Caitlin Clark Talks Her Privilege and Why Black Female Athletes ‘Deserve All the Credit’

Caitlin Clark and David Letterman had a powerful conversation about her privilege in the WNBA.

Clark, 23, was a guest on Letterman’s Netflix series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, where the Indiana Fever star said, “I definitely have privilege,” after Letterman asked her about “being targeted for reasons other than the fact that you’re a rookie” in her first WNBA season.

“Well, I don’t think I was being targeted, so,” Clark told him. “Right, but what did other people think? ‘Oh she’s being victimized’ because you’re white,” Letterman replied.

“I’m obviously white,” Clark, who spoke out in June 2024 against people using her name to spew racism, said, “but I think I’m somebody who grew up a huge fan of this league. I grew up watching this league, going to games, supporting this league. So I know where this league comes from — a lot of Black women that grew up making this league what it is.”

Clark added, “That’s kind of the shoulders that we stand on. So I think that was something I’m very aware of, and something I’m very thankful for.”

She said that the Black women who made the WNBA what it is “deserve all the credit,” and added, “the more we can give credit to them, the better.”

“I’m very aware of that, and I know that, and I think there is responsibility in acknowledging that.”

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Clark’s appearance on Letterman’s Netflix series also covered topics like the physicality of the WNBA and how it differs from playing college sports, her near-suspension for receiving too many technicals in her rookie season and the greatness of other athletes like LeBron James.

“He’s done so much for the game of basketball,” Clark said of James, 40, during her interview with Letterman.

The WNBA star also helped Letterman out when he failed to name all 12 (now 13, with the new Golden State Valkyries) teams in the women’s league and shared stories about attending Minnesota Lynx games as a young girl.

Clark will begin her sophomore season in the WNBA on May 17 when the Fever host the Chicago Sky in Indiana.