Caitlin Clark's Time cover should've included 'the whole WNBA,' says co-owner

Caitlin Clark's honor as Time Magazine's Athlete of the Year capped a breakthrough 2024 for the WNBA, which enjoyed record attendance and TV ratings during the Indiana Fever superstar's spectacular rookie campaign.

Having the new face of the league celebrated with one of sport's most treasured distinctions wasn't enough for Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson.

In an interview with CNN World Sport, Johnson expressed disappointment in Time only recognizing the achievements of Clark, the WNBA's reigning Rookie of the Year.

"Why couldn't they have put the whole WNBA on that cover and say the WNBA is the 'League of the Year' because of all the talent that we have?" Johnson said.

"Because when you just keep singling out one player, it creates hard feelings. And so now you're starting to hear stories of racism within the WNBA. And I don't want to hear that. We have to got to operate and become stronger as a league and respect everybody that's playing and their talents."

"We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized, and I don’t think we can pin it on just one player"

Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson speaks to @AmandaDCNN about TIME's decision to name Caitlin Clark "Athlete of the Year": https://t.co/nQL7NXosv7 pic.twitter.com/HjBjf0nlgX
— CNN Sports (@cnnsport) December 13, 2024

CNN Sport's Amanda Davies pointed out Clark's appreciation for how the WNBA has "been built" on Black players and her belief that that it's "very important" to continue to "elevate Black women." Also in her interview with Time, Clark acknowledged her "privilege" as a "white person" for her stardom.

"She shouldn't have had to say that, but I applaud her for saying it," Johnson said. "We cannot continue to operate (like this) because this division of racism is going to tear us apart."

Johnson credited the WNBA's rising popularity for "the draft of the players that came in."

"It's just not Caitlin Clark. It's (Angel) Reese," she said. "We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized. And I don't think we can just pin it on one player."

When asked about what is driving the "Caitlin Clark Effect," Johnson attributed it to the "way media plays out race."

"I want to be very diplomatic about this," Johnson said. "It's just the structure of the way media plays out race. I'm going to be very honest. I feel really bad because 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 that right now it is time for that to happen."