Women's Fastbreak On SI

Christine Brennan Befuddled By Mystics Owner's Caitlin Clark Time Cover Comments

USA Today's Christine Brennan is the most recent member of the media to call Mystics owner Sheila Johnson out for her poorly received comments about Caitlin Clark.
Grant Young|
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the first half against the Connecticut Sun during game two of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Renowned USA Today journalist Christine Brennan — who was at the center of a polarizing discussion during the WNBA season regarding her question to Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington after Carrington unintentionally poked Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark in the eye mid-game — appeared on CNN's "Laura Coates Live" show on Friday to discuss her book about Clark titled "On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports" (which releases in July) along with other stories within the WNBA.

The league's biggest story right now is the much-lamented criticism that Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson had when speaking with CNN Sports on December 13, regarding why she believes Clark should not have been placed on a recent Time magazine cover alone after she won Time Athlete of the Year for 2024.

"I've seen so many players of color that are equally as talented, and they never got the recognition that they should have. And I think right now, it is time for that to happen," Johnson said.

"[On Tuesday], you read Time Magazine, where Caitlin Clark was named Athlete of the Year. Why couldn't they have put the whole WNBA on that cover and said 'The WNBA is the League of the Year', because of all the talent we have?

“Because when you just keep singling out one player, it creates hard feelings," Johnson added.

Christine Brennan called out Johnson for her comments on Friday night, saying, “I know Sheila [Johnson] very well... I have no idea why she said what she said.

"It is, of course, the Athlete of the Year. It's not the League of the Year or the Team of the Year. Caitlin Clark deserves that," Brennan continued. "The impact that she had on the league is extraordinary, the TV ratings, the attendance, the sell-outs, even Sheila Johnson's own team... had the biggest crowd in WNBA history because of Caitlin Clark. And Sheila Johnson knows that.

"I understand the issues she's getting at," Brennan continued. "But why she chose that, when Caitlin has these great answers in the Time magazine piece... Caitlin has been nothing but great on this issue of the Black women who have made the WNBA what it is."

Add Brennan to the long list of people who don't appear to be happy about Johnson's sentiment.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

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.

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