain't to say that Caitlin Clark ain't good because she is ******* phenomenal," Newton added. "She has been what the game has been missing, and I love that for her. And if I'm speaking facts, that's what the facts is."
Why isn’t JuJu Watkins getting the same media love as Caitlin Clark?@CameronNewton thinks she’s actually the better player — but she’s missing one thing: a rivalry the media can obsess over pic.twitter.com/ELJJ9L5Orw
— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) March 24, 2025
Newton didn't cite whatever facts or statistics he was referring to in the full video. And that's just one reason why Clark fans are coming at him in the comments.
"This topic is tired. Juju is good and she’s getting far more media coverage than Clark got as a sophomore. Juju is not the player Clark is. And that’s ok! Let the girl just play ball," one fan responded.
This topic is tired. Juju is good and she’s getting far more media coverage than Clark got as a sophomore. Juju is not the player Clark is. And that’s ok! Let the girl just play ball.
— Catherine (@Catheri21143812) March 24, 2025
Another fan added, "If you are arguing that JuJu Watkins is better at basketball than Caitlin Clark right now you're making the argument in bad faith!
"If you're arguing on potential, go ahead... But in March 2025 there is a Grand Canyon sized gap between a 23 year old CC and 19 year old JuJu".
If you are arguing that JuJu Watkins is better at basketball than Caitlin Clark right now you're making the argument in bad faith!
— Mick (@DBGyt_) March 24, 2025
If you're arguing on potential, go ahead... But in March 2025 there is a Grand Canyon sized gap between a 23 year old CC and 19 year old JuJu https://t.co/lS1wO1tCAi
"I don’t know how many times I have to say this what happened with Caitlin Clark was an anomaly and totally organic. You can’t replicate it. You can’t force it. It happens in all sports it’s just first time in women’s basketball & people don’t know how to react," added a third.
I don’t know how many times I have to say this what happened with Caitlin Clark was an anomaly and totally organic. You can’t replicate it. You can’t force it. It happens in all sports it’s just first time in women’s basketball & people don’t know how to react. https://t.co/8TwQ6sgu7T
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) March 24, 2025
Newton certainly knows which topics to touch upon if he wants to get the women's basketball community's attention.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.