"Ruined NBA All-Star Weekend" - Rob Parker rips Caitlin Clark for snubbing invite citing $50 million WNBA loss

Caitlin Clark declined the NBA All-Star invite for a 3-point contest during the All-Star Weekend. Last time, when Steph Curry faced Sabrina Ionescu in the competition, it garnered much attention. With the league trying to continue the trend this season, the anticipation came to an end with Clark's rejection, which sports analyst Rob Parker didn't consider a wise decision.

According to Sports Business Journal, Clark's decision to reject the invite was influenced by her style of play. The report states that the rejection from the WNBA star's camp came because her "practice regimen consists only of catch-and-shoot 3-pointers or shots off the dribble."

Unhappy with her decision to pull out, Parker ripped the Indiana Fever star for not doing right by the NBA, which he claims kept the WNBA afloat. The Fox Sports analyst also undermined Caitlin Clark's impact by stating that the WNBA had lost $50 million even with her in the league.

"How can she say no when the WNBA wouldn’t even be around if it wasn’t for the NBA? They have subsidized that league forever," Parker said. "Ratings this year, right? Guess how much money the WNBA lost this past year — $50 million. Even with Caitlin Clark and her numbers."

"So the least she could have done was done a solid for her brothers in the NBA," he continued. "They aren’t earning their keep. Let’s just be honest. I’m being honest. The least she could have done was take part in that. And she has ruined NBA All-Star Weekend for me."

Originally, at the beginning of the 2024 WNBA season, a loss of a total of $50 million was anticipated. However, by October 2024, the New York Post reported that the league would lose $40 million.

Currently, the NBA owns 60% of the WNBA, and there have been reports of investors getting impatient with the losses. However, things are expected to change in the future.

Compared to the previous media deal, which was annually $60 million, the WNBA has a new deal that is worth $2.2 billion over 11 years. This deal will earn the league $100 million annually.

The NY Post also reported that the league is expected to lose $40 million next season. The players will also use a large part of the remaining $60 million, as their salaries are expected to increase following the rejection of the old Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Cameron Brink supports Caitlin Clark for rejecting All-Star invite

Unlike Rob Parker, LA Sparks star Cameron Brink sided with Caitlin Clark for not accepting the All-Star 3-point contest invite. Brink believed that the Fever star needed a break after a busy offseason before resuming her next WNBA season.

In conversation with her godsister, Steph Curry's sister, Sydel Curry Lee, Brink revealed that she texted Clark and suggested she take a break and avoid stress before the 2025 season.

"My good friend Caitlin Clark denied an NBA All-Star invite. I’m like, good for her. Last year Sabrina and Steph had a little shootout and it was very close," Brink said.

"She needs a break. I’m like texting her, I’m like ‘you need to take a vacation for three months.’ I’m like ‘you don’t need to have the stress of that again because it’s just going to be a whole debacle,'" Brink added.

Caitlin Clark's inclusion in the All-Star Break was expected to be a significant boost for the NBA, given how much the prestigious weekend's reputation has suffered in recent years.