The Caitlin Clark conversation in the WNBA is far from over, but ESPN senior writer David Dennis Jr. is throwing a flag on the narrative that the league is out to get her. On Thursday's episode of First Take, Dennis made it clear: Clark isn't being mistreated by her peers—she's being treated like any other rookie with massive hype.
Dennis fired back at recent comments from Candace Parker, who called Clark's No. 11 ranking among guards in player All-Star voting 'crazy' and suggested voters need therapy. Dennis doesn't see it that way.
'I don't think you can make a compelling argument that Caitlin Clark is a top four guard in the WNBA. Nobody can at this point. That is why she was 11th,' Dennis said, via Awful Announcing. 'She got the 11th-most votes for being in the top four. So there's really no controversy about that, especially when you add in the fact that she is one of the most popular players in the WNBA; she's going to make the All-Star Game.'
Clark, who was named a starter for the 2026 All-Star Game after fan voting, still landed outside the top 10 in player balloting—a gap that has sparked heated debate across the sports world. But Dennis argues that framing it as petty jealousy misses the point.
'What bothers me is when this is framed as some sort of petty jealousy or insecurity by these women in the WNBA,' Dennis said. 'Because that's not what I'm seeing is happening with Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark is experiencing pretty much what happens anytime a young player comes into the league with a lot of hype, especially the hype that she's receiving that says the whole entire league should be thankful that she's there.'
Dennis's stance puts him at odds with Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd, who last week called the WNBA 'paranoid, weird, and insular' for leaving Clark off the league's 30th anniversary poster while including Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. Cowherd also pointed to the league moving Clark's road games and transitioning to private jets as evidence of her impact.
'She's the No. 1 shooter, distributor, play initiator, playmaker, and she was voted the 11th best guard in the sport,' Cowherd said. 'The animosity towards Caitlin Clark—a lot of people are getting angry on the internet. It's just so petty.'
The divide over Clark's treatment isn't new. Geno Auriemma has also weighed in, pushing back on the idea that her fouls are a 'referendum on America.' And Chiney Ogwumike recently defended Alyssa Thomas, suggesting Clark can embellish contact.
For Dennis, the real story is that the WNBA is handling Clark the same way any league handles a rookie sensation—with tough competition and no special treatment. 'This isn't about jealousy,' he said. 'It's about basketball.'
Whether Cowherd or others will fire back remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the conversation around Caitlin Clark is far from settled.
