NBA Commissioner Adam Silver apparently thinks it’s acceptable for a star rookie to be bullied and shoved by jealous opponents because aggressive hazing is a part of basketball.
Silver made comments suggesting as much during his annual NBA Finals news conference on Thursday at Boston’s TD Garden. The NBA owns the WNBA, and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert reports to Silver.
At one point, he was asked about Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter’s blatant cheap shot on Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark on Saturday.
Chennedy Carter clearly yelled “You bitch” at Caitlin Clark before throwing a flagrant foul. Dear gosh these #WNBA veterans remain bitter at the reason why they will all get paid more and get private planes this season. pic.twitter.com/Z4SHt6cYn6
— Caitlin Oishi (@caitlinerin) June 1, 2024
Silver brushed off the incident, saying, “As a fan, obviously … it’s nothing new in basketball that there’s sort of ‘welcome to the league’ moments, especially for heralded rookies.”
“Of course, I want to see Caitlin treated fairly and appropriately in the league,” he added. “I would say it seems like she can take care of herself. She’s a tough player.”
Silver also suggested that the intimidation and jealousy aimed at Clark is a good thing for the league because controversy stokes public interest.
“I think ultimately this is very healthy for women’s basketball and the WNBA,” he said. “It’s generating tremendous additional interest.”
Silver added, “In fairness to the other players and in fairness to Commissioner Engelbert, this didn’t just start this year.
“Certainly, we are seeing an acceleration of it with Caitlin, but … many individual stars who came into this league over the last several years.”
Adam Silver on Caitlin Clark and the WNBA. pic.twitter.com/aW6tq5xEuq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 7, 2024
In April, Clark was drafted No. 1 overall by the Fever after an exceptional career at Iowa, during which she became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.
Since then, the 22-year-old phenom has been the target of jealousy and anti-white racism.
Several race-hustling WNBA players and sports commentators, including former ESPN host Jemele Hill, suggested Clark is popular simply because she’s a white heterosexual in a sport swarming with black lesbians.
About 70 percent of WNBA players are black, and more than one-third identify as LGBT.
Instead of condemning the senseless hazing of a star rookie who’s a minority in the WNBA by virtue of her race and sexual orientation, Silver downplayed the group intimidation.
Do you agree with Silver?
“I don’t want to make too big of an issue out of one particular play,” Silver said.
“I think the burgeoning rivalries in professional basketball — you see rivalries among clubs but also between individual players too — and I think that can be ultimately good for the sport,” he said.
So hard fouls, trash-talking and cheap shots directed at one player are fine by Adam Silver? Would he and other left-wing hypocrites have the same blasé reaction if a group of white heterosexuals intimidated and shoved a black lesbian?
Let’s hope the commissioner’s boneheaded attitude doesn’t lead to any serious injuries.
