WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson appeared to have blocked an X (formerly Twitter) user who insulted her as a “dumbass horse” after she critiqued the fanbase of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
In October, Wilson told ESPN that she “dreaded” being in Indiana due to her fear of confrontations with Fever fans.
An X user reposted a photo of a 96-year-old Caitlin Clark fan wearing a Fever-themed shirt, tagging Wilson and arguing that the fanbase she criticized largely consisted of “little kids” and “grandparents.”
User @Tilllitstank chimed in, sharing the photo with the caption:
“We’re talking to you dumbass horse,” tagging Wilson.
Five hours later, the same user revealed they had been blocked by Wilson, sharing a screenshot of the block notice on X.
In her ESPN interview, A'ja Wilson explained why she found it challenging to visit Indiana, sharing that the experience left her feeling defensive.
“Ugh. I dreaded being in Indiana, not because it was like the city or nothing, it was just like, I just don’t want no s**t to pop off,” Wilson said.
“It’s like that feeling of constantly having to have that guard up, constantly having to just protect yourself and being ready to take the high road. Living like that sucks.”
Wilson dominated the 2024 season, winning the MVP award unanimously, while Caitlin Clark earned Rookie of the Year honors. Wilson's Aces defeated Clark's Fever in all four of their regular-season matchups.
Rachel DeMita Weighs in on A'ja Wilson's comments about Indiana
In an October episode of her “Courtside Club” podcast, basketball analyst Rachel DeMita questioned A'ja Wilson's portrayal of Indiana Fever fans as hostile.
“I’m sorry. It’s just so funny because I feel like from all of the visuals that I’ve seen of fans in Indiana, it’s mostly kids,” she said (1:30 mark). “You see so many photos and videos, and especially like the people who are sitting closest to the court, a lot of the times seem like children.“
DeMita suggested that the perceived hostility could stem from Indiana’s consistent sellout games, creating an intense atmosphere for visiting teams.
“Any team playing against Indiana is going to have a bigger, louder crowd than any other team that you play,” she said.
The 2024 WNBA season marked a resurgence in fan engagement, with total attendance reaching a 22-year high, a 48% increase from the previous year. Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever led the way, setting a league record with an average home game attendance of 17,035.