"This is an encouraging sign they're acknowledging" - Colin Cowherd believes Caitlin Clark is no longer viewed as a threat by fellow WNBA players originally appeared on Basketball Network .
Ever since Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA, the league has experienced a meteoric rise in viewership, fandom, ticket sales, and marketability. While media outlets were quick to credit the Indiana Fever guard for revitalizing a league that many felt had been stagnant for years, several players developed a sense of resentment toward her.
Since the spotlight fell solely on her, fellow WNBA players felt as if her arrival alone was being framed as the savior of the league. However, after Clark was voted as the future face of the league by fellow players, in a recent poll, sports analyst Colin Cowherd thanked the stars that CC is finally receiving the love and respect she deserves from those around her.
Initially, while Clark was basked in the media spotlight and public praise, some WNBA veterans were understandably frustrated with the narrative that she had put the league on the map alone. It wasn't as though they weren't working hard enough or had a unique personality.
Cowherd acknowledged this sentiment but also pointed out that after months had passed, players were only starting to realize how Clark's presence benefited them. Whether through sold-out arenas, sponsorships, or broadcast exposure, Caitlin's image and name are helping the WNBA reach a certain platform, at which other players have a better chance to show their potential.
Speaking on his show, Cowherd compared Clark's rise to prominence and the difficulty she had been facing to that of young athletes like Mike Tyson, Tiger Woods, and LeBron James. Everybody knows they have the talent, but it's hard for the veterans to acknowledge their rapid ascension in fame.
"In a stunning development, WNBA players are acknowledging, ' Caitlin Clark 's really good.'" started Colin. "WNBA players were polled on who is going to be the face in the league in five years, and the runaway vote was Caitlin Clark with 55 percent of the votes.
"In an industry… from the employees to go from 'ignored' to 'widely discussed and criticized' is really difficult. It was a tsunami of attention. So, you went from in the shadows to in the spotlight," Cowherd said with a bright smile on his face on "The Herd." "This is an encouraging sign they're acknowledging, 'Yeah, she's the face of the league.'"
While bringing financial growth and visibility to the league is significant, Clark's next focus should be earning respect purely through her on-court accomplishments. If she wants to be recognized among the all-time greats, especially at such a young age, she needs to win, and win big.
Championships, MVPs, and postseason success will be the true markers of greatness. If she does that, the Fever rising star might leave no room for her critics to argue otherwise.
Nevertheless, as Cowherd pointed out, at least slowly and steadily, Clark is no longer conceived as a villain or a wanna-be-superstar in the minds of the fellow WNBA players.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
