Christine Brennan sticks up for Caitlin Clark amid mounting backlash

WNBA reporter Christine Brennan stood up for Caitlin Clark after another series of negative comments thrown at the 2024 No. 1 overall pick. Despite being named TIME's 2024 Athlete of the Year, Clark has been on the receiving end of criticism from people within the league and even journalists who used to defend her.

Brennan joined CNN's "Laura Coates Live" to talk about Clark's Tuesday interview with TIME and the criticism it drew for the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Christine offered words of support to Clark, saying that she deserved the honor.

"Caitlin Clark deserves that. There's no doubt the impact that she had on the league was extraordinary, the TV ratings, the attendance, the sellouts; even Sheila Johnson's own team, the Washington Mystics, moved their two Indiana Fever games from the 4,200-seat arena to the 20,000-seat arena and in September had the biggest crowd in WNBA history because of Caitlin Clark. And Sheila Johnson knows that," Brennan said.

The veteran reported then mentioned that Clark tried to help black women during her interview with TIME Magazine, adding that she always displays her admiration for Maya Moore, one of the best female players of all time, who is black and has enjoyed Clark's admiration since she was a little kid.

She also talked about her "white privilege" while praising the black players who built the league, saying that she hopes that brands give more attention to other players and try to make a bigger impact on the W.

Christine Brennan reacts to Caitlin Clark's criticizing her question to DiJonai Carrington

Caitlin Clark also talked about the infamous play where DiJonai Carrington poked her in the eye and Christine Brennan's question regarding that play. After the negative reaction from Clark, Brennan defended her question and said she would ask her again if she was in the same position.

"Well she has every right to say that. I've interviewed Caitlin Clark, talked to her, asked some tough questions, she never shies away from hard questions... so my experience with Caitlin is that she is very accepting of hard questions."

She added that her question to Carrington was meant to allow her to clear things up while everybody said she intentionally tried to hurt the Indiana Fever star.

"I would ask [those questions] again, any time, always," Brennan concluded.

Even with Clark's rejection of those questions, Christine Brennan remains on her side, contrary to other journalists.