Former Bulls star echoes WNBA legend's comments over Caitlin Clark being used as a "pawn" in racism dialogue

Former Chicago Bulls star Ron Harper agreed with Sue Bird's assessment that Caitlin Clark has been used as a "pawn" in racism discussions in the WNBA.

On Wednesday, Sue Bird expressed sympathy for Clark and pointed out that racism was rampant in the league a long time before the Fever rookie was drafted.

“Can we just call a spade a spade? Racism has been impacting the WNBA well before this year. This is not a new thing. In that way, I do think Caitlin’s been used as a pawn. Caitlin didn’t bring racism into the WNBA. This has been happening!”

Harper, Michael Jordan’s former teammate, responded on Twitter.

“Let them know but as Black players, they see it more," he commented.

Bird's comments came after Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas complained last Wednesday about derogatory comments and abuse she endured during her team's series against the Indiana Fever. Angel Reese said in her podcast that fans of her rival are at the center of racist comments.

A few days ago, Clark denounced the toxic and hateful comments from some of her supposed fans. She called such people “trolls” for the “real disservice” they are forcing WNBA players to suffer through.

Caitlin Clark has become the WNBA’s most popular draw in her first year in the pros. She routinely helped the Indiana Fever to record viewership throughout the season. Per reports, 2.54 million watched Clark’s last game, an overwhelming number compared to the 929K from the most-watched matchup following Indiana’s playoff exit.

Clark has brought more attention to the league by attracting new fans. While many love her basketball, some players have complained about the hurtful comments reportedly made by a section of her fanbase.

Sports analyst Nick Wright suggested some of these supporters don’t watch basketball. He believes they are "bandwagon" fans riding the Clark mania to spew hate and racism on social media.

The WNBA released a statement to denounce racism, but it remains to be seen whether the problem goes away.

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Caitlin Clark wants fans to promote “positive storylines” and celebrate them instead of racism

In June, Caitlin Clark told “The Athletic” that the “women” in the WNBA “deserve the same amount of respect.” She added that people shouldn’t use her “name” to “push agendas” such as racism and bigotry.

Clark doubled down on her stance but gave it a more positive spin that fans can focus on:

"There are so many great players, there are so many great teams, there are so many positive storylines that can be written and celebrated, and for me, that's why I became a fan of this league.

“These people were my idols. I grew up wanting to be like them. So I think continuing to uplift and represent this league in a positive way is the best thing that we can do."

Caitlin Clark has already spoken about racism in the WNBA a few times. It remains to be seen if the situation will improve over time, particularly when the Indiana Fever play again.