Caitlin Clark makes honest confession about controversies surrounding her

While Caitlin Clark's arrival in the WNBA has been largely good for the league, it hasn't come without controversies. The Indiana Fever star largely maintained her distance from controversies, although questions surrounding her race and sexuality were often times pushed forward in the media.

It wasn't just those who questioned if she deserved such attention, but also some of her supporters who used disappointing narratives along the lines of her race and gender.

Caitlin Clark was declared the 2024 Athlete of the Year by Time. In an interview with Time on December 10, Clark spoke about the controversy that surrounds her. She said that even though she treats everyone equally and respects everyone, she feels like the "most controversial person."

“I tell people I feel like the most controversial person,” says Clark. “But I am not. It’s just because of all the storylines that surround me. I literally try to live and treat everybody in the same exact respectful, kind way. It just confuses me at times.”

While Caitlin Clark has maintained her distance from such controversies, she has also addressed them when asked in the media. She has always maintained a strict stance against such narratives.

Caitlin Clark opens up about her impact on the women's sports and stealing spotlight from Taylor Swift

The fanbase of the WNBA has seen a substantial increase since Caitlin Clark shot to fame. The Indiana Fever star's name has filled up arenas and the WNBA has been having multiple games with sold-out tickets.

In conversation with time, Clark said that to be able to attract people and garner interest in the game, makes her feel powerful. The 2024 Rookie of the Year also added that the fans were not coming to watch the game just to support women's sports, they were coming because they wanted to watch the game and it was a new normal.

“You feel powerful,” Clark said. “Instantly, everybody goes crazy. People are invested in the game, they love the game, and that's what makes it so fun for me. These people aren't supporting women's sports to check a box. It’s going to be the new normal.”

During her interview, Clark also said that when she attended the Taylor Swift concert at Lucas Oil Stadium, the fans started taking her pictures and started throwing her friendship bracelets.

During her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, the team's jersey sales went up by 1000%, and the ticket sales went up by 250%. With Caitlin Clark, the Fever also got 38 nationally televised games; the highest in the league. The Fever also topped the league in home and away game attendance in the 2024 season.